JP7755259B2 - gaming machines - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to gaming machines such as pachinko gaming machines (commonly referred to as "pachinko machines") and slot machine gaming machines (commonly referred to as "pachislot machines").

Conventionally, pachinko machines as gaming machines have been equipped with a frame body and a game board that can be attached and detached to the frame body, and it is known that the game board has a game area through which game balls can flow down, as well as various ball entry ports such as a winning port and an outlet port, and information markings corresponding to these ball entry ports (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

JP 2022-049227 A (paragraph [0062], FIG. 9)

However, with a configuration equivalent to that of conventional information displays, for example, it was time-consuming to check and inspect which of multiple inlets was the outlet during the development and manufacturing process of a gaming machine, and it was not very convenient.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and its object is to provide a gaming machine that can provide improved convenience compared to conventional gaming machines.

Effective solutions for achieving the above-mentioned objectives are presented below. Where necessary, explanations of their operation will be provided. For ease of understanding, the corresponding configurations will also be shown in the embodiments of the invention, but are not intended to be limiting.

In order to achieve the above object, according to the invention of claim 1,
A gaming machine equipped with a gaming board having a flow-down area through which gaming balls can flow down,
The game board is provided with a specific member that forms a specific flow path into which the game ball flowing down the flow-down area can enter,
The specific member has transparency,
a seal portion provided with a specific indication positioned forward of the specific flow path is attached to a predetermined location of the specific member,
The seal portion has an outer edge portion formed to contact the entire outer edge of the specific indicia,
The specific marking and the outer edge are
When the seal portion is attached to the specific member, the seal portion is visible from the front side of the specific member and is visible through the specific member from the rear side of the specific member,
Furthermore, a specific shape portion is formed on the back surface of the specific member,
the specific shape portion is formed at a position that overlaps the specific marking and the outer edge portion when the seal portion is attached to the specific member,
moreover,
A counting means capable of updating a count value by game balls entering a plurality of game ball flow paths including the specific flow path;
a game limiting means for controlling the state of the gaming machine to a game limiting state in which the progress of a game is limited based on the count value reaching a specific value;
A specific notification means capable of executing a specific notification regarding the count value before being controlled to the gaming limited state;
and a game restriction notification means capable of issuing a game restriction notification regarding the game restriction state when the game is controlled to the game restriction state.
As the specific notification, a specific notification image can be displayed on a predetermined display means,
As the game restriction notification, a game restriction notification image can be displayed on the predetermined display means,
If the power is interrupted while the game restriction notification image is displayed, the game restriction notification image can be displayed even after the power is restored.
The game restriction notification image displayed before the power outage and the game restriction notification image displayed after the power is restored can display a common message image regarding the game restriction state.
The following means are disclosed for reference as inventions separate from the present invention.
(Measure 1)
A gaming machine equipped with a gaming board,
The game board has a game board on the front surface of which a game area is formed where game balls can flow down;
A partition member provided on the front side of the game board;
The partition member partitions the outer periphery of the play area,
It is provided so as to be located outside the outer periphery of the play area,
The play area is divided into a plurality of partition member pieces on the outer periphery thereof,
At least one specific partitioning member piece among the plurality of partitioning member pieces has an uneven portion formed on a front surface thereof excluding at least a side surface thereof, the uneven portion being made up of a plurality of fine unevennesses;
The specific partition member piece is detachably fixed to the front side of the game board with a screw,
The specific partition member piece is characterized in that a positioning pin is formed on the specific partition member piece to be inserted into a positioning hole formed on the game board.

According to the gaming machine of the invention of claim 1 of the present invention, the partition member defines the periphery of the play area, is positioned outside the periphery of the play area, and is composed of multiple partition member pieces divided outside the periphery of the play area. At least one of the multiple partition member pieces has an uneven portion consisting of multiple fine irregularities on its front surface, excluding at least the side surfaces. Therefore, when an operator holds the gaming board with their hands on at least the front and side surfaces of the specific partition member piece, the uneven portion acts as an anti-slip surface, preventing the operator's hand from slipping on the front surface of the specific partition member piece, preventing the operator's hand from coming into contact with obstacles, gimmicks, etc. within the play area. Furthermore, when the operator lets go of the gaming board, it is also possible to prevent the operator's hand from getting caught on the side surface of the specific partition member piece and damaging the specific partition member. Furthermore, even if a specific partition member piece is damaged, it is only necessary to replace the specific partition member piece without replacing the entire partition member, allowing the gaming board to be transported safely (see, for example, paragraphs [3531] to [3563]).

In this way, the gaming machine of the present invention can provide improved convenience compared to conventional gaming machines.

1 is a front view of a pachinko machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a pachinko machine shown with the upper side tilted forward. This is a perspective view of a pachinko machine as seen from the front. FIG. 2 is a rear view of the pachinko machine. This is an oblique view showing the door frame, main body frame, and outer frame that make up the pachinko machine in the open state, each rotated on its hinges. This is an exploded perspective view of a pachinko machine, broken down into its main components and viewed from the front. This is an exploded perspective view of a pachinko machine broken down into its main components and viewed from the rear. This is a front view of the pachinko machine with the door frame removed. FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view showing the game board separated from the main body frame in FIG. 8. This is a front view of the pachinko machine with the door frame and game board removed. FIG. 11 is a rear view of the pachinko machine of FIG. 10. FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the pachinko machine of FIG. 10 as seen obliquely from the front. This is an exploded perspective view of the outer frame and main body frame disassembled from each other as seen from the front. This is an exploded perspective view of the outer frame and main body frame disassembled from the rear. This is a plan cross-sectional view of the outer frame cut at the center in the vertical direction. FIG. This is an exploded oblique view of the main body frame as seen from the front, with the main components disassembled. This is an exploded perspective view of the main body frame disassembled into its main components and viewed from the rear. FIG. 11 is a plan view of the pachinko machine of FIG. 10 cut at the center from top to bottom. 20 is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A in FIG. 19. FIG. 9 is a front view of the main part of the front view of FIG. 8, showing the launch unit, the foul unit, etc. in cross section. This is an exploded oblique view of the main frame base unit of the main frame, disassembled into its main components, viewed from the front. This is an exploded oblique view of the main frame base unit in the main frame, disassembled into its main components and viewed from behind. 1A is a front view of a main body frame base in a main body frame base unit, and FIG. 1B is an explanatory perspective view showing a state in which multiple main body frame bases are stacked. 1A is a perspective view of the ball launching unit in the main body frame as seen from the front, and FIG. 1B is a perspective view of the ball launching unit in the main body frame as seen from the back. 1A is an exploded perspective view of the ball launching unit as seen from the front, and FIG. 1B is an exploded perspective view of the ball launching unit as seen from the rear. (a) is an oblique view of the launching unit cover of the ball launching unit seen from the rear left, and (b) is an explanatory diagram of the ball launching unit showing only the launching unit cover in cross section when viewed from the front. FIG. 10 is a front view of the ball launching unit showing the launch subtraction sensor and firing hammer in dashed lines. 1A is a perspective view of the foul unit in the main body frame as seen from the front, and FIG. 1B is a perspective view of the foul unit in the main body frame as seen from the rear. 1A is an exploded perspective view of the foul unit as seen from the front, and FIG. 1B is an exploded perspective view of the foul unit as seen from the rear. 1A is an explanatory diagram showing a side cross section of the foul unit with the foul shutter in a closed state, and FIG. 1B is an explanatory diagram showing a side cross section of the foul unit with the foul shutter in an open state. 10A is a perspective view of the foul unit of the second embodiment as seen from the front, and FIG. 10B is a perspective view of the foul unit of the second embodiment as seen from the rear. 10A is an exploded perspective view of the foul unit of the second embodiment as seen from the front, and FIG. 10B is an exploded perspective view of the foul unit of the second embodiment as seen from the rear. (a) is an explanatory diagram showing a side cross-section of the foul unit of the second embodiment with the foul shutter in a closed state, and (b) is an explanatory diagram showing a side cross-section of the foul unit of the second embodiment with the foul shutter in an open state. 1A is a perspective view of the circulation ball path unit in the main body frame as seen from the front, and FIG. 1B is a perspective view of the circulation ball path unit in the main body frame as seen from the back. This is an exploded oblique view of the circulating ball path unit as seen from the front. This is an exploded perspective view of the circulation ball path unit as seen from behind. (a) is a plan view showing only the ball serpentine member and ball removal shutter in the circulating ball path unit, and (b) is a front oblique view showing only the ball serpentine member and ball removal shutter in the circulating ball path unit. (a1) is an explanatory diagram showing the ball removal shutter and ball serpentine member in the closed position together with the ball receiving tray in a side cross section, (a2) is an explanatory diagram showing only the ball removal shutter portion in (a1) from the bottom, (b1) is an explanatory diagram showing the ball removal shutter and ball serpentine member in the open position together with the ball receiving tray in a side cross section, and (b2) is an explanatory diagram showing only the ball removal shutter portion in (b1) from the bottom. (a) is an explanatory diagram showing a front cross section of the circulating ball path unit cut at the location of the out ball sensor, and (b) is an explanatory diagram showing a front cross section of the circulating ball path unit cut at the location of the safe ball sensor. (a) is an oblique view from the front showing an enlarged view of the lower part of the main body frame together with the outer frame with the serpentine cover of the circulation ball path unit removed, and (b) is an oblique view from the back showing an enlarged view of the lower part of the main body frame together with the outer frame with the serpentine cover of the circulation ball path unit removed. A plan view showing the ball serpentine member, serpentine cover, ball removal shutter, and gauge section in the circulating ball path unit. (a) is an explanatory diagram showing an enlarged view of the key parts of the rear cross section taken at the out ball sensor when the cover member of the ball elimination mechanism in the circulating ball path unit attached to the main frame is closed, and (b) is an explanatory diagram showing (a) with the cover member open. (a) is an explanatory diagram showing a side cross section of the ball serpentine member and ball removal tray when the ball removal shutter is in the closed position with an iron ball magnetically attached to it; (b) is an explanatory diagram showing a side cross section of the ball serpentine member and ball removal tray when the ball removal shutter is in the open position with an iron ball magnetically attached to it; and (c) is an explanatory diagram showing a side cross section of the ball serpentine member and ball removal tray when the ball removal shutter has been slid from the position in (b) to the closed position with an iron ball magnetically attached to the underside. (a) is an oblique view of the ball lifting unit in the main body frame viewed from the front left, (b) is an oblique view of the ball lifting unit in the main body frame viewed from the front right, and (c) is an oblique view of the ball lifting unit in the main body frame viewed from the rear. This is an exploded oblique view of the ball lifting unit, showing the state in which the ball grinding motor base and cassette pressing piece have been opened and the ball grinding cassette has been removed. (a) is a plan view of the ball lifting unit without the ball polishing cassette attached, (b) is a plan view of the ball lifting unit with the ball polishing motor base and cassette pressing piece open and the ball polishing cassette attached, and (c) is a plan view of the ball lifting unit with the ball polishing cassette attached. (a) is an explanatory diagram showing the door frame being closed when the Kuma cassette is not completely locked, (b) is an explanatory diagram showing the state in which the door frame moves in the closing direction from the state in (a) and the protrusion on the door frame abuts against the tip of the Kuma motor base, and (c) is an explanatory diagram showing the state in which the door frame is closed from the state in (b) and the Kuma cut is locked. This is an enlarged front view showing the main parts with the ball polishing cassette removed from the ball lifting unit attached to the main body frame. (a) is a right side view showing the main parts of the ball grinding mechanism and ball lifting mechanism in the ball lifting unit, (b) is a rear view showing the main parts of the ball lifting mechanism, and (c) is a plan view of the main parts of the ball lifting mechanism as seen from arrow A in (b). FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing the relationship between the lifting spiral shaft and the polishing cloth in the ball lifting unit. (a) is an enlarged view of the lifting inlet sensor and lifting outlet sensor areas and is an oblique view of the ball lifting unit viewed from the rear left, and (b) is a plan cross-sectional view of the ball lifting unit cut at the lifting inlet sensor area. An explanatory diagram showing the front and rear portions of a ball sensor consisting of a photosensor in the ball passage. (a) is an oblique view of the ball polishing cassette of the ball lifting unit as seen from the front left, (b) is an oblique view of the ball polishing cassette as seen from the rear right, and (c) is a right side cross-sectional view of the ball polishing cassette cut in the center in the left-right direction. 1A is a perspective view of the ball throwing unit in the main body frame as seen from the front, and FIG. 1B is a perspective view of the ball throwing unit in the main body frame as seen from the back. 1A is an exploded perspective view of the ball throwing unit as seen from the front, and FIG. 1B is an exploded perspective view of the ball throwing unit as seen from the rear. This is a front cross-sectional view of the ball sending unit cut at the pre-launch sensor location. 10 is a perspective view showing the state in which the main body frame is opened relative to the outer frame, and the rear cover and frame substrate unit are also opened. FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing an enlarged view of a portion of a frame substrate unit in the outer frame and the main body frame. FIG. This is a reference photograph showing the rear side of the main body frame with the frame substrate unit open. This is an explanatory diagram showing the various passages for game balls on the rear side of the main body frame from the rear. FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram schematically showing the flow of game balls in the main body frame. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an outline of the control configuration of a pachinko machine. 10 is a flowchart showing a launch permission process. 10 is a flowchart showing a ball possession subtraction process. 10 is a flowchart showing the process of adding balls in possession due to foul balls. 10 is a flowchart showing a launch control process. 10 is a time chart showing the operation of the launch solenoid and the ball delivery solenoid in the launch sequence. 67A is a flowchart showing a launch control process different from that of FIG. 67, and FIG. 67B is a flowchart showing the balls held subtraction process in the case of the launch control process of FIG. 67A. 10 is a flowchart showing prize ball processing. 10 is a flowchart showing a lifting motor operation process. 10 is a table showing the relationship between the lift inlet sensor and the lift outlet sensor and the operation of the lift motor. 10 is a graph showing the relationship between the launching operation of the game ball and the operation of the ball lifting unit. 10 is a graph showing the operation of the ball lifting mechanism in the ball lifting unit. 10A is a flowchart showing security processing, and FIG. 10B is a flowchart showing security processing of an embodiment different from that of FIG. 10A. 10 is a table showing the relationship between the low circulating ball sensor and the high circulating ball sensor and error notification. (a) is an explanatory diagram showing the orientation of a magnetic sensor that can detect magnetic lines of force from a magnet, (b) is an explanatory diagram showing the orientation of a magnetic sensor that cannot detect magnetic lines of force from a magnet, (c) is an explanatory diagram that shows a schematic perspective view of the detection range of a magnetic sensor on a game board, (d) is an explanatory diagram that shows the positional relationship between a magnetic sensor and a magnetic body that makes it unable to detect magnetic lines of force from a magnet, (e) is an explanatory diagram that shows the positional relationship between a magnetic sensor and a magnetic body that makes it possible to detect magnetic lines of force from a magnet, and (f) is an explanatory diagram that shows the magnetic sensor and the holding part separated. This is a front view of the game board, showing the transparent center gimmicks and other parts as opaque. FIG. 79 is a perspective view of the game board of FIG. 78 as seen from the front right. FIG. 79 is a perspective view of the game board of FIG. 78 as seen from the front left. FIG. 79 is a perspective view of the game board of FIG. 78 from the rear. This is an exploded perspective view of the game board disassembled into its main components and viewed from the front. This is an exploded perspective view of the game board disassembled into its main components and viewed from behind. This is a front view of the game board, showing the inside of the game area where game balls circulate, by cutting the front unit parallel to the surface of the game panel. 1A is a front view of the lottery device in the center role, and FIG. 1B is a perspective view of the lottery device as seen from above in front. This is a side cross-sectional view of the lottery device in the center role, cut at the center in the left-right direction. 1A is an explanatory diagram showing a cross section of a lottery device in a state where the game ball cannot loop, and FIG. 1B is an explanatory diagram showing a cross section of a lottery device in a state where the game ball can loop. FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing the flow of game balls in a lottery device. FIG. 2 is a front view of the game board in a normal state. This is a front view of the game board, showing the state in which the rear front lifting decorative unit of the rear front performance unit has been dropped from the standby position to the performance position, from the normal state. This is a front view of the game board showing the rear lifting decoration of the rear performance unit moved from the retracted position to the appearing position from the normal state. This is a front view of the game board, showing the state in which, from the normal state, the rear front rising decoration unit of the rear front performance unit has been dropped from the standby position to the performance position, and the rear rear rising decoration of the rear rear performance unit has been moved from the retracted position to the appearing position. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an outline of the control configuration of a pachinko machine. This is an explanatory diagram showing the center device of the first embodiment attached to the game panel, cut halfway in the vertical direction, together with the previous components. (a) is an explanatory diagram showing the decorative body of the center accessory disassembled into a front decorative part and a rear decorative part from the front, and (b) is an explanatory diagram showing the decorative body consisting of a front decorative part and a rear decorative part from the front. This is an explanatory diagram showing the center frame of the center role piece in Figure 94 placed on a stand with its rear end facing downwards. An explanatory diagram showing a partial cross section of a center accessory with a center frame to which a decorative body different from that shown in Figure 94 is attached. (a) is an explanatory diagram showing the main parts of the center reel of the second embodiment as seen from within the frame, (b) is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A in (a), and (c) is an explanatory diagram showing the center reel of (a) with the rear end facing downwards and the center frame placed on a stand. This is a front view showing a gaming board with a center device of the third embodiment, with the area behind the gaming panel omitted. This is an exploded oblique view of the center gadget and game panel of Figure 99 when viewed from the front. This is an exploded oblique view of the center part of Figure 99 as seen from the front. 10A to 10G are explanatory diagrams showing various joining patterns between the first frame and the second frame in the center role piece of the third embodiment. 10A is a front view showing the main part of a game board on which a side unit of a second embodiment is provided, and FIG. 10B is a perspective view of FIG. 10A as seen from the front. (a) is an exploded oblique view showing the side unit disassembled from the game panel on the game board of Figure 103, (b) is an exploded oblique view showing the side unit of (a) disassembled from the front, (c) is an exploded oblique view of the side unit of (b) seen from behind, and (d) is an explanatory diagram showing the relationship between the game panel and the side unit in vertical cross section. An explanatory diagram showing the relationship between the side unit and the game panel in Figure 104 in cross section. An explanatory diagram showing a side unit of a different configuration from the side unit in Figure 103 in vertical cross section together with a game panel. (a) is an explanatory diagram showing a side unit of a different shape from the side unit shown in Figure 105 in vertical cross section together with the game panel, and (b) is an explanatory diagram showing an oblique view of the main parts of the LED board and board cover of the side unit in (a). An explanatory diagram showing a side unit of a different configuration from the side unit shown in Figure 107 in vertical cross section together with a game panel. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing a vertical cross section of a side unit of a different type together with a game panel. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing a vertical cross section of a side unit of a different type together with a game panel. 10A is an explanatory diagram showing a cross section of a side unit of a different type together with a game panel, and FIG. 10B is an explanatory diagram showing a vertical cross section of FIG. (a) is a front view showing the main parts of a game board on which a side unit etc. of the third embodiment is provided, (b) is an explanatory diagram showing an enlarged view of the outlet part in (a), and (c) is an explanatory diagram showing a longitudinal cross section of (b). (a) is an explanatory diagram showing an enlarged view of the outlet portion of a game board equipped with a side unit having a finger grip portion of a different shape from that shown in Figure 112, and (b) is an explanatory diagram showing (a) in vertical cross section. 10 is an explanatory diagram schematically showing a panel plate of a gaming panel in which an opening to which a side unit is attached and an outlet are continuously connected. FIG. (a) is an explanatory diagram showing an example in which the non-contact surface portion is provided rearward of the LED board, (b) is an explanatory diagram showing an example in which the non-contact surface portion is provided rearward of the LED board in a form different from (a), (c) is an explanatory diagram showing an example in which the non-contact surface portion is provided so as to overlap the LED board, and (d) is an explanatory diagram showing an example in which the non-contact surface portion is provided around the entire circumference of the unit cover. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing a frame decorative member that can be attached to and detached from a door frame. FIG. This is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when the door frame is opened and the frame decoration member is removed during normal business hours. This is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when a frame decoration member is removed while the door frame is open in reuse confirmation state A and then the frame decoration member is attached while the door frame is next opened. This is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when a frame decoration member is removed while the door frame is open in reuse confirmation state B and then the frame decoration member is attached while the door frame is next opened. This is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when a frame decoration member is detached while the door frame is open in reuse confirmation state A. This is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when a frame decoration member is detached while the door frame is open in reuse confirmation state B. This is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when a frame decoration member is attached after it is determined at the judgment timing that the frame decoration member is not connected. This is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when a frame decoration member is removed while the door frame is open in an error state and reuse confirmation state A, and then the frame decoration member is attached while the door frame is next opened. 10 is a time chart showing an example of the amount of balls dispensed calculated in relation to the progress of the stop counter. This is a table showing the conditions for clearing the "amount of balls calculated before the stop state begins" and the "restrictions on play during the stop state." This is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value and play is restricted. 10 is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when restrictions on play are lifted when the power is turned back on after being shut off. This is a specific example of a presentation in which the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value at the moment the game ball enters the big prize opening during a jackpot game. This is a specific example of a presentation in which the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value at the time when a game ball enters a general winning slot while a special pattern is being displayed in a changing state. This is the restricted clear pattern table 4 that is selected when the restricted clear pattern selection switch is set to "4." 10 is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when a minor abnormality occurs during a normal state or a stop state. 10 is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when a serious abnormality occurs during a normal state. 10 is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when a serious abnormality occurs during a stoppage state. 10 is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when a minor abnormality occurs during the stop preparation state. 10 is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when a serious abnormality occurs during the preparation state for stopping the game. This is a specific example of what happens when a minor abnormality occurs during normal or dead-end conditions. This is a specific example of what happens when a serious abnormality occurs during normal or dead-end conditions. This is a specific example of what happens when a minor or major abnormality occurs during the end preparation state. 10 is a time chart showing the transition of advance notice display after advance notice display has started. 10 is a modified example of the restriction clear pattern table 4 when the power is turned on. 10 is a time chart showing the start of output of a special external signal before the start of a stop preparation state and a stop state. This is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when a stop-like state occurs after the stop-state is cleared when the power is turned on. This is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when an advance notice display or an indication that progress is not possible is displayed during standby mode. This is a time chart showing the operation of the movable body when the special pattern does not transition to a stop state during variable display. This is a time chart showing the case where the game transitions to a stop state before the timing of the movable body's operation during the variable display of the special pattern, and the movable body is not operated thereafter. This is a time chart showing the case where the movable body transitions to a stop state during operation while the special pattern is being displayed in a variable manner, and the movable body is not operated thereafter. This is a time chart showing a case where the game transitions to a stop state before the timing of the movable body's operation during the variable display of the special pattern, and the movable body is then operated. This is a specific example of a presentation in which the moving body transitions to a stop state during the movement of the moving body while the special pattern is being displayed in a changing state, and the moving body is not moved thereafter. This is a specific example of a presentation in which the game transitions to a stop state before the timing of the movable body's movement during the changing display of the special pattern, and the movable body is then moved. This is another example of a specific presentation in which the game transitions to a stop state before the timing of the movable body's movement during the variable display of the special pattern, and the movable body is then moved. 10 is a table comparing the notification modes regarding light emission and sound in a normal standby state, an energy saving mode, and a stopped state. 10 is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when it transitions to an energy saving mode during a stop state. 10 is a table comparing notification modes related to light emission and sound when transitioning to notification mode C during a stop state. 10 is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when transitioning to notification mode C during a stop state. This is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when a first manager's operation or a second manager's operation is performed during energy saving mode and the machine transitions to a stop state. FIG. 10 is a schematic perspective view showing the back side of a side unit of yet another different type. FIG. 157 is an enlarged side view of the magnetic sensor shown in FIG. 156 and its vicinity. FIG. 157 is an enlarged plan view of the vicinity of the ball sensor shown in FIG. 156. A schematic perspective view showing the back side of a starting port unit of a different type. This is an enlarged rear view showing the area around the second starting port sensor shown in Figure 159. FIG. 10 is a schematic rear view showing another aspect of the main wiring. 10 is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when the game board A1 is replaced with the game board A2 when the power is cut off. 10 is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when the game board A1 is detached when the power is cut off. FIG. This is a table showing the conditions for clearing the number of balls you have. This is a time chart showing the conditions for the occurrence of a counting permission state in which the number of balls held can be calculated. 10 is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when the counting button switch is operated. 10 is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when it transitions to a ball removal state upon power-on. 10 is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when it transitions to a ball removal state upon power-on. This is a diagram showing a magnetic sensor provided around a foul ball sensor. 10 is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when magnetism is detected by a magnetic sensor. This is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when various switches are operated when the power is turned on with no game board installed. FIG. 1 is a front view showing the center accessory. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a part of the first center role and the third center role. 1A to 1C are schematic front views showing the first and second center roles. 1A to 1C are schematic front views showing the first and third center roles. FIG. 10 is a front view showing another embodiment of the center accessory. FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of the game board from the front right. FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of the game board from the rear right. 178(a) is an end view showing the AA' end face of FIG. 178, and FIG. 180(b) is an end view showing another aspect of the game board shown in FIG. 180(a). This is a schematic oblique view of the game panel from the front right. 1 is a schematic perspective view of the game panel from the rear right. 182 is a cross-sectional view showing the AA' cross section of FIG. 181. FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of the game board from the front right. FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of the game board from the rear right. 185 is a schematic end view showing the AA' end face of FIG. 184. FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of a portion of the game board viewed from the front right. FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a portion of the game board viewed from the rear right. FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of the game board from the front right. 189. FIG. 189 is a schematic end view showing the AA' end face. FIG. 1 is a front perspective view showing a portion of the game board. FIG. 10 is a perspective view from behind showing a portion of the game board. 193 is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of the front component of FIG. 192; FIG. FIG. 10 is a side view showing a portion of the front component placed on a flat surface. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the shape of a first positioning pin. 10 is a perspective view showing a portion of a gaming panel to which the component is attached. FIG. FIG. 1 is a front perspective view showing the game board. FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view from the front showing the game board. FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing another embodiment of the lower right panel decorative portion. FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing another embodiment of the lower right panel decorative portion. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the opening/closing axis side of the game board. 1A is a front view showing the front surface of the side unit, and FIG. 1B is a rear view showing the rear surface of the side unit. FIG. 10 is an exploded view of the side unit with the film member detached therefrom. FIG. 2 is an exploded view showing the structure of the film member of this example in detail, in which the film member is disassembled into a plurality of film layers. A figure showing modified examples of the notation of the winning slot and the winning slot in Figures 202 and 203. 10A is a front view showing the front surface of a side unit of another embodiment, and FIG. 10B is a rear view showing the rear surface of the side unit of another embodiment. FIG. 2 is a front view showing a game board having a front unit. FIG. 1 is a front view showing a pachinko machine equipped with a game board to which a front unit is attached.

[1. Overall structure of a pachinko machine]
A pachinko machine 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. First, the overall configuration of the pachinko machine 1 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Figs. 1 to 7. Fig. 1 is a front view of a pachinko machine according to one embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 2 is a front perspective view of the pachinko machine with the upper side tilted forward. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the pachinko machine as viewed from the front, and Fig. 4 is a rear view of the pachinko machine. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the door frame, main body frame, and outer frame that make up the pachinko machine, each opened by rotating on a hinge. Fig. 6 is an exploded perspective view of the pachinko machine as viewed from the front, with each main component disassembled, and Fig. 7 is an exploded perspective view of the pachinko machine as viewed from the rear, with each main component disassembled.

The pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment is intended to be installed and used in an island facility in an amusement hall. This pachinko machine 1 is what is known as a sealed-in gaming machine or a controlled gaming machine, in which a large number of gaming balls B (for example, 40 to 60 balls) are sealed in without being discharged to the outside or supplied from the outside, and the gaming balls B circulate internally, so that the player does not come into contact with the gaming balls B. In this pachinko machine 1, the number of balls held by the player is converted into ball holding data and handled as data.

The game ball B enclosed in the pachinko machine 1 only needs to have the same diameter (hereinafter referred to as diameter D; diameter D = 11 mm) as the game balls used in conventional pachinko machines, and may be made of, for example, non-magnetic stainless steel such as SUS304, or a conventional iron ball (SB). Furthermore, if game ball B is made of stainless steel, it will not rust like a conventional iron ball, even if it is enclosed in the pachinko machine 1 for a long period of time.

The pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment comprises a frame-shaped outer frame 2 that is installed in an island facility (not shown) in an amusement hall; a door frame 3 that opens and closes the front of the outer frame 2; a main frame 4 that supports the door frame 3 so that it can be opened and closed and is attached to the outer frame 2 so that it can be opened and closed; and a game board 5 that is detachably attached to the main frame 4 from the front, is visible to the player through the door frame 3, and has a game area 5a into which the player shoots a game ball B.

[2. Outer Frame]
The outer frame 2 of the pachinko machine 1 will be described mainly with reference to Figures 8 to 16. Figure 8 is a front view of the pachinko machine with the door frame removed. Figure 9 is an exploded perspective view of the pachinko machine with the game board separated from the main frame in Figure 8. Figure 10 is a front view of the pachinko machine with the door frame and game board removed, Figure 11 is a rear view of the pachinko machine in Figure 10, and Figure 12 is a perspective view of the pachinko machine in Figure 10 as seen diagonally from the front. Figure 13 is an exploded perspective view of the outer frame and main frame disassembled as seen from the front, and Figure 14 is an exploded perspective view of the outer frame and main frame disassembled as seen from the rear. Figure 15 is a plan cross-sectional view of the outer frame cut at the center in the vertical direction. Figure 16 is a perspective view showing the lower part of the outer frame.

The outer frame 2 is attached to the island equipment of the amusement hall (not shown), and the main frame 4 can be attached to it so that it can be opened and closed forward and can be detached. The outer frame 2 comprises an outer frame body 10 formed as a vertically long frame overall, outer frame assembly fittings 20 to which the outer frame body 10 is attached, an outer frame hinge mechanism 30 that supports the main frame 4 so that it can be opened and closed, an outer frame locking fitting (not shown) for locking the main frame 4 in a closed position, a fascia board 45 attached to the lower frame body 14 of the outer frame body 10, and a sliding board 46 attached to the top surface of the fascia board 45.

The outer frame body 10 of the outer frame 2 comprises a left frame body 11 and a right frame body 12 that extend vertically and are spaced apart on the left and right, an upper frame body 13 that connects the upper ends of the left frame body 11 and the right frame body 12, and a lower frame body 14 that connects the lower ends of the left frame body 11 and the right frame body 12. The left frame body 11 and the right frame body 12 are each formed from an extruded metal such as an aluminum alloy. The upper frame body 13 and the lower frame body 14 are formed from wood. The left frame body 11, right frame body 12, upper frame body 13, and lower frame body 14 have the same dimensions in the front-to-rear direction.

The outer frame assembly fittings 20 of the outer frame 2 include an upper-left fitting that connects the left frame body 11 and the upper frame body 13, an upper-right fitting that connects the right frame body 12 and the upper frame body 13, a lower-left fitting that connects the left frame body 11 and the lower frame body 14, and a lower-right fitting that connects the right frame body 12 and the lower frame body 14. The lower-left fitting also serves as the outer frame lower hinge body 35.

The outer frame hinge mechanism 30 has an upper outer frame hinge body 31 located at the upper left end of the outer frame main body 10, and a lower outer frame hinge body 35 located at the lower left end of the outer frame main body 10.

The upper hinge body 31 of the outer frame hinge mechanism 30 is attached to the upper left surface of the upper frame body 13, with its front end protruding forward beyond the outer frame main body 10. The upper hinge body 31 has a bearing groove 31a that penetrates vertically and is open on one side at the portion that protrudes forward beyond the outer frame main body 10, and a locking member 32 that is provided on the underside of the portion that protrudes forward beyond the outer frame main body 10 and can open and close the open portion of the bearing groove 31a.

The bearing groove 31a of the outer frame upper hinge body 31 can support the main frame hinge shaft 511a of the main frame upper hinge body 511 on the main frame 4 by inserting the main frame hinge shaft 511a from the released portion. The locking member 32 of the outer frame upper hinge body 31 is normally positioned in a locked position where the released portion of the bearing groove 31a is closed by the biasing force of an elastic piece (not shown). When the locking member 32 is moved to the released position against the biasing force of the elastic piece, the bearing groove 31a is opened to the side, allowing the main frame hinge shaft 511a to be inserted into the bearing groove 31a from the side, or the main frame hinge shaft 511a inserted in the bearing groove 31a to be removed from the bearing groove 31a.

The lower outer frame hinge body 35 of the outer frame hinge mechanism 30 is attached to the upper left surface of the back panel 45 at a location (upper portion) that overlaps with the lower frame body 14, and its front end protrudes forward beyond the outer frame main body 10. The lower outer frame hinge body 35 has a hinge shaft 35a that protrudes upward at a location that protrudes forward beyond the outer frame main body 10. By inserting the hinge shaft 35a of the lower outer frame hinge body 35 into the outer frame shaft hole (not shown) of the lower main frame hinge body 512 in the main frame 4, the lower main frame hinge body 512 can be rotatably supported.

The outer frame hinge mechanism 30 supports the main frame hinge shaft 511a of the main frame upper hinge body 511 in the main frame 4 in the bearing groove 31a of the outer frame upper hinge body 31, and inserts the hinge shaft 35a of the outer frame lower hinge body 35 into the outer frame shaft hole of the main frame lower hinge body 512, thereby supporting the main frame 4 so that it can be opened and closed.

Two outer frame locking fittings for the outer frame 2 are provided, spaced apart vertically, on the inner surface (left side) of the right frame body 12. The outer frame locking fittings are each engaged with the outer frame locking claws 784 of the lock unit 780 on the main frame 4, thereby locking the main frame 4 to the outer frame 2 in a closed state so that it cannot be opened.

The top panel 45 of the outer frame 2 is attached to the lower frame body 14, with its front end protruding forward beyond the lower frame body 14. The top panel 45 is made of synthetic resin. Two sliding plates 46 are provided on the top surface of the top panel 45, spaced apart on the left and right. The sliding plates 46 are against which the lower end surface of the main frame 4 abuts when the main frame 4 is closed against the outer frame 2. The sliding plates 46 are made of a low-friction material, which makes the main frame 4 slide easily, facilitating opening and closing.

To describe the header 45 in more detail, the header 45 comprises a header main body 45a formed to cover the area of the upper end surface of the lower frame 14 forward of the center in the fore-and-aft direction and the front end of the lower frame 14, a hinge body cover portion 45b provided near the left end of the upper surface of the header main body 45a, a rear wall portion 45c extending upward in a flat plate shape from the rear end of the hinge body cover portion 45b, and a guide display portion 45d provided on the upper surface of the header main body 45a.

The hinge body cover portion 45b of the curtain board 45 is arranged to cover the underside and sides of the lower outer frame hinge body 35. As a result, when a player or a worker performing maintenance, transport, installation, etc. reaches near the lower outer frame hinge body 35, the hinge body cover portion 45b prevents the hand from directly touching the lower outer frame hinge body 35, preventing injury from the edge of the lower outer frame hinge body 35.

In addition, the hinge body cover portion 45b covers the underside and sides of the lower outer frame hinge body 35, hiding the lower outer frame hinge body 35 from the player and enhancing the sense of unity with the curtain board 45 (curtain board main body 45a) for a better appearance.

The rear wall portion 45c of the top panel 45 is positioned so that when the main frame 4 is closed against the outer frame 2, the rear surface of the main frame lower hinge body 512 of the main frame 4 (described below) abuts against the front surface of the rear wall portion 45c. As a result, when the main frame 4 is closed against the outer frame 2, the main frame lower hinge body 512 abuts against the rear wall portion 45c, preventing the main frame 4 from hingedly rotating further rearward.

As shown in Figures 15 and 16, the guide display portion 45d of the back panel 45 is arranged to protrude rearward from the rear edge of the top surface of the back panel main body 45a, extending from the rear of the left sliding plate 46 to the rear of the right sliding plate 46. This guide display portion 45d has an arrow pointing left near the left end and an arrow pointing right near the right end, and the words "! Fixing nails and fixing hardware must not protrude into this area!" are displayed between the two arrows. These arrows and words were engraved by the mold used to injection mold the back panel 45.

The guide display 45d is arranged so as not to come into contact with the main frame 4, which is mounted to the outer frame 2 so as to be able to open and close. This guide display 45d is intended to alert workers when installing the pachinko machine 1 in the island equipment of an amusement hall. Specifically, when fixing the lower frame body 14 of the outer frame 2 to the island equipment with mounting screws (not shown), the guide display 45d alerts workers to ensure that the heads of the mounting screws do not protrude above the guide display 45d within the range indicated on the guide display 45d. By fixing the outer frame 2 with the mounting screws in accordance with this alert, the mounting screws will not come into contact with the main frame 4 when the main frame 4 is closed against the outer frame 2, and the mounting screws will not interfere with the main frame 4.

This guide display 45d prevents the mounting screws that secure the outer frame 2 from interfering with the main frame 4, preventing damage to the main frame 4 due to interference from the mounting screws. Furthermore, the guide display 45d serves as a guide for the depth to which the mounting screws should be driven to secure the outer frame 2, eliminating the need to open and close the main frame 4 while driving the mounting screws to prevent interference, improving work efficiency.

Furthermore, because it has a guide display 45d, when checking the fixed state of the outer frame 2 to the island equipment, the guide display 45d can be used as a guide to easily visually check the quality of the mounting screws.

In addition, the guide display portion 45d, which indicates the fixing range of the mounting screws, is molded integrally with the panel main body 45a. Therefore, the guide display portion 45d can be provided on the outer frame 2 simply by attaching the panel main body 45a to the lower frame body 14 and assembling it to the outer frame 2, thereby reducing costs compared to providing the guide display portion 45d separately.

In the above embodiment, the guide display portion 45d protruding rearward from the rear end of the panel main body 45a is shown as extending continuously in the left-right direction from the arrow on the left end to the arrow on the right end, but this is not limited to this, and it is also possible for only the portions indicated by the left and right arrows to protrude rearward from the rear end of the panel main body 45a.

In addition, in the above embodiment, the guide display portion 45d is engraved during injection molding of the panel 45, but this is not limited to this, and the guide display portion 45d may be provided by attaching a sticker, printing, or painting.

In addition, while the above embodiment shows the guide display portion 45d provided on the header panel 45, this is not limited to this and it may also be provided on the lower frame 14, the sliding plate 46, etc. When providing the guide display portion 45d on the lower frame 14, it may be possible to, for example, attach a sticker, stamp with ink, or brand it. When providing the guide display portion 45d on the sliding plate 46, it may be possible to, for example, make a recessed marking on the sliding plate 46.

3. Door Frame
The door frame 3 of the pachinko machine 1 will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 3 and Figures 5 to 7. The door frame 3 is formed in a rectangular shape extending vertically in a front view and is approximately the same size as the interior of the outer frame 2. The door frame 3 is attached to the interior of the outer frame 2 via the main frame 4 so as to be able to open and close from the front side. The door frame 3 is provided with a door frame main body 100 that is openable and closable relative to the main frame 4 and has a game window 101 through which the game area 5a of the game board 5 attached to the main frame 4 is visible when closed, a transparent glass 120 that is detachably attached to the rear side of the door frame main body 100 and closes the game window 101, a ball count display unit 140 that displays the number of balls the player has, a handle 160 that the player operates to shoot game balls B into the game area 5a of the game board 5, a cylindrical handle cover 170 that surrounds the outer periphery of the handle 160, and a counting button switch 180 that can be operated by the player.

The door frame 3 also includes a door frame panel 190 that extends from the bottom edge of the front of the door frame main body 100 across the entire width in the left-right direction at a fixed height, a shelf unit 200 that protrudes forward in a section on the front of the door frame main body 100 between the game window 101 and the door frame panel 190, and an effect operation unit 250 that is located in the left-right center of the shelf unit 200 and can be operated by the player. The ball count display unit 140 and count button switch 180 are located on the top surface of the shelf unit 200 (top surface of the shelf portion 201).

Furthermore, the door frame 3 includes a door frame top unit 300 located above the game window 101 on the front surface of the door frame main body 100, a door frame left side unit 320 located to the left of the game window 101 on the front surface of the door frame main body 100, and a door frame right side unit 340 located to the right of the game window 101 on the front surface of the door frame main body 100.

The door frame main body 100 has a door frame hinge mechanism 110 for opening and closing the door frame 4. The door frame hinge mechanism 110 has an upper door frame hinge body 111 (see Figure 6) provided at the upper left end of the door frame main body 100, and a lower door frame hinge body 112 provided at the lower left end of the door frame main body 100. The upper door frame hinge body 111 has an upper door frame hinge shaft 111a that protrudes upward. The door frame hinge mechanism 110 supports the door frame 3 so that it can be opened and closed relative to the main frame 4 by inserting the upper door frame hinge shaft 111a of the upper door frame hinge body 111 from below into the upper door frame shaft hole 511b of the upper main frame hinge body 511 (described later), and inserting the lower door frame hinge shaft 112a of the lower door frame hinge body 112 from above into the lower door frame shaft hole 512b of the lower main frame hinge body 512 (described later).

As shown in Figures 5 and 7, the door frame body 100 also has a protrusion 102 that protrudes rearward from near the lower end of its rear surface. When the door frame 3 is closed against the main frame 4, the protrusion 102's underside abuts against the support step 501q of the main frame base 501 of the main frame 4 (described below), thereby lifting the door frame 3 to a certain extent. The protrusion 102 allows the door frame 3 to be lifted by closing it against the main frame 4, distributing the weight of the door frame 3 between the protrusion 102 and the lower-frame hinge body 112. This prevents excessive load from being continuously applied to the hinges (lower-frame hinge body 112 and lower-frame hinge body 35) that enable the door frame 3 to be opened and closed, making the hinges less likely to warp. Even if the hinges warp, the protrusion 102 can lift the door frame 3, allowing the door frame 3 to be closed in the correct position against the main frame 4. Although not shown, the underside of the protrusion 102 has multiple ribs extending in the front-to-rear direction, which increase strength and rigidity.

The protrusion 102 has a guide surface 102a that is inclined so that it moves leftward as it moves rearward. Details will be described later, but when the door frame 3 is attempted to be closed against the main frame 4 while the ball lifting unit 650's ball motor base 686 is in a position other than the locked position, the guide surface 102a of the protrusion 102 comes into contact with the front end of the ball motor base 686, allowing the ball motor base 686 to move (rotate) to the locked position.

The ball count display unit 140 is composed of a 6-digit, 7-segment LED. The ball count display unit 140 is located to the right of the center in the left-right direction on the top surface of the shelf unit 200, to the left of the count button switch 180.

The handle 160 is located in the lower right corner of the front of the door frame main body 100, i.e., near the right edge between the game window 101 and the door frame panel 190 on the front of the door frame main body 100. The handle 160 is attached so that the player can rotate it, with its rotation axis facing forward and backward. The handle 160 is shaped like a car steering wheel, and has a central hub portion 160a, multiple spokes 160b (three in this case) extending outward from the hub portion 160a, and an annular ring portion 160c connecting the tips of the spokes 160b.

The ring portion 160c of the handle 160 is located slightly forward from the front end of the cylindrical handle cover 170, and is positioned so that the player cannot grip the ring portion 160c. Therefore, when a player rotates the handle 160, they will mainly do so while gripping the hub portion 160a with their fingers passing through the spokes 160b. In this state, the player's fingers are inserted into the cylindrical handle cover 170.

The handle 160 is equipped with a firing stop switch 161 that can be pressed by the player, a handle touch sensor 162 that detects changes in the electrostatic capacitance of the handle 160, and a handle rotation sensor 163 that detects the rotation angle of the handle 160 (see Figure 63).

When the player presses the launch stop switch 161, the frame control board 740 stops the operation of the launch solenoid 553. Therefore, if the player presses the launch stop switch 161 while rotating the handle 160, the launch of the game ball B can be temporarily stopped without having to return the rotation of the handle 160. If the player then releases the pressing of the launch stop switch 161 while continuing to rotate the handle 160, the game ball B can again be shot into the game area 5a with the same impact strength (impact strength corresponding to the rotation of the handle 160) as before the launch stop switch 161 was pressed.

The handle touch sensor 162 detects static electricity acting on the handle 160. When the player touches the handle 160, it detects the static electricity acting from the player and detects the player's contact (touch) with the handle 160. If the handle 160 is rotated while the handle touch sensor 162 detects the player's contact, the detection is received from the handle rotation sensor 163, and the drive of the launch solenoid is controlled with a strength corresponding to the rotation angle of the handle 160, allowing the game ball B to be shot into the machine.

Therefore, even if a player attempts to rotate the handle 160 in some way to launch game ball B into the game area 5a without touching it, the handle touch sensor 162 does not detect the player's contact, so the launch solenoid 553 is not activated and game ball B cannot be launched. This prevents players from rotating the handle 160 in a way that is different from the intended way to play, and reduces the burden on the game hall where the pachinko machine 1 is installed.

The handle rotation sensor 163 is a variable resistor, and when the handle 160 is rotated, the detection axis rotates and the internal resistance changes according to the rotation angle of the detection axis. Therefore, when the handle 160 is rotated to change the internal resistance of the handle rotation sensor 163, the driving force of the launch solenoid 553 in the ball launch unit 550 (described below) changes according to that internal resistance, allowing the game ball B to be shot into the game area 5a with a strength according to the rotation angle of the handle 160.

The handle cover 170 extends rearward from the rear of the annular portion of the handle 160 so that its diameter widens, and is formed in a conical cylindrical shape. Openings 171 that communicate with the interior are provided on the right and bottom peripheral surfaces of the outer periphery of the handle cover 170. These openings 171 allow debris, liquid, etc. to be expelled downward even if they get inside the handle cover 170.

The counting button switch 180 is located on the top surface of the shelf unit 200, to the right of the center in the left-right direction. The counting button switch 180 will be described in detail below, but by pressing it while holding balls, the balls can be sent to the game ball lending device 8 and settled.

The door frame panel 190 extends left and right at a fixed height, with a length equal to the left-right width of the door frame body 100, and is attached to the lower end of the front surface of the door frame body 100. The door frame panel 190 penetrates from front to back at the center left and right, and has a duct grill 191 located in front of the bass reflex duct 501e of the main body frame 4 (described below). The duct grill 191 extends in an elongated shape left and right, and is separated by multiple vertical lattices. This duct grill 191, described in detail below, is used to release air vibrations (wind) caused by the driving of the main body frame speaker 503 from the bass reflex duct 501e of the main body frame 4 forward.

The shelf unit 200 is located on the front of the door frame main body 100, between the game window 101 and the door frame panel 190. A spherical effect operation unit 250 is located in the left-right center of the shelf unit 200. The shelf unit 200 has a shelf portion 201 that bulges forward in a shelf-like shape from the top edge along the bottom edge of the game window 101, a speaker grill 203 located below the shelf portion 201 and to the right of the effect operation unit 250, a setting adjustment button 204 consisting of four push buttons arranged front to back and left to right on the top surface of the shelf portion 201, and a pair of protrusions 205 arranged spaced apart on the left and right. Of the four push buttons arranged front to back and left to right on the setting adjustment button 204, the front and rear push buttons can be operated to adjust the volume, and the left and right push buttons can be operated to adjust the light intensity.

The top surface of the shelf section 201 is formed to be smooth. On the top surface of the shelf section 201, to the right of the center in the left-right direction, a count button switch 180 is provided near the right end, and a ball count display unit 140 is provided to the left of the count button switch 180. Also, to the right of the center in the left-right direction, a setting adjustment button 204 is provided, and protrusions 205 are provided on both the left and right sides near the rear end of the setting adjustment button 204.

The pair of protrusions 205 protrude higher than the setting adjustment buttons 204 and have rounded upper ends. The pair of protrusions 205 are arranged approximately parallel to the rear edge of the shelf portion 201. The pair of protrusions 205 can be used, for example, to prop up a smartphone on the top surface of the shelf portion 201, which is convenient.

The speaker grill 203 is located in front of the main frame speaker 503 in the main frame 4 (described below) and is made of punched metal with multiple through-holes. The speaker grill 203 is symmetrical to and the same size as the handle 160 across the center of the door frame 3, and is formed in a shape that bulges forward like the handle cover 170.

The performance operation unit 250 is located in the left-right center of the shelf unit 200, with its front end protruding forward from the shelf unit 200 and its top end protruding upward from the shelf unit 200. The performance operation unit 250 is formed in a spherical shape as a whole. The performance operation unit 250 has a circular first performance button 251 located near the center on its top surface, and an annular second performance button 252 located around the first performance button 251. While detailed illustrations are omitted, the first performance button 251 is formed in a cylindrical shape, and the second performance button 252 is formed in a cylindrical shape. The first performance button 251 and the second performance button 252 are arranged on the same axis, and are inclined so that the axis moves further forward as it points upward.

The first effect button 251 and the second effect button 252 are designed to move upwards (pop up) in their entirety in response to player participation effects. The first effect button 251 can be pressed at all times, while the second effect button 252 can only be pressed when it pops up.

Although not shown in the figure, a vibrator (vibration device) is provided inside the first effect button 251.

The door frame top unit 300 is located above the game window 101 on the front surface of the door frame main body 100, with both left and right ends sandwiched between the upper end portions of the left door frame side unit 320 and the right door frame side unit 340. The door frame top unit 300 protrudes forward like a canopy. The door frame top unit 300 is equipped with a semi-tubular, translucent door frame top decorative body 301 that extends left and right along its front edge. The door frame top decorative body 301 is curved in the front-to-rear direction so that the center in the left-to-right direction is located furthest forward in a plan view.

Although not shown, the door frame top unit 300 comprises a door frame top decorative board on which multiple LEDs are mounted to illuminate and decorate the door frame top decorative body 301; a pair of door frame top speakers 303 spaced apart on the left and right that output sounds such as voice, music, and sound effects; and a pair of door frame top side speakers 304 located on the left and right outside the pair of door frame top speakers 303. The pair of door frame top speakers 303 are full-range speakers (or mid-range speakers), and the pair of door frame top side speakers 304 are tweeters (high-frequency speakers).

The door frame left side unit 320 is located on the front of the door frame main body 100 to the left of the game window 101, and extends vertically from near the top of the door frame main body 100 to near the speaker grill 203 below the shelf portion 201 of the shelf unit 200. The door frame left side unit 320 extends its entire length in the vertical direction and is equipped with a semi-tubular, translucent door frame left side decorative body 321. The door frame left side decorative body 321 is curved to the right near its bottom end.

The door frame left side unit 320, although not shown, has a door frame left side decorative board on which multiple LEDs are mounted to illuminate and decorate the door frame left side decorative body 321.

The door frame right side unit 340 is located on the front of the door frame main body 100 to the right of the play window 101, and extends vertically from near the top of the door frame main body 100 to the handle cover 170 below the shelf portion 201 of the shelf unit 200. The door frame right side unit 340 protrudes further forward than the door frame left side unit 320, and is formed in the shape of a vertically long partition.

The right-side door frame unit 340 comprises a semi-tubular, translucent right-side door frame decorative body 341 that extends vertically along the front edge; a translucent left-side right-side door frame decorative body (not shown) that is located behind the right-side door frame decorative body 341 and forms the left side; a translucent right-side right-side door frame decorative body (not shown) that is located behind the right-side door frame decorative body 341 and forms the right side; and a right-side door frame decorative board (not shown) that is mounted with multiple LEDs for illuminating the right-side door frame decorative body 341, the left-side right-side door frame decorative body, and the right-side right-side door frame decorative body. The right-side door frame decorative body 341 is curved to the left near its bottom end.

The door frame right side unit 340 also has an opening 342 near its bottom end that penetrates from front to back and allows the keyhole 782 of the lock unit 780 to face forward.

[3-1. Counting button switch]
The counting button switch 180 is located on the top surface of the shelf unit 200, to the right of the center in the left-right direction. By pressing the counting button switch 180 when there are balls in hand (number of balls in hand > 0), the balls can be sent to the game ball lending device 8 for settlement. The counting button switch 180 can be sent one ball at a time or a predetermined number of balls (for example, every 250 balls) depending on the amount of time it is pressed, as will be described in detail later. The number of balls sent to the game ball lending device 8 is sent to the management server 9 via the communication network, and an IC card storing the number of balls in hand is ejected from the game ball lending device 8.

Here, the game ball lending device 8 is installed adjacent to the pachinko machine 1 in the island equipment of the gaming hall (also referred to as a sand). Although not shown in detail, the game ball lending device 8 is equipped with an insertion slot for inserting cash or prepaid cards, etc., a card slot for inserting/removing IC cards, a ball lending button switch 8a, a return button switch, a display unit that displays the amount inserted and the number of counted balls, etc. When cash or the like is inserted into the insertion slot and the ball lending button switch 8a is pressed, the game ball lending device 8 lends out a predetermined number of game balls B within the amount inserted. In this embodiment, the number of loaned game balls B is sent as digital data to the frame control board and also to the management server 9 via a communications network for management.

To explain the counting button switch 180 in more detail, when a player has balls in their possession and presses the counting button switch 180 for a short time (for example, pressing it for less than 500 ms), one game ball B will be counted from the balls in their possession. When the counting button switch 180 is pressed for a long time (for example, pressing it for 500 ms or more), 250 game balls B will be counted at the count notification timing every predetermined time (for example, 300 ms) while the counting button switch 180 is pressed until the number of balls in their possession falls below 250. If the number of balls in their possession falls below 250 while the counting button switch 180 is pressed for a long time (for example, pressing it for 500 ms or more), one game ball B will be counted. Furthermore, when the counting button switch 180 is pressed for a long time (for example, pressing it for 500 ms or more), the counting button switch 180 may be configured to unconditionally count all of the balls in their possession, even if the counting button switch 180 is not continuously pressed.

When counting is performed by pressing the counting button switch 180, the number of balls held displayed on the ball count display unit 140 is subtracted and displayed, and the counted number of balls is displayed on a display unit (not shown) of the game ball lending device 8.

[4. Main body frame]
The main body frame 4 of the pachinko machine 1 will be described in detail with reference to Figures 8 to 14, 17 to 21, etc. Figure 17 is an exploded perspective view of the main body frame broken down into its main components as seen from the front, and Figure 18 is an exploded perspective view of the main body frame broken down into its main components as seen from the back. Figure 19 is a plan view of the pachinko machine of Figure 10 cut at the center from top to bottom. Figure 20 is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A in Figure 19. Figure 21 is a front view of the main parts of the front view of Figure 8, showing the firing unit, foul unit, etc. in cross section.

The main frame 4 is formed in a box-like shape with an open front, and the game board 5 is housed inside in a removable manner from the front. The main frame 4 is openably attached to a frame-shaped outer frame 2 attached to the island equipment of the game hall at the top and bottom of the front end on the left side of the front, and a door frame 3 is openably attached to close the open front side.

The main frame 4 comprises a frame-shaped main frame base unit 500 supported on the outer frame 2 so as to be openable and closable; a ball launching unit 550 for shooting game balls B into the game area 5a of the game board 5; a foul unit 570 for collecting game balls B that were launched by the ball launching unit 550 but not shot into the game area 5a; a circulating ball path unit 600 for sending game balls B discharged from the game board 5 and game balls B collected by the foul unit 570 to the ball launching unit 550; a ball lifting unit 650 for moving game balls B upward from the downstream end of the circulating ball path unit 600; and a ball sending unit 700 for sending game balls B lifted by the ball lifting unit 650 one by one to the ball launching unit 550.

The main frame 4 also includes a ball receiving tray 720 for receiving game balls B discharged from the ball outlet 613p of the circulation ball path unit 600, a frame base unit 730 having a frame control board 740 that controls the ball launching unit 550, ball lifting unit 650, etc., and a lock unit 780 that locks the outer frame 2 and the main frame 4, and the door frame 3 and the main frame 4.

[4-1. Main frame base unit]
The main body frame base unit 500 in the main body frame 4 will be described in detail mainly with reference to Figures 22 to 24. Figure 22 is an exploded perspective view of the main body frame base unit in the main body frame, broken down into its main components, as viewed from the front, and Figure 23 is an exploded perspective view of the main body frame base unit in the main body frame, broken down into its main components, as viewed from the rear. Figure 24(a) is a front view of the main body frame base in the main body frame base unit, and (b) is an explanatory perspective view showing multiple main body frame bases stacked on top of each other.

The main frame base unit 500 is supported on the outer frame 2 so that it can open and close forward, and is also capable of supporting the door frame 3 so that it can open and close forward. Attached to the main frame base unit 500 are a ball launching unit 550, a foul unit 570, a circulating ball path unit 600, a ball lifting unit 650, a ball sending unit 700, a ball receiving tray 720, a frame base unit 730, a lock unit 780, and the like.

The main frame base unit 500 is equipped with a main frame base 501 that is formed in a vertically elongated rectangular shape and has a game board insertion section 502 that penetrates from front to back and into which the game board 5 is inserted from the front, and a base wall section 501b that is provided below the game board insertion section 502, and a side reinforcing plate 509 that reinforces the left side of the main frame base 501.

The main frame base unit 500 also includes a main frame speaker 503 attached to the rear side of the base wall 501b of the main frame base 501, a box-shaped main frame speaker box 504 attached to the base wall 501b so as to cover the main frame speaker 503 from the rear and open at the front, and a rear cover 505 that allows the game board insertion section 502 of the main frame base 501 to be opened and closed from the rear.

Furthermore, the main frame base unit 500 includes a game board locking member 506 attached to the main frame base 501, a door opening switch 507 and a frame opening switch 508 attached to the main frame base 501, and a main frame hinge mechanism 510 attached to the main frame base 501.

The main body frame base 501 has a vertically elongated rectangular shape when viewed from the front. It is made of opaque black synthetic resin. The main body frame base 501 includes a frame-shaped frame body 501a with no left side; a game board insertion section 502 that penetrates the frame body 501a from near the top end downward for approximately two-thirds of the total height; a base wall section 501b located below the game board insertion section 502; a game board restriction section 501c that protrudes upward (into the game board insertion section 502) near the center in the left-right direction on the upper end surface of the base wall section 501b; a main body frame speaker port 501d that penetrates the base wall section 501b from front to back near the left end, through which the main body frame speaker 503 faces forward; and a horizontally elongated bass reflex duct 501e that penetrates the base wall section 501b from front to back near the lower end in the left-right center.

The main frame base 501 also has a tray insertion recess 501f recessed from the front side to the rear above the bass reflex duct 501e in the base wall 501b, into which the ball receiving tray 720 is inserted, and a ball storage passage insertion opening 501g that penetrates from front to back above the tray insertion recess 501f in the base wall 501b, into which the ball serpentine member 613 and serpentine cover 614 of the circulating ball passage unit 600 are inserted.

The main frame base 501 also includes a foul unit mounting portion 501h and a ball launching unit mounting portion 501i, which are arranged side by side above the ball storage passage insertion port 501g on the front surface of the base wall portion 501b, a ball lifting unit mounting portion 501j located to the right of the ball launching unit mounting portion 501i on the base wall portion 501b, a ball sending unit mounting portion 501k located behind the ball launching unit mounting portion 501i on the rear surface of the base wall portion 501b, a circulating ball path unit mounting portion 501l located on the rear surface of the base wall portion 501b, and a cylinder insertion port 501m that penetrates from front to back near the upper right corner of the base wall portion 501b and through which the lock cylinder 781 of the lock unit 780 is inserted.

Furthermore, the main frame base 501 has locking claws 501n that protrude from the left and right inner walls of the tray insertion recess 501f and engage with the elastic claws 721 of the ball receiving tray 720 inserted into the tray insertion recess 501f to restrict the forward movement of the ball receiving tray 720. The main frame base 501 also has a vertically elongated opening 501o that penetrates from front to back at the ball lifting unit mounting portion 501j.

The main frame base 501 also includes a top cover 502a extending rearward from the top end of the game board insertion portion 502, a rear cover 502b extending downward in a short, flat plate shape from the rear edge of the top cover 502a, a left side cover 502c extending rearward from the left end of the game board insertion portion 502 and having its upper end connected to the top cover 502a, a right side cover 502d extending rearward from the right end of the game board insertion portion 502 and having its upper end connected to the top cover 502a, and a bottom cover 502e extending rearward from the bottom end of the game board insertion portion 502.

The main body frame base 501 also has a plurality of ventilation holes 502f penetrating the rear cover 502b, a plurality of upper surface recesses 502g recessed downwardly provided in the upper cover 502a, a plurality of lower surface recesses 502h recessed downwardly provided in the lower cover 502e, and a plurality of reinforcing ribs 502i provided on the lower surface of the upper cover 502a and the upper surface of the lower cover 502e, respectively.

Furthermore, the main frame base 501 is provided with a canopy portion 501p located above the ball launching unit mounting portion 501i to block light from entering the ball launching unit 550 from above. This canopy portion 501p can block external light from reaching the launch subtraction sensor 554, which is a photosensor of the ball launching unit 550 mounted on the ball launching unit mounting portion 501i, thereby preventing false detection by the launch subtraction sensor 554.

The main frame base 501 also includes a support step 501q located between the tray insertion recess 501f and the opening 501o, slightly above the bottom of the tray insertion recess 501f, and a pair of support protrusions 501r located vertically spaced apart near the right end of the rear surface of the base wall 501b and protruding rearward. The support step 501q has an upward-facing surface (top surface). When the door frame 3 is closed against the main frame 4, the protrusion 102 of the door frame 3 abuts against the support step 501q, allowing the door frame 3 to be lifted to some extent and supporting part of the weight of the door frame 3. A locking hole is provided on the rear end surface of the support protrusion 501r to lock the Nylatch 774 of the frame base unit 730.

The game board 5 is removably inserted from the front into the game board insertion portion 502 of the main body frame base 501. The area of the game board insertion portion 502 behind the base wall portion 501b is surrounded by a top cover 502a, a left side cover 502c, a right side cover 502d, and a bottom cover 502e.

The game board 5 is placed on the upper surface of the base wall 501b. A door opening switch 507, a ball launching unit 550, a foul unit 570, and a ball receiving tray 720 are attached to the front surface of the base wall 501b. Additionally, a main frame speaker 503, a main frame speaker box 504, a frame opening switch 508, a circulating ball path unit 600, a ball lifting unit 650, and a ball sending unit 700 are attached to the rear surface of the base wall 501b.

The game board restricting portion 501c restricts the left-right and rearward movement of the game board 5 when the game board 5 is inserted into the game board insertion portion 502. As shown in the figure, the main body frame speaker port 501d is formed in a lattice pattern and is positioned behind the speaker grill 203 of the door frame 3 when the door frame 3 is closed against the main body frame 4. A main body frame speaker 503 is attached to the rear surface of the base wall portion 501b so as to close the main body frame speaker port 501d from behind.

The bass reflex duct 501e is formed in a rectangular cylindrical shape that is long from side to side. The bass reflex duct 501e, which will be described in detail later, is connected to the enclosure 504a of the main frame speaker 503, which is composed of the base wall portion 501b and the main frame speaker box 504. It inverts the phase of the sound output rearward from the main frame speaker 503 and emits it forward. In this embodiment, the cylindrical bass reflex duct 501e resonates and amplifies the low-frequency range of the sound output from the main frame speaker 503, producing a deeper bass sound. The bass reflex duct 501e is positioned behind the duct grill 191 of the door frame 3 when the door frame 3 is closed relative to the main frame 4.

The tray insertion recess 501f can removably support the ball receiving tray 720 from the front. The bottom wall of the tray insertion recess 501f is inclined so that the front end is lower (see Figure 20). This allows game balls B to be ejected forward even if they spill into the tray insertion recess 501f when the ball receiving tray 720 is not inserted into the tray insertion recess 501f. Furthermore, because the bottom wall of the tray insertion recess 501f is inclined so that the front end is lower, it is possible to easily slide the placed ball receiving tray 720 forward.

The ball storage passage insertion port 501g is located so that it penetrates and protrudes forward through the ball serpentine member 613 and the front portion of the serpentine cover 614 of the circulating ball passage unit 600 attached to the rear surface of the base wall portion 501b. The foul unit mounting portion 501h is located near the top end of the base wall portion 501b, to the right of the main frame speaker port 501d. The ball launching unit mounting portion 501i is located to the right of the foul unit mounting portion 501h. The ball lifting unit mounting portion 501j is located between the top and bottom ends of the base wall portion 501b.

The ball-throwing unit mounting portion 501k is located on the rear surface of the base wall portion 501b so that the top surface of the ball-throwing unit 700 faces upward (into the game board insertion portion 502), allowing the ball-throwing unit 700 to be attached and detached from above. When the ball-throwing unit 700 is attached to the ball-throwing unit mounting portion 501k, the elastic claw 709b of the ball-throwing unit 700 passes through the locking hole in the base wall portion 501b to the right of the ball launching unit 550 and faces forward. In this state, the elastic claw 709b is pressed backward to elastically deform it, and the knob portion 709a located on the top surface of the ball-throwing unit 700 is grasped and pulled up, allowing the ball-throwing unit 700 to be removed upward.

The circulating ball path unit mounting portion 501l is located in the center of the rear surface of the base wall portion 501b in the left-right direction, above the box extension portion 504c of the main frame speaker box 504 (described below). The cylinder insertion port 501m is located near the top end of the base wall portion 501b, to the right of the ball lifting unit mounting portion 501j.

When the gaming board 5 is attached to the gaming board insertion portion 502, the top cover 502a extends rearward beyond the gaming board 5. As shown in Figures 17 and 18, the top cover 502a has two top recesses 502g spaced apart on the left and right, which eliminate some of the reinforcing ribs on the top cover 502a. This configuration allows the top cover 502a to be positioned higher by the amount of the reinforcing ribs than when multiple reinforcing ribs are lined up in the left-right direction on the top surface of the top cover, thereby ensuring the internal volume of the gaming board insertion portion 502. Furthermore, if multiple reinforcing ribs were provided on the top surface of the top cover, some would be left unwiped during cleaning, which would detract from the aesthetic appearance. However, in this embodiment, the aesthetic appearance can be maintained by eliminating the reinforcing ribs from the top surface of the top cover 502a.

The top surface of the top cover 502a and the bottom surfaces of the two top recesses 502g are inclined relative to the horizontal plane, gradually decreasing in angle toward the rear by approximately 2 degrees. Furthermore, pachinko machines 1 are typically installed with a backward tilt, typically about 0.75 degrees, resulting in a total downward tilt of approximately 2.75 degrees. Furthermore, the width of the two top recesses 502g from side to side increases as they extend rearward.

By creating such a gentle slope, game balls B falling from above the pachinko machine 1 flow down the upper surface of the top cover 502a or the top recess 502g, and fall into a game ball B collection path in the island equipment located below the pachinko machine 1, where they are collected. Furthermore, falling objects that are not spherical, such as metal powder or screws, will accumulate on the upper surface of the top cover 502a or the top recess 502g. To achieve this effect, it is desirable for the top surface of the top cover 502a to be inclined at no more than 15 degrees from the horizontal.

The top cover 502a is formed in a flat plate shape, and therefore the underside (rear surface) of the two top recesses 502g that are recessed from above in the top cover 502a protrudes downward from the underside of the top cover 502a (see Figure 24(b)). In other words, the top recesses 502g are in the form of convex portions that protrude downward from the underside of the top cover 502a. The end points, i.e., the front walls, of the two top recesses 502g are behind the abutment surface 502j, which contacts the rear surface of the top edge of the gaming board 5 for positioning.

In other words, the back side (lower surface) of the top cover 502a has the back sides of two top recesses 502g. The tips (front ends) of the back sides of the two top recesses 502g form abutment surfaces 502j, which contact the rear surface of the top edge of the gaming board 5 to position the gaming board 5.

The back side (bottom side) of the top cover 502a has four of the multiple reinforcing ribs 502i, which, together with the top surface recesses 502g, reinforce the top cover 502a. By providing the reinforcing ribs 502i on the inside bottom surface of the top cover 502a rather than on the top surface, it is possible to maintain the aesthetic appearance of the top surface (outer surface) of the top cover 502a.

As shown in Figure 23, multiple ribs 502k are provided at the front end of the top surface of the top cover 502a. However, the upper parts of these ribs 502k are covered by the frame body 501a at the edge of the main frame base 501, and further covered above that by the outer frame 2, so metal powder and the like will not fall from above and will not affect the aesthetic appearance.

Furthermore, although not shown in the figures, the upper surface of the top cover 502a and the top recess 502g do not have any gates for feeding molten resin during injection molding. This is to prevent the unevenness of the gates from interfering with the flow of game balls B down the top surface of the top cover 502a and the top recess 502g.

Similarly, care has been taken to ensure that no marks from the ejector pins used to remove the injection-molded main frame base 501 from the mold are left on the top surface of the top cover 502a or the top recess 502g. Normally, ejector pin marks are unlikely to hinder the flow of game balls B if burrs are properly removed, but they can spoil the aesthetic appearance when cleaning the top surface of the top cover 502a or the top recess 502g where metal powder or the like has accumulated. For this reason, care has been taken to ensure that no marks from the ejector pins are left.

The rear cover 502b of the main body frame base 501 is connected at both the left and right ends to the left side cover 502c and right side cover 502d, respectively. This rear cover 502b has multiple vertically elongated slit-shaped ventilation holes 502f arranged in a row in the left-right direction.

The left side cover 502c on the main body frame base 501 has the same depth in the front-to-rear direction as the top cover 502a. In a plan view, the left side cover 502c is inclined so that it moves to the right as it moves rearward. Two cover locking portions 502l are provided at the rear end of the left side cover 502c, spaced apart vertically, for locking the rear cover 505.

The right side cover 502d of the main body frame base 501 is inclined to the left as it moves rearward in a plan view. The right side cover 502d has a section below the rear cover 502b cut out from the rear end toward the front, with the rear end of this section positioned further forward than the rear end of the top cover 502a. In other words, the depth of the right side cover 502d below the rear cover 502b is shorter. At the rear end of the right side cover 502d, below the rear cover 502b, multiple cover pivot supports 502m are provided at intervals in the vertical direction to support the rear cover 505 so that it can rotate on a hinge.

The bottom cover 502e of the main frame base 501 extends rearward from a position one step higher than the bottom end of the game board insertion section 502 (the top surface of the base wall section 501b). The bottom cover 502e is arranged except for the section above the circulation ball path unit mounting section 501l, and in the section to the left of the circulation ball path unit mounting section 501l, it extends rearward to the same position as the rear end of the left side cover 502c, and in the section to the right of the circulation ball path unit mounting section 501l, it extends rearward to the same position as the rear end of the section of the right side cover 502d that has a shorter depth. This bottom cover 502e is sloped so that it becomes higher as it moves rearward.

The lower recess 502h of the main body frame base 501 is recessed downward from the upper surface of the lower cover 502e. The lower recess 502h is open toward the front and is formed so that its width narrows toward the rear. The bottom surface of the lower recess 502h, like the lower cover 502e, is inclined so that it becomes higher toward the rear. Because the lower cover 502e is formed in a flat plate shape, the lower surface (back surface) of the lower recess 502h, which is recessed from above in the lower cover 502e, protrudes downward from the lower surface of the lower cover 502e (see Figure 24(b)). In other words, the lower recess 502h has the form of a convex portion protruding downward on the underside of the lower cover 502e. A reinforcing rib 502i is provided inside the lower recess 502h.

Multiple reinforcing ribs 502i are provided on the underside of the top cover 502a and on the bottom surface of the bottom recess 502h. Four reinforcing ribs 502i are provided on the top cover 502a, with two extending forward from each of the two abutment surfaces 502j and the remaining two being provided on both the left and right outer sides of the two top recesses 502g. The rear ends of the reinforcing ribs 502i provided on both the left and right outer sides of the top recess 502g are connected to the rear cover 502b and extend forward shorter than the top recess 502g.

Of the multiple reinforcing ribs 502i, four—two on both the left and right outer sides of the top recess 502g on the top cover 502a, and two each on the two bottom recesses 502h—are designed to function as ribs. Specifically, the main body frame base 501 of this embodiment is designed to be placed horizontally without rattle when placed front-side down on a workbench or similar. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 24(b), the main body frame bases 501 are designed to be stacked for storage. In this case, the four reinforcing ribs 502i abut against each other, preventing the stacked main body frame bases 501 from interlocking with each other. This reduces the time required for removal due to interlocking of parts (main body frame bases 501), improving the efficiency of assembly work. Furthermore, because the main body frame bases 501 can be stacked, it is possible to increase the number of packages and reduce the size of the packaging box.

In the main body frame base 501 of this embodiment, the top cover 502a of the main body frame base 501, which protects the game board 5 stored in the main body frame 4 from above, has a gently sloping top surface that slopes downward toward the rear, making it possible to properly handle game balls B, metal powder, screws, etc. that fall from above the pachinko machine 1. Specifically, spherical game balls B can be made to flow down the top surface of the top cover 502a and fall below the pachinko machine 1, so the game balls B are collected as they are and do not cause any problems. Furthermore, non-spherical metal powder, screws, etc. can be retained on the top cover 502a without flowing down, so they also do not cause any problems.

Furthermore, no ventilation holes 502f are provided on the top surface of this top cover 502a. This prevents metal powder, screws, etc. from entering through the ventilation holes 502f and does not adversely affect the electrical components of the game board 5.

Furthermore, the top surface of the top cover 502a, which is molded using an injection molding machine, does not have a gate for injecting molten resin into the mold during molding. As a result, no irregularities caused by the gate are created on the top surface of the top cover 502a, and the flow of the game ball B is not impeded.

Similarly, care has been taken to avoid leaving ejector pin marks when the injection-molded main frame base 501 is removed from the mold. Normally, ejector pin marks are unlikely to hinder the flow of game balls B if the burrs are properly removed, but when cleaning the top surface of the top cover 502a where metal powder or the like has accumulated, the ejector pin marks may remain and spoil the aesthetic appearance. For this reason, by not leaving ejector pin marks, the aesthetic appearance can be easily restored by cleaning.

In addition, this top cover 502a is molded integrally with the main frame base 501. Molding it in this manner reduces assembly labor and improves the strength of the entire main frame base unit 500 (game board housing frame).

The top surface of the top cover 502a not only protects the game board 5 housed inside, but also has a positioning portion (abutment surface 502j) on the inside that contacts the game board 5 to position it. This fixes the positional relationship between the game board 5 and the top cover 502a, thereby fulfilling the purpose of the game board housing frame (main frame 4) of protecting the game board 5.

Also, as shown in Figure 18, etc., no reinforcing ribs are provided on the top surface of the top cover 502a, which means that ribs do not make cleaning difficult and maintenance is easier. However, if there are other components (e.g., frame 501a, outer frame 2, etc.) covering the top surface of the top cover 502a, ribs may be provided in areas where foreign objects will not fall.

The side reinforcing plate 509 has a U-shape in plan view that opens to the right, and is attached to the main frame base 501 to replace the open left side of the frame body 501a. The side reinforcing plate 509 is made from an extruded metal such as an aluminum alloy. The side reinforcing plate 509 has two left positioning members 509a spaced apart above and below. The left positioning member 509a is used to position the left side of the game board 5.

The main frame speaker 503 is attached to the rear side of the base wall 501b so as to close the main frame speaker port 501d of the main frame base 501 from the rear. The main frame speaker 503 is a cone-shaped speaker that mainly outputs low-pitched sounds.

The main frame speaker box 504 is formed in a box shape that is open to the front and is attached to the rear side of the base wall portion 501b so as to cover the main frame speaker 503 from behind. When attached to the base wall portion 501b, the main frame speaker box 504 forms an enclosure 504a for the main frame speaker 503.

The main frame speaker box 504 has a box main body 504b located behind the main frame speaker 503, a box extension 504c connected to the bottom end of the box main body 504b and extending to the right in a front view, and a frame board unit pivot support 504d provided on the rear surface of the box main body 504b. The box extension 504c of the main frame speaker box 504 extends to the right near the right end of the main frame base 501 to cover the rear of the bass reflex duct 501e, and a portion of it extends further rearward than the box main body 504b.

Enclosure 504a is composed of box main body 504b and box extension 504c, and is connected to the outside through bass reflex duct 501e. In other words, the bass reflex duct 501e, main frame speaker 503, and main frame speaker box 504 form a phase-inverting bass reflex speaker.

More specifically, a predetermined sound is output forward and backward from the main body frame speaker 503. The sound output forward from the main body frame speaker 503 is emitted forward from the pachinko machine 1 through the main body frame speaker port 501d and the speaker grill 203.

On the other hand, the sound output rearward from the main frame speaker 503 vibrates the air inside the main frame speaker box 504 (enclosure 504a). This enclosure 504a is open to the front (outside) by the cylindrical bass reflex duct 501e, and so the sound is emitted forward from the bass reflex duct 501e. Because the bass reflex duct 501e is cylindrical and of a specified length, the low-frequency range is amplified by resonance caused by air column vibrations inside the duct, and the sound is emitted forward with its phase reversed.

As a result, the sound output forward from the main frame speaker 503 and the sound output rearward do not cancel each other out and act as attenuation, but rather resonate with each other and amplify them. This means that even though the main frame speaker 503 has a small diameter, it can output a loud sound with deep bass, allowing players to hear a sound with rich bass.

The box extension 504c of the main frame speaker box 504 is formed so that its front-to-back depth is longer than its vertical height, and its rear end protrudes slightly rearward beyond the rear end of the frame board unit 730 (see Figure 20). When assembled to the main frame 4, the box extension 504c covers the bottom of the frame board unit 730, leaving a gap between it and the frame board unit 730 (unit base 770 and power board box 772). This prevents the various wiring connected to the frame board unit 730 from drooping.

As shown in Figure 20, the box extension section 504c is inclined so that its upper surface becomes lower toward the rear. This allows debris, game balls B, etc. that fall from above to be guided rearward and discharged. Additionally, the box extension section 504c is inclined so that its lower surface becomes higher toward the rear. This prevents the box extension section 504c from coming into contact with the lower frame 14 of the main frame 4 when the main frame 4 is closed against the outer frame 2.

In addition, as shown in Figure 20, the box extension section 504c is inclined so that its underside rises toward the rear. This allows the underside of the box extension section 504c to guide the main body frame 4 into the outer frame 2 when closing the main body frame 4 against the outer frame 2, even if the main body frame 4 is tilted.

When assembled to the main body frame 4, the main body frame speaker box 504 supports the rear end of the tray insertion recess 501f in the main body frame base 501 so that it hangs down. As a result, game balls B discharged from the circulating ball path unit 600 are received in the ball receiving tray 720, and even if a load (the weight of multiple game balls B) acts from above on the tray insertion recess 501f via the ball receiving tray 720, the tray insertion recess 501f will not deform.

In addition, the main frame speaker box 504 is made of transparent synthetic resin, allowing the main frame speaker 503 to be seen from the outside.

The rear cover 505 is mounted on the main frame base 501 in an openable and closable manner so as to cover the rear of the game board 5 attached to the main frame 4 when assembled to the pachinko machine 1. The rear cover 505 is L-shaped in plan view, like a flat plate with the right edge bent forward. The rear cover 505 has two locking claws 505a spaced apart vertically on its left end, and multiple axles 505b arranged vertically on its right end. The locking claws 505a are detachably engaged with the cover locking portion 502l on the main frame base 501. The axles 505b are pivotally supported by the cover pivot support portion 502m on the main frame base 501. This allows the rear cover 505 to be opened and closed relative to the main frame base 501 of the main frame 4. The rear cover 505 has multiple ventilation holes that allow heat from the game board 5 to escape to the outside. The back cover 505 is made of transparent synthetic resin.

The rear cover 505 is formed so that if an attempt is made to close the main frame unit 500 (main frame base 501) after first closing the frame substrate unit 730 (described later) on the main frame unit 500, it will interfere with (abut) the closed frame substrate unit 730, preventing it from being closed. Furthermore, the rear cover 505 is formed so that, when the main frame 4 is opened relative to the outer frame 2 and an attempt is made to close the main frame 4 relative to the outer frame 2 with the rear cover 505 open relative to the main frame base 501, it will interfere with (abut) the outer frame 2, preventing it from being closed.

The game board locking member 506 is attached to the front surface of the main frame base 501 (base wall portion 501b) so that it can rotate around an axis extending in the front-to-rear direction. By rotating the game board locking member 506 to the locked position with the game board 5 inserted into the game board insertion portion 502, the bottom end of the game board 5 can be prevented from moving forward.

The door open switch 507 detects whether the door frame 3 is open or closed relative to the main frame 4. The door open switch 507 is attached below the cylinder insertion opening 501m in the base wall portion 501b of the main frame base 501.

The frame opening switch 508 is used to detect whether the main frame 4 is open or closed relative to the outer frame 2. The frame opening switch 508 is attached below the door opening switch 507 on the base wall portion 501b of the main frame base 501.

The main body frame hinge mechanism 510 has an upper main body frame hinge body 511 attached to the upper end of the left side of the main body frame base 501, and a lower main body frame hinge body 512 attached to the lower end of the left side of the main body frame base 501.

The upper hinge body 511 has a cylindrical body frame hinge shaft 511a that protrudes upward and is inserted into the bearing groove 31a of the upper hinge body 31 in the outer frame 2, and a door frame upper shaft hole 511b that is located adjacent to the body frame hinge shaft 511a and into which the upper hinge shaft 111a of the upper hinge body 111 in the door frame 3 is inserted from below. The upper hinge body 511 has a flat, horizontally extending portion and a portion that extends downward from the rear end of the horizontally extending portion. The horizontally extending portion of the upper hinge body 511 is provided with the hinge shaft 511a and the upper shaft hole 511b. The downwardly extending portion of the upper hinge body 511 is attached to the main frame base 501.

The lower-frame hinge body 512 has an outer-frame shaft hole (not shown) into which the hinge shaft 35a of the lower-frame hinge body 35 in the outer frame 2 is inserted from below, and a lower-frame shaft hole 512b into which the lower-frame hinge shaft 112a of the lower-frame hinge body 112 in the door frame 3 is inserted from above. The lower-frame hinge body 512 has a flat, horizontally extending portion and a portion extending upward from the rear end of the horizontally extending portion. The horizontally extending portion of the lower-frame hinge body 512 is provided with an outer-frame shaft hole and a lower-frame shaft hole 512b. The downwardly extending portion of the lower-frame hinge body 512 is attached to the main frame base 501. Furthermore, the downwardly extending portion of the main frame lower hinge body 512 abuts against the rear wall portion 45c of the header panel 45 when the main frame 4 is closed relative to the outer frame 2. This prevents the main frame 4 from hingedly rotating further rearward.

The main frame hinge mechanism 510 supports the main frame 4 so that it can be opened and closed relative to the outer frame 2 by inserting the main frame hinge shaft 511a of the main frame upper hinge body 511 into the bearing groove 31a of the outer frame upper hinge body 31 on the outer frame 2, and by inserting the hinge shaft 35a of the outer frame lower hinge body 35 on the outer frame 2 into the outer frame shaft hole of the main frame lower hinge body 512.

In addition, the main frame hinge mechanism 510 supports the door frame 3 so that it can be opened and closed relative to the main frame 4 by inserting the upper door frame hinge shaft 111a of the upper door frame hinge body 111 in the door frame 3 from below into the upper door frame shaft hole 511b of the upper main frame hinge body 511, and by inserting the lower door frame hinge shaft 112a of the lower door frame hinge body 112 in the door frame 3 from above into the lower door frame shaft hole 512b of the lower main frame hinge body 512.

[4-2. Ball Launching Unit]
The ball launching unit 550 in the main body frame 4 will be described in detail, mainly with reference to Figures 25 to 28. Figure 25(a) is a perspective view of the ball launching unit in the main body frame as seen from the front, and Figure 25(b) is a perspective view of the ball launching unit in the main body frame as seen from the rear. Figure 26(a) is an exploded perspective view of the ball launching unit as seen from the front, and Figure 26(b) is an exploded perspective view of the ball launching unit as seen from the rear left. Figure 27(a) is a perspective view of the launching unit cover of the ball launching unit as seen from the rear left, and Figure 27(b) is an explanatory diagram of the ball launching unit as seen from the front, showing only the launching unit cover in cross section. Figure 28 is a front view of the ball launching unit, showing the launch subtraction sensor and firing hammer in dashed lines.

The ball launching unit 550 is used to launch game balls B into the game area 5a of the game board 5, and has a ball inlet 550a that receives game balls B sent from the ball sending unit 700, a ball launching port 550b through which the launched game balls B are released to the outside, and a ball outlet 550c through which the game balls B are discharged. The ball launching unit 550 can shoot game balls B with a strength that corresponds to the rotation angle of the handle 160 in the lower right corner of the front of the door frame 3. The ball launching unit 550 is attached to the ball launching unit mounting portion 501i, which is located at the top of the front of the base wall portion 501b of the main frame base 501, to the right of the center in the left-right direction and below the opaque eave portion 501p.

The ball inlet 550a of the ball launching unit 550 is located on the rear surface and is a square opening large enough to allow one game ball B to pass through. When assembled to the main body frame 4, this ball inlet 550a is located in front of the ball outlet 702 of the ball sending unit 700 and is connected to the ball outlet 702. The ball launching opening 550b opens at an angle at the left end of the top surface, with the left end lower. When assembled to the main body frame 4, this ball launching opening 550b is connected to the upper part of the foul right opening 570b of the foul unit 570. The ball discharge opening 550c is an opening on the left side. When assembled to the main body frame 4, this ball discharge opening 550c is connected to the lower part of the foul right opening 570b of the foul unit 570.

The ball launching unit 550 comprises a flat unit base 551, a launching unit cover 552 attached to cover the front side of the unit base 551, a launch solenoid 553 attached to the rear side of the unit base 551 so that its rotation shaft 553a protrudes forward of the unit base 551, a launch subtraction sensor 554 capable of detecting whether or not a game ball B has been launched, a launching hammer 555 attached to the rotation shaft 553a of the launch solenoid 553, a nut 556 attaching the launching hammer 555 to the rotation shaft 553a of the launch solenoid 553, an annular spacer 557 inserted into the rotation shaft 553a of the launch solenoid 553, and two rubber contacts 558 that can come into contact with the launching hammer 555.

The unit base 551 of the ball launching unit 550 is formed from a metal plate such as a steel plate. The unit base 551 is provided with a ball inlet 550a, which penetrates in a square shape from the center upward when viewed from the front.

The launch unit cover 552 is formed by injection molding using a transparent synthetic resin. The launch unit cover 552 comprises a flat front plate 552a spaced forward from the unit base 551, a ball launch pad 552b that is located behind the front plate 552a and directly below the ball inlet 550a of the unit base 551 and is sloped so that the left end is higher, and a detection port 552c that passes vertically through the ball launch pad 552b.

The launch unit cover 552 also includes a launch pad upper wall portion 552d located on the rear side of the front plate 552a, at the upper right of the ball launch pad 552b when viewed from the front, forming a gap between the ball launch pad 552b and the launch pad 552b through which the game ball B cannot pass, and a sensor lower mounting portion 552e and a sensor upper mounting portion 552f located on the rear side of the front plate 552a so as to sandwich the ball launch pad 552b and the launch pad upper wall portion 552d.

Furthermore, the launch unit cover 552 is provided with a barrier portion 552g that is arranged in the direction in which the game ball B is launched from the ball launch pad 552b and whose upper end forms the lower end of the ball launch port 550b; an ejection guide wall portion 552h that extends downward from the left end of the ball launch pad 552b at the rear of the front plate 552a and then extends so as to become lower toward the left; a window portion 552i that penetrates from front to back above the sensor lower mounting portion 552e and to the right of the sensor lower mounting portion 552e; a wiring groove 552j that is recessed in the front surface of the front plate 552a and extends from the lower left to the upper right; and a plurality of wiring engagement portions 552k that protrude from the front end of the wiring groove 552j parallel to the bottom surface of the wiring groove 552j.

Ball launcher 552b is where game balls B supplied through ball inlet 550a are placed. The top surface of ball launcher 552b is inclined so that the left end is higher when viewed from the front. Ball launcher 552b is recessed into a constant cross-sectional shape (trapezoidal) that narrows downward along the direction of the inclination of the top surface. The length of ball launcher 552b in the inclined direction (launching direction) is approximately the same as the diameter of game ball B, and it is formed so that only one game ball B can be placed on it so that it touches the two inclined surfaces of the trapezoidal recess. In this embodiment, ball launcher 552b is inclined at an angle of approximately 27 degrees from the horizontal.

Detection port 552c is located at the bottom of the trapezoidally recessed portion of ball launcher 552b. Launcher upper wall 552d is located above the sloping lower end of ball launcher 552b. Launcher upper wall 552d is located so as to form a gap between ball launcher 552b and launcher upper wall 552d, through which game ball B cannot pass, but through which the tip of launching hammer 555 can pass. As a result, game ball B supplied to ball launcher 552b abuts against the left end of launcher upper wall 552d, and is placed on ball launcher 552b in a state where its movement downstream (to the right in this case) in the sloping direction of ball launcher 552b is restricted.

When a game ball B is placed on ball launching pad 552b, the center of that game ball B is located slightly to the right of the center of ball entrance 550a. Furthermore, the length of ball launching pad 552b is set so that only one game ball B can be placed thereon. As a result, even if a launched game ball B returns or a game ball B is sent from ball sending unit 700 while a game ball B is placed on ball launching pad 552b, and another game ball B is supplied to ball launching pad 552b, it will be bounced off the game ball B placed on ball launching pad 552b and will be discharged to the discharge guide wall portion 552h side (foul unit 570 side) without landing on ball launching pad 552b, and will be detected by foul ball sensor 607. Therefore, even if a game ball B is placed on the ball launch pad 552b and the launched game ball B returns or is supplied from the ball sending unit 700, the game ball B is sent to the foul unit 570 and added to the balls held as a foul ball, eliminating any discrepancy with the actual number of launched game balls B.

The light-emitting unit 554a and light-receiving unit 554b that make up the firing subtraction sensor 554 are attached to the lower sensor mounting portion 552e and the upper sensor mounting portion 552f, respectively. Because the firing subtraction sensor 554 (here, the light-emitting unit 554a) is attached facing upwards on the lower sensor mounting portion 552e, there is a risk of false detection if dirt or dust adheres to the top surface of the light-emitting unit 554a. However, because the light-emitting unit 554a is attached at an angle, dirt and dust are less likely to accumulate.

Barrier section 552g is located to the left of ball launcher 552b, at a distance greater than the diameter of game ball B, and below the trajectory of game ball B launched from ball launcher 552b. Game balls B that are hit with a weak impact can come into contact with barrier section 552g, and game balls B that come into contact with barrier section 552g will flow down onto the discharge guide wall section 552h below, passing between barrier section 552g and ball launcher 552b, and will not return to ball launcher 552b. In addition, because barrier section 552g extends vertically, it is possible to prevent game balls B from entering from the foul unit 570 side.

The discharge guide wall 552h forms the ball discharge port 550c between it and the barrier 552g. The discharge guide wall 552h is inclined so that the left end is lower, allowing it to guide game balls B that have flowed down between the ball launch pad 552b and the barrier 552g to the left and be discharged from the ball discharge port 550c at the left end toward the foul unit 570. As a result, game balls B that have been struck by the launching hammer 555 at the ball launch pad 552b but have not been launched from the ball discharge port 550b are guided by the discharge guide wall 552h and are discharged from the ball discharge port 550c to the foul unit 570.

Window 552i is provided in the area between ball launch pad 552b and sensor lower mounting portion 552e, and in the area forward of the tip of firing hammer 555 when it is in a retracted position away from the striking position. Because launch subtraction sensor 554 (here, light-emitting portion 554a) is attached facing upward on sensor lower mounting portion 552e, dirt and dust can easily accumulate on the top surface of light-emitting portion 554a, which can lead to false detection. However, by inserting a cleaning tool such as a cotton swab through window 552i between ball launch pad 552b and sensor lower mounting portion 552e, the top surface of light-emitting portion 554a can be easily cleaned.

In addition, since the tip of the firing hammer 555 comes into contact with the game ball B, if there is any dirt or other debris attached to the tip of the firing hammer 555, it may be impossible to properly launch the game ball B. However, as shown in Figure 28, a window 552i is provided in front of the tip of the firing hammer 555 in the standby position, so the tip of the firing hammer 555 can be easily cleaned by inserting a cleaning tool such as a cotton swab through the window 552i.

The firing solenoid 553 is composed of a rotary solenoid having a rotation shaft 553a extending forward and backward. Details will be explained later, but the firing solenoid 553, in conjunction with the ball delivery solenoid 706 (described below), performs a series of hardware operations based on a predetermined firing sequence.

The launch subtraction sensor 554 can detect the presence or absence of a gaming ball B on the ball launch pad 552b. The launch subtraction sensor 554 is composed of a light-emitting unit 554a that emits detection light and a light-receiving unit 554b that receives the detection light, and these are attached to the sensor lower mounting portion 552e and sensor upper mounting portion 552f of the launch unit cover 552, respectively. The detection light emitted from the light-emitting unit 554a is received by the light-receiving unit 554b through a detection port 552c provided at the bottom of the ball launch pad 552b. If a gaming ball B is placed on the ball launch pad 552b, the detection light is blocked by the gaming ball B, and the detection light is not received by the light-receiving unit 554b. This makes it possible to detect the presence or absence of a gaming ball B on the ball launch pad 552b.

The launch subtraction sensor 554, which will be described in detail later, detects when game ball B is launched from ball launch pad 552b and subtracts one ball from the player's total number of balls.

In this embodiment, the number of balls held is subtracted when the launch subtraction sensor 554 is judged to be OFF. However, because the number of balls held by the player can change depending on the operation of the launch subtraction sensor 554, one-to-one reliability is required for the launch of game ball B. Incidentally, normal passage judgment for game ball B is made by detecting the light from the light-emitting element in the light-receiving unit, which switches from OFF to ON (from no game ball B to present) (so-called "011") at predetermined time intervals (for example, an interrupt cycle of 4 ms). However, there are concerns about ball movement when game ball B is supplied to the ball launch pad 552b (launch rail), and false detection of something other than the launched ball by the tip of the launch hammer 555 after launch.

In contrast, this embodiment focuses on the fact that game ball B is parked on ball launch pad 552b, and first determines whether game ball B is present on ball launch pad 552b. When game ball B is no longer present, it is determined that the game has been launched. In other words, it determines whether the game ball is present (ON) and then whether the game ball is OFF (no game ball = launched). Specifically, a threshold is set to recognize ON and OFF (for example, an ON threshold of 80 ms and an OFF threshold of 80 ms), and only when the ON threshold is exceeded is it determined that "game ball is present." When the OFF threshold is exceeded, it is determined that game ball B has been launched ("no game ball") and the number of balls held is subtracted. This prevents malfunctions due to game ball chatter or noise. Note that the above threshold is preferably an integer multiple of the interrupt period (for example, 4 ms).

The launching hammer 555 is used to strike and launch the game ball B. The launching hammer 555 is attached to the rotation shaft 553a of the launching solenoid 553 and rotates (pivots) together with the rotation shaft 553a. The tip of the launching hammer 555 passes between the ball launch pad 552b and the launch pad upper wall portion 552d and is arranged so that it can abut against the game ball B placed on the ball launch pad 552b.

In order to ensure the launch accuracy of the game ball B when mass-producing the ball launching unit 550, the insertion angle of the tip of the launching hammer 555, the mounting angle of the ball launching platform 552b (launching rail), and adjustment of the tip position of the launching hammer 555 after assembly into the ball launching unit 550 all required strict adjustments, making mass production difficult. Therefore, in this embodiment, the method of determining launch accuracy has been changed from the conventional method of determining launch accuracy based on the way the game ball B hits the launching rail and the shape of the launching rail to determining only the contact between the launching hammer 555 and the game ball B. With this change, the accuracy of the tip of the launching hammer 555 alone becomes more important for launch accuracy, so the tip of the launching hammer 555 is formed by sheet metal insert molding, and the contact area of the tip of the launching hammer 555 with the game ball B is increased compared to conventional methods. This ensures stable launch accuracy and allows for some assembly error, making it possible to mass-produce the ball launching unit 550.

Nut 556 is threaded onto the rotating shaft 553a of firing solenoid 553. Spacer 557 is into which the rotating shaft 553a of firing solenoid 553 is inserted. The rotating shaft 553a of firing solenoid 553 is inserted from the rear through spacer 557 and then firing hammer 555, and nut 556 is threaded onto the tip protruding forward from firing hammer 555 and tightened, thereby attaching firing hammer 555.

The rubber 558 is attached to the unit base 551 to restrict the rotation range (pivot range) of the firing hammer 555.

In the ball launching unit 550 of this embodiment, only one game ball B is placed on the ball launching pad 552b, and the launch subtraction sensor 554 detects that a game ball B has been launched from the ball launching pad 552b, so that the launch of each game ball B can be reliably detected one by one.

Furthermore, with the ball launch unit 550, the launch unit cover 552 is made of transparent synthetic resin, so by opening the door frame 3 relative to the main body frame 4, the interior of the ball launch unit 550 can be seen from the front. Because the launch unit cover 552 is transparent, there is a risk that light could enter the interior and cause a false detection by the launch subtraction sensor 554, which is a photosensor. However, when the door frame 3 is closed relative to the main body frame 4, light from the front is blocked by the door frame 3, light from the rear is blocked by the unit base 551, which is made of a metal plate, and light from above is blocked by the eaves portion 501p of the black, opaque main body frame base 501. As a result, no light enters the interior, preventing false detection due to light by the launch subtraction sensor 554.

Furthermore, the pachinko machine 1 (recycling gaming machine) disclosed in this embodiment is designed to only deduct the number of balls held after the ball has been fired. Therefore, compared to the method used in conventional recycling gaming machines, where ball feeding is used as a trigger to deduct the number of balls held before firing, when settling a game, game ball B (with its held balls deducted) that remains on the firing rail without being fired is automatically fired blank and made into a foul ball in order to be returned to the player, eliminating the need to add up the number of balls held to make the total add up, allowing for a quicker settlement process.

Furthermore, with the ball launch unit 550, the launch subtraction sensor 554 is mounted at an angle, which makes it difficult for dirt and dust to accumulate on the detection surface of the launch subtraction sensor 554. Even if dirt or dust does adhere to the launch subtraction sensor 554, the detection surface can be easily cleaned by inserting a cleaning tool such as a cotton swab through the window 552i of the launch unit cover 552, making it easy to eliminate false detections (malfunctions) caused by the adhesion of dirt or dust.

In addition, according to the ball launching unit 550, a window 552i is also provided in the area where the tip of the launching hammer 555 can be cleaned. By inserting a cleaning tool through the window 552i in this area, the tip of the launching hammer 555 can be easily cleaned, eliminating variations in the launch of the game ball B due to the adhesion of dirt and other debris.

[4-3. Foul Unit]
The foul unit 570 in the main body frame 4 will be described in detail mainly with reference to Figures 29 to 31. Figure 29(a) is a perspective view of the foul unit in the main body frame as seen from the front, and (b) is a perspective view of the foul unit in the main body frame as seen from the rear. Figure 30(a) is an exploded perspective view of the foul unit as seen from the front, and (b) is an exploded perspective view of the foul unit as seen from the rear. Figure 31(a) is an explanatory diagram showing a side cross-section of the foul unit with the foul shutter in a closed state, and (b) is an explanatory diagram showing a side cross-section of the foul unit with the foul shutter in an open state.

The foul unit 570 is used to collect game balls B that were launched by the ball launching unit 550 and hit between the outer rail 1001 and inner rail 1002 of the game board 5 but did not reach the game area 5a, and game balls B that were launched by the ball launching unit 550 but did not reach the game board 5 (between the outer rail 1001 and inner rail 1002) because the launch strength was too weak. The foul unit 570 has a foul upper opening 570a that opens on the top surface, a foul right opening 570b that opens on the right side, and a foul ball outlet 570c that communicates with the foul upper opening 570a and the foul right opening 570b and opens rearward at the bottom end.

The foul unit 570 is attached to the foul unit mounting portion 501h, which is located in the center (left-right direction) of the upper front surface of the base wall portion 501b of the main frame base 501. When assembled to the main frame 4, the foul unit 570's upper end is approximately the same height as the upper end of the base wall portion 501b, and the foul right opening 570b is closed by the ball launch port 550b and ball discharge port 550c of the ball launch unit 550. In other words, when assembled to the main frame 4, the foul right opening 570b is connected to the ball launch port 550b and ball discharge port 550c. The foul upper opening 570a and foul right opening 570b are formed by the unit base 572 and front cover 573, which will be described later, and the ball discharge port 550c is formed in the unit base 572.

The foul unit 570 comprises a foul shutter 571 that can be opened and closed to prevent the passage of the game ball B through the foul upper opening 570a, a unit base 572 that is attached to the base wall portion 501b of the main frame base 501, a front cover 573 that is attached to the front side of the unit base 572, a rear cover 574 that is attached to the rear side of the unit base 572 so as to cover the rear of the foul shutter 571, and a spring 575 that biases the foul shutter 571 forward.

The fall shutter 571 is supported so that it can slide forward and backward by the cooperation of the unit base 572 and front cover 573. The fall shutter 571 has a long, strip-shaped shutter portion 571a, two forward protrusions 571b that protrude forward from both the left and right ends of the shutter portion 571a, and a flat rear wall portion 571c that extends downward from the rear edge of the shutter portion 571a.

The foul shutter 571 can close the foul upper opening 570a with the shutter portion 571a to prevent the passage of the game ball B. The two forward protrusions 571b are arranged so that their front ends protrude further forward than the front cover 573 and can abut against the rear surface of the door frame main body 100 of the door frame 3. The front end of the spring 575 abuts against the rear surface of the rear wall portion 571c.

The unit base 572 is long from side to side and has an L-shape with a portion extending downward near the right end. The unit base 572 has a shutter housing portion 572a that extends from side to side along the upper edge and is concave toward the rear, a ball guide portion 572b that extends from side to side below the shutter housing portion 572a and has a downward-extending right end and is concave toward the rear, a cylindrical portion 572c that extends rearward in a rectangular cylindrical shape from the lower end of the ball guide portion 572b, and a receiving portion 572d that extends forward in a flat plate shape from the lower end of the ball guide portion 572b.

The shutter housing portion 572a of the unit base 572 houses the foul shutter 571 and spring 575 from the front. The portion of the ball guide portion 572b of the unit base 572 that extends to the left and right is inclined so that it slopes lower to the right. The cylindrical portion 572c of the unit base 572 is inclined so that it slopes lower to the rear, and the opening at the rear end is the foul ball outlet 570c.

The receiving portion 572d of the unit base 572 is inclined so that its rear end is lower. The right edge of this receiving portion 572d forms the lower edge of the foul right opening 570b. The right edge of the receiving portion 572d forms the lower edge of the foul right opening 570b, and the lower part, including the lower end of the foul right opening 570b, is connected to the ball discharge outlet 550c of the ball launching unit 550. Therefore, a game ball B that falls from the ball launching pad 552b, is discharged from the ball discharge outlet 550c, and passes through the foul right opening 570b, flows down onto the receiving portion 572d, is guided rearward by the receiving portion 572d, passes through the tubular portion 572c, and is discharged rearward from the foul ball outlet 570c. When the foul shutter 571 is closed, the game ball B that is launched from the ball launching unit 550, passes through the foul right opening 570b, and hits the back surface (underside) of the foul shutter 571 is sent to the rear ball guide section 572b by the lower wall section 573c of the front cover 573, passes behind the receiving section 572d, and is discharged from the foul ball outlet 570c via the tube section 572c.

The unit base 572 also has a notch 572e recessed from the front near the right end of the bottom wall of the portion of the ball guide section 572b that extends left and right. This notch 572e is sized so as not to interfere with the flow of the game ball B, and allows debris that has entered the ball guide section 572b to be discharged downward from the upper foul opening 570a.

The front cover 573 comprises a flat, L-shaped front plate 573a that is long from side to side and has a portion extending downward near the right end; a left wall portion 573b that extends rearward from the left edge of the front plate 573a; a lower wall portion 573c that extends rightward from the bottom end of the left wall portion 573b along the bottom edge of the front plate 573a and also extends rearward; a hanging wall portion 573d that extends downward from the right end of the lower wall portion 573c along the left edge of the downward-extending portion of the front plate 573a and also extends rearward; and a right wall portion 573f that extends rearward from the top right end of the front plate 573a.

The upper and right edges of the front panel 573a form the front edges of the upper foul opening 570a and the right foul opening 570b. The right edge of the upper end of the left wall 573b forms the left edge of the upper foul opening 570a, and the left edge of the upper end of the right wall 573f forms the right edge of the upper foul opening 570a. The lower edge of the right wall 573f forms the upper edge of the right foul opening 570b.

The lower wall portion 573c of the front cover 573 is located below the foul ball upper opening 570a. The lower wall portion 573c of this front cover 573 is gently inclined so that it lowers to the left and also slopes backward. This prevents it from directly receiving the impact of a game ball B falling from above as a foul ball, and allows the game ball B to be handed over to the ball guide portion 572b of the unit base 572 located at the rear while dissipating the impact. The game ball B handed over to the ball guide portion 572b then passes from the lower right end of the ball guide portion 572b through the tube portion 572c and is discharged rearward through the foul ball outlet 570c.

Two springs 575 are provided, spaced apart on the left and right, and are arranged inside the box-shaped shutter housing portion 572a of the unit base 572. The front end of each spring 575 abuts against the rear surface of the rear wall portion 571c of the fall shutter 571, and the rear end abuts against the front surface of the rear wall of the shutter housing portion 572a. The springs 575 urge the fall shutter 571 forward.

When assembled into the pachinko machine 1, this foul unit 570 is attached to the foul unit mounting portion 501h, which is located at the top of the front surface of the base wall portion 501b of the main body frame 4, near the center in the left-right direction. In this state, the ball launching unit 550 is attached adjacent to the right side of the foul unit 570.

As shown in FIG. 21, the foul upper opening 570a of the foul unit 570 is located near the upper end of the base wall portion 501b and is located on the axis of the launch direction of the game ball B in the ball launching unit 550. In other words, the foul upper opening 570a is located in the area between the opening at the lower end between the outer rail 1001 and inner rail 1002 of the game board 5 and the ball launch port 550b of the ball launching unit 550.

On the other hand, the foul right opening 570b of the foul unit 570 is connected at its upper part to the ball launch port 550b of the ball launching unit 550, and at its lower part to the ball discharge port 550c of the ball launching unit 550. Therefore, the foul upper opening 570a and the foul right opening 570b are provided in the area between the lower opening between the outer rail 1001 and the inner rail 1002 of the game board 5 and the ball launch port 550b of the ball launching unit 550. As a result, game ball B launched from the ball launch port 550b of the ball launching unit 550 enters the foul unit 570 through the foul right opening 570b, and then passes through the foul upper opening 570a to enter between the outer rail 1001 and the inner rail 1002 of the game board 5.

When the door frame 3 of the foul unit 570 of this embodiment is opened forward relative to the main frame 4, the foul shutter 571 slides forward due to the biasing force of the spring 575, as shown in Figure 34 (a), and the shutter portion 571a of the foul shutter 571 protrudes between the front surface of the unit base 572 and the front plate 573a of the front cover 573, closing the foul upper opening 570a so that the game ball B cannot pass through. In other words, the foul shutter 571 is in the closed position. In this state, the stepped portion at the rear end of the forward protrusion 571b of the foul shutter 571 abuts against the front cover 573, preventing it from sliding forward any further.

When a game ball B is launched from the ball launching unit 550 while the foul shutter 571 is in the closed position, the launched game ball B enters the foul unit 570 through the foul right opening 570b, abuts against the underside of the shutter portion 571a of the foul shutter 571, and flows down within the foul unit 570 without being launched upward through the foul upper opening 570a. The game ball B that flows down within the foul unit 570 is guided by the lower wall portion 573c, ball guide portion 572b, tube portion 572c, etc., and is supplied to the circulating ball path unit 600 from the rear foul ball outlet 570c. This prevents the game ball B from leaking out of the foul unit 570, even if the game ball B is launched when the door frame 3 is open.

When the door frame 3 is opened relative to the main frame 4, the door opening switch 507 is turned OFF, and turning the door opening switch 507 OFF may stop the launch of game ball B from the ball launching unit 550. Alternatively, rather than stopping the launch of game ball B when the door frame 3 is opened, the main control board 1310 may temporarily suspend play, and when the door frame 3 is closed, play may resume.

Furthermore, when the main frame 4 is opened relative to the outer frame 2 (the frame open switch 508 is OFF), the door frame 3 is closed and game ball B does not leak to the outside, so the launch of game ball B from the ball launch unit 550 may not be stopped. Alternatively, when the main frame 4 is opened, the same processing as when the door frame 3 is opened may be performed.

When the door frame 3 is closed relative to the main frame 4, the rear surface of the door frame 3 abuts against the front ends of the two forward protrusions 571b of the foul shutter 571, causing the foul shutter 571 to slide rearward against the biasing force of the spring 575 (see Figure 34 (b)). In this state, the shutter portion 571a of the foul shutter 571 is located rearward of the front surface of the unit base 572, leaving the foul upper opening 570a open so that the game ball B can pass through. In other words, the foul shutter 571 is in the open position.

When the foul shutter 571 is in the open position and a game ball B is launched from the ball launching unit 550, the launched game ball B enters the foul unit 570 through the foul right opening 570b, passes through the foul upper opening 570a, and is launched upward toward the game board 5 (between the outer rail 1001 and inner rail 1002). The launched game ball B then passes over the backflow prevention member 1007 located at the top end of the inner rail 1002, and is launched into the game area 5a.

In addition, game balls B that are launched from the ball launching unit 550 but do not pass the backflow prevention member 1007 at the top end of the inner rail 1002 (game balls B that are not hit into the game area) flow down between the outer rail 1001 and the inner rail 1002, enter through the foul upper opening 570a as foul balls, and are collected by the foul unit 570. Game balls B that are collected through the foul upper opening 570a are guided by the lower wall portion 573c, ball guide portion 572b, tube portion 572c, etc., and are discharged (supplied) to the circulating ball path unit 600 from the rear foul ball outlet 570c.

Foul unit 570 also receives game balls B discharged from ball outlet 550c of ball launching unit 550 at the bottom of foul right opening 570b. Game balls B that enter foul unit 570 from the bottom of foul right opening 570b flow down onto receiving portion 572d, are guided rearward by the inclination of receiving portion 572d, and are discharged from foul ball outlet 570c to the circulating ball path unit 600.

In this way, the foul unit 570 can collect game balls B that were launched from the ball launching unit 550 but did not land in the game area 5a of the game board 5 without leaking to the outside, and supply them to the circulating ball path unit 600. As will be described in detail later, the circulating ball path unit 600 detects game balls B supplied from the foul ball outlet 570c using the foul ball sensor 607. When this foul ball sensor 607 detects game ball B, one ball is added to the player's total number of balls.

In addition, the foul unit 570's unit base 572, front cover 573, etc. are made of transparent synthetic resin, so the interior can be seen from the outside, making it easy to detect any ball jams inside.

[4-3a. Foul unit of the second embodiment]
Next, the foul unit 570A of the second embodiment will be described in detail, mainly with reference to Figures 32 to 34. Figure 32(a) is a perspective view of the foul unit of the second embodiment as seen from the front, and Figure 32(b) is a perspective view of the foul unit of the second embodiment as seen from the rear. Figure 33(a) is an exploded perspective view of the foul unit of the second embodiment as seen from the front, and Figure 33(b) is an exploded perspective view of the foul unit of the second embodiment as seen from the rear. Figure 34(a) is an explanatory diagram showing a side cross-section of the foul unit of the second embodiment with the foul shutter in a closed state, and Figure 34(b) is an explanatory diagram showing a side cross-section of the foul unit of the second embodiment with the foul shutter in an open state.

The foul unit 570A is used to collect game balls B that were launched by the ball launching unit 550 and hit between the outer rail 1001 and inner rail 1002 of the game board 5 but did not reach the game area 5a, and game balls B that were launched by the ball launching unit 550 but did not reach the game board 5 (between the outer rail 1001 and inner rail 1002) because the launch strength was too weak. The foul unit 570A has a foul upper opening 570a that opens on the top surface, a foul right opening 570b that opens on the right side surface, and a foul ball outlet 570c that communicates with the foul upper opening 570a and the foul right opening 570b and opens rearward at the bottom end.

The foul unit 570A is attached to the foul unit mounting portion 501h, which is located in the center (left-right direction) of the upper front surface of the base wall portion 501b of the main frame base 501. When assembled to the main frame 4, the foul unit 570A's upper end is approximately the same height as the upper end of the base wall portion 501b, and the foul right opening 570b is closed by the ball launch port 550b and ball discharge port 550c of the ball launch unit 550. In other words, when assembled to the main frame 4, the foul right opening 570b is connected to the ball launch port 550b and ball discharge port 550c. The foul upper opening 570a and foul right opening 570b are formed by the unit base 572 and front cover 573, which will be described later, and the ball discharge port 550c is formed in the unit base 572.

The foul unit 570A comprises a foul shutter 571 that can be opened and closed to prevent the passage of the game ball B through the foul upper opening 570a, a unit base 572 that is attached to the base wall portion 501b of the main frame base 501, a front cover 573 that is attached to the front side of the unit base 572, a rear cover 574 that is attached to the rear side of the unit base 572 so as to cover the rear of the foul shutter 571, a spring 575 that biases the foul shutter 571 forward, and a foul ball earth metal plate 576 that is provided between the unit base 572 and the front cover 573.

The fall shutter 571 is supported so that it can slide forward and backward by the cooperation of the unit base 572 and front cover 573. The fall shutter 571 has a long, strip-shaped shutter portion 571a, two forward protrusions 571b that protrude forward from both the left and right ends of the shutter portion 571a, and a flat rear wall portion 571c that extends downward from the rear edge of the shutter portion 571a.

The foul shutter 571 can close the foul upper opening 570a with the shutter portion 571a to prevent the passage of the game ball B. The two forward protrusions 571b are arranged so that their front ends protrude further forward than the front cover 573 and can abut against the rear surface of the door frame main body 100 of the door frame 3. The front end of the spring 575 abuts against the rear surface of the rear wall portion 571c.

The unit base 572 has a main body 572f that is elongated from side to side and has a flat, partial T-shape with a portion extending downward near the right end; a shutter insertion opening 572g that penetrates from front to back near the upper end of the main body 572f and extends left and right; and multiple rear support openings 572h that are provided along the lower edge of the main body 572f to the left of the portion that extends downward and penetrates from front to back.

The unit base 572 is provided with a foul ball outlet 570c near the bottom end of the downward-extending portion of the main body 572f. The foul ball outlet 570c penetrates from front to back and extends rearward in a rectangular cylindrical shape. The cylindrical foul ball outlet 570c is inclined so that it slopes downward toward the rear.

The lower edge of the left side of the main body 572f is inclined so that it is lower to the right than the downward-extending portion. The shutter insertion opening 572g is large enough to allow the shutter portion 571a and forward protrusion 571b of the foul shutter 571 to pass through. The multiple rear support openings 572h are elongated on the left and right, each lowering to the right, and are lined up along the inclined lower edge of the main body 572f. The rear support openings 572h are designed so that the support piece 576a of the foul ball ground metal plate 576 can be inserted with a gap between them.

The front cover 573 comprises a flat, partial T-shaped front plate 573a that is elongated from side to side and has a portion extending downward near the right end; a left wall portion 573b that extends rearward from the left edge of the front plate 573a; a lower wall portion 573c that extends rightward and rearward from the lower end of the left wall portion 573b along the lower edge of the front plate 573a; a hanging wall portion 573d that extends downward and rearward from the right end of the lower wall portion 573c along the left edge of the downward-extending portion of the front plate 573a; a bottom wall portion 573e that extends rightward and rearward from the lower end of the hanging wall portion 573d along the lower edge of the downward-extending portion of the front plate 573a; and a right wall portion 573f that extends rearward from the upper right end of the front plate 573a.

The upper and right edges of the front panel 573a form the front edges of the upper foul opening 570a and the right foul opening 570b. The right edge of the upper end of the left wall 573b forms the left edge of the upper foul opening 570a, and the left edge of the upper end of the right wall 573f forms the right edge of the upper foul opening 570a. The lower edge of the right wall 573f forms the upper edge of the right foul opening 570b, and the right edge of the bottom wall 573e forms the lower edge of the right foul opening 570b.

The front cover 573 has a lower wall portion 573c located below the foul ball upper opening 570a, allowing it to guide a game ball B that flows down through the foul ball upper opening 570a to the right and then flow down along the hanging wall portion 573d onto the bottom wall portion 573e. This bottom wall portion 573e is sloped so that the portion in front of the foul ball outlet 570c is lower toward the rear, and the portion to the right of this portion is higher toward the right. Therefore, a game ball B that flows down the bottom wall portion 573e is guided rearward and discharged rearward through the foul ball outlet 570c. Furthermore, because the right edge of the bottom wall portion 573e forms the lower edge of the foul right opening 570b, a game ball B that enters through the foul right opening 570b flows down onto the bottom wall portion 573e, is guided by the bottom wall portion 573e, and is discharged rearward through the foul ball outlet 570c.

The front cover 573 also has a front plate 573a with multiple front support openings 573g arranged in a row on the left and right sides along the lower wall portion 573c and penetrating from front to back. The multiple front support openings 573g are arranged to face the rear support openings 572h of the unit base 572. The front support openings 573g are also arranged so that the support piece 576a of the foul ball grounding metal plate 576 can be inserted with a gap between them.

The rear cover 574 is shaped like a box with an open front. The rear portion of the fall shutter 571 is inserted into the interior of the rear cover 574, and a spring 575 is also placed inside. The rear end of the spring 575 abuts against the front surface of the rear wall of the rear cover 574.

Two springs 575 are provided, spaced apart on the left and right, and are positioned inside the box-shaped rear cover 574. The front end of each spring 575 abuts against the rear surface of the rear wall portion 571c of the fall shutter 571, and the rear end abuts against the front surface of the rear wall of the rear cover 574. The springs 575 urge the fall shutter 571 forward.

The foul ball earth metal plate 576 is made of a metal plate such as a steel plate, and is ultimately connected to the ground of the amusement hall via an earth wire (not shown). The foul ball earth metal plate 576 is formed in the shape of a long strip from side to side, with multiple support pieces 576a extending outward from the front and rear long sides. The foul ball earth metal plate 576 is placed on the upper surface of the lower wall portion 573c of the front cover 573, and the multiple support pieces 576a are inserted with some play into the rear support opening 572h of the unit base 572 and the front support opening 573g of the front cover 573.

As a result, the game ball B that flows down through the upper foul opening 570a toward the lower wall portion 573c comes into contact with the foul ball earth metal plate 576, and the static electricity that has been charged to it is removed before it is guided to the right. At this time, because the support piece 576a is loosely fitted into the rear support opening 572h and the front support opening 573g, contact with the game ball B causes the foul ball earth metal plate 576 to vibrate, and this vibration causes dust and dirt on the foul ball earth metal plate 576 to be expelled to the outside through the gap between the loosely fitted rear support opening 572h and front support opening 573g. The foul ball earth metal plate 576 also serves as reinforcement against falling game balls B.

When assembled into the pachinko machine 1, this foul unit 570A is attached to the foul unit mounting portion 501h, which is located at the top of the front surface of the base wall portion 501b of the main body frame 4, near the center in the left-right direction. In this state, the ball launching unit 550 is attached adjacent to the right side of the foul unit 570A.

Similar to the foul unit 570 of the first embodiment, the foul upper opening 570a of the foul unit 570A is located near the upper end of the base wall portion 501b and is located on the axis of the launch direction of the game ball B in the ball launching unit 550. In other words, the foul upper opening 570a is located in the area between the opening at the lower end between the outer rail 1001 and inner rail 1002 of the game board 5 and the ball launch port 550b of the ball launching unit 550.

On the other hand, the foul right opening 570b of the foul unit 570A is connected at its upper part to the ball launch port 550b of the ball launching unit 550, and at its lower part to the ball discharge port 550c of the ball launching unit 550. Therefore, the foul upper opening 570a and the foul right opening 570b are provided in the area between the lower opening between the outer rail 1001 and the inner rail 1002 of the gaming board 5 and the ball launch port 550b of the ball launching unit 550. As a result, the gaming ball B launched from the ball launch port 550b of the ball launching unit 550 enters the foul unit 570A through the foul right opening 570b, and then passes through the foul upper opening 570a to enter between the outer rail 1001 and the inner rail 1002 of the gaming board 5.

When the door frame 3 of the foul unit 570A of this embodiment is opened forward relative to the main body frame 4, the foul shutter 571 slides forward due to the biasing force of the spring 575, as shown in Figure 34(a), and the shutter portion 571a of the foul shutter 571 protrudes between the front surface of the unit base 572 and the front plate 573a of the front cover 573, closing the foul upper opening 570a so that the game ball B cannot pass through. In other words, the foul shutter 571 is in the closed position. In this state, the rear wall portion 571c of the foul shutter 571 abuts against the rear surface of the main body portion 572f of the unit base 572, and it cannot slide forward any further.

When a game ball B is launched from the ball launching unit 550 while the foul shutter 571 is in the closed position, the launched game ball B enters the foul unit 570A through the foul right opening 570b, abuts against the underside of the shutter portion 571a of the foul shutter 571, and flows down through the foul unit 570A without being launched upward through the foul upper opening 570a. The game ball B that flows down through the foul unit 570A is guided by the lower wall portion 573c (foul ball earthing metal plate 576), the hanging wall portion 573d, the bottom wall portion 573e, etc., and is supplied to the circulating ball path unit 600 through the rear foul ball outlet 570c. This prevents the game ball B from leaking out of the foul unit 570A, even if the game ball B is launched when the door frame 3 is open.

When the door frame 3 is opened relative to the main frame 4, the door opening switch 507 is turned OFF, and turning the door opening switch 507 OFF may stop the launch of game ball B from the ball launching unit 550. Alternatively, rather than stopping the launch of game ball B when the door frame 3 is opened, the main control board 1310 may temporarily suspend play, and when the door frame 3 is closed, play may resume.

Furthermore, when the main frame 4 is opened relative to the outer frame 2 (the frame open switch 508 is OFF), the door frame 3 is closed and game ball B does not leak to the outside, so the launch of game ball B from the ball launch unit 550 may not be stopped. Alternatively, when the main frame 4 is opened, the same processing as when the door frame 3 is opened may be performed.

When the door frame 3 is closed relative to the main frame 4, the rear surface of the door frame 3 abuts against the front ends of the two forward protrusions 571b of the foul shutter 571, causing the foul shutter 571 to slide rearward against the biasing force of the spring 575 (see Figure 34 (b)). In this state, the shutter portion 571a of the foul shutter 571 is located rearward of the front surface of the unit base 572, leaving the foul upper opening 570a open so that the game ball B can pass through. In other words, the foul shutter 571 is in the open position.

When the foul shutter 571 is in the open position and a game ball B is launched from the ball launching unit 550, the launched game ball B enters the foul unit 570A through the foul right opening 570b, then passes through the foul upper opening 570a and is launched upward toward the game board 5 (between the outer rail 1001 and inner rail 1002). The launched game ball B then passes over the backflow prevention member 1007 located at the top end of the inner rail 1002, and is launched into the game area 5a.

A game ball B that is launched from the ball launching unit 550 but does not pass the backflow prevention member 1007 at the top end of the inner rail 1002 (a game ball B that is not hit into the game area) flows down between the outer rail 1001 and the inner rail 1002, enters the foul ball through the foul upper opening 570a, and is collected by the foul unit 570A. The game ball B that is collected through the foul upper opening 570a flows down onto the foul ball earth metal plate 576 placed on the upper surface of the lower wall portion 573c, and static electricity is removed by the foul ball earth metal plate 576. At this time, since the foul ball earth metal plate 576 is loosely fitted, it vibrates when the game ball B comes into contact with it, and this vibration ejects dust and debris on the foul ball earth metal plate 576 from the rear support opening 572h and the front support opening 573g and out of the foul unit 570A.

The game ball B that flows down onto the foul ball earth metal plate 576 (lower wall portion 573c) is guided to the right by its inclination, flows down along the hanging wall portion 573d onto the bottom wall portion 573e, and is guided rearward by the inclination of the bottom wall portion 573e before being discharged from the foul ball outlet 570c into the circulating ball path unit 600.

Foul unit 570A also receives game balls B discharged from ball outlet 550c of ball launching unit 550 at the bottom of foul right opening 570b. Game balls B that enter foul unit 570A from the bottom of foul right opening 570b flow down onto bottom wall 573e, are guided rearward by the slope of bottom wall 573e, and are discharged from foul ball outlet 570c to the circulating ball path unit 600.

In this way, the foul unit 570A can collect game balls B that were launched from the ball launching unit 550 but did not land in the game area 5a of the game board 5 without leaking to the outside, and supply them to the circulating ball path unit 600. As will be described in detail later, the circulating ball path unit 600 detects game balls B supplied from the foul ball outlet 570c using the foul ball sensor 607. When this foul ball sensor 607 detects game ball B, one ball is added to the player's total number of balls.

In addition, the foul unit 570A's unit base 572, front cover 573, rear cover 574, etc. are made of transparent synthetic resin, so the interior can be seen from the outside, making it easy to detect ball jams inside.

[4-3b. Foul unit of the third embodiment]
Next, a third embodiment of the foul unit 570 will be described. The foul unit 570 of the third embodiment differs only in the opening and closing mechanism of the foul shutter 571, and other configurations are the same as the above-described foul unit 570. The foul unit 570 of the third embodiment is provided with an electric actuator such as a motor or solenoid for opening and closing the foul shutter 571, although this is not shown.

In this embodiment, when the door frame 3 is opened relative to the main frame 4 and the door open switch 507 is turned OFF, the electric actuator slides the foul shutter 571 to the closed position. As a result, even if a game ball B is launched from the ball launching unit 550 with the door frame 3 open, the game ball B will not fly out through the foul upper opening 570a.

When the door frame 3 is closed and the door open switch 507 is turned ON, the electric actuator slides the foul shutter 571 to the open position, allowing the game ball B launched from the ball launching unit 550 to pass through the foul upper opening 570a and be shot into the game board 5.

In addition, even when the frame opening switch 508 is turned OFF by opening the main frame 4 relative to the outer frame 2, the fall shutter 571 may be slid to the closed position by the electric actuator. In this case, if the opening and closing process of the fall shutter 571 by the frame opening switch 508 is the same as the opening and closing process by the door opening switch 507 described above, the software configuration can be simplified.

In addition, an opening switch (not shown) can be provided that can detect the opening of both the door frame 3 and the main frame 4, and the fall shutter 571 can be opened and closed by an electric actuator, simplifying the mechanism for opening and closing.

[4-4. Circulation ball path unit]
The circulation ball path unit 600 in the main body frame 4 will be described in detail, mainly with reference to Figures 35 to 42. Figure 35(a) is a perspective view of the circulation ball path unit in the main body frame as seen from the front, and Figure 35(b) is a perspective view of the circulation ball path unit in the main body frame as seen from the rear. Figure 36 is an exploded perspective view of the circulation ball path unit as seen from the front, and Figure 37 is an exploded perspective view of the circulation ball path unit as seen from the rear. Figure 38(a) is a plan view showing only the ball serpentine member and ball removal shutter in the circulation ball path unit, and Figure 38(b) is a perspective view of the circulation ball path unit as seen from the front. Figure 39 (a1) is an explanatory diagram showing the ball removal shutter and ball serpentine member in the closed position together with the ball receiving tray in a side cross section, (a2) is an explanatory diagram showing only the ball removal shutter portion in (a1) from the bottom, (b1) is an explanatory diagram showing the ball removal shutter and ball serpentine member in the open position together with the ball receiving tray in a side cross section, and (b2) is an explanatory diagram showing only the ball removal shutter portion in (b1) from the bottom.

Furthermore, Figure 40(a) is an explanatory diagram showing a cross-sectional front view of the circulating ball path unit cut at the location of the out ball sensor, and (b) is an explanatory diagram showing a cross-sectional front view of the circulating ball path unit cut at the location of the safe ball sensor. Figure 41(a) is an oblique view from the front showing an enlarged view of the lower part of the main body frame together with the outer frame with the serpentine cover of the circulating ball path unit removed, and (b) is an oblique view from the rear showing an enlarged view of the lower part of the main body frame together with the outer frame with the serpentine cover of the circulating ball path unit removed. Figure 42 is a plan view showing the ball serpentine member, serpentine cover, ball removal shutter, and gauge section in the circulating ball path unit.

The circulating ball path unit 600 stores multiple game balls B ejected from the game board 5 and game balls B collected by the foul unit 570, and sends the stored game balls B to the ball launching unit 550 via the ball lifting unit 650. The circulating ball path unit 600 is attached to the circulating ball path unit mounting portion 501l provided on the rear surface of the base wall portion 501b of the main frame base 501.

The circulating ball path unit 600 has an out ball receiving port 600a that is long on both sides and opens upward, a safe ball receiving port 600b that is located behind the out ball receiving port 600a and is long on both sides and opens upward, a foul ball receiving port 600c that opens at the front, and a ball release port 600d that opens to the right near the bottom end. The out ball receiving port 600a and safe ball receiving port 600b are designed with a depth in the front-to-back direction that is slightly wider than the diameter of a game ball B, and are designed to allow multiple game balls B to pass through in the left-to-right direction. The foul ball receiving port 600c and ball release port 600d are designed to be large enough to allow one game ball B to pass through each.

The out ball receiving port 600a receives game balls B (out balls) received in the out port of the game board 5. The safe ball receiving port 600b receives game balls B (safe balls) received in winning ports on the game board 5, such as the general winning port, starting port, or big winning port. The foul ball receiving port 600c receives game balls B (foul balls) discharged from the foul ball outlet 570c of the foul unit 570. The ball discharge port 600d releases game balls B received in the out ball receiving port 600a, safe ball receiving port 600b, and foul ball receiving port 600c and stored therein, and hands them over to the ball lifting unit 650.

The circulating ball path unit 600 also has an out ball passage 601 through which game balls B received in the out ball receiving port 600a circulate, a safe ball passage 602 through which game balls B received in the safe ball receiving port 600b circulate, a foul ball passage 603 through which game balls B received in the foul ball receiving port 600c circulate, and a ball storage passage 604 that is connected to the downstream ends of the out ball passage 601, safe ball passage 602, and foul ball passage 603 and whose downstream end is the ball release port 600d.

Furthermore, the circulating ball path unit 600 has an out ball sensor 605 that detects each game ball B (out ball) circulating through the out ball path 601, a safe ball sensor 606 that detects each game ball B (safe ball) circulating through the safe ball path 602, and a foul ball sensor 607 that detects each game ball B (foul ball) circulating through the foul ball path 603. The safe ball sensor 606 is what is called a total winning slot sensor in conventional pachinko machines, and can be used to determine whether a prize has been won illegally by comparing it with the total number of winning balls in all winning slots.

The circulating ball path unit 600 comprises a flat ball receiving front plate 610, a front ball receiving member 611 attached to the rear side of the front ball receiving plate 610, and a rear ball receiving member 612 attached to the rear side of the front ball receiving member 611. A ball storage passage 604 is provided below the front ball receiving plate 610, front ball receiving member 611, and rear ball receiving member 612.

The circulating ball path unit 600 also includes a ball serpentine member 613 that is located below the ball receiving front plate 610, the ball receiving front member 611, and the ball receiving rear member 612 and is open upward, a serpentine cover 614 that covers the top of the ball serpentine member 613, a ball removal shutter 615 for discharging game balls B from the ball serpentine member 613, a magnet 616 attached to the ball removal shutter 615, a circulating ball path relay board 617 attached to the rear side of the ball receiving front member 611, and a gauge section 620 attached to the serpentine cover 614.

The ball receiving front plate 610 extends to the left and right, and has a foul ball receiving opening 600c that penetrates from front to back near the bottom center in the left-right direction.

The front ball receiving member 611 cooperates with the front ball receiving plate 610 to form the out ball receiving opening 600a on its upper surface. The front ball receiving member 611 is formed with the out ball passage 601 and foul ball passage 603, which are open to the front, and the front sides of these are closed when the front ball receiving plate 610 is attached. The downstream end of the out ball passage 601 opens downward at the lower left end of the front ball receiving member 611. The opening at the downstream end of the out ball passage 601 is located in front of the opening at the downstream end of the safe ball passage 602. The downstream end of the foul ball passage 603 opens downward at a position on the front ball receiving member 611 below and to the right of the downstream end of the out ball passage 601.

The front ball receiving member 611 has an upper ball receiving plate portion 611a that slopes downward toward the right from midway along the vertical wall that forms the left edge of the out ball receiving opening 600a to near the center in the left-right direction; a lower ball receiving plate portion 611b that slopes downward toward the left from a section of the vertical wall that forms the right edge of the out ball receiving opening 600a below the upper ball receiving plate portion 611a to near the bottom of the left edge of the out ball receiving opening 600a; and a crank portion 611c that extends in a crank shape toward the bottom left from the left end of the lower ball receiving plate portion 611b, wide enough to allow game balls B to pass in a single file.

The height between the right end of the upper out ball receiving plate 611a and the lower out ball receiving plate 611b is approximately twice the diameter of the game ball B, and as a result, the height of the lower out ball receiving plate 611b on the left side is designed to decrease as it moves to the left. This allows the game balls B received in the out ball receiving opening 600a to be aligned in a single row.

The out ball sensor 605 is attached to a vertically extending portion of the crank portion 611c directly below the downstream end of the out ball receiving plate portion 611b.

In the front ball receiving member 611, the out ball passage 601 is formed by the upper out ball receiving plate portion 611a, the lower out ball receiving plate portion 611b, the crank portion 611c, etc. Therefore, the out ball passage 601 is formed wide on the upstream side so that it can receive many game balls B, and the received game balls B are aligned in a row and handed over to the downstream ball storage passage 604 (ball serpentine member 613).

In addition, in the front ball receiving member 611, the foul ball passage 603 is located below the upper out ball receiving plate portion 611a and below the lower out ball receiving plate portion 611b, sloping downward to the left from the rear of the foul ball receiving opening 600c to a portion to the right of the left end of the lower out ball receiving plate portion 611b, and then extends downward a short distance. In the front ball receiving member 611, a foul ball sensor 607 is attached to the portion of the foul ball passage 603 extending to the left. This foul ball passage 603 is formed so that game balls B flow in a single file, and game ball B that flows through the foul ball passage 603 is handed over to a portion of the ball storage passage 604 (ball serpentine member 613) downstream of the portion where it is handed over from the out ball passage 601.

The front ball receiving member 611 has recesses 611d at the front edge of the upper out ball receiving plate portion 611a, the front edge of the lower out ball receiving plate portion 611b, and the front edge of the bottom wall extending to the left and right and forming the foul ball passage 603. These recesses 611d are recessed to a size that does not interfere with the flow of game balls B. These recesses 611d allow dust and debris from inside the out ball passage 601 and the foul ball passage 603 to be discharged to the outside.

In addition, a circulating ball path relay board 617 is attached to the rear surface of the front ball receiving member 611, behind the foul ball passage 603.

The rear ball receiving member 612 cooperates with the front ball receiving member 611 to form the safe ball receiving port 600b on its top surface. The rear ball receiving member 612 is formed with the safe ball passage 602 open to the front, and the front side of the safe ball passage 602 is closed when the front ball receiving member 611 is attached. The downstream end of the safe ball passage 602 opens downward at the lower left end of the rear ball receiving member 612. The opening at the downstream end of the safe ball passage 602 is located behind the opening at the downstream end of the out ball passage 601. In other words, the opening at the downstream end of the out ball passage 601 and the opening at the downstream end of the safe ball passage 602 are lined up front to back.

The rear ball receiving member 612 has an upper safe ball receiving plate portion 612a that slopes downward toward the right from midway along the vertical wall that forms the left edge of the safe ball receiving opening 600b to near the center in the left-right direction; a lower safe ball receiving plate portion 612b that slopes downward toward the left from a section of the vertical wall that forms the right edge of the safe ball receiving opening 600b below the upper safe ball receiving plate portion 612a to near the bottom of the left edge of the safe ball receiving opening 600b; and a crank portion 612c that extends in a crank shape toward the lower left from the left end of the lower safe ball receiving plate portion 612b, wide enough to allow game balls B to pass in a single file.

The height between the right end of the upper safe ball receiving plate 612a and the lower safe ball receiving plate 612b is approximately twice the diameter of the game ball B, and as a result, the height of the lower safe ball receiving plate 612b on the left side is designed to decrease as it moves to the left. This allows the game balls B received in the safe ball receiving opening 600b to be aligned in a single row.

The safe ball sensor 606 is attached to a vertically extending portion of the crank portion 612c directly below the downstream end of the safe ball receiving plate portion 612b.

In the post-ball receiving member 612, the safe ball passage 602 is formed by the upper safe ball receiving plate portion 612a, the lower safe ball receiving plate portion 612b, the crank portion 612c, etc. Therefore, the safe ball passage 602 is formed wide on the upstream side so that it can receive many game balls B, and the received game balls B are aligned in a row and handed over to the most upstream portion of the downstream ball storage passage 604 (ball serpentine member 613).

The rear ball receiving member 612 has recesses 612d at the front edge of the upper safe ball receiving plate portion 612a and the front edge of the lower safe ball receiving plate portion 612b, which are recessed to a size that does not interfere with the flow of the game ball B. These recesses 612d allow dust, debris, etc. within the safe ball passage 602 to be discharged to the outside.

The ball serpentine member 613 snakes back and forth, extending left and right so that its right end is lower, forming a ball storage passage 604 capable of storing a large number of game balls B. As shown in Figure 38, etc., the ball serpentine member 613 is made up of a first straight portion 613a that slopes downward toward the front, with its rear end as the upstream end; a first folded portion 613b that bends to the right from the downstream end (front end) of the first straight portion 613a and then bends further rearward; a second straight portion 613c that extends from the downstream end (rear end) of the first folded portion 613b to a position near the rear end of the first straight portion 613a, then bends to the right from the downstream end (rear end) of the second straight portion 613c and then bends further rearward; a second folded portion 613d that is bent so as to become lower toward the front; a third straight portion 613e that extends from the downstream end (front end) of the second folded portion 613d to the same position as the front end of the second straight portion 613c so as to become lower toward the front; a third folded portion 613f that is bent from the downstream end (front end) of the third straight portion 613e to the right and then bent so as to become lower toward the rear; and a fourth straight portion 613g that extends from the downstream end (rear end) of the third folded portion 613f to the same position as the rear end of the third straight portion 613e so as to become lower toward the rear. a fourth folded portion 613h that is folded rightward from the downstream end (rear end) of the fourth straight portion 613g and then further folded forward to become lower; a fifth straight portion 613i that extends from the downstream end (front end) of the fourth folded portion 613h to the same position as the front end of the fourth straight portion 613g to become lower forward; a first folded portion 613j that is folded rightward from the downstream end (front end) of the fifth straight portion 613i; and a first lateral portion 613k that extends rightward from the downstream end (right end) of the first folded portion 613j to become lower. a second bent portion 613l that bends downward from the downstream end (right end) of the first lateral portion 613k, a sixth straight portion 613m that extends downward from the downstream end (rear end) of the second bent portion 613l to a position near the downstream end of the fifth straight portion 613i, a third bent portion 613n that bends downward to the right from the downstream end (rear end) of the sixth straight portion 613m, and a second lateral portion 613o that extends downward to the right from the downstream end (right end) of the third bent portion 613n. The opening at the downstream end of the second lateral portion 613o forms a ball discharge port 600d that opens to the right.

In the ball serpentine member 613 (ball storage passage 604), the opening at the downstream end of the safe ball passage 602 is located above the rear end of the first straight section 613a, and the opening at the downstream end of the out ball passage 601 is located in front of that. Furthermore, the opening at the downstream end of the foul ball passage 603 is located above the rear end of the second straight section 613c.

The ball serpentine member 613 also has a ball outlet 613p that penetrates the first horizontal section 613k from top to bottom, a pair of rail sections 613q that extend forward and backward along the left and right edges of the ball outlet 613p on the underside of the first horizontal section 613k and protrude downward, support pieces 613r that protrude toward each other from the bottom ends of the pair of rail sections 613q, locking sections 613s that are provided on the opposing side surfaces of the pair of rail sections 613q, and a plurality of slits 613t that penetrate the rolling surface (bottom surface) along which the game ball B rolls.

The ball removal opening 613p of the ball serpentine member 613 is closed and closable by the ball removal shutter 615, as will be described in detail below. A pair of rail portions 613q extend rearward beyond the ball removal opening 613p. The pair of rail portions 613q support the ball removal shutter 615 so that it can slide back and forth. Two support pieces 613r prevent the ball removal shutter 615 from falling. In addition, the two support pieces 613r protrude from their respective rail portions 613q at the ball removal opening 613p. This ensures that even if the weight of a game ball B acts on the ball removal shutter 615 through the ball removal opening 613p, the ball removal shutter 615 can be sufficiently supported and prevented from falling off. The locking portion 613s locks onto the locking protrusion 615f of the ball removal shutter 615, thereby holding the ball removal shutter 615 in the open position.

The slits 613t of the ball serpentine member 613 extend downward and are large enough not to interfere with the flow of game balls B, allowing debris and dust to be expelled from the ball storage passage 604. The slits 613t located at turning points and bends are located on the outside of the curve.

The ball snaking member 613 is equipped with a circulating ball shortage sensor 621 and a circulating ball excess sensor 622 that can detect game balls B in circulation, as will be described in detail below.

This ball serpentine member 613 allows the formation of a ball storage passage 604 that snakes back and forth and extends left and right, lowering to the right. Furthermore, the ball serpentine member 613 has multiple turn-back portions (first turn-back portion 613b, second turn-back portion 613d, third turn-back portion 613f, fourth turn-back portion 613h) and multiple bends (first bend-back portion 613j, second bend-back portion 613l, third bend-back portion 613n), which can suppress the flow speed of the game balls B at these portions and mitigate the impact on the inlet side of the ball lifting unit 650.

The serpentine cover 614 is attached to the ball serpentine member 613 so as to cover the open upper end of the ball serpentine member 613. By attaching the serpentine cover 614 to the ball serpentine member 613, it is possible to prevent game balls B from leaking from the ball serpentine member 613 (ball storage passage 604) to the outside, or to prevent game balls B that are not compatible with the ball storage passage 604 or illegal game balls B from being inserted from the outside.

The length of the portion of the serpentine cover 614 that extends forward and backward at its left end is shorter toward the rear than the first straight portion 613a of the ball serpentine member 613. As a result, when the serpentine cover 614 is attached to the ball serpentine member 613, the rear portion of the first straight portion 613a of the ball serpentine member 613 is opened upward, allowing communication with the out ball passage 601 and the safe ball passage 602 through this portion.

The serpentine cover 614 also has an opening 614a that penetrates vertically above the rear end of the second straight section 613c of the ball serpentine member 613. Through this opening 614a, the foul ball passage 603 can communicate with the ball storage passage 604.

The ball removal shutter 615 is used to remove (discharge) game ball B (circulating game ball) from the circulating ball path unit 600, etc., and is attached to the underside of the ball serpentine member 613 so that it can slide back and forth. The ball removal shutter 615 has a flat door portion 615a capable of closing the ball removal opening 613p, a knob portion 615b extending up, down, left, and right from the front edge of the door portion 615a, a pair of rod portions 615c extending rearward from the rear ends of the door portion 615a on both sides, a connecting portion 615e connecting the pair of rod portions 615c at the rear of the door portion 615a to form an opening 615d that runs vertically through, locking protrusions 615f protruding from the outer surface of each of the pair of rod portions 615c between the connecting portion 615e and the rear end, hook portions 615g extending outward from the rear ends of the pair of rod portions 615c, and a magnet support portion 615h that protrudes cylindrically from the underside of the door portion 615a.

The magnet support portion 615h of the bulb shutter 615 can support a cylindrical magnet 616 by inserting the magnet 616 into the cylinder. The magnet support portion 615h is located upstream of the opening 615d. This magnet support portion 615h has a portion at its bottom end that protrudes into the cylinder and is open to the rear. By inserting the magnet 616 from the rear, the portion that protrudes downward of the magnet 616 is positioned, preventing the magnet 616 from falling out of the magnet support portion 615h.

When the ball removal shutter 615 is attached to the ball serpentine member 613, the pair of rail portions 613q of the ball serpentine member 613 are located on the left and right outer sides of the door portion 615a and the pair of rod portions 615c, and the lower surface of the first horizontal portion 613k and the upper surfaces of the pair of support pieces 613r are located on the upper and lower sides of the door portion 615a and the pair of rod portions 615c. This allows the ball removal shutter 615 to slide back and forth between the closed position and the open position, which will be described later.

As shown in Figures 39 (a1) and (a2), the ball removal shutter 615 is normally in a closed position, with the door portion 615a preventing game balls B from passing through the ball removal opening 613p. In this state, the rear surface of the knob portion 615b abuts against the front surface of the first horizontal portion 613k, and the pair of locking protrusions 615f abut against the rear end surfaces of the pair of rail portions 613q. This restricts the ball removal shutter 615 from moving forward and backward, and keeps it in the closed position. Therefore, when the ball removal shutter 615 is in the closed position, game balls B cannot be ejected from the ball removal opening 613p into the ball receiving tray 720 below (see Figure 20).

Furthermore, when the ball removal shutter 615 is in the closed position, the magnet support portion 615h (magnet 616) is located below and near the upstream end of the ball removal opening 613p. Details will be described later, but when an iron ball SB (see Figure 44) flows through the ball storage passage 604, the magnetic force of the magnet 616 causes the iron ball SB to be magnetically attracted to the door portion 615a, resulting in a ball jam, making it possible to detect the presence of an iron ball SB.

When the ball removal shutter 615 is in the closed position, pinching the knob portion 615b and pulling it forward causes the locking protrusion 615f on the rod portion 615c to come into strong contact with the rear end surface of the rail portion 613q. At this time, the force acting on the locking protrusion 615f causes the rod portion 615c to elastically deform inward, moving the locking protrusion 615f toward the inner surface of the rail portion 613q, causing the ball removal shutter 615 to slide forward from the closed position. When the locking protrusion 615f reaches the locking portion 613s, the elastic force of the rod portion 615c locks the locking protrusion 615f into the locking portion 613s, and the hook portion 615g on the rear end of the rod portion 615c approaches the rear end surface of the rail portion 613q. This restricts the ball removal shutter 615 from sliding forward any further.

In this state, as shown in Figures 39 (b1) and (b2), the opening 615d of the ball removal shutter 615 is aligned with the ball removal port 613p, allowing game balls B to pass through the ball removal port 613p. In other words, the ball removal shutter 615 is in the open position. When the ball removal shutter 615 is in the open position, game balls B upstream of the ball removal port 613p in the ball storage passage 604 are discharged through the ball removal port 613p and opening 615d into the ball receiving tray 720 below. This makes it possible to remove circulating game balls B to the outside.

When game balls B accumulate in the ball receiving tray 720 and it becomes heavy, the ball receiving tray 720 rests on the bottom wall of the tray insertion recess 501f, which is sloped so that the front end is lower. The slope of the bottom wall causes the ball receiving tray 720 to attempt to slide forward, but the locking claws 501n prevent this forward sliding. In this state, when the locking claws 501n are released, the weight of the stored game balls B causes the ball receiving tray 720 to automatically slide forward, allowing the ball receiving tray 720 to be easily removed from the tray insertion recess 501f.

When the ball removal shutter 615 is assembled to the pachinko machine 1, the rear surface of the door frame 3 is close to the front surface of the knob portion 615b, and even if the ball removal shutter 615 attempts to slide forward for some reason, the knob portion 615b abuts the door frame 3, preventing it from sliding to the open position. This prevents circulating game balls B from accidentally falling out and getting lost, and prevents illegal game balls B from being mixed in through the ball removal opening 613p.

Magnet 616 is cylindrical and can be inserted into magnet support portion 615h of ball removal shutter 615. This magnet 616 is used to attract iron ball SB. Magnet 616 is made of a material with strong magnetic force, such as a neodymium magnet.

However, if the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment coexists with conventional pachinko machines that allow players to touch game balls (iron balls SB) in an amusement hall or the like, there is a risk that iron balls SB may become mixed in when the game balls B are replenished or replaced during maintenance of the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment.

In contrast, in this pachinko machine 1, if an iron ball SB gets mixed in, because a magnet 616 is provided in the ball removal shutter 615, when the iron ball SB flows through the ball storage passage 604, the iron ball SB is magnetically attracted to the upper surface of the door portion 615a of the ball removal shutter 615 in the closed position by the magnetic force of the magnet 616, causing it to stop. In this case, because a magnet 616 with strong magnetic force is used, even if a large number of game balls B accumulate upstream of the magnetically attracted iron ball SB, acting as a force pushing it downstream, the iron ball SB will not move from the upper surface of the door portion 615a.

When the iron ball SB is magnetically attached to the door portion 615a (magnet 616) of the ball removal shutter 615 in the ball storage passage 604 and game balls B continue to be launched from the ball launching unit 550, game balls B downstream of the magnetically attached iron ball SB are sequentially consumed, and the consumed (launched) game balls B are sequentially supplied upstream of the iron ball SB. Therefore, the low circulating ball sensor 621 and lifting inlet sensor 653, etc., located downstream of the ball removal shutter 615, turn off game ball B detection, while the excess circulating ball sensor 622, out ball sensor 605, safe ball sensor 606, foul ball sensor 607, etc., located upstream of the ball removal shutter 615, turn on game ball B detection. This allows the occurrence of a ball jam between the low circulating ball sensor 621, etc. and the excess circulating ball sensor 622, etc. to be detected and reported. In other words, it is possible to detect that the iron ball SB is magnetically attached to the door portion 615a.

When the ball removal shutter 615 is slid forward from the closed position to the open position while the iron ball SB is magnetically attached to the upper surface of the door portion 615a of the ball removal shutter 615 by the magnetic force of the magnet 616, the front end of the iron ball SB magnetically attached to the upper surface of the door portion 615a abuts the front wall of the first horizontal section 613k, preventing the iron ball SB from moving forward. When the magnet 616 moves forward beyond the front wall of the first horizontal section 613k, the magnetic force acting on the iron ball SB weakens, causing the iron ball SB to begin rolling downstream. At this time, the opening 615d of the ball removal shutter 615 is aligned with the ball removal opening 613p, allowing the game ball B to pass through the ball removal opening 613p. Therefore, the iron ball SB can be discharged from the ball removal opening 613p into the ball receiving tray 720 below and removed from the ball storage passage 604.

The circulating ball path relay board 617 is attached to the rear of the front ball receiving member 611, behind the foul ball passage 603, and below the out ball receiving plate portion 611b of the rear ball receiving member 612. The circulating ball path relay board 617 relays the connections between the out ball sensor 605, safe ball sensor 606, foul ball sensor 607, low circulating ball sensor 621, and high circulating ball sensor 622 and the frame control board 740, which will be described later.

The gauge section 620 indicates an appropriate amount region of a predetermined length in the flow direction of the ball storage passage 604 in the ball serpentine member 613. Here, the appropriate amount is defined as the state in which the rear end of the row of game balls B stored in a line is hanging over the gauge section 620. The gauge section 620 allows the appropriate amount of game balls B (circulating balls) to be visually confirmed, and is formed from a transparent sticker with a colored portion. This gauge section 620 is affixed to the top surface of the serpentine cover 614. More specifically, it is affixed to the top surface of the serpentine cover 614 at a location upstream of the first horizontal section 613k of the ball serpentine member 613. As shown in Figure 42, this gauge section 620 has letters and symbols (arrows) indicating the appropriate range (appropriate amount region) of the amount of game balls B stored.

The gauge section 620 is composed of three seals: an upper gauge seal 620a attached to the upper portion of the third straight section 613e and the third folded section 613f of the spherical serpentine member 613; a middle gauge seal 620b attached to the upper portion of the fourth straight section 613g; and a lower gauge seal 620c attached to the upper portion of the fifth straight section 613i and the first bent section 613j.

The upper gauge seal 620a is marked (displayed) with a line extending left and right near the center of the third straight section 613e in the front-to-rear direction, an arrow with a rod portion extending downstream (forward) of the line, with the tip of the arrow portion pointing toward the line and along the passage to the downstream end of the third turning section 613f, and the words "Up to here" written (displayed) downstream and to the right of the arrow portion of the arrow.

The middle gauge seal 620b has a rod-shaped portion extending rearward (downstream) to connect with the rod portion of the arrow on the upper gauge seal 620a, and the words "appropriate range" are written near the upstream end of the rod-shaped portion.

The lower gauge seal 620c is marked (displayed) with a line extending back and forth at the downstream end of the first bend 613j, an arrow with a rod portion extending upstream of the line, with the tip of the arrow pointing toward the line, along the passage to the upstream end of the fifth straight section 613i, and the words "From here" written (displayed) upstream and to the right of the arrow portion of the arrow.

When viewing the gauge section 620 during maintenance, etc., if no game balls B can be seen in the area of the gauge section 620 (appropriate amount area), that is, the area between the line of the upper gauge seal 620a and the line of the lower gauge section 620c, it can be determined that there are fewer game balls B than appropriate. To replenish game balls B, insert game balls B into the outlet 1008 of the game board 5, or into the out ball receiving port 600a or safe ball receiving port 600b, until the appropriate amount is reached.

On the other hand, when looking at the gauge section 620, if game balls B can be seen in all parts of the gauge section 620, that is, if the rear end of the row of game balls B is upstream of the "up to here" part (the line of the upper gauge seal 620a), it can be determined that there are more game balls B than appropriate. If there are too many game balls B, the ball removal shutter 615 can be pulled forward and slid to the open position, thereby discharging the game balls B in the ball storage passage 604 from the ball removal opening 613p and bringing the amount to the appropriate level.

In this way, the gauge unit 620 of this embodiment makes it possible to determine at a glance whether the stored game balls B are appropriate (the right amount), and also makes it easier to maintain the amount of stored game balls B at the right amount.

In the above embodiment, the gauge section 620 is shown as a sticker attached to the serpentine cover 614, but the appropriate amount area may be colored a different color from the other areas, or the gauge section 620 may be molded in a different color, or the gauge section 620 may have colored lines drawn at the downstream and upstream ends of the appropriate amount area.

In addition, in the above embodiment, the gauge section 620 is shown to be located upstream of the ball removal shutter 615, but this is not limited to this. As shown by the two-dot chain line in Figure 62, the downstream end of the gauge section 620 may be located downstream of the ball removal shutter 615 and upstream of the low circulating ball sensor 621.

In this embodiment, the ball circulation path unit 600 has a ball receiving front plate 610, a ball receiving front member 611, a ball receiving rear member 612, a ball serpentine member 613, and a serpentine cover 614, all made of transparent synthetic resin. Therefore, the internal condition can be seen from the outside.

The circulating ball path unit 600 is installed with the out ball sensor 605 and foul ball sensor 607 sandwiched between the ball receiving front plate 610 and the ball receiving front member 611, and the safe ball sensor 606 sandwiched between the ball receiving front member 611 and the ball receiving rear member 612. The out ball sensor 605 and safe ball sensor 606 are arranged side by side, front to back.

The out ball sensor 605, safe ball sensor 606, foul ball sensor 607, insufficient circulating ball sensor 621, and excessive circulating ball sensor 622 detect game ball B non-contact by, for example, detecting changes in induced current.

The circulating ball path unit 600 is attached to the base wall portion 501b of the main body frame base 501 from the rear. When assembled to the main body frame 4, the out ball receiving port 600a and the safe ball receiving port 600b are attached at the same height as the top surface of the base wall portion 501b and in contact with the rear edge of the top surface of the base wall portion 501b.

In addition, when assembled to the main body frame 4, the circulation ball path unit 600 is attached so that the ball sending unit 700 is positioned between it and the base wall portion 501b.

Furthermore, when the circulation ball path unit 600 is assembled to the main body frame 4, the portions of the ball serpentine member 613 and serpentine cover 614 forward of the center in the fore-and-aft direction protrude forward, penetrating from the rear through the ball storage path insertion port 501g provided in the base wall portion 501b. As a result, when the door frame 3 is opened relative to the main body frame 4, the game balls B in the ball serpentine member 613 (ball storage path 604) can be seen from the front (external).

Furthermore, when the circulation ball path unit 600 is assembled to the main body frame 4 and the frame base unit 730 is opened to the rear, the interior of the out ball path 601, safe ball path 602, foul ball path 603, and the area behind the base wall portion 501b in the ball storage path 604 can be seen from behind. As a result, when a ball jam occurs, the inside of the out ball path 601, etc. can be checked by opening the frame base unit 730, making it easier to identify the location of the jam.

Furthermore, when the circulating ball path unit 600 is assembled to the main body frame 4, the second horizontal section 613o of the ball serpentine member 613 is located behind the base wall section 501b and below the ball launching unit 550. In other words, the circulating ball path unit 600 has a ball discharge port 600d that opens to the right behind the base wall section 501b and at a lower position than the ball launching unit 550. This ball discharge port 600d is connected to the ball lifting inlet passage 651 of the ball lifting unit 650, which will be described later.

The circulating ball path unit 600 of this embodiment has a circulating ball shortage sensor 621 for detecting when there are too few stored game balls B (circulating balls), and a circulating ball excess sensor 622 for detecting when there are too many stored game balls B (circulating balls) (see Figure 62).

The low circulating ball sensor 621 is located downstream of the gauge section 620 in the ball storage passage 604. The low circulating ball sensor 621 may also be located upstream of the ball removal shutter 615. The excess circulating ball sensor 622 is located near the upstream end of the gauge section 620 in the ball storage passage 604. The low circulating ball sensor 621 and excess circulating ball sensor 622 are connected to the frame control board 740 via the circulating ball path relay board 617.

As will be explained in more detail below, when there is an appropriate amount of game balls B, the under-circulating ball sensor 621 detects game ball B for a predetermined time (e.g., 80 ms) or more, and the excess circulating ball sensor 622 does not detect game ball B for a predetermined time (e.g., 80 ms) or more. When there are too few game balls B, neither the under-circulating ball sensor 621 nor the excess circulating ball sensor 622 detects game ball B for a predetermined time (e.g., 80 ms) or more. On the other hand, when there are too many game balls B, both the under-circulating ball sensor 621 and the excess circulating ball sensor 622 detect game ball B for a predetermined time (e.g., 80 ms) or more. Furthermore, if the insufficient circulating ball sensor 621 does not detect game ball B for a predetermined time (e.g., 80 ms) or more, and the excessive circulating ball sensor 622 detects game ball B for a predetermined time (e.g., 80 ms) or more, then a ball jam, including the inclusion of iron balls SB, has occurred between the insufficient circulating ball sensor 621 and the excessive circulating ball sensor 622.

Here, we explain the reason for the predetermined time k of 80 ms as the threshold for detecting the presence or absence of game ball B. For example, along circulation path R, sensors such as circulating ball excess sensor 622, circulating ball shortage sensor 621, lifting inlet sensor 653, lifting outlet sensor 654, and launch pre-sensor sensor 704 are located at the same positions where game ball B stops when the ball lifting unit 650 and ball sending unit 700 are stopped. This is the position where the next game ball B will be located each time a game ball B is sent. Therefore, game ball B is detected here by checking whether it has been detected for 80 ms or more. This is because it takes about 50 ms to detect a game ball B rolling on a slope with an incline of about 5 degrees, so a margin is added to ensure that game ball B is present at that position, and detection is performed at 80 ms to ensure reliable detection. In other words, the value of 80 ms is a practical value obtained through experimentation.

In this way, by combining the detection states of game balls B by the low circulating ball sensor 621 and the high circulating ball sensor 622, the frame control board 740 can automatically determine and report the amount of game balls B, ball clogging, etc.

In the above embodiment, a low circulating ball sensor 621 and an excess circulating ball sensor 622 are provided, but the low circulating ball sensor 621 may be replaced with the lift inlet sensor described below, and the excess circulating ball sensor 622 may be replaced with the out ball sensor 605, safe ball sensor 606, or foul ball sensor 607.

[4-4a. Ball jamming elimination mechanism]
Next, the circulating ball path unit 600 may be provided with a ball jam elimination mechanism 630, as shown in Figure 43, to facilitate the elimination of ball jams in the out ball sensor 605 and the safe ball sensor 606. Figure 43(a) is an explanatory diagram showing an enlarged view of the essential parts of the rear cross section of the circulating ball path unit attached to the main body frame, cut at the out ball sensor with the cover member of the ball elimination mechanism closed, and (b) is an explanatory diagram showing the state in (a) with the cover member open.

The ball jam elimination mechanism 630 is configured by replacing the wall above the out ball sensor 605 and safe ball sensor 606 in the front ball receiving member 611 and rear ball receiving member 612 of the circulating ball path unit 600 with an openable and closable lid member 631. As shown in Figure 43(a), the lid member 631 is normally closed. The lid member 631 is held closed by a locking claw (not shown).

This ball jamming elimination mechanism 630 is used to eliminate jams that occur in the out ball passage 601 or safe ball passage 602, or when a fraudulent ball B' with a larger diameter than the game ball B is inserted as a fraudulent act, blocking the out ball sensor 605, etc.

For example, if a rogue ball B', which is larger in diameter than game ball B, is inserted through outlet 1008 of the game board 5, blocking the out ball sensor 605, opening the main frame 4 relative to the outer frame 2 and then opening the frame base unit 730 will reveal the rear of the circulating ball path unit 600. In this embodiment, a gap large enough to insert a finger is formed between the portion of the circulating ball path unit 600 where the ball jamming elimination mechanism 630 is located and the box main body 504b of the main frame speaker box 504. Therefore, the locking claw of the lid member 631 can be released through this gap, and the lid member 631 can be opened by rotating it so that the bottom end of the lid member 631 moves upward (see Figure 43(b)).

By opening the cover member 631, a finger can be inserted into the area above the out ball sensor 605 in the out ball passage 601, making it easy to remove the illegal ball B' blocking the out ball sensor 605. In this way, the illegal ball B' can be easily removed without having to remove the circulation ball passage unit 600, which is screwed in place using a screwdriver.

In addition, even if the safe ball sensor 606 is blocked by the illegal ball B', the illegal ball B' can be removed using the same procedure as above.

In the above, the ball jamming elimination mechanism 630 is shown to have an openable and closable lid member 631, but, for example, elastic claws may be provided on the rear ball receiving member 612 and the front ball receiving member 611, and the rear ball receiving member 612 and the front ball receiving member 611 may be attached and detached rearward by engaging the elastic claws. In this case, under normal conditions, the frame base unit 730 is located behind the circulating ball path unit 600, and even if the elastic claws loosen, the rear ball receiving member 612 and the front ball receiving member 611 will not come off rearward. If the out ball sensor 605 is blocked by a stray ball B', opening the main frame 4 from the outer frame 2 and then opening the frame base unit 730 will reveal the rear of the circulating ball path unit 600. By releasing the elastic claws that attach the rear ball receiving member 612 and front ball receiving member 611, the rear ball receiving member 612 and front ball receiving member 611 can be easily removed, and the stray ball B' blocking the out ball sensor 605 can be easily removed.

Alternatively, the ball jamming elimination mechanism 630 may be configured so that the portion above the out ball sensor 605 on the front ball receiving member 611, which is sandwiched between the front ball receiving plate 610 and the rear ball receiving member 612, can be slid upward and removed. In this case, under normal conditions, the game board 5 is located above the circulating ball path unit 600, and gravity prevents the slidable portion of the front ball receiving member 611 from moving upward. If the out ball sensor 605 is blocked by a stray ball B', opening the door frame 3 relative to the main frame 4 and removing the game board 5 from the main frame 4 will reveal the top of the circulating ball path unit 600, allowing the slidable portion of the front ball receiving member 611 to be slid upward and removed, easily removing the stray ball B' blocking the out ball sensor 605.

[4-4b. Second embodiment of bulb removal shutter]
Next, in the circulating ball path unit 600, as shown in Figure 44, a magnet 616 may be attached to the ball removal shutter 615 in a portion forward of the opening 615d. Figure 44(a) is an explanatory side cross-sectional view of the ball serpentine member and ball removal tray with the iron ball magnetically attached to the ball removal shutter in the closed position, (b) is an explanatory side cross-sectional view of the ball serpentine member and ball removal tray with the iron ball magnetically attached to the ball removal shutter in the open position, and (c) is an explanatory side cross-sectional view of the ball serpentine member and ball removal tray with the ball removal shutter slid from the (b) position to the closed position with the iron ball magnetically attached to the underside. In this ball removal shutter 615, the rear end of the outer periphery of the magnet 616 supported by the magnet support portion 615h is aligned with the front inner periphery of the opening 615d.

As shown in Figure 44(a), with the ball shutter 615 of the second embodiment, when the iron ball SB is magnetically attached to the upper surface of the door portion 615a of the ball shutter 615 by the magnetic force of the magnet 616, and the ball shutter 615 is slid forward from the closed position to the open position, the front end of the iron ball SB magnetically attached to the upper surface of the door portion 615a abuts against the front wall of the first horizontal portion 613k, preventing the iron ball SB from moving forward. Then, when the ball shutter 615 slides further forward, the door portion 615a that was supporting the lower end of the iron ball SB disappears, and the iron ball SB moves downward into the opening 615d due to gravity. At this time, the rear end of the outer periphery of the magnet 616 is aligned with the inner front surface of the opening 615d, so the iron ball SB becomes magnetically attached to the outer periphery of the magnet 616 (see Figure 44(b)).

The iron ball SB attempts to move from the outer periphery of the magnet 616 toward the pole with the strongest magnetic force (here, the bottom end face), but when the ball removal shutter 615 is in the open position, the top face of the ball receiving tray 720 is located below the magnet 616, so the iron ball SB does not move below the magnet 616. Therefore, when the ball removal shutter 615 is slid to the open position, the iron ball B is located in a position overlapping with the opening 615d, and the game balls B upstream of the iron ball SB are not discharged downward through the opening 615d, i.e., the ball removal opening 613p.

After sliding the ball removal shutter 615 to the open position, sliding the ball removal shutter 615 to the rear closed position prevents the game ball B upstream of the iron ball SB from passing through the ball removal opening 613p by the door portion 615a, while the iron ball SB that was magnetized on the outer periphery of the magnet 616 moves to the underside of the magnet 616, where it is magnetically attached to the underside of the magnet 616 (see Figure 44 (c)). The ball receiving tray 720 is then pulled out and removed from the tray insertion recess 501f, and the iron ball SB that is magnetically attached to the underside of the magnet 616 is removed.

In this way, when the iron ball SB is magnetically attached to the door portion 615a of the ball removal shutter 615 by the magnet 616, by sliding the ball removal shutter 615 back and forth, only the magnetically attached iron ball SB can be removed from the ball storage passage 604 to the outside.

[4-5. Ball lifting unit]
The ball lifting unit 650 in the main body frame 4 will be described in detail, mainly with reference to Figures 45 to 54. Figure 45(a) is a perspective view of the ball lifting unit in the main body frame as seen from the front left, (b) is a perspective view of the ball lifting unit in the main body frame as seen from the front right, and (c) is a perspective view of the ball lifting unit in the main body frame as seen from the rear. Figure 46 is an exploded perspective view of the ball lifting unit with the ball polishing motor base and cassette pressing piece open and the ball polishing cassette removed. Figure 47(a) is a plan view of the ball lifting unit without the ball polishing cassette installed, (b) is a plan view of the ball lifting unit with the ball polishing motor base and cassette pressing piece open and the ball polishing cassette installed, and (c) is a plan view of the ball lifting unit with the ball polishing cassette installed.

Figure 48(a) is an explanatory diagram showing the door frame being closed when the ball grinding cassette is not completely locked, (b) is an explanatory diagram showing the state in which the door frame has moved in the closing direction from the state in (a) and the protrusion on the door frame is abutting the tip of the ball grinding motor base, and (c) is an explanatory diagram showing the state in which the door frame has closed from the state in (b) and the ball grinding cut is locked. Figure 49 is an enlarged front view showing the main parts with the ball grinding cassette removed from the ball lifting unit attached to the main frame. Figure 50(a) is a right side view showing the main parts of the ball grinding mechanism and ball lifting mechanism in the ball lifting unit, (b) is a rear view showing the main parts of the ball lifting mechanism, and (c) is a plan view of the main parts of the ball lifting mechanism as seen from arrow A in (b).

Furthermore, Figure 51 is an explanatory diagram showing the relationship between the lifting spiral shaft and polishing cloth in the ball lifting unit. Figure 52(a) is an enlarged perspective view of the lifting inlet sensor and lifting outlet sensor, as well as a view of the ball lifting unit from the rear left, and (b) is a plan cross-sectional view of the ball lifting unit cut at the lifting inlet sensor. Figure 53 is an explanatory diagram showing the front and rear sections of the ball sensor, which consists of a photosensor, in the ball passage. Figure 54(a) is a perspective view of the ball polishing cassette of the ball lifting unit as seen from the front left, (b) is a perspective view of the ball polishing cassette as seen from the rear right, and (c) is a right-side cross-sectional view of the ball polishing cassette cut at the center in the left-right direction.

The ball lifting unit 650 is used to send game balls B, which have been discharged from the game board 5 or foul unit 570 and circulated through the circulating ball path unit 600, to the ball launching unit 550 via the ball sending unit 700. The ball lifting unit 650 is attached to the ball lifting unit mounting portion 501j, which is provided on the rear surface of the base wall portion 501b of the main frame base 501.

The ball lifting unit 650 is equipped with a ball lifting mechanism 660 for lifting game balls B, a ball lifting inlet passage 651 that supplies game balls B sent from the circulating ball path unit 600 to the ball lifting mechanism 660, a ball lifting outlet passage 652 that supplies game balls B lifted by the ball lifting mechanism 660 to the ball sending unit 700, a lifting inlet sensor 653 provided in the ball lifting inlet passage 651 that detects game balls B in circulation, and a lifting outlet sensor 654 provided in the ball lifting outlet passage 652 that detects game balls B in circulation.

The ball lifting unit 650 also includes a ball lifting inlet earth metal plate 655 that is arranged to be able to come into contact with the game ball B in the ball lifting inlet passage 651, a ball lifting outlet earth metal plate 656 that is arranged to be able to come into contact with the game ball B in the ball lifting outlet passage 652, a ball lifting relay board 657 that relays the connection with the frame control board 740, and a ball polishing mechanism 680 for polishing the game ball B that has been lifted by the ball lifting mechanism 660.

First, the ball lifting mechanism 660 of the ball lifting unit 650 comprises a lifting spiral shaft 661 that extends vertically and has a helical lifting groove 661a on its outer periphery, a shaft gear 662 attached to the lower end of the lifting spiral shaft 661, a motor gear 663 that meshes with the shaft gear 662 and is rotatable around an axis perpendicular to the axis of the lifting spiral shaft 661, a lifting motor 664 with the motor gear 663 attached to its rotating shaft for rotating the lifting spiral shaft 661, a lifting motor index 665 that extends flange-like from the lower end of the shaft gear 662 and has a detection portion 665a that is notched out in part of the circumferential direction, and a lifting motor index sensor 666 that can detect the detection portion 665a of the lifting motor index 665.

The ball lifting mechanism 660 also includes a motor base metal plate 667 to which the lifting motor 664 is attached and which rotatably supports the motor gear 663, a lifting mechanism base 668 attached to one side of the motor base metal plate 667 and which rotatably supports the lifting spiral shaft 661, and a lifting mechanism cover 669 attached to the ball lifting unit mounting portion 501j of the base wall portion 501b of the main frame base 501.

The lifting spiral shaft 661 has a spiral lifting groove 661a formed on its outer periphery, deep enough to accommodate a single row of game balls B. The lifting groove 661a is formed so that the lifting spiral shaft 661 can lift game balls B by rotating clockwise when viewed from above in its axial direction (see Figure 50(c)). The spiral pitch of the lifting groove 661a is longer near the upper and lower ends than between them. The lifting spiral shaft 661 is rotatably supported by a lifting mechanism base 668 and a lifting mechanism cover 669. The rotation axis of this lifting spiral shaft 661 is inclined relative to the vertical so that the upper end is located to the right of the lower end when viewed from the front. This allows the upper end of the lifting spiral shaft 661 to be positioned farther to the right from the ball sending unit, relatively lengthening the length of the ball lifting outlet passage 652 and increasing the storage capacity of game balls B. In this embodiment, the rotation axis of the lifting spiral shaft 661 is inclined at an angle of 12 degrees relative to the vertical.

Furthermore, the lifting spiral shaft 661 will be described in detail. As shown in Figure 51, this lifting spiral shaft 661 has a small diameter portion 661b, whose bottom diameter (bottom diameter) in the lifting groove 661a is bottom diameter D1, and a large diameter portion 661c, whose bottom diameter D2 is larger than that of the small diameter portion 661b. The large diameter portion 661c is located in the axial middle portion that overlaps with the polishing cloth 682 of the ball polishing cassette 681. The diameter of the lifting spiral shaft 661 is configured to gradually change between the small diameter portion 661b and the large diameter portion 661c.

Furthermore, the spiral pitch P2 of the lifting spiral shaft 661 at the large diameter portion 661c is smaller than the spiral pitch P1 at the small diameter portion 661b. The smaller the spiral pitch, the slower the lifting speed of the game ball B.

This lifting spiral shaft 661 is positioned so that a gap S1 smaller than the diameter D of the game ball B is formed between the large diameter portion 661c and the surface of the polishing cloth 682 in the ball polishing cassette 681.

Incidentally, if the diameter of the bottom of the lifting groove 661a of the lifting spiral shaft 661 is configured to be the bottom diameter D1 of the small diameter section 661b along its entire length, bottom diameter D1 is smaller than bottom diameter D2 of the large diameter section 661c, and therefore the gap between the bottom of the lifting groove 661a and the polishing cloth 682 becomes larger. Therefore, even if the lifting spiral shaft 661 is rotated to polish the game ball B lifted by the lifting groove 661a with the polishing cloth 682, the larger gap with the polishing cloth 682 causes the game ball B to escape to the bottom of the lifting groove 661a, reducing the contact area of the game ball B with the polishing cloth 682 and reducing the polishing efficiency.

In contrast, in this embodiment, the bottom diameter D2 of the lifting groove 661a is set to the large diameter portion 661c, which is larger than the bottom diameter D1 of the small diameter portion 661b, at the axially intermediate portion of the lifting spiral shaft 661 where it overlaps with the polishing cloth 682 of the ball polishing cassette 681. This allows the gap from the bottom of the lifting groove 661a to the surface of the polishing cloth 682 at the large diameter portion 661c to be smaller than the gap at the small diameter portion 661b. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the gap S1 from the large diameter portion 661c to the polishing cloth 682 is set smaller than the diameter D of the game ball B. As a result, the game ball B cannot escape to the bottom of the lifting groove 661a at the large diameter portion 661c. Instead, the bottom of the lifting groove 661a presses the game ball B against the polishing cloth 682, causing the polishing cloth 682 to be depressed together with the ball polishing sponge 683 provided on the back side of the polishing cloth 682. This increases the contact area of the polishing cloth 682 with the game ball B, improving the polishing efficiency of the game ball B.

In addition, in this embodiment, the lifting spiral shaft 661 has a spiral pitch P2 in the large diameter portion 661c that overlaps with the polishing cloth 682 that is smaller than the spiral pitch P1 in the small diameter portion 661b, which slows the lifting speed of the game ball B in the large diameter portion 661c. This increases the contact time of the game ball B with the polishing cloth 682, allowing the game ball B to be polished more thoroughly.

Furthermore, the lifting spiral shaft 661 of this embodiment has a gradual change in diameter between the small diameter portion 661b and the large diameter portion 661c, which prevents the load applied when lifting the game ball B from changing suddenly, thereby reducing the load during the lifting operation.

In addition, as shown in Figure 50 (b), the lifting spiral shaft 661 of this embodiment is inclined at an angle of 12 degrees from the vertical, so that it intersects the polishing cloth 682 diagonally. This allows the entire width of the polishing cloth 682 to be used to polish the game ball B, and the polishing cloth 682 can be used efficiently for polishing.

Note that while the lifting spiral shaft 661 shown has a large diameter section 661c in the middle in the axial direction, this is not limited to this. It is also possible to have a small diameter section 661b only at the lower end, with a large diameter section 661c extending all the way up to the upper end.

The shaft gear 662 is a spur gear (worm wheel gear). The motor gear 663 is a worm gear. As a result, even if the lifting spiral shaft 661 attempts to rotate due to the load acting on it caused by the large number of game balls B contained in the lifting groove 661a of the lifting spiral shaft 661, the rotation can be prevented by the motor gear 663, which is a worm gear meshed with the shaft gear 662. Also, because the motor gear 663 is a worm gear, even if the lifting spiral shaft 661 attempts to rotate due to the inertia generated when the drive of the lifting motor 664 stops, the rotation can be immediately stopped, preventing the game balls B from overshooting.

In this embodiment, the shaft gear 662 is made of POM (polyacetal resin), and the motor gear 663 is made of fiber-reinforced plastic containing polyamide carbon fiber. This makes the motor gear 663, which is a worm gear, less likely to chip. The motor gear 663 may also be made of metal.

The lifting motor 664 is a DC motor. The lifting motor index 665 is integrally molded with the shaft gear 662 in a flange-like shape. The detection portion 665a of the lifting motor index 665 is cut out at a 45-degree angle around the entire circumference. The lifting motor index sensor 666 is a photosensor. The lifting motor index sensor 666 receives light at the detection portion 665a of the lifting motor index 665, and blocks light and is in a non-light-receiving state at portions other than the detection portion 665a. This makes it possible to detect the rotational position of the lifting spiral shaft 661 via the lifting motor index 665.

As will be described in detail later, the lifting spiral shaft 661 rotates once when the rotation shaft of the lifting motor 664 rotates 32 times via the shaft gear 662 and motor gear 663. The lifting motor index sensor 666 is positioned at a location other than the detection unit 665a and enters a non-light-receiving state, and then when the lifting motor 664 rotates 28 times, it reaches the detection unit 665a and enters a light-receiving state. After entering the light-receiving state, the lifting motor 664 rotates another four times, and then moves away from the detection unit 665a and enters a non-light-receiving state. In this embodiment, the origin is the position where the lifting motor 664 rotates two times after reaching the detection unit 665a and entering the light-receiving state. In other words, the center of the detection unit 665a is the origin of rotation of the lifting spiral shaft 661.

The motor base metal plate 667 has the lifting motor 664 attached to its left end when viewed from the front, and rotatably supports the right end of the motor gear 663 at its right end. The motor base metal plate 667 is attached at its upper end to the lifting mechanism base 668 and at its lower end to the lifting mechanism cover 669.

The lifting mechanism base 668, in cooperation with the lifting mechanism cover 669, houses the lifting spiral shaft 661 and rotatably supports the lifting spiral shaft 661. The lifting mechanism base 668 has a ball polishing opening 668a that penetrates from front to back so that the lifting spiral shaft 661 faces forward and is large enough that a game ball B cannot pass through, and a cassette mounting recess 668b that is recessed from the front to the rear and has the ball polishing opening 668a opening at the bottom, allowing the rear end of the ball polishing cassette 681 to be accommodated. The ball polishing opening 668a extends vertically with a width narrower than the diameter of the game ball B. This ball polishing opening 668a is arranged so that a portion of the game ball B lifted by the lifting spiral shaft 661 protrudes forward, and the game ball B is polished when the portion of the game ball B that protrudes forward beyond the ball polishing opening 668a comes into contact with the polishing cloth 682 of the ball polishing cassette 681 in the ball polishing mechanism 680 attached (mounted) to the cassette mounting recess 668b.

The lifting mechanism base 668 is provided with a downstream portion of the ball lifting inlet passage 651 near the bottom end and to the right of the lifting spiral shaft 661 when viewed from the front. The portion of the ball lifting inlet passage 651 provided on the lifting mechanism base 668 opens toward the rear at the upstream end and slopes downward toward the bottom end of the lifting spiral shaft 661 on the left. In addition, a lifting inlet sensor 653 is attached to the lifting mechanism base 668 at a position to the right of the bottom end of the lifting spiral shaft 661 when viewed from the front.

The lifting mechanism base 668 also has an upstream portion of the ball lifting outlet passage 652 near its upper end. The portion of the ball lifting outlet passage 652 located on the lifting mechanism base 668 slopes downward to the left when viewed from the front from the front of the upper end of the lifting spiral shaft 661, then slopes downward to the rear, with its downstream end opening toward the rear. The ball lifting outlet passage 652 slopes downward to the left from the portion of the lifting mechanism base 668 that opens toward the rear, then slopes downward toward the front, opening toward the front at its front end. This portion of the ball lifting outlet passage 652 is formed by the lifting mechanism base 668 and the lifting mechanism cover 669 working together.

In addition, the lifting mechanism base 668 is equipped with a ball motor base 686, to which the ball motor 688 of the ball mechanism 680 is attached, so that the ball motor base 686 is rotatable around an axis extending vertically.

The lifting mechanism cover 669 cooperates with the lifting mechanism base 668 to house the lifting spiral shaft 661 and rotatably support the lifting spiral shaft 661. It is attached from the rear to the ball lifting unit mounting portion 501j of the base wall portion 501b of the main frame base 501. A ball lifting relay board 657 is attached to the rear surface of the lifting mechanism cover 669.

The lifting mechanism cover 669 has a section upstream of the section of the ball lifting inlet passage 651 that is located on the lifting mechanism base 668. The downstream end of the section of the ball lifting inlet passage 651 that is located on the lifting mechanism base 668 opens forward near the lower end of the lifting spiral shaft 661 on the right side when viewed from the front, extends rearward, bends to the left, passes behind the lifting spiral shaft 661, and extends diagonally forward, with its upstream end opening to the left. Attached to this lifting mechanism cover 669, behind the lower end of the lifting spiral shaft 661, is a ball lifting inlet earth metal plate 655 that is capable of coming into contact with the game balls B flowing through the ball lifting inlet passage 651.

The lifting mechanism cover 669 also has a portion downstream of the portion of the ball lifting outlet passage 652 that is provided on the lifting mechanism base 668. The portion of the lifting mechanism cover 669 that is provided on the ball lifting outlet passage 652 has an upstream end that opens rearward, bends leftward when viewed from the front, extends leftward to the left end, and then bends forward, with the downstream end opening forward at the front end of the lifting mechanism cover 669.

In addition, a lifting outlet sensor 654 is attached to the lifting mechanism cover 669 near the left end of the portion of the ball lifting outlet passage 652 that extends to the left when viewed from the front. Furthermore, a ball lifting outlet earth metal plate 656 is attached to the lifting mechanism cover 669 at a portion upstream of the lifting outlet sensor 654 in the portion of the ball lifting outlet passage 652 that extends to the left. The ball lifting outlet earth metal plate 656 is arranged so as to be able to come into contact with the game ball B flowing through the ball lifting outlet passage 652.

Furthermore, the lifting mechanism cover 669 has a support protrusion 669a that protrudes forward from the lifting mechanism base 668 from a position on the right end near the bottom center in the vertical direction, and a locking hole 669b that penetrates the front surface of the support protrusion 669a and locks the Nylatch 694. When the ball lifting unit 650 is attached to the ball lifting unit mounting portion 501j of the main frame 4 from the rear, the support protrusion 669a protrudes toward the front surface of the base wall portion 501b through an opening 501o that penetrates the base wall portion 501b.

The ball lifting inlet passage 651 of the ball lifting unit 650 has an upstream opening (inlet) facing leftward near the bottom of the left side of the ball lifting unit 650. This opening is designed to face the ball discharge port 600d of the circulating ball path unit 600 when assembled to the main frame 4. The ball lifting inlet passage 651 slopes downward from the left-end inlet to the right, extending further to the right than the lifting spiral shaft 661 to bypass the rear of the lifting spiral shaft 661, then bending forward and extending leftward to near the lower end of the lifting spiral shaft 661. It then bends in a crank shape near the lifting spiral shaft 661 to wrap around to the front side of the lifting spiral shaft 661, and communicates with the lifting groove 661a of the lifting spiral shaft 661 on the front side near the lower end of the lifting spiral shaft 661.

The ball lifting inlet passage 651 is arranged so that its opening at the upstream end faces the ball discharge port 600d, which forms the opening at the downstream end of the ball storage passage 604 in the circulating ball path unit 600, and game balls B that have circulated through the ball storage passage 604 are handed over and circulated.

The ball lifting entrance passage 651 is equipped with a lifting entrance sensor 653 to the right of the lifting spiral shaft 661, and a ball lifting entrance earth metal plate 655 is attached to the rear of the lifting spiral shaft 661.

The ball lifting outlet passage 652, located near the top end of the ball lifting unit 650, has its upstream end communicating with the lifting groove 661a on the front side near the top end of the lifting spiral shaft 661, extends to the left of the lifting spiral shaft 661, then bends backward, extends to the same position as the rear end of the lifting spiral shaft 661, and then bends left. From there, it extends left near the left end of the ball lifting unit 650 and bends forward, with its downstream end opening forward at the front surface of the ball lifting unit 650 (lifting mechanism cover 669).

The ball lifting outlet passage 652 is arranged so that the opening at its downstream end faces the ball supply port of the ball sending unit (described later), allowing game balls B to be supplied to the ball sending unit 700.

The ball lifting outlet passage 652 has a lifting outlet sensor 654 near the left end of the section extending leftward near the rear end of the ball lifting unit 650, and a ball lifting outlet earth metal plate 656 attached upstream (to the right) of that. The bottom wall of the section of the ball lifting outlet passage 652 where the ball lifting outlet earth metal plate 656 is located has an opening large enough not to interfere with the flow of game balls B, allowing dust, debris, etc. to be discharged to the outside through this opening.

The lifting entrance sensor 653 detects the presence or absence of a game ball B to be lifted when the lifting motor 664 is driven to rotate the lifting spiral shaft 661 and lift the game ball B. As will be explained in more detail below, if the lifting entrance sensor 653 does not detect a game ball B, the lifting motor 664 will not be driven.

The lifting outlet sensor 654 detects the presence or absence of game balls B being supplied to the ball sending unit. Details will be described later, but when the lifting inlet sensor 653 detects game balls B and the lifting outlet sensor 654 detects no game balls B, and a predetermined condition is met (here, the launch subtraction sensor 554 subtracts a predetermined number of game balls B (e.g., three)), the lifting motor 664 is driven to rotate the lifting spiral shaft 661, and a predetermined number of game balls B are lifted.

The lifting entrance sensor 653 and the lifting exit sensor 654 are photosensors with a light-emitting element and a light-receiving element, and detect the presence or absence of game ball B without contact when the game ball B blocks the light from the light-emitting element.

Here, the relationship between the ball lifting inlet passage 651 and ball lifting outlet passage 652 and the lifting inlet sensor 653 and lifting outlet sensor 654 will be explained. Here, the relationship between the ball lifting inlet passage 651 and the lifting inlet sensor 653 will be explained, and the relationship between the ball lifting outlet passage 652 and the lifting outlet sensor 654 will be omitted as it is the same. As shown in Figures 52 and 53, the portion of the ball lifting inlet passage 651 where the lifting inlet sensor 653 is located is a V-shaped passage section 651a with a V-shaped cross section (an inverted trapezoidal shape that narrows downward). The portion of the ball lifting inlet passage 651 other than the V-shaped passage section 651a is a U-shaped passage section 651b with a U-shaped cross section that is open upward.

The same is true for the ball lifting outlet passage 652, where the lifting outlet sensor 654 is configured as a V-shaped passage section 652a with a V-shaped cross section (an inverted trapezoidal shape that narrows downward), and the other section is configured as a U-shaped passage section 652b with a U-shaped cross section that opens upward.

In other words, V-shaped passage portion 651a and V-shaped passage portion 652a each have a pair of inclined surfaces that the game ball B comes into contact with and that are inclined so that the spacing between them increases upward. Furthermore, U-shaped passage portion 651b and U-shaped passage portion 652b have a flat bottom surface that comes into contact with game ball B and is wider than the diameter of game ball B, and a pair of side wall surfaces extending from both ends of the bottom surface in the width direction. Furthermore, ball sending passage 703 of ball sending unit 700, which is downstream of ball lifting outlet passage 652, is also formed in the same shape as U-shaped passage portion 651b and U-shaped passage portion 652b.

However, if the cross section of the passageway at the location of the lifting entrance sensor 653, which is made up of a photosensor, is made into a U-shaped passageway that opens upward, the game balls B passing through will come into contact with the side walls. This will cause scratches and dirt on the side walls of the passageway due to the game balls' contact, which may hinder the light reception and emission of the photosensor, resulting in false detection. Furthermore, in a U-shaped passageway, the position of the game balls B across the width of the passageway is not constant or stable, so the sensor will detect the position inconsistently, which may result in false detection.

In contrast, in this embodiment, the lift entrance sensor 653 (lift exit sensor 654) is a V-shaped passageway 651a (V-shaped passageway 652a) with a V-shaped cross section. Therefore, by holding the game ball B at two points by the diagonal portions on both sides of the V, movement in the width direction of the passageway can be restricted, and the position of the game ball B can be kept constant and stable across the width of the passageway. This prevents the game ball B from coming into contact with the sidewall of the passageway at the lift entrance sensor 653 (lift exit sensor 654), preventing scratches and dirt caused by contact by the game ball B. This eliminates false detections and ensures reliable detection of the game ball.

In the above, the V-shaped passage section 651a (V-shaped passage section 652a) with a V-shaped (inverted trapezoidal) cross section was shown as the shape of the passage that stabilizes the position of game ball B relative to the sensor, but it may also be a pair of protrusions that are spaced apart at a distance narrower than the diameter of game ball B and extend in the direction of game ball B's flow.

The ball lifting inlet passage 651 has a lifting spiral shaft 661 at its downstream end. Therefore, in the ball lifting inlet passage 651 upstream of the lifting spiral shaft 661, game balls B are picked up one by one by the lifting groove 661a of the lifting spiral shaft 661, so they move intermittently, and game balls B become stationary in the ball lifting inlet passage 651. On the other hand, the ball lifting outlet passage 652 has a ball sending unit 700, which will be described later, at its downstream end. Therefore, in the ball lifting outlet passage 652 upstream of the ball sending unit 700, game balls B move intermittently one by one due to the ball sending operation of the ball sending unit 700, and game balls B become stationary in the ball lifting outlet passage 652.

As shown in Figure 53, in the ball lifting inlet passage 651 (ball lifting outlet passage 652), only the area of the lifting inlet sensor 653 (lifting outlet sensor 654) is a V-shaped passage section 651a (V-shaped passage section 652a) with a V-shaped cross section, and the other areas are U-shaped passage sections 651b (U-shaped passage sections 652b) with a U-shaped cross section. Therefore, even if multiple game balls B are placed inside the passage and are stopped, the ball pressure caused by the multiple game balls B on the downstream side can be reduced.

More specifically, as shown by the two-dot chain line in Figure 53, in the V-shaped passage section 651a (V-shaped passage section 652a), multiple game balls B are lined up in a straight line (a line along the axis of the passage), but in the U-shaped passage section 651b (U-shaped passage section 652b), multiple game balls B are pushed downstream, resulting in a staggered arrangement that alternately contacts the side walls on both sides. This allows the ball pressure to be dispersed to the side walls, reducing the ball pressure exerted downstream by multiple game balls B. Therefore, parts located downstream of the ball lifting inlet passage 651 (ball lifting outlet passage 652) (e.g., lifting spiral shaft 661, ball transport movable member 705 of ball transport unit 700, etc.) will not be damaged by the ball pressure of the multiple game balls B that are retained (stored). Furthermore, there is no need to excessively reinforce these parts against ball pressure, thereby reducing the cost of the pachinko machine 1.

By the way, to detect game ball B at a prize slot or the like, the output from the ball sensor is checked at a predetermined interrupt period (for example, 4 ms), and when the output is not detected, detected, detected (in other words, "011"), it is determined that game ball B has been detected (ON). In other words, when the output from the ball sensor is "011", it is determined to be ON, and when it is anything other than "011", it is determined to be OFF. However, when using the above-described determination method to determine the presence or absence of game balls B in a ball sensor (here, lifting inlet sensor 653 and lifting outlet sensor 654) installed in a ball passageway where multiple game balls B are stationary, such as ball lifting inlet passageway 651 and ball lifting outlet passageway 652, the ball sensor will only output an OFF signal if there are no game balls B in the ball passageway, will output many short ON signals if game balls B are being supplied to the ball passageway, and will output many short OFF signals if the game balls B stored in the ball passageway are moving one by one (game balls B are moving at launch intervals). Therefore, the above-described determination method cannot accurately determine that there are no game balls B in the ball passageway.

In contrast, in this embodiment, thresholds are set for ON and OFF determinations (for example, the ON threshold is 200 ms, and the OFF threshold is 200 ms), and an ON or OFF determination is made only when the thresholds are exceeded and there is continuous non-detection or detection. In other words, for example, when the output from the ball sensor is "01111...", it is determined to be ON, and when it is "10000...", it is determined to be OFF. This makes it possible to reliably detect (determine) the presence or absence of a game ball B in a ball passage where multiple game balls B are stationary.

The threshold for determining ON and OFF may vary depending on the type of ball passage, the number of game balls B parked therein, etc., or the ON threshold and OFF threshold may be different. In this embodiment, the lift-up inlet sensor 653 of the ball lift-up inlet passage 651 has an ON threshold of 80 ms and an OFF threshold of 200 ms, for example. The lift-up outlet sensor 654 of the ball lift-up outlet passage 652 has an ON threshold of 80 ms and an OFF threshold of 200 ms, for example. The pre-launch sensor 704 of the ball sending unit 700, described below, has an ON threshold of 12 ms and an OFF threshold of 12 ms, for example. As mentioned above, the launch subtraction sensor 554 of the ball launching unit 550 has an ON threshold of 80 ms and an OFF threshold of 80 ms, for example.

If these thresholds are too small, even slight vibrations will result in false detection, causing noise in the control. Furthermore, if the threshold is unnecessarily large, the state of game ball B will not be captured. Therefore, while the appropriate threshold varies depending on the location of the ball sensor, a minimum of 10 ms and a maximum of 300 ms is desirable. Furthermore, if the threshold is set to a multiple (e.g., 3 to 60 times) of the interrupt period (e.g., 4 ms), the software control only counts the number of interrupts, reducing the burden on the software. Basically, the threshold is short for the pre-launch sensor 704, where game ball B reliably stays in a fixed position. However, for sensors where game ball B stays in a nearly fixed position but there is a certain degree of variation in the stay position (e.g., lift-out sensor 654), the threshold is lengthened to provide some leeway. At the launch subtraction sensor 554, game ball B stays (stops) in a fixed position, but the threshold is lengthened to prevent false detection due to artificial vibrations.

The ball lifting inlet earth metal plate 655 removes static electricity from game balls B supplied from the circulating ball path unit 600 to the ball lifting inlet passage 651. The ball lifting inlet earth metal plate 655 is located upstream of the lifting inlet sensor 653. This allows static electricity from game balls B passing through the lifting inlet sensor 653 to be removed in advance, preventing false detections by the lifting inlet sensor 653 and malfunctions of the frame control board 740 due to static electricity from game balls B.

The ball lifting outlet earth metal plate 656 removes static electricity from the game ball B that has been lifted by the ball lifting mechanism 660 and polished by the ball polishing mechanism 680. The ball lifting outlet earth metal plate 656 is located upstream of the lifting outlet sensor 654. This allows static electricity from the game ball B that passes through the lifting outlet sensor 654 to be removed in advance, preventing false detection by the lifting outlet sensor 654 and malfunction of the frame control board 740 due to static electricity from the game ball B.

The ball lift relay board 657 relays the connections between the lift inlet sensor 653, lift outlet sensor 654, lift motor 664, lift motor index sensor 666, ball motor 688, etc. and the frame control board 740. The ball lift relay board 657 is attached to the rear side of the lift mechanism cover 669.

The ball polishing mechanism 680 is attached to the front side of the ball lifting mechanism 660. The ball polishing mechanism 680 comprises a ball polishing cassette 681 shaped like a vertically elongated rectangular box, an endless belt-like polishing cloth 682 partially exposed to the outside at the rear of the ball polishing cassette 681, a sheet-like ball polishing sponge 683 located between the exposed portion of the polishing cloth 682 and the rear of the ball polishing cassette 681, a ball polishing feed gear 684 supported rotatably around a left-right axis at the bottom of the ball polishing cassette 681, and a ball polishing driven gear 685 meshing with the ball polishing feed gear 684 across the polishing cloth 682 and supported rotatably around a left-right axis.

The ball grinding mechanism 680 is composed of a flat ball grinding motor base 686 that extends vertically to the left of the ball grinding cassette 681 with a constant depth from front to back and its rear end edge rotatably attached to the lifting mechanism base 668, a gear cover 687 attached to the left side of the ball grinding motor base 686, a ball grinding motor 688 attached to the left side of the gear cover 687 with its rotation shaft protruding between the gear cover 687 and the ball grinding motor base 686, a spur gear-shaped motor gear 689 attached to the rotation shaft of the ball grinding motor 688, and a gear meshing with the motor gear 689. The transmission gear 690 has a large-diameter spur gear-shaped gear portion 690a that meshes with the large-diameter gear portion 690a, and a small-diameter spur gear-shaped gear portion 690b that rotates integrally with the large-diameter gear portion 690a, and is rotatably supported between the motor base 686 and the gear cover 687; a spur gear-shaped transmission gear 691 that meshes with the small-diameter gear portion 690b of the transmission gear 690 and is rotatably supported between the motor base 686 and the gear cover 687; and a rotary connecting portion 692 that rotates integrally with the transmission gear 691, passes through the motor base 686, and protrudes to the right.

Furthermore, the polishing mechanism 680 abuts against the front surface of the polishing cassette 681, and is equipped with a flat cassette pressing piece 693 whose left end is engaged with the front end of the polishing motor base 686 and whose right end is attached to the front surface of the base wall portion 501b of the main frame base 501; a Nylatch 694 which detachably attaches the right end of the cassette pressing piece 693 to the front surface (engagement hole 669b) of the support protrusion 669a of the lifting mechanism cover 669; and a spring 695 which biases the cassette pressing piece 693 rearward (towards the polishing cassette 681) relative to the polishing motor base 686.

As shown in Figure 54, the ball polishing cassette 681 of the ball polishing mechanism 680 is formed in a hollow box shape, with slits 681a at both the upper and lower edges of the rear surface to allow the polishing cloth 682 to pass through. The ball polishing cassette 681 is detachably attached from the front to the lifting mechanism base 668 of the ball lifting mechanism 660 so as to close the ball polishing opening 668a.

The ball polishing cassette 681 also has a connecting hole 681b located at the bottom of the left side and a positioning hole 681c located in front of the connecting hole. A rotary coupling part 692 protruding to the right from the ball polishing motor base 686 is inserted into the connecting hole 681b, and the tip of the rotary coupling part 692 inserted into the connecting hole 681b is connected to the ball polishing feed gear 684. A positioning pin 686b (described below) of the ball polishing motor base 686 is inserted into the positioning hole 681c. Inserting the positioning pin 686b positions the ball polishing cassette 681 relative to the ball lifting mechanism 660 and restricts (locks) forward movement of the ball polishing cassette 681 relative to the ball lifting mechanism 660.

Furthermore, the polishing cassette 681 has multiple rollers 681d around which the polishing cloth 682 is wound, and a flat tension spring 681e that presses the polishing cloth 682 against the rollers 681d located adjacent to the upper slit 681a. By pressing the polishing cloth 682 against the rollers 681d, the tension spring 681e applies tension to the portion of the polishing cloth 682 that is exposed to the outside from the polishing cassette 681, preventing the polishing cloth 682 from bending on the outside of the rear surface.

The polishing cloth 682 is formed in the shape of an endless loop belt with a constant width on both sides. As shown in Figures 50(a) and 54(c), the polishing cloth 682 is stored in the polishing cassette 681 in a serpentine state, with a portion of it exposed rearward beyond the rear surface of the polishing cassette 681 through slits at the top and bottom of the polishing cassette 681.

The ball polishing sponge 683 is located between the rear surface of the ball polishing cassette 681 and the rear-exposed portion of the polishing cloth 682, and is attached to the rear surface of the ball polishing cassette 681. The inner surface of the polishing cloth 682 contacts the rear surface of the ball polishing sponge 683. When assembled to the ball lifting unit 650, the ball polishing sponge 683 elastically presses the polishing cloth 682 against the game ball B exposed forward from the ball polishing port 668a of the ball lifting mechanism 660, allowing the polishing cloth 682 to come into contact with a wider area of the spherical surface of the game ball B. The ball polishing sponge 683 is attached to the ball polishing cassette 681 in a replaceable manner.

When the ball-finishing cassette 681 is attached, the ball-finishing feed gear 684 is positioned so that its axis coincides with the axis of the transmission gear 691 (rotational coupling part 692), and the left end of the rotational shaft is coupled to the rotational coupling part 692 to rotate integrally with the transmission gear 691.

The spherical driven gear 685 is engaged with the spherical feed gear 684 so that there is a gap between them that allows the polishing cloth 682 to fit inside. When the spherical feed gear 684 rotates, the spherical driven gear 685 rotates in the opposite direction, and the polishing cloth 682 sandwiched between it and the spherical feed gear 684 can be fed.

The ball polishing motor base 686 extends vertically along the left side of the ball polishing cassette 681, and its rear end is rotatably attached to the lifting mechanism base 668 around an axis extending in the vertical direction. This allows the ball polishing motor base 686 to rotate between a locked position parallel to the left side of the ball polishing cassette 681 and an unlocked position where its front end is moved away from the ball polishing cassette 681 to the left. The ball polishing motor base 686 has a locking hole 686a that penetrates from side to side at a position above the vertical center on its front end edge. A locking hook 693a on the left end of the cassette pressing piece 693 is inserted into this locking hole 686a to lock it in place.

As shown in Figure 46, the rotary coupling 692 of the ball motor base 686 protrudes to the right from a position near the lower end of the right side, toward the rear in the front-to-rear direction. The ball motor base 686 also has a positioning pin 686b that protrudes cylindrically to the right from a position near the lower end of the right side, in the center in the front-to-rear direction. The tip (right end) of the positioning pin 686b is formed in a cone shape. This positioning pin 686b is inserted into the positioning hole 681c of the ball cassette 681 to position the ball cassette 681 and restrict forward movement.

In more detail, when the ball motor base 686 is rotated to the release position with its front end moved to the left in the front-to-back direction and the ball cassette 681 is attached to the cassette mounting recess 668b of the lifting mechanism base 668, if the ball motor base 686 is rotated so that its tip moves to the right and moved to the locked position, the positioning pin 686b is inserted into the positioning hole 681c of the ball cassette 681 from a direction intersecting the front-to-back direction, positioning the ball cassette 681 and preventing the ball cassette 681 from moving forward from the cassette mounting recess 668b.

This ball-shaped motor base 686 is positioned so that its tip abuts against the protrusion 102 (guide surface 102a) of the door frame 3. As a result, as will be described in detail below, when an attempt is made to close the door frame 3 against the main frame 4 while the ball-shaped motor base 686 is not in the locked position, the guide surface 102a of the protrusion 102 comes into contact with the front end of the ball-shaped motor base 686, causing the ball-shaped motor base 686 to rotate to the locked position, preventing the lock from being forgotten and preventing the cassette pressure piece 693 and other parts from being pinched between the door frame 3 and being damaged.

The ball polishing motor 688 is controlled independently of the operation of the lifting motor 664, and is controlled so that the polishing cloth 682 moves 0.17 mm for every 1,000 game balls B fired.

The cassette pressing piece 693 extends to the left and right, and has a hook-shaped locking hook portion 693a at its left end that is inserted into and locked into the locking hole 686a of the ball motor base 686. This cassette pressing piece 693 is biased by a spring 695 to rotate counterclockwise in a plan view. In other words, it is biased to press the ball cassette 681 attached to the cassette mounting recess 668b of the lifting mechanism base 668 backward. The right end of the cassette pressing piece 693 extends further to the right than the ball cassette 681, and its rear surface is configured to be able to abut against the front surface of the support protrusion 669a on the lifting mechanism cover 669. A Nylatch 694 is provided near the right end of this cassette pressing piece 693.

When the operating part 694a of the Nylatch 694 is pressed with the right end of the cassette pressing piece 693 abutting against the support protrusion 669a of the lifting mechanism cover 669, the tip expands in diameter and engages with the locking hole 669b of the support protrusion 669a, locking the cassette pressing piece 693 from moving. Pulling the operating part 694a toward yourself unlocks the Nylatch 694. Specifically, the Nylatch 694 includes an operating part 694a consisting of a disk-shaped portion and a rod-shaped portion protruding from the center of the disk, a cylindrical portion into which the rod-shaped portion of the operating part 694a is slidably inserted, a flange portion extending outward from the base end of the cylindrical portion near the disk portion, and a cylindrical member (grommet) having multiple circumferential slits cut from the tip of the cylindrical portion opposite the flange portion toward the flange portion. With this Nylatch 694, when the tubular member is inserted into the locking hole 669b of the support protrusion 669a and the operating portion 694a is pressed toward the support protrusion 669a, the rod-shaped portion slides toward the tip inside the tubular portion, expanding the diameter of the tip of the tubular portion, which is divided by multiple slits. This prevents the tubular member from slipping out of the locking hole 669b, locking it in place.

In this embodiment, the ball lifting unit 650 is attached to the rear side of the base wall 501b of the main frame base 501 when assembled to the main frame 4. When assembling this ball lifting unit 650 to the main frame base 501 of the main frame 4, the ball lifting unit 650 is attached to the ball lifting unit mounting portion 501j provided on the rear surface of the base wall 501b with the ball polishing cassette 681 of the ball lifting mechanism 680 removed from the ball lifting mechanism 660 (see Figure 47(a)). At this time, the ball polishing motor base 686 and support protrusion 669a protruding forward from the lifting mechanism base 668 have their front ends protrude forward of the base wall 501b through the opening 501o that penetrates the ball lifting unit mounting portion 501j from front to rear.

In this state, the ball polishing port 668a of the lifting mechanism base 668 of the ball lifting mechanism 660 is located in the opening 501o that penetrates the ball lifting unit mounting portion 501j on the rear surface of the base wall portion 501b, and the game ball B being lifted up the lifting spiral shaft 661 can be seen from the front of the base wall portion 501b (main body frame 4) through the opening 501o and the ball polishing port 668a (see Figure 49). Because the width of the ball polishing port 668a is narrower than the diameter of the game ball B, the game ball B will not spill even if the ball polishing cassette 681 is removed. As a result, by opening the door frame 3 relative to the main body frame 4 and removing the ball polishing cassette 681, the lifting spiral shaft 661 and the game ball B being lifted up the lifting spiral shaft 661 can be seen from the front.

After attaching the ball lifting mechanism 660 side of the ball lifting unit 650 to the ball lifting unit mounting portion 501j of the base wall portion 501b, pull the operating portion 694a of the Nylatch 694 protruding forward from the base wall portion 501b to release the lock, rotate the cassette pressing piece 693 so that it opens forward and to the left against the spring force of the spring 695, and rotate the ball motor base 686 to the release position so that its tip side moves away from the ball cassette 681, so that the cassette pressing piece 693 and ball motor base 686 do not overlap with the front of the cassette mounting recess 668b of the lifting mechanism base 668. Then, from the front of the base wall portion 501b, with the exposed surface of the polishing cloth 682 facing rearward, the polishing cassette 681 is placed in front of the cassette mounting recess 668b on the lifting mechanism base 668 so as to close the polishing opening 668a from the front (see Figures 46 and 47(b)).

In this state, the polishing cassette 681 is moved rearward and its rear end is inserted into the cassette mounting recess 668b. The polishing motor base 686 is then rotated to the locked position so that it is parallel to the left side of the polishing cassette 681, and the rotary coupling part 692 and positioning pin 686b protruding from the right side of the polishing motor base 686 are inserted into the coupling hole 681b and positioning hole 681c of the polishing cassette 681, respectively. This allows the rotary coupling part 692 and positioning pin 686b to be inserted into the polishing cassette 681 in a direction intersecting the front-to-rear direction, thereby restricting the forward movement of the polishing cassette 681.

When the ball motor base 686 is moved to the locked position, the cassette pressing piece 693 attached to the front end of the ball motor base 686 presses the ball cassette 681 rearward due to the biasing force of the spring 695, and the right end of the cassette pressing piece 693 comes into contact with the support protrusion 669a of the lifting mechanism cover 669. In this state, when the operating part 694a of the Nylatch 694 is pressed and engages with the locking hole 669b of the support protrusion 669a, the cassette pressing piece 693 is locked so that it cannot rotate, and installation of the ball cassette 681 is complete.

To remove the ball polishing cassette 681, pull the operating portion 694a of the Nylatch 694 toward you to unlock it, then follow the steps above in reverse to remove the ball polishing cassette 681.

However, if the ball-making cassette 681 is installed imperfectly, for example by forgetting to lock it using the ball-making motor base 686 or cassette pressure piece 693, the ball-making cassette 681 may come off during play, causing the game to be interrupted and potentially reducing the player's interest.

In contrast, this embodiment is designed so that the ball-forming cassette 681 will not come off even if the ball-forming motor base 686 or cassette pressure piece 693 is forgotten to be locked. Specifically, for example, as shown in Figure 48(a), if an attempt is made to close the door frame 3 against the main frame 4 when the ball-forming motor base 686 is not in the locked position and the cassette pressure piece 693 is not pressing the ball-forming cassette 681 rearward, the inclined guide surface 102a of the protrusion 102 on the door frame main body 100 of the door frame 3 will abut against the front end of the ball-forming motor base 686 (see Figure 48(b)).

At this time, the cassette pressing piece 693 attached to the front end of the ball motor base 686 does not remain protruding forward as shown in Figure 46, but rather moves closer to the ball cassette 681 behind it as shown in Figure 48(a) due to the biasing force of the spring 695. Therefore, the cassette pressing piece 693 does not come into contact with the door frame 3 and rotate in the opposite direction to the ball cassette 681, and the cassette pressing piece 693 or door frame 3 is not damaged.

When the door frame 3 moves further in the closing direction, the tip of the ball motor base 686 is pushed by the guide surface 102a and rotates to the right toward the locked position. As a result, the rotary coupling 692 protruding from the right side of the ball motor base 686 is inserted into the coupling hole 681b of the ball cassette 681, and the positioning pin 686b of the ball motor base 686 is inserted into the positioning hole 681c of the ball cassette 681, restricting (locking) the ball cassette 681 from moving forward. Furthermore, the cassette pressure piece 693 is pressing the ball cassette 681 backward due to the biasing force of the spring 695 (see Figure 48(c)). This locks the ball cassette 681 and prevents it from coming loose forward.

Although not shown in the figures, a protrusion that can press the operating portion 694a of the Nylatch 694 rearward may be provided on the rear surface of the door frame 3. This makes it possible to lock the cassette pressing piece 693 even if the Nylatch 694 is forgotten to be locked, reliably preventing the ball cassette 681 from falling out (disengaging).

In addition, in the above embodiment, the protrusion 102 on the door frame 3 is used to move the ball motor base 686 to the locked position, thereby locking the ball cassette 681 so that it cannot be removed. However, this is not limited to this. For example, the ball launching unit 550 and foul unit 570 may be provided as detachable units, and a locking means may be provided to lock the ball launching unit 550, etc. so that it cannot be removed. If the door frame 3 is closed against the main frame 4 with the locking means incomplete, the protrusion 102 will come into contact with the locking means, thereby locking the ball launching unit 550, etc. so that it cannot be removed.

When the ball lifting unit 650 of this embodiment is assembled to the main frame 4, the opening at the upstream end of the ball lifting inlet passage 651 faces the ball discharge port 600d of the circulating ball path unit 600, and game balls B that have circulated through the serpentine ball storage passage 604 are supplied. Game balls B supplied to the ball lifting inlet passage 651 come into contact with the ball lifting inlet earthing metal plate 655 to remove static electricity, are detected by the lifting inlet sensor 653, and are supplied to the lower end of the lifting spiral shaft 661. At this time, the game ball B is inserted into the ball polishing port 668a, whose front end penetrates forward. The front end of the game ball B comes into contact with the polishing cloth 682 of the ball polishing mechanism 680, and its movement in the left-right direction is restricted by the vertical ball polishing port 668a.

In this state, when the lifting motor 664 rotates the lifting spiral shaft 661 in a direction that lifts the game ball B, the game ball B is pushed from below by the lifting groove 661a, moving upward along the ball polishing opening 668a. At this time, the game ball B moves upward while rotating, while contacting the vertically extending portion of the inner periphery of the ball polishing opening 668a and the lifting groove 661a. As a result, the portion of the game ball B that contacts the polishing cloth 682 on the front end side changes as the game ball B rises (rotates), making it possible to polish the entire surface of the game ball B evenly.

When game ball B reaches the upper end of lifting spiral shaft 661, it enters ball lifting exit passage 652, comes into contact with ball lifting exit earth metal plate 656, is detected by lifting exit sensor 654, and is sent to the ball sending unit from the downstream end of ball lifting exit passage 652. At this time, even if game ball B is lifted by ball lifting mechanism 660 and polished by polishing cloth 682, causing it to become statically charged, the static electricity is removed by contact with ball lifting exit earth metal plate 656, which is upstream of lifting exit sensor 654, and no malfunctions caused by static electricity from the ball polishing will occur in lifting exit sensor 654, frame control board 740, etc.

On the other hand, in the polishing mechanism 680, with the polishing cassette 681 attached, when the polishing motor 688 rotates the polishing feed gear 684 clockwise as viewed from the right side, the portion of the polishing cloth 682 exposed to the outside from the rear surface of the polishing cassette 681 passes through the slit on the bottom of the polishing cassette 681 and is accommodated within the polishing cassette 681. At this time, the exposed portion of the polishing cloth 682 is pulled downward, so that the portion of the polishing cloth 682 accommodated within the polishing cassette 681 is advanced from the outside through the slit on the top of the polishing cassette 681.

The polishing cloth 682 of the ball polishing mechanism 680 moves intermittently at a slow speed. In this embodiment, the polishing cloth 682 moves 0.17 mm for every 1,000 game balls B fired.

In this way, the ball lifting unit 650 of this embodiment can polish the game balls B while supplying the game balls B discharged from the circulation ball path unit 600 to the ball sending unit 700.

[4-6. Ball sending unit]
The ball sending unit 700 in the main body frame 4 will be described in detail mainly with reference to Figures 55 to 57. Figure 55(a) is a perspective view of the ball sending unit in the main body frame as seen from the front, and (b) is a perspective view of the ball sending unit in the main body frame as seen from the back. Figure 56(a) is an exploded perspective view of the ball sending unit as seen from the front, and (b) is an exploded perspective view of the ball sending unit as seen from the back. Figure 57 is a front cross-sectional view of the ball sending unit cut at the location of the pre-launch sensor.

The ball sending unit 700 is used to supply the game balls B lifted by the ball lifting unit 650 one by one to the ball launching unit 550. The ball sending unit 700 is attached to the ball sending unit mounting portion 501k located on the rear side of the base wall portion 501b of the main frame base 501. The ball sending unit 700 faces upward from the top surface of the base wall portion 501b, sandwiched between the base wall portion 501b and the circulating ball path unit 600, and is detachably attached upward.

The ball sending unit 700 is equipped with a ball supply port 701 that opens at the rear and allows game balls B supplied from the ball lifting unit 650 to enter; a ball delivery port 702 that opens at the front and is used to send game balls B to the ball launch pad 552b of the ball launching unit 550; a ball delivery passage 703 that connects the ball supply port 701 and the ball delivery port 702 and allows game balls B to pass through; a pre-launch sensor 704 that can detect game balls B passing through the ball delivery passage 703; a ball delivery movable member 705 that releases game balls B detected by the pre-launch sensor 704 one by one from the ball delivery port 702; a ball delivery solenoid 706 that moves the ball delivery movable member 705 to send game balls B to the ball launching unit 550; and a ball delivery relay board 707 that relays the connection between the ball delivery solenoid 706, the pre-launch sensor 704, and the frame control board 740.

The ball sending unit 700 also includes a transmission member 708 that transmits the forward and backward movement of the plunger in the ball sending solenoid 706 to move the ball sending movable member 705, a box-shaped unit base 709 that is open to the rear and has a pre-launch sensor 704, ball sending solenoid 706, etc. installed inside, and a flat unit cover 710 that is attached to close the opening at the rear end of the unit base 709.

The ball supply port 701 of the ball sending unit 700 penetrates the unit cover 710 that forms the rear of the ball sending unit 700, and is located in the area from the center to the upper right when viewed from the front. The ball supply port 701 is sized to allow game balls B to pass through one at a time.

The ball outlet 702 penetrates the unit base 709, which forms the front side of the ball sending unit 700, from front to back, and is located in a position lower than the center when viewed from the front. The ball outlet 702 is formed to be large enough to allow game balls B to pass through one at a time.

The ball transport passage 703 connects the ball supply inlet 701 and the ball transport outlet 702, extending lower to the left from the ball supply inlet 701 to the area above the ball transport outlet 702, and then extending downward to the area of the ball transport outlet 702. A pre-launch sensor 704 is located near the left end of the part of the ball transport passage 703 that extends to the left. In addition, the ball receiving portion 705a of the ball transport movable member 705 is located in the part of the ball transport passage 703 that extends up and down behind the ball transport outlet 702.

The pre-launch sensor 704 is located near the left end of the ball transport passage 703, which extends lower to the left. In other words, the pre-launch sensor 704 is located immediately upstream of the ball receiving portion 705a of the ball transport movable member 705. This pre-launch sensor 704 detects the game ball B in a non-contact manner, for example, by detecting changes in induced current.

The ball transport passage 703 in which this pre-launch sensor 704 is installed is where the flow of game balls B remains, similar to the ball lifting inlet passage 651 and ball lifting outlet passage 652. Therefore, like the lifting inlet sensor 653 and lifting outlet sensor 654, the pre-launch sensor 704 is provided with thresholds for ON and OFF determinations, and is designed to determine ON or OFF only when continuous non-detection or detection exceeds those thresholds, thereby ensuring reliable determination (detection) of the presence or absence of game balls B. In the pre-launch sensor 704 of this embodiment, for example, the ON threshold is set to 12 ms and the OFF threshold is set to 12 ms.

The ball-transporting movable member 705 is movable when driven by the ball-transporting solenoid 706, thereby releasing game balls B in the ball-transporting passage 703 one by one from the ball-transporting outlet 702 and supplying them to the ball launching unit 550. The ball-transporting movable member 705 has a U-shaped ball receiving portion 705a that is open to the right and front and rear and has a bottom wall that slopes forward and can accommodate only one game ball B, a shaft portion 705b that extends leftward from the left end of the ball receiving portion 705a, a bearing portion 705c that penetrates front and rear at the left end of the shaft portion 705b and into which the first shaft pin 710a of the unit cover 710 is inserted for relative rotation, a movable gear portion 705d that is fan-shaped and coaxial with the bearing portion 705c and extends to the right, and a ball stop portion 705e that forms the upper part of the U-shaped ball receiving portion 705a.

The ball sending solenoid 706 moves the ball sending movable member 705 to supply the game balls B in the ball sending passage 703 one by one from the ball sending outlet 702 to the ball launching unit 550. The ball sending solenoid 706 is located in the upper left corner when viewed from the front, between the unit base 709 and the unit cover 710, with the magnetic pole portion that generates magnetic force when current is applied facing downward. As will be explained in more detail below, the ball sending solenoid 706, in conjunction with the launching solenoid 553, performs a series of hardware operations based on a predetermined launch sequence.

The ball sending relay board 707 relays the connection between the pre-launch sensor 704 and ball sending solenoid 706 and the frame control board 740. The ball sending relay board 707 is located to the right of the pre-launch sensor 704, between the unit base 709 and the unit cover 710.

The transmission member 708 transmits the forward and backward movement of the plunger of the ball-transporting solenoid 706 so as to move the ball-transporting movable member 705. The transmission member 708 has a sheet metal holding portion 708b to which a magnetically attachable sheet metal 708a is attached to the magnetic pole portion of the ball-transporting solenoid 706, a shaft portion 708c extending to the right from the sheet metal holding portion 708b, a bearing portion 708d that penetrates the right end of the shaft portion 708c from front to back and into which the second shaft pin 710b of the unit cover 710 is inserted so as to be rotatable relative to the shaft portion, and a drive gear portion 708e that is fan-shaped to the left and coaxial with the bearing portion 708d and meshes with the movable gear portion 705d of the ball-transporting movable member 705.

The unit base 709 is shaped like a box that opens to the rear, and has a ball delivery port 702 that penetrates from front to back in the lower center of the front. The unit base 709 cooperates with the unit cover 710 to form the ball delivery passage 703, and also holds the pre-launch sensor 704, ball delivery movable member 705, ball delivery solenoid 706, ball delivery relay board 707, and transmission member 708.

The unit base 709 has knobs 709a spaced apart laterally on its top surface and recessed downward, and a resilient claw 709b located in the lower right corner of the front surface. The knob 709a is designed to be grasped by an operator from above and is used when removing the ball throwing unit 700 upward from the main body frame base 501 of the main body frame 4. The knob 709a has dovetail grooves on its adjacent side surfaces, which slope downwards to approach each other. The side surfaces of the knob 709a have multiple protrusions extending forward and backward, lined up vertically. The resilient claw 709b engages with a locking hole in the ball throwing unit mounting portion 501k when the ball throwing unit 700 is attached to the ball throwing unit mounting portion 501k of the main body frame base 501, preventing it from being removed upwards.

To remove the ball sending unit 700 from the main frame base 501, the elastic claw 709b, which passes through the locking hole in the base wall 501b and faces forward, is pressed backward to elastically deform it, and the knob 709a on the top surface is grasped and pulled up, allowing the ball sending unit 700 to be removed upward from the ball sending unit mounting portion 501k of the main frame base 501.

The unit cover 710 has a ball supply port 701 extending from the center to the upper right when viewed from the front. The unit cover 710 cooperates with the unit base 709 to form the ball delivery passage 703, and also holds the pre-launch sensor 704, the ball delivery movable member 705, the ball delivery solenoid 706, the ball delivery relay board 707, and the transmission member 708. The unit cover 710 has a first and second shaft pins 710a and 710b near the lower left corner when viewed from the front, which protrude forward in a cylindrical shape. The first shaft pin 710a can be inserted into the bearing portion 705c of the ball delivery movable member 705 to rotatably support the ball delivery movable member 705. The second shaft pin 710b can be inserted into the bearing portion 708d of the transmission member 708 to rotatably support the transmission member 708.

When the ball-transporting unit 700 of this embodiment is assembled, the first shaft pin 710a is inserted into the bearing portion 705c of the ball-transporting movable member 705, and the second shaft pin 710b is inserted into the bearing portion 708d of the transmission member 708, so that the movable gear portion 705d of the ball-transporting movable member 705 and the drive gear portion 708e of the transmission member 708 are meshed with each other. In this state, the ball receiving portion 705a at the right end of the ball-transporting movable member 705 is located in a portion extending vertically behind the ball-transporting opening 702 within the ball-transporting passage 703. When the ball-transporting movable member 705 rotates around the bearing portion 705c, the ball receiving portion 705a moves vertically along the portion extending vertically within the ball-transporting passage 703.

In the normal state of the ball sending unit 700, the ball sending solenoid 706 is de-energized (OFF). Therefore, gravity causes the metal plate 708a of the transmission member 708 to move downward away from the magnetic pole portion of the ball sending solenoid 706. In this state, the underside of the ball receiving portion 705a of the ball sending movable member 705 abuts against the bottom wall at the downstream end of the ball sending passage 703, the front end opening of the ball receiving portion 705a is aligned with the ball sending outlet 702, and the right end opening of the ball receiving portion 705a is not aligned with the ball sending passage 703. Therefore, a game ball B flowing from upstream toward the ball receiving portion 705a abuts against the U-shaped upper ball stop portion 705e of the ball receiving portion 705a and is not received by the ball receiving portion 705a. Meanwhile, the game ball B received in the ball receiving portion 705a rolls forward due to the inclination of the bottom wall of the ball receiving portion 705a and is released forward from the ball discharge port 702.

When a game ball B has come into contact with the ball stopping portion 705e of the ball-transporting movable member 705, stopping the ball transport, as shown in Figure 57, it is located on the axis connecting the center of rotation of the ball-transporting movable member 705 and the center of the game ball B it is contacting. This allows the ball pressure from the game ball B acting on the ball stopping portion 705e to be received by the first shaft pin 710a, preventing the ball-transporting movable member 705 from rotating and falling toward the ball launching unit 550 due to the ball pressure of multiple game balls B stored up to the ball transport unit 700.

In addition, under normal conditions, the ball stopping portion 705e is positioned on the axis connecting the center of the first axle pin 710a and the center of the stopped game ball B. Therefore, even if the game ball B abutting the ball stopping portion 705e vibrates up and down due to thuds or vibrations from the surrounding area, the ball sending movable member 705 can be rotated around the first axle pin 710a so that the ball stopping portion 705e follows the vibrations of the game ball B, preventing the ball stopping effect of the ball stopping portion 705e from being released. This prevents a game ball B that has been released from the ball stopping portion 705e due to thuds or other factors from being discharged to the foul unit 570 via the ball launching unit 550 and being added to the player's ball count as a foul ball.

In this normal state, when the ball-transmitting solenoid 706 is energized (ON), the magnetic force generated in the magnetic pole portion of the ball-transmitting solenoid 706 attracts the metal plate 708a of the transmission member 708 toward the upper magnetic pole portion, causing the transmission member 708 to rotate clockwise around its bearing portion 708d. When the transmission member 708 rotates clockwise, the movable gear portion 705d of the ball-transmitting movable member 705, which is engaged with the drive gear portion 708e of the transmission member 708, causes the ball-transmitting movable member 705 to rotate counterclockwise around its bearing portion 705c, causing the ball-receiving portion 705a to move upward.

When the ball receiving portion 705a of the ball-transporting movable member 705 moves upward, the front end opening of the ball receiving portion 705a no longer coincides with the ball outlet 702, and the right end opening of the ball receiving portion 705a coincides with the ball transport passage 703, allowing the game ball B to be received by the ball receiving portion 705a from the ball transport passage 703. In this state, because the right end opening of the ball receiving portion 705a does not coincide with the ball outlet 702, the game ball B received by the ball receiving portion 705a does not roll forward and is not released from the ball outlet 702. Furthermore, because the ball receiving portion 705a is sized to accommodate only one game ball B, when one game ball B is received by the ball receiving portion 705a, game balls B upstream of it will not be received by the ball receiving portion 705a.

After that, when the power to the ball-transporting solenoid 706 is stopped (OFF), the attraction of the magnetic pole of the ball-transporting solenoid 706 to the metal plate 708a of the transmission member 708 is released. At this time, because game ball B is received in the ball receiving portion 705a of the ball-transporting movable member 705, the ball-transporting movable member 705 rotates clockwise around its bearing portion 705c so that the weight of game ball B causes the ball receiving portion 705a to move downward, and the transmission member 708 rotates counterclockwise around its bearing portion 708d via the drive gear portion 708e, which is engaged with the movable gear portion 705d of the ball-transporting movable member 705, returning to its normal state.

When the ball sending unit 700 returns to its normal state, the front end opening of the ball receiving portion 705a of the ball sending movable member 705 coincides with the ball sending outlet 702, causing the game ball B received in the ball receiving portion 705a to roll forward and be released from the ball sending outlet 702 to the ball launching unit 550.

In this way, with the ball sending unit 700 of this embodiment, game balls B can be sent one by one to the ball launching unit 550 by turning the ball sending solenoid 706 ON and OFF.

[4-7. Ball receiving tray]
The ball receiving tray 720 in the main body frame 4 will be described mainly with reference to Figures 6, 7, 20, etc. The ball receiving tray 720 is provided below the circulating ball path unit 600 and is used to receive game balls B discharged from the ball outlet 613p of the circulating ball path unit 600. The ball receiving tray 720 is formed in the shape of a container that is open upward, and the bottom wall is inclined so that it becomes lower toward the front.

The ball receiving tray 720 is attached by being inserted from the front into the tray insertion recess 501f in the main frame base 501. The ball receiving tray 720 has elastic claws 721 on both the left and right side walls, and when attached to the main frame base 501, the elastic claws 721 are engaged with the locking claws 501n of the main frame base 501, preventing it from slipping out forward. To remove the ball receiving tray 720, the elastic claws 721 are elastically deformed inward of the ball receiving tray 720, releasing the engagement and allowing it to be pulled out forward.

When attaching the ball receiving tray 720 to the tray insertion recess 501f of the main frame base 501, the ball receiving tray 720 is moved rearward from the front of the tray insertion recess 501f and inserted into the tray insertion recess 501f. During this process, the front end of the locking claw 501n is inclined like an arrowhead. When the elastic claw 721 of the ball receiving tray 720 abuts the locking claw 501n from the front, the arrowhead-like inclination causes the elastic claw 721 to elastically deform inward, allowing the ball receiving tray 720 to be inserted into the tray insertion recess 501f. Then, when the elastic claw 721 of the ball receiving tray 720 passes the locking claw 501n and is no longer abutting the locking claw 501n, the elastically deformed elastic claw 721 returns to its original state and is locked by the locking claw 501n, preventing the ball receiving tray 720 from sliding forward.

This ball receiving tray 720 is placed on the bottom wall of the tray insertion recess 501f, which is sloped so that the front end is lower. As a result, when game balls B discharged from the ball outlet 613p of the circulating ball path unit 600 accumulate and become heavy, the ball receiving tray 720 attempts to slide forward due to the slope of the bottom wall, but this is prevented by the engagement between the elastic claw 721 and the locking claw 501n. When the elastic claw 721 releases its engagement with the locking claw 501n, the weight of the stored game balls B causes the ball receiving tray 720 to automatically slide forward, allowing the ball receiving tray 720 to be easily removed from the tray insertion recess 501f.

Although not shown in the figures, when the ball sending unit 700 of this embodiment is attached to the main body frame 4, the wiring connector is connected to the ball sending relay board 707 so that it penetrates the base wall portion 501b of the main body frame base 501 from the front. Therefore, even if an attempt is made to remove the ball sending unit upward from the ball sending unit mounting portion 501k with the wiring connector connected, the wiring connector interferes and the unit cannot be removed.

In addition, when the ball sending unit 700 is attached to the main frame 4 and assembled into the pachinko machine 1, the game panel 1100 of the game board 5 is positioned above the ball sending unit 700, and the ball sending unit 700 will not slip out upward. Furthermore, if the game board 5 is inserted from the front into the game board insertion portion 502 while the ball sending unit 700 is not completely inserted from above into the ball sending unit mounting portion 501k of the main frame 4, the top of the ball sending unit 700 will be pressed downward by the game board 5 (game panel 1100), allowing it to be inserted completely.

[4-8. Frame board unit]
The frame base unit 730 in the main body frame 4 will be described mainly with reference to Figures 17, 18, 58 to 60, etc. Figure 58 is an oblique view showing the main body frame opened relative to the outer frame, with the back cover and frame base unit also open. Figure 59 is an explanatory diagram showing an enlarged view of the frame base unit in the outer frame and main body frame. Figure 60 is a reference photograph showing the rear side of the main body frame with the frame base unit open. The frame control board 740, which will be described in detail later, is used to display the number of balls held on the ball number display unit 140, process settlements by operating the counting button switch 180, control the ball launching unit 550, ball lifting unit 650, ball sending unit 700, etc., and manage (monitor) the game balls B in the circulating ball path unit 600.

The frame board unit 730 is openably and closably attached to the rear portion of the base wall portion 501b of the main frame base 501 of the main frame base unit 500. The frame board unit 730 includes a frame control board 740, a power supply board 750, an interface board 760, and a game ball lending device connection terminal board 765.

The frame board unit 730 also includes a unit base 770 that is attached to the rear of the main frame base unit 500 in an openable and closable manner, a frame control board box 771 that is attached to the rear of the unit base 770 and houses the frame control board 740, a power supply board box 772 that is attached between the frame control board box 771 and the unit base 770 and houses the power supply board 750, an interface board box 773 that is attached to the unit base 770 to the left of the frame control board box 771 when viewed from the front and houses the interface board 760 and the game ball dispensing device connection terminal board 765, and a Nylatch 774 that secures the unit base 770 to the main frame base unit 500 so that it cannot be opened or closed. The Nylatch 774 has the same configuration as the Nylatch 694 described above, and a detailed description of its configuration will be omitted.

The frame control board 740, although not shown in the figure, is equipped with a ROM that stores various processing programs and commands, a RAM for temporarily storing data, a CPU that executes processing programs and commands, and so on.

The frame control board 740 has a RAM clear switch 741 for erasing information stored in RAM, a ball removal switch 742 used to remove the enclosed game ball B from the ball removal port 613p of the circulating ball path unit 600 to the outside (ball receiving tray 720), and a ball count memory/display clear switch 743 for clearing the number of balls the player has stored in RAM etc. and clearing the display on the ball count display unit 140 of the door frame 3 (see Figure 63).

The frame control board 740 is connected via two-way communication to the main control board 1310 (described later) provided on the gaming board 5, and is also connected via two-way communication to the gaming ball lending device connection terminal board 765. The frame control board 740 is connected to the gaming ball lending device 8 via the gaming ball lending device connection terminal board 765.

The frame control board 740 is connected to the door frame 3's ball count display unit 140, firing stop switch 161, handle touch sensor 162, handle rotation sensor 163, and count button switch 180.

In addition, the frame control board 740 is connected to the door opening switch 507 of the main frame 4, the frame opening switch 508, the launch solenoid 553, the launch subtraction sensor 554, the out ball sensor 605, the safe ball sensor 606, the foul ball sensor 607, the circulating ball shortage sensor 621, the circulating ball excess sensor 622, the lifting inlet sensor 653, the lifting outlet sensor 654, the lifting motor 664, the lifting motor index sensor 666, the ball motor 688, the launch front sensor 704, and the ball sending solenoid 706.

The power supply board 750 is used to supply power at a specified voltage to the frame control board 740, main control board 1310, peripheral control board 1510, etc. A power switch 751 is provided near the right end of the rear surface of the power supply board 750. This power switch 751 is exposed to the rear from the power supply board box 772 so that it can be operated.

The interface board 760 serves to relay connections between the frame control board 740 and various relay boards provided on the door frame 3 and game board 5.

The game ball lending device connection terminal board 765 is used to relay the connection between the frame control board 740 and the game ball lending device 8.

The unit base 770 is elongated from side to side, with a hinge shaft 770a at its left end that is supported by the frame substrate unit shaft support portion 504d on the rear surface of the main frame speaker box 504 of the main frame base unit 500, and two Nylatches 774 attached to its right end with their operating portions 774a facing rearward.

The unit base 770 has a rear portion 770b that extends to the right from the left end by a length that is one-quarter of the total length in the left-right direction in a plan view, a connecting portion 770c that extends forward a short distance from the right end of the rear portion 770b, and a front portion 770d that extends from the front end of the connecting portion 770c to the right end. As a result, the unit base 770 has a step in the front-to-rear direction between the rear portion 770b and the front portion 770d.

An interface board box 773 is removably attached to the rear side of the rear surface 770b of the unit base 770. Meanwhile, a power supply board box 772 is removably attached to the rear side of the front surface 770d of the unit base 770, and a frame control board box 771 is removably attached to the rear side of the power supply board box 772.

The unit base 770 also has a power harness housing 770e, located above the area where the frame control board box 771 and power board box 772 are attached. The power harness housing 770e extends left and right and is recessed from rear to front. The area near the left end, close to the hinge axis 770a, of this power harness housing 770e is wider. The power harness housing 770e is provided with guide ribs, which can accommodate the bundled power harness PH (see Figure 60). This prevents the power harness PH (power cord) from getting in the way during assembly, up to the point where the frame board unit 730 is attached to the main frame base unit 500, improving the efficiency of the assembly process.

In addition, as shown in Figure 59, a portion of the rear of the power harness storage section 770e overlaps with a portion of the lower end of the rear cover 505. This means that even if the power harness PH becomes free while transporting the main body frame 4, etc., it can be prevented from popping out by abutting against the rear cover 505, preventing the power harness PH from popping out and being accidentally caught and damaged.

In the normal state (usage state) of the frame base unit 730 of this embodiment, the hinge shaft 770a on the left end of the unit base 770 is journaled on the frame base unit journal support portion 504d of the main body frame base unit 500, and the Nylatch 774 attached to the right end of the unit base 770 is attached to the support protrusion 501r on the rear surface of the base wall portion 501b of the main body frame base 501. In this state, the frame base unit 730 covers the rear of the circulating ball path unit 600 and ball lifting unit 650 attached to the rear side of the base wall portion 501b, making them inaccessible.

In addition, under normal conditions, as shown in FIG. 20, the front surface 770d of the unit base 770 of the frame substrate unit 730, the power supply substrate box 772, and the frame control substrate box 771 are positioned above the box extension section 504c of the main frame speaker box 504. In this case, because the front surface 770d and the power supply substrate box 772 are formed shorter vertically than the frame control substrate box 771, a space capable of accommodating wiring, etc. is formed between the power supply substrate box 772 and the box extension section 504c.

Furthermore, in the normal state, as shown in Figure 59, the front end of the rear cover 505 is located behind the upper Nylatch 774, preventing the operating portion 774a of the Nylatch 774 from being pulled. Also, in the normal state, the lower part of the rear cover 505 overlaps with the rear of the frame substrate unit 730. As a result, unless the rear cover 505 is opened from the main body frame base 501, the rear cover 505 interferes (abuts) and the frame substrate unit 730 cannot be opened rearward (is prevented from opening).

Therefore, under normal conditions, even if the Nylatch 774 is unlocked for some reason and the frame substrate unit 730 attempts to hinge backward, the lower part of the rear cover 505 is positioned behind it, preventing the frame substrate unit 730 from hingedly rotating and opening from the main frame base 501. This prevents the frame substrate unit 730 from coming into contact with the outer frame 2 and being damaged when the main frame 4 is opened from the outer frame 2 while the frame substrate unit 730 is open from the main frame base 501.

To check the circulating ball path unit 600, ball lifting unit 650, etc., on the rear side of the main body frame 4 from this normal position, first open the main body frame 4 forward relative to the outer frame 2. Then, open the rear cover 505 rearward from the main body frame base 501, and pull the operating portion 774a of the Nylatch 774 rearward to unlock it. This releases the unit from the support protrusion 501r on the right end of the unit base 770. Rotating the frame base unit 730 around the hinge axis 770a on the left end allows the frame base unit 730 to be opened rearward. Opening the frame base unit 730 rearward reveals the circulating ball path unit 600 and ball lifting unit 650 attached to the rear side of the base wall portion 501b, allowing access to them (see Figures 58 and 60).

When the frame substrate unit 730 is opened to the rear, as shown in Figure 60, the main body frame base 501 is opaque and black, while the main body frame speaker box 504, circulating ball path unit 600, ball lifting unit 650, etc. are made of transparent materials, allowing the interiors of these components to be seen (checked) from the outside.

To return the frame substrate unit 730 from its rearward open position to its normal position, follow the steps above in reverse order.

However, if you first close the rear cover 505 against the main frame base 501 when returning the frame substrate unit 730 to its normal state after opening it from the main frame base 501, the frame substrate unit 730 will interfere with (abut against) the rear cover 505 and will not be able to close when you try to close it. Also, if you try to close the main frame 4 against the outer frame 2 while the frame substrate unit 730 is open (the rear cover 505 is open), the frame substrate unit 730 and the rear cover 505 will interfere with (abut against) the outer frame 2, preventing it from closing. This allows you to know if you have forgotten to close the frame substrate unit 730.

In addition, even if you forget to press (lock) the operating portion 774a of the Nylatch 774 after closing the frame substrate unit 730 against the main frame base 501, when you close the rear cover 505 against the main frame base 501, the front end of the lower right corner of the rear cover 505 will abut against the operating portion 774a of the Nylatch 774 from behind, pressing the operating portion 774a and locking it.

[4-9. Lock unit]
The lock unit 780 in the main frame 4 will be described mainly with reference to Figures 6 and 7. The lock unit 780 is attached from the rear along the right edge of the main frame base 501 in the main frame base unit 500 when viewed from the front. The lock unit 780 is used to lock the outer frame 2 and the main frame 4, and the door frame 3 and the main frame 4.

The lock unit 780 has a cylindrical lock cylinder 781 that passes through the cylinder insertion opening 501m of the main frame base 501 from the rear and has its front end protruding forward; a keyhole 782 provided on the front end surface of the lock cylinder 781; a door frame lock claw 783 that unlocks the door frame 3 and main frame 4 when a corresponding key is inserted into the keyhole 782 and rotated in a specified direction; and an outer frame lock claw 784 that unlocks the main frame 4 and outer frame 2 when a corresponding key is inserted into the keyhole 782 and rotated in a direction different from the above.

[5. Brief explanation of the game board]
The game board 5 of the pachinko machine 1 has the same board configuration as the game board 5 shown in Figure 103 (described later) and will be briefly described here with reference to Figure 8. The game board 5 has prize openings such as a general prize opening 2001, a first start opening 2003, a second start opening 2004, and a special prize opening 2005 within a play area 5a into which a game ball B is shot, and which award a special prize upon acceptance of the game ball B. A player operates a handle 160 to allow the game ball B to be accepted into the prize opening, thereby enjoying the fun of shooting the game ball B. The game board 5 is detachably attached from the front to the game board insertion portion 502 of the main frame 4. When assembled in the pachinko machine 1, the game board 5 is visible to the player through the game window 101 of the door frame 3, and has a play area 5a into which the game ball B is shot by the player operating the handle 160.

The game board 5 comprises a front component 1000 that defines the outer periphery of the game area 5a and has a generally rectangular outer shape when viewed from the front; a plate-shaped game panel 1100 that is attached to the rear side of the front component 1000 and defines the rear end of the game area 5a; and a plurality of obstacle nails (not shown) planted in a predetermined gauge arrangement within the game area 5a on the front side of the game panel 1100 so as to be able to come into contact with the game ball B.

The front component 1000 of the game board 5 is formed entirely transparent. The front component 1000 has a roughly square exterior when viewed from the front, and a roughly circular interior that penetrates in the front-to-back direction, with the inner periphery of the interior defining the outer periphery of the game area 5a. The front component 1000 includes an outer rail 1001 that extends in an arc from the lower end toward the left of the center in the left-to-right direction in a front view, passing the upper end in the center in the left-to-right direction in a front view, and extending diagonally upward to the right; an inner rail 1002 that is positioned inside the front component 1000 roughly along the outer rail 1001 and extends in an arc from the lower center in the left-to-right direction in a front view to the upper left diagonal direction in a front view; and an out guide portion 1003 that is formed at the lowest position of the game area 5a on the right side of the lower end of the inner rail 1002 when viewed from the front, and is sloped downward toward the rear.

The component 1000 also includes a lower right rail 1004 that slopes linearly from the right end of the out guide section 1003 when viewed from the front to near the right edge of the component 1000, with the right end being slightly higher; a right rail 1005 that extends from the right end of the lower right rail 1004 along the right edge of the component 1000 to below the upper end of the outer rail 1001, with the upper part curved inward of the component 1000; and a collision stop section 1006 that connects the upper end of the right rail 1005 to the upper end of the outer rail 1001 and against which a game ball B rolling along the outer rail 1001 comes into contact.

The component 1000 also includes a backflow prevention member 1007 that is rotatably supported on the upper end of the inner rail 1002 and can rotate only between a closed position in which it extends upward from the upper end of the inner rail 1002 to close the gap between it and the outer rail 1001, and an open position in which it rotates clockwise when viewed from the front to open the gap between it and the outer rail 1001, and is biased by a spring (not shown) to return to the closed position.

Furthermore, the front component 1000 is provided with an outlet 1008 that penetrates from front to back at the rear end of the out guide section 1003, located at the bottom center in the left-right direction when viewed from the front within the frame. A game ball B received in the outlet 1008 is discharged downward from the game board 5 (to the out ball receiving port 600a of the circulating ball path unit 600) behind the game panel 1100 without being returned to the game area 5a.

The game board 5 is equipped with a main control board 1310 located behind the game panel 1100 and controls the game content, which is played by shooting the game ball B into the game area 5a, and a function display unit 1400 that displays the game status based on control signals from the main control board 1310 and is attached to the upper left corner of the component 1000 so that it can be seen by the player.

The gaming board 5 also includes a peripheral control board 1510 located behind the gaming panel 1100, an effect display device 1600 located behind the gaming panel 1100 in the center of the gaming area 5a when viewed from the front and capable of displaying predetermined effect images, a front unit 2000 attached to the front of the gaming panel 1100, and a back unit 3000 attached to the rear of the gaming panel 1100.

The gaming board 5 (front unit 2000) is equipped with multiple general winning openings 2001 that are always open and can accept gaming balls B shot into the gaming area 5a; gates 2010 that are located at predetermined positions within the gaming area 5a and through which gaming balls B can pass; first starting openings 2003 and second starting openings 2004 that are located at predetermined positions within the gaming area 5a and through which a lottery is held for a first special pattern and a second special pattern when a gaming ball B is accepted; and a large winning opening 2005 that can accept gaming balls B depending on the results of the lottery for the special pattern drawn when a gaming ball B is accepted into the first starting opening 2003 or second starting opening 2004.

The first starting opening 2003 is located directly above the outlet 1008, below the frame-shaped center device 2500 located in the center of the gaming area 5a. The second starting opening 2004 is located in the attacca unit 2400, and opens and closes to allow the game ball B to pass through the gate 2010, depending on the result of the lottery for the normal symbol drawn.

The large prize slot 2005 is located in the attacker unit 2400, which is attached to the bottom right corner of the gaming area 5a.

The game board 5 also includes a general prize opening sensor 3001 that detects a game ball B received in the general prize opening 2001, a gate sensor 2011 that detects a game ball B passing through the gate 2010, a first start opening sensor 2101 that detects a game ball B received in the first start opening 2003, a second start opening sensor 2401 that detects a game ball B received in the second start opening 2004, and a special prize opening sensor 2402 that detects a game ball B received in the special prize opening 2005 (see Figure 63).

A game ball B received into the general winning opening 2001 is detected by the general winning opening sensor 3001 behind the game panel 1100 and is then discharged from the game board 5 to the safe ball receiving opening 600b in the circulation ball path unit 600 below. A game ball B received into the first starting opening 2003 is detected by the first starting opening sensor 2101 behind the game panel 1100 and is then discharged from the game board 5 to the safe ball receiving opening 600b in the circulation ball path unit 600 below. A game ball B received into the second starting opening 2004 is detected by the second starting opening sensor 2401 behind the game panel 1100 and is then discharged from the game board 5 to the safe ball receiving opening 600b in the circulation ball path unit 600 below. Game ball B received in the special prize opening 2005 is detected by the special prize opening sensor 2402 behind the game panel 1100, and then discharged from the game board 5 to the safe ball receiving opening 600b in the circulation ball path unit 600 below.

The main control board 1310 controls the game using game ball B within the play area 5a of the pachinko machine 1. The main control board 1310 is connected via two-way communication to the frame control board 740 provided on the main frame 4, and is connected via one-way output signal only to the peripheral control board 1510.

The main control board 1310 receives detection signals for game ball B from the general prize opening sensor 3001, gate sensor 2011, first start opening sensor 2101, second start opening sensor 2401, special prize opening sensor 2402, etc. The main control board 1310 also outputs drive signals to the start opening solenoid 2412 for opening and closing the second start opening 2004, the attacca solenoid 2414 for opening and closing the special prize opening 2005, etc.

When a game ball B received in the general prize opening 2001 is detected by the general prize opening sensor 3001, the main control board 1310 outputs a predetermined number of prize ball commands (e.g., 10). This is no different from conventional pachinko machines, so there is no need to change the software on the main control board 1310. When this prize ball command is received, the frame control board 740 interprets it as a ball count addition signal. Furthermore, when a game ball B received in the first start opening 2003 is detected by the first start opening sensor 2101, a predetermined number of prize ball commands (e.g., 1) are output. Furthermore, when a game ball B received in the second start opening 2004 is detected by the second start opening sensor 2401, a predetermined number of prize ball commands (e.g., 1) are output. Furthermore, when a game ball B received in the special prize opening 2005 is detected by the special prize opening sensor 2402, a predetermined number of prize ball commands (e.g., 10 or 13) are output.

In addition, the main control board 1310 outputs signals such as the results of the regular symbol lottery and the special symbol lottery to the peripheral control board 1510.

The function display unit 1400 uses multiple LEDs based on signals from the main control board 1310 to display the game status (game situation), the results of the regular symbol lottery, the results of the special symbol lottery, etc.

The functional display unit 1400, although not shown in detail, is equipped with a status indicator consisting of three LEDs that displays the game status, a normal symbol display consisting of two LEDs that displays the lottery results for the normal symbol drawn when game ball B passes through gate 2010, and a normal reserve display consisting of two LEDs that displays the number of reserved normal symbols drawn when game ball B passes through gate 2010.

The function display unit 1400 also includes a first special pattern display consisting of eight LEDs that displays the result of the drawing for the first special pattern drawn by receiving game ball B into the first starting port 2003, a first special reserve number display consisting of two LEDs that displays the number of reserves related to receiving game ball B into the first starting port 2003, a second special pattern display consisting of eight LEDs that displays the result of the drawing for the second special pattern drawn by receiving game ball B into the second starting port 2004, and a second special reserve number display consisting of two LEDs that displays the number of reserves related to receiving game ball B into the second starting port 2004.

Furthermore, the function display unit 1400 is equipped with a round display consisting of five LEDs that displays the number of times (number of rounds) the opening and closing pattern of the large prize opening 2005 is repeated when the lottery result for the special pattern (first special pattern or second special pattern) is a "win" or the like.

This functional display unit 1400 can display the number of reserved items, designs, etc. by turning on, off, blinking, etc. the LEDs provided as appropriate.

The peripheral control board 1510 is attached to the rear of the performance display device 1600. Based on signals sent from the main control board 1310, the peripheral control board 1510 causes the performance display device 1600 to display performance images and perform light-emitting and moving performances.

[6. Flow of the Game Ball]
Next, the flow of game balls B in the pachinko machine 1 will be explained mainly with reference to Figures 61 and 62. Figure 61 is an explanatory diagram showing various paths for game balls on the rear side of the main body frame from the rear. Figure 62 is an explanatory diagram schematically showing the flow of game balls in the main body frame.

In the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, when the player is not operating the handle 160, as shown in FIG. 62, a large number (e.g., 40 to 60) of circulating game balls B are stored in a portion of the main body frame 4 below the game board 5. The circulation path R for game balls B in the main body frame 4 is provided with, in order from upstream, a foul unit 570, a circulating ball path unit 600, a ball lifting unit 650, a ball sending unit 700, and a ball launching unit 550. The circulation path R is made up of an out ball passage 601, a safe ball passage 602, a foul ball passage 603, a ball storage passage 604, a ball lifting inlet passage 651, a ball lifting outlet passage 652, etc.

The multiple sensors for detecting game balls B circulating along the circulation path R are arranged in the following order from upstream: safe ball sensor 606, out ball sensor 605, foul ball sensor 607, circulating ball excess sensor 622, circulating ball shortage sensor 621, lift-up inlet sensor 653, lift-up outlet sensor 654, pre-launch sensor 704, and launch subtraction sensor 554. Based on signals from these various sensors, the frame control board 740 executes various control processes, which will be described later.

When the player is not operating the handle 160, the safe ball sensor 606, out ball sensor 605, foul ball sensor 607, and excess circulating ball sensor 622 are in an OFF (non-detecting) state, while the insufficient circulating ball sensor 621, lift inlet sensor 653, lift outlet sensor 654, pre-launch sensor 704, and launch subtraction sensor 554 are in an ON (detecting) state.

A large number of game balls B are stored in a line within the circulation path R in the main frame 4. The leading end of the line of game balls B is located on the ball launch pad 552b of the launch unit cover 552 in the ball launch unit 550, and the trailing end is located upstream of the ball removal shutter 615 within the gauge section 620 in the ball storage passage 604 of the circulation ball path unit 600.

In the circulation path R, in the section between the upper end of the lifting spiral shaft 661 in the ball lifting unit 650 and the lifting outlet sensor 654, a specific number of game balls B (e.g., four) that is less than the predetermined number (e.g., five) of game balls B are lined up along the length of the line. This is to ensure that even if one game ball B is lifted when the lifting spiral shaft 661 is returned to its origin, there is enough space to receive the lifted game ball B.

In addition, a predetermined number (e.g., 10) of sensors are lined up in the circulation path R between the pre-launch sensor 704 and the lift-up exit sensor 654. This prevents the game balls B from running out of launching balls B until they are lifted up and replenished by the rotation of the lift-up spiral shaft 661, even if the game balls B continue to be launched in the ball launching unit 550 after the detection of the game balls B in the lift-up exit sensor 654 turns OFF (non-detection).

When the player operates the handle 160 to activate the launch solenoid 553 of the ball launch unit 550, the game ball B placed on the ball launch pad 552b in the launch unit cover 552 is launched, and the launch subtraction sensor 554 detects the game ball B as not detected (OFF). This subtracts one ball from the player's possession (the ball possession subtraction process described below). After that, the ball delivery solenoid 706 of the ball delivery unit 700 is energized for a predetermined period of time, causing the ball receiving portion 705a of the ball delivery movable member 705 to move up and down, placing one game ball B on the ball launch pad 552b, and the launch subtraction sensor 554 entering a detection (ON) state.

As the player operates the handle 160 to launch game balls B one by one, the number of game balls B stored between the pre-launch sensor 704 and the upper end of the lifting spiral shaft 661 (ball lifting outlet passage 652) decreases by one, and eventually the lifting outlet sensor 654 detects no game balls B (OFF). Then, when a predetermined number of game balls B (e.g., three) have been launched after the lifting outlet sensor 654 becomes non-detecting, the lifting motor 664 of the ball lifting unit 650 begins to rotate the lifting spiral shaft 661, which rotates three times to supply three game balls B to the ball lifting outlet passage 652 before stopping (lifting motor operation processing, described below).

When the lifting motor 664 rotates the lifting spiral shaft 661, the game ball B located at the downstream end of the ball lifting entrance passage 651 moves upward toward the lower end of the lifting spiral shaft 661. This causes the many game balls B lined up in the ball lifting entrance passage 651 and the ball storage passage 604 to flow downstream, reducing the number of game balls B stored in the ball storage passage 604.

A game ball B launched from the ball launching unit 550 and struck into the game area 5a of the game board 5 is received by either the outlet 1008 or one of the winning ports (general winning port 2001, first starting port 2003, second starting port 2004, large winning port 2005). A game ball B received at the outlet 1008 of the game board 5 is ejected downward from the game board 5 and handed over to the out ball receiving port 600a of the circulation ball path unit 600. The game ball B handed over to the out ball receiving port 600a passes through the out ball passage 601, where it is detected by the out ball sensor 605 and sent to the ball storage passage 604.

Meanwhile, game ball B received in the winning opening of game board 5 is ejected downward from game board 5 and handed over to safe ball receiving port 600b of circulating ball path unit 600. Game ball B handed over to safe ball receiving port 600b passes through safe ball path 602, where it is detected by safe ball sensor 606 and sent to ball storage path 604.

When game ball B is detected by out ball sensor 605, the number of out balls is counted, and when game ball B is detected by safe ball sensor 606, the number of safe balls is counted. This makes it possible to calculate the accurate payout rate for game ball B. The calculated payout rate is displayed on a display unit (not shown) provided on main control board 1310. This payout rate changes depending on the game status, so the payout rate within a specified period (for example, per unit time, per specified time, per day, etc.) is calculated as follows: "(number of balls added due to winning within a specified period - number of safe balls within a specified period) ÷ number of out balls within a specified period = payout rate within a specified period."

Game ball B that was launched from ball launch unit 550 (ball launch pad 552b) but did not land in game area 5a of game board 5 is collected as a foul ball by foul unit 570 and then handed over to foul ball receiving port 600c of circulating ball path unit 600. Game ball B handed over to foul ball receiving port 600c then flows through foul ball path 603, where it is detected by foul ball sensor 607 and sent to ball storage path 604. When game ball B is detected by foul ball sensor 607, one ball is added to the player's possession count (ball addition process described below).

In this way, in the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, the game ball B is sealed inside without being discharged to the outside or supplied from the outside, and circulates internally, so the player does not come into contact with the game ball B.

[7. Various control processes]
Next, various control processes in the frame control board 740 in the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment will be described in detail with reference to Figures 63 to 76, etc. Figure 63 is a block diagram showing an outline of the control configuration of a pachinko machine. Figure 64 is a flowchart showing the launch permission process. Figure 65 is a flowchart showing the retained ball subtraction process, and Figure 66 is a flowchart showing the retained ball addition process using foul balls. Figure 67 is a flowchart showing the launch control process. Figure 68 is a time chart showing the operation of the launch solenoid and ball sending solenoid in the launch sequence. Figure 69(a) is a flowchart showing a launch control process different from that of Figure 67, and (b) is a flowchart showing the retained ball subtraction process in the case of the launch control process of (a).

Figure 70 is a flowchart showing the prize ball processing. Figure 71 is a flowchart showing the lifting motor operation processing, Figure 72 is a table showing the relationship between the lifting inlet sensor and lifting outlet sensor and the operation of the lifting motor, and Figure 73 is a graph showing the relationship between the launching operation of the game ball and the operation of the ball lifting unit. Figure 74 is a graph showing the operation of the ball lifting mechanism in the ball lifting unit. Figure 75 (a) is a flowchart showing security processing, and (b) is a flowchart showing security processing of an embodiment different from (a). Figure 76 is a table showing the relationship between the low circulating ball sensor and the high circulating ball sensor and error notifications. Note that Figure 63 omits some of the electronic components such as sensors, solenoids, motors, LEDs, etc. connected to the main control board 1310 and peripheral control board 1510, etc.

As shown in Figure 63, the main control configuration of the pachinko machine 1 consists of a frame control board 740 attached to the main frame 4, and a main control board 1310 and peripheral control board 1510 attached to the game board 5. The frame control board 740 mainly controls the launch and circulation of game balls B, the number of balls in hand, etc. The main control board 1310 mainly controls the game. The peripheral control board 1510 mainly controls the presentation.

Signals are input to the frame control board 740 from the launch stop switch 161, handle touch sensor 162, handle rotation sensor 163, counting button switch 180, door open switch 507, frame open switch 508, launch subtraction sensor 554, out ball sensor 605, safe ball sensor 606, foul ball sensor 607, insufficient circulating ball sensor 621, excessive circulating ball sensor 622, lift inlet sensor 653, lift outlet sensor 654, lift motor index sensor 666, pre-launch sensor 704, RAM clear switch 741, ball removal switch 742, ball count memory/display clear switch 743, etc.

The frame control board 740 also outputs signals to the ball count display unit 140, launch solenoid 553, lift motor 664, ball motor 688, ball delivery solenoid 706, etc.

Furthermore, the frame control board 740 receives signals from the game ball lending device 8 and outputs signals via the game ball lending device connection terminal board 765. The frame control board 740 also receives signals from the main control board 1310 and outputs signals.

Signals from the general prize opening sensor 3001, gate sensor 2011, first start opening sensor 2101, second start opening sensor 2401, large prize opening sensor 2402, etc. are input to the main control board 1310. The main control board 1310 also outputs signals to the start opening solenoid 2412, attacca solenoid 2414, peripheral control board 1510, etc.

The game ball lending device 8 is installed outside the pachinko machine 1 and outputs signals to the management server 9 via a communications network. Signals are input to the game ball lending device 8 from the ball lending button switch 8a, the return button switch, the frame control board 740, etc. The game ball lending device 8 also outputs signals to the display unit, the frame control board 740, etc.

[7-1. Launch permission processing]
The launch permission process will be described with reference to Figure 64. The launch permission process is a process for determining whether or not the game ball B should be launched. When the launch permission process is started, first in step S101, it is confirmed whether or not the player is touching the handle 160, and if the player is touching the handle 160 and the handle touch sensor 162 is ON (YES), the process proceeds to the next step S102. If the handle touch sensor 162 is OFF in step S101 (NO), the process proceeds to step S107, where the frame control launch permission signal is turned OFF and the process ends.

In step S102, it is checked whether the firing stop switch 161 is OFF, and if the firing stop switch 161 is ON, the process proceeds to the next step S103 as a YES. On the other hand, if the firing stop switch 161 is OFF in step S102, the process proceeds to step S107 as a NO, turns OFF the frame control firing permission signal, and ends the process.

In step S103, it is confirmed whether the frame control board 740 is connected to the game ball lending device 8 via the game ball lending device connection terminal board 765, and if it is connected to the game ball lending device 8, a YES result is obtained and the process proceeds to the next step S104. On the other hand, if a connection to the game ball lending device 8 is not confirmed in step S103, a NO result is obtained and the process proceeds to step S107, where the frame control launch permission signal is turned OFF and the process ends.

In step S104, the presence or absence of main control launch permission (ON/OFF) from the main control board 1310 is confirmed, and if main control launch permission is present, a YES is returned and the process proceeds to the next step S105. On the other hand, if main control launch permission is not present in step S104, a NO is returned and the process proceeds to step S107, where the frame control launch permission signal is turned OFF and the process ends.

Here, the conditions for the main control launch permission to be turned ON include "no fatal errors, such as RAM errors, occurring on the main control board 1310."

In addition to the conditions of steps S101 to S105 above, the conditions for the frame control launch permission (frame control launch permission signal) to be turned ON may include other conditions as necessary, such as "the absence of a fatal error, such as a RAM error, in the frame control board 740."

In step S105, it is checked whether the player has more than 0 balls. If the number of balls is more than 0, a YES result is obtained and the process proceeds to the next step S106, where the frame control firing permission signal is turned ON and the process ends. On the other hand, if the number of balls is less than 0 (0 balls) in step S105, a NO result is obtained and the process proceeds to step S107, where the frame control firing permission signal is turned OFF and the process ends.

In this way, the launch permission process allows the launch of game ball B, and when the player rotates the handle 160 in this state, the launch solenoid 553 is driven with a strength corresponding to the angle of rotation, causing game ball B to be launched from the ball launch unit 550. When the launch solenoid 553 is driven, the launch control process described below is executed.

[7-2. Ball deduction processing]
The ball subtraction process will be described with reference to Figure 65. The ball subtraction process is a process for subtracting the number of balls a player has by launching game ball B. The ball subtraction process begins in step S111 by determining whether the launch subtraction sensor 554 of the ball launching unit 550 has changed from an ON state to an OFF state. When game ball B is placed on the ball launching pad 552b of the ball launching unit 550, the launch subtraction sensor 554 detects game ball B and is in an ON state. From this state, when the launch solenoid 553 is driven and the launch hammer 555 strikes game ball B on the ball launching pad 552b, launching game ball B, the launch subtraction sensor 554 becomes non-detecting and is in an OFF state.

Then, in step S111, when game ball B is launched and the launch subtraction sensor 554 changes from ON to OFF, the process proceeds to the next step S112 as YES, the number of balls held is subtracted by one, and the process ends.

On the other hand, in step S111, if the shot subtraction sensor 554 does not change from ON to OFF and remains ON, the result is NO, and the processing ends without subtracting the number of balls held.

In this way, when game ball B is launched from the ball launching unit 550 through the ball subtraction process, the number of balls the player has will be reduced by one.

[7-3. Ball addition processing]
The ball count addition process due to fouls will be explained with reference to Figure 66. When a game ball B is launched from the ball launching unit 550, the number of balls the player has is subtracted by the ball count subtraction process. However, if the launched game ball B is not hit into the play area 5a of the game board 5, no game will be played with that game ball B, and leaving the number of balls subtracted will reduce the player's interest. Therefore, the ball count addition process adds game balls B (foul balls) that were not hit into the play area 5a to the number of balls the player has.

In step S121, the ball count addition process determines whether the foul ball sensor 607 of the circulating ball path unit 600 has detected game ball B (foul ball) and changed from OFF to ON. If the foul ball sensor 607 has turned ON, the process proceeds to the next step S122 as YES, adds one ball to the number of balls held, and ends the process.

On the other hand, if the foul ball sensor 607 does not turn ON and remains OFF in step S121, the answer is NO and the process ends without adding to the number of balls held.

In this way, the ball count addition process prevents the player from being put at a disadvantage by adding foul balls to the number of balls in hand if game ball B is not hit into the game area 5a of the game board 5 despite being launched from the ball launching unit 550.

[7-4. Launch control processing]
The launch control process will be described with reference to Figures 67 and 68, etc. The launch control process determines whether or not to actually launch the game ball B by driving the launch solenoid 553 after the frame control launch permission signal is turned ON in the launch permission process and the player rotates the handle 160. The launch control process first determines whether or not frame control launch permission is present (ON/OFF) in step S131, and if frame control launch permission is present (ON), the process proceeds to the next step S132 as YES, turns the launch permission signal ON, and ends the process. On the other hand, if frame control launch permission is not present (OFF) in step S131, the process proceeds to step S133, turns the launch permission signal OFF, and ends the process.

When the launch permission signal is turned ON, when the game ball B is launched by the launch solenoid 553, as shown in FIG. 68, the ball delivery solenoid 706 is first turned ON for a first time t1 (e.g., 150 ms), causing the ball receiving portion 705a of the ball delivery movable member 705 to move upward to receive the game ball B detected by the pre-launch sensor 704. This first time t1 is set to a time sufficient for the ball receiving portion 705a of the ball delivery movable member 705 to receive the game ball B.

When a second time t2 (e.g., 90 ms) shorter than the first time t1 has elapsed since the ball delivery solenoid 706 was turned ON, the launch solenoid 553 is turned ON for a third time t3 (e.g., 23 ms) to launch the game ball B on the ball launch pad 552b. Then, when the third time t3 has elapsed, the launch solenoid 553 is turned OFF. Note that the first time t1 is longer than the sum of the second time t2 and the third time t3.

Then, after the first time t1 has elapsed, the ball sending solenoid 706 turns OFF, and the game ball B received by the ball receiving portion 705a is supplied to the ball launcher 552b. This completes the series of operations in the launch sequence.

If game balls B are continuously launched, after the first time t1 has elapsed, and then after a fourth time t4 (e.g., 450.5 ms) has elapsed, the ball delivery solenoid 706 will again turn ON for the first time t1, and the same operation as above will be repeated.

Therefore, in the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, the first time the pachinko machine 1 is installed, there is no game ball B placed on the ball launching pad 552b, so in step S132 of the launch control process, the "Launch subtraction sensor ON?" is NO, and then in step S136, the ball sending solenoid 706 is turned ON, supplying game ball B to the ball launching pad 552b. After that, because there is always a game ball B placed on the ball launching pad 552b, game ball B can be launched at any time.

On the other hand, if game ball B falls from ball launch pad 552b due to a thud or vibration, etc., the launch subtraction sensor 554 turns OFF, so it is considered to have been launched and the number of balls in possession is subtracted by one through the ball subtraction process. However, since the dropped game ball B is collected by the foul unit 570 and detected by the foul ball sensor 607, the number of balls in possession is added by one through the ball addition process, restoring the number of balls in possession to the number before the ball fell, so the player is not at a disadvantage.

Furthermore, when a game ball B launched from ball launch pad 552b returns to ball launch pad 552b, as described above, the next game ball B is supplied by ball sending solenoid 706 of ball sending unit 700 after launch, and since ball launch pad 552b can only hold one game ball B, either the game ball B that returned or the next game ball B supplied from ball sending unit 700 will fall and be collected by foul unit 570. Therefore, as described above, even if the number of balls held is reduced by the launch, either the returning game ball B or the next game ball B will become a foul ball and be added to the number of balls held, so the number of balls held before the launch can be restored and the player will not be at a disadvantage.

If the number of balls held is "0" and game ball B falls from ball launcher 552b, the number of balls held cannot be subtracted in the ball subtraction process, so the dropped game ball B is treated as a foul ball and the number of balls held becomes "1" in the ball addition process. In such a case, an alarm may be sounded and the game hall staff may resolve the discrepancy in the number of balls held.

In this embodiment, if there is a jolt or other shaking that causes the launch subtraction sensor 554 to turn OFF, the ball launch pad 552b is short, so the game ball B will always fall. Therefore, there is no false detection that would occur if the launch subtraction sensor 554 turns OFF and the game ball is deemed to have been launched, even though the game ball B is placed on the ball launch pad 552b.

However, it is possible that a power outage will occur (the frame control board 740 or main control board 1310 will receive a power outage signal) during the above-described firing sequence. For example, if a power outage occurs before the firing solenoid 553 is turned ON (before it is energized), the firing hammer 555 will not move. However, depending on the operation timing of the ball delivery solenoid 706, if the next game ball B is received in the ball receiving section 705a, that game ball B will be supplied to the ball launch pad 552b, where it will be bounced off the previously placed game ball B and collected by the foul unit 570. However, when a power outage signal is received, the frame control board 740 and other components will not check the various sensors and will ignore the signal from the foul ball sensor 607. As a result, the foul ball will not be added to the number of balls held, maintaining the accuracy of the number of balls held before the power outage.

Furthermore, if a power outage occurs while launch solenoid 553 is energized or has already been energized, launch hammer 555 moves and game ball B from ball launch pad 552b is launched, but it is not considered to have been launched because frame control board 740 stops checking launch subtraction sensor 554 before launch subtraction sensor 554 is determined to be OFF (before the OFF threshold of 80 ms has elapsed). When launch solenoid 553 is energized, game ball B is already received in ball receiving section 705a by ball sending solenoid 706. Therefore, after game ball B is launched, game ball B received in ball receiving section 705a is supplied to ball launch pad 552b, returning it to its pre-launch state. On the other hand, even if launched game ball B enters the winning slot of game board 5, the main control board 1310 does not check the winning sensor, so the winning is invalid and the number of balls held is not incremented. Therefore, even in this case, the number of balls held before the power outage will remain accurate.

[7-4a. Launch control process and ball deduction process of the second embodiment]
In the above embodiment, the consistency of the number of balls held when game ball B drops from ball launcher 552b is maintained by a hardware launch sequence, but as shown in Figure 69, consistency may also be maintained by software. This launch control process first determines whether frame control launch is permitted (ON/OFF) in step S131, and if frame control launch is permitted (ON), the process proceeds to the next step S134 as YES. On the other hand, if frame control launch is not permitted (OFF) in step S131, the process ends as NO, without driving launch solenoid 553.

In step S134, it is determined whether the launch subtraction sensor 554 is ON. If the launch subtraction sensor 554 is ON (there is game ball B on the ball launch pad 552b), the process proceeds to the next step S135 as YES and determines whether the subtraction completion flag is ON. As shown in Figure 69 (b), if the number of held balls has been subtracted by the held ball subtraction process of the second embodiment, the subtraction completion flag is set ON in step S113, and if the number of held balls has not been subtracted, the subtraction completion flag is set OFF in step S114.

Therefore, in the normal pre-launch state, game ball B is placed on ball launch pad 552b and the subtraction completion flag is OFF, so a NO determination is made in step S135, and the process proceeds to the next step S136, where the launch solenoid 553 is turned ON to strike game ball B with a force corresponding to the rotation angle of the handle 160, and processing ends.

On the other hand, if game ball B falls from ball launch pad 552b due to a thud or other reason, the number of balls held is subtracted by the ball subtraction process shown in Figure 69 (b), and the subtraction completion flag is set to ON. Therefore, step S135 of the launch control process returns YES, and the process proceeds to step S137.

In step S137, it is determined whether the pre-launch sensor 704 is ON. If the pre-launch sensor 704 is not ON (if game ball B is not detected), the process proceeds to the next step S138 as NO, turns ON the error display indicating "out of balls to be fired," and returns to step S137, repeating this process until the pre-launch sensor 704 is turned ON. The error display is displayed, for example, on the display screen of the performance display device.

The error may be indicated by lighting up a warning lamp, or by displaying an image on the performance display device. Alternatively, an error signal may be output to the hall computer (HOLCON) of the amusement hall via the game ball lending device 8, causing a warning lamp installed in the amusement hall to light up.

In step S137, if the pre-launch sensor 704 detects game ball B and is ON, the process proceeds to the next step S139 as YES, where the ball sending solenoid 706 is turned ON (energized) to move the ball sending movable member 705. As a result, the game ball B detected by the pre-launch sensor 704 is transferred to the ball receiving portion 705a of the ball sending movable member 705, and when the ball sending solenoid 706 turns OFF after a predetermined short time, the game ball B transferred to the ball receiving portion 705a is supplied to the ball launch pad 552b. At this time, if there is a game ball B upstream (ball lifting exit passage 652) of the game ball B sent to the ball launch pad 552b by the ball sending movable member 705, that game ball B will move downstream and the pre-launch sensor 704 will turn ON.

In step S139, once the ball sending solenoid 706 is turned ON, the process proceeds to the next step S140, where it is again determined whether the launch subtraction sensor 554 is ON. If the launch subtraction sensor 554 is not ON, the process returns to step S137 as NO, and the above flow is repeated until the launch subtraction sensor 554 is turned ON.

If the firing subtraction sensor 554 is ON in step S140, the process proceeds to the next step S141 as a YES, turns off the "out of fired balls" error display, and then proceeds to step S136, turns on the firing solenoid 553, strikes the game ball B with a strength corresponding to the rotation angle of the handle 160, and ends the process.

In this way, the launch control process can confirm that game ball B has been placed on ball launch pad 552b in ball launch unit 550, before launching game ball B.

When game ball B falls from ball launcher 552b, the number of balls in hand is subtracted by the ball subtraction process in Figure 69(b), but the dropped game ball B is collected by foul unit 570 and detected by foul ball sensor 607, which then executes the ball addition process. This adds back the number of balls in hand, restoring the number of balls in hand to what it was before the ball fell, so the player is not at a disadvantage.

In this way, the launch control process and ball subtraction process of the second embodiment also allow the consistency of the number of balls held to be maintained when game ball B falls from ball launch pad 552b.

[7-5. Handling of prize balls]
The prize ball processing will be explained with reference to Fig. 70 etc. In the prize ball processing, when a game ball B is received in a prize opening such as the general prize opening 2001, the first start opening 2003, the second start opening 2004, or the big prize opening 2005 provided on the game board 5, a predetermined number of prize balls corresponding to the prize opening are awarded as a special bonus, and the prize balls are added to the number of balls the player has.

In the prize ball processing, when game ball B is received by a prize opening on the game board 5 and a signal (prize ball signal) output from the main control board 1310 is input to the frame control board 740, the input prize ball signal is analyzed in step S141. The prize ball signal output from the main control board 1310 may be the number of prize balls or the type of prize opening into which game ball B was received.

Then, when the prize ball signal is analyzed in step S141, the number of prize balls corresponding to the analyzed prize ball signal is added to the number of balls the player has in their possession in the following step S142, and the process ends.

In this way, the prize ball processing allows the number of game balls B (number of prize balls) corresponding to the winning slot into which game ball B entered on the game board 5 to be added to the number of balls waiting for the player.

[7-6. Lifting motor operation processing]
The lifting motor operation process will be described with reference to Figures 71 to 74. In the lifting motor operation process, when the game balls B in the ball lifting outlet passage 652 decrease as a result of the game balls B being launched by the ball launching unit 550, the game balls B in the ball lifting inlet passage 651 are lifted by the rotation of the lifting spiral shaft 661 of the ball lifting unit 650 and supplied to the ball lifting outlet passage 652.

The lifting motor operation process first clears retry counter 1 in step S201 and then proceeds to the next step S202. In step S202, it is determined whether the lifting motor index sensor 666, which detects the lifting motor index 665 attached to the lower end of the lifting spiral shaft 661 in the ball lifting mechanism 660 of the ball lifting unit 650, is ON.

The lifting motor index 665 has a detection section 665a that is cut out in the circumferential direction of a disk (flange-shaped) shape. When the lifting spiral shaft 661 rotates and the detection section 665a of the lifting motor index 665 is positioned at the position of the lifting motor index sensor 666, the lifting motor index sensor 666 turns ON, and the lifting motor index sensor 666 turns OFF in areas other than the detection section 665a.

If the lift motor index sensor 666 is ON in step S202, the process proceeds to the next step S203 as a YES and determines whether the lift outlet sensor 654 has been ON for 80 ms or more. If the lift outlet sensor 654 has not been ON for 80 ms or more in step S203 (the lift outlet sensor 654 is OFF), the process proceeds to the next step S204 as a NO.

On the other hand, if step S203 determines that the lift-up outlet sensor 654 has been ON for 80 ms or more, the process returns to step S203 as a YES and is repeated until the lift-up outlet sensor 654 is no longer ON for 80 ms or more (until the lift-up outlet sensor 654 turns OFF). In other words, this is repeated until the rear end of the row of multiple game balls B in the ball lift-up outlet passage 652 decreases due to the launch of game balls B and becomes downstream of the lift-up outlet sensor 654, and when the lift-up outlet sensor 654 turns OFF, the process proceeds to step S204.

In step S204, it is determined whether the lifting inlet sensor 653 has been ON for 80 ms or more. If it is determined that the lifting inlet sensor 653 has not been ON for 80 ms or more (the lifting inlet sensor 653 is OFF), the process proceeds to step S205 as NO, turns ON the error display indicating "bulb out at lifting inlet", and returns to step S204. This notifies the user that a bulb has run out in the bulb lifting inlet passage 651, and prompts the user to resolve the bulb outage.

If it is determined in step S204 that the lifting inlet sensor 653 has been ON for 80 ms or more, the process proceeds to the next step S206 as a YES, and the error display indicating "Lifting inlet out of balls" is turned OFF. After that, in the following step S207, after 1800 ms have elapsed, the lifting motor 664 is started to operate, causing the lifting spiral shaft 661 to rotate. This starts the lifting of the game ball B in the ball lifting inlet passage 651. The lifting spiral shaft 661 ejects one game ball B per rotation.

Here, to put it another way, as shown in Figure 73, when the lift motor 664 starts to operate, the lift inlet sensor 653 is ON (continuously ON) for 80 ms or more, the lift motor 664 is stopped, the lift outlet sensor 654 is ON (continuously ON) for 80 ms or more, and the launch pre-sensor 704 is ON (continuously ON) for 80 ms or more. By operating the handle 160, game balls B are continuously launched at predetermined time intervals (600 ms in this case). Then, when the lift outlet sensor 654 turns OFF, after the time ts (1800 ms in this case) has elapsed, the lift motor 664 begins to operate, and game balls B begin to be ejected from the top end of the lift spiral shaft 661 toward the ball lift outlet passage 652 (lift device ball ejection).

In this embodiment, once three game balls B have been launched after the lift outlet sensor 654 turns OFF, the lift motor 664 is activated and the lift spiral shaft 661 begins to rotate. Note that the time interval at which game balls B are ejected by the rotation of the lift spiral shaft 661 is set to be shorter than the time interval at which game balls B are continuously launched. This ensures that the supply of game balls B to the ball launch unit 550 will not be unable to keep up with the launch of game balls B.

As shown in Figure 73, the ball polishing motor 688 provided in the ball lifting unit 650 is controlled independently of the operation of the lifting motor 664, and operates so that the polishing cloth 682 moves 0.17 mm every time 1,000 game balls B are fired.

As shown in Figure 72, this lifting motor 664 will not operate and will remain stopped unless the lifting inlet sensor 653 is ON and the lifting outlet sensor 654 is OFF.

Returning to the explanation of the lift motor operation process, when operation of the lift motor 664 is initiated in step S207, retry counter 2 is cleared in the following step S208, and a determination is made in the following step S209 as to whether the lift motor index 665 (lift motor index sensor 666) has turned ON again within 600 ms after turning OFF.

If it is determined in step S209 that the lifting motor index 665 has turned ON again within 600 ms after turning OFF (the lifting spiral shaft 661 is rotating), the process proceeds to the next step S210 as a YES and determines whether the lifting outlet sensor 654 has been ON for 80 ms or more. If it has not been ON, the process returns to step S208 as a NO and the operation of the lifting motor 664 continues.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S210 that the lifting outlet sensor 654 has been ON for 80 ms or more, the process proceeds to the next step S211 as a YES, stops the lifting motor 664 at the third detection position of the detection unit 665a of the lifting motor index 665, and returns to step S201 to repeat the lifting motor operation process.

In other words, as shown in Figures 73 and 74, after the lift outlet sensor 654 turns ON (continuously ON), the lift motor 664 stops the third time the lift motor index 665 rotates and becomes unshaded (the lift motor index sensor 666 turns ON due to the detection unit 665a). At this time, the lift spiral shaft 661, which rotates integrally with the lift motor index 665, ejects one game ball B per rotation toward the ball lift outlet passage 652 (lift device ball ejection). Therefore, three game balls B are ejected between the time the lift outlet sensor 654 turns ON and the time the lift motor 664 stops. In other words, when the lift outlet sensor 654 turns ON, three game balls B are ejected toward the ball lift outlet passage 652, and the lift motor 664 stops. This allows a sufficient number of game balls B to be stored in the ball lift outlet passage 652. Furthermore, to ensure smooth execution of the lifting motor origin return process described below, the ball lifting outlet passage 652 is never filled with game balls B, but rather a predetermined number of balls are left empty.

In this lift motor operation process, if it is determined in step S202 that the lift motor index 665 is not ON (the lift motor index sensor 666 is OFF), the process proceeds to the next step S212 as NO, where it is determined whether the retry counter 1 is less than 3.

If retry counter 1 is less than 3 in step S212, the answer is YES and the lift motor origin return process is executed in the next step S213, after which retry counter 1 is incremented by "1" in step S214 and the process returns to step S202.

In the lift motor origin return process of step S213, if the lift motor index sensor 666 is OFF, the lift motor 664 is activated to rotate the lift motor index 665 together with the lift spiral shaft 661. When the lift motor index sensor 666 is OFF, it turns ON when the detection unit 665a reaches it, after which the lift motor 664 rotates twice and stops, and the lift motor 664 (lift motor index 665) returns to the origin.

More specifically, due to the gear ratio between the shaft gear 662 and the motor gear 663, the lifting motor index 665 (lifting spiral shaft 661) is configured to rotate once for every 32 rotations of the lifting motor 664. The circumferential length of the detection portion 665a of the lifting motor index 665 is designed to be long enough for the lifting motor 664 to rotate four times. Therefore, the position at which the lifting motor 664 stops after rotating two times after the lifting motor index sensor 666 turns ON is located at the center of the detection portion 665a. In other words, the center of the detection portion 665a of the lifting motor index 665 is the origin of the lifting motor 664 (lifting spiral shaft 661, lifting motor index 665) (see Figure 74).

When the lifting motor origin return process is executed, the lifting spiral shaft 661 rotates approximately one revolution, causing one game ball B to be ejected into the ball lifting outlet passage 652. However, since the ball lifting outlet passage 652 has a predetermined number of spaces available for accommodating game balls B, the ejection of game balls B from the lifting spiral shaft 661 is not impeded, and the lifting motor 664 can be returned to its origin.

If it is determined in step S212 above that retry counter 1 is not less than 3, the process proceeds to step S215 as NO, the error display indicating "Lifted ball jam error" is turned ON, and operation is stopped in the following step S216. The condition for canceling this operation stop can be released by turning on and off the power switch 751 provided on the power supply board 750 of the main body frame 4.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S209 above that the lifting motor index 665 has not been turned ON again within 600 ms after being turned OFF (the lifting spiral shaft 661 is not rotating), it is set to ON and the process proceeds to step S217, where it is determined whether the retry counter 2 is less than 3. If it is determined that the retry counter 2 is not less than 3, the process proceeds to step S215 as NO, the error display indicating "lifting ball jam error" is turned ON, and operation is stopped in the following step S216.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S217 that retry counter 2 is less than 3, the result is YES and the ball jamming release process is executed in the next step S218, and then in the following step S219, "1" is added to retry counter 2 and the process returns to step S209.

The ball jamming release process in step S218 stops the lift motor 664 without monitoring the ON/OFF status of the lift outlet sensor 654, then rotates the lift motor 664 in reverse, and after a predetermined time (e.g., 100 ms) has elapsed, stops the lift motor 664 and operates it again (forward rotation).

In this way, when the game balls B are launched by the lifting motor operation process, decreasing the number of game balls B in the ball lifting outlet passage 652, the lifting motor 664 is operated to rotate the lifting spiral shaft 661, lifting the game balls B in the ball lifting inlet passage 651 from the lower end and ejecting them from the upper end to supply them to the ball lifting outlet passage 652.

Note that the operating time of the lifting motor 664 and the number of game balls B ejected described above are merely examples, and any appropriate time or number may be used.

[7-7. Security Processing]
The security process will be explained with reference to Figure 75 etc. The purpose of the security process is to monitor for any illegal activity. As shown in Figure 75(a), the security process clears the contradiction counter in step S301, and then calculates the number of balls retrieved within a predetermined time in the circulating ball path unit 600 in step S302. The number of retrieved balls is calculated as the sum of the number of out balls, the number of safe balls, and the number of foul balls.

Once the number of recovered balls is calculated in step S302, the process proceeds to the next step S303, where it is determined whether the number of fired balls measured by the firing subtraction sensor 554 is the same as the number of recovered balls. If it is determined that they are the same, it returns to step S302 as a YES result. On the other hand, if it is determined that the number of fired balls is not the same as the number of recovered balls, it proceeds to the next step S304 as a NO result, it adds "1" to the discrepancy counter, and it proceeds to the next step S305.

In step S305, it is determined whether the contradiction counter is greater than n (for example, 50), and if it is determined that it is less than n, a NO result is obtained and the process returns to step S302. On the other hand, if it is determined that the contradiction counter is greater than n, a YES result is obtained and the process proceeds to the next step S306, where an error display indicating that fraud is occurring is turned ON, and then the game stop process is executed in the following step S307, ending the process.

The error display in step S306 can be cleared by turning the power switch 751 on and off on the power supply board 750 in the main body frame 4.

In addition, the game stop processing in step S307 includes stopping the launch of game ball B by the ball launching unit 550, stopping the lifting of game ball B by the ball lifting unit 650 (stopping circulation), stopping game play on the main control board 1310 side, etc.

Security processing may be as shown in Figure 75(b). In this security processing, first, in step S311, the contradiction counter is cleared, and then in the following step S312, it is determined whether the number of shot balls detected by the shot subtraction sensor 554 is equal to or greater than the number of foul balls detected by the foul ball sensor 607.

If it is determined in step S312 that the number of balls fired is equal to or greater than the number of foul balls, a YES result is obtained and the process returns to step S312. On the other hand, if it is determined that the number of balls fired is not equal to or greater than the number of foul balls, a NO result is obtained and the process proceeds to the next step S313, where "1" is added to the contradiction counter and the process proceeds to the following step S314.

In step S314, it is determined whether the contradiction counter is greater than n (for example, 50), and if it is determined that it is less than n, the process returns to step S312 as NO. On the other hand, if it is determined that the contradiction counter is greater than n, the process proceeds to the next step S315 as YES, and an error display indicating that fraud is occurring is turned ON, and then in the following step S316, the game stop process is executed and the process ends.

The error display in step S315 can be cleared by turning the power switch 751 on and off on the power supply board 750 in the main body frame 4.

In addition, the game stop processing in step S316 includes stopping the launch of game ball B by the ball launching unit 550, stopping the lifting of game ball B by the ball lifting unit 650 (stopping circulation), stopping game play on the main control board 1310 side, etc.

In this way, it is possible to determine whether or not there has been any cheating based on the number of balls fired, the number of game balls B ejected from the game board 5 (number of recovered balls), the number of foul balls, etc.

[7-8. Enclosed ball amount detection process]
The enclosed ball quantity detection process will be explained with reference to Figure 76 etc. The enclosed ball quantity detection process detects whether the quantity (number of balls) of enclosed game balls B is appropriate. The enclosed ball quantity detection process determines whether the quantity of game balls B is appropriate by combining the ON/OFF of the insufficient circulating ball sensor 621 and the ON/OFF of the excess circulating ball sensor 622. The insufficient circulating ball sensor 621 and the excess circulating ball sensor 622 are ON when the detection of game balls B continues for a predetermined time (e.g., 80 ms) or more.

Specifically, in the ball storage passage 604 of the circulating ball path unit 600, which is upstream of the ball lifting inlet passage 651 in the ball lifting unit 650, if the rearmost end of a line of game balls B is located between the under-circulating ball sensor 621 and the over-circulating ball sensor 622, the under-circulating ball sensor 621 will be ON and the over-circulating ball sensor 622 will be OFF. In such a combination, the amount of game balls B is determined to be appropriate, and no related errors will be reported.

On the other hand, if the rearmost part of the line of game balls B in the ball storage passage 604 is located downstream of the low circulating ball sensor 621, the low circulating ball sensor 621 will be OFF and the high circulating ball sensor 622 will be OFF. In such a combination, the amount of game balls B will be determined to be insufficient, and an error message will be displayed indicating that there are "too few game balls."

Furthermore, if the rearmost part of the game balls B lined up in a row in the ball storage passage 604 is located upstream of the under-circulating ball sensor 621 and the over-circulating ball sensor 622, the under-circulating ball sensor 621 will be ON and the over-circulating ball sensor 622 will be ON. In such a combination, it is determined that there are too many game balls B, and an error message will be displayed indicating that there are "too many game balls."

Depending on the environment (amusement hall) in which the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment is installed, it may be installed alongside pachinko machines that use conventional iron balls SB as game balls. When the game balls B are replenished or replaced during maintenance of the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, there is a risk that iron balls SB may become mixed in. Furthermore, if iron balls SB become mixed in with this pachinko machine 1, because a powerful magnet 616 is provided in the ball removal shutter 615 of the ball storage passage 604 on the circulation route R, the mixed iron balls SB will be attracted by the magnet 616 and will come to a standstill on the ball removal shutter 615.

When the iron ball SB is magnetically attached to the ball ejection shutter 615 and the ball launching unit 550 continues to launch game balls B, the game balls B downstream of the ball ejection shutter 615 in the ball storage passage 604 are lifted by the ball lifting unit 650 and decrease in number, eventually turning OFF the low circulating ball sensor 621. Meanwhile, the game balls B launched from the ball launching unit 550 are collected by the out ball receiving port 600a, safe ball receiving port 600b, foul unit 570, etc. of the circulating ball path unit 600 and supplied to the upstream side of the ball storage passage 604, where they accumulate upstream of the ball ejection shutter 615 (iron ball SB), eventually turning ON the excess circulating ball sensor 622. In this way, when the circulating ball shortage sensor 621 is OFF and the circulating ball excess sensor 622 is ON, it is determined that an iron ball SB is magnetically attached to the ball removal shutter 615, and an error message is displayed indicating that an "iron ball has been mixed in."

If a ball jam occurs between the low circulating ball sensor 621 and the high circulating ball sensor 622, the same combination as above will occur, and an error message will be displayed indicating that an "iron ball has been mixed in."

Errors can also be reported by lighting up a warning lamp, or by displaying an image on an effect display device. Alternatively, an error signal can be output to the hall computer (HOLCON) of the amusement hall via the game ball dispensing device 8, causing a warning lamp installed in the amusement hall to light up.

In this way, the enclosed ball quantity detection process allows the amount of enclosed game balls B to be managed appropriately, and also allows the detection of the presence of iron balls SB.

[7-9. Ball removal processing]
The ball removal process will be explained. The ball removal process is performed in the circulating ball path unit 600 when the ball removal shutter 615 opens the ball removal opening 613p and removes the game ball B to the ball receiving tray 720. The ball removal process is performed by opening the door frame 3 relative to the main body frame 4, turning the door open switch 507 OFF, pulling the ball removal shutter 615 forward to open the ball removal opening 613p, and turning on the ball removal switch 742 provided on the frame control board 740.

[7-9. Ball removal processing]
The ball removal process will be explained. The ball removal process is performed in the circulating ball path unit 600 when the ball removal shutter 615 opens the ball removal opening 613p and removes the game ball B to the ball receiving tray 720. The ball removal process is performed by opening the door frame 3 relative to the main body frame 4, turning off the door open switch 507, pulling the ball removal shutter 615 toward you to open the ball removal opening 613p, and turning on the power with the ball removal switch 742 provided on the frame control board 740 turned on (by turning on the ball removal switch 742 when the power is turned on).

During the ball removal process, the ON/OFF of the lifting inlet sensor 653 is disabled, the launch solenoid 553 in the ball launching unit 550 repeatedly turns ON/OFF at predetermined time intervals, and the lifting motor 664 remains operating.

At this time, even if the launch solenoid 553 is turned ON and game ball B is launched, the foul shutter 571 is in the closed position because the door frame 3 is open, and the ball is sent to the circulation ball path unit 600 as a foul ball without being shot out from the foul unit 570. During the ball removal process, the launch of game ball B is not stopped, but game play is stopped. For example, even if a start win occurs, game balls are not paid out, and no lottery or variable display for special symbols is performed, making it impossible to play normal games. During the ball removal process, special notifications are issued using the performance display device 1600, lamps, speakers, etc. Furthermore, if the ball removal switch 742 is turned ON when the power is turned on, RAM clearing, which initializes the RAM built into the main control board 1310, is not executed, and game information such as the game status at the time of power interruption is maintained.

In this way, the enclosed game ball B can be removed by the ball removal process. When inserting a game ball B, it is possible to insert it through the outlet 1008 of the game board 5, or to remove the game board 5 from the main frame 4 and insert (refill) it through the out ball receiving port 600a or safe ball receiving port 600b, which open upward.

[7-10. Other]
In the above embodiment, the pachinko machine 1 has been described on the assumption that a stainless steel ball made of stainless steel is used as the game ball B, but this is not limited thereto. As in the past, an iron ball SB may be used as the game ball B. When an iron ball is used as the game ball B, the magnet 616 in the circulating ball path unit 600 is eliminated to allow the game ball B (iron ball SB) to flow through the ball storage passage 604, and the game ball B passage sensors (ball sensors) dedicated to stainless steel balls, which are provided on both the main frame 4 and the game board 5, are replaced with ones capable of detecting the iron ball SB. These changes enable the pachinko machine 1 to operate. The optical ball sensor can be used as is without replacement.

However, when using an iron ball SB as the game ball B, it becomes possible to commit fraud using a magnet M (so-called magnetic cheating), so cheating detection using a conventional magnetic sensor (magnetic sensor 1030) is required on the game board 5 side.

The following describes the placement of magnetic sensors on a typical gaming board, with reference to Figure 77 and other figures. Figure 77(a) is an explanatory diagram showing the orientation of a magnetic sensor that can detect magnetic field lines from a magnet, (b) is an explanatory diagram showing the orientation of a magnetic sensor that cannot detect magnetic field lines from a magnet, (c) is an explanatory diagram showing a schematic perspective view of the detection range of a magnetic sensor on a gaming board, (d) is an explanatory diagram showing the positional relationship between a magnetic sensor and a magnetic body where magnetic field lines from a magnet are not detectable, (e) is an explanatory diagram showing the positional relationship between a magnetic sensor and a magnetic body where magnetic field lines from a magnet can be detected, and (f) is an explanatory diagram showing the magnetic sensor and the holder separated. Note that the magnetic sensor placement examples shown in Figure 77 and other figures can be used on the gaming boards of each embodiment in this specification.

Generally, multiple magnetic sensors 1030 are provided in a pachinko machine 1 to detect unauthorized magnetism (magnetic lines of force). As shown in Figure 77 (f), the magnetic sensor 1030 comprises a sensor main body 1031 for detecting magnetism, a white sensor board 1032 on which the sensor main body 1031 is mounted, and a transparent sensor case 1033 that covers the sensor board 1032 and the sensor main body 1031. Although not shown, in addition to the sensor main body 1031, the sensor board 1032 also mounts ICs, transistors, resistors, diodes, connectors, etc. In this embodiment, a magnetic sensor using a GMR element is used for the sensor main body 1031.

The magnetic sensor 1030 is rectangular in plan view and is formed as a rectangular parallelepiped with a height shorter than the length of the short side of the rectangle, with one of the height sides chamfered. The magnetic sensor 1030's internal sensor body 1031 and sensor board 1032 can be seen from the outside through the transparent sensor case 1033.

The magnetic sensor 1030 can detect the passage of magnetic field lines parallel to the longest side of the rectangular parallelepiped. Therefore, when the orientation of the magnetic sensor 1030 and the positional relationship with the magnet M are as shown in Figure 77(a), the magnetic field lines of the magnet M pass in a direction parallel to the long side, and the magnetism (magnetic field lines) of the magnet M can be detected.

On the other hand, when the orientation of the magnetic sensor 1030 and the positional relationship with the magnet M are as shown in Figure 77 (b), the magnetic field lines of the magnet M pass perpendicular to the long side (perpendicular to the surface of the rectangle formed by the long and short sides), so the magnetism (magnetic field lines) of the magnet M cannot be detected.

For this reason, as shown by the hatched area in Figure 77(c), the magnetic sensor 1030 has a detection area DA for the magnet M's magnetism on one side and the other side of the long side centered on the magnetic sensor 1030. In other words, the magnetic sensor 1030 has a gourd-shaped detection area DA formed by combining two spheres with a diameter of approximately 10 cm. Note that Figure 77(c) is a diagram assuming that the magnetic sensor 1030 has been placed near the first starting hole 2003 of the game board 5 as a fraud prevention measure.

Next, as shown in Figure 77 (d), if a magnetic body M1 is placed in parallel with a magnetic sensor 1030 that can detect magnetic field lines from a magnet M, the magnetic field lines will be attracted to the magnetic body M1, reducing the number of magnetic field lines passing through the magnetic sensor 1030, which may prevent the magnetic sensor 1030 from detecting the magnetic field lines (magnetism) from the magnet M.

On the other hand, as shown in Figure 77 (e), if a magnetic body M2 is placed in series with a magnetic sensor 1030 that can detect magnetic field lines from a magnet M, the magnetic field lines are attracted by the magnetic body M2, increasing the number of magnetic field lines passing through the magnetic sensor 1030. This makes it possible to detect the magnetic field of a magnet M that is far away or a magnet M with weak magnetic force.

In conventional pachinko machines, magnetic sensors are attached to the game board using screws made of magnetic material. However, depending on the relative positions of the magnetic sensor and the screws, the magnetic field from the magnet M used to commit fraud can be attracted to the screw, which has a high magnetic permeability, reducing the number of magnetic field lines passing through the magnetic sensor, making it impossible to detect the approach of the magnet M. In contrast, in this embodiment, the magnetic sensor 1030 is attached without using screws.

Specifically, as shown in Figure 77 (f), the magnetic sensor 1030 is attached to the frame of the gaming machine (main frame 4 and gaming board 5) via a holding portion 1035 made of a non-magnetic material (here, synthetic resin). The holding portion 1035 is molded integrally with a member not shown. This holding portion 1035 has a storage portion 1036 that can store the magnetic sensor 1030 from one side, and an elastic claw 1037 that engages with the magnetic sensor 1030 stored in the storage portion 1036. The holding portion 1035 also has a protrusion 1038 that protrudes into the storage portion from the leg of the elastic claw 1037. This holding portion 1035 is made of transparent synthetic resin.

When the magnetic sensor 1030 is inserted into the storage section from the outside, the holding section 1035 that holds the magnetic sensor 1030 elastically deforms the elastic claw 1037 in a direction away from the storage section 1036. When the magnetic sensor 1030 is stored in the storage section 1036, the elastic claw 1037 returns to its original position and engages with the end of the magnetic sensor 1030. At this time, the protrusion 1038 on the leg of the elastic claw 1037 abuts against the magnetic sensor 1030, pressing the magnetic sensor 1030 against a portion of the inner surface of the storage section 1036 opposite the elastic claw 1037.

The engagement of this elastic claw 1037 prevents the magnetic sensor 1030 from moving in the direction of coming out of the housing portion 1036, preventing the magnetic sensor 1030 from falling out. Furthermore, the abutment of the protrusion 1038 presses the magnetic sensor 1030 into the housing portion 1036, preventing the magnetic sensor 1030 from rattling within the housing portion 10361.

In this way, because the holding portion 1035 is made of a non-magnetic material, when the magnet M is brought close to the play area 5a, the holding portion 1035 is prevented from attracting magnetic field lines from the magnet M, and a decrease in the magnetic field lines passing through the magnetic sensor 1030 can be prevented. This makes it easier to detect magnetism acting on the play area 5a, allowing for early detection of fraudulent activity using the magnet M, and by reporting the detection of suspicious magnetic fields by the magnetic sensor 1030, it is possible to dissuade players from engaging in fraudulent activity, thereby providing a pachinko machine 1 that has a high deterrent effect against fraudulent activity.

In addition, the holding portion 1035, which is made of a non-magnetic material, avoids the attraction of magnetic field lines from the magnet M and prevents a decrease in the magnetic field lines passing through the magnetic sensor 1030. This makes it possible to effectively detect the magnetic field acting on the play area 5a with fewer magnetic sensors 1030 than in conventional pachinko machines, allowing for fewer magnetic sensors 1030 than conventional pachinko machines, thereby suppressing increases in the costs of the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, by elastically deforming the elastic claws 1037 of the holding portion 1035, the magnetic sensor 1030 can be easily attached to and detached from the holding portion 1035. This means that the magnetic sensor 1030 can be attached using the elastic claws 1037 without using metal screws made of magnetic material, as is the case with conventional pachinko machines. This also simplifies the assembly of the pachinko machine 1, thereby minimizing the increase in costs associated with the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, since the magnetic sensor 1030 is biased (pressed) toward the storage section 1036 by the protrusion 1038 of the holding section 1035, the biasing force of the protrusion 1038 can be suppressed, which can reduce the possibility of the connector connected to the magnetic sensor 1030 becoming detached or causing poor contact due to such vibration, ensuring reliable operation of the magnetic sensor 1030.

In the case of a pachinko machine 1 having a circulation path R in the main frame 4 (game machine frame), if an iron ball SB is used as the game ball B, it becomes possible to commit fraudulent acts (so-called magnetic goofing) within the circulation path R using a magnet M. Therefore, it is desirable to provide a magnetic sensor (magnetic sensor 1030) that can detect fraudulent magnetic fields within the circulation path R (particularly around the launch subtraction sensor 554, foul ball sensor 607, and launch front sensor 704, which are involved in adding/subtracting the number of balls held by the player). In this embodiment, the area that is particularly susceptible to fraud is the vicinity of the launch subtraction sensor 554 of the ball launching unit 550, specifically the game ball B on the ball launch pad 552b (launch rail) and the path from the foul unit 570 to the foul ball sensor 607. Details of embodiments regarding the placement of magnetic sensors that can detect fraudulent magnetic fields within the circulation path R will be described later.

[8. Overall configuration of the game board]
The overall configuration of the game board 5 in the pachinko machine 1 will be described in detail mainly with reference to Figures 78 to 84. Figure 78 is a front view of the game board, with the transparent center gadget and other features rendered opaque. Figure 79 is a perspective view of the game board of Figure 78 as seen from the right front, Figure 80 is a perspective view of the game board of Figure 78 as seen from the left front, and Figure 81 is a perspective view of the game board of Figure 78 as seen from the rear. Figure 82 is an exploded perspective view of the game board disassembled into its main components as seen from the front, and Figure 83 is an exploded perspective view of the game board disassembled into its main components as seen from the rear. Figure 84 is a front view of the game board, with the front unit cut parallel to the surface of the game panel, to show the play area through which game balls circulate.

The game board 5 of the pachinko machine 1 has a game area 5a into which a game ball B is shot by the player operating the handle 160. The game area 5a is equipped with a general prize opening 2001, a regular prize opening 2002, a first start opening 2003, a second start opening 2004, a large prize opening 2005, a special prize opening 2006, and a second V prize opening 2008, which grant the player a predetermined benefit (e.g., an addition of a predetermined number of balls to the player's possession) when a game ball B is accepted or passes through them. This game board 5 is designed for entertaining players by operating the handle 160 and circulating game balls B within the game area 5a so that game balls B can be accepted by the general prize opening 2001, regular prize opening 2002, first start opening 2003, second start opening 2004, big prize opening 2005, and special prize opening 2006 within the game area 5a.

The game board 5 comprises a front component 1000 that defines the outer periphery of the play area 5a and has a generally rectangular outline when viewed from the front; a plate-shaped game panel 1100 that is attached to the rear side of the front component 1000 and defines the rear end of the play area 5a; multiple magnetic sensors 1030 (see Figure 93) that detect illicit magnetic fields within the play area 5a; and a vibration sensor 1040 (see Figure 93, etc.) that detects vibrations acting on the game board 5 (pachinko machine 1). A number of obstacle nails that come into contact with the game ball B are planted in a predetermined gauge arrangement on the front surface of the game panel 1100 in a portion that is within the play area 5a.

The game board 5 also includes a board holder 1200 attached to the lower rear of the game panel 1100, and a main control unit 1300 attached to the rear of the board holder 1200 and having a main control board 1310 (see Figure 93, etc.) that controls the game content played by shooting game ball B into the game area 5a.

The gaming board 5 also includes a function display unit 1400 that displays the game status based on control signals from the main control board 1310 and is attached to the upper left corner of the front component 1000 so as to be visible to the player; a peripheral control unit 1500 that is located behind the gaming panel 1100; an effect display device 1600 that is located in the center of the gaming area 5a when viewed from the front and is capable of displaying specified effect images; a panel relay board (not shown) that is located behind the gaming panel 1100 and relays the connection between the main control board 1310 and the peripheral control board 1510; a front unit 2000 that is attached to the front of the gaming panel 1100; and a rear unit 3000 that is attached to the rear of the gaming panel 1100.

A performance display device 1600 is provided on the rear surface of the rear unit 3000, and a peripheral control unit 1500 is provided on the rear surface of the performance display device 1600.

The front unit 2000 has multiple (three in this case) general winning openings 2001 that are always open and can receive game balls B that have been shot into the game area 5a, a regular winning opening 2002 that is located at a predetermined position within the game area 5a and is always open and can receive game balls B, a first starting opening 2003 that is located in the center in the left-right direction below the center device 2500 and is always open and can receive game balls B, and a lottery is held when game balls B are received by the regular winning opening 2002. The game board 5 is equipped with a second starting opening 2004 that can accept game ball B depending on the result of a lottery for a normal symbol that is drawn when game ball B is received into the first starting opening 2003, a large prize opening 2005 or a special prize opening 2006 that can accept game ball B depending on the result of a lottery for a first special symbol that is drawn when game ball B is received into the first starting opening 2003 or a second special symbol that is drawn when game ball B is received into the second starting opening 2004, and a first V prize opening 2007 and a second V prize opening 2008 that can accept game ball B received into special prize opening 2006. The game board 5 also has multiple magnetic sensors 1030 (see FIG. 93) that detect magnetic fields that may be acting illicitly within the game area 5a.

The front unit 2000 is provided with an outlet 2020, which is located at the most downstream position within the play area 5a and is always open to receive game balls B, and which discharges received game balls B outside the play area 5a without returning them; and two sub-outlets 2021, which are located upstream of the outlet 2020 within the play area 5a and are always open to receive game balls B, and which discharge received game balls B outside the play area 5a without returning them. Two outlets 2020 are provided on the left and right, with the first start port 2003 in between. The two sub-outlets 2021 are located to the left of the center of the play area 5a in the left-right direction, and to the right of the center of the play area 5a in the left-right direction, respectively.

Furthermore, the front unit 2000 is comprised of a start port unit 2100, which is attached directly above the bottom end of the play area 5a in the center of the left-right direction within the play area 5a and has a first start port 2003 and an outlet port 2020; a side unit 2200, which is provided along the inner rail 1002 to the left of the start port unit 2100 when viewed from the front, and has three general winning ports 2001 and one sub-outlet port 2021; and an upper left side unit 2300, which is provided slightly above the left side of the side unit 2200 when viewed from the front. The system is equipped with an attacca unit 2400, which is located to the right of the start opening unit 2100 and has a second start opening 2004, a large prize opening 2005, and one sub-out opening 2021; a frame-shaped center device 2500, which is located slightly above the center of the game area 5a when viewed from the front, and has a device winning opening 2006, a first V winning opening 2007, and a second V winning opening 2008; and a regular winning opening unit 2600, which is located above the right end of the attacca unit 2400 and has a regular winning opening 2002.

The center device 2500 comprises a frame-shaped main unit 2510 having a device winning slot 2006 and a first V winning slot 2007, and a lottery device 2550 located at the bottom within the frame of the main unit 2510 and having a second V winning slot 2008.

The rear unit 3000 includes multiple magnetic sensors 1030 that detect illicit magnetic fields within the play area 5a, a vibration sensor 1040 that detects vibrations acting on the play board 5 (pachinko machine 1), a rear box 3010 that is attached to the rear surface of the panel holder 1120 of the play panel 1100 and is box-shaped with an open front and a square opening 3010a in the rear wall, a lock slider 3020 that detachably attaches the effect display device 1600 to the rear wall of the rear box 3010, and a rear board unit 3040 that is positioned behind the effect display device 1600 and attached to the rear wall of the rear box 3010.

The rear unit 3000 also includes a rear ball guide unit 3100, which is located at the bottom near the front end of the rear box 3010 and through which game balls B guided to the rear of the game panel 1100 circulate; a rear decoration unit 3200, which is located behind the rear ball guide unit 3100 within the rear box 3010; a rear front performance unit 3300, which is located to the left and above the rear ball guide unit 3100 near the front end within the rear box 3010; and a rear rear performance unit 3400, which is located behind the rear front performance unit 3300 within the rear box 3010.

[8-1. Front components]
The front component 1000 of the game board 5 will be described in detail, mainly with reference to Figures 82 and 83. The front component 1000 is formed entirely transparent. The front component 1000 has an approximately square outer shape in a front-to-back view and an approximately circular inner shape that penetrates in the front-to-back direction. The inner periphery of the inner shape defines the outer periphery of the game area 5a. The front component 1000 includes an outer rail 1001 that extends in an arc shape clockwise from the lower end toward the left of the center in the front view, passing the upper end of the center in the front view to the upper right. An inner rail 1002 is disposed inside the front component 1000 and extends in an arc shape from the lower center in the front view to the upper left of the front view. An out guide portion 1003 is formed at the lowest position of the game area 5a on the right side of the lower end of the inner rail 1002 in a front view and slopes downward toward the rear.

The component 1000 also includes a lower right rail 1004 that slopes linearly from the right end of the out guide section 1003 when viewed from the front to near the right edge of the component 1000, with the right end being slightly higher; a right rail 1005 that extends from the right end of the lower right rail 1004 along the right edge of the component 1000 to below the upper end of the outer rail 1001, with the upper part curved inward of the component 1000; and a collision stop section 1006 that connects the upper end of the right rail 1005 to the upper end of the outer rail 1001 and against which a game ball B rolling along the outer rail 1001 comes into contact.

The component 1000 also includes a backflow prevention member 1007 that is rotatably supported on the upper end of the inner rail 1002 and can rotate only between a closed position in which it extends upward from the upper end of the inner rail 1002 to close the gap between it and the outer rail 1001, and an open position in which it rotates clockwise when viewed from the front to open the gap between it and the outer rail 1001, and is biased by a spring (not shown) to return to the closed position.

Furthermore, the front component 1000 is provided with an outlet 1008 that penetrates from front to back at the rear end of the outlet guide section 1003, located at the lower center in the left-right direction when viewed from the front within the frame. This outlet 1008 is closed from the front by the starting port unit 2100.

Furthermore, the component 1000 is provided with security recesses 1009 recessed rearward from the front end at the outside of the portions extending approximately perpendicularly from the lower ends of the outer rail 1001 and inner rail 1002, the underside of the out guide portion 1003 and lower right rail 1004, and the outside of the right rail 1005. When the game board 5 is attached to the main frame 4 and the door frame 3 is closed against the main frame 4, a rear projection (not shown) protruding rearward from the security cover (not shown) on the door frame 3 is inserted into this security recess 1009. As a result, the area between the security cover and the game board 5 (front component 1000) is bent in a complex manner by the rear protrusion of the security cover and the security recess 1009 of the front component 1000. Therefore, even if an attempt is made to insert an illegal tool such as piano wire into the game area 5a between the security cover and the front component 1000 from below the front of the game board 5, the attempt will be blocked by the rear protrusion and the security recess 1009, preventing the illegal tool from entering the game area 5a.

The component 1000 also has a notch 1010 cut upward from the bottom edge in the lower left corner when viewed from the front. This notch 1010 coincides with the notch 1122 in the gaming panel 1100. When the component 1000 is attached to the main frame of a pachinko machine that dispenses gaming balls to players, this notch 1010 passes through the notch 1010 and the notch 1122 to allow the front end openings of the lower normal payout passage and the lower full payout passage of the lower full ball passage unit to face forward, thereby supplying gaming balls to the upper and lower trays of the door frame.

Furthermore, the component 1000 is provided with a function display unit mounting portion 1011 formed in the upper left corner when viewed from the front, to which the function display unit 1400 is attached, and a stamp attachment portion 1012 formed in the lower right corner.

In addition, the front component 1000 is almost entirely transparent, allowing the game panel 1100 and rear unit 3000 located at the rear to be seen from the front.

[8-2. Game Panel]
The game panel 1100 of the game board 5 will be described in detail mainly with reference to Figures 82 and 83. The game panel 1100 is attached to the rear surface of the front component 1000, and a front unit 2000 and a rear unit 3000 are attached to it. The game panel 1100 comprises a flat panel board 1110 made of transparent synthetic resin and having an outer periphery slightly larger than the inner periphery of the frame-shaped front component 1000, and a frame-shaped panel holder 1120 that holds the outer periphery of the panel board 1110, is attached to the rear side of the front component 1000, and has the rear surface to which the rear unit 3000 is attached. A plurality of obstacle nails are planted in a predetermined gauge arrangement on the front surface of the game panel 1100.

The panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100 is formed from a synthetic resin board such as acrylic resin, polycarbonate resin, polyarylate resin, or methacrylic resin, or an inorganic board such as glass or metal. The thickness of this panel board 1110 is thinner than the approximately 20 mm thickness of a wooden gaming panel, and the minimum thickness required is approximately 10 mm, which is sufficient to support the installation of obstacle nails on the front surface and the attachment of the front unit 2000. In this embodiment, the panel board 1110 is formed from a transparent synthetic resin board.

The panel plate 1110 is at its lowest position within the play area 5a, and the position corresponding to the outlet 1008 of the previous component 1000 is recessed upward from the bottom end. In other words, in this embodiment, the outlet 1008 of the panel plate 1110 is not hole-shaped, but rather formed as a notch that opens downward on the panel plate 1110. The outlet 1008 may also be formed as a hole. The panel plate 1110 also has multiple openings 1112 that penetrate from front to back and are used to attach the front unit 2000. In this embodiment, the openings 1112 are hole-shaped, but they may also be formed as notches that open outward from the outer periphery of the panel plate 1110.

In addition, although not shown, the panel plate 1110 has multiple positioning holes formed as round holes and short elongated holes that penetrate from front to back, and multiple engagement steps that are spaced apart in the left-right direction on the upper and lower edges and are formed with a thin plate thickness. The positioning holes are used to position the panel with the panel holder 1120 by inserting protruding pins (not shown) of the panel holder 1120. The engagement steps are used to engage with engagement claws (not shown) or engagement pieces (not shown) of the panel holder 1120, allowing the panel plate 1110 to be detachably attached to the panel holder 1120.

The panel plate 1110 has a large opening 1112 for attaching the center device 2500, which is offset above the center when viewed from the front. This gives the panel plate 1110 a frame-like shape, and the width perpendicular to the direction in which the game balls B flow (the circumferential direction of the frame) when viewed from the front is wide enough on the left, right, and lower sides, excluding the area above the center, to accommodate multiple game balls B, while the upper side is narrow enough that multiple game balls B cannot be lined up.

The panel holder 1120 of the gaming panel 1100 has a roughly rectangular outer shape large enough to encompass the panel board 1110, and is thicker than the panel board 1110 (approximately 38 mm in this embodiment, the same thickness as a wooden gaming panel). This is to allow both wooden gaming panels and transparent synthetic resin gaming panels 1100 to be attached to the main frame 4 of the same pachinko machine 1 (gaming machine) and used for play.

The panel holder 1120 is made of a transparent synthetic resin (for example, a thermoplastic synthetic resin). The panel holder 1120 has a holding step (not shown) that is recessed from the front side toward the rear side and is approximately the same size as the panel board 1110, and a through hole 1121 that penetrates the holding step in the front-to-rear direction and is approximately the same size as the play area 5a.

The panel holder 1120 also has a notch 1122 cut upward from the bottom edge in the lower left corner when viewed from the front. This notch 1122 is formed to match the notch 1010 of the previous component 1000. When attached to the main frame of a pachinko machine that pays out game balls to players, this notch 1122 passes through the notch 1010 and the notch 1122 to allow the front end openings of the lower normal payout passage and lower full payout passage of the lower full ball passage unit to face forward, allowing game balls to be supplied to the upper and lower trays of the door frame.

Furthermore, the panel holder 1120 has an outlet recess 1123 that extends upward from the bottom end to a position corresponding to the outlet 1008 and is recessed from the rear surface toward the front. The upper part of the outlet recess 1123 is connected to the outlet 1008.

Although not shown, the panel holder 1120 also includes a plurality of protruding pins that protrude forward from the holding step and are inserted into a plurality of positioning holes in the panel plate 1110, three engagement claws that are positioned outside the holding step and elastically engage with engagement step sections on the upper and lower left sloping portions of the panel plate 1110, and a pair of engagement pieces that protrude upward from the lower outer side of the holding step and respectively engage with two engagement step sections on the lower edge of the panel plate 1110. The panel holder 1120 can be removably attached with the panel plate 1110 housed in the holding step by engaging the engagement step sections on the lower edge of the panel plate 1110 with the engagement pieces from an upper front diagonal, and then moving the upper part of the panel plate 1110 rearward to elastically engage the engagement step sections on the upper and lower left sloping portions with the engagement claws. At this time, the protruding pins of the panel holder 1120 are inserted into the positioning holes of the panel plate 1110, and the panel plate 1110 is positioned at a predetermined position relative to the panel holder 1120.

This gaming panel 1100, along with the front component 1000 attached to the front, is formed transparently. This reduces the visibility of the boundaries of the gaming area 5a when assembled to the gaming board 5, giving the player a sense of openness, and while the actual size of the gaming area 5a remains unchanged, it makes the gaming area 5a appear larger (wider) to the player.

In addition, because the gaming panel 1100, along with the front component 1000, is transparent, light from the effect display device 1600, front unit 2000, rear unit 3000, etc. can be reflected or refracted forward (towards the player) to appear to be emitting light, further enhancing the overall decorativeness of the gaming board 5.

[8-3. Substrate holder]
The board holder 1200 in the gaming board 5 will be described in detail mainly with reference to Figures 82 and 83. The board holder 1200 is formed in a horizontally long box shape that is open at the top and front, and the bottom surface is inclined so that it becomes lower toward the center in the left-right direction. The board holder 1200 has an ejection section 1201 that is cut out from the front end toward the rear in the center of the left-right direction on the bottom surface. When assembled to the gaming board 5, this board holder 1200 covers the lower part of the back unit 3000 attached to the rear of the gaming panel 1100 from the bottom and rear, and a main control board box 1320 of the main control unit 1300 is attached to the rear surface.

When the board holder 1200 is assembled to the pachinko machine 1, the discharge section 1201 is located directly above the out ball receiving port 600a and the safe ball receiving port 600b in the circulating ball path unit 600 of the main body frame 4. As a result, game balls B discharged to the rear of the game panel 1100 through the out port 2020 or sub-out port 2021 are discharged to the out ball receiving port 600a in the circulating ball path unit 600, and by being received in the out ball receiving port 600a, they flow through the out ball passage 601 and are detected (counted) one by one by the out ball sensor 605. On the other hand, game balls B that are received in prize ports such as the general prize port 2001, normal prize port 2002, first start port 2003, second start port 2004, large prize port 2005, and special prize port 2006 and discharged downward from the front unit 2000 and rear unit 3000 are discharged to the safe ball receiving port 600b in the circulation ball path unit 600, and by being received in the safe ball receiving port 600b, they flow through the safe ball passage 602 and are detected (counted) one by one by the safe ball sensor 606.

[8-4. Main control board unit]
The main control unit 1300 in the game board 5 will be described mainly with reference to Figures 81 to 83. The main control unit 1300 is detachably attached to the rear surface of the board holder 1200. The main control unit 1300 includes a main control board 1310 (see Figure 93) that controls the game content and the granting of benefits to players, and a main control board box 1320 that houses the main control board 1310 and is attached to the board holder 1200.

The main control board box 1320 is composed of a board base 1330 that is attached to the board holder 1200 and has the main control board 1310 attached to its rear surface, and a board cover 1340 that is attached to the board base 1330 so as to cover the main control board 1310 from behind. The board base 1330 and board cover 1340 are made of transparent polycarbonate. The main control board 1310 is housed in the internal space formed by the board base 1330 and board cover 1340. Because the board base 1330 and board cover 1340 are made of transparent polycarbonate, the condition of the front and back sides of the main control board 1310 (whether or not tampering has occurred or whether or not an unauthorized IC is installed) can be confirmed from the outside of the main control board box 1320.

The main control board box 1320 is also equipped with multiple sealing mechanisms 1350, one for each of the board base 1330 and board cover 1340. When the main control board box 1320 is closed using one sealing mechanism 1350, that sealing mechanism 1350 must be destroyed in order to open the main control board box 1320 again, leaving traces of the opening and closing of the main control board box 1320. Therefore, by examining the traces of opening and closing, unauthorized opening and closing of the main control board box 1320 can be detected, providing an enhanced deterrent against unauthorized acts on the main control board 1310.

The main control board 1310 of the main control unit 1300 is connected to the interface board 760, the out ball sensor 605, the peripheral control board 1510, etc. The main control board 1310 is also connected to the function display unit 1400, general prize opening sensor 3001, regular prize opening sensor 3002, first start opening sensor 2101, second start opening sensor 2401, large prize opening sensor 2402, special prize opening sensor 2501, first V prize opening sensor 2502, second V prize opening sensor 2503, losing opening sensor 2504, start opening solenoid 2412, attacca solenoid 2414, special prize opening solenoid 2516, first distribution solenoid 2534, second distribution solenoid 2544, lottery loop solenoid 2558, striking piece drive motor 2561, gutter swing drive motor 2564, swing piece solenoid 2565, magnetic sensor 1030, vibration sensor 1040, etc.

The main control board 1310 also has a base monitor consisting of four 7-segment LEDs (not shown). The base monitor can be seen from behind through the transparent board cover 1340. This base monitor displays the number of game balls B launched by the ball launching unit 550 that are shot into the game area 5a, ejected downward from the game board 5, and counted by being detected by the out ball sensor 605 provided in the circulating ball path unit 600 of the main frame 4. The base monitor of this embodiment displays the number of game balls B (the number of balls that returned to the game hall) counted by the out ball sensor 605 after 100 shots are launched as a percentage.

[8-5. Function display unit]
The function display unit 1400 on the game board 5 will be described in detail mainly with reference to Figure 78 etc. The function display unit 1400 is attached to the upper left corner of the front component 1000 outside the game area 5a. When assembled to the pachinko machine 1, the function display unit 1400 can be seen from the front (player's side) through the game window 101 of the door frame 3. This function display unit 1400 uses multiple LEDs based on control signals from the main control board 1310 to display the game status (game situation), the results of the lottery for normal symbols and the results of the lottery for special symbols, etc.

The functional display unit 1400, although not shown in detail, is equipped with a status indicator consisting of three LEDs that displays the game status, a normal symbol display consisting of two LEDs that displays the lottery results for the normal symbol drawn when game ball B is received by normal winning port 2002, and a normal hold indicator consisting of two LEDs that displays the number of holds related to the reception of game ball B by normal winning port 2002.

The function display unit 1400 also includes a first special pattern display consisting of eight LEDs that displays the result of the drawing for the first special pattern drawn by receiving game ball B into the first starting port 2003, a first special reserve number display consisting of two LEDs that displays the number of reserves related to receiving game ball B into the first starting port 2003, a second special pattern display consisting of eight LEDs that displays the result of the drawing for the second special pattern drawn by receiving game ball B into the second starting port 2004, and a second special reserve number display consisting of two LEDs that displays the number of reserves related to receiving game ball B into the second starting port 2004.

Furthermore, the function display unit 1400 is equipped with a round display consisting of five LEDs that displays the number of times (number of rounds) the opening and closing pattern of the large prize opening 2005 is repeated when the lottery result for the first special pattern or the lottery result for the second special pattern is a "win," etc.

This functional display unit 1400 can display the number of reserved items, designs, etc. by turning on, off, blinking, etc. the LEDs provided as appropriate.

[8-6. Peripheral Control Unit]
The peripheral control unit 1500 in the gaming board 5 will be described mainly with reference to FIG. 81 and other figures. The peripheral control unit 1500 is provided behind the effect display device 1600, which is provided on the rear side of the rear box 3010 of the rear unit 3000. More specifically, the peripheral control unit 1500 is attached to the rear surface of the liquid crystal spacer 1610, which attaches the effect display device 1600 to the rear surface of the rear box 3010. The peripheral control unit 1500 includes a peripheral control board 1510 (see FIG. 93) that controls the effects presented to the player based on control signals from the main control board 1310, and a peripheral control board box 1520 that houses the peripheral control board 1510. The peripheral control board 1510 includes a peripheral control unit 1511 for controlling light-emitting effects, sound effects, moving effects, etc., and an effect display control unit 1512 for controlling effect images.

The peripheral control board 1510 of the peripheral control unit 1500 is connected to the main control board 1310, the performance operation unit 250, various decorative boards on the door frame 3 side, the performance display device 1600, etc. (See Figure 93). The peripheral control unit 1500 is attached to the rear of the performance display device 1600, details of which will be described later.

[8-7. Performance display device]
The effect display device 1600 on the gaming board 5 will be described mainly with reference to Figures 82 and 83, etc. The effect display device 1600 is located in the center of the gaming area 5a when viewed from the front, and is attached to the rear side of the gaming panel 1100 via the rear box 3010 of the rear unit 3000. The effect display device 1600 is attached to the front of a liquid crystal spacer 1610 that is attached to the rear wall of the rear box 3010. Because the liquid crystal spacer 1610 is detachable from the rear box 3010, the effect display device 1600 can be attached and detached from the rear box 3010 via the liquid crystal spacer 1610. When the gaming board 5 is assembled, the effect display device 1600 can be seen from the front (player's side) through the transparent gaming panel 1100 and the frame of the frame-shaped center device 2500.

The performance display device 1600 is a 15-inch full-color LCD display device with a white LED backlight, and is attached in a landscape orientation to the front of the LCD spacer 1610. The performance display device 1600 is connected to the peripheral control board 1510 and can display specified still images and videos.

The performance display device 1600 is mounted offset (eccentric) so that its center is located lower and right of the center of the liquid crystal spacer 1610, creating space above and to the left of the liquid crystal spacer 1610.

The liquid crystal spacer 1610 is formed in the shape of a transparent flat plate and is the same size as a 19-inch liquid crystal display device. The liquid crystal spacer 1610 has two upper fixing pieces 1611 protruding upward from the top surface and one lower fixing piece 1612 protruding downward from the bottom surface. With the LCD screen of the performance display device 1600 facing forward, the liquid crystal spacer 1610 is attached to the rear box 3010 by inserting the two upper fixing pieces 1611 from diagonally behind the rear box 3010 into two fixing grooves 3010c opening into the upper inner surface of the opening 3010a of the rear box 3010 (described below). The lower fixing piece 1612 is then moved forward to insert the lower fixing piece 1612 into the opening of the lock slider 3020, and sliding the lock slider 3020 to the left when viewed from behind.

[8-8. Overall structure of the table unit]
The front unit 2000 of the gaming board 5 will be described in detail mainly with reference to Figures 82 and 83. The front unit 2000 is attached to the gaming panel 1100 from the front, with its front end protruding forward beyond the front surface of the gaming panel 1100 and its rear end partially protruding into the opening 1112 of the gaming panel 1100.

The front unit 2000 comprises a plurality of (three in this case) general winning openings 2001 that are always open to receive game balls B that have been shot into the game area 5a, a regular winning opening 2002 that is located at a predetermined position within the game area 5a and is always open to receive game balls B, a first starting opening 2003 that is located at a predetermined position within the game area 5a and is always open to receive game balls B, and a regular symbol that is drawn when game balls B are received by the regular winning opening 2002. a second starting opening 2004 that can accept game ball B depending on the result of the lottery; a large prize opening 2005 and a special prize opening 2006 that can accept game ball B depending on the first special symbol drawn by receiving game ball B into the first starting opening 2003 or the second special symbol drawn by receiving game ball B into the second starting opening 2004; and a first V prize opening 2007 and a second V prize opening 2008 that can accept game ball B received into the special prize opening 2006.

The front unit 2000 also includes an outlet 2020 and a sub-outlet 2021 that discharge game balls B that have been shot into the game area 5a out of the game area 5a. The outlet 2020 and the sub-outlet 2021 are always open so that they can receive game balls B. The outlet 2020 is located at the downstream end of the game area 5a.

The front unit 2000 also includes a first start opening sensor 2101 that detects a game ball B received in the first start opening 2003, a second start opening sensor 2401 that detects a game ball B received in the second start opening 2004, a large prize opening sensor 2402 that detects a game ball B received in the large prize opening 2005, a first V prize opening sensor 2502 that detects a game ball B received in the first V prize opening 2007, a second V prize opening sensor 2503 that detects a game ball B received in the second V prize opening 2008, a loss opening sensor 2504 that detects a game ball B received in the loss opening 2009, and a magnetic sensor 1030 that detects any illegal magnetism acting within the game area 5a.

Multiple (here, three) general winning openings 2001 are located to the left of the horizontal center at the bottom of the play area 5a. The regular winning opening 2002 is located below the vertical center near the right edge of the play area 5a when viewed from the front. The first starting opening 2003 is located between the two exit openings 2020 in the horizontal center of the play area 5a. The second starting opening 2004 is located below the regular winning opening 2002 near the right edge of the play area 5a. The large winning opening 2005 is located to the right of the first starting opening 2003 in the play area 5a. The special winning opening 2006 is located above the regular winning opening 2002 near the right edge of the play area 5a.

The outlets 2020 are located at the downstream end of the gaming area 5a, below both the left and right sides of the first starting outlet 2003. One of the sub-outlets 2021 is located to the left of the three general winning outlets 2001, and the remaining one is located below the second starting outlet 2004.

The front unit 2000 comprises a start port unit 2100 which is attached to the left-right center of the play area 5a directly above the bottom end of the play area 5a and has a first start port 2003 and an outlet port 2020; a side unit 2200 which is located to the left of the start port unit 2100 as viewed from the front, along the inner rail 1002, and has three general winning ports 2001 and one sub-outlet port 2021; and an upper left side unit 2300 which is located slightly above and to the left of the side unit 2200 as viewed from the front.

The front unit 2000 also includes an attacca unit 2400 located to the right of the start opening unit 2100 and having a second start opening 2004, a large prize opening 2005, and one sub-out opening 2021; a frame-shaped center role device 2500 located slightly above the center of the game area 5a when viewed from the front and having a role device winning opening 2006, a first V prize opening 2007, a second V prize opening 2008, and a losing opening 2009; and a regular prize opening unit 2600 located above the attacca unit 2400 and having a regular prize opening 2002.

[8-8a. Starting port unit]
Next, the start opening unit 2100 of the front unit 2000 will be described mainly with reference to Figures 78 to 80 and Figure 84. The start opening unit 2100 of the front unit 2000 is located in the game area 5a, directly above the outlet 1008, near the lower end in the center of the left-right direction, and is attached to the game panel 1100 from the front. The start opening unit 2100 has a first start opening 2003 that is always open upward and wide enough to receive only one game ball B, and two outlets 2020 that are always open to receive game balls B and discharge the received game balls B outside the game area 5a without returning them. The start opening unit 2100 also has a first start opening sensor 2101 that detects the game ball B received in the first start opening 2003 (see Figure 93).

The outlet 2020 is located at a lower position than the first starting opening 2003. The two outlets 2020 of the starting opening unit 2100 are located at symmetrical positions with the first starting opening 2003 in between. The first starting opening 2003 opens upward with a width that allows one game ball B to pass through. The outlet 2020 opens upward with a width that is equivalent to the width of two game balls B, and is located at the lowest position within the game area 5a.

The start opening unit 2100 is designed so that the difference in height between the first start opening 2003 and the outlet opening 2020 is smaller (lower) than the difference in height between the first start opening and the outlet opening (out opening 1008) in conventional pachinko machines. This gives the player the illusion that the first start opening 2003 is located lower than a conventional first start opening, making the playing area 5a appear relatively larger.

The start opening unit 2100 is located below the first start opening 2003 and has a start opening display unit 2110 that can display a predetermined image. The start opening display unit 2110 is composed of a single 7-segment LED. This start opening display unit 2110 can display predetermined images (including numbers) as the game progresses. When the start opening unit 2100 is assembled to the gaming board 5, the start opening display unit 2110 closes the outlet 1008 from the front, making the outlet 1008 invisible to the player. This allows the player to recognize that the outlet 2020 is the lowest end of the gaming area 5a.

When the start port unit 2100 is assembled to the gaming board 5, the first start port 2003 is located directly below the central release section 2513a on the stage 2513 of the center device 2500, allowing for a high probability of receiving a gaming ball B released from the central release section 2513a. The gaming ball B received by this first start port 2003 is detected by the first start port sensor 2101, guided to the rear of the gaming panel 1100, handed over to the rear ball guidance unit 3100 of the rear unit 3000, and discharged into the safe ball receiving port 600b of the circulation ball path unit 600 below.

The game ball B received by the outlet 2020 is guided to the rear of the game panel 1100, handed over to the back ball guide unit 3100 of the back unit 3000, and then discharged from the back ball guide unit 3100 to the out ball receiving port 600a of the circulation ball path unit 600 below.

[8-8b. Side unit]
Next, the side unit 2200 of the front unit 2000 will be described mainly with reference to Figures 78 to 80 and 84. The side unit 2200 of the front unit 2000 extends along the inner rail 1002 to the left of the starting port unit 2100 within the game area 5a, and is attached to the game panel 1100 from the front. The side unit 2200 has three general winning ports 2001 that are always open to receive game balls B, and one sub-out port 2021 that is always open to receive game balls B.

The three general winning openings 2001 of the side unit 2200 are arranged in an arc along the inner rail 1002, with the openings positioned higher toward the left. Each general winning opening 2001 has an opening the size (width) of one game ball B. One sub-out opening 2021 is provided to the left of the leftmost general winning opening 2001. The sub-out opening 2021 has an opening the size (width) of one game ball B.

The side unit 2200 also has a shelf 2201 to the right of the rightmost general winning opening 2001, which slopes downward as it moves to the right. The shelf 2201 extends to the right, up to near the right end of the left outlet 2020 of the starting opening unit 2100. In other words, when game ball B rolls down the shelf 2201, it is received by the left outlet 2020.

When the side unit 2200 is assembled to the gaming board 5, the three general winning openings 2001 and one sub-out opening 2021 protrude forward beyond the front surface of the gaming panel 1100. This side unit 2200 can guide a gaming ball B received in the general winning opening 2001 to the rear of the gaming panel 1100 and deliver it to the back ball guide unit 3100 of the back unit 3000. The gaming ball B delivered to the back ball guide unit 3100 of the back unit 3000 is detected by the general winning opening sensor 3001 and then discharged downward.

In addition, the side unit 2200 can guide the game ball B received in the sub-outlet 2021 to the rear of the game panel 1100 and deliver it to the back ball guide unit 3100 of the back unit 3000. The game ball B delivered to the back ball guide unit 3100 of the back unit 3000 is discharged into the safe ball receiving port 600b of the circulation ball path unit 600 below.

[8-8c. Upper left side unit]
Next, the upper left side unit 2300 of the front unit 2000 will be described mainly with reference to Figures 78 to 80 and 84. The upper left side unit 2300 of the front unit 2000 is attached to the gaming panel 1100 from the front, within the gaming area 5a, so as to contact the inner rail 1002 to the left of the side unit 2200. The upper left side unit 2300 has a shelf portion 2301 that is inclined so as to be lower to the right.

When the upper left side unit 2300 is assembled to the game board 5, the shelf portion 2301 protrudes forward beyond the front surface of the game panel 1100. The upper left side unit 2300 can use the shelf portion 2301 to guide the game ball B that has flowed down the left side of the center device 2500 to the right side, below the center device 2500.

[8-8d. Attacker Unit]
Next, the attacca unit 2400 of the front unit 2000 will be described mainly with reference to Figures 78 to 80 and 84. The attacca unit 2400 of the front unit 2000 is located in the gaming area 5a, to the right of the start opening unit 2100 as viewed from the front, which is in the lower right corner as viewed from the front, and is attached from the front to the front of the gaming panel 1100. This attacca unit 2400 has a second start opening 2004, a big prize opening 2005, and one sub-out opening 2021 (see Figure 84, etc.).

When viewed from the front, the attacker unit 2400 has the second starting hole 2004 located at the top right of the center in the left-right direction, the large prize opening 2005 located to the left of the center in the left-right direction and lower than the second starting hole 2004, and one sub-outlet 2021 located below the second starting hole 2004 and lower than the large prize opening 2005.

The attacker unit 2400 also includes a second start opening sensor 2401 that detects game ball B received in the second start opening 2004, a special prize opening sensor 2402 that detects game ball B received in the special prize opening 2005, and a magnetic sensor 1030 that detects unauthorized magnetism (see Figure 93). Two special prize opening sensors 2402 are provided, one on the left and one on the right.

The attacker unit 2400 also has a dummy sensor 2403 located behind the sub-outlet 2021 in a position visible from the front. This dummy sensor 2403 cannot detect game ball B, but is formed in the same manner as a through sensor that detects the passage of game ball B, such as the large prize opening sensor 2402. With this configuration, the dummy sensor 2403 can be replaced with a sensor that can actually detect game ball B, making it possible to change the main frame 4 to either counting out balls or not. Note that while the dummy sensor 2403 is formed in the same manner as a through sensor, it may also be formed as a spacer that eliminates steps that could cause balls to become stuck in that area.

The attacca unit 2400 is equipped with a second starting gate door 2411 that can open and close the second starting gate 2004, a starting gate solenoid 2412 that opens and closes the second starting gate door 2411 in accordance with the result of the normal lottery drawn when a game ball B is received at the normal winning gate 2002, a large winning gate door 2413 that can open and close the large winning gate 2005, and an attacca solenoid 2414 that opens and closes the large winning gate door 2413 in accordance with the result of the first special lottery or the result of the second special lottery drawn when a game ball B is received at the first starting gate 2003 or the second starting gate 2004.

The second starting opening 2004 of the attacca unit 2400 opens upward with a width in the left-right direction slightly larger than the diameter of game ball B. The special prize opening 2005 opens upward with a width in the left-right direction 4 to 6 times the diameter of game ball B. The second starting opening door 2411, which allows the second starting opening 2004 to be opened and closed, is movable forward and backward in the front-to-back direction and is inclined so that its left end is lower. The special prize opening door 2413, which allows the special prize opening 2005 to be opened and closed, is movable forward and backward in the front-to-back direction by rotating around an axis extending left and right, and is inclined so that its left end is lower.

This second starting port door 2411 is designed to move forward and backward. When the starting port solenoid 2412 is not energized, the plunger of the starting port solenoid 2412 protrudes due to the spring force, causing the second starting port door 2411 to move forward and close the second starting port 2004. When the starting port solenoid 2412 is energized, the plunger of the starting port solenoid 2412 retracts against the spring force, causing the second starting port door 2411 to move backward and open the second starting port 2004.

The large prize opening door 2413 is a long, flat plate that moves back and forth by rotating around a left-right axis located below the large prize opening sensor 2402. The large prize opening door 2413 can open and close the large prize opening 2005 by the forward and backward movement of the plunger of the attacca solenoid 2414. When the attacca solenoid 2414 is not energized, the plunger of the attacca solenoid 2414 protrudes due to the spring force, causing the large prize opening door 2413 to move forward and close the large prize opening 2005. When the attacca solenoid 2414 is energized, the plunger of the attacca solenoid 2414 retracts against the spring force, causing the large prize opening door 2413 to move backward and open the large prize opening 2005.

At its upper end, the attacker unit 2400 has an upper shelf 2421 that forms a space between the second starting opening 2004 and the large prize opening 2005 through which game balls B can flow, and is sloped downward to the left and is provided to cover the upper parts. The upper shelf 2421 extends left and right from the upper right end of the second starting opening 2004 to the upper left end of the large prize opening 2005.

The attacca unit 2400 is equipped with a first shelf 2422 that is located above the second starting opening 2004 and slopes downward from a point located to the left of the right end (right rail 1005) of the attacca unit 2400, with a gap allowing one game ball B to pass through, toward the second starting opening 2004 on the left; a second shelf 2423 that slopes downward from the left end of the second starting opening 2004 on the left; a third shelf 2424 that is located to the left and below the second shelf 2423 and slopes downward from a point located between the second shelf 2423 and the third shelf 2424, with a gap allowing one game ball B to pass through, toward the large prize opening 2005 on the left; and a fourth shelf 2425 that slopes downward from the left end of the large prize opening 2005 on the left.

When a game ball B enters the gap to the right of the first shelf 2422, or the gap between the second shelf 2423 and the third shelf 2424, this attacca unit 2400 receives the game ball B in the sub-outlet 2021 and ejects it outside the game area 5a.

Although detailed illustrations of the attacca unit 2400 are omitted, within the space between the upper shelf 2421 and the large prize opening 2005 where game balls B can circulate to the left, multiple abutment parts that are triangular in plan view protrude into the space, alternating left and right from the front and rear walls that form the space. When the large prize opening 2005 is closed, these multiple abutment parts allow game balls B rolling on the large prize opening door 2413 to circulate in a large zigzag pattern back and forth, lengthening the circulation time of game balls B circulating on the large prize opening door 2413.

In the normal state of the attacca unit 2400, the start port solenoid 2412 and the attacca solenoid 2414 are both de-energized (OFF). In this normal state, the plunger of the start port solenoid 2412 protrudes forward due to the biasing force of a spring (not shown), and the second start port door 2411 protrudes forward. In this state, the second start port door 2411 is located above the second start port 2004, and the second start port door 2411 prevents the second start port 2004 from receiving a game ball B. In other words, the second start port 2004 is closed by the second start port door 2411.

In addition, under normal conditions, the plunger of the attacca solenoid 2414 protrudes forward due to the biasing force of a spring (not shown), and the large prize opening door 2413 also protrudes forward. In this state, the large prize opening door 2413 is located above the large prize opening 2005, making it impossible for the large prize opening 2005 to receive game ball B. In other words, the large prize opening 2005 is closed by the large prize opening door 2413.

In this normal state, when a game ball B flows down onto the first shelf 2422, the inclination of the first shelf 2422 causes the game ball B to roll to the left, rolling over the top surface of the second starting gate door 2411 and the second shelf 2423 before being released to the left from the left end of the second shelf 2423. The game ball B released to the left from the second shelf 2423 will, depending on its momentum, fall onto the third shelf 2424 or the large prize gate door 2413, and roll to the left due to the inclination of these. Furthermore, if a game ball B released to the left from the second shelf 2423 hits the underside of the upper shelf 2421 and bounces off to the right, it may enter the gap between the second shelf 2423 and the third shelf 2424.

The game ball B rolling on the large prize opening door 2413, which closes the large prize opening 2005, alternately abuts against multiple abutment sections provided in the space between the upper shelf 2421 and the large prize opening 2005, causing it to roll to the left in a zigzag pattern back and forth. After rolling to the left on the large prize opening door 2413, the game ball B rolls over the fourth shelf 2425 and is then released from its left end out of the attacca unit 2400. Because the left end of the fourth shelf 2425 is located lower than the first starting opening 2003, the game ball B released to the left from the fourth shelf 2425 is received by the outlet 2020.

When a game ball B flows down onto the upper shelf portion 2421 of the attacca unit 2400, it is guided to the left by the slope and is released to the left of the attacca unit 2400 without having the opportunity to be accepted by the second starting opening 2004 or the large prize opening 2005. Because the left end of the upper shelf portion 2421 is located at a higher position than the first starting opening 2003, game ball B released to the left from the upper shelf portion 2421 has the potential to be accepted by the first starting opening 2003.

In this attacca unit 2400, when a game ball B flows down to the right of the first shelf 2422, it enters the sub-out port 2021. Also, when a game ball B enters the gap between the second shelf 2423 and the third shelf 2424, it enters the sub-out port 2021. A game ball B that enters the sub-out port 2021 is not returned to the game area 5a, but is discharged onto the lower substrate holder 1200 through the back ball guide unit 3100 of the back unit 3000, and is then handed over to the out ball receiving port 600a of the circulating ball path unit 600. This attacca unit 2400 is configured so that both game balls B that have circulated along the right side of the first shelf 2422 and game balls B that have passed through the gap between the second shelf 2423 and the third shelf 2424 enter the sub-outlet 2021, so that there are essentially two sub-outlets 2021.

In this normal state, when the start port solenoid 2412 is energized (ON) in accordance with the result of the normal lottery drawn when game ball B is received in the normal winning port 2002, the plunger retracts against the spring force, and the second start port door 2411 moves rearward. Then, as the second start port door 2411 moves rearward, the top of the second start port 2004 becomes open, allowing game ball B to be received into the second start port 2004. In other words, the second start port 2004 is in an open state.

When game ball B is received into second starting port 2004 while the second starting port 2004 is in the open state, it is detected by second starting port sensor 2401 and then released rearward from the attacca unit 2400. Game ball B received into second starting port 2004 and released rearward from the attacca unit 2400 is handed over to the rear ball guidance unit 3100 of the rear unit 3000 and discharged into the safe ball receiving port 600b of the circulation ball path unit 600 below.

On the other hand, under normal conditions, when the attacca solenoid 2414 is energized (ON) in accordance with the special lottery result (first special lottery result or second special lottery result) determined by receiving a game ball B into the first starting opening 2003 or the second starting opening 2004, the plunger retracts against the spring force, and the large prize opening door 2413 moves rearward. As the large prize opening door 2413 moves rearward, the large prize opening 2005 is opened upward, allowing the large prize opening 2005 to receive a game ball B. In other words, the large prize opening 2005 is in an open state.

When game ball B is received into the large prize opening 2005 while the large prize opening 2005 is open, it is detected by one of the two large prize opening sensors 2402 located below and is then released rearward from the attacca unit 2400. Game ball B received into the large prize opening 2005 and released rearward from the attacca unit 2400 is handed over to the rear ball guidance unit 3100 of the rear unit 3000 and discharged into the safe ball receiving port 600b of the circulation ball path unit 600 below.

In this way, according to the attacca unit 2400 of this embodiment, game balls B received by the large prize opening 2005 are detected by one of the two large prize opening sensors 2402 and then released to the rear, which prevents game balls B from getting stuck between the large prize opening 2005 and the large prize opening sensors 2402 and allows a large number of game balls B to be received in a short period of time.

[8-8e. Center role]
Next, the center role 2500 in the front unit 2000 will be described in detail mainly with reference to Figures 78 to 80, 84, 85 to 88, etc. Figure 85(a) is a front view of the lottery role in the center role, and (b) is a perspective view of the lottery role seen from above in front. Figure 86 is a side cross-sectional view of the lottery role in the center role, cut at the center in the left-right direction. Figure 87(a) is an explanatory diagram showing a cross-section of the lottery role in a state in which game balls cannot loop, and (b) is an explanatory diagram showing a cross-section of the lottery role in a state in which game balls can loop. Figure 88 is an explanatory diagram showing the flow of game balls in the lottery role.

The center device 2500 of the front unit 2000 is located within the gaming area 5a, above the starting unit 2100 and slightly above the center when viewed from the front, and is attached to the front of the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100. The center device 2500 is formed in the shape of a transparent frame.

The center device 2500, details of which will be described later, is equipped with a device winning opening 2006 that opens and closes to accept a game ball B depending on the results of the lottery for the first special symbol drawn when a game ball B is received into the first starting opening 2003 and the second special symbol drawn when a game ball B is received into the second starting opening 2004, a second V winning opening 2008 that can only accept game balls B that have been received into the device winning opening 2006, and a losing opening 2009 that can accept game balls B that have been received into the device winning opening 2006 but not into the second V winning opening 2008.

The central device 2500 is equipped with a device winning opening sensor 2501 that detects game ball B received in device winning opening 2006, a first V winning opening sensor 2502 that detects game ball B received in first V winning opening 2007, a second V winning opening sensor 2503 that detects game ball B received in second V winning opening 2008, and a loss opening sensor 2504 that detects game ball B received in loss opening 2009.

The center device 2500 comprises a frame-shaped main unit 2510 and a lottery device 2550 located at the bottom of the frame of the main unit 2510. The main unit 2510 has a device winning slot 2006 and a first V winning slot 2007. The lottery device 2550 has a second V winning slot 2008 and a losing slot 2009.

[8-8e-1. Main unit]
The main unit 2510 of the center device 2500 will be described in detail. The main unit 2510 has a device winning opening 2006. The main unit 2510 includes a transparent center frame 2511 attached to the front of the game panel 1100 (panel board 1110), warp passages 2512 capable of guiding game balls B from the outside of the center frame 2511 to the inside of the frame, and a stage 2513 provided at the bottom edge within the frame of the center frame 2511, which rolls the game balls B that have flowed through the warp passage 2512 in the left-right direction and then releases them into the game area 5a.

The center frame 2511 has a frame-shaped insertion portion 2511a that is inserted into the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110 of the gaming panel 1100 and is arranged along the inner surface of the opening 1112, extending in the front-to-rear direction; a flat flange portion 2511b that protrudes outward from the outer periphery of the front end of the insertion portion 2511a and abuts against the front surface of the panel plate 1110 of the gaming panel 1100; an inflow restriction portion 2511c that extends forward beyond the flange portion 2511b and restricts the game ball B flowing down the gaming area 5a from flowing into the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110 of the gaming panel 1100; and a flat support portion 2511d that protrudes from the inner periphery of the front end of the insertion portion 2511a.

When assembled to the gaming board 5, the insertion portion 2511a is arranged so that its rear end coincides with the rear surface of the panel plate 1110 of the gaming panel 1100. When assembled to the gaming board 5, the inflow restriction portion 2511c has a front end, excluding the bottom edge of its frame shape (annular shape), that protrudes forward beyond the front surface of the panel plate 1110 of the gaming panel 1100. As a result, when assembled to the gaming board 5, the inflow restriction portion 2511c can prevent (restrict) the entry (inflow) of game ball B from the outside of the center role device 2500 (center frame 2511) into the interior of the frame.

The flange portion 2511b and the support portion 2511d are thinner than the panel plate 1110 (1/4 to 1/5 the thickness of the panel plate 1110). The flange portion 2511b and the support portion 2511d protrude from the insertion portion 2511a at the same position in the front-to-rear direction.

Multiple support portions 2511d are provided partially around the inner circumference of the insertion portion 2511a. Support portions 2511d are also provided in areas of the insertion portion 2511a where the flange portion 2511b does not protrude, reinforcing the insertion portion 2511a (center frame 2511). The end edges of the support portions 2511d protruding from the insertion portion 2511a are formed in a shape that follows the front shape of the insertion portion 2511a or in a straight line, preventing the support portions 2511d from standing out. The amount by which the support portions 2511d protrude from the insertion portion 2511a is within the range from the thickness of the support portions 2511d to the thickness of the panel board 1110 (1 mm to 10 mm), ensuring that they are not noticeable to players while still providing a reinforcing effect.

The warp passage 2512 has an opening at the left side of the inflow restriction section 2511c when viewed from the front, allowing game balls B in the game area 5a to enter. The warp passage 2512 can guide the game balls B that have entered to the stage 2513. A portion of the warp passage 2512 is formed by the center frame 2511.

The stage 2513 is attached to the insertion portion 2511a of the center frame 2511. The stage 2513 is curved with a recessed central portion in the left-right direction, and is formed in a wavy (W-shaped) shape so that the position corresponding to directly above the first starting hole 2003 of the starting hole unit 2100, that is, the approximate central position in the left-right direction when the center role device 2500 is attached to the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100, is slightly higher than the left and right sides. This stage 2513 has a central release portion 2513a that is slightly higher than the left and right sides in the left-right center, and the lowest portions on both sides (side release portions 2513b) that are inclined so that they slope downward toward the front, and game balls B can be released into the gaming area 5a from these portions.

When the stage 2513 is assembled to the game board 5, its elevated central portion in the left-right direction (central release section 2513a) is located directly above the first starting hole 2003 of the starting hole unit 2100. As a result, when a game ball B is released from the central release section 2513a in the center of the stage 2513, there is an extremely high probability that it will be received by the first starting hole 2003.

The main unit 2510 of the center device 2500 is located in the upper right corner of the center frame 2511 and is equipped with a guide passage group 2520 consisting of two passages through which game ball B can flow. The guide passage group 2520 guides game ball B above the normal winning opening 2002 and the attacca unit 2400.

As shown in Figure 84, the guide passage group 2520 is located outside the inflow restriction portion 2511c of the center frame 2511, and is composed of a first guide passage 2521 whose upper entrance is located at the collision stop portion 1006, and a second guide passage 2522 whose upper entrance is located adjacent to the left side of the entrance to the first guide passage 2521. The guide passage group 2520 (first guide passage 2521 and second guide passage 2522) are both made of colorless and transparent materials, and the game ball B flowing through them can be seen from the front.

The first guide passage 2521 extends vertically downward for a short distance from the impact stop 1006 of the previous component 1000, then bends to the right at a right angle, and as it approaches the right rail 1005, bends downward and extends along the right rail 1005, bends to the left approximately three-quarters of the height of the playing area 5a, extends to the left at a gentle angle, bends downward at a position one playing ball B to the left of the entrance to the second guide passage 2522, extends to the center height of the playing area 5a, bends to the right and extends to the vicinity of the right rail 1005, and then bends downward so that the exit opens downward.

The first guide passage 2521 does not bend in the front-to-back direction, and guides the game ball B downward on approximately the same plane as the front of the game panel 1100. A special prize opening 2006 is provided in the upper left-hand portion of the first guide passage 2521. In addition, below the exit of the first guide passage 2521, a normal prize opening 2002 opens upward.

On the other hand, the second guide passage 2522 has an entrance that opens upward at a location spaced to the left from the entrance of the first guide passage 2521. The second guide passage 2522 extends substantially straight downward from the entrance at the upper end, bends backward at a height lower than the height of the section where the first guide passage 2521 first bends to the right, bends downward behind the front of the gaming panel 1100 so that it is aligned in the front-to-back direction with the first guide passage 2521, extends downward so that its left-to-right direction is roughly aligned with the leftmost section of the first guide passage 2521 that extends downward, bends to the right in a crank shape at a height at the center of the gaming area 5a, bends downward again, bends forward at a section lower than the section of the first guide passage 2521 that extends to the right on the lower side, and then bends right to extend along the lower side of the section of the first guide passage 2521 that extends to the right on the same plane as the first guide passage 2521 in the front-to-back direction, and then bends downward adjacent to the left side of the exit of the first guide passage 2521, so that the exit opens downward.

The main unit 2510 is provided in the middle of one of the guide passages 2520 (here, the first guide passage 2521), and has a special prize winning port 2006 that can receive the game ball B depending on the first special lottery result and the second special lottery result that are drawn when the game ball B is received in the first start port 2003 and the second start port 2004, and a chance port 2006 that can receive the game ball B received in the special prize winning port 2006. 2531, a second sorting device 2540 that sorts game balls B sorted by the first sorting device 2530 to the chance hole 2531 to the first V winning hole 2007, and a lottery guide passage 2545 that guides game balls B not sorted by the second sorting device 2540 to the first V winning hole 2007 (game balls B sorted to the second spurt hole 2541) to the lottery device 2550.

The bonus prize opening 2006 in the main unit 2510 (center bonus device 2500) is located in a section extending to the left at the top of the first guide passage 2521, extending left and right over approximately the entire length of that section in the left-right direction, and opening upward. The bonus prize opening door 2515 extends forward and backward, and is formed like a plate extending left and right with its left end lowered. By moving forward and backward, the bonus prize opening 2006, which opens upward, can be opened and closed. The bonus prize opening door 2515 can close the bonus prize opening 2006 by moving forward. When the bonus prize opening 2006 is closed, it forms the bottom of the section extending left in the first guide passage 2521, and can guide game ball B circulating from upstream to the exit side of the first guide passage 2521.

The device prize opening door 2515 moves backward when driven by the device prize opening solenoid 2516, thereby opening the device prize opening 2006 and allowing the game ball B that has circulated through the first guide passage 2521 to be received by the device prize opening 2006. This device prize opening door 2515 closes the device prize opening 2006 when the device prize opening solenoid 2516 is OFF (not energized), and opens the device prize opening 2006 when the device prize opening solenoid 2516 is ON (energized).

The first distribution device 2530 includes a chance opening 2531 and a first spurt opening 2532 into which a game ball B received by the device winning opening 2006 and detected by the device winning opening sensor 2501 can enter; a distribution rotor 2533 that has a storage section 2533a on its outer surface that can store only one game ball B and is rotatable around an axis in the front-to-back direction; and a first distribution solenoid 2534 (see Figure 93) for rotating the distribution rotor 2533 between a state in which the storage section 2533a of the distribution rotor 2533 faces right and a state in which it faces upward. The distribution rotor 2533 has an outer surface formed in the shape of a truncated cone that tapers toward the rear.

The chance opening 2531 of the first sorting device 2530 is located downstream of the sorting rotor 2533 in the flow of game balls B, and is capable of receiving game balls B stored in the storage section 2533a of the sorting rotor 2533. The chance opening 2531 is located to the right of the sorting rotor 2533. The chance opening 2531 is connected to the second sorting device 2540. The first spur opening 2532 is located upstream of the sorting rotor 2533 in the flow of game balls B, and is capable of receiving game balls B that are not stored in the storage section 2533a of the sorting rotor 2533. The first spur opening 2532 is open forward and guides entering game balls B rearward of the game panel 1100.

When the first distribution solenoid 2534 of the first distribution device 2530 is OFF (de-energized), the storage section 2533a of the distribution rotor 2533 faces to the right. In this state, when a game ball B received in the device winning opening 2006 flows down from above to the distribution rotor 2533 after being detected by the device winning opening sensor 2501, it comes into contact with the outer circumferential surface of the distribution rotor 2533. The outer circumferential surface of this distribution rotor 2533 is formed in a truncated cone shape that narrows toward the rear, so that the slope of the outer circumferential surface guides the game ball B rearward, causing it to enter the first outlet 2532.

On the other hand, when the first distribution solenoid 2534 is ON (energized), the distribution rotor 2533 rotates 90 degrees counterclockwise, with the storage section 2533a facing upward. In this state, when a game ball B received in the device winning opening 2006 flows down from above into the distribution rotor 2533 after being detected by the device winning opening sensor 2501, only one game ball is stored in the storage section 2533a. When a game ball B is stored in the storage section 2533a of the distribution rotor 2533 and another game ball B flows down from above from the device winning opening 2006 side into the distribution rotor 2533, the game ball B will come into contact with the game ball B stored in the storage section 2533a and then enter the first outlet 2532 at the rear. A game ball B that enters the first outlet 2532 is detected by a sensor and then handed over to the back ball guide unit 3100 of the back unit 3000, from which it is discharged into the safe ball receiving port 600b of the circulation ball path unit 600 below.

When a game ball B is stored in the storage section 2533a, the first distribution solenoid 2534 rotates the distribution rotor 2533 90 degrees clockwise, causing the storage section 2533a to face to the right. The game ball B stored in the storage section 2533a rolls to the right from the storage section 2533a and is received by the chance port 2531. The game ball B received by the chance port 2531 is sent to the next second distribution device 2540.

In this way, the first distribution device 2530 can distribute game balls B received in the special prize winning opening 2006 to either the chance opening 2531 side (second distribution device 2540 side) or the first spurt opening 2532 side.

The second sorting device 2540 sorts the game balls B sorted to the chance port 2531 by the first sorting device 2530 to either the second spurt port 2541 or the first V winning port 2007. When viewed from the front, the second sorting device 2540 is located at a height between the first sorting device 2530 and the exit of the guide passage group 2520. The second sorting device 2540 is located behind the sorting rotor 2533 of the first sorting device 2530.

The second distribution device 2540 is equipped with a second draw port 2541 and a first V winning port 2007 that are designed to allow entry of game balls B that have been accommodated in the accommodation section 2533a of the distribution rotor 2533 in the first distribution device 2530 and allocated to the chance port 2531, a distribution piece 2543 that can open and close the second draw port 2541 by moving back and forth, and a second distribution solenoid 2544 (see Figure 93) for moving the distribution piece 2543 back and forth.

The second spur port 2541 opens upward at a position to the right of the distribution rotor 2533, and game balls B distributed to the chance port 2531 are supplied from above. The first V winning port 2007 is located adjacent to the right side of the second spur port 2541 and opens upward. The distribution piece 2543 is a flat plate that slopes downward to the right, and by protruding forward, it can close the upper opening of the second spur port 2541, preventing game balls B from being received by the second spur port 2541, and can also guide game balls B that come into contact with the upper surface to the right, allowing them to be received by the first V winning port 2007.

When the second distribution solenoid 2544 of the second distribution device 2540 is OFF (de-energized), the distribution piece 2543 advances, closing the second draw port 2541. In this state, when a game ball B distributed to the chance port 2531 in the first distribution device 2530 flows down, it abuts the upper surface of the distribution piece 2543 and is guided to the right by the inclination of the distribution piece 2543, and is received (distributed) into the first V winning port 2007. The game ball B distributed to the first V winning port 2007 is detected by the first V winning port sensor 2502, then handed over to the back ball guiding unit 3100 of the back unit 3000, and discharged from the back ball guiding unit 3100 into the safe ball receiving port 600b of the circulation ball path unit 600 below.

On the other hand, when the second distribution solenoid 2544 is ON (energized), the distribution piece 2543 retracts, opening the second spur port 2541 upward and allowing game balls B to be received by the second spur port 2541. In this state, when a game ball B distributed to the chance port 2531 by the first distribution device 2530 flows down, the game ball B passes in front of the retracted distribution piece 2543 and is received (distributed) by the second spur port 2541. The game ball B distributed to the second spur port 2541 is then guided by the lottery guide passage 2545 to the lottery device 2550 on the left.

In this way, the second distribution device 2540 can distribute game balls B stored in the storage section 2533a of the distribution rotor 2533 in the first distribution device 2530, i.e., game balls B distributed to the chance port 2531, to either the second spurt port 2541 (lottery device 2550) side or the first V winning port 2007 side.

The lottery guide passage 2545 is provided with a lottery device entrance sensor 2546 that detects the circulation of game ball B. When game ball B is detected by this lottery device entrance sensor 2546, the peripheral control unit 1511 of the peripheral control board 1510 controls the effect display device 1600, main frame speaker 503, top center speaker, top side speaker, LEDs provided on the game board 5 and door frame 3, etc., to execute an effect that livens up the lottery (allocation) of game ball B within the lottery device 2550. As a result, game ball B is allocated to the second slot 2541 in the second allocation device 2540, eliminating any disappointment the player may have and increasing their excitement for the lottery device 2550.

[8-8e-2. Lottery device]
The lottery device 2550 in the center device 2500 will be described in detail mainly with reference to Figures 85 to 88. The lottery device 2550 of the center device 2500 is provided at the bottom within the frame of the frame-shaped main unit 2510, and has a second V winning opening 2008 and a losing opening 2009. This lottery device 2550 is supplied with game balls B received in the device winning opening 2006. In detail, the game balls B received in the device winning opening 2006 and sorted by the first sorting device 2530 to the chance opening 2531, and then sorted by the second sorting device 2540 to the second losing opening 2541 are supplied. In addition, the lottery device 2550 is equipped with a second V winning port sensor 2503 that detects a game ball B accepted into the second V winning port 2008, and a losing port sensor 2504 that detects a game ball B accepted into the losing port 2009.

The lottery device 2550 of the center device 2500 is provided with a guide path 2551 that slopes downward to the left and receives game balls B that have been distributed to the second slot 2541 by the second distribution device 2540 and circulated through the lottery guide passage 2545; a distribution section 2552 that distributes game balls B that have circulated through the guide path 2551 to either the loop side or the non-loop side (missing slot 2009 side); a hitting section 2553 that can hit game balls B that have been distributed to the loop side by the distribution section 2552 backward; and a game ball B that has been hit backward by the hitting section 2553 that is supplied with game balls B that have been circulated through the lottery guide passage 2545 and circulated forward. The table 2555 has a wide surface in both the front and rear and left and right directions, along which the game ball B guided by the oscillating gutter 2554 rolls and which is slanted downward toward the guide path 2551 in front, and has a second V winning opening 2008 near its downstream end, and a pair of oscillating pieces 2556 located between the second V winning opening 2008 on the table 2555 and the oscillating gutter 2554 and which are oscillating around the axis in the up and down direction.

This lottery device 2550 will be described in more detail below, but as long as the distribution unit 2552 distributes the game balls B to the loop side, the game balls B released from the table 2555 on which the second V winning opening 2008 is located are supplied to the striking unit 2553, allowing the game balls B to loop between the striking unit 2553 and the table 2555.

The guide path 2551 of the lottery device 2550 extends from near the rear end to the front end along the right edge of the lottery device 2550, becoming lower at the front, and then extends along the front edge of the lottery device 2550 to near the left end, becoming lower at the left, forming an L-shape in a plan view. This guide path 2551 extends with a width slightly larger than the diameter of the game ball B. Game ball B is supplied to the guide path 2551 from the lottery guide passage 2545 at the portion that extends in the front-to-rear direction along the right edge.

The distribution section 2552 of the lottery device 2550 is located near the downstream end (left end) of the portion of the guideway 2551 that extends in the left-right direction. The distribution section 2552 includes a losing port 2009 that penetrates the guideway 2551 and opens upward, a swing-bridge-like distribution bridge 2557 that is rotatable around an axis extending in the front-to-back direction near the left end of the losing port 2009 and allows the losing port 2009 to be opened and closed, and a lottery loop solenoid 2558 (see Figure 93) for rotating the distribution bridge 2557. The guideway 2551 is divided into an upstream side and a downstream side by the losing port 2009.

In a plan view, the sorting bridge 2557 is formed as a long, flat plate, with its left side supported so that it can rotate around a longitudinal axis, and its right side acting as a free end. The sorting bridge 2557 is rotatable between a loop position (see Figure 87(a)) in which the right side approaches the right side of the outlet 2009 and extends left and right, leaning over, and a non-loop position (see Figure 87(b)) in which the right side is positioned above the left side, extending up and down, and standing upright.

When the sorting bridge 2557 is in the loop position, it bridges the guideway 2551, which is divided into two parts, upstream and downstream, by the loss port 2009, allowing game ball B to roll from the upstream side to the downstream side by passing over the sorting bridge 2557. In other words, when the sorting bridge 2557 is in the loop position, it closes the loss port 2009, making it unable to accept game ball B. On the other hand, when the sorting bridge 2557 is in the non-loop position, the loss port 2009 is opened upward, allowing game ball B rolling from upstream to be accepted by the loss port 2009 without being passed on to the downstream side. In this way, in the sorting unit 2552, the sorting bridge 2557 can sort game ball B to either the loop side or the non-loop side.

This distribution bridge 2557 has a distribution display section 2557a, which is shaped like a flag and marked with an X, on the side opposite the rolling surface of the game ball B. This distribution display section 2557a becomes visible to the player when the distribution bridge 2557 is in the non-loop position that opens the losing hole 2009. This allows the player to recognize that the game ball B cannot reach the downstream striking section 2553 (cannot loop).

In addition, the left end of the rotatably supported sorting bridge 2557 is located to the left of the left end of the downstream end (front edge) of the table 2555. Therefore, game ball B released from the table 2555 towards the guideway 2551 is released to the right of the sorting bridge 2557 in the non-loop position, so when in the non-loop position, game ball B from the table 2555 does not go to the downstream side of the guideway 2551, which is divided into two (downstream of the sorting bridge 2557), but is instead received by the open losing port 2009.

The striking section 2553 of the lottery device 2550 is inclined so that its front end is lower than the downstream end of the guide path 2551 and rises toward the rear, and is equipped with an uphill section 2559 to which game balls B sorted to the loop side by the sorting section 2552 are supplied, a fan-shaped striking piece 2560 that is provided at the downstream end of the uphill section 2559 and can strike game balls B, and a striking piece drive motor 2561 (see Figure 93) that rotates the striking piece 2560 around an axis perpendicular to the uphill section 2559.

The fan-shaped striking piece 2560 is rotated at a relatively high speed by the striking piece drive motor 2561. Therefore, the strength with which the game ball B is struck varies depending on the timing of when the game ball B reaches the location where the striking piece 2560 is installed and the timing of the rotational position of the striking piece 2560. Therefore, if the game ball B is struck with a certain degree of force, it will climb over the inclined portion 2559 and move toward the rear oscillating gutter 2554. If the strike is weak, it will not climb over the inclined portion 2559 and will return to the front. This creates suspense and excitement for the player depending on whether the game ball B is struck hard enough to move toward the oscillating gutter 2554 (table 2555). Furthermore, because the game ball B returns when the strike piece 2560 strikes it weakly, the time until the game with the game ball B is confirmed can be extended, giving the player a sense of success, and thereby enhancing the player's enjoyment and preventing a decline in interest.

This lottery device 2550 has a swinging passage 2562 between the striking section 2553 and the swinging gutter 2554, into which game balls B that have climbed over an uphill section 2559 are supplied. The swinging passage 2562 is curved so that both ends are higher and the center is lower, and a release port 2563 is provided in the center of the swinging passage 2562 and releases game balls B into the swinging gutter 2554. Multiple bumps are provided near the higher left and right ends of the swinging passage 2562, which can reduce the rolling speed of game balls B. The swinging passage 2562 is provided along the rear edge of the lottery device 2550 and is located behind the table 2555. Game balls B supplied from the striking section 2553 to the swinging passage 2562 roll left and right, similar to the stage 2513, before being released from the central release port 2563 into the swinging gutter 2554.

The oscillating gutter 2554 of the lottery device 2550 is formed in a disk shape and has a gutter section 2554a that is recessed like a gutter and extends from the center to the outer periphery. The disk-shaped oscillating gutter 2554 has an axis of rotation that is inclined so that the rear end is higher. The lottery device 2550 has a gutter oscillation drive motor 2564 (see Figure 93) for rotating the oscillating gutter 2554 back and forth within a predetermined angle range. The gutter oscillation drive motor 2564 rotates the oscillating gutter 2554 back and forth so that the tip of the gutter section 2554a faces the second V winning opening 2008 in the front, with the tip facing left and right within a predetermined angle range.

The oscillating gutter 2554 is located at the rear end (top end) of the table 2555 in the center in the left-right direction, and game balls B released from the release port 2563 are delivered to the gutter section 2554a. Because the oscillating gutter 2554 rotates back and forth, game balls B delivered to the gutter section 2554a can be released within a fan-shaped range corresponding to the rotation direction of the tip of the gutter section 2554a on the table 2555. At this time, because the oscillating gutter 2554 is rotating even as the received game ball B rolls down the gutter section 2554a and is released from the tip, an inertial force acts on the game ball B due to this rotation. Therefore, game balls B released from the tip of the gutter section 2554a do not roll on the table 2555 in a straight line in the direction that the gutter section 2554a is facing, making the rolling direction difficult to predict.

The table 2555 of the lottery device 2550 is inclined so that its front end is lower, and the left-right length of the front end, which is the downstream end, is shorter than the left-right length of the rear end. The table 2555 also has a swaying gutter 2554 at its upper end in the center of the left-right direction, and a second V winning opening 2008 near its lower end in the center of the left-right direction. The table 2555 has a central groove 2555a extending from the swaying gutter 2554 to the second V winning opening 2008 in the center of the left-right direction, and a recess 2555b recessed from its surroundings near its lower end in the center of the left-right direction. The recess 2555b is recessed in the shape of a pentagonal home base, and the second V winning opening 2008 is located at its bottom.

This table 2555 has a central groove 2555a leading to the second V winning opening 2008, and a recess 2555b at the bottom where the second V winning opening 2008 is located, so that when the game ball B enters these grooves, it appears to the player that it will be accepted by the second V winning opening 2008, allowing the player to enjoy the movement of the game ball B rolling around on the table 2555.

The front end, which is the downstream end of the table 2555, is located at a higher position than the guide path 2551 in front of it. Therefore, game balls B circulating along the guide path 2551 will not be supplied onto the table 2555 without passing through the hitting section 2553 and the oscillating gutter 2554.

A pair of oscillating pieces 2556 of the lottery device 2550 are provided symmetrically at positions symmetrical with respect to the center of the table 2555 in the left-right direction, between the oscillating gutter 2554 and the second V winning slot 2008 on the table 2555. The oscillating pieces 2556 are formed in a droplet shape, with their circular base end facing forward and their pointed tips pointing backward, and are rotatable around the circular base end.

The lottery device 2550 is equipped with a swing piece solenoid 2565 that swings a pair of swing pieces 2556 by rotating them back and forth within a predetermined angle range around an axis in the vertical direction. The pair of swing pieces 2556 are configured to rotate in opposite directions by a single swing piece solenoid 2565.

The pair of swinging pieces 2556 are rotated by the swinging piece solenoid 2565, which allows for a faster rotation speed compared to when they are rotated by a drive motor. Therefore, when a game ball B strikes the swinging piece 2556 while it is swinging and moving, the game ball B can be forcefully bounced away. Therefore, depending on the rotation direction of the swinging piece 2556, the striking game ball B can be sent toward the center or both ends of the table 2555 in the left-right direction, thereby varying the flow of the game ball B.

When the pointed tips of the pair of oscillating pieces 2556 are close to each other, the distance between the oscillating pieces 2556 narrows, and the rear-facing surfaces of the oscillating pieces 2556 are inclined so that they move away from the left-right center as they move forward, resulting in the pair of oscillating pieces 2556 narrowing toward the rear. As a result, when a game ball B flowing down from the rear of the oscillating gutter 2554 or table 2555 passes between the pair of oscillating pieces 2556, it is more likely to be accepted by the second V winning opening 2008; however, when it comes into contact with the rear-facing surfaces of the pair of oscillating pieces 2556, it is guided away from the left-right center due to the inclination, making it less likely to be accepted by the second V winning opening 2008.

On the other hand, when the pair of oscillating pieces 2556 are in a state where their pointed tips are away from each other (as shown by the dashed lines in Figure 88), the rear-facing surfaces of the oscillating pieces 2556 are inclined so that they approach the center in the left-right direction as they move forward, and the pair of oscillating pieces 2556 are in a state where they are spread out toward the rear. As a result, when a game ball B flowing down from the rear of the oscillating gutter 2554 or the table 2555 comes into contact with the rear-facing surfaces of the pair of oscillating pieces 2556, the inclination will guide it toward the center in the left-right direction, and it may be received by the second V winning opening 2008.

Therefore, when the pair of oscillating pieces 2556 are widened toward the rear, a game ball B that comes into contact with the oscillating pieces 2556 is guided toward the center in the left-right direction, and therefore, compared to when the pair of oscillating pieces 2556 are narrowed toward the rear, there is a higher chance that a game ball B flowing down from the rear will be received by the second V winning opening 2008. In other words, the probability of receiving a game ball B into the second V winning opening 2008 can be changed depending on the state of the pair of oscillating pieces 2556.

The lottery device 2550 of this embodiment is equipped with a transparent cover 2566 that covers the entire device from above (see Figures 78 to 80, etc.). This cover 2566 prevents game balls B supplied through the lottery guide passage 2545 from flying out of the lottery device 2550, and also prevents game balls B from being supplied (entering) from outside other than the lottery guide passage 2545.

Next, the flow of game balls B in the lottery device 2550 will be explained. In the lottery device 2550, game balls B are received into the device winning port 2006, which opens and closes in a predetermined pattern depending on the first or second special lottery result (for example, a "win") obtained when a game ball B is received into the first starting port 2003 or second starting port 2004. One of the game balls B received into the device winning port 2006 is supplied to the upstream area of the guide path 2551 through the lottery guide passage 2545. The game ball B supplied to the upstream area of the guide path 2551 rolls toward the left sorting section 2552 according to the slope of the guide path 2551.

In the distribution section 2552, the distribution bridge 2557 is tilted and in a loop position for a predetermined period of time, and game balls B rolling from the upstream side pass through the distribution bridge 2557 and roll to the striking section 2553 on the downstream side. Game balls B supplied to the striking section 2553 are then struck backward by the rotating striking piece 2560, causing them to roll up the uphill section 2559 extending backward.

At this time, because striking piece 2560 is formed in a fan shape and rotates at a relatively high speed, depending on the timing of impact of game ball B relative to the rotational position of striking piece 2560, it may impact game ball B hard or just barely touch game ball B, causing game ball B to be struck backward with varying force. Therefore, if the impact by striking piece 2560 is weak, game ball B may not be able to climb up the rising slope 2559 toward the rear and may end up returning down slope 2559, causing game ball B to go back and forth along slope 2559.

When the game ball B hit by the striking piece 2560 overcomes the uphill section 2559, it enters the swinging passage 2562 located at the rear and rolls left and right along the swinging passage 2562, which is lower in the left-right center. At this time, multiple irregularities are provided near the left and right ends of the swinging passage 2562, and as the game ball B passes through these irregularities, the impact of the irregularities reduces its rolling speed. This reduces the momentum of the game ball B that has been hit by the striking piece 2560 and overcomes the uphill section 2559.

After rolling back and forth along the swinging passage 2562, the game ball B is finally released onto the table 2555 from the central release port 2563 via the swinging gutter 2554. At this time, the swinging gutter 2554 is swung and rotated so as to move back and forth within a predetermined angular range by the gutter swing drive motor 2564. Therefore, depending on the timing at which the game ball B is released from the release port 2563 into the swinging gutter 2554 and the timing of the rotation position of the swinging gutter 2554, the game ball B is released from the swinging gutter 2554 in various directions.

The game ball B released from the oscillating gutter 2554 onto the table 2555 rolls forward as the table 2555 tilts, and is released from the front edge into the guideway 2551. At this time, a pair of oscillating pieces 2556, spaced apart on the left and right, are oscillating near the center of the table 2555 in the front-to-back direction, so that the game ball B that comes into contact with the oscillating pieces 2556 can be bounced off, changing its rolling direction. In addition, a second V-shaped winning opening 2008 is provided near the front end of the table 2555 in the center of the left-to-right direction, so that the game ball B rolling on the table 2555 may be received by the second V-shaped winning opening 2008.

A game ball B received by the second V winning opening 2008 is detected by the second V winning opening sensor 2503, and then handed over to the rear ball guide unit 3100 of the rear unit 3000, after which it is discharged into the safe ball receiving opening 600b of the circulation ball path unit 600 below. When game ball B is received by this second V winning opening 2008, a "jackpot game" is executed, which is an advantageous game state in which the large winning opening 2005 is opened and closed in a predetermined pattern. Therefore, when game ball B is supplied to the lottery device 2550, the player can be kept on the edge of their seat depending on whether or not the game ball B will be received by the second V winning opening 2008, entertaining the player and preventing a decline in interest.

When a game ball B is released from the front edge of the table 2555 onto the guideway 2551, it is supplied to the striking section 2553 through the sorting bridge 2557 within a specified time period because the sorting bridge 2557 of the sorting section 2552 is in the loop position. Therefore, when the sorting bridge 2557 is in the loop position, the game ball B can loop any number of times between the striking section 2553 and the table 2555 as long as the game ball B is not accepted by the second V winning opening 2008. In other words, when the sorting bridge 2557 is in the loop position, there are multiple opportunities for the game ball B to be accepted by the second V winning opening 2008. As a result, even if the game ball B rolling on the table 2555 is not accepted by the second V winning opening 2008, it can pass through the sorting bridge 2557 in the loop position, providing another opportunity for it to be accepted by the second V winning opening 2008, allowing the player to continue enjoying the game.

After a predetermined time has passed, the sorting bridge 2557 of the sorting unit 2552 moves from the loop position to the raised non-loop position, and the losing port 2009 that was closed by the sorting bridge 2557 is opened upward. In this state, game balls B released from the front edge of the table 2555 and game balls B that have rolled along the guideway 2551 are received by the losing port 2009, and the lottery at the lottery device 2550 ends without game balls B looping. At this time, the upright sorting bridge 2557 causes the sorting display unit 2557a, which resembles an X flag, to rise and become visible, allowing the player to recognize that game ball B will not loop.

The game ball B received in the loss port 2009 is detected by the loss port sensor 2504, and then handed over to the back ball guide unit 3100 of the back unit 3000, after which it is discharged into the safe ball receiving port 600b of the circulation ball path unit 600 below.

In this way, the lottery device 2550 of this embodiment can keep the player on edge and entertained, depending on whether or not game ball B supplied from the device winning port 2006 will be accepted by the second V winning port 2008. Furthermore, even if game ball B is not accepted by the second V winning port 2008, when the distribution bridge 2557 of the distribution section 2552 is in the loop position, game ball B is sent again via the impact section 2553 to the oscillating gutter 2554 located upstream of the second V winning port 2008 and loops, giving the player another chance to be accepted by the second V winning port 2008. This creates a renewed sense of anticipation in the player, entertains the player, and prevents a decline in interest.

[8-8f. Regular winning unit]
Next, the normal winning port unit 2600 in the front unit 2000 will be described mainly with reference to Figures 78 to 80, 84, etc. The normal winning port unit 2600 has a normal winning port 2002, and is provided near the left end of the gaming area 5a, below the center in the vertical direction. This normal winning port unit 2600 is provided between the attacca unit 2400 and the guide passage group 2520 in the center role device 2500, and the normal winning port 2002 is provided so as to be located directly below the exit of the first guide passage 2521.

The normal winning port 2002 of the normal winning port unit 2600 is always open facing upward to receive the game ball B. The game ball B received by the normal winning port 2002 is guided to the rear of the game panel 1100, then handed over to the rear ball guide unit 3100 of the rear unit 3000, detected by the normal winning port sensor 3002, and discharged into the safe ball receiving port 600b of the circulation ball path unit 600 below.

[8-9. Flow of game balls within the game area]
Next, the flow of the game ball B within the play area 5a will be described in detail, mainly with reference to Figure 84 etc. When assembled on the play board 5, the center role 2500 is located approximately in the center of the play area 5a. Although not shown, within the play area 5a, a plurality of obstacle nails are planted in a predetermined gauge arrangement on both the left and right outer sides and the lower part of the center role 2500, and in the part between the attacca unit 2400 and the guide passage group 2520 of the center role 2500. In addition, a windmill (not shown) that rotates when the game ball B comes into contact with it is provided on the left side of the center role 2500 and above the upper left side unit 2300.

On the left side of the center device 2500, there are multiple obstacle nails planted in a predetermined gauge arrangement between the inner rail 1002. On the left side of the center device 2500 within the gaming area 5a, the entrance to the warp passage 2512 opens slightly upward from the left, in a position below the vertical center of the inflow restriction section 2511c of the center frame 2511. A windmill is also provided between the warp passage 2512 and the shelf section 2301 of the upper left side unit 2300.

A game ball B shot into the left side of the center device 2500 will enter the warp passage 2512 with a certain probability. The game ball B that enters the warp passage 2512 is supplied to the stage 2513 provided within the frame of the center device 2500, rolls left and right on the stage 2513, and is released from either the central release section 2513a or the side release section 2513b so as to return to the game area 5a. The central release section 2513a of the stage 2513 is provided directly above the first starting opening 2003 in the left-right center of the game area 5a, so that a game ball B released from the central release section 2513a will be accepted by the first starting opening 2003 with a certain probability. A game ball B released from the side release sections 2513b on both the left and right sides of the central release section 2513a will be accepted by the first starting opening 2003 with a certain probability.

After being received into the first starting port 2003, the game ball B is detected by the first starting port sensor 2101 of the starting port unit 2100, guided to the rear of the game panel 1100, handed over to the rear ball guiding unit 3100 of the rear unit 3000, and discharged downward from the rear ball guiding unit 3100. When the game ball B is detected by the first starting port sensor 2101, a bonus is awarded in which a predetermined number of game balls B are added to the number of balls the player has, and when predetermined conditions are met (for example, when the number of reserved first special symbols is less than four), a lottery is held for a first special symbol that can create an advantageous game state for the player. The drawn first special symbol is also referred to as the first special lottery result.

Game balls B that are released from stage 2513 and are not received by the first starting port 2003 are received by the outlet 2020 and discharged outside the game area 5a. Game balls B received by the outlet 2020 are guided to the rear of the game panel 1100 and handed over to the rear ball guiding unit 3100 of the rear unit 3000, and then discharged from the rear ball guiding unit 3100 to the outlet ball receiving port 600a of the circulation ball path unit 600 below.

If a game ball B is shot into the outer left side of the center device 2500 and does not enter the warp passage 2512, and flows to the right of the center of the windmill, there is a high probability that it will flow down to the right along the multiple obstacle nails lined diagonally along the bottom edge of the center device 2500. A game ball B that flows to the right of the center of the windmill may be accepted by the first starting opening 2003 or the general winning opening 2001 located in the side unit 2200. A game ball B that flows to the right of the center of the windmill may be accepted by the sub-out opening 2021 located in the side unit 2200. A game ball B that is not accepted by the first starting opening 2003, the general winning opening 2001, or the sub-out opening 2021 is accepted by the out opening 2020 and discharged outside the game area 5a.

Game ball B received by general winning opening 2001 is guided to the rear of the game panel 1100 and then handed over to the rear ball guide unit 3100 of the rear unit 3000, where it is detected by the general winning opening sensor 3001 and then discharged downward. When game ball B is detected by the general winning opening sensor 3001, a bonus is awarded in which a predetermined number of balls are added to the player's possession.

On the other hand, if a game ball B flows to the left of the center of the windmill, it flows down onto the shelf 2301 of the upper left side unit 2300 and then flows down the shelf 2301 to the right. A game ball B that flows to the left of the center of the windmill may be accepted by the general winning opening 2001 and sub-outlet 2021 provided in the side unit 2200. A game ball B accepted by the sub-outlet 2021 is guided to the rear of the game panel 1100, then handed over to the back ball guiding unit 3100 of the back unit 3000, and discharged downward from the back ball guiding unit 3100. A game ball B that is not accepted by the general winning opening 2001 or sub-outlet 2021 is accepted by the outlet 2020 and discharged outside the game area 5a.

Next, to the right of the central device 2500, there are, in order from top to bottom, a guide passage group 2520, a device winning opening 2006, a regular winning opening 2002, a second starting opening 2004, a large winning opening 2005, and a sub-out opening 2021. A number of obstacle nails are planted between the guide passage group 2520 and the second starting opening 2004.

In the gaming board 5 of this embodiment, when a gaming ball B is hit with enough force to enter above the portion of the upper edge of the inflow restriction portion 2511c of the center frame 2511 of the center device 2500 that becomes lower from near the center in the left-right direction toward the right, the gaming ball B flows through either the first guide passage 2521 or the second guide passage 2522 of the guide passage group 2520.

Specifically, when game ball B is hit with enough force to strike the impact stop 1006 protruding inward from the outer rail 1001 that forms part of the periphery of the play area 5a (i.e., a right-handed hit), game ball B that strikes the impact stop 1006 enters the first guide passage 2521. After entering this first guide passage 2521, game ball B rolls on the top surface of the special prize entrance door 2515 that closes the special prize entrance 2006 midway along the first guide passage 2521, and is then released from the right exit at the bottom end of the guide passage group 2520 toward the normal prize entrance unit 2600 below.

On the other hand, when game ball B is shot above the center device 2500 and enters the entrance to the second guide passage 2522 and begins to flow, it is twisted backward and aligned in the front-to-back direction with the first guide passage 2521, and then twisted forward and released from the left exit of the first guide passage 2521 toward the normal winning port unit 2600 below.

The normal winning port 2002 of the normal winning port unit 2600 is located directly below the exit of the first guide passage 2521, so a game ball B that has circulated through the first guide passage 2521 is more likely to be accepted by the normal winning port 2002 than a game ball B that has circulated through the second guide passage 2522.

Game ball B received by normal winning port 2002 is guided to the rear of game panel 1100 and handed over to rear ball guidance unit 3100 of rear unit 3000. It is then detected by normal winning port sensor 3002 and discharged to safe ball receiving port 600b of the circulation ball path unit 600 below. When game ball B is detected by normal winning port sensor 3002, a bonus is awarded in which a predetermined number of balls are added to the player's possession, and if a predetermined condition is met (for example, if the number of reserved normal symbols is less than four), a lottery is held to determine a normal symbol that will allow game ball B to be received by second starting port 2004. The normal symbol thus drawn is also referred to as the normal lottery result.

After being hit to the right into the game area 5a and flowing through the guide passage group 2520, game ball B that was not accepted into the normal winning opening 2002 flows down above the attacca unit 2400 while hitting multiple obstacle pins. When game ball B flows down to the upper shelf 2421 of the attacca unit 2400, it is guided leftward and downward according to the slope of the upper shelf 2421, and is ejected leftward from the attacca unit 2400 without having the opportunity to be accepted into the second starting opening 2004 or the large winning opening 2005. Furthermore, because the downstream end (left end) of the upper shelf 2421 of the attacca unit 2400 is located above the first starting opening 2003, game ball B that has flowed through the upper shelf 2421 may potentially be accepted into the first starting opening 2003.

On the other hand, when a game ball B flows down onto the first shelf 2422 of the attacca unit 2400, it rolls to the left due to its inclination, rolls over the top surface of the second starting gate door 2411 and the second shelf 2423, and is then released to the left from the left end of the second shelf 2423. Then, the game ball B released to the left from the second shelf 2423 falls onto the third shelf 2424 or the large prize gate door 2413 depending on its momentum, rolls to the left due to their inclination, rolls from the large prize gate door 2413 onto the fourth shelf 2425, and is then released from the fourth shelf 2425 to the left, outside the attacca unit 2400. The game ball B released from the fourth shelf 2425 is received by the outlet 2020.

Furthermore, if game ball B does not flow down onto either the upper shelf 2421 or the first shelf 2422 of the attacca unit 2400, but flows down to the right of the first shelf 2422, it will be received by the sub-out port 2021. Even if game ball B flows down onto the first shelf 2422, it will be received by the sub-out port 2021 if it enters the gap between the second shelf 2423 and the third shelf 2424. Game ball B received by the sub-out port 2021 is handed over to the back ball guide unit 3100 of the back unit 3000 without being returned to the game area 5a, and is then discharged into the out ball receiving port 600a of the circulation ball path unit 600 below.

When a game ball B flows down onto the first shelf 2422 of the attacca unit 2400, the game ball B rolls on the second starting port door 2411. Therefore, when the game ball B is accepted into the normal winning port 2002, a "normal win" is drawn as a normal symbol (normal lottery result), and the second starting port door 2411 is retracted by the starting port solenoid 2412, opening the second starting port 2004. At this time, when a game ball B flows (rolls) from the first shelf 2422 side, the game ball B is accepted into the second starting port 2004.

After being detected by the second start port sensor 2401, game ball B received by the second start port sensor 2004 is handed over to the back ball guiding unit 3100 of the back unit 3000 and then discharged downward from the back ball guiding unit 3100. When game ball B is detected by the second start port sensor 2401, a bonus is awarded in which the player's number of balls is increased by a predetermined number, and when predetermined conditions are met (for example, when the number of reserved second special symbols is less than four), a lottery is held for a second special symbol that can create an advantageous game state that is advantageous to the player. The drawn second special symbol is also referred to as the second special lottery result.

Furthermore, after flowing down the first shelf 2422 of the attacca unit 2400 and rolling over the second starting gate door 2411 and second shelf 2423, the game ball B rolls over the large prize gate door 2413. Therefore, depending on the first special symbol (first special lottery result) drawn when the game ball B is accepted into the first starting gate 2003, or the second special symbol (second special lottery result) drawn when the game ball B is accepted into the second starting gate 2004 (for example, when the drawn special symbol (special lottery result) is "large win," "medium win," "small win," etc.), when the large prize gate door 2413 is retracted by the attacca solenoid 2414 and the large prize gate 2005 is opened, if a game ball B flows (rolls) from the second shelf 2423 side, the game ball B will be accepted into the large prize gate 2005.

When game ball B is received into the large prize opening 2005, it is detected by one of the two large prize opening sensors 2402 located below, guided to the rear of the game panel 1100, handed over to the rear ball guide unit 3100 of the rear unit 3000, and then discharged into the safe ball receiving opening 600b of the circulation ball path unit 600 below. When game ball B is detected by the large prize opening sensor 2402, a bonus is awarded in which a predetermined number of balls are added to the player's possession.

When game ball B is received by first starting opening 2003 or second starting opening 2004 and a "perfect prize" is drawn as the first or second special symbol, game prize winning opening 2006 located in the middle of first guide passage 2521 opens and closes in a predetermined pattern, and the distribution rotor 2533 of first distribution device 2530 and the distribution pieces 2543 of second distribution device 2540 operate in a predetermined pattern. Therefore, when a "perfect prize" is drawn, game prize winning opening 2006 opens and closes, and the player can perform a "right hit" to allow game ball B to circulate through first guide passage 2521 in which game prize winning opening 2006 is located, so that game ball B can be received by game prize winning opening 2006.

In this embodiment, the probability of a "reward hit" being drawn is higher than that of a "jackpot," and three patterns are set for a "reward hit": "first reward hit," "second reward hit," and "third reward hit." In each pattern, the reward winning opening 2006 opens and closes roughly twice.

First, the opening and closing of the reel winning opening 2006 during each "reel hit" will be described in detail. A "first reel hit" is completed when, after a certain time (3000 ms) has elapsed since the start of execution, the reel winning opening 2006 opens for a short time (80 ms), then closes, and after a short time (1252 ms) has elapsed, it opens again for a short time (80 ms) before closing. A "second reel hit" is completed when, after a certain time (3000 ms) has elapsed since the start of execution, the reel winning opening 2006 opens for a short time (80 ms), then closes, and after a longer time (5420 ms) than the "first reel hit," it opens for a longer time (9414 ms) before closing. For the "third role win", after a certain time (3000 ms) has elapsed since the start of execution, the role win opening 2006 opens for a short time (80 ms), then closes, and after a longer time (19366 ms) than for the "second role win", it opens for a longer time (9404 ms) before closing again and completing the process.

The second opening of the prize winning slot 2006 in the "first prize winning" occurs after the time from the start of execution until the "first prize winning" is completed. Also, the second opening of the prize winning slot 2006 in the "third prize winning" occurs after the time from the start of execution until the "second prize winning" is completed.

In addition, during the second long-time open state in the "second role win" and "third role win", the open state is repeated eight times (80 ms) at regular intervals (1252 ms). In other words, the role winning port 2006 opens and closes (becomes open) twice in the "first role win" and nine times in the "second role win" and "third role win".

Next, the operation of the distribution rotor 2533 of the first distribution device 2530 during a "perfect bonus" is to rotate counterclockwise at the start of execution, and for a predetermined time (3020 ms) the storage section 2533a faces upward, entering the first storage-enabled state. It then rotates clockwise, and faces the storage section 2533a to the right, entering the unstorable state, after which the predetermined time (4560 ms) passes, entering the second storage-enabled state for a longer time (13446 ms) than the first time. After remaining in the unstorable state for a short time (500 ms), it enters the third storage-enabled state for the same time (13446 ms) as the second time, before returning to the unstorable state.

The first accommodating state of this distribution rotor 2533 ends midway through the first open state of the bonus prize winning port 2006 during the "perfect feature", and the distribution rotor 2533 enters an unaccommodating state. Furthermore, the distribution rotor 2533 enters a second accommodating state after the time from the start of execution until the "first bonus feature" is completed. Therefore, during the "first bonus feature" the control of the distribution rotor 2533 ends before the second accommodating state is entered, and the second and third accommodating states are not executed. The second accommodating state of this distribution rotor 2533 begins before the second open state of the bonus prize winning port 2006 during the "second bonus feature" and the distribution rotor 2533 enters an unaccommodating state after the second open state becomes a closed state.

The distribution rotor 2533 also enters the third storage state after the time from the start of execution until the completion of the "second role hit." Therefore, during the "second role hit," control of the distribution rotor 2533 ends before the third storage state is reached, and the third storage state is not executed. In other words, the distribution rotor 2533 enters the storage state once during the "first role hit," twice during the "second role hit," and three times during the "third role hit." The third storage state of this distribution rotor 2533 begins before the second opening of the role winning port 2006 during the "third role hit," and it enters the non-storage state after the second opening state ends and the closing state is reached.

Next, when a "hit" occurs, the distribution piece 2543 of the second distribution device 2540 moves forward at the same time as the start of execution, closing the second slot opening 2541 for a predetermined time (3020 ms), entering a first closed state (a state in which distribution to the first V winning slot 2007 is possible), then moves backward, opening the second slot opening 2541 (a state in which distribution to the lottery device 2550 is possible), and after a predetermined time (23006 ms) has passed, it enters a second closed state for a time (13446 ms) longer than the first open state, before returning to the open state.

The first closed state of this distribution piece 2543 ends partway through the first open state of the prize winning opening 2006 in the "winning combination" and then becomes open. Furthermore, the second closing state of the distribution piece 2543 in the second distribution device 2540 begins partway through the second open state of the prize winning opening 2006 in the "third winning combination," and after the second open state of the prize winning opening 2006 becomes closed, the distribution piece 2543 changes from closed to open. Therefore, in the second distribution device 2540, the second closing state of the distribution piece 2543 is executed only in the "third winning combination," and the second closing state of the distribution piece 2543 is not executed in the "first winning combination" or "second winning combination."

For this reason, in the "first role win," the role winning port 2006 opens and closes twice in a short period of time, so it is unlikely that game ball B circulating through the first guide passage 2521 due to a "right hit" will be accepted by the role winning port 2006. Furthermore, in the "second role win" and "third role win," the first opening state of the role winning port 2006 is also short, so it is unlikely that game ball B will be accepted by the role winning port 2006. Furthermore, because the time during which the first storage-capable state of the distribution rotor 2533 in the first distribution device 2530 overlaps with the first open state of the device winning port 2006 during a "perfect bonus" is shorter than the time during which the device winning port 2006 is first open, it is even less likely that a game ball B received by the device winning port 2006 when it is first open will be stored in the storage section 2533a of the distribution rotor 2533. Furthermore, because the time at which the first storage-capable state of the distribution rotor 2533 ends and the first closed state of the distribution piece 2543 in the second distribution device 2540 end is the same, a game ball B stored in the storage section 2533a when the distribution rotor 2533 is first stored will not be sorted toward the first V winning port 2007.

On the other hand, the second open state of the device winning opening 2006 in the "second device win" and "third device win" takes a long time, so there is a high possibility that game ball B will be received into the device winning opening 2006 through the first guide passage 2521. At this time, the distribution rotor 2533 of the first distribution device 2530 becomes capable of receiving balls before the device winning opening 2006 opens, and then becomes unable to receive balls after the device winning opening 2006 changes from the open state to the closed state. Therefore, there is a high possibility that game ball B received into the device winning opening 2006 during the second open state will be received in the receiving section 2533a of the distribution rotor 2533.

In this way, in this example, not only is it unlikely that game ball B will be accepted by the device winning port 2006 when the device winning port 2006 is in its first open state in the "second device winning" and "third device winning", but it is even less likely that game ball B accepted by the device winning port 2006 when the device winning port 2006 is in its first open state will be accommodated in the storage section 2533a of the distribution rotor 2533. However, at the same time as the device winning game state begins to be executed, the distribution rotor 2533 rotates counterclockwise to place the storage section 2533a in an upwardly facing, capable of being accommodated, and after having the storage section 2533a facing upward for a predetermined period (3020 ms), it rotates clockwise to place the storage section 2533a in an unacceptable, capable of being accommodated, facing to the right. In other words, immediately after the start of a game state where a per-game feature is played, it is unlikely that the distribution rotor 2533 will distribute game ball B to the chance hole 2531, but the distribution rotor 2533 will perform an operation to distribute game ball B to the chance hole 2531, thereby indicating the distribution operation by the distribution rotor 2533 in advance.

Similarly, immediately after the start of the per-game feature game state, the distribution rotor 2533 is unlikely to distribute game ball B to the chance opening 2531, but at the same time as the start of the per-game feature game state, the distribution piece 2543 of the second distribution device 2540 extends forward to close the second slot opening 2541, making it possible to distribute game ball B to the first V winning opening 2007, and after a predetermined time (3020 ms) has elapsed, it retreats and opens the second slot opening 2541, making it possible to distribute game ball B to the lottery feature 2550. In other words, immediately after the start of the per-game feature game state, the distribution piece 2543 is unlikely to distribute game ball B to the first V winning opening 2007, so the distribution operation by the distribution piece 2543 is performed to distribute game ball B to the first V winning opening 2007, thereby indicating in advance the distribution operation by the distribution piece 2543.

In this example, the distribution rotor 2533 and distribution piece 2543 operate simultaneously with the start of the per-reel game state, i.e., during the performance of the performance at the start of the per-reel game state (the opening performance of the per-reel game state, in which an explanation of the game in the per-reel game state is given, such as "Aim for the per-reel winning slot 2006"). After the operation of the distribution rotor 2533 and distribution piece 2543, the per-reel winning slot 2006 opens for the first time. This reduces the possibility of the distribution rotor 2533 distributing game ball B to the chance slot 2531 and the distribution piece 2543 distributing game ball B to the second spurt slot 2541. Furthermore, if there is no possibility, or an extremely low possibility, of the distribution rotor 2533 distributing game ball B to the chance hole 2531 side and the distribution piece 2543 distributing game ball B to the second spurt hole 2541 side, then the prize winning hole 2006 may be opened for the first time simultaneously with the operation of the distribution rotor 2533 and the distribution piece 2543.

Also, only one of the distribution rotor 2533 and the distribution piece 2543 may be operated in advance, while the other is not. That is, some of the multiple movable parts (distribution rotor 2533, distribution piece 2543) that distribute game ball B that has entered the device winning slot 2006 may be operated in advance to perform the distribution operation, while the other movable parts may not be operated in advance. For example, the distribution piece 2543, which has a high probability of causing game ball B to enter the V winning slot (in this example, the first V winning slot 2007) when activated (high V winning expectation), may not be operated in advance, and only the distribution rotor 2533, which has a lower probability of causing game ball B to enter the V winning slot (in this example, the second V winning slot 2008) than the distribution piece 2543 (low V winning expectation), may be operated in advance. This allows players to know in advance some of the allocation destinations of game ball B that has entered the bonus prize slot 2006, but the other allocation destinations remain unknown. When the other allocation destinations are revealed, the player is surprised by the increased number of allocation destinations, which increases their sense of anticipation. It also allows players to focus on the game ball B that is being allocated and enjoy its movement, preventing a decline in interest in the game.

Furthermore, by not operating the moving part (distribution piece 2543) with a high probability of winning a V prize in advance, its existence is concealed, leading the player to believe that game ball B will enter lottery device 2550. When a "third role hit" is executed, the moving part (distribution piece 2543) with a high probability of winning a V prize is activated, causing game ball B to enter the V prize slot (first V prize slot 2007 in this example), adding an element of surprise and increasing the player's interest in the game by game ball B entering an unexpected allocation destination. Furthermore, the allocation to first V prize slot 2007 is concealed, leading the player to believe that there are only two allocation destinations: first slot slot 2532 and lottery device 2550. This prevents the player from being disappointed even if a "second role hit" with a lower probability of winning a V prize than a "third role hit" is executed and game ball B is allocated to lottery device 2550.

In addition, in this example, the distribution rotor 2533 is positioned in a manner that allows it to be easily seen by the player, whereas the distribution piece 2543 is flat and moves back and forth on the gaming board 5, with a small front surface area, making it difficult for the player to notice its operation. Furthermore, the passage on the side of the first V winning slot 2007, which becomes accessible when the distribution piece 2543 protrudes forward, is difficult for the player to notice. Therefore, when a "third role hit" occurs, the distribution piece 2543 moves and game ball B enters the first V winning slot 2007, making it difficult for the player to notice the behavior of game ball B, and it is possible to give the player the sensation of a sudden V winning and a 15R jackpot being executed, without the player realizing that game ball B has entered the first V winning slot 2007.

In addition, by operating the distribution rotor 2533 in advance during the opening performance of the winning combination game state, in addition to the instructions in the opening performance, such as "aim for the winning combination game slot 2006," the operation of the distribution rotor 2533 also allows the player to easily recognize the destination of the shot, i.e., the position to aim for during the winning combination game state.

When the "winning combination" is drawn as described above and combination winning port 2006 opens, game ball B that has flowed down first guide passage 2521 is received by combination winning port 2006, detected by combination winning port sensor 2501, and then sent to first distribution device 2530. When combination winning port sensor 2501 detects game ball B, a bonus is awarded, such as adding a predetermined number of balls to the player's possession.

Of the "hits," in the "second hit," when the hit is generated, the distribution piece 2543 of the second distribution device 2540 is open when the hit is generated and the distribution rotor 2533 rotates from a storage state to an unstorage state. As a result, the game ball B stored in the storage section 2533a flows down through the chance port 2531 toward the second distribution device 2540, flows from the second slot port 2541 through the lottery guide passage 2545, is detected by the lottery hit sensor 2546, and is then sent to the lottery hit 2550.

In the lottery device 2550, the distribution bridge 2557, which is in the non-loop position, is set to the loop position. For example, when the distribution piece 2543 in the second distribution device 2540 retreats, opening the second suction port 2541, the distribution bridge 2557 is set to the loop position. Then, game ball B sent from the second distribution device 2540 to the lottery device 2550 rolls to the left on the guide path 2551, passes through the distribution bridge 2557 in the loop position, and is sent to the striking section 2553. Then, game ball B sent to the striking section 2553 is struck by the striking piece 2560, which is rotating at high speed, and is supplied to the oscillating gutter 2554 located at the rear center of the table 2555, from which it is released onto the table 2555.

When game ball B is released onto table 2555, it rolls forward due to its inclination and is either received by second V winning opening 2008 located at the front center of table 2555, or released forward (guideway 2551) from the front edge of table 2555. If distribution bridge 2557 is still in the loop position when game ball B is released forward from the front edge of table 2555, game ball B will pass through distribution bridge 2557 and be supplied to striking section 2553. Therefore, when distribution bridge 2557 is in the loop position, game ball B will loop around striking section 2553, oscillating gutter 2554, table 2555, and guideway 2551 in that order until it is received by second V winning opening 2008.

Then, the lottery for a V prize at the lottery device 2550 ends when either game ball B is received by the second V prize opening 2008, or game ball B is received by the loss opening 2009, which is opened when the distribution bridge 2557 moves to the non-loop position after a predetermined time has passed.

A game ball B received into the second V winning opening 2008 is detected by the second V winning opening sensor 2503 and then discharged via the back ball guide unit 3100 of the back unit 3000 to the safe ball receiving opening 600b of the lower circulating ball path unit 600. On the other hand, a game ball B received into the losing opening 2009 is detected by the losing opening sensor 2504 and then discharged via the back ball guide unit 3100 of the back unit 3000 to the safe ball receiving opening 600b of the lower circulating ball path unit 600. When a game ball B is detected by the second V winning opening sensor 2503, a bonus is awarded in which the large winning opening 2005 opens and closes in a predetermined pattern.

Incidentally, in the "third role hit," when the role winning port 2006 is opened for the second time, the distribution piece 2543 of the second distribution device 2540 is closed, and therefore when the distribution rotor 2533 rotates from the accommodating state to the unaccommodating state, the game ball B accommodated in the storage section 2533a passes through the chance port 2531, abuts against the upper surface of the closed distribution piece 2543 of the second distribution device 2540, is guided to the right, and enters (is accepted by) the first V winning port 2007. After being detected by the first V winning port sensor 2502, the game ball B is discharged via the rear ball guide unit 3100 of the rear unit 3000 to the safe ball receiving port 600b of the circulation ball path unit 600 below. When game ball B is detected by the first V winning opening sensor 2502, a special bonus is awarded in which the large winning opening 2005 opens and closes in a predetermined pattern.

In this embodiment, during the lottery for the first special symbol or the second special symbol, which opens and closes the large prize slot 2005 and the accessory prize slot 2006 to create a favorable game state in which the player has an advantage, the first start slot 2003 is always open to receive game ball B, while the second start slot 2004 is only able to receive game ball B in a predetermined pattern when the normal lottery, which is drawn when game ball B is received by the normal prize slot 2002, results in a "normal win." This makes it more likely that game ball B will be received by the first start slot 2003 than by the second start slot 2004.

For this reason, under normal circumstances, the player can perform an operation to shoot game ball B so that game ball B flows down the left side of the center device 2500 so that game ball B can be received by the first starting opening 2003. This allows the player to see the movement of game ball B being guided by multiple obstacle pins, allowing the player to enjoy the original gameplay of the pachinko machine 1 using game ball B and increasing the anticipation of game ball B being received by the first starting opening 2003.

When game ball B is accepted into first starting opening 2003 and a "win" (for example, a "small win," "medium win," "big win," "reel win," etc.) is selected as the lottery result for the first special pattern, large prize opening 2005 or reel prize opening 2006 will open and close in a predetermined pattern, allowing the player to enjoy hitting game ball B to the right of center reel 2500 (so-called "right hit") so that game ball B can be accepted into large prize opening 2005 or reel prize opening 2006, and increasing the player's anticipation for game ball B to be accepted into large prize opening 2005 or reel prize opening 2006.

When hitting game ball B to the right side of the center device 2500, a guide passage group 2520 consisting of a first guide passage 2521 and a second guide passage 2522 is provided on the right side of the center device 2500. Because it has a variety of flow paths, the hitting strength of game ball B can be adjusted so that game ball B flows through the desired flow path, allowing the player to enjoy the operation of hitting game ball B.

In addition, a normal winning opening 2002 is provided to the right of the center device 2500. When game ball B is received by normal winning opening 2002, a normal lottery is held to determine whether second starting opening 2004 is open. This allows players to enjoy not only whether game ball B shot into the right side passes through normal winning opening 2002, but also whether game ball B is accepted by second starting opening 2004 when it becomes open. In this case, because normal winning opening 2002 is located directly below the exit of first guide passage 2521 in guide passage group 2520, players can enjoy the operation of shooting game ball B aimed at first guide passage 2521.

Furthermore, one game ball B received by the device winning port 2006 and selected by the first sorting device 2530 is sorted by the second sorting device 2540 to either the first V winning port 2007 or the second spurt port 2541, making the player feel anxious and excited depending on whether the game ball B is sorted to the first V winning port 2007. Even if the game ball B is sorted to the second spurt port 2541 by the second sorting device 2540, the game ball B is supplied to the lottery device 2550, which is prominently located in the lower center of the center device 2500, creating anticipation for the game ball B to be received by the second V winning port 2008 by the lottery device 2550. Thereafter, the player can be excited again depending on whether or not game ball B rolling on table 2555 of lottery device 2550 is received by second V winning slot 2008, entertaining the player and preventing a decline in interest.

When game ball B is received into the first V winning slot 2007 or the second V winning slot 2008, or when game ball B is received into the first starting slot 2003 and the second starting slot 2004 and a "jackpot" is drawn as the first and second special symbols, the large winning slot 2005 of the attakka unit 2400 opens and closes in a predetermined pattern, providing an opportunity for many game balls B to be added to the number of balls held. Therefore, game ball B can be aimed at the right side of the center device 2500 so that game ball B can be received into the large winning slot 2005 that is opening and closing, entertaining the player and preventing a decline in interest.

[8-10. Overall configuration of the rear unit]
Next, the overall configuration of the back unit 3000 in the game board 5 will be described in detail mainly with reference to Figures 82 and 83. The back unit 3000 is equipped with a vibration sensor 1040 (see Figure 93) that detects vibrations acting on the game board 5 (pachinko machine 1), a general winning opening sensor 3001 that detects a game ball B that has been received by the general winning opening 2001 and guided to the rear of the game panel 1100, and a regular winning opening sensor 3002 that detects a game ball B that has been received by the regular winning opening 2002 and guided to the rear of the game panel 1100. The general winning opening sensor 3001 and the regular winning opening sensor 3002 are provided in the back ball guide unit 3100.

The rear unit 3000 comprises a rear box 3010, which is attached to the rear surface of the panel holder 1120 of the gaming panel 1100 and is box-shaped with an open front and a square opening 3010a in the rear wall; a lock slider 3020 that is slidable left and right on the rear wall of the rear box 3010 for attaching and detaching the effect display device 1600; and a rear board unit 3040 that is attached to the rear wall of the rear box 3010 and can rotate on a hinge.

The rear board unit 3040 comprises a board box 3041 that is L-shaped when viewed from the front and thin from front to back, and a panel relay board and a performance drive board (not shown) housed within the board box 3041. The board box 3041 has two axles 3041a on the outer edges of the part extending up and down in the L shape that are rotatably supported by the axle support part 3010f of the rear box 3010. In addition, the board box 3041 has locking claws 3041b at the tips of the parts extending left and right in the L shape that lock onto the locking parts 3010g of the rear box 3010.

Furthermore, the rear unit 3000 is equipped with a rear ball guide unit 3100, which is located at the bottom near the front end of the rear box 3010 and through which game balls B guided to the rear of the game panel 1100 circulate; a rear decoration unit 3200, which is located behind the rear ball guide unit 3100 within the rear box 3010; a rear front performance unit 3300, which is located to the left and above the rear ball guide unit 3100 near the front end within the rear box 3010; and a rear rear performance unit 3400, which is located behind the rear front performance unit 3300 within the rear box 3010.

The rear ball guide unit 3100 is attached to the front of the rear decorative unit 3200. The rear decorative unit 3200 is attached to the front of the rear wall of the rear box 3010 via an attachment support (not shown). The left end of the rear front performance unit 3300 is attached near the front end of the rear box 3010, and its right end is attached to the front of the right end of the rear rear performance unit 3400. The upper part of the rear rear performance unit 3400 is attached to the front of the rear wall of the rear box 3010 via an attachment support (not shown), and its lower part is attached to the rear decorative unit 3200.

The back decoration unit 3200, back front performance unit 3300, and back rear performance unit 3400 in the back unit 3000 are capable of showing the player predetermined moving and light-emitting effects as the game progresses.

[8-10a. Back box]
Next, the rear box 3010 of the rear unit 3000 will be described in detail, mainly with reference to Figures 82 and 83. The rear box 3010 is attached to the rear side of the game panel 1100 (panel holder 1120), and the presentation unit is attached inside the box-shaped interior, with the presentation display device 1600 and rear board unit 3040 attached to the rear surface. The rear box 3010 is formed to be transparent. This allows the interior to be seen from the outside even when assembled to the game board 5.

The rear box 3010 is box-shaped and open at the front, with a square opening 3010a penetrating the rear wall, a mounting surface 3010b located at the bottom of the opening 3010a on which the performance display device 1600 is placed, two fixing grooves 3010c recessed upward from the inside of the frame at the top of the opening 3010a, and a locking mechanism 3010d located below the center of the mounting surface 3010b in the left-right direction, to which a lock slider 3020 is attached so that it can slide left and right.

Opening 3010a of rear box 3010 is rectangular with an aspect ratio of 3:4 when viewed from the front. Opening 3010a is formed to have approximately the same size in the left-right direction as the rear wall of rear box 3010 in the left-right direction. Furthermore, opening 3010a is located in a position that is offset (eccentric) upward from the center of the rear box 3010 in the up-down direction. Opening 3010a is formed to have the same size as liquid crystal spacer 1610 (a 19-inch liquid crystal display device).

The upper fixed piece 1611 of the liquid crystal spacer 1610, to which the performance display device 1600 is attached, is inserted from below into the two fixing grooves 3010c of the rear box 3010. Furthermore, the lower fixed piece 1612 of the liquid crystal spacer 1610, to which the performance display device 1600 is attached, can be inserted from behind into the locking mechanism 3010d of the rear box 3010 with the locking slider 3020 slid to the left when viewed from the rear. With the lower fixed piece 1612 of the liquid crystal spacer 1610 inserted into the locking mechanism 3010d, sliding the locking slider 3020 to the right when viewed from the rear prevents the locking slider 3020 from moving rearward, allowing the liquid crystal spacer 1610 (performance display device 1600) to be attached.

The rear box 3010 also has a flat fixing piece 3010e extending outward from its front end. This fixing piece 3010e is attached to the gaming panel 1100 with its front surface abutting the rear surface of the gaming panel 1100.

Furthermore, the rear box 3010 is provided with a pair of pivotal support portions 3010f on its rear surface that can rotatably support the shaft portion 3041a of the rear substrate unit 3040 around an axis extending in the vertical direction, and a locking portion 3010g that is provided on the rear surface on the opposite side in the left-right direction from the pair of pivotal support portions 3010f and that locks the locking claw 3041b of the rear substrate unit 3040.

The rear box 3010 has a pair of pivot supports 3010f and a locking member 3010g, allowing the rear board unit 3040 to be attached to the rear side across the opening 3010a (LCD spacer 1610 and performance display device 1600). When assembled onto the gaming board 5, the L-shaped portion of the rear board unit 3040 that extends vertically is located to the left of the peripheral control unit 1500 when viewed from the rear. In addition, the L-shaped portion of the rear board unit 3040 that extends horizontally is located below the peripheral control unit 1500.

When the rear box 3010 is assembled to the game board 5, the rear of the liquid crystal spacer 1610 attached to the rear box 3010 can be opened by releasing the locking claw 3041b of the rear board unit 3040, which is locked to the locking portion 3010g, and rotating the locking claw 3041b so that it moves rearward around the axis portion 3041a. This allows the liquid crystal spacer 1610, and thus the performance display device 1600, to be attached or detached without removing the rear board unit 3040 from the rear box 3010.

The rear box 3010 also has multiple functional hole sections, each consisting of a pair of two through-holes aligned vertically or horizontally, on the surface facing the front-to-rear direction excluding the fixed piece section 3010e, and a functional surface section facing the front-to-rear direction that can be used when assembling the pachinko machine 1 (game board 5). The two through-holes in the functional hole sections have the same diameter. The functional hole sections are intended for attaching a performance unit to the rear box 3010 directly or via an attachment supporter.

[8-10b. Back ball guidance unit]
Next, the rear ball guide unit 3100 in the rear unit 3000 will be described mainly with reference to Figure 82 etc. The rear ball guide unit 3100 is provided in the rear box 3010 at the bottom near the front end, and is attached to the rear box 3010 via a rear decorative unit 3200. The rear ball guide unit 3100 is equipped with a general winning opening sensor 3001 that detects a game ball B received in the general winning opening 2001, a regular winning opening sensor 3002 that detects a game ball B received in the regular winning opening 2002, and a plurality of magnetic sensors 1030 that can detect illicit magnetism acting within the game area 5a.

The back ball guide unit 3100 can receive game balls B received in the general winning port 2001, normal winning port 2002, first starting port 2003, second starting port 2004, large winning port 2005, first V winning port 2007, second V winning port 2008, losing port 2009, and first missing port 2532 in the front unit 2000 at the rear of the game panel 1100, guide them toward the center in the left-right direction, and then discharge them into the safe ball receiving port 600b of the lower circulation ball path unit 600. The back ball guide unit 3100 can also receive game balls B received in the out port 2020 and sub-out port 2021 in the front unit 2000 at the rear of the game panel 1100, guide them toward the center in the left-right direction, and then discharge them into the out ball receiving port 600a of the lower circulation ball path unit 600.

[8-10c. Back decoration unit]
Next, the rear decorative unit 3200 in the rear unit 3000 will be described mainly with reference to Figures 82 and 83. The rear decorative unit 3200 is provided behind the rear ball guide unit 3100 inside the rear box 3010, and is attached to the front of the rear wall of the rear box 3010 via an attachment supporter. A vibration sensor 1040 is attached to the rear decorative unit 3200. The rear ball guide unit 3100 is attached to the front of this rear decorative unit 3200.

When assembled to the game board 5, the rear decorative unit 3200 comprises a rear bottom left decorative body 3210 and a rear bottom right decorative body 3220 that decorate the rear of the left and right outer sides of the lottery device 2550 in the center device 2500, and a rear bottom left decorative board and a rear bottom right decorative board (not shown) on which multiple LEDs are mounted to illuminate and decorate the rear bottom left decorative body 3210 and the rear bottom right decorative body 3220, respectively.

The lower-left decorative body 3210 and the lower-right decorative body 3220 are translucent, and each has multiple projections and depressions on its upper surface that resemble a miniature town. The lower-left decorative board and the lower-right decorative board are provided below the lower-left decorative body 3210 and the lower-right decorative body 3220, respectively, and have multiple LEDs (full-color LEDs) mounted on their upper surfaces. By appropriately illuminating the LEDs mounted on the lower-left decorative board and the lower-right decorative board, the lower-left decorative body 3210 and the lower-right decorative body 3220 can be made to emit light.

[8-10d. Backstage Production Unit]
Next, the back front performance unit 3300 in the back unit 3000 will be described mainly with reference to Figures 78 to 80, 82, etc. The back front performance unit 3300 is provided to the left and above the back ball guide unit 3100 near the front end of the back box 3010, with its left end attached near the front end of the back box 3010 and its right end attached to the right end side of the back rear performance unit 3400.

The back-front performance unit 3300 comprises a back-front left decorative body 3301, which is a long, flat plate located on the left end, a back-front lifting decorative body unit 3310 which is located to the right of the back-front left decorative body 3301 and can be raised and lowered, and a back-front lifting mechanism 3350 for raising and lowering the back-front lifting decorative body unit 3310.

The left-front-back decorative body 3301 of the left-front-back performance unit 3300 is provided with a magnetic sensor 1030 located downward from the center in the vertical direction. The left-front-back decorative body 3301 extends vertically for a length roughly equal to the overall height inside the rear box 3010, and is translucent. Behind the left-front-back decorative body 3301 is a left-front-back decorative board (not shown) with multiple LEDs mounted on the front surface. By appropriately illuminating the LEDs on this left-front-back decorative board, the left-front-back decorative body can be illuminated.

The rear-front lifting decorative body unit 3310 is elongated in the left-right direction. The rear-front lifting decorative body unit 3310 comprises a rear-front lifting base 3311 in the form of a transparent flat plate that is elongated in the left-right direction; a rear-front central decorative body 3320 that is attached to the front center of the rear-front lifting base 3311 and has a performance count display unit 3005; a rear-front central-left decorative body 3330 that is attached to the left of the rear-front central decorative body 3320 on the front of the rear-front lifting base 3311; and a rear-front central-right decorative body 3340 that is attached to the right of the rear-front central decorative body 3320 on the front of the rear-front lifting base 3311.

The rear front central decorative body 3320 comprises a rear front central decorative part 3321 formed in a predetermined three-dimensional shape, a rear front central decorative board (not shown) mounted on multiple LEDs and located behind the rear front central decorative part 3321, and a rear front central base 3323 that supports the rear front central decorative board and rear front central decorative part 3321 from the rear and is attached to the rear front lift base 3311. The rear front central decorative part 3321 has a section that three-dimensionally resembles a pine tree design, and this section is equipped with a performance count display part 3005 consisting of four 7-segment displays. The performance count display part 3005 uses some of the multiple LEDs mounted on the rear front central decorative board.

The back-front middle-left decorative body 3330 comprises a translucent back-front middle-left decorative part 3331 formed in a relief shape resembling the head of a specified character, a back-front middle-left decorative board (not shown) mounted on multiple LEDs and located behind the back-front middle-left decorative part 3331, and a back-front middle-left base 3333 that supports the back-front middle-left decorative board and back-front middle-left decorative part 3331 from behind and is attached to the back-front lift base 3311. The back-front middle-left decorative body 3330 can illuminate the back-front middle-left decorative part 3331 by appropriately illuminating the LEDs on the back-front middle-left decorative board.

The back-front-center-right decorative body 3340 comprises a translucent back-front-center-right decorative part 3341 formed in a relief shape resembling the head of a specified character, a back-front-center-right decorative board (not shown) mounted with multiple LEDs and located behind the back-front-center-right decorative part 3341, and a back-front-center-right base 3343 that supports the back-front-center-right decorative board and back-front-center-right decorative part 3341 from behind and is attached to the back-front lift base 3311. The back-front-center-right decorative body 3340 can illuminate the back-front-center-right decorative part 3341 by appropriately illuminating the LEDs on the back-front-center-right decorative board.

The back-front lifting mechanism 3350 comprises a back-front left lifting rail (not shown) located behind the back-front left decorative body 3301 and supporting the left end of the back-front lifting decorative body unit 3310 so that it can be raised and lowered; a back-front right lifting rail 3352 located behind the back-front left decorative body 3301 and supporting the right end of the back-front lifting decorative body unit 3310 so that it can be raised and lowered; and a back-front lifting drive unit (not shown) located behind the back-front left decorative body 3301 for raising and lowering the back-front lifting decorative body unit 3310. The back-front lifting mechanism 3350 also comprises a drop solenoid for dropping the back-front lifting decorative body unit 3310 from its elevated standby position, and a back-front lifting drive motor for raising the back-front lifting decorative body unit 3310 from its downward dropped performance position to its upper standby position.

When assembled to the gaming board 5, the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 of the rear-front performance unit 3300 is arranged so that it can be seen from the front through the frame of the center role device 2500. In the normal state, the rear-front performance unit 3300 is positioned in a standby position, which is the upper end of its movement, and is prevented from falling downward by the engagement of a locking claw. In the normal state, the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 is positioned near the top of the display screen of the performance display device 1600, as shown in Figure 78, etc.

In addition, when the rear-front lifting decoration unit 3310 of the rear-front performance unit 3300 is in its normal standby position, the rear-rear lifting decoration unit of the rear-rear performance unit 3400 is located in a retracted position behind it, making the rear-rear lifting decoration 3410 invisible from the front.

When the rear-front lifting drive motor moves the lifting slider downward from the normal state of the rear-front performance unit 3300, the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 can be dropped from the standby position to the lower performance position. Then, when the drop solenoid releases the locking claw from this state, the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 falls freely toward the standby position. When the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 has dropped to the performance position, it is located above the lottery device 2550 of the center device 2500 and slightly below the vertical center of the play area 5a.

When the rear-front lifting decoration unit 3310 falls and assumes its performance position, the rear-rear lifting decoration 3410, located in the retracted position of the rear-rear performance unit 3400 at the rear, becomes visible from the front. This not only surprises the player, but also makes them think that something good is about to happen (that a chance has arrived).

In addition, a damper is provided at the bottom of the back-front lifting mechanism 3350 to absorb or mitigate the impact caused by the falling back-front lifting decorative unit 3310.

After dropping to the performance position, the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 rises to an upper standby position as the rear-front lifting drive motor moves the lifting slider upward, and the locking claw automatically engages, returning it to the standby position.

This back-front performance unit 3300 has a performance count display section 3005 consisting of four 7-segment displays on the back-front rising and falling decorative body unit 3310 (back-front central decorative body 3320). Therefore, by executing a countdown display in which the numbers displayed on the performance count display section 3005 decrease, the player can see a countdown performance in which the back-front rising and falling decorative body unit 3310 falls. Note that in the countdown performance, the back-rear rising and falling decorative body 3410 may be moved to a lower appearance position without dropping the back-front rising and falling decorative body unit 3310, or the back-rear rising and falling decorative body unit 3310 may be dropped and the back-rear rising and falling decorative body 3410 may be moved to a lower appearance position.

[8-10e. Backstage Production Unit]
Next, the rear-back performance unit 3400 in the rear unit 3000 will be described mainly with reference to Figures 82 and 83. The rear-back performance unit 3400 is provided behind the front-back performance unit 3300 inside the rear box 3010, with its upper portion attached to the rear wall of the rear box 3010 via an attachment supporter and its lower portion attached to the rear decorative unit 3200. The rear-back performance unit 3400 is equipped with a rear-back lifting decorative body 3410 that is long from side to side, and a rear-back lifting mechanism 3450 for lifting and lowering the rear-back lifting decorative body 3410.

The rear-rear lifting decorative body 3410 in the rear-rear performance unit 3400 comprises a rear-rear lifting decorative section 3411 that is translucent and extends from side to side; a rear-rear lifting decorative board (not shown) mounted with multiple LEDs and located behind the rear-rear lifting decorative section 3411; and a rear-rear lifting base (not shown) that supports the rear-rear lifting decorative board and the rear-rear lifting decorative section from the rear and is raised and lowered by the rear-rear lifting mechanism 3450. The rear-rear lifting decorative section 3411 comprises a logo section 3411a that is applied along its entire length in the left-right direction and consists of a predetermined logo; and a character section 3411b that is provided in relief above the logo section 3411a and has multiple characters different from those on the rear-front lifting decorative body unit 3310 lined up on the left and right. The rear-rear lifting decorative section 3411 can be illuminated by appropriately illuminating the LEDs on the rear-rear lifting decorative board.

The rear-rear lifting mechanism 3450 in the rear-rear performance unit 3400 comprises a U-shaped rear-rear base 3451 that opens downwards, a translucent, flat-plate-shaped rear-rear fixed decorative part 3452 that is provided on the front of the upper edge of the rear-rear base 3451, and a rear-rear fixed decorative board 3453 that is provided between the rear-rear fixed decorative part 3452 and the rear-rear base 3451 and has multiple LEDs mounted on it. The rear-rear fixed decorative part 3452 is formed to be approximately the same length in the left-right direction as the rear-rear lifting decorative body 3410, and has a predetermined pattern applied to its front. The rear-rear fixed decorative part 3452 can be illuminated and decorated by appropriately illuminating the LEDs on the rear-rear fixed decorative board 3453.

In addition, although not shown, the rear lifting mechanism 3450 has a rear left rail that is provided on the left side of the rear base 3451 and supports the left end of the rear lifting decorative body 3410 so that it can be raised and lowered, a rear right rail that is provided on the right side of the rear base 3451 and supports the right end of the rear lifting decorative body 3410 so that it can be raised and lowered, and a rear lifting drive unit that is provided on the left side of the rear base and used to raise and lower the rear lifting decorative body 3410.

The rear lifting drive unit has a rear lifting drive motor, and by driving the rear lifting drive motor, the rear lifting decorative body 3410 can be raised and lowered between a retracted position, which is the upper end of its movement, and an emerging position, which is the lower end of its movement, and the rear lifting decorative body 3410 can be stopped at any position between the retracted position and the emerging position.

In the normal state of the rear-rear performance unit 3400, the rear-rear lifting decorative body 3410 is in a retracted position, which is the upper end of its movement. In this state, the rear-rear lifting decorative body 3410 is positioned in front of the rear-rear fixed decorative part 3452 of the rear-rear lifting mechanism 3450. Therefore, the rear-rear fixed decorative part 3452 is hidden from view from the front by the rear-rear lifting decorative body 3410 in the retracted position.

When assembled on the game board 5, this rear performance unit 3400 is located behind the front performance unit 3300. Therefore, under normal conditions, the front lifting decoration unit 3310, which is the standby position for the front performance unit 3300, is located in front of the rear lifting decoration unit 3410, and is hidden by the front lifting decoration unit 3310, making it invisible from the front.

When the rear-rear performance unit 3400 moves the rear-rear lifting decoration 3410 from its normal state to the appearance position, which is the lower end of its movement, by driving the rear-rear lifting drive motor of the rear-rear lifting mechanism 3450, it is positioned lower than the front-rear lifting decoration unit 3310 in its standby position and slightly above the vertical center of the game area 5a. This makes the rear-rear lifting decoration 3410 visible to the player.

Even when the rear-rear lifting decorative body 3410 is moved downward from the retracted position, when the rear-front lifting decorative body unit 3310 is in the standby position, the rear-front lifting decorative body unit 3310 is positioned in front of the rear-rear fixed decorative part 3452, so the rear-rear fixed decorative part 3452 cannot be seen from the front. Therefore, when the rear-rear lifting decorative body 3410 is moved downward from the retracted position (appearance position) and the rear-front lifting decorative body unit 3310 is dropped from the standby position to the lower performance position, the rear-rear fixed decorative part 3452 becomes visible from the front for the first time. This gives a sense of premium quality to the visibility of the rear-rear fixed decorative part 3452.

When the rear-rear lifting decorative body 3410 is moved to the downward appearance position and the rear-front lifting decorative body unit 3310 is dropped to its performance position, the rear-front lifting decorative body unit 3310 is positioned in front of the logo section 3411a of the rear-rear lifting decorative part 3411 of the rear-rear lifting decorative body 3410, hiding the logo section 3411a, and the character section 3411b, which has multiple characters lined up, faces forward from above the rear-front lifting decorative body unit 3310 (see Figure 92).

When the rear-rear lifting decorative body 3410 has been moved to the appearance position, the rear-rear lifting drive motor of the rear-rear lifting mechanism 3450 can be reversed to lift the rear-rear lifting decorative body 3410 and return it to the retracted position.

[8-11. Game board effects]
Next, the effects of the game board 5 will be described in detail, mainly with reference to Figures 89 to 92. Figure 89 is a front view of the game board shown in a normal state. Figure 90 is a front view of the game board shown in a state in which the back-front ascent and descent decoration unit of the back-front effect unit has been dropped from the standby position to the effect position from the normal state. Figure 91 is a front view of the game board shown in a state in which the back-rear ascent and descent decoration of the back-rear effect unit has been moved from the retracted position to the appearing position from the normal state. Figure 92 is a front view of the game board shown in a state in which the back-front ascent and descent decoration unit of the back-front effect unit has been dropped from the standby position to the effect position and the back-rear ascent and descent decoration of the back-rear effect unit has been moved from the retracted position to the appearing position from the normal state.

As shown in Figure 89 and other figures, the game board 5 of this embodiment is designed so that the display screen of the back unit 3000 and the effect display device 1600 located at the rear are visible primarily through the frame of the center role device 2500. This game board 5 is always visible through the frame of the center role device 2500, near its bottom edge, with the lottery role device 2550 and the back lower left decoration 3210 and back lower right decoration 3220 of the back decoration unit 3200 located on the left and right sides of it, and the back front left decoration 3301 of the back front effect unit 3300 is always visible near the left edge within the frame of the center role device 2500.

In the normal state of the game board 5, the back-front lifting decoration unit 3310 of the back-front performance unit 3300 of the back unit 3000 has moved to the standby position, which is the upper end of its movement, and the back-rear lifting decoration 3410 of the back-rear performance unit 3400 has moved to the retracted position, which is the upper end of its movement. The back-front lifting decoration unit 3310 that has moved to the standby position is visible facing forward near the upper edge of the frame of the center gimmick 2500. The back-rear lifting decoration 3410 that has moved to the retracted position is located behind the back-front lifting decoration unit 3310 at the same height as the back-front lifting decoration unit 3310 in the standby position, and is hidden by the back-front lifting decoration unit 3310 and cannot be seen from the front.

In addition, under normal conditions, the rear-rear lifting decorative body 3410 is located in a retracted position in front of the rear-rear fixed decorative part 3452 of the rear-rear performance unit 3400, and further in front of that is the front-rear lifting decorative body unit 3310 in a standby position, which hides it and makes it invisible from the front.

In this normal state, the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 has moved to an upper standby position, so the performance count display unit 3005 provided on the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (rear front central decorative unit 3320) is located above the center of the display screen of the performance display device 1600, and is visible to the player without interfering with the performance image displayed on the performance display device 1600.

The gaming board 5 of this embodiment can execute the effect shown in Figure 90 using the rear-front effect unit 3300 of the rear unit 3000. In this effect, in the normal state where the rear-front lifting decorative body unit 3310 has moved to the upper standby position, the rear-front lifting mechanism 3350 moves the lifting slider to the lower end using the rear-front lifting drive motor, and then the drop solenoid releases the locking claw, causing the rear-front lifting decorative body unit 3310 to freely fall to the effect position. When the rear-front lifting decorative body unit 3310 has fallen to the effect position, the rear-front lifting decorative body unit 3310 is located above the lottery device 2550 of the center device 2500 and slightly below the vertical center of the gaming area 5a, thereby obscuring the vertical center of the display screen of the effect display device 1600. Additionally, when the rear front lifting decoration unit 3310 falls to the performance position, the rear rear lifting decoration 3410 in the retracted position of the rear rear performance unit 3400 becomes visible near the top edge within the frame of the center role device 2500. As a result, the rear front lifting decoration unit 3310 falls freely, surprising the player and making the player think that something good is about to happen (that a chance has arrived).

Next, the gaming board 5 can execute a performance such as that shown in FIG. 91 using the rear rear performance unit 3400 of the rear unit 3000. In this performance, the rear rear lifting decoration 3410 is moved to its normal upper retracted position, and the rear rear lifting drive motor of the rear rear lifting mechanism 3450 moves the rear rear lifting decoration 3410 to its lower end of travel, placing it in its appearance position. This makes the rear rear lifting decoration 3410, which was previously invisible due to the rear front lifting decoration unit 3310, visible, surprising the player and making them believe that their chance has arrived, heightening their anticipation for the game. Furthermore, when the rear rear lifting decoration 3410 moves to the appearance position, it is positioned approximately in the vertical center of the display screen of the performance display device 1600, allowing the rear rear lifting decoration 3410 to divide the display screen into upper and lower halves, allowing the player to see a performance in which the performance image is physically divided into upper and lower halves.

In addition, as a performance using the rear-end performance unit 3400, the rear-end lifting decoration 3410 can be moved to any height between the retracted position and the emerging position by the rear-end lifting drive motor, so as a preview performance, the rear-end lifting decoration 3410 can be moved slightly downward from the retracted position or vibrated up and down.

Next, the gaming board 5 can execute the effect shown in FIG. 92 using both the back-front effect unit 3300 and the back-rear effect unit 3400 of the back unit 3000. In this effect, the back-front lifting decorative body unit 3310 is dropped from its standby position to its effect position, and the back-rear lifting decorative body 3410 is moved downward from its retracted position to its appearing position. This creates a state in which the back-front lifting decorative body unit 3310 and the back-rear lifting decorative body 3410 appear to cover the display screen of the effect display device 1600, making a strong impact on the player. Furthermore, the back-rear fixed decorative part 3452 located above the display screen, which was previously invisible, can now be seen, providing the player with a premium feel and heightening anticipation for the occurrence of an advantageous gaming state (e.g., a jackpot game) that gives the player an advantage.

In this performance, the back-front lifting decorative body unit 3310 and the back-rear lifting decorative body 3410 may be moved downward at the same time, or the back-front lifting decorative body unit 3310 may be dropped first and then the back-rear lifting decorative body 3410 may be moved downward, or the back-rear lifting decorative body 3410 may be moved downward first and then the back-front lifting decorative body unit 3310 may be dropped.

In addition, the gaming board 5 has a performance count display unit 3005 that is always visible from the front of the rear unit 3000, so that performances can be executed using this performance count display unit 3005. For example, a countdown display in which the numbers displayed on the performance count display unit 3005 decrease moment by moment can be used to count down the timing for the rear front lift-up decoration unit 3310 to fall or the rear rear lift-up decoration unit 3410 to move downward. Alternatively, for example, the detection of game ball B by the lottery device ball entry sensor 2546 can be used to count down the time until game ball B can no longer loop in the lottery device 2550.

Furthermore, the effect count display unit 3005 may be configured to display (suggest) as a number the degree of expectation for the special pattern drawn by the acceptance of game ball B into the first start opening 2003 or the second start opening 2004. Alternatively, since the effect count display unit 3005 has four 7-segment displays, the effect pattern may be formed by combining the illumination of each segment, and the effect pattern may be displayed in a variable manner and then stopped, with the degree of expectation being suggested by the effect pattern that is displayed in a stopped state.

9. Control Configuration
Next, the control configuration for various controls of the pachinko machine 1 will be described with reference to Fig. 63, Fig. 93, etc. Fig. 93 is a block diagram showing an outline of the control configuration of the pachinko machine. Note that Fig. 93 omits some of the electronic components connected to the frame control board 740, such as sensors, solenoids, motors, and LEDs.

As shown in the figure, the main control configuration of the pachinko machine 1 consists of a main control board 1310 and a peripheral control board 1510 attached to the game board 5, and a frame control board 740 attached to the main body frame 4, with each board performing its own control function. The main control board 1310 controls the game operation (progress of the game). The peripheral control board 1510 is equipped with a peripheral control unit 1511 that controls various effects during gameplay based on commands from the main control board 1310, and an effect display control unit 1512 that controls the display of effect images on the effect display device 1600 based on commands from the peripheral control unit 1511.

[9-1. Main control board]
The main control board 1310 that controls the progress of the game is not shown in detail, but is equipped with a main control MPU, which is a microprocessor that has built-in ROM for storing various processing programs and various commands and RAM for temporarily storing data, a main control I/O port as an input/output device (I/O device), a main control input circuit to which detection signals from various detection switches are input, a main control solenoid drive circuit for driving various solenoids, a RAM clear switch for completely erasing information stored in the RAM built into the main control MPU, a setting display for displaying setting values and errors, and a base monitor for displaying the number of game balls B collected by the outlet 2020 and sub-outlet 2021 provided in the game area 5a partitioned and formed on the game board 5. In addition to its built-in ROM and RAM, the main control MPU also has built-in watchdog timers that monitor its operation (system) and functions for preventing fraud.

In addition to its built-in RAM (hereinafter referred to as "main control built-in RAM") and built-in ROM (hereinafter referred to as "main control built-in ROM"), the main control MPU also has built-in watchdog timers (hereinafter referred to as "main control built-in WDT") that monitor its operation (system), as well as functions to prevent fraud, etc.

The main control MPU also has built-in non-volatile RAM. This non-volatile RAM pre-stores a unique ID code (a code that exists only once in the world) assigned by the manufacturer of the main control MPU to identify the individual unit. Once assigned, this ID code cannot be rewritten, even using an external device, because it is stored in non-volatile RAM. The main control MPU is able to retrieve and reference the ID code from the non-volatile RAM.

The main control MPU also has a built-in circuit that forcibly resets itself via hardware when it is affected by electrical noise (hereinafter referred to as the "built-in reset circuit"). The built-in reset circuit monitors the contents of certain registers in the main control MPU, and if the register contents change to inconsistent values, it forcibly resets the main control MPU, indicating that it has been affected by electrical noise. This forced reset by the built-in reset circuit cannot be disabled by user program control. Therefore, when the main control MPU is forcibly reset by the built-in reset circuit, it is reset without executing the main control side power-off processing described below, and will again execute the main control side power-on processing described below. In this case, because the main control side power-off processing is not executed, a checksum (sum value) error will inevitably occur in the main control built-in RAM, as described below, and the contents of the main control built-in RAM will be completely erased (cleared). Furthermore, even if the main control MPU is forcibly reset by its built-in reset circuit, the main control MPU's built-in reset circuit does not output a reset signal to the frame control board 740, so only the main control board 1310 (main control MPU) restarts, and the frame control board 740 remains activated.

The main control MPU also has a built-in hardware random number circuit (hereinafter referred to as the "main control built-in hardware random number circuit") that uses hardware to update the jackpot determination random numbers used to determine whether or not a jackpot game state will occur, among the various random numbers related to the game. This main control built-in hardware random number circuit generates random numbers within a predetermined numerical range (in this embodiment, a numerical range of 0 as the minimum value and 65,535 as the maximum value is pre-set), and is configured so that the pre-set value as the initial value is not fixed (i.e., the initial value is not fixed), and a different value is set each time the main control MPU is reset. Specifically, when the main control MPU is reset, the main control's built-in hardware random number circuit first sets a value within a predetermined numerical range as its initial value and rapidly extracts other values within the predetermined numerical range without overlapping, based on the clock signal input to the main control MPU (a clock signal output from a crystal oscillator (not shown) provided separately from the main control MPU). Once all values within the predetermined numerical range have been extracted, the main control's built-in hardware random number circuit again extracts a value within the predetermined numerical range, and rapidly extracts other values within the predetermined numerical range without overlapping, based on the clock signal input to the main control MPU. The main control's built-in hardware random number circuit repeatedly performs this rapid lottery, and the main control MPU sets the value extracted by the main control's built-in hardware random number circuit at the time it obtains a value from the main control's built-in hardware random number circuit as the random number for determining a jackpot.

The main control input circuit does not have a reset terminal for forcibly resetting the information input to its various input terminals, which are detection signals from various sensors, and does not have a reset function. For this reason, the main control input circuit is configured as a circuit that does not receive a system reset signal from a main control system reset (not shown). In other words, the main control input circuit is configured as a circuit in which information based on detection signals from various sensors input to its various input terminals is not reset by a main control system reset, and various signals based on that information are output from its various output terminals.

The main control MPU of the main control board 1310 detects a game ball B received by the first start opening 2003, a second start opening sensor 2401 that detects a game ball B received by the second start opening 2004, a general winning opening sensor 3001 that detects a game ball B received by the general winning opening 2001, a regular winning opening sensor 3002 that detects a game ball B received by the regular winning opening 2002, a large winning opening sensor 2402 that detects a game ball B received by the large winning opening 2005, a special winning opening sensor 2501 that detects a game ball B received by the special winning opening 2006, a special winning opening sensor 2501 that detects a game ball B received by the first V winning opening 2007, Detection signals from the first V entry sensor 2502 that detects an inserted game ball B, the second V entry sensor 2503 that detects a game ball B received in the second V entry sensor 2008, the loss sensor 2504 that detects a game ball B received in the loss sensor 2009, the out ball sensor 605 that detects a game ball B ejected from the game board 5, the safe ball sensor 606, the magnetic sensor 1030 that detects illegal magnetism within the game area 5a, and the vibration sensor 1040 that detects vibrations acting on the game board 5, etc., are input via the main control input circuit to the input terminal of a specified input port of the main control MPU.

In addition, the detection signal from the door open switch 507 and the detection signal from the frame open switch 508 are input to the main control board 1310 via the frame control board 740, and then input to the input terminals of the specified input ports of the main control MPU via the main control input circuit.

The detection signals from the out ball sensor 605, first start opening sensor 2101, and second start opening sensor 2401 are input directly to the main control board 1310, without passing through any other boards, and are then input to the input terminals of designated input ports of the main control MPU via the main control input circuit. In contrast, the detection signals from the general prize opening sensor 3001, regular prize opening sensor 3002, special prize opening sensor 2402, special prize opening sensor 2501, first V prize opening sensor 2502, second V prize opening sensor 2503, losing opening sensor 2504, magnetic sensor 1030, and vibration sensor 1040 are input indirectly to the main control board 1310 via the panel relay board, and are then input to the input terminals of designated input ports of the main control MPU via the main control input circuit.

Based on these detection signals, the main control MPU outputs a control signal from the output terminal of its specified output port to the main control solenoid drive circuit, which indirectly outputs drive signals to the start port solenoid 2412, attacca solenoid 2414, special device winning port solenoid 2516, first distribution solenoid 2534, second distribution solenoid 2544, lottery loop solenoid 2558, striking piece drive motor 2561, gutter swing drive motor 2564 and swing piece solenoid 2565 via the panel relay board, i.e. indirectly, and outputs drive signals from the output terminal of its specified output port to the status indicator, normal pattern indicator, normal hold indicator, first special pattern indicator, first special hold number indicator, second special pattern indicator, second special hold number indicator and round indicator of the function display unit 1400 directly, i.e. without going through other boards. Based on these detection signals, the main control MPU also outputs a drive signal from the output terminal of a specified output port, thereby outputting a drive signal to the setting change permission lamp on the setting change board.

The main control MPU also outputs various information related to the game (game information) to the frame control board 740 by outputting various information related to the game (game information) from the output terminal of its specified output port, outputs a signal (power outage clear signal) to the power outage monitoring circuit by outputting a signal (power outage clear signal) from the output terminal of its specified output port, and outputs a launch permission signal that indicates that the launch of game ball B is permitted to be performed to the frame control board 740 by outputting a launch permission signal from the output terminal of its specified output port. The logic of this launch permission signal that indicates that the launch is permitted is set to launch permission logic when the launch is permitted, and is set to launch stop logic (launch non-permission logic) which is the inverse of the launch permission logic when the launch is not permitted. The logic of the firing permission signal is configured by hardware including a main control output circuit with a reset function so that the initial value (default) is set to firing stop logic (firing non-permission logic) which is the inverse of the firing permission logic from the time the pachinko machine 1 is powered on (or restored) until the firing permission signal setting process in the main control timer interrupt process described below begins.

In this embodiment, the first start gate sensor 2101, the second start gate sensor 2401, the regular prize gate sensor 3002, the special prize gate sensor 2402, the bonus prize gate sensor 2501, the first V prize gate sensor 2502, the second V prize gate sensor 2503, the miss gate sensor 2504, the out ball sensor 605, the safe ball sensor 606, and the foul ball sensor 607 use non-contact electromagnetic proximity switches, whereas the regular prize gate sensor 3001 uses a contact ON/OFF mechanical switch. This is because game ball B frequently enters the first start gate 2003, the second start gate 2004, and the regular prize gate 2002, and therefore game ball B is frequently detected by the first start gate sensor 2101, the second start gate sensor 2401, and the regular prize gate sensor 3002. For this reason, the first start opening sensor 2101, second start opening sensor 2401, and regular winning opening sensor 3002 use highly durable, long-life proximity switches.

In addition, when a favorable game state (such as a "jackpot" game) occurs that is advantageous to the player, the large prize opening 2005 and the special prize opening 2006 open and game ball B frequently enters, so game ball B is also frequently detected by the large prize opening sensor 2402 and the special prize opening sensor 2501. For this reason, a highly durable, long-life proximity switch is used for the large prize opening sensor 2402 and the special prize opening sensor 2501. In addition, game ball B launched into the game area 5a is collected in large quantities by the outlet 2020 and sub-outlet 2021 provided in the game area 5a defined on the game board 5, so game ball B is also frequently detected by the out ball sensor 605. For this reason, a highly durable, long-life proximity switch is used for the out ball sensor 605. In contrast, the general winning opening 2001, where game ball B does not frequently enter, is not frequently detected by the general winning opening sensor 3001. For this reason, a mechanical switch, which has a shorter lifespan than a proximity switch, is used for the general winning opening sensor 3001. However, regardless of whether game ball B frequently enters the general winning opening 2001, a highly durable and long-lifespan proximity switch may also be used.

The main control MPU also transmits various information related to games (game information) and various commands related to the awarding of bonuses to the frame control board 740, and receives various commands related to the status of the pachinko machine 1 from the frame control board 740. Furthermore, the main control MPU transmits various commands related to the control of game presentations and various commands related to the status of the pachinko machine 1 to the peripheral control unit 1511 of the peripheral control board 1510 via the main control I/O port. Note that, upon receiving various commands related to the status of the pachinko machine 1 from the frame control board 740, the main control MPU formats these commands and transmits them to the peripheral control unit 1511, as will be explained in detail later.

The main control board 1310 receives various voltages from the power supply board 750 of the frame board unit 730, as will be explained in detail later. The power supply board 750, which supplies various voltages to the main control board 1310, is equipped with an electric double layer capacitor (hereinafter simply referred to as "capacitor") as a backup power source to supply power to the main control board 1310 for a predetermined period of time even when the power is cut off. This capacitor allows the main control MPU to store various information in RAM during power-off processing, even when the power is cut off. This stored information is completely erased (cleared) from RAM when the RAM clear switch on the main control board 1310 is operated when the power is turned on. The operation signal (detection signal) of this RAM clear switch is also output to the frame control board 740.

The main control board 1310 is also equipped with a power outage monitoring circuit. This power outage monitoring circuit monitors drops in the various voltages supplied from the power supply board 750, and when these voltages fall below the power outage warning voltage, it outputs a power outage warning signal to warn of a power outage. This power outage warning signal is input to the main control MPU via the main control I/O port, and is also output to the frame control board 740, etc.

[9-2. Frame control board]
The frame control board 740, which controls the number of game balls B held by a player, is equipped with a RAM clear switch 741 for erasing information stored in RAM, a ball removal switch 742 used to remove the enclosed game balls B from the ball removal port 613p of the circulating ball path unit 600 to the outside (ball receiving tray 720), and a ball number memory/display clear switch 743 for clearing the number of balls held by the player stored in RAM, etc., and clearing the display on the ball number display unit 140 of the door frame 3.

[9-3. Peripheral control board]
As shown in FIG. 93, the peripheral control board 1510 is equipped with a peripheral control unit 1511 that controls the performance based on commands from the main control board 1310, and a performance display control unit 1512 that controls the drawing of the performance display device 1600 based on control data from this peripheral control unit 1511.

[9-3a. Peripheral control unit]
The peripheral control unit 1511 that controls the performance on the peripheral control board 1510 is not shown in detail, but is equipped with a peripheral control IC in which a CPU, RAM, VDP, VRAM, sound source, SATA controller, and various I/O interfaces are integrated on a single semiconductor chip, a peripheral control ROM that stores various processing programs and various commands, a sound source IC that produces high-quality sound, and a sound ROM that stores sound information such as music, voice, and sound effects referenced by this sound source IC.

The peripheral control IC has multiple parallel I/O ports, serial I/O ports, etc. integrated on a single semiconductor chip. When various commands are received from the main control board 1310, the CPU of the peripheral control IC, based on these various commands, transmits game board side light emission data from the serial I/O port for the lamp drive board to each decorative board of the game board 5 in order to output lighting signals, flashing signals, or gradation lighting signals to the color LEDs, etc., provided on each decorative board of the game board 5, and transmits game board side drive data from the serial I/O port for the game board decorative drive board to the drive motor of the game board 5 in order to output drive signals to the drive motor that operates the various performance units provided on the game board 5. The serial I/O port for the frame decoration drive board transmits door side drive light emission data to the door frame 3 side, which is composed of door side drive data for outputting drive signals to vibrators and the like provided on the door frame 3 and door side light emission data for outputting lighting signals, flashing signals or gradation lighting signals to color LEDs and the like provided on each decorative board of the door frame 3, and control data (display commands) indicating the screen to be displayed on the performance display device 1600 is transmitted from the serial I/O port for the display control unit to the performance display control unit 1512, and control signals (sound commands) for extracting sound information from the sound ROM are output to the sound source IC.

Detection signals from the first effect button 251 and second effect button 252 of the effect operation unit 250 installed on the door frame 3 are input to the peripheral control IC.

The CPU of the peripheral control IC also receives a signal (operation signal) from the performance display control unit 1512 indicating that the performance display control unit 1512 is operating normally, and monitors the operation of the performance display control unit 1512 based on this operation signal.

The sound source IC extracts sound information from the sound ROM based on control data (sound commands) from the CPU of the peripheral control IC, and controls the playback of music, sound effects, and other sounds associated with various performances from the top center speaker, top side speakers, and main frame speaker 503 on the main frame 4, located on the door frame 3 and main frame 4, respectively. The volume can be adjusted by rotating a volume control switch that protrudes rearward from the peripheral control board box housing the peripheral control board 1510. In this embodiment, sound signals (e.g., 2-channel stereo signals, 4-channel stereo signals, 2.1-channel surround signals, or 4.1-channel surround signals) are sent as sound information to the top center speaker and top side speakers on the door frame 3 and the main frame speaker 503 for bass sounds on the main frame 4, thereby providing more realistic sound effects (sound performances) than ever before.

In addition to the built-in WDT (watchdog timer) built into the CPU of the peripheral control IC, the peripheral control unit 1511 also has an external WDT (watchdog timer) (not shown), and the CPU of the peripheral control IC uses both the built-in WDT and the external WDT to diagnose whether its own system is running out of control.

Display commands output from the CPU of this peripheral control IC to the effect display control unit 1512 are sent via a serial input/output port, and in this embodiment, the bit rate (the amount of data that can be transmitted per unit time) is set to 19.2 kilobits per second (kbps). On the other hand, the initial data, door frame side light flashing commands, game board side light flashing commands, movable body drive commands, etc. output from the CPU of the peripheral control IC to the game board 5 are sent via multiple serial input/output ports different from the display commands, and in this embodiment, the bit rate is set to 250 kbps.

[9-3b. Performance display control section]
The performance display control unit 1512 controls the drawing of the performance display device 1600. Although not shown in detail, the performance display control unit 1512 includes a display control MPU as a microprocessor, a display control ROM that stores various processing programs, various commands, and various data, a VDP (short for Video Display Processor) that controls the display of the performance display device 1600, an image ROM that stores various data for the screen displayed on the performance display device 1600, and an image RAM to which the various data stored in the image ROM is transferred and copied.

This display control MPU has built-in parallel I/O ports, serial I/O ports, etc., and controls the VDP based on control data (display commands) from the peripheral control unit 1511 to control the drawing of the performance display device 1600. When the display control MPU is operating normally, it outputs an operation signal to the peripheral control unit 1511 to inform the same. The display control MPU also receives an execution signal from the VDP, and performs interrupt processing when the output of this execution signal is stopped every 16 ms.

In addition to various programs for generating screens to be drawn on the performance display device 1600, the display control ROM also stores multiple items such as control data (display commands) from the peripheral control unit 1511 and corresponding schedule data, as well as non-resident area transfer schedule data corresponding to that control data (display commands). The schedule data consists of screen data that defines the screen configuration arranged in chronological order, and defines the order in which screens are drawn on the performance display device 1600. The non-resident area transfer schedule data consists of non-resident area transfer data arranged in chronological order that defines the order in which various data stored in the image ROM is transferred to the non-resident area of the image RAM. This non-resident area transfer data defines the order in which various data is transferred from the image ROM to the non-resident area of the image RAM in advance, so that the screen data to be drawn on the performance display device 1600 according to the progress of the schedule data is drawn.

The display control MPU extracts from the display control ROM the first screen data of the schedule data corresponding to the control data (display command) from the peripheral control unit 1511 and outputs it to the VDP, and then extracts from the display control ROM the screen data following the first screen data and outputs it to the VDP. In this way, the display control MPU extracts the screen data arranged in chronological order in the schedule data one by one from the display control ROM, starting with the first screen data, and outputs it to the VDP.

When the VDP receives screen data output from the display control MPU, it extracts sprite data from the image RAM based on the input screen data, generates drawing data to be displayed on the performance display device 1600, and outputs this generated drawing data to the performance display device 1600. Furthermore, when the performance display device 1600 does not accept the screen data from the display control MPU, the VDP outputs an execution signal to the display control MPU to inform this fact. The VDP uses a line buffer system. This "line buffer system" is a system in which one line's worth of drawing data for drawing the left and right directions of the performance display device 1600 is stored in a line buffer, and the one line's worth of drawing data stored in this line buffer is output to the performance display device 1600.

Image ROM stores a large amount of sprite data, resulting in a large capacity. When the capacity of the image ROM increases, that is, when the number of sprites to be drawn on the performance display device 1600 increases, the access speed of the image ROM becomes significant and affects the speed at which data is drawn on the performance display device 1600. Therefore, in this embodiment, the sprite data stored in the image ROM is transferred and copied to the image RAM, which has a fast access speed, and the sprite data is then extracted from this image RAM. Note that sprite data is the original data, which is the data before the sprite is expanded into bitmap format, and is stored in the image ROM in a compressed state.

To explain what a "sprite" is, a "sprite" is an image displayed as a unit on the performance display device 1600. For example, when displaying various people (characters) on the performance display device 1600, the data used to draw each person is called a "sprite." As a result, when displaying multiple people on the performance display device 1600, multiple sprites are used. In addition to people, the houses, mountains, roads, etc. that make up the background are also sprites, and the entire background can be treated as a single sprite. These sprites are drawn on the performance display device 1600 after their placement on the screen and their hierarchical relationship when sprites overlap (hereinafter referred to as the "sprite overlapping order") are set.

A sprite is made up of multiple rectangular areas, each 64 pixels wide and 64 pixels long, glued together. The data used to draw these rectangular areas is called a "sprite character." Small sprites can be represented using a single sprite character, while relatively large sprites such as people can be represented using a total of six sprite characters, arranged, for example, 2 wide and 3 high. Even larger sprites, such as backgrounds, can be represented using even more sprite characters. In this way, the number and arrangement of sprite characters can be specified freely for each sprite.

The performance display device 1600 is driven by a main scan that sets the display state of each pixel sequentially from left to right when viewed from the front, and a sub-scan that repeats the main scan in a direction that intersects with the pixel. When one line of drawing data output from the performance display control unit 1512 is input to the performance display device 1600, the main scan outputs the data to each of the pixels in one line sequentially from left to right when viewed from the front of the performance display device 1600. Once the output of one line is complete, the performance display device 1600 moves on to the line directly below as a sub-scan, and when the drawing data for the next line is similarly input, the main scan outputs the data to each of the pixels in one line sequentially from left to right when viewed from the front of the performance display device 1600 based on the drawing data for the next line.

[10. Game Contents]
The game content of the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 84 and other figures. In the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, a player rotates a handle 160 located in the lower right corner of the front of the door frame 3, causing a game ball B enclosed in a circulation path R to pass between the outer rail 1001 and the inner rail 1002 of the game board 5 and be shot into the upper part of the play area 5a, thereby starting a game with the game ball B. The game ball B shot into the upper part of the play area 5a flows down either the left or right side of the center device 2500 depending on the force of the shot. The force of the shot of the game ball B can be adjusted by the amount of rotation of the handle 160. The more the handle is rotated clockwise, the stronger the shot. A maximum of 100 game balls B can be shot continuously per minute, i.e., at intervals of 0.6 seconds.

In addition, within the game area 5a, multiple obstacle pins are planted in a predetermined gauge arrangement at appropriate positions on the front of the game panel 1100. When the game ball B comes into contact with the obstacle pins, the speed at which the game ball B flows down is suppressed and various movements are imparted to the game ball B, allowing players to enjoy watching its movements. In addition to the obstacle pins, within the game area 5a, a windmill that rotates when the game ball B comes into contact with it is located above the upper left side unit 2300 and to the left of the center device 2500.

When game ball B is shot into the top of center device 2500 and enters the left side of the highest part of the outer periphery of center device 2500 when viewed from the front, it will flow along the left side of center device 2500, that is, between inner rail 1002 and center device 2500, while abutting against multiple obstacle nails. On the left side of center device 2500, the entrance to warp passage 2512 is always open so that game ball B can be received.

Game ball B that enters the warp passage 2512 is supplied to stage 2513 located within the frame of the center device 2500, rolls left and right on stage 2513, and is released from either the central release section 2513a or the side release section 2513b so as to return to the game area 5a. Since the central release section 2513a of stage 2513 is located directly above the first starting opening 2003 in the left-right center of the game area 5a, game ball B released from the central release section 2513a has a high probability of being accepted by the first starting opening 2003. Game ball B released from the side release sections 2513b on either side of the central release section 2513a has a certain probability of being accepted by the first starting opening 2003.

When a game ball B is received in the first starting slot 2003, a predetermined number (e.g., three) of game balls B are added to the player's ball count via the main control board 1310 in the frame control board 740. At the same time, the main control board 1310 draws a first special symbol (e.g., "miss," "small hit," "hit with special feature," "2R jackpot," "5R jackpot," "15R jackpot," "probability-changing hit," "time-saving hit," "probability-saving time-saving hit," "probability-changing hit without time-saving time-saving hit," "second jackpot," etc.). If the result of the drawn first special symbol is anything other than "miss," a favorable gaming state is created that gives the player an advantage. The result of the drawn first special symbol is then suggested to the player over a predetermined period of time (e.g., 0.1 to 360 seconds, also known as the special variable time).

In this embodiment, if a game ball B is received into the first starting port 2003 during the period from the start of the special lottery due to the receipt of a game ball B into the first starting port 2003 until the lottery result for the drawn first special symbol is suggested (special variable time), suggesting the lottery result for the first special symbol cannot begin. Therefore, the start of suggesting the lottery result for the first special symbol is suspended until the suggestion of the lottery result for the previously drawn first special symbol is completed. The number of reserved lottery results for the first special symbol is limited to four for each first starting port 2003; for any more than this, the lottery result for the first special symbol is discarded rather than reserved, even if a game ball B is received into the first starting port 2003. This prevents the burden on the amusement hall from increasing due to the accumulation of reserved results.

If game ball B that flows down to the left side of the center device 2500 does not enter the warp passage 2512, it may be pushed toward the center in the left-right direction by the shelf 2301 or obstacle nails of the upper left side unit 2300, and may be accepted into the general winning opening 2001 or sub-out opening 2021 of the side unit 2200, or the first starting opening 2003 of the starting opening unit 2100. When game ball B is accepted into the general winning opening 2001, a predetermined number (e.g., 10) of game balls B are added to the number of balls held in the frame control board 740 via the main control board 1310.

On the other hand, if game ball B is shot into the top of the center role device 2500 within the play area 5a and enters to the right of the highest part of the inflow restriction section 2511c of the center frame 2511 of the center role device 2500, it will pass through either the first guide passage 2521 or the second guide passage 2522 of the guide passage group 2520 of the center role device 2500. Game ball B that enters the first guide passage 2521 rolls along the top surface of the role device prize entrance door 2515, which closes the role device prize entrance 2006, and is then released above (directly above) the normal prize entrance unit 2600. On the other hand, game ball B that enters the second guide passage 2522 is released above and to the left of the normal prize entrance 2002. Therefore, when game ball B enters the first guide passage 2521, there is a possibility that it will be accepted by the role device prize entrance 2006.

When the result of the lottery for the special pattern drawn by receiving game ball B into first start opening 2003 or second start opening 2004 is a "small win" or "game win," the special opening 2006 opens and closes in a predetermined pattern, becoming ready to receive game ball B. When game ball B is received into the special opening 2006, a predetermined number (e.g., 10 or 13) of game balls B are added to the number of balls held by the frame control board 740 via the main control board 1310.

Game balls B received by the special prize opening 2006 are sent to the first distribution device 2530, where they are distributed by the distribution rotor 2533 to either the chance opening 2531 or the first jackpot opening 2532. Game balls B distributed to the first jackpot opening 2532 are discharged. Game balls B distributed to the chance opening 2531 are sent to the second distribution device 2540. Game balls B sent to the second distribution device 2540 are distributed to either the first V prize opening 2007 or the second jackpot opening 2541. When a game ball B is received by the first V prize opening 2007 through distribution by the second distribution device 2540, a "jackpot" game is executed in which the big prize opening 2005 opens and closes in a predetermined opening and closing pattern.

When game ball B is allocated to second slot 2541 by second distribution device 2540, it is sent to lottery device 2550. Game ball B sent to lottery device 2550 loops between table 2555, on which second V winning slot 2008 is provided, and striking section 2553, which supplies game ball B to table 2555, while distribution bridge 2557 of distribution section 2552 is moving to the loop position. Then, when game ball B is received by second V winning slot 2008, a "jackpot" game is executed in which big winning slot 2005 opens and closes in a predetermined opening and closing pattern.

On the other hand, after a predetermined time has elapsed and the distribution bridge 2557 has moved from the loop position to the non-loop position, opening the loss port 2009, game balls B that were not accepted into the second V winning port 2008 of the table 2555 are accepted into the loss port 2009. Game balls B accepted into the loss port 2009 are ejected.

The normal winning opening 2002, which is located downstream of the guide passage group 2520, is located directly below the exit of the first guide passage 2521, so a game ball B that has circulated through the first guide passage 2521 is more likely to be accepted by the normal winning opening 2002 than a game ball B that has circulated through the second guide passage 2522. Game balls B that are not accepted by the normal winning opening 2002 flow down to the attacka unit 2400.

When game ball B is received into this normal winning opening 2002 and detected by normal winning opening sensor 3002, a normal lottery is conducted on main control board 1310, and if the result of the lottery for the normal symbol drawn is a "normal win," second starting opening 2004, which is closed by second starting opening door 2411, opens for a predetermined time (for example, 0.3 to 10 seconds), allowing game ball B to be received into second starting opening 2004.

In this embodiment, in the normal lottery, which is conducted when game ball B is received in normal winning port 2002, a certain amount of time is set from the start of the normal lottery until the lottery result for the normal symbol is indicated (for example, 0.01 to 60 seconds, also referred to as the normal fluctuation time). This indication of the lottery result for the normal symbol is displayed on the function display unit 1400 of the gaming board 5. The second starting port 2004 opens after the normal fluctuation time has elapsed.

If game ball B is received by normal winning port 2002 between the time when game ball B is received by normal winning port 2002 and the time when the lottery result for the normal symbol is suggested, it is not possible to start suggesting the lottery result for the normal symbol, so the start of suggesting the lottery result for the normal symbol is postponed until the previous suggestion of the lottery result for the normal symbol has finished. Also, the number of reserved lottery results for the normal symbol is limited to four, and any more than this are discarded rather than reserved, even if game ball B is received by normal winning port 2002. This prevents the burden on the gaming hall from increasing due to the accumulation of reserved results.

Game balls B that are not accepted by the normal winning opening 2002 and flow down will flow down to either the upper shelf 2421, the first shelf 2422, or a location to the right of the first shelf 2422 in the attacca unit 2400. Game balls B that flow down to the upper shelf 2421 will be guided to the left and released to the left of the large winning opening 2005. Therefore, game balls B that flow down onto the upper shelf 2421 will not be accepted by the second starting opening 2004 or the large winning opening 2005.

A game ball B that flows down to the first shelf 2422 of the attacca unit 2400 rolls to the left due to its inclination, and after rolling over the second start opening door 2411 closing the second start opening 2004, the second shelf 2423, the large prize opening door 2413 closing the large prize opening 2005, and the fourth shelf 2425, is released to the left. A game ball B released from the fourth shelf 2425 is received and discharged by the outlet 2020. Therefore, when a game ball B flows down to the first shelf 2422, there is a possibility that it will be received by the second start opening 2004 or the large prize opening 2005.

A game ball B that flows down to the right of the first shelf 2422 of the attacca unit 2400 is received by the sub-outlet 2021 and discharged. Although this is rare, if a game ball B that flows down to the first shelf 2422 enters the gap between the second shelf 2423 and the third shelf 2424, it will be received by the sub-outlet 2021 and discharged.

When a game ball B is received in the second starting port 2004 of the attacker unit 2400, a predetermined number (e.g., 1) of game balls B are added to the number of balls held by the frame control board 740 via the main control board 1310, and the main control board 1310 draws a lottery for a second special symbol (e.g., "miss," "small hit," "hit with special feature," "2R jackpot," "5R jackpot," "15R jackpot," "probability change (changed probability) hit," "time reduction (time reduction) hit," "probability change time reduction hit," "probability change no time reduction hit," "second jackpot," etc.). If the result of the lottery for the drawn second special symbol is anything other than "miss," a favorable gaming state in which the player is at an advantage is created. The result of the lottery for the drawn second special symbol is then suggested to the player over a predetermined period of time (for example, 0.1 to 360 seconds, also referred to as the special fluctuation time) that is longer than the special fluctuation time for the result of the lottery for the first special symbol.

In this embodiment, if game ball B is received into second starting port 2004 during the period from the start of the special lottery due to the receipt of game ball B into second starting port 2004 until the lottery result for the drawn second special symbol is suggested (special fluctuation time), suggesting the lottery result for the second special symbol cannot begin. Therefore, the start of suggesting the lottery result for the second special symbol is suspended until the suggestion of the lottery result for the previously drawn second special symbol is completed. The number of reserved lottery results for the second special symbol is limited to four for each second starting port 2004; for any more than this, the lottery result for the second special symbol is not reserved but discarded, even if game ball B is received into second starting port 2004. This prevents the burden on the gaming hall from increasing due to the accumulation of reserved results.

The special fluctuation time for the lottery result of the second special symbol drawn by receiving a game ball B into the second starting opening 2004 is set longer than the special fluctuation time for the lottery result of the first special symbol drawn by receiving a game ball B into the first starting opening 2003. As a result, since it takes longer for the lottery result of the second special symbol to consume the reserved number, even if the number of game balls B received per unit time for the first starting opening 2003 and the second starting opening 2004 is the same, the number of lottery results for the second special symbol executed by the second starting opening 2004 will be fewer. Therefore, under normal conditions, even if a game ball B is shot to the right of the center device 2500, only the second starting opening 2004 is likely to accept it. Since the lottery result for the second special symbol is executed less frequently, the player is encouraged to actively perform shooting operations that cause the game ball B to circulate to the left of the center device 2500.

As described above, when game ball B is received in first start opening 2003 or second start opening 2004, depending on the lottery result for the first special pattern or the lottery result for the second special pattern, the big prize opening 2005 or the special prize opening 2006 opens or closes in a predetermined opening/closing pattern, making it possible to receive game ball B.

Then, in the attacca unit 2400, when a game ball B flows down at a timing when the large prize opening 2005 is ready to receive a game ball B, depending on the results of the lottery for the first special symbol or the second special symbol, or due to the reception of a game ball B into the first V prize opening 2007 or the second V prize opening 2008, the game ball B is received into the large prize opening 2005. When a game ball B is received into the large prize opening 2005, a predetermined number (for example, 10 or 13) of game balls B are added to the number of balls held in the frame control board 740 via the main control board 1310.

After the large prize opening 2005 is in an open state where it can accept game ball B, if one of the following conditions is met: a predetermined time (e.g., 20 to 40 seconds) has elapsed, or a predetermined number of game balls B (e.g., 10) have been accepted into the large prize opening 2005, the opening and closing pattern (each opening and closing pattern is referred to as one round) in which it is in a closed state where it cannot accept game ball B is repeated a predetermined number of times (predetermined number of rounds). For example, this is repeated two rounds for a "2R jackpot," five rounds for a "5R jackpot," and fifteen rounds for a "15R jackpot," thereby creating an advantageous game state for the player.

Furthermore, after the jackpot game ends, there are "wins" that change the probability of drawing the first or second special symbol, such as a "jackpot" ("probable win"), or change the display time of the effect image suggesting the result of the drawing of the first or second special symbol ("time-saving win").

If the result of the lottery for the first special symbol or the result of the lottery for the second special symbol (for example, the result of the lottery for the second special symbol) is a "second jackpot," the big prize winning slot 2005 or the accessory prize winning slot 2006 becomes capable of receiving game ball B in a predetermined pattern, and then ST (Special Time) is generated as an advantageous game state. This ST maintains the state of probability change or time reduction for a predetermined number of fluctuations.

In this way, by having the large prize winning opening 2005 or the special prize winning opening 2006 accept game ball B when they are able to do so, the player can have many game balls B added to their ball count, which allows the player to enjoy the game and prevents a decline in interest in the game.

In this embodiment, the results of the lottery for the first special symbol and the lottery for the second special symbol are suggested by the function display unit 1400 and the effect display device 1600. The function display unit 1400 is directly controlled by the main control board 1310 to suggest the results of the lottery for the special symbols (the results of the lottery for the first special symbol and the results of the lottery for the second special symbol). The function display unit 1400 suggests the results of the lottery for the special symbols by repeatedly turning on and off multiple LEDs for a predetermined period of time, and then suggests the results of the lottery for the special symbols based on the combination of the lit LEDs.

Meanwhile, the effect display device 1600 is indirectly controlled by the peripheral control board 1510 based on control signals from the main control board 1310, and the result of the special symbol lottery is suggested as an effect image. The effect image suggesting the result of the special symbol lottery on the effect display device 1600 displays three picture rows consisting of multiple symbols lined up horizontally, and then varies each picture row, causing the variable displayed picture rows to be displayed in a stopped state in sequence, and each of the three stopped picture rows is displayed in a stopped state so that the images in the three stopped picture rows form a combination that corresponds to the result of the special symbol lottery. If the result of the special symbol lottery is other than a "lose," after the three picture rows have stopped and each symbol has been displayed in a stopped state, a confirmation image suggesting the result of the special symbol lottery is displayed on the effect display device 1600, and a favorable game state (e.g., a "small win" game, a "big win" game, etc.) corresponding to the result of the special symbol lottery is achieved.

The time indicating the result of the special symbol lottery on the function display unit 1400 (LED blinking time (special variation time)) is different from the time indicating the result of the special symbol lottery on the performance display device 1600 (the time from when the pattern row changes until the final image is displayed), with the time on the function display unit 1400 being set to be longer.

In addition to displaying effect images suggesting the results of the special symbol lottery using the effect display device 1600, the peripheral control board 1510 can also perform a player participation effect in which the first effect button 251 or the second effect button 252 on the effect operation unit 250 in the door frame 3 is operated depending on the results of the special symbol lottery. In the player participation effect, the first effect button 251 and the second effect button 252 can be made to pop up and stand out, allowing the player to enjoy the player participation effect by operating the first effect button 251 or the second effect button 252.

In addition, the peripheral control board 1510 can appropriately use the various decorative boards provided on the door frame 3, the various decorative boards provided on the game board 5, the performance display device 1600, the starting gate display unit 2110, the performance count display unit 3005, the back decorative unit 3200, the back front performance unit 3300, the back rear performance unit 3400, etc. to produce light-emitting performances, display performances, moving performances, etc., allowing players to be entertained by various performances and preventing a decline in the player's interest in the game.

Furthermore, in a player-participation effect in which the first effect button 251 or the second effect button 252 is operated, if the player makes a mistake or fails to perform the required operation, the peripheral control board 1510 notifies the player so that the correct operation can be performed.

In this embodiment, a game ball B is shot into the game area 5a by a player, and as a result of satisfying predetermined conditions, the special symbol drawing result is determined by the acceptance of the game ball B into the first starting opening 2003 or the second starting opening 2004, and the device winning opening 2006 opens and closes in a predetermined pattern based on the lottery results. The game ball B accepted into the device winning opening 2006 passes through the first sorting device 2530 and the second sorting device 2540 and is supplied to the guide path 2551 of the lottery device 2550 in the center device 2500, and the game ball B circulates toward the downstream sorting section 2552. In this distribution unit 2552, when the losing port 2009 opening to the guideway 2551 is closed by the distribution bridge 2557, the game ball B is distributed to the striking unit 2553 as the first side. When the distribution bridge 2557 is rotated by the lottery loop solenoid 2558 to open the losing port 2009, the game ball B is distributed to the losing port 2009 (second side), and the distribution status of the game ball B is displayed by the distribution display unit 2557a of the distribution bridge 2557. Then, when the game ball B is distributed to the first side in the distribution unit 2552, it is supplied to the striking unit 2553. On the other hand, when the game ball B is distributed to the second side (losing port 2009) in the distribution unit 2552, it is not supplied to the striking unit 2553 but is discharged from the lottery device 2550.

The game ball B supplied from the distribution section 2552 to the striking section 2553 is struck backward by the rotating striking piece 2560 of the striking section 2553, and circulates (rolls) up the ascending slope 2559, which rises toward the rear. Depending on the timing at which the game ball B is supplied to the striking section 2553 and the timing at which the striking piece 2560 strikes the game ball B, the game ball B may be struck hard or barely at all, and the momentum of the game ball B struck backward varies. Therefore, if the momentum of the struck game ball B is weak, the game ball B will not be able to climb the ascending slope 2559 and will return to the striking section 2553, causing the game ball B to bounce back and forth along the ascending slope 2559. When game ball B is hit hard by hitting section 2553 and overcomes uphill section 2559, it is supplied to oscillating gutter 2554, which is located in the center of the left-right direction at the rear end of table 2555, and is then released from oscillating gutter 2554 onto table 2555. At this time, because oscillating gutter 2554 rotates back and forth so as to oscillate around its vertical axis, game ball B is released in various directions from gutter section 2554a of oscillating gutter 2554 onto table 2555, depending on the timing at which game ball B is supplied and the timing of the rotation position of oscillating gutter 2554.

Game ball B released from oscillating gutter 2554 onto table 2555 rolls forward according to the inclination and is released from the front end of table 2555 onto guideway 2551. At this time, there is a possibility that game ball B will be received by second V winning slot 2008, which is located on the central axis in the front-to-back direction passing through the center of oscillating gutter 2554 near the front end of table 2555. Furthermore, game ball B may come into contact with oscillating pieces 2556, which are located symmetrically between oscillating gutter 2554 and second V winning slot 2008 about the central axis, causing game ball B to flow toward or away from second V winning slot 2008. When game ball B is received by second V winning slot 2008 of table 2555, a favorable game state (e.g., a jackpot game) occurs. On the other hand, if game ball B is not accepted by second V winning opening 2008 and is released from the front end of table 2555 into guide path 2551, and then sorted to one side by sorting unit 2552, game ball B is supplied to oscillating gutter 2554 by hitting unit 2553. Therefore, as long as game ball B is sorted to one side (striking unit 2553) by sorting unit 2552, game ball B will loop through guide path 2551, sorting unit 2552, hitting unit 2553, oscillating gutter 2554, and table 2555 in that order until it is accepted by second V winning opening 2008.

For this reason, when the device winning opening 2006 opens and closes in a predetermined pattern, enabling game ball B to be supplied to the lottery device 2550, the player can check whether the distribution unit 2552 is in a state to distribute game ball B to the first side (striking unit 2553) by looking at the distribution display unit 2557a of the distribution unit 2552. As a result, when the distribution unit 2552 is in a state to distribute game ball B to the first side (striking unit 2553, and therefore the second V winning opening 2008) by looking at the distribution display unit 2557a, the player can get excited by wondering whether game ball B received by the device winning opening 2006 (here, game ball B accommodated in the accommodation unit 2533a of the distribution rotor 2533 in the first distribution device 2530) will be supplied to the lottery device 2550 (guide path 2551). Thereafter, when game ball B received in device winning port 2006 is supplied to lottery device 2550 (guide path 2551), the player can be kept on the edge of his seat depending on whether or not it is sorted to the first side (striking section 2553 side) in sorting section 2552. Then, when game ball B is sorted to the first side and supplied to striking section 2553, game ball B moves back and forth uphill section 2559 depending on the timing at which game ball B is struck, and the player can be entertained by whether or not game ball B is struck with enough strength to overcome uphill section 2559. Furthermore, game ball B that has climbed over the uphill section 2559 is supplied to the oscillating gutter 2554, which is rotating back and forth. Therefore, game ball B is supplied to the oscillating gutter 2554 at the timing when the oscillating gutter 2554 can release game ball B toward the second V winning opening 2008. Whether game ball B is hit with enough strength to climb over the uphill section 2559 keeps the player on the edge of their seat and provides a thrilling and enjoyable experience.

When the game ball B struck by the striking portion 2553 climbs over the slope 2559 and is supplied to the oscillating gutter 2554, the player can be thrilled and excited depending on whether the game ball B is released from the reciprocatingly rotating oscillating gutter 2554 toward the second V winning opening 2008. Even if the game ball B is released from this oscillating gutter 2554 in a direction away from the central axis (second V winning opening 2008), depending on the swinging state of the pair of oscillating pieces 2556 arranged symmetrically on either side of the central axis, the game ball B that hits the oscillating piece 2556 may be pulled toward the central axis and head toward the second V winning opening 2008. This prevents the player from being disappointed and keeps the player entertained, preventing a decline in interest. The player can be kept on the edge of their seats depending on whether or not game ball B is received by second V winning opening 2008, which is located near the downstream end of table 2555. If game ball B is received by second V winning opening 2008, a favorable game state (a jackpot game in which big winning opening 2005 opens and closes in a predetermined pattern) occurs, providing great enjoyment to the player.

On the other hand, even if game ball B is not accepted by the second V winning port 2008, it is released into the guide path 2551 from the downstream end of the table 2555, and the player's expectations can be heightened depending on whether game ball B is again allocated to the first side (striking section 2553) by the distribution section 2552 located downstream of the guide path 2551.If game ball B is again allocated to the first side by the distribution section 2552, it is supplied to the oscillating gutter 2554 upstream of the table 2555 via the striking section 2553 and the climbing section 2559, so that the player will not be disappointed as there will be another chance for it to be accepted by the second V winning port 2008. At this time, when the distribution display section 2557a of the distribution bridge 2557 indicates that the distribution section 2552 is in a state of distributing to the first side (striking section 2553), the player can get excited by seeing whether or not game ball B will be released from the front end of the table 2555 into the guide path 2551. Therefore, the lottery device 2550 can keep the player on the edge of their seat in various scenes, making it less likely that the player will get bored, entertaining the player and preventing a decline in interest, and it is possible to provide a pachinko machine equipped with a lottery device 2550 that can entertain the player.

Furthermore, the lottery device 2550 of the center device 2500 has a large, planar table 2555 that is wide from front to back and left to right, and a guideway 2551 is provided in front of the front end of the table 2555, making the lottery device 2550 large. This lottery device 2550 makes the pachinko machine 1 stand out, strongly attracting the player's attention and increasing the player's anticipation for games using the lottery device 2550, making it easier to select the pachinko machine 1 as the machine to play, and providing a pachinko machine 1 that is highly appealing to players.

Furthermore, since the second V winning opening 2008 is located on the central axis in the left-right direction of the table 2555, which is inclined so that the rear end is higher, the second V winning opening 2008 can be made to stand out, making it easier to direct the player's gaze toward the second V winning opening 2008 and to create a sense of anticipation for the game ball B to be received by the second V winning opening 2008, making it easier to select this pachinko machine 1 as the pachinko machine to play.

In addition, the oscillating gutter 2554 is located near the rear end on the central axis of the table 2555, which has a raised rear end, and a pair of oscillating pieces 2556 are located symmetrically on both sides of the central axis. This means that the oscillating pieces 2556 do not obstruct the visibility of the oscillating gutter 2554 at the rear, allowing the player to clearly see the second V winning slot 2008, the pair of oscillating pieces 2556, and the oscillating gutter 2554 located on the table 2555. This makes it easier to recognize the rotation and oscillation status of the pair of oscillating pieces 2556 and the oscillating gutter 2554, making it easier to predict the rolling path of the game ball B due to these movements, and allows the player to enjoy the movement of the game ball B depending on whether or not it rolls as predicted.

In addition, in the distribution section 2552, a losing port 2009 that communicates with the second side is provided in the guide path 2551. Therefore, when the distribution bridge 2557 is rotated by the lottery loop solenoid 2558 to open the losing port 2009 from a closed state by the distribution bridge 2557, the losing port 2009 opens upward in the guide path 2551. This makes the losing port 2009 stand out to the player, making it easier for the player to recognize that the game ball B circulating through the guide path 2551 is being distributed to the second side (losing port 2009), that is, is not being distributed to the first side (striking section 2553, and therefore the second V winning port 2008). Therefore, when the conspicuous outlet 2009 is closed by the sorting bridge 2557, it is easy to recognize that the ball is being sorted to the first side (striking section 2553), and it is easy to tell which way it is being sorted just by looking at the guide path 2551.

Furthermore, depending on the timing of hitting game ball B with the hitting section 2553, game ball B can move back and forth along the uphill section 2559, thereby increasing the amount of time game ball B spends in the lottery device 2550. This prevents the player from being disappointed by the game ending in a short time on the lottery device 2550, and the time gained by the uphill section 2559 allows the player to fully enjoy the effects, such as the effect images on the effect display device 1600, thereby providing a pachinko machine 1 that is more enjoyable for players.

In addition, since an uphill section 2559 is provided between the striking section 2553 and the oscillating gutter 2554 (oscillating passage 2562), even if the game ball B is struck hard at the striking section 2553, its momentum can be attenuated by climbing up the uphill section 2559, and its momentum can be further attenuated by oscillating it left and right in the oscillating passage 2562.This prevents the game ball B from being supplied to the oscillating gutter 2554 with force, causing it to be released from the oscillating gutter 2554 in a direction different from the release direction of the oscillating gutter 2554, even though the oscillating gutter 2554 rotates back and forth to change its release direction, which could cause discomfort to the player, or the game ball B being released from the oscillating gutter 2554 with force onto the table 2555, thereby shortening its stay time (rolling time) on the table 2555. Therefore, players can enjoy the release of game ball B from the oscillating gutter 2554 without feeling uncomfortable, and can easily enjoy the movement of game ball B rolling on the table 2555.

Furthermore, in cases where the player can select the timing at which game ball B is supplied to the lottery device 2550 by operating the game ball B, the player can perform the operation to supply game ball B at the timing when the distribution display unit 2557a indicates that game ball B is ready to be distributed to the first side. This allows the player to enjoy not only the movement of game ball B within the lottery device 2550, but also the operation of inserting game ball B, making it possible to provide a pachinko machine 1 that can prevent the player's interest in the game from declining.

Furthermore, when the loss opening 2009 is opened, the sorting bridge 2557 is positioned so that its tip is higher than its base end and stands upright from the guideway 2551. Therefore, even if game ball B flows forcefully along the guideway 2551 and attempts to jump over the loss opening 2009, the upright sorting bridge 2557 prevents it from jumping over and entering the first side (striking section 2553), and game ball B can be reliably sorted into the loss opening 2009 (second side).

In addition, when the losing hole 2009 is opened, the sorting bridge 2557 is positioned with its tip higher than its base end, standing upright from the guideway 2551, making the sorting bridge 2557 stand out to the player, and the sorting display unit 2557a provided on the sorting bridge 2557 is visible, allowing the player to determine from the sorting bridge 2557 (sorting display unit 2557a) that game ball B is being sorted to the second side.

[11. Details of the center role on the game board]
Next, the center device 2500 provided on the game board 5 will be described in detail.

[11-1. Center accessory of the first embodiment]
The center role 2500 of the first embodiment will be described in detail with reference to Figures 94 to 97. Figure 94 is an explanatory diagram showing the center role of the first embodiment attached to the gaming panel, cut in the vertical direction along the middle, together with the front component. Figure 95(a) is an explanatory diagram showing the decorative body of the center role disassembled into the front decorative portion and the rear decorative portion from the front, and (b) is an explanatory diagram showing the decorative body consisting of the front decorative portion and the rear decorative portion from the front. Figure 96 is an explanatory diagram showing the center role of Figure 94 with the center frame placed on the stand with the rear end facing down. Figure 97 is an explanatory diagram showing a partial cross section of a center role with a center frame to which a decorative body different from that of Figure 94 is attached.

The center device 2500 of the first embodiment is provided on the game board 5 of the first embodiment shown in Figures 78 to 83, etc. This center device 2500 comprises a transparent center frame 2511 attached to the front of the game panel 1100 (panel board 1110), warp passages 2512 that can guide game balls B from the outside of the center frame 2511 to the inside of the frame, and a stage 2513 that is provided on the lower edge within the frame of the center frame 2511 and rolls game balls B that have circulated through the warp passage 2512 in the left-right direction before releasing them into the game area 5a.

The center feature 2500 also includes a decorative body 2570 attached to the center frame 2511 and decorated with a specified ornament.

The center frame 2511 has a frame-shaped insertion portion 2511a that is inserted into the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110 of the gaming panel 1100 and is arranged along the inner surface of the opening 1112, extending in the front-to-rear direction; a flat flange portion 2511b that protrudes outward from the outer periphery of the front end of the insertion portion 2511a and abuts against the front surface of the panel plate 1110 of the gaming panel 1100; an inflow restriction portion 2511c that extends forward beyond the flange portion 2511b and restricts the game ball B flowing down the gaming area 5a from flowing into the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110 of the gaming panel 1100; and a flat support portion 2511d that protrudes from the inner periphery of the front end of the insertion portion 2511a.

The rear end of the center frame 2511 (insertion portion 2511a) is positioned forward of the rear end (rear surface) of the gaming panel 1100 (panel holder 1120). Note that the rear end of the center frame 2511 may not protrude rearward beyond the rear surface of the gaming panel 1100, or may protrude rearward beyond the rear surface of the gaming panel 1100.

As shown in Figure 94, the decorative body 2570 comprises a flat, transparent front plate 2571 attached to the front end of the center frame 2511, a front decorative portion 2572 attached to the front surface of the front plate, and a rear decorative portion 2573 located forward of the rear end of the center frame 2511 (insertion portion 2511a). In other words, the decorative body 2570 is arranged to extend within the frame of the center frame 2511, and comprises the rear decorative portion 2573 located forward of the rear end of the center frame 2511, and the front decorative portion 2572 arranged to overlap at least a portion of the front of the rear decorative portion 2573. The front decorative portion 2572 and rear decorative portion 2573 are decorated in a coordinated manner.

The front plate 2571 is positioned so that its rear surface abuts the front end surface of the inflow restriction portion 2511c. This front plate 2571 forms a ball passage 2517 between itself and the support portion 2511d, through which the game ball B can flow.

As shown in Figure 95, the front decorative portion 2572 of the decorative body 2570 is decorated with a specific pattern (here, a pattern of cloud-like designs arranged around the face of an ogre). The front decorative portion 2572 has a transparent translucent portion 2572a located in front of the spherical passage 2517, and a plurality of opaque dots 2572b located in the translucent portion 2572a and constituting part of the decorative pattern (see Figure 95(a)).

The transparent portion 2572a of the front decorative portion 2572 is formed to be colorless transparent or colored transparent. The colored transparent portion 2572a is colored the same color as the pattern so that it forms part of the pattern. In this embodiment, the transparent portion 2572a in the demon face area is colored transparent, and the transparent portion 2572a in the cloud design area is colorless transparent.

Each dot 2572b of the front decorative part 2572 is colored the same color as the design. As shown enlarged in Figure 95(a), each of the multiple dots 2572b is circular and is arranged diagonally at 45 degrees above and below the horizontal at intervals equal to the diameter of the dots.

The rear decorative portion 2573 is attached to the rear side of the transparent support portion 2511d of the center frame 2511. The rear decorative portion 2573 is arranged to extend within the frame of the frame-shaped insertion portion 2511a of the center frame 2511. The decoration of the rear decorative portion 2573 is an opaque design that is the same as the design of the front decorative portion 2572 arranged in front. Note that if the gaming panel 1100 is made of a transparent material, the rear decorative portion 2573 may be located on the back surface of the gaming panel 1100. This has the effect of allowing for a larger decorative area.

The front decorative portion 2572 and the rear decorative portion 2573 are made by printing decorative patterns on transparent resin film. In this embodiment, the front decorative portion 2572 and the rear decorative portion 2573 are formed in the form of a film.

As shown in Figure 95(b), when this decorative body 2570 is viewed from the front (front), the decoration (pattern) of the rear decorative part 2573 located at the rear can be seen through the transparent translucent part 2572a in the decoration (pattern) of the front decorative part 2572. Therefore, the pattern of the rear decorative part 2573 complements the translucent part 2572a, allowing the original pattern to be seen as if the translucent part 2572a were not there.

On the other hand, when game ball B flows through the ball passage 2517 provided between the front decorative portion 2572 and the rear decorative portion 2573, game ball B becomes visible through the transparent transmission portion 2572a in the front decorative portion 2572. This prevents the player from feeling distrustful or anxious due to game ball B becoming invisible, even if only temporarily, and allows the player to enjoy playing with game ball B and prevents a decline in interest.

In this embodiment, the decorative body 2570 is attached to the center frame 2511 at a position forward of the rear end of the insertion portion 2511a. In other words, when the decorative body 2570 is attached to the center frame 2511, no part of the decorative body 2570 protrudes rearward from the rear end of the center frame 2511. As a result, as shown in Figure 96, when the center frame 2511 is placed with its rear end facing downwards on a stand TA with the decorative body 2570 attached to it, only the rear end surface of the insertion portion 2511a abuts (touches) the stand TA.

Details of the center role device 2500 of this embodiment will be omitted, but in addition to the decorative body 2570, a pattern display device 2518, a first distribution device 2530, a second distribution device 2540, a lottery role device 2550, etc. are attached to the center frame 2511. The pattern display device 2518 displays the special pattern or fourth pattern drawn by the reception of the game ball B into the first starting hole 2003 or the second starting hole 2004.

In addition, although detailed illustrations are omitted, solenoids such as the first sorting solenoid 2534 of the first sorting device 2530 and the second sorting solenoid 2544 of the second sorting device 2540, which are attached to the center frame 2511, are attached so that their metal cases are located at the rear end. This means that when the center frame 2511 (center role 2500) is placed with its rear end facing down on the stand TA, the sturdy metal cases of the solenoids come into contact with the stand TA, making them less likely to be damaged during assembly work, etc. In this case, a resin cover may be provided to cover the metal cases of the solenoids.

Furthermore, although not shown in the figures, the center role device 2500 is provided with wiring connected to the LED board, relay board, solenoid, etc. The wiring is arranged so as to follow the insertion portion 2511a of the center frame 2511 of the center role device 2500, and is also arranged so as to be hidden by the decoration of the decorative body 2570. This prevents the wiring from being visible to the player, which would otherwise spoil the appearance. The insertion portion 2511a of the center frame 2511 may be formed into a double-walled shape, with the wiring passing between the walls. In this case, it is preferable to use a flexible flat cable (FFC) for the wiring.

In the above embodiment, the transparent portion 2572a and the dot portion 2572b may be reversed. Specifically, the transparent portion 2572a may be an opaque portion with a pattern, and the dot portion 2572b may be a transparent portion.

In addition, in the above embodiment, the transmissive portion 2572a is shown as a transparent portion, but this is not limited to this and it may also be a portion that penetrates from front to back.

Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the decorative body 2570, consisting of a front decorative part 2572 having a transparent part 2572a and a dot part 2572b in the applied decoration (pattern), and a rear decorative part 2573 having a decoration (pattern) that complements the transparent part 2572a, is provided on the center frame 2511 of the center role piece 2500, but this is not limited to this, and the decorative body 2570 may also be provided on the starting port unit 2100, side unit 2200, attacca unit 2400, back unit 3000, etc.

In addition, in the above embodiment, the decorations for the front decorative portion 2572 and rear decorative portion 2573 that make up the decorative body 2570 are shown as being made by printing a pattern on a transparent film, but this is not limited to this and the decorative body 2570A may also be a center gimmick 2500 that has a center frame 2511 to which it is attached, as shown in Figure 97. This decorative body 2570A has a flat front decorative portion 2572 that is attached to the front end of the inflow restriction portion 2511c of the center frame 2511, and a three-dimensionally formed rear decorative portion 2573 that is attached within the frame of the frame-shaped insertion portion 2511a behind the front decorative portion 2572.

The front decorative portion 2572 and rear decorative portion 2573 of the decorative body 2570A are each decorated with a three-dimensionally shaped ornament, although detailed illustrations are omitted. The front decorative portion 2572 and rear decorative portion 2573 are each decorated with ornaments that coordinate with each other. Furthermore, the front decorative portion 2572 and rear decorative portion 2573 are arranged so that at least a portion of them overlap when viewed from the front.

The decorative body 2570A (rear decorative portion 2573) is located forward of the rear end of the center frame 2511. Therefore, when the decorative body 2570A is attached to the center frame 2511, no part of the decorative body 2570A protrudes rearward from the rear end of the center frame 2511.

This decorative body 2570A may be molded from pre-colored resin, or it may be painted or have a sticker attached after molding. Metallic pigments or plating may also be used to decorate the decorative body 2570A, and the sparkling decoration can strongly attract the player's attention, providing a pachinko machine 1 that is highly appealing to players.

Furthermore, the decorative body 2570A may have a portion of the rear decorative part 2573 that protrudes forward to the same position as the front decorative part 2572. This makes it easier to create a sense of depth in the decorative body 2570A, further enhancing the decorative effect.

According to this embodiment, a decorative body 2570 is provided on a transparent center frame 2511 attached to the gaming panel 1100 of the gaming board 5, and the decorative body 2570 consists of a rear decorative portion 2573 that is located forward of the rear end of the center frame 2511 and a front decorative portion 2572 that is located so as to overlap at least a portion of the front of the rear decorative portion 2573.As the center frame 2511 is transparent, it is less noticeable, making the decorative body 2570 stand out in comparison, and as the front decorative portion 2572 and the rear decorative portion 2573 of the decorative body 2570 partially overlap, the boundary between the decoration of the front decorative portion 2572 and the decoration of the rear decorative portion 2573 can be made less noticeable, allowing the player to see the decoration of the front decorative portion 2572 and the rear decorative portion 2573 in good condition. As a result, the front decorative portion 2572 and the rear decorative portion 2573 can form a decorative body 2570 with a high decorative effect, which can strongly attract the player's attention and make it difficult for them to become bored, thereby providing a pachinko machine 1 that can prevent the player's interest from declining.

In addition, according to this embodiment, the decoration of a portion of the front decorative portion 2572 (the portion in front of the ball passage 2517) that constitutes the decorative body 2570 is composed of a transparent portion 2572a and multiple dot portions 2572b, and a rear decorative portion 2573 is provided behind this portion, with decoration that coordinates with the decoration of the front decorative portion 2572 (decoration with the same pattern).As a result, the rear decorative portion 2573, which can be seen through the transparent transparent portion 2572a, complements the portion of the transparent portion 2572a, allowing a single, beautiful decoration (pattern) to be seen as if the transparent portion 2572a were not even there, and the player can be entertained by the decoration, which has a high decorative effect, due to its good quality.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, as described above, the decoration of the portion of the front decorative portion 2572 in front of the ball passage 2517 is composed of a transparent portion 2572a and multiple dot portions 2572b, so that the game ball B circulating through the ball passage 2517 can be seen from the front through the transparent portion 2572a. As a result, when no game ball B is circulating through the ball passage 2517, the decoration of the rear decorative portion 2573 at the rear can be seen through the transparent portion 2572a, allowing players to enjoy the beautiful decoration provided by the front decorative portion 2572 and the rear decorative portion 2573. However, when game ball B is circulating through the ball passage 2517, the game ball B can be seen through the transparent portion 2572a, preventing the player from feeling distrustful or anxious due to the game ball B becoming invisible. This allows players to enjoy playing with game ball B and prevents a decline in interest.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the rear decorative portion 2573 of the decorative body 2570 is located forward of the rear end of the center frame 2511. Therefore, when the decorative body 2570 is attached to the center frame 2511 and the center frame 2511 is placed on the stand TA with its rear end facing down, only the rear end surface of the insertion portion 2511a abuts against the stand TA. Therefore, when the center frame 2511 is placed on the stand TA with its rear end facing down for assembly or disassembly work, the center frame 2511 does not wobble, making it possible to provide a pachinko machine 1 that is easy to assemble, etc.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the rear decorative portion 2573 of the decorative body 2570 is located forward of the rear end of the center frame 2511, so the decorative body 2570 does not protrude rearward beyond the rear end of the center frame 2511, making it easier to secure space behind the center frame 2511 (gaming panel 1100). Therefore, it is possible to provide large decorative bodies, movable decorative bodies, etc. behind the center frame 2511, making it easier to construct a pachinko machine 1 that can provide even more enjoyment to players.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the pattern display 2518 for displaying special patterns is attached to the center frame 2511, so the pattern display 2518 can be attached to the gaming panel 1100 together with the center frame 2511, reducing the effort required for assembling the pachinko machine 1 compared to when the pattern display 2518 is attached separately.

The decoration of the center frame 2511 (decorative body 2570, decorative body 2570A) may be coordinated with the decoration applied to the gaming panel 1100.

[11-2. Center feature of the second embodiment]
The center role 2500 of the second embodiment will be described in detail mainly with reference to Figure 98 etc. Figure 98(a) is an explanatory diagram of the main part of the center role of the second embodiment seen from within the frame, (b) is a cross-sectional view cut along line A-A in (a), and (c) is an explanatory diagram showing the center role of (a) in a state where the rear end is downward and the center frame is placed on a stand.

Although detailed illustrations are omitted, the center device 2500 of the second embodiment, like the center device 2500 of the first embodiment, comprises a transparent center frame 2511 attached to the front of the game panel 1100 (panel board 1110), warp passages 2512 capable of guiding game balls B from the outside of the center frame 2511 to the inside of the frame, and a stage 2513 provided at the lower edge within the frame of the center frame 2511, which rolls game balls B that have circulated through the warp passage 2512 in the left-right direction and then releases them into the game area 5a.

The center feature 2500 also includes a decorative body 2580 attached to the center frame 2511 and decorated with a specified ornament.

The center frame 2511 has a frame-shaped insertion portion 2511a that is inserted into the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110 of the gaming panel 1100 and is arranged along the inner surface of the opening 1112, extending in the front-to-rear direction; a flat flange portion 2511b that protrudes outward from the outer periphery of the front end of the insertion portion 2511a and abuts against the front surface of the panel plate 1110 of the gaming panel 1100; an inflow restriction portion 2511c that extends forward beyond the flange portion 2511b and restricts the game ball B flowing down the gaming area 5a from flowing into the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110 of the gaming panel 1100; and a flat support portion 2511d that protrudes from the inner periphery of the front end of the insertion portion 2511a.

The rear end of the center frame 2511 (insertion portion 2511a) is positioned forward of the rear end (rear surface) of the gaming panel 1100 (panel holder 1120). Note that the rear end of the center frame 2511 may not protrude rearward beyond the rear surface of the gaming panel 1100, or may protrude rearward beyond the rear surface of the gaming panel 1100.

The decorative body 2580 comprises a front decorative part 2581, a rear decorative part 2582, a transparent front cover 2583 covering the front side of the rear decorative part 2582, a flat diffusion lens 2584 provided on the rear side of the rear decorative part 2582 and capable of irradiating light incident from the side forward, a transparent rear cover 2585 attached to the rear side of the front cover 2583 so as to cover the diffusion lens 2584 from behind, and an LED board 2586 on which LEDs 2586a are mounted that irradiate light onto the side of the diffusion lens 2584.

The front decorative part 2581 is located further forward than the rear decorative part 2582. The front decorative part 2581 is attached to the rear side of the transparent support part 2511d on the center frame 2511.

The rear decorative portion 2582 extends within the frame of the center frame 2511, and a portion of it protrudes rearward beyond the rear end of the center frame 2511 (insertion portion 2511a).

The front decorative portion 2581 and the rear decorative portion 2582 are decorated with coordinated designs and are arranged so that they overlap at least partially when viewed from the front. Although not shown in the figures, the decoration of the front decorative portion 2581 and the decoration of the rear decorative portion 2582 are each decorated with a pattern of the corresponding part of a single design, separated by the area where they overlap when viewed from the front.

The front decorative portion 2581 and the rear decorative portion 2582 are entirely opaque. In other words, the front decorative portion 2581 and the rear decorative portion 2582 are composed of opaque portions. The front decorative portion 2581 and the rear decorative portion 2582 are also translucent. Note that the front decorative portion 2581 or the rear decorative portion 2582 may have a transparent portion (transparent portion) as part of the decoration.

The front decorative part 2581 and the rear decorative part 2582 are made by printing decorative patterns on transparent resin film. In this embodiment, the front decorative part 2581 and the rear decorative part 2582 are formed in the form of a film.

The LED board 2586 is located behind the front decorative part 2581. As a result, the LED board 2586 and the wiring connected to it are hidden by the front decorative part 2581 so that they cannot be seen from the front. The LED board 2586 can illuminate the rear decorative part 2582 by illuminating the multiple LEDs 2586a mounted on it.

When the decorative body 2580 of this embodiment is attached to the center frame 2511, a portion of it protrudes rearward from the rear end of the center frame 2511. As a result, as shown in Figure 98 (c), when the decorative body 2580 is attached to the center frame 2511 and the center frame 2511 is placed with its rear end facing down on the stand TA, the rear end of the decorative body 2580 (rear decorative part 2582) abuts (touches) the stand TA, and a portion of the rear end of the center frame 2511 abuts the stand TA.

Details of the center role device 2500 of this embodiment will be omitted, but in addition to the decorative body 2580, a pattern display device 2518, a first distribution device 2530, a second distribution device 2540, a lottery role device 2550, etc. are attached to the center frame 2511. The pattern display device 2518 displays the special pattern or fourth pattern drawn by the reception of the game ball B into the first starting hole 2003 or the second starting hole 2004.

In addition, although detailed illustrations are omitted, solenoids such as the first sorting solenoid 2534 of the first sorting device 2530 and the second sorting solenoid 2544 of the second sorting device 2540, which are attached to the center frame 2511, are attached so that their metal cases are located at the rear end. This means that when the center frame 2511 (center role 2500) is placed with its rear end facing down on the stand TA, the sturdy metal cases of the solenoids come into contact with the stand TA, making them less likely to be damaged during assembly work, etc. In this case, a resin cover may be provided to cover the metal cases of the solenoids.

In the above embodiment, the insertion portion 2511a of the center frame 2511 may be formed into a double-walled structure, with the wiring of the LED board 2586 passing between the two walls. In this case, it is preferable to use a flexible flat cable (FFC) as the wiring.

In addition, in the above embodiment, the decoration of the front decorative portion 2581 and the rear decorative portion 2582 that make up the decorative body 2580 is shown as being made by printing a pattern on a transparent film, but this is not limited to this, and the front decorative portion 2581 and the rear decorative portion 2582 may also be three-dimensionally shaped. Alternatively, the configuration of the decorative body 2570 shown in Figure 95 may be applied to this embodiment.

According to this embodiment, a decorative body 2580 consisting of a rear decorative portion 2582, part of which protrudes rearward from the rear end of the center frame 2511, and a front decorative portion 2581, which is provided forward of the rear decorative portion 2582, is provided on a transparent center frame 2511 attached to the gaming panel 1100 of the gaming board 5.The transparency of the center frame 2511 makes it less noticeable, making the decorative body 2580 stand out in comparison, and the front decorative portion 2581 and rear decorative portion 2582 of the decorative body 2580 allow the player to see a decoration with depth. In this case, the rear decorative portion 2582 and the front decorative portion 2581 are decorated in a coordinated manner, and are arranged so that a portion of each overlaps when viewed from the front. This makes it difficult to distinguish the boundary between the decoration of the front decorative portion 2581 and the decoration of the rear decorative portion 2582 when viewed from the front (front). This allows the player to see the large decoration formed by the front decorative portion 2581 and the rear decorative portion 2582 in good condition, and the rear decorative portion 2582 and the front decorative portion 2581 can form a large, deep, and highly decorative decorative body 2580. Therefore, because the decorative body 2580 with a highly decorative effect can be provided on the center frame 2511, the decorative body 2580 can strongly attract the player's attention, making it difficult for them to become bored, and a pachinko machine 1 can be provided that is capable of preventing a decline in player interest.

In addition, according to this embodiment, the rear decorative portion 2582 that constitutes the decorative body 2580 extends within the frame of the center frame 2511, so the rear decorative portion 2582 does not narrow the game area 5a on the front of the game panel 1100 or make it difficult to see the game ball B flowing down the game area 5a, allowing players to enjoy playing with the game ball B in the game area 5a in good condition.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the rear decorative portion 2582 that constitutes the decorative body 2580 extends within the framework of the center frame 2511. This makes it possible to decorate the periphery of the performance display device 1600 (display screen) for the performance display device 1600, the back front performance unit 3300, the back rear performance unit 3400, etc., which are provided behind the gaming panel 1100, and to work in conjunction with the decorative bodies (movable decorative bodies) of the back front performance unit 3300 and the back rear performance unit 3400 to create decorations (performances) with a more decorative effect, thereby providing a highly appealing pachinko machine 1 that is capable of strongly attracting the attention of players.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the opaque portions of the decorative body 2580 make it difficult to see the wiring of electronic components such as the LED board 2586 from the front. This allows the wiring to be hidden by the opaque portions, preventing the wiring from being visible and detracting from the appearance, making it easier to achieve the decorative effect of the decorative body 2580.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the decorative body 2580 (front decorative portion 2581) is arranged in front of the LED board 2586, so the LED board 2586 can be hidden by the decorative body 2580 (decoration), which prevents the LED board 2586 from being visible and making it look unattractive, making it easier to achieve the decorative effect of the decorative body 2580.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the pattern display 2518 for displaying special patterns is attached to the center frame 2511, so the pattern display 2518 can be attached to the gaming panel 1100 together with the center frame 2511, reducing the effort required for assembling the pachinko machine 1 compared to when the pattern display 2518 is attached separately.

The decoration of the center frame 2511 (decorative body 2580) may be coordinated with the decoration applied to the gaming panel 1100.

[11-3. Center feature of the third embodiment]
Next, the center role 2500A of the third embodiment will be described in detail, mainly with reference to Figures 99 to 102. Figure 99 is a front view of a gaming board equipped with a center role of the third embodiment, with the rear side of the gaming panel omitted. Figure 100 is an exploded perspective view of the center role and gaming panel of Figure 99, viewed from the front. Figure 101 is an exploded perspective view of the center role of Figure 99, viewed from the front. Figures 102(a) to (g) are explanatory diagrams showing various joining patterns between the first frame and the second frame of the center role. Note that, hereinafter, the same components as those of the center role 2500 described above will be assigned the same reference numerals, and detailed descriptions will be omitted.

As shown in Figure 99, the center device 2500A of the third embodiment is located within the gaming area 5a, above the starting hole unit 2100 and slightly above the center when viewed from the front, and is attached to the front of the gaming panel 1100. Note that the gaming panel 1100 of this embodiment is made from a single plate, as shown in Figure 100.

The center device 2500A comprises a transparent, frame-shaped center frame 2700, a warp passage 2512 capable of guiding game balls B from the outside of the center frame 2700 to the inside of the frame, and a stage 2513 located at the bottom edge of the center frame 2700, which rolls game balls B that have passed through the warp passage 2512 left and right and then releases them into the game area 5a. As will be described in detail below, the frame-shaped center frame 2700 is divided into multiple frames circumferentially. This embodiment may also include a decorative body 2570 shown in FIG. 95 or a decorative body 2580 shown in FIG. 98. The decoration of the center frame 2700 (decorative body 2570, decorative body 2570A, decorative body 2580) may be coordinated with the decoration applied to the game panel 1100.

In addition, the center role piece 2500A has a connecting retainer 2710 that connects adjacent frames to each other among the multiple frames that make up the center frame 2700.

Furthermore, the center device 2500A has a pattern display 2518 that displays the results of the lottery for the special pattern drawn by receiving the game ball B into the first start port 2003 or the second start port 2004, a second start port unit 2720 that has the gate 2010 and the second start port 2004, an attacca unit 2730 that has the big prize port 2005, and a device prize port unit 2740 that has the device prize port 2006.

[11-3a. Center frame]
The center frame 2700 in the center device 2500A of the third embodiment is provided corresponding to the edge of the opening 1112 formed in the game panel 1100, and has an inflow restriction portion 2700a that restricts the game ball B flowing down the game area 5a from flowing into the inside of the opening 1112, and a flange portion 2700b extending from the rear end of the inflow restriction portion 2700a in a direction parallel to the front surface of the game panel 1100.

The inflow restriction portion 2700a of the center frame 2700 protrudes forward from the front surface of the gaming panel 1100 when the center frame 2700 is attached to the gaming panel 1100.

The flange portion 2700b extends flatly to the outside or inside of the frame depending on its circumferential location on the center frame 2700. When the center frame 2700 is attached to the front surface of the gaming panel 1100, a portion of the rear surface of the flange portion 2700b abuts against the front surface of the gaming panel 1100.

The center frame 2700 also has a non-flange portion 2700c where the flange portion 2700b does not extend from the rear end of the inflow restriction portion 2700a on at least one of the outer and inner sides of the frame, and an insertion portion (not shown) that extends rearward beyond the flange portion 2700b and is inserted into the opening 1112 of the gaming panel 1100. At the location of this non-flange portion 2700c, the rear surface of the inflow restriction portion 2700a coincides with the rear surface of the flange portion 2700b. The insertion portion is provided on a portion of the entire circumference of the center frame 2700.

In this embodiment, the frame-shaped center frame 2700 is divided into multiple parts in the circumferential direction. More specifically, the center frame 2700 is divided into five parts: a first frame 2701, a second frame 2702, a third frame 2703, a fourth frame 2704, and a fifth frame 2705, each of which has a similar configuration. This center role piece 2500A has a connecting retaining portion 2710 that connects adjacent frames.

The first frame 2701 constitutes the upper portion of the top and left sides of the center frame 2700, from the middle to the top. The second frame 2702 constitutes the lower portion and bottom side of the left side of the center frame 2700, from the middle to the top. The third frame 2703 constitutes the upper portion of the right side of the center frame 2700, and is continuous with the right end of the first frame 2701. The fourth frame 2704 constitutes the middle portion of the right side of the center frame 2700, and is continuous with the bottom end of the third frame 2703. The fifth frame 2705 constitutes the lower portion of the center frame 2700, and is continuous with the bottom end of the fourth frame 2704 and the right end of the second frame 2702.

The warp passage 2512 and stage 2513 are attached to the second frame 2702. The prize winning unit 2740 is attached to the third frame 2703. The second starting unit 2720 is attached to the fourth frame 2704. The attacker unit 2730 is attached to the fifth frame 2705.

Below, we will provide a detailed explanation of the first frame 2701 and the second frame 2702, which are representative of the multiple frames that make up the center frame 2700.

First, the first frame 2701 of the center frame 2700 is formed to be transparent. This first frame 2701 is formed to constitute the upper edge portion and the upper portion of the left edge in the vertical direction of the center frame 2700 (center feature 2500A).

The first frame 2701 is provided to correspond to the edge of the opening 1112 formed in the gaming panel 1100, and has a first inflow restriction portion 2701a that restricts game balls B flowing down the gaming area 5a from flowing into the opening 1112, a flat first flange portion 2701b that is connected to the rear end of the first inflow restriction portion 2701a and extends along the front surface of the gaming panel 1100, and a first non-flange portion 2701c at the rear end of the first inflow restriction portion 2701a where the first flange portion 2701b is not provided on at least one of the outside and inside of the frame.

The first inflow restriction section 2701a of the first frame 2701 slopes linearly from near the center of the upper edge in the left-right direction so that the right side becomes lower to the right, and then the left side of that section bends in multiple stages to become lower as it moves to the left, transitioning to the left edge, with the bottom end of the left edge extending vertically downward.

One end of the connecting retainer 2710 is removably attached to the inside portion of the frame near the right end of the first inflow restrictor 2701a and to the inside portion of the frame extending vertically downward from the lower left end.

First flange portion 2701b is configured to extend both outside and inside the frame at the portion of the upper edge of first inflow restriction portion 2701a that slopes linearly downward to the right. Furthermore, first flange portion 2701b is configured to extend outside the frame except near the left end at the portion of first inflow restriction portion 2701a that is bent in multiple stages so that it becomes lower toward the left, and also extends inside the frame near the left end (the portion above the portion that extends vertically downward at the lower left end of first inflow restriction portion 2701a).

The first flange portion 2701b has mounting holes at appropriate positions for mounting to the gaming panel 1100.

The first non-flange portion 2701c is provided only on the inside of the frame at the right end of the first inflow restriction portion 2701a, and is provided on both the outside and inside of the frame at the portion extending vertically downward from the lower left end of the first inflow restriction portion 2701a.

Next, the second frame 2702 of the center frame 2700 is formed to be transparent. This second frame 2702 is formed to form the lower portion of the left side of the center frame 2700 (center role piece 2500A) in the vertical direction, as well as the lower side portion. A warp passage 2512 and a stage 2513 are attached to the second frame 2702.

The second frame 2702 of the center frame 2700 is arranged to correspond to the edge of the opening 1112 formed in the gaming panel 1100, and has a second inflow restriction portion 2702a that restricts game balls B flowing down the gaming area 5a from flowing into the opening 1112, a flat second flange portion 2702b that is connected to the rear end of the second inflow restriction portion 2702a and extends along the front surface of the gaming panel 1100, and a second non-flange portion 2702c at the rear end of the second inflow restriction portion 2702a where the second flange portion 2702b is not provided on at least one of the outside and inside of the frame.

The second inflow restriction portion 2702a of the second frame 2702 is provided separately on the left side, extending vertically, and on the right edge of the bottom side, with no portion provided between these two portions. Specifically, the left-side second inflow restriction portion 2702a extends downward from the top edge of the left side along the left side, then transitions to the bottom side, and extends a short distance to the right (bottom right) along the bottom side so that its right edge is lower. Furthermore, the right-side second inflow restriction portion 2702a extends vertically along the right edge of the bottom side.

One end of the connecting retainer 2710 is removably attached to the inner portion of the frame at the upper end of the left-side second inflow restriction portion 2702a and to the right side (right side surface) of the right-side second inflow restriction portion 2702a.

The left second inflow restriction section 2702a has an entrance to the warp passage 2512, and a stage 2513 is provided between the left and right second inflow restriction sections 2702a.

The second flange portion 2702b is provided so as to extend inward of the frame at the portion of the left-side second inflow restriction portion 2702a that extends up and down (the left side portion), and is provided so as to extend both inward and outward of the frame at the portion that extends downward and to the right along the bottom side of the left-side second inflow restriction portion 2702a. This second flange portion 2702b is provided so as to extend significantly outward from the frame at the bottom side, connecting the two second inflow restriction portions 2702a that are separated into left and right sections by this portion.

The second flange portion 2702b has mounting holes at appropriate positions for mounting to the gaming panel 1100.

The second non-flange portion 2702c is located outside the frame in the portion extending vertically along the left edge of the left-side second inflow restriction portion 2702a, and is located on the right side (right side surface) of the right-side second inflow restriction portion 2702a.

This second frame 2702 extends rearward beyond the second flange portion 2702b and further has a second insertion portion (not shown) that is inserted into the opening 1112 of the gaming panel 1100. The second insertion portion protrudes rearward from the second flange portion 2702b so as to connect the two second inflow restriction portions 2702a, which are separated into left and right portions. The stage 2513 is attached to this second insertion portion.

Next, we will explain how to attach the center frame 2700 to the gaming panel 1100, using the first frame 2701 and the second frame 2702 as examples. The first frame 2701 and the second frame 2702 are attached to the gaming panel 1100 with mounting screws that pass through mounting holes provided in the first flange portion 2701b and the second flange portion 2702b.

For example, between the first frame 2701 and the second frame 2702, as shown in Figures 99 and 102(a), the first inflow restriction portion 2701a of the first frame 2701 and the second inflow restriction portion 2702a of the second frame 2702 are attached to the gaming panel 1100 so that they are adjacent to each other.

More specifically, the first frame 2701 and the second frame 2702 are attached to the front of the gaming panel 1100 with the second inflow restriction portion 2702a of the second frame 2702 positioned to the right of the first inflow restriction portion 2701a of the first frame 2701 so that they slightly overlap in the vertical direction. In other words, the right side of the first inflow restriction portion 2701a, where the first non-flange portion 2701c is provided, and the left side of the second inflow restriction portion 2702a, where the second non-flange portion 2702c is provided, are attached so that they face each other. This makes it possible for the first non-flange portion 2701c and the second non-flange portion 2702c to bring the first inflow restriction portion 2701a and the second inflow restriction portion 2702a as close together as possible.

However, in the case of a device that uses a center frame 2511 that is not divided circumferentially, such as the center device 2500 of the first embodiment, if it is desired to change the size of the play area 5a on the front of the game panel 1100 due to a design change or the like, it is necessary to recreate the center frame 2511, which may increase costs.

In contrast, the center frame 2700 of this embodiment is divided into multiple frames (here, five frames: first frame 2701 to fifth frame 2705) circumferentially, so the size of the play area 5a can be freely changed by changing the mounting position of each frame.

Specifically, for example, if the area below the second frame 2702 in the play area 5a is to be enlarged, the second frame 2702 is moved upward from the state shown in FIG. 102(a), as shown in FIG. 102(b). This allows for the play area 5a (opening 1112 of the play panel 1100) to be expanded or contracted in the vertical direction.

Alternatively, if the area to the left of the second frame 2702 in the play area 5a is to be made smaller, as shown in FIG. 102(c), the second frame 2702 is moved leftward from the state shown in FIG. 102(a) so that the second inflow restriction portion 2702a of the second frame 2702 is positioned to the left of the first inflow restriction portion 2701a of the first frame 2701. This makes it possible to accommodate expansion and contraction of the play area 5a (opening 1112 of the play panel 1100) in the left-right direction.

Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 102(d), the lower end of the first inflow restriction portion 2701a of the first frame 2701 and the upper end of the second inflow restriction portion 2702a of the second frame 2702 may be arranged to face each other, butted together, and attached to the gaming panel 1100. This makes it possible to reduce the area to the left and below the second frame 2702 in the gaming area 5a compared to the state shown in FIG. 102(a). In this case, the first inflow restriction portion 2701a and the second inflow restriction portion 2702a are butted together, making it possible to make the first frame 2701 and the second frame 2702 appear to be one unit.

Also, as shown in Figure 102 (e), a gap C may be formed between the first inflow restriction portion 2701a of the first frame 2701 and the second inflow restriction portion 2702a of the second frame 2702. In this case, it is desirable to make the gap C smaller than the diameter of the game ball B. Note that if the gap C is larger than the diameter of the game ball B, an obstruction nail may be planted to prevent the game ball B from passing through the gap C.

Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 102(f), second non-flange portions 2702c, where the second flange portion 2702b is not formed, may be provided on both the left and right sides of the second inflow restriction portion 2702a side of the second frame 2702. This provides first non-flange portions 2701c on both the left and right sides of the first inflow restriction portion 2701a, and second non-flange portions 2702c on both the left and right sides of the second inflow restriction portion 2702a, allowing the first inflow restriction portion 2701a and the second inflow restriction portion 2702a to be as close together as possible in the left-right direction. This increases the degree of freedom in the placement of the second frame 2702 relative to the first frame 2701, and can accommodate play areas 5a of various sizes due to design changes, etc. In other words, it is easier to accommodate expansion and contraction of the play area 5a (opening 1112 of the game panel 1100) in the vertical and horizontal directions.

Also, as shown in Figure 102 (g), the first flange portion 2701b may be provided on the first frame 2701 up to the lower end of the first inflow restriction portion 2701a. This increases the rigidity of the first inflow restriction portion 2701a due to the presence of the first flange portion 2701b, making it less likely to be damaged even if a game ball B comes into contact with the first inflow restriction portion 2701a.

In this center frame 2700, a clearance is provided between adjacent frames. Although not specifically numbered, this clearance refers to a portion (the portion surrounding the end of the frame) that allows relative movement with respect to the ends of adjacent frames, as illustrated in Figure 102. If the opening 1112 of the gaming panel 1100 can expand and contract left and right, at least two clearances are required to allow movement left and right. Similarly, if the opening 1112 can expand and contract up and down, at least two clearances are required to allow movement up and down. Furthermore, if the opening 1112 can expand and contract up, down, left and right, at least two clearances are required to allow movement up and down, and at least two clearances are required to allow movement left and right.

Specifically, there is clearance in the vertical direction at both ends of the second frame 2702, i.e., between the first frame 2701 and the second frame 2702, and between the second frame 2702 and the fifth frame 2705 (see Figures 99 to 101). Furthermore, there is clearance in the horizontal direction at both ends of the third frame 2703, i.e., between the first frame 2701 and the third frame 2703, and between the third frame 2703 and the fourth frame 2704. Note that while the clearance in the vertical direction is shown in Figure 102, the same applies to the clearance in the horizontal direction.

Incidentally, in the area between the first frame 2701 and the third frame 2703, for example, where there is clearance in the left-right direction, game balls B roll on the upper surface of the left-right extending portion of the first inflow restriction portion 2701a of the first frame 2701. Therefore, if the first frame 2701 is moved to the left and attached, a gap will be formed between the first frame 2701 and the third frame 2703, which may impede the flow of game balls B. In such cases, spacers or rows of obstacle nails can be installed in the clearance area to prevent the flow of game balls B from being impeded. For this reason, it is more difficult to expand the game area 5a (opening 1112 of the game panel 1100) left-right than up-down due to factors such as the flow of game balls B.

As such, according to this embodiment, the frame-shaped center frame 2700 of the center role device 2500A is divided into multiple frames, such as the first frame 2701 and the second frame 2702, circumferentially around the frame. Therefore, when it is necessary to change the size of the play area 5a due to a design change or the like, this can be easily accommodated by simply changing the mounting positions of the divided frames, such as the first frame 2701 and the second frame 2702, without having to redesign the entire center frame 2700, thereby providing a pachinko machine 1 with a high degree of design freedom.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the center frame 2700 in the center role device 2500A is divided into multiple frames, such as the first frame 2701 and the second frame 2702. Therefore, when partially changing the design of the center role device 2500A, the center role device 2500A can be easily changed to the desired design by changing only the frame corresponding to the part to be changed. This reduces the cost of model changes and provides a pachinko machine 1 that can easily accommodate model changes.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the frame-shaped center frame 2700 is divided into multiple frames, such as the first frame 2701 and the second frame 2702, circumferentially around the frame. Therefore, by changing the mounting position of each frame relative to the gaming panel, the size of the gaming area 5a can be easily changed without having to redesign the entire center frame 2700, thereby reducing the cost of the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the frame-shaped center frame 2700 of the center role device 2500A is divided into multiple frames, such as the first frame 2701 and the second frame 2702, circumferentially around the frame. Therefore, when a malfunction occurs in the symbol display device 2518, second starting port unit 2720, or attacca unit 2730 provided in the center role device 2500A, it is possible to remove only the frame in which the malfunctioning unit is provided, without having to remove the entire center frame 2700 from the gaming panel 1100, thereby simplifying the effort required for maintenance work.

[11-3b. Connection holding part]
The connecting and holding portion 2710 connects adjacent frames in each frame of the center frame 2700, which is divided into multiple frames such as a first frame 2701 and a second frame 2702 in the circumferential direction of the frame.

Incidentally, as described above, the center frame 2700 of this embodiment is configured to be divided into multiple frames circumferentially, which raises the risk of some frames falling and being damaged during assembly, maintenance, and other detachment work. To address this issue, this embodiment provides a connecting retainer 2710 that connects adjacent frames. As shown in Figures 99 to 101, the connecting retainer 2710 is formed from a flexible, linear (string-like) member. From the perspective of fall protection, it is desirable that the length of this connecting retainer 2710 not reach the bottom edge of the gaming board 5 when the center frame 2700 is removed while the gaming board 5 is upright.

In this embodiment, the connecting and holding portion 2710 uses a decorative ball chain. This allows the connecting and holding portion 2710 to be visible, but its decorative nature allows it to double as decoration, so the overall appearance of the game board 5 is not marred.

For example, between the first frame 2701 and the second frame 2702, one end of the connecting and retaining portion 2710 is detachably attached to the first inflow restriction portion 2701a of the first frame 2701, and the other end is detachably attached to the second inflow restriction portion 2702a of the second frame 2702. The connecting and retaining portion 2710 is attached in a similar manner between the other frames.

Figures 99 to 101 show the first frame 2701 and the second frame 2702, the first frame 2701 and the third frame 2703, and the second frame 2702 and the fifth frame 2705 connected by connecting and holding parts 2710, but the third frame 2703 and the fourth frame 2704, and the fourth frame 2704 and the fifth frame 2705 are also connected by similar connecting and holding parts 2710.

This connecting and retaining portion 2710 connects adjacent frames together among the multiple frames, such as the first frame 2701 and second frame 2702, that make up the center frame 2700. Therefore, even if one frame is removed during installation or removal, the removed frame will not fall onto a workbench or floor, preventing damage to the frame due to a fall.

In the above embodiment, the connecting and retaining portion 2710 is shown as being decorative, but this is not limiting and it may be non-decorative. In this case, it is desirable to provide the connecting and retaining portion 2710 in a location that is difficult to see from the front, hidden by the center frame 2700 or decorative body, etc.

In addition, in the above embodiment, the connecting and retaining portion 2710 is shown to be visible to the player, but this is not limited to this, and it may be completely invisible to the player under normal conditions. In other words, if the connecting and retaining portion 2710 is located in a part of the center frame 2700 that is not visible to the player, it will not be visible to the player under normal conditions, such as during play.

In addition, while the above embodiment shows a configuration in which all adjacent frames are connected by the connecting and retaining portions 2710, this is not limited to this. Frames that do not need to be removed from the gaming panel 1100 for maintenance, etc., do not need to be connected to adjacent frames by the connecting and retaining portions 2710. For example, the first frame 2701 and the second frame 2702 do not have any movable parts and therefore do not require maintenance, and are light in weight and therefore not susceptible to damage even if dropped, so they do not need to be connected. Conversely, the third frame 2703 to the fifth frame 2705 have movable parts and are heavy in weight, which increases the need for connection. Therefore, it is preferable to simplify the first frame 2701 and the second frame 2702 by not connecting them, and to detachably connect the third frame 2703 to the fifth frame 2705 to other sturdy members on the back of the gaming board 5 (gaming panel 1100) rather than to other frames.

Furthermore, in the above embodiment, multiple connecting and retaining portions 2710 may be provided. In this case, it is desirable to bundle multiple connecting and retaining portions 2710 together to prevent the connecting and retaining portions 2710 from becoming entangled with the obstructing nails and bending them during manufacturing or maintenance, etc.

Furthermore, if multiple connecting and retaining portions 2710 are provided and connected to multiple locations on the back of the gaming board 5 (gaming panel 1100), it becomes possible to maintain the position of the center frame 2700 (each frame) even when the mounting screws attaching the center frame 2700 to the gaming panel 1100 are removed. This eliminates the need to support the center frame 2700 during manufacturing and maintenance, improving workability.

In this way, according to this embodiment, the center frame 2700 is divided into multiple frames, such as the first frame 2701 and the second frame 2702, circumferentially, and adjacent frames are connected to each other by the connecting and retaining portions 2710. Therefore, even if some of the frames detach from the gaming panel 1100 and attempt to fall by removing the mounting screws attached to the gaming panel 1100 during assembly or maintenance, the detached frames are connected to the other frames by the flexible, string-like connecting and retaining portions 2710, which act like a lifeline, allowing the detached frames to hang down. This prevents the detached frames from falling onto a workbench, floor, etc., and prevents them from being damaged.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the connecting and holding portion 2710 is detachably attached to the first inflow restriction portion 2701a, the second inflow restriction portion 2702a, etc., so that by removing the attachment portion of the connecting and holding portion 2710 from the first inflow restriction portion 2701a, etc., the first frame 2701, etc. can be removed individually from the gaming panel 1100.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, adjacent frames are connected to each other by a flexible, string-like connecting and holding portion 2710. Therefore, even if the position of the second frame 2702 relative to the first frame 2701 is changed due to a design change or the like, the connecting and holding portion 2710 can deform and follow the change, thereby accommodating the change in position, thereby providing a pachinko machine 1 with a high degree of design freedom.

For example, as shown in FIG. 102(a), when the first frame 2701 and the second frame 2702 are attached to the gaming panel 1100 so that a gap C is formed between the first inflow restriction portion 2701a of the first frame 2701 and the second inflow restriction portion 2702a of the second frame 2702, the connecting and retaining portion 2710 that connects (joins) the first inflow restriction portion 2701a and the second inflow restriction portion 2702a may be made to function as a restriction portion that prevents the gaming ball B from passing through the gap C.

[12. Details of the side unit on the game board]
Next, we will explain in detail the side unit 2200 provided on the above-mentioned game board 5. The side unit 2200 extends along the inner rail 1002 to the left of the starting port unit 2100 within the game area 5a, and is attached to the game panel 1100 from the front. The side unit 2200 has three general winning ports 2001 that are always open to receive game balls B, and one sub-out port 2021 that is always open to receive game balls B.

Although not shown in detail, the side unit 2200 comprises multiple ball receiving sections that form the general winning opening 2001 and sub-outlet opening 2021, have a U-shaped cross section, extend slightly forward and backward, and are lined up in the left-right direction, open upward and backward; a shelf section 2201 that is the same length as the ball receiving sections and extends shortly forward and backward in a frame-like manner, located to the right of the rightmost ball receiving section when viewed from the front; a flat front plate connecting the front ends of the multiple ball receiving sections and shelf sections; flange sections that extend flatly outward in the left-right direction from the rear ends of the leftmost ball receiving section and shelf section 2201 when viewed from the front; and trough sections that extend trough-like rearward from the rear ends of each ball receiving section.

The side unit 2200 also has two positioning protrusions protruding rearward from the flange portion and two mounting holes penetrating the flange portion. The positioning protrusions are inserted into positioning holes 1113 (see Figure 104) in the panel plate 1110 of the gaming panel 1100 to position the side unit 2200 relative to the panel plate 1110. The mounting holes are used to mount the side unit 2200 to the front surface of the panel plate 1110 by inserting mounting screws from the front and screwing them into mounting holes 1114 (see Figure 104) in the panel plate 1110 with the flange portion abutting the front surface of the panel plate 1110.

When the side unit 2200 is assembled to the gaming board 5, multiple ball receiving sections, namely the three general winning openings 2001 and one sub-out opening 2021, protrude forward from the front surface of the gaming panel 1100. Furthermore, the rear end of the gutter section extending rearward from the ball receiving section is located within the thickness of the panel plate 1110 of the gaming panel 1100, and does not protrude rearward from the rear surface of the panel plate 1110.

This side unit 2200 guides the game ball B received in the general winning opening 2001 (ball receiving section) to the rear of the game panel 1100 using the gutter section, and hands it over to the back ball guiding unit 3100 of the back unit 3000. The game ball B handed over to the back ball guiding unit 3100 of the back unit 3000 is then detected by the general winning opening sensor 3001 and discharged downward. On the other hand, the game ball B received in the sub-out opening 2021 is handed over to the back ball guiding unit 3100 of the back unit 3000, as described above, and discharged to the safe ball receiving opening 600b of the circulation ball path unit 600 below.

This side unit 2200 has a flat front plate connecting the front ends of each of the multiple ball receiving sections, each with a U-shaped cross section, to the front end of the shelf section 2201, which has a frame-shaped cross section. This provides greater rigidity than conventional side units, in which multiple ball receiving sections protrude forward from a flat base plate. Therefore, when disassembling a pachinko machine 1 for recycling or other purposes, the side unit 2200 will not bend when the mounting screws attaching the side unit 2200 to the panel plate 1110 are removed and the side unit 2200 is pulled forward, due to the increased rigidity of the side unit 2200. This prevents the positioning protrusions of the side unit 2200 from tilting relative to the positioning holes 1113 of the panel plate 1110, allowing the side unit 2200 to be easily removed from the gaming panel 1100 (panel plate 1110). This provides a pachinko machine 1 that reduces the amount of disassembly required for sorting.

In addition, a portion of the front panel of the side unit 2200 protrudes above the shelf portion 2201 at the front end of the shelf portion 2201. Therefore, when disassembling the pachinko machine 1, the worker can hook their fingers on the protruding portion of the shelf portion and easily pull the side unit 2200 forward, improving the workability of the disassembly work.

In addition, when the side unit 2200 is assembled to the gaming board 5, the flat base plate blocks the opening 1112 from the front, preventing foreign matter such as dust and dirt from entering the gaming area 5a on the front side of the panel board 1110 through the opening 1112 from the rear side of the panel board 1110.

[12-1. Side unit of second embodiment]
Next, the side unit 2800 of the second embodiment will be described in detail, mainly with reference to Figures 103 to 105. Figure 103(a) is a front view showing the main parts of a gaming board equipped with a side unit of the second embodiment, and Figure 103(b) is a perspective view of Figure 103(a) viewed from the front. Figure 104(a) is an exploded perspective view showing the side unit disassembled from the gaming panel on the gaming board of Figure 103, Figure 104(b) is an exploded perspective view of the side unit of Figure 103(a) viewed from the front, Figure 104(c) is an exploded perspective view of the side unit of Figure 104(b) viewed from the rear, and Figure 104(d) is an explanatory diagram showing the relationship between the gaming panel and the side unit in a vertical cross section. Figure 105 is an explanatory diagram showing the relationship between the side unit of Figure 104 and the gaming panel in a cross section.

In the gaming board 5 equipped with the side unit 2800 of this embodiment, parts with the same configuration as the gaming board 5 shown in Figure 78 are given the same reference numerals and detailed descriptions are omitted.

The side unit 2800 of the second embodiment extends along the inner rail 1002 to the left of the starting port unit 2100 within the game area 5a, where the player operates the handle 160 to shoot the game ball B, and is attached to the game panel 1100 from the front. The side unit 2800 has three general winning ports 2001 that are always open and can receive the game ball B.

As shown in Figure 104, etc., the side unit 2800 is composed of a first component 2811 attached from the front to the flat panel board 1110 in which the obstacle nails of the gaming panel 1100 are planted, and a second component 2812 attached from the rear to the first component 2811. In this embodiment, the side unit 2800 has the second component 2812 attached to the rear of the first component 2811.

The first component 2811 of the side unit 2800 has a flat base plate 2811a that can abut against the front surface of the gaming panel 1100 (panel plate 1110), and multiple ball receiving portions 2811b that protrude forward from the base plate 2811a and are open at the top and rear, forming the general winning opening 2001.

The base plate 2811a extends along the inner rail 1002 of the previous component 1000. The three ball receiving portions 2811b are spaced apart from each other on the left and right, and are positioned further downward than the rightmost ball receiving portion 2811b. The leftmost ball receiving portion 2811b has a front end surface that is parallel to the base plate 2811a all the way to the bottom. The remaining ball receiving portions 2811b (center and rightmost) are inclined so that their front end surfaces move further rearward as they approach the bottom.

The first component 2811 also has two positioning protrusions 2811c protruding rearward from the base plate 2811a, multiple (three in this case) mounting holes 2811d penetrating the base plate 2811a for mounting to the gaming panel 1100, and multiple mounting holes (not shown) provided on the rear end surface of the ball receiving portion 2811b (base plate 2811a) for mounting the second component 2812.

The two positioning protrusions 2811c are spaced apart in the longitudinal direction of the base plate 2811a. The positioning protrusions 2811c are inserted into positioning holes 1113 provided in the panel plate 1110 of the gaming panel 1100. In this embodiment, the two positioning protrusions 2811c are the same length.

The three mounting holes 2811d are provided near the positioning protrusion 2811c on the base plate 2811a and at the top of the base plate 2811a near the center in the left-right direction. These mounting holes 2811d have a countersunk recess on the front side, and countersunk mounting screws (not shown) that are screwed into the mounting holes 1114 of the panel plate 1110 are inserted from the front. When attached to the front surface of the panel plate 1110, the heads of the mounting screws do not protrude forward beyond the front surface of the base plate 2811a.

The mounting hole is intended to receive a mounting screw inserted into a mounting hole (not shown) in the second component 2812, which will be described later.

The second component 2812 is formed in the shape of a container that is open to the front, and has a ball passage 2812a that allows the game ball B received in the general winning opening 2001 (ball receiving portion 2811b) to flow down along the surface (board surface) of the game panel 1100 (panel board 1110), a passage outlet 2812b that opens toward the rear at the downstream end of the ball passage 2812a, and multiple mounting holes (not shown) for attachment to the first component 2811.

As shown in Figures 104(d) and 105, the second component 2812 of this embodiment is inserted into the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100, and is formed so that its depth is within the thickness of the panel board 1110. Note that Figure 104(d) shows a cut at the ball receiving portion 2811b in the center in the left-right direction.

The spherical passage 2812a of the second component 2812 is formed so as to follow the inner rail 1002 of the previous component 1000 and to become lower toward the right along the surface of the panel board 1110. The passage outlet 2812b opens toward the rear at the right end of the second component 2812, which is the downstream end of the spherical passage 2812a.

The mounting holes of the second component 2812 are located at positions corresponding to the mounting holes of the first component 2811. By inserting mounting screws from the rear through the mounting holes of the second component 2812 and screwing them into the mounting holes of the first component 2811, the second component 2812 is attached to the first component 2811 from the rear.

As shown in Figure 105, the side unit 2800 of this embodiment has a branch section 2801 (shown in lightly shaded areas in Figure 105) that is connected to the general winning opening 2001 (ball receiving section 2811b), and a main section 2802 (shown in darkly shaded areas in Figure 105) that merges with the branch section 2801 and extends along the surface (board surface) of the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100. The ball passage 2812a is made up of multiple branch sections 2801 and the main section 2802.

The branch section 2801 extends rearward from a position forward of the front face of the panel plate 1110 to a position (within the thickness of the panel plate 1110) behind the front face of the panel plate 1110 and above the main section 2802.

The main flow section 2802 extends along the surface of the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100, from near the left end to near the right end of the base plate 2811a, lowering to the right. The length of the main flow section 2802 is at least twice the diameter of the gaming ball B (8 to 10 times in this embodiment).

The side unit 2800 of this embodiment is assembled by positioning the second component 2812 behind the first component 2811 and threading mounting screws from the rear of the second component 2812 through the mounting holes in the second component 2812 and into the mounting holes in the first component 2811. This completes the construction of the side unit 2800, in which the second component 2812 is attached to the first component 2811 from the rear.

As shown in the figure, the ball passage 2812a of the second component 2812 is open to the front, but when the first component 2811 is attached to the front to construct the side unit 2800, the front end of the ball passage 2812a is closed by the base plate 2811a of the first component 2811, so that game balls B do not spill forward from the ball passage 2812a. In other words, the ball passage 2812a is formed by the first component 2811 and the second component 2812. In other words, the ball passage 2812a is provided between the first component 2811 and the second component 2812.

This side unit 2800 abuts the base plate 2811a of the first component 2811 against the front surface of the panel plate 1110 of the gaming panel 1100 from the front of the panel plate 1110 so that the base plate 2811a closes the opening 1112 that penetrates the panel plate 1110. At this time, the two positioning protrusions 2811c of the first component 2811 are inserted into the positioning holes 1113 of the panel plate 1110. In this state, the mounting hole 2811d of the first component 2811 is aligned with the mounting hole 1114 of the panel plate 1110.

The side unit 2800 is then attached to the front surface of the panel board 1110 by threading a mounting screw through the mounting hole 2811d of the first component 2811 from the front and into the mounting hole 1114 of the panel board 1110 and tightening it. Because the mounting hole 2811d of the first component 2811 is located near the positioning protrusion 2811c, screwing the mounting screw through the mounting hole 2811d and into the mounting hole 1114 of the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100 presses the positioning protrusion 2811c firmly against the panel board 1110, ensuring it is inserted into the positioning hole 1113. This prevents the positioning protrusion 2811c from floating up due to incomplete insertion.

When the side unit 2800 is attached to the front of the panel plate 1110 (when the gaming board 5 is assembled), the second component 2812 is located within the thickness of the panel plate 1110 within the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110, and is located forward of the rear surface of the panel plate 1110. In other words, when assembled to the gaming board 5, the side unit 2800 does not protrude rearward beyond the rear surface of the panel plate 1110, making it possible to ensure ample space behind the panel plate 1110.

In this embodiment, the side unit 2800 and panel board 1110 are formed from transparent synthetic resin, and the decoration of the performance unit located behind the panel board 1110 can be seen from the front through the side unit 2800, etc. Here, a back-bottom performance unit 3500 is provided behind the side unit 2800, which has a back-bottom movable decoration 3510 that can rise and fall according to the progress of the game. This back-bottom movable decoration 3510 is arranged to be able to rise and fall between a standby position in which most of its entirety is located below the frame of the center role device 2500, and an application position in which it rises from the standby position and is located within the frame of the center role device 2500. When the back-bottom movable decoration 3510 is in the lowered standby position, it can be seen from the front through the transparent side unit 2800 and panel board 1110.

In the side unit 2800, when a game ball B is received in the general winning opening 2001, it is guided by the ball receiving portion 2811b that forms the general winning opening 2001 to the ball passage 2812a behind the front of the panel board 1110, and after flowing down along the surface of the panel board 1110 via the ball passage 2812a, it is handed over from the passage exit 2812b to the rear ball guiding unit 3100 of the rear unit 3000 located behind. After being handed over to the rear ball guiding unit 3100, the game ball B is detected by the general winning opening sensor 3001 and then discharged downward.

In this embodiment, although detailed illustrations are omitted, the passage exit 2812b of the second component 2812 is located below the rear-bottom movable decorative body 3510 in the standby position. In other words, the general winning opening sensor 3001, which detects the game ball B received in the general winning opening 2001 (ball receiving portion 2811b), is located below the rear-bottom movable decorative body 3510 in the standby position. Therefore, the side unit 2800, general winning opening sensor 3001, etc. do not interfere with the rear-bottom movable decorative body 3510.

In addition, in this embodiment, the general winning slot sensor 3001 is not provided in the side unit 2800, but is provided in the back unit 3000 (back ball guide unit 3100). In other words, the side unit 2800 has a wire-free structure. In this way, for the various units attached to the front side of the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100, electronic components such as ball sensors, magnetic sensors, and other sensors that require wiring are provided in the back unit 3000. By providing the units with wiring, when the mounting screws attached to the panel board 1110 are removed and the units are pulled forward, the units are connected by wiring through the openings 1112 in the panel board 1110. This eliminates the need to cut wiring or unplug the connectors, and the units can be removed forward from the panel board 1110 without worrying about wiring, allowing for efficient disassembly.

According to the side unit 2800 of this embodiment, a flat base plate 2811a is provided on the first component member 2811. By screwing a mounting screw into the mounting hole 1114 of the panel plate 1110 of the gaming panel 1100 via the mounting hole 2811d that passes through the base plate 2811a and attaching the first component member 2811 to the front surface of the panel plate 1110, the base plate 2811a can block the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110 from the front side, making it possible to hide the rear of the panel plate 1110 (gaming panel 1100) from the front side (player side) through the opening 1112, thereby improving the appearance of the pachinko machine 1 (gaming board 5). On the other hand, the second component 2812 is provided with a ball passage 2812a that allows the game ball B to flow down along the surface of the panel board 1110, and since the cross section of the ball passage 2812a is U-shaped, the presence of the ball passage 2812a can increase the rigidity of the second component 2812. Furthermore, since the base plate 2811a is flat, the rigidity of the first component 2811 may be reduced, but since the second component 2812, whose rigidity is increased by the ball passage 2812a, is attached to the rear side of the first component 2811 with mounting screws through its mounting holes to form the side unit 2800, the rigidity of the side unit 2800 can be increased compared to conventional side units. Therefore, when disassembling the pachinko machine 1 for recycling or the like, when the mounting screws that are threaded into the panel plate 1110 of the gaming panel 1100 via the mounting holes 2811d of the first component 2811 are removed and the side unit 2800 is pulled forward, the side unit 2800 does not bend due to the increased rigidity of the side unit 2800, and the positioning protrusions 2811c of the side unit 2800 (first component 2811) do not tilt relative to the positioning holes 1113 of the panel plate 1110, and the side unit 2800 can be easily removed from the gaming panel 1100 (panel plate 1110), thereby providing a pachinko machine 1 that reduces the amount of disassembly work required for sorting.

However, since the two positioning protrusions 2811c on the first component 2811 are arranged so that they are spaced apart in the longitudinal direction of the first component 2811, when the first component 2811 is pulled forward during disassembly, the center of the first component 2811 bends in a curved shape so that it moves forward.This bending creates a force that tilts each of the positioning protrusions 2811c so that the tips of the positioning protrusions 2811c, which are spaced apart in the longitudinal direction, move closer to each other, which may prevent the positioning protrusions 2811c from being removed from the positioning holes 1113 of the panel board 1110 in the gaming panel 1100. However, in this embodiment, as described above, the side unit 2800 is formed by attaching the second component 2812 to the rear side of the first component 2811, and the rigidity of the side unit 2800 is increased. Therefore, even if the side unit 2800 is pulled forward, the side unit 2800 does not bend and the positioning protrusions 2811c, which are spaced apart in the longitudinal direction, do not tilt. This means that the side unit 2800 can be easily removed from the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100, and a pachinko machine 1 can be provided that reduces the disassembly work required for separation.

Furthermore, since the multiple ball receiving portions 2811b protrude forward from the front surface of the panel plate 1110 of the gaming panel 1100, when the side unit 2800 is pulled forward to remove it from the panel plate 1110 during disassembly of the pachinko machine 1, the ball receiving portions 2811b can be grasped and pulled, making it easier to remove the side unit 2800.

In addition, the base plate 2811a of the first component 2811 blocks the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100 from the front, preventing foreign matter such as dust and dirt from entering the gaming area 5a on the front side of the panel board 1110 through the opening 1112 from the rear side of the panel board 1110.

In addition, because the second component 2812 is attached to the rear of the first component 2811 with mounting screws via mounting holes (not shown), the mounting screws that attach the second component 2812 are less visible from the front, improving the appearance of the pachinko machine 1 (game board 5).

In addition, a ball passage 2812a is provided between the first component 2811 and the second component 2812, protruding into the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110. This allows game balls B that enter the ball receiving portion 2811b (general winning opening 2001) to flow down along the surface of the panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100. This makes it possible to effectively utilize the thickness of the game panel 1100 (panel plate 1110) and more easily secure empty space behind the panel plate 1110, compared to conventional side units that guide game balls B that enter the general winning opening 2001 behind the rear surface of the game panel 1100 and provide a ball passage behind the rear surface of the game panel 1100 to allow them to flow downward. This makes it possible to install an effect device such as a back-under effect unit 3500 (back-under movable decorative body 3510) in this empty space, providing a pachinko machine 1 that is more appealing to players.

Furthermore, the two positioning protrusions 2811c on the first component 2811 are spaced apart in the longitudinal direction of the first component 2811. Therefore, when the side unit 2800 is attached to the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100, the side unit 2800 does not rotate along the surface of the panel board 1110, and the side unit 2800 can be reliably positioned at the desired position on the gaming panel 1100.

In the above embodiment, the gaming panel 1100 is shown equipped with a panel board 1110 made of transparent resin, but this is not limited to this and the gaming panel 1100 may also be made of wood. By making the gaming panel 1100 out of wood, the board thickness is greater than that of a resin panel, making it easier to more effectively utilize the internal thickness of the gaming panel 1100.

Furthermore, the above-mentioned side unit 2800 is shown as having a ball passage 2812a composed of multiple branch sections 2801 connected to each ball receiving section 2812c, and a main section 2802 where the multiple branch sections 2801 join, but this is not limited to this, and each ball receiving section 2811b may have its own independent ball passage 2812a.

Furthermore, while the above side unit 2800 does not include a ball sensor to detect the game ball B received in the ball receiving portion 2811b, this is not limited to this and the side unit 2800 may include a ball sensor. If the side unit 2800 includes a ball sensor, it is desirable to locate the ball sensor within the thickness of the panel board 1110 or to locate the ball sensor below the rear performance device (below-back performance unit 3500).

In addition, while the above side unit 2800 does not have an LED board on the rear side, this is not limited to this and LEDs for decorative illumination may also be provided. If the side unit 2800 is provided with an LED board, it is desirable to provide a unit cover that covers the LED board from the rear and whose front end face abuts the rear face of the side unit 2800 (second component 2812), and to provide a non-contact surface portion where the unit cover and side unit are in contact with each other. This allows the LEDs on the LED board to decorate the side unit 2800 and also allows heat from the LEDs to be dissipated to the outside through the non-contact surface portion.

[12-2. Modified examples of side units]
Next, various modifications of the side unit 2800 of the above embodiment will be described in detail.

[12-2a. Modification 1 of the side unit]
Next, a side unit 2800A having a different configuration from the side unit 2800 shown in Fig. 103 etc. will be described mainly with reference to Fig. 106 etc. Fig. 106 is an explanatory diagram showing a vertical cross section of a side unit having a different configuration from the side unit in Fig. 103 together with a game panel. Here, the same components as those in the above-described side unit 2800 will be described with the same reference numerals.

The side unit 2800A extends along the inner rail 1002 to the left of the starting port unit 2100 within the game area 5a, where the player operates the handle 160 to shoot the game ball B, and is equipped with multiple (two to four) general winning ports 2001 that are always open to receive the game ball B.

The side unit 2800A is composed of a first component 2811 attached from the front to the flat panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100, on which the obstacle nails are planted, and a second component 2813 provided behind the first component 2811.

The first component 2811 of the side unit 2800A has a flat base plate 2811a that can abut against the front surface of the gaming panel 1100 (panel plate 1110), and multiple ball receiving portions 2811b that protrude forward from the base plate 2811a and are open at the top and rear, forming the general winning opening 2001. The first component 2811 also has multiple positioning protrusions 2811c that protrude rearward from the base plate 2811a, and multiple mounting holes 2811d that penetrate the base plate 2811a and are used for mounting to the gaming panel 1100 (see Figure 104).

The base plate 2811a extends along the inner rail 1002 of the previous component 1000. Multiple positioning protrusions 2811c are spaced apart along the length of the base plate 2811a. The positioning protrusions 2811c are inserted into positioning holes 1113 formed in the panel plate 1110 of the gaming panel 1100. In this embodiment, each positioning protrusion 2811c is the same length. Multiple mounting holes 2811d are formed near the positioning protrusions 2811c on the base plate 2811a and at the top of the base plate 2811a near the center in the left-right direction. These mounting holes 2811d have a countersunk recess formed on the front side, and countersunk mounting screws (not shown) that are screwed into mounting holes 1114 in the panel plate 1110 are inserted from the front. When attached to the front surface of the panel board 1110, the head of the mounting screw does not protrude forward beyond the front surface of the base plate 2811a.

In this embodiment, a translucent decorative sticker 2803 is attached to the front surface of the base plate 2811a and the front surface of the ball receiving portion 2811b of the first component 2811.

The second component 2813 of the side unit 2800A has a ball passage 2813a through which a game ball B that has entered the ball receiving portion 2811b (general winning port 2001) of the first component 2811 can flow down along the surface of the panel plate 1110 within an opening 1112 that penetrates the panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100 so that the game ball B is within the thickness of the panel plate 1110, and a ball sensor 2813b that detects the game ball B flowing through the ball passage 2813a.

The second component 2813 may be composed of a single component, or may be composed of a combination of multiple components.

As shown in the figure, this spherical passage 2813a is placed near the lower end of the opening 1112 and bends backward, then bends downward to follow the rear surface of the panel board 1110, with its downstream end extending below the opening 1112. In other words, the spherical passage 2813a bends backward at a location below the rear-bottom performance unit 3500 (rear-bottom movable decorative body 3510) located at the rear. This allows sufficient space to be secured for the rear-bottom performance unit 3500, and makes it possible to widen the range of movement (lifting and lowering range) of the rear-bottom movable decorative body 3510 or to make the rear-bottom movable decorative body 3510 larger.

Ball sensor 2813b is located in a section extending along the rear surface of panel board 1110 in ball passage 2813a. In other words, ball sensor 2813b is located below the back-under performance unit 3500 (back-under movable decorative body 3510) located at the rear of ball passage 2813a, and does not interfere with the back-under movable decorative body 3510.

The first component 2811 of the side unit 2800A is attached to the front surface of the panel plate 1110 of the gaming panel 1100 by abutting the base plate 2811a against the front surface of the panel plate 1110 from the front of the panel plate 1110 so that the base plate 2811a closes the corresponding opening 1112 in the panel plate 1110, and inserting the multiple positioning protrusions 2811c protruding rearward from the base plate 2811a into the positioning holes 1113 in the panel plate 1110. Then, mounting screws are threaded into the mounting holes 1114 of the panel plate 1110 via the mounting holes 2811d and tightened.

On the other hand, the second component 2813 of the side unit 2800A is attached to the rear box 3010 of the rear unit 3000. Although not shown, when the second component 2813 is attached to the rear unit 3000, a portion of the ball passage 2813a (the portion housed within the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110) protrudes forward beyond the rear box 3010.

When the rear unit 3000 is attached to the rear of the gaming panel 1100, the portion of the second component 2813 that protrudes forward beyond the rear box 3010 is inserted from the rear into the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100, and this portion is positioned behind the first component 2811, thereby forming the side unit 2800A.

When this side unit 2800A is assembled to the gaming board 5, the rear surface of the portion of the ball passage 2813a of the second component 2813 that is within the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110 protrudes rearward from the rear surface of the panel board 1110. The amount of this protrusion TL is set to be 1/2 or less of the diameter D of the gaming ball B.

However, when the gaming panel 1100 is formed by injection molding, the thickness of the portion of the gaming area 5a where the obstacle nails are implanted tends to be thinner than when the gaming panel 1100 (panel board 1110) is made of wooden plywood or machined from a resin board. As a result, there is a risk that the portion of the ball passage 2813a of the second component 2813 that is aligned with the surface of the panel board 1110 will not be able to fit within the thickness of the panel board 1110 and will protrude rearward beyond the rear surface of the panel board 1110. Furthermore, if the second component 2813 protrudes rearward beyond the rear surface of the panel board 1110 by a large amount, it will be impossible to secure sufficient space behind. In contrast, in this embodiment, the amount of protrusion TL from the rear surface of the panel board 1110 at the ball passage 2813a portion of the second component 2813 is less than half the diameter D of the game ball B, ensuring sufficient space at the rear and allowing the installation of a desired size of back-under performance unit 3500 (back-under movable decorative body 3510).

In the side unit 2800A, when a game ball B is received in the general winning opening 2001, it is guided by the ball receiving portion 2811b of the first component 2811 that forms the general winning opening 2001 to the ball passage 2813a behind the front surface of the panel plate 1110, and then handed over to the ball passage 2813a of the second component 2813. The game ball B handed over to the ball passage 2813a of the second component 2813 first flows down along the surface of the panel plate 1110 so as to be within the thickness of the panel plate 1110, then flows behind the rear surface of the panel plate 1110 near the lower end of the opening 1112, and then flows downward along the rear surface of the panel plate 1110. The game ball B is then detected by the ball sensor 2813b and discharged downward from an exit (not shown).

The side unit 2800A of this embodiment can achieve the same effects as the side unit 2800 described above.

Furthermore, with the side unit 2800A, the second component 2813 equipped with the ball sensor 2813b is attached to the back unit 3000 located behind the gaming panel 1100 (panel board 1110), and therefore the ball sensor 2813b is not provided on the first component 2811 attached to the panel board 1110. Therefore, electronic components such as the ball sensor 2813b are integrated into the back unit 3000, and the wiring from the ball sensor 2813b does not extend from the gaming panel 1100 side. Therefore, when assembling the gaming panel 1100 and the back unit 3000 in the manufacture of the gaming board 5, the wiring from the ball sensor 2813b will not get caught on obstructing nails, etc., which prevents the wiring from being cut due to catching and improves the workability of the assembly process.

Furthermore, when the side unit 2800A is assembled to the gaming board 5, the base plate 2811a of the first component 2811 blocks the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100 from the front, thereby preventing foreign matter such as dust and dirt from entering the playing area 5a on the front side of the panel board 1110 through the opening 1112 from the rear side of the panel board 1110.

The side unit 2800A may be configured to have an independent ball passage 2813a for each ball receiving section 2811b, or, similar to the ball passage 2812a of the side unit 2800, a single ball passage 2813a may be provided downstream of the ball receiving section 2811b to allow the game balls B that enter each ball receiving section 2811b to merge.

Furthermore, in the above-described side unit 2800A, the second component 2813 is attached to the rear unit 3000, but this is not limited to this, and the second component 2813 may also be attached to the rear side of the first component 2811.

In addition, in the above embodiment, the gaming panel 1100 is shown to have a panel board 1110 made of transparent resin, but this is not limited to this and the gaming panel 1100 may also be made of wood. By making the gaming panel 1100 out of wood, the board thickness is greater than that of a resin panel, making it easier to more effectively utilize the board thickness of the gaming panel 1100.

[12-2b. Modification 2 of Side Unit]
Next, side unit 2800B, which has a different configuration from side unit 2800 and side unit 2800A described above, will be described mainly with reference to Figure 107. Figure 107(a) is an explanatory diagram showing a vertical cross section of a side unit with a different configuration from the side unit shown in Figure 105, together with a gaming panel, and Figure 107(b) is an explanatory diagram showing a perspective view of the main parts of the LED board and board cover of the side unit in Figure 107(a). Here, the same components as those in side unit 2800 described above will be described with the same reference numerals.

The side unit 2800B extends along the inner rail 1002 to the left of the starting port unit 2100 within the game area 5a, where the player operates the handle 160 to shoot the game ball B, and is equipped with multiple (two to four) general winning ports 2001 that are always open and capable of receiving the game ball B.

The side unit 2800B comprises a unit body 2810 attached from the front to the flat panel board 1110 on which the obstacle nails of the gaming panel 1100 are planted, a unit cover 2820 attached from the rear of the unit body 2810, and an LED board 2825 mounted between the unit body 2810 and the unit cover 2820 and on which multiple LEDs 2825a are mounted. The unit body 2810 and unit cover 2820 of the side unit 2800B are formed from a transparent synthetic resin.

The side unit 2800B also has a contact surface portion 2830 where the unit main body 2810 and the unit cover 2820 are in contact with each other, and a non-contact surface portion 2831 that is provided on part of the contact surface portion 2830 and does not contact each other.

The unit body 2810 of the side unit 2800B has a first component 2811 attached from the front to the flat panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100 on which the pegs are planted, a second component 2812 attached from the rear to the first component 2811, and a support frame 2814 that protrudes rearward in a frame-like manner along the outer periphery of the unit cover 2820, the rear end face of which abuts the front end face of the unit cover 2820. In this embodiment, the second component 2812 is attached to the rear side of the first component 2811. Also, in this embodiment, the support frame 2814 protrudes from the rear face of the second component 2812.

The first component 2811 of the unit body 2810 has a flat base plate 2811a that can abut against the front surface of the gaming panel 1100 (panel plate 1110), and multiple ball receiving portions 2811b that protrude forward from the base plate 2811a and are open at the top and rear, forming the general winning opening 2001. The first component 2811 also has multiple positioning protrusions 2811c that protrude rearward from the base plate 2811a, multiple mounting holes 2811d that penetrate the base plate 2811a for mounting to the gaming panel 1100, and multiple mounting holes (not shown) on the rear end surface of the base plate 2811a for mounting the second component 2812 (see Figure 104).

The base plate 2811a extends along the inner rail 1002 of the previous component 1000. Multiple positioning protrusions 2811c are spaced apart along the length of the base plate 2811a. The positioning protrusions 2811c are inserted into positioning holes 1113 formed in the panel plate 1110 of the gaming panel 1100. In this embodiment, each positioning protrusion 2811c is the same length. Multiple mounting holes 2811d are formed near the positioning protrusions 2811c on the base plate 2811a and at the top of the base plate 2811a near the center in the left-right direction. These mounting holes 2811d have a countersunk recess formed on the front side, and countersunk mounting screws (not shown) that are screwed into mounting holes 1114 in the panel plate 1110 are inserted from the front. When attached to the front surface of the panel board 1110, the head of the mounting screw does not protrude forward beyond the front surface of the base plate 2811a.

In this embodiment, a translucent decorative sticker 2803 is attached to the front surface of the base plate 2811a and the front surface of the ball receiving portion 2811b of the first component 2811.

The second component 2812 is formed in the shape of a container that is open to the front, and has a ball passage 2812a that allows game balls B received in the general winning opening 2001 (ball receiving portion 2811b) to flow down along the surface (board surface) of the game panel 1100 (panel board 1110), a passage outlet (not shown) that opens toward the rear at the downstream end of the ball passage 2812a, multiple mounting holes (not shown) for attachment to the first component 2811, and a mounting hole (not shown) on the rear surface for attaching the unit cover 2820.

A support frame 2814 is provided on the rear side of this second component 2812, the rear end of which abuts against the front end of the unit cover 2820. In other words, the second component 2812 has a support frame 2814 that protrudes rearward in a frame shape along the outer periphery of the unit cover 2820, and whose rear end surface abuts against the front end surface of the unit cover 2820. When assembled to the side unit 2800B, the rear end surface of the support frame 2814 abuts against the front end surface of a peripheral wall 2820b (described below) of the unit cover 2820. In other words, the rear end surface of the support frame 2814 and the front end surface of the peripheral wall 2820b form the contact surface 2830.

The support frame portion 2814 (contact surface portion 2830) of the second component 2812 is located above the passage outlet (not shown), which is the outlet of the spherical passage 2812a. In other words, the passage outlet of the second component 2812 is located below the support frame portion 2814 (contact surface portion 2830).

The unit main body 2810 is assembled by positioning the second component 2812 behind the first component 2811 and threading mounting screws from the rear of the second component 2812 through mounting holes in the second component 2812 and into mounting holes in the first component 2811. This completes the unit main body 2810, with the second component 2812 attached to the first component 2811 from the rear.

As shown in FIG. 107, the second component 2812 in this embodiment is inserted into the opening 1112 in the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100, and is formed so that its depth is within the thickness of the panel board 1110.

The unit cover 2820 of the side unit 2800B is formed in the shape of a shallow container that is open to the front, and houses an LED board 2825 inside. As shown in FIG. 107, this unit cover 2820 has a flat cover portion 2820a, a frame-shaped peripheral wall portion 2820b that protrudes forward from the outer periphery of the cover portion 2820a, and a notch 2820c that is recessed from the front end of a portion of the peripheral wall portion 2820b. The cover portion 2820a may also be provided with multiple slits for ventilation.

The unit cover 2820 also has multiple bosses 2820d that protrude forward from the front surface of the cover portion 2820a and are shorter than the peripheral wall portion 2820b, and are used to attach the LED board 2825, and multiple mounting holes (not shown) that penetrate the cover portion 2820a and through which mounting screws are inserted to attach the unit to the unit body 2810.

The cover portion 2820a of the unit cover 2820 is formed to be large enough to cover the LED board 2825 from the rear. The peripheral wall portion 2820b has the same outer shape as the support frame portion 2814 of the unit main body 2810. When assembled to the side unit 2800B, the front end surface of the peripheral wall portion 2820b abuts against the rear end surface of the support frame portion 2814 of the unit main body 2810. In other words, the rear end surface of the support frame portion 2814 and the front end surface of the peripheral wall portion 2820b form the contact surface portion 2830.

The cutouts 2820c are provided on the upper and lower edges of the peripheral wall 2820b. When assembled to the side unit 2800B, the cutouts 2820c form a gap between the front end surface of the peripheral wall 2820b and the front end surface of the support frame 2814 of the unit main body 2810. In other words, the cutouts 2820c form a non-contact surface 2831 in part of the contact surface 2830 formed by the rear end surface of the support frame 2814 and the front end surface of the peripheral wall 2820b, which do not come into contact with each other. The cutouts 2820c allow ventilation inside the container-shaped unit cover 2820, allowing heat from the LED board 2825 attached inside to be dissipated to the outside, preventing heat from building up inside the unit cover 2820.

The LED board 2825 of the side unit 2800B is attached to the inside of the unit cover 2820 with its rear surface abutting the front end of the boss portion 2820d on the unit cover 2820. The multiple LEDs 2825a mounted on the LED board 2825 are full-color LEDs, and by assembling them into the side unit 2800B, the side unit 2800B can be decorated with illumination in a variety of colors.

This side unit 2800B can be assembled by attaching the LED board 2825 to the boss portion 2820d inside the unit cover 2820, abutting (contacting) the front end surface of the peripheral wall portion 2820b of the unit cover 2820 against the rear end surface of the support frame portion 2814 of the unit main body 2810, and then screwing mounting screws from the rear of the unit cover 2820 through the mounting holes in the unit cover 2820 into the mounting holes in the second component member 2812 of the unit main body 2810 and tightening them.

To attach the side unit 2800B to the gaming panel 1100, first, from the front of the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100, the base plate 2811a of the first component 2811 is abutted against the front surface of the panel board 1110 so that the base plate 2811a closes the opening 1112 that penetrates the panel board 1110. At this time, the two positioning protrusions 2811c of the first component 2811 are inserted into the positioning holes 1113 of the panel board 1110. In this state, the mounting holes 2811d of the first component 2811 are aligned with the mounting holes 1114 of the panel board 1110.

The side unit 2800B is then attached to the front surface of the panel board 1110 by threading a mounting screw through the mounting hole 2811d of the first component 2811 from the front and into the mounting hole 1114 of the panel board 1110 and tightening it. Because the mounting hole 2811d of the first component 2811 is located near the positioning protrusion 2811c, screwing the mounting screw through the mounting hole 2811d and into the mounting hole 1114 of the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100 presses the positioning protrusion 2811c firmly against the panel board 1110, ensuring it is inserted into the positioning hole 1113. This prevents the positioning protrusion 2811c from floating up due to incomplete insertion.

In the side unit 2800B, the second component 2812 of the unit main body 2810 is provided with a ball passage 2812a that allows the game ball B to flow down along the surface of the panel board 1110. The cross section of the ball passage 2812a in the second component 2812 is U-shaped, and the presence of the ball passage 2812a increases the rigidity of the second component 2812. Furthermore, the side unit 2800B is formed by attaching the second component 2812, whose rigidity is increased by the ball passage 2812a, from the rear side of the first component 2811 to the first component 2811, which may have reduced rigidity due to the flat base plate 2811a. Therefore, the rigidity of the side unit 2800B can be increased compared to conventional side units. Therefore, when disassembling the pachinko machine 1 for recycling or the like, when the mounting screws attaching the side unit 2800B to the panel plate 1110 are removed and the side unit 2800B is pulled forward, the side unit 2800B does not bend because of the increased rigidity of the side unit 2800B. As a result, the positioning protrusions 2811c of the side unit 2800B (first component member 2811) do not tilt relative to the positioning holes 1113 of the panel plate 1110, allowing the side unit 2800B to be easily removed from the gaming panel 1100 (panel plate 1110), thereby providing a pachinko machine 1 that reduces the amount of disassembly work required for sorting.

When the side unit 2800B is attached to the front of the panel plate 1110 (when the game board 5 is assembled), the second component 2812 of the unit body 2810 is located within the thickness of the panel plate 1110 within the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110, and is located forward of the rear surface of the panel plate 1110.

Furthermore, when the side unit 2800B of this embodiment is assembled to the gaming board 5, the unit cover 2820 protrudes rearward beyond the rear surface of the panel plate 1110, and a portion of the cutout 2820c (non-contact surface portion 2831) of the unit cover 2820 protrudes rearward beyond the rear surface of the panel plate 1110. In this case, because the cutouts 2820c (non-contact surface portions 2831) are provided on the top and bottom, the upper cutout 2820c (non-contact surface portions 2831) allows heat from the LED board 2825 to be discharged upward, while the lower cutout 2820c allows outside air to be drawn in through the upper cutout 2820c. Furthermore, when assembled to the gaming board 5, a gap is provided between the outer periphery of the portion of the unit body 2810 of the side unit 2800B that is inserted into the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110, i.e., the outer periphery of the second component 2812, and the inner periphery of the opening 1112. This makes it easier for heat from the LED board 2825 to be released to the outside through the cutout 2820c (non-contact surface portion 2831), allowing for efficient heat dissipation.

Furthermore, in the side unit 2800B of this embodiment, when the LED board 2825 is attached to the unit cover 2820, the LED board 2825 is located rearward of the cutout 2820c (non-contact surface portion 2831). In other words, the LED board 2825 is arranged so that it does not overlap the cutout 2820c (non-contact surface portion 2831) in a plan view. This makes it difficult for dust and dirt to get onto the LED board 2825, even if it enters the unit cover 2820 through the cutout 2820c, thereby minimizing the effects of the dust and dirt. Furthermore, because a cutout 2820c is also provided on the bottom side of the unit cover 2820, dust and dirt that enters through the upper cutout 2820c can be discharged downward through the lower cutout 2820c.

In addition, when the side unit 2800B of this embodiment is assembled to the gaming board 5, the base plate 2811a of the first component 2811 blocks the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100 from the front, thereby preventing foreign matter such as dust and dirt from entering the playing area 5a on the front side of the panel board 1110 through the opening 1112 from the rear side of the panel board 1110.

Furthermore, when the side unit 2800B is assembled to the gaming board 5, the unit cover 2820 attached to the rear side of the second component 2813 of the unit main body 2810 protrudes rearward from the rear surface of the panel board 1110. The amount of this protrusion is less than half the diameter D of the gaming ball B, similar to the side unit 2800A in Figure 106.

When the gaming panel 1100 is formed by injection molding, the thickness of the portion of the gaming area 5a where the obstacle nails are implanted tends to be thinner than when the gaming panel 1100 (panel board 1110) is made of wooden plywood or machined from a resin board. As a result, there is a risk that the portion of the ball passage 2812a of the unit main body 2810 that is aligned with the surface of the panel board 1110, and the unit cover 2820 attached to the rear of the unit main body 2810, will not be able to fit within the thickness of the panel board 1110 and will protrude rearward beyond the rear surface of the panel board 1110. Furthermore, if the side unit 2800B protrudes rearward by a large amount beyond the rear surface of the panel board 1110, it will be impossible to secure sufficient space behind it. In contrast to this, in this embodiment, the portion of the side unit 2800B that is within the thickness of the panel board 1110 in the ball passage 2813a and extends along the surface of the panel board 1110 protrudes from the rear surface of the panel board 1110 by less than half the diameter D of the game ball B, ensuring sufficient space at the rear and allowing the installation of a desired size of back-under performance unit 3500 (back-under movable decorative body 3510).

In the side unit 2800B, when a game ball B is received in the general winning opening 2001, it is guided by the ball receiving portion 2811b that forms the general winning opening 2001 to the ball passage 2812a behind the front of the panel board 1110, and after flowing down along the surface of the panel board 1110 via the ball passage 2812a, it is handed over to the rear ball guiding unit 3100 of the rear unit 3000 located at the rear from a passage exit not shown. The game ball B handed over to the rear ball guiding unit 3100 is detected by the general winning opening sensor 3001 and then discharged downward.

In the side unit 2800B of this embodiment, detailed illustrations are omitted, but the passage exit (not shown) of the second component 2812 in the unit main body 2810 is located below the bottom-rear movable decorative body 3510 in the standby position. In other words, the general winning opening sensor 3001, which detects the game ball B received in the general winning opening 2001 (ball receiving portion 2811b), is located below the bottom-rear movable decorative body 3510 in the standby position. Therefore, the side unit 2800B, general winning opening sensor 3001, etc. do not interfere with the bottom-rear movable decorative body 3510.

Detailed illustrations of the side unit 2800B of this embodiment are omitted, but the unit body 2810 is the same as the side unit 2800 in Figure 104, and it has a branch section 2801 that communicates with the general winning opening 2001 (ball receiving section 2811b), and a main section 2802 that merges with the branch section 2801 and extends along the surface (board surface) of the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100. The ball passage 2812a is made up of multiple branch sections 2801 and the main section 2802.

The side unit 2800B of this embodiment can achieve the same effects as the side unit 2800 described above.

In the above-described side unit 2800B, the peripheral wall 2820b of the unit cover 2820 is provided with a cutout 2820c (non-contact surface 2831), but this is not limited to this. It is also possible to provide a cutout (non-contact surface 2831) cut from the rear end forward in the support frame 2814 of the unit main body 2810 without providing a cutout 2820c in the peripheral wall 2820b of the unit cover 2820. Alternatively, cutouts (non-contact surface) may be provided in both the peripheral wall 2820b of the unit cover 2820 and the support frame 2814 of the unit main body 2810.

In addition, in the above-described side unit 2800B, the unit main body 2810 is provided with a frame-shaped support frame portion 2814 that protrudes rearward, with the rear end surface serving as the contact surface portion 2830. However, this is not limited to this. The unit main body 2810 may not be provided with a support frame portion 2814, and the front end of the unit cover 2820 (peripheral wall portion 2820b) may abut against the rear surface of the unit main body 2810, with the abutting portion serving as the contact surface portion 2830. In this way, because the support frame portion 2814 that protrudes rearward is not provided, the amount of protrusion rearward from the rear surface of the panel board 1110 in the side unit 2800B can be reduced, making it possible to secure more free space behind the panel board 1110.

Furthermore, in the above-described side unit 2800B, the LED board 2825 is shown attached to the unit cover 2820, but this is not limited to this, and the LED board 2825 may also be attached to the rear side of the unit main body 2810 (second component 2812).

Furthermore, in the above-mentioned side unit 2800B, a diffusion lens section consisting of multiple concave and convex portions that diffuses light from the LEDs 2825a may be provided in front of the LED board 2825. This diffusion lens section may be provided on the rear surface of the unit main body 2810 (second component member 2812), or may be provided on a component separate from the unit main body 2810.

Furthermore, the above-mentioned side unit 2800B is shown as having a ball passage 2812a composed of multiple branch sections 2801 connected to each ball receiving section 2811b and a main section 2802 where the multiple branch sections 2801 join, but this is not limited to this, and each ball receiving section 2811b may have its own independent ball passage 2812a.

In addition, while the above embodiment shows the gaming panel 1100 equipped with a panel board 1110 made of transparent resin, this is not limited to this and the gaming panel 1100 may also be made of wood. By making the gaming panel 1100 out of wood, the panel is thicker than a resin one, making it easier to more effectively utilize the thickness of the gaming panel 1100. However, if the gaming panel 1100 (panel board 1110) were made transparent, light from the LED 2825a of the LED board 2825 would enter the panel board 1110 from the inner surface of the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110 and be diffused within the panel board 1110, reducing the amount of light emitted forward and potentially weakening the illumination effect. In contrast, by making the gaming panel 1100 out of wood (opaque), the light from the LEDs 2825a of the LED board 2825 does not enter the gaming panel 1100 from the inner circumferential surface of the opening 1112, but can be reflected by the inner circumferential surface of the opening 1112, which prevents a decrease in the amount of light irradiated forward and makes it easier to fully utilize the dramatic effects of the light emission.

[12-2c. Modification 3 of Side Unit]
Next, a side unit 2800C having a configuration different from that described above will be described mainly with reference to Figure 108. Figure 108 is an explanatory diagram showing a vertical cross section of a side unit having a configuration different from that shown in Figure 107, together with a gaming panel. Here, the same components as those of the above-described side unit 2800B will be described with the same reference numerals.

The side unit 2800C extends along the inner rail 1002 to the left of the starting port unit 2100 within the game area 5a, where the player operates the handle 160 to shoot the game ball B, and is equipped with multiple (two to four) general winning ports 2001 that are always open and capable of receiving the game ball B.

The side unit 2800C comprises a unit body 2810 attached from the front to the flat panel board 1110 on which the obstacle nails of the gaming panel 1100 are planted, a unit cover 2820 attached from the rear of the unit body 2810, and an LED board 2825 mounted between the unit body 2810 and the unit cover 2820 and on which multiple LEDs 2825a are mounted. The unit body 2810 and unit cover 2820 of the side unit 2800B are formed from a transparent synthetic resin.

The side unit 2800C also has a contact surface portion 2830 where the unit main body 2810 and the unit cover 2820 are in contact with each other, and a non-contact surface portion 2831 that is provided on part of the contact surface portion 2830 and does not contact each other.

The unit body 2810 of the side unit 2800B includes a first component 2811 attached from the front to the flat panel board 1110 on which the obstacle nails of the gaming panel 1100 are installed; a second component 2812 attached from the rear to the first component 2811; a support frame 2814 that protrudes rearward in a frame-like manner along the outer periphery of the unit cover 2820 and whose rear end face abuts the front end face of the unit cover 2820; and a ball sensor 2815 (general winning opening sensor 3001) that is provided between the first component 2811 and the second component 2812 and detects a gaming ball B received in the general winning opening 2001. In this embodiment, the second component 2812 is attached to the rear side of the first component 2811. Also, in this embodiment, the support frame 2814 protrudes from the rear face of the second component 2812.

The first component 2811 of the unit body 2810 has a flat base plate 2811a that can abut against the front surface of the gaming panel 1100 (panel plate 1110), and multiple ball receiving portions 2811b that protrude forward from the base plate 2811a and are open at the top and rear, forming the general winning opening 2001. The first component 2811 also has multiple positioning protrusions 2811c that protrude rearward from the base plate 2811a, multiple mounting holes 2811d that penetrate the base plate 2811a for mounting to the gaming panel 1100, and multiple mounting holes (not shown) on the rear end surface of the base plate 2811a for mounting the second component 2812 (see Figure 104).

The base plate 2811a extends along the inner rail 1002 of the previous component 1000. Multiple positioning protrusions 2811c are spaced apart along the length of the base plate 2811a. The positioning protrusions 2811c are inserted into positioning holes 1113 formed in the panel plate 1110 of the gaming panel 1100. In this embodiment, each positioning protrusion 2811c is the same length. Multiple mounting holes 2811d are formed near the positioning protrusions 2811c on the base plate 2811a and at the top of the base plate 2811a near the center in the left-right direction. These mounting holes 2811d have a countersunk recess formed on the front side, and countersunk mounting screws (not shown) that are screwed into mounting holes 1114 in the panel plate 1110 are inserted from the front. When attached to the front surface of the panel board 1110, the head of the mounting screw does not protrude forward beyond the front surface of the base plate 2811a.

In this embodiment, a translucent decorative sticker 2803 is attached to the front surface of the base plate 2811a and the front surface of the ball receiving portion 2811b of the first component 2811.

The second component 2812 is formed in the shape of a container that is open to the front, and has a ball passage 2812a that allows game balls B received in the general winning opening 2001 (ball receiving portion 2811b) to flow down along the surface (board surface) of the game panel 1100 (panel board 1110), a passage outlet 2812b that opens toward the rear at the downstream end of the ball passage 2812a, multiple mounting holes (not shown) for attachment to the first component 2811, and a mounting hole (not shown) on the rear surface for attaching the unit cover 2820.

This second component 2812 has a support frame 2814 on its rear side, the rear end of which abuts against the front end of the unit cover 2820. In other words, the second component 2812 has a support frame 2814 that protrudes rearward in a frame shape along the outer periphery of the unit cover 2820, the rear end surface of which abuts against the front end surface of the unit cover 2820. When assembled to the side unit 2800C, the rear end surface of the support frame 2814 abuts against the front end surface of the peripheral wall 2820b (described below) of the unit cover 2820. In other words, the rear end surface of the support frame 2814 and the front end surface of the peripheral wall 2820b form the contact surface 2830.

The support frame portion 2814 (contact surface portion 2830) of the second component 2812 is located above the passage exit 2812b of the bulb passage 2812a and the bulb sensor 2815. In other words, the passage exit 2812b and bulb sensor 2815 of the second component 2812 are located below the support frame portion 2814 (contact surface portion 2830). This prevents the bulb sensor 2815 from interfering with the decorative illumination provided by the LEDs 2825a of the LED board 2825.

The unit main body 2810 is assembled by positioning the second component 2812 behind the first component 2811 and threading mounting screws from the rear of the second component 2812 through mounting holes in the second component 2812 and into mounting holes in the first component 2811. At this time, the ball sensor 2815 is placed and assembled in a predetermined position in the ball passage 2812a so that it is sandwiched between the first component 2811 and the second component 2812. This completes the unit main body 2810, with the second component 2812 attached to the first component 2811 from the rear.

As shown in FIG. 108, the second component 2812 in this embodiment is inserted into the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100, and is formed so that its depth is within the thickness of the panel board 1110.

The unit cover 2820 of the side unit 2800C is formed in the shape of a shallow container that is open to the front, and houses an LED board 2825 inside. This unit cover 2820 has a flat cover portion 2820a, a frame-shaped peripheral wall portion 2820b that protrudes forward from the outer periphery of the cover portion 2820a, and a notch 2820c that is recessed from the front end of a portion of the peripheral wall portion 2820b. The cover portion 2820a may also be provided with multiple slits for ventilation.

The unit cover 2820 also has multiple bosses 2820d that protrude forward from the front surface of the cover portion 2820a and are shorter than the peripheral wall portion 2820b, and are used to attach the LED board 2825, and multiple mounting holes (not shown) that penetrate the cover portion 2820a and through which mounting screws are inserted to attach the unit to the unit body 2810.

The cover portion 2820a of the unit cover 2820 is formed to be large enough to cover the LED board 2825 from the rear. The peripheral wall portion 2820b has the same outer shape as the support frame portion 2814 of the unit main body 2810. When assembled to the side unit 2800C, the front end surface of the peripheral wall portion 2820b abuts against the rear end surface of the support frame portion 2814 of the unit main body 2810. In other words, the rear end surface of the support frame portion 2814 and the front end surface of the peripheral wall portion 2820b form the contact surface portion 2830.

The cutouts 2820c are provided on the upper and lower edges of the peripheral wall 2820b. When assembled to the side unit 2800C, the cutouts 2820c form a gap between the front end surface of the peripheral wall 2820b and the front end surface of the support frame 2814 of the unit main body 2810. In other words, the cutouts 2820c form a non-contact surface 2831 in part of the contact surface 2830 formed by the rear end surface of the support frame 2814 and the front end surface of the peripheral wall 2820b, which do not come into contact with each other. The cutouts 2820c allow ventilation inside the container-shaped unit cover 2820, allowing heat from the LED board 2825 attached inside to be dissipated to the outside, preventing heat from building up inside the unit cover 2820.

The LED board 2825 of the side unit 2800C is attached to the inside of the unit cover 2820 with its rear surface abutting the front end of the boss portion 2820d on the unit cover 2820. The multiple LEDs 2825a mounted on the LED board 2825 are full-color LEDs, and by assembling them into the side unit 2800C, the side unit 2800C can be decorated with illumination in a variety of colors.

This side unit 2800C can be assembled by attaching the LED board 2825 to the boss portion 2820d inside the unit cover 2820, abutting (contacting) the front end surface of the peripheral wall portion 2820b of the unit cover 2820 against the rear end surface of the support frame portion 2814 of the unit main body 2810, and then screwing mounting screws from the rear of the unit cover 2820 through the mounting holes in the unit cover 2820 into the mounting holes in the second component member 2812 of the unit main body 2810 and tightening them.

To attach the side unit 2800C to the gaming panel 1100, first, from the front of the panel plate 1110 of the gaming panel 1100, the base plate 2811a of the first component 2811 is abutted against the front surface of the panel plate 1110 so that the base plate 2811a closes the opening 1112 that penetrates the panel plate 1110. At this time, the two positioning protrusions 2811c of the first component 2811 are inserted into the positioning holes 1113 of the panel plate 1110. In this state, the mounting holes 2811d of the first component 2811 are aligned with the mounting holes 1114 of the panel plate 1110.

The side unit 2800C is then attached to the front surface of the panel board 1110 by threading a mounting screw through the mounting hole 2811d of the first component 2811 from the front and into the mounting hole 1114 of the panel board 1110 and tightening it. Because the mounting hole 2811d of the first component 2811 is located near the positioning protrusion 2811c, screwing the mounting screw through the mounting hole 2811d and into the mounting hole 1114 of the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100 presses the positioning protrusion 2811c firmly against the panel board 1110, ensuring it is inserted into the positioning hole 1113. This prevents the positioning protrusion 2811c from floating up due to incomplete insertion.

In the side unit 2800C, the second component 2812 of the unit main body 2810 is provided with a ball passage 2812a that allows the game ball B to flow down along the surface of the panel board 1110. The cross section of the ball passage 2812a in the second component 2812 is U-shaped, and the presence of the ball passage 2812a increases the rigidity of the second component 2812. Furthermore, the side unit 2800C is formed by attaching the second component 2812, whose rigidity is increased by the ball passage 2812a, from the rear side of the first component 2811 to the first component 2811, which may have reduced rigidity due to the flat base plate 2811a. Therefore, the rigidity of the side unit 2800C can be increased compared to conventional side units. Therefore, when disassembling the pachinko machine 1 for recycling or the like, when the mounting screws attaching the side unit 2800C to the panel plate 1110 are removed and the side unit 2800C is pulled forward, the side unit 2800C does not bend because of the increased rigidity of the side unit 2800C. As a result, the positioning protrusions 2811c of the side unit 2800C (first component member 2811) do not tilt relative to the positioning holes 1113 of the panel plate 1110, allowing the side unit 2800C to be easily removed from the gaming panel 1100 (panel plate 1110), thereby providing a pachinko machine 1 that reduces the amount of disassembly work required for sorting.

When the side unit 2800C is attached to the front of the panel plate 1110 (when the game board 5 is assembled), the second component 2812 and ball sensor 2815 of the unit main body 2810 are located within the thickness of the panel plate 1110 within the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110, and are located forward of the rear surface of the panel plate 1110.

In addition, when the side unit 2800C of this embodiment is assembled to the gaming board 5, the unit cover 2820 protrudes rearward beyond the rear surface of the panel plate 1110, and a portion of the cutout 2820c (non-contact surface portion 2831) of the unit cover 2820 protrudes rearward beyond the rear surface of the panel plate 1110. In this case, because the cutouts 2820c (non-contact surface portions 2831) are provided on the top and bottom, the upper cutout 2820c (non-contact surface portions 2831) allows heat from the LED board 2825 to be discharged upward, while the lower cutout 2820c allows outside air to be drawn in through the upper cutout 2820c. Furthermore, when assembled to the gaming board 5, a gap is provided between the outer periphery of the portion of the unit body 2810 of the side unit 2800C that is inserted into the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110, i.e., the outer periphery of the second component 2812, and the inner periphery of the opening 1112. This makes it easier for heat from the LED board 2825 to be released to the outside through the cutout 2820c (non-contact surface portion 2831), allowing for efficient heat dissipation.

Furthermore, in the side unit 2800C of this embodiment, when the LED board 2825 is attached to the unit cover 2820, the LED board 2825 is located rearward of the notch 2820c (non-contact surface portion 2831). In other words, the LED board 2825 is arranged so that it does not overlap the notch 2820c (non-contact surface portion 2831) in a plan view. This makes it difficult for dust and dirt to get onto the LED board 2825, even if it enters the unit cover 2820 through the notch 2820c, thereby minimizing the effects of the dust and dirt. Furthermore, because a notch 2820c is also provided on the lower side of the unit cover 2820, dust and dirt that enters through the upper notch 2820c can be discharged downward through the lower notch 2820c.

In addition, when the side unit 2800C of this embodiment is assembled to the gaming board 5, the base plate 2811a of the first component 2811 blocks the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100 from the front, thereby preventing foreign matter such as dust and dirt from entering the playing area 5a on the front side of the panel board 1110 through the opening 1112 from the rear side of the panel board 1110.

Furthermore, when the side unit 2800C is assembled to the gaming board 5, the unit cover 2820 attached to the rear side of the second component 2813 of the unit main body 2810 protrudes rearward from the rear surface of the panel board 1110. The amount of this protrusion is less than half the diameter D of the gaming ball B, similar to the side unit 2800A in Figure 106.

When the gaming panel 1100 is formed by injection molding, the thickness of the portion of the gaming area 5a where the obstacle nails are implanted tends to be thinner than when the gaming panel 1100 (panel board 1110) is made of wooden plywood or machined from a resin board. This means that the portion of the ball passage 2812a of the unit main body 2810 that is aligned with the surface of the panel board 1110, and the unit cover 2820 attached to the rear of the unit main body 2810, may not fit within the thickness of the panel board 1110 and may protrude rearward beyond the rear surface of the panel board 1110. Furthermore, if the side unit 2800C protrudes rearward beyond the rear surface of the panel board 1110 by a large amount, it will be impossible to secure sufficient space behind it. In contrast to this, in this embodiment, in the side unit 2800C, the portion of the ball passage 2813a that is within the thickness of the panel board 1110 and extends along the surface of the panel board 1110 protrudes from the rear surface of the panel board 1110 by less than half the diameter D of the game ball B, so sufficient space can be secured at the rear, and a back-bottom performance unit 3500 (back-bottom movable decorative body 3510) of the desired size can be installed.

In the side unit 2800C, when a game ball B is received in the general winning opening 2001, it is guided by the ball receiving portion 2811b forming the general winning opening 2001 to the ball passage 2812a behind the front of the panel board 1110, and flows down along the surface of the panel board 1110 within the thickness of the panel board 1110 via the ball passage 2812a, is detected by the ball sensor 2815, and is then discharged from the passage exit 2812b which opens to the rear.

In the side unit 2800C of this embodiment, detailed illustrations are omitted, but the passage outlet 2812b of the second component 2812 in the unit main body 2810 is located below the rear-bottom movable decorative body 3510 in the standby position. In addition, a ball sensor 2815 (general winning port sensor 3001) that detects game balls B received in the general winning port 2001 (ball receiving portion 2811b) is located within the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110 in the gaming panel 1100 and within the thickness of the panel board 1110. Therefore, the side unit 2800C, ball sensor 2815, etc. do not interfere with the rear-bottom movable decorative body 3510.

Detailed illustrations of the side unit 2800C of this embodiment are omitted, but the unit body 2810 is the same as the side unit 2800 in Figure 104, and it has a branch section 2801 that communicates with the general winning opening 2001 (ball receiving section 2811b), and a main section 2802 that merges with the branch section 2801 and extends along the surface (board surface) of the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100. The ball passage 2812a is made up of multiple branch sections 2801 and the main section 2802.

The side unit 2800C of this embodiment can achieve the same effects as the side unit 2800 described above.

In the above-described side unit 2800C, the peripheral wall 2820b of the unit cover 2820 is provided with a notch 2820c (non-contact surface 2831), but this is not limited to this. It is also possible to provide a notch (non-contact surface 2831) cut out from the rear end to the front in the support frame 2814 of the unit main body 2810 without providing a notch 2820c in the peripheral wall 2820b of the unit cover 2820. Alternatively, notches (non-contact surface) may be provided in both the peripheral wall 2820b of the unit cover 2820 and the support frame 2814 of the unit main body 2810.

In addition, in the above-described side unit 2800C, the unit main body 2810 is provided with a frame-shaped support frame portion 2814 that protrudes rearward, with the rear end surface serving as the contact surface portion 2830. However, this is not limited to this. The unit main body 2810 may not be provided with a support frame portion 2814, and the front end of the unit cover 2820 (peripheral wall portion 2820b) may abut against the rear surface of the unit main body 2810, with the abutting portion serving as the contact surface portion 2830. In this way, because the support frame portion 2814 that protrudes rearward is not provided, the amount of protrusion rearward from the rear surface of the panel board 1110 in the side unit 2800C can be reduced, making it possible to secure more free space behind the panel board 1110.

Furthermore, in the above-described side unit 2800C, the LED board 2825 is shown attached to the unit cover 2820, but this is not limited to this, and the LED board 2825 may also be attached to the rear side of the unit main body 2810 (second component 2812).

Furthermore, in the above-mentioned side unit 2800C, a diffusion lens section consisting of multiple concave and convex portions that diffuses light from the LEDs 2825a may be provided in front of the LED board 2825. This diffusion lens section may be provided on the rear surface of the unit main body 2810 (second component member 2812), or may be provided on a component separate from the unit main body 2810.

Furthermore, the above-mentioned side unit 2800C is shown as having a ball passage 2812a composed of multiple branch sections 2801 connected to each ball receiving section 2811b and a main section 2802 where the multiple branch sections 2801 converge, but this is not limited to this, and each ball receiving section 2811b may have its own independent ball passage 2812a.

In addition, while the above embodiment shows the gaming panel 1100 equipped with a panel board 1110 made of transparent resin, this is not limited to this and the gaming panel 1100 may also be made of wood. By making the gaming panel 1100 out of wood, the panel is thicker than a resin one, making it easier to more effectively utilize the thickness of the gaming panel 1100. However, if the gaming panel 1100 (panel board 1110) were made transparent, light from the LED 2825a of the LED board 2825 would enter the panel board 1110 from the inner surface of the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110 and be diffused within the panel board 1110, reducing the amount of light emitted forward and potentially weakening the illumination effect. In contrast, by making the gaming panel 1100 out of wood (opaque), the light from the LEDs 2825a of the LED board 2825 does not enter the gaming panel 1100 from the inner circumferential surface of the opening 1112, but can be reflected by the inner circumferential surface of the opening 1112, which prevents a decrease in the amount of light irradiated forward and makes it easier to fully utilize the dramatic effects of the light emission.

[12-2d. Side unit modification 4]
Next, a side unit 2800D having a configuration different from that described above will be described mainly with reference to Figure 109 and other figures. Figure 109 is an explanatory diagram showing a vertical cross section of this side unit together with the game panel. Here, the same components as those of the above-described side unit 2800, side unit 2800B, and side unit 2800C will be described with the same reference numerals.

The side unit 2800D extends along the inner rail 1002 to the left of the starting port unit 2100 within the game area 5a, where the player shoots the game ball B by operating the handle 160, and is equipped with multiple (two to four) general winning ports 2001 that are always open and capable of receiving the game ball B.

The side unit 2800D comprises a unit body 2810A attached from the front to the flat panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100 on which the obstacle nails are planted, a unit cover 2820 attached from the rear of the unit body 2810A, and an LED board 2825 mounted with multiple LEDs 2825a and located between the unit body 2810A and the unit cover 2820. The unit body 2810A and unit cover 2820 of the side unit 2800D are made of transparent synthetic resin.

The side unit 2800D also has a contact surface portion 2830 where the unit main body 2810A and the unit cover 2820 are in contact with each other, and a non-contact surface portion 2831 that is provided on part of the contact surface portion 2830 and does not contact each other.

The unit body 2810A of the side unit 2800D has a first component 2811A attached from the front to the flat panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100 on which the pegs are planted, a second component 2812A attached from the rear to the first component 2811A, and a support frame 2814 that protrudes rearward in a frame-like manner along the outer periphery of the unit cover 2820, the rear end face of which abuts the front end face of the unit cover 2820. In this embodiment, the second component 2812A is attached to the front side of the first component 2811A. The support frame 2814 also protrudes from the rear face of the first component 2811A.

The first component 2811A of the unit main body 2810A has a flat base plate 2811a that can abut against the front surface of the gaming panel 1100 (panel board 1110), and a ball passage 2811e that penetrates the base plate 2811a and allows the flow of gaming ball B. The upstream end of the ball passage 2811e of the first component 2811A is located behind the ball receiving portion 2812c of the second component 2812A, which will be described later.

The first component 2811A also has multiple positioning protrusions 2811c protruding rearward from the base plate 2811a, multiple mounting holes 2811d penetrating the base plate 2811a for mounting to the gaming panel 1100, multiple mounting holes (not shown) penetrating the base plate 2811a for mounting the second component 2812A, and multiple mounting holes (not shown) on the rear surface for mounting the unit cover 2820 (see Figure 104).

The base plate 2811a extends along the inner rail 1002 of the previous component 1000. Multiple positioning protrusions 2811c are spaced apart along the length of the base plate 2811a. The positioning protrusions 2811c are inserted into positioning holes 1113 formed in the panel plate 1110 of the gaming panel 1100. In this embodiment, each positioning protrusion 2811c is the same length. Multiple mounting holes 2811d are formed near the positioning protrusions 2811c on the base plate 2811a and at the top of the base plate 2811a near the center in the left-right direction. These mounting holes 2811d have a countersunk recess formed on the front side, and countersunk mounting screws (not shown) that are screwed into mounting holes 1114 in the panel plate 1110 are inserted from the front. When attached to the front surface of the panel board 1110, the head of the mounting screw does not protrude forward beyond the front surface of the base plate 2811a.

This first component 2811A has a support frame 2814 on its rear side, the rear end of which abuts against the front end of the unit cover 2820. In other words, the first component 2811A has a support frame 2814 that protrudes rearward in a frame shape along the outer periphery of the unit cover 2820, the rear end surface of which abuts against the front end surface of the unit cover 2820. The support frame 2814 is provided below the spherical passage 2811e on the rear surface of the base plate 2811a. When assembled to the side unit 2800D, the rear end surface of the support frame 2814 abuts against the front end surface of the peripheral wall 2820b (described later) of the unit cover 2820. In other words, the rear end surface of the support frame 2814 and the front end surface of the peripheral wall 2820b form the contact surface 2830.

The second component 2812A has multiple ball receiving sections 2812c that extend slightly in the front-to-rear direction and are open at the top and rear, forming the general winning opening 2001, a flat front plate 2812d that connects the front ends of the multiple ball receiving sections 2812c, and multiple mounting holes (not shown) for mounting to the first component 2811A. The ball receiving sections 2812c are located in front of the ball passage 2811e of the first component 2811A.

In this embodiment, a translucent decorative sticker 2803 is attached to the front surface of the front panel 2812d of the second component 2812A.

The unit body 2810A is assembled by positioning the second component 2812A in front of the first component 2811A and threading mounting screws through mounting holes in the first component 2811A from the rear into mounting holes in the second component 2812A. This creates the unit body 2810A, in which the second component 2812A is attached to the first component 2811A from the rear. In this unit body 2810A, the ball receiving portion 2812c of the second component 2812A protrudes forward in front of the base plate 2811a of the first component 2811A.

As shown in FIG. 109, the first component 2811A of this embodiment is inserted into the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100, and is formed so that its depth is within the thickness of the panel board 1110.

The unit cover 2820 of the side unit 2800D is formed in the shape of a shallow container that is open to the front, and houses an LED board 2825 inside. This unit cover 2820 has a flat cover portion 2820a, a frame-shaped peripheral wall portion 2820b that protrudes forward from the outer periphery of the cover portion 2820a, and a notch 2820c that is recessed from the front end of a portion of the peripheral wall portion 2820b. The cover portion 2820a may also be provided with multiple slits for ventilation.

The unit cover 2820 also has multiple bosses 2820d that protrude forward from the front surface of the cover portion 2820a and are shorter than the peripheral wall portion 2820b, and are used to attach the LED board 2825, and multiple mounting holes (not shown) that penetrate the cover portion 2820a and through which mounting screws are inserted to attach the unit to the unit main body 2810A.

The cover portion 2820a of the unit cover 2820 is formed to be large enough to cover the LED board 2825 from the rear. The peripheral wall portion 2820b has the same outer shape as the support frame portion 2814 of the unit main body 2810A. When assembled to the side unit 2800D, the front end surface of the peripheral wall portion 2820b abuts against the rear end surface of the support frame portion 2814 of the unit main body 2810A. In other words, the rear end surface of the support frame portion 2814 and the front end surface of the peripheral wall portion 2820b form the contact surface portion 2830.

The cutouts 2820c are provided on the upper and lower edges of the peripheral wall 2820b. When assembled to the side unit 2800D, the cutouts 2820c form a gap between the front end surface of the peripheral wall 2820b and the front end surface of the support frame 2814 of the unit main body 2810A. In other words, the cutouts 2820c form a non-contact surface 2831 in part of the contact surface 2830 formed by the rear end surface of the support frame 2814 and the front end surface of the peripheral wall 2820b, which do not come into contact with each other. The cutouts 2820c allow ventilation inside the container-shaped unit cover 2820, allowing heat from the LED board 2825 attached inside to be dissipated to the outside, preventing heat from building up inside the unit cover 2820.

The LED board 2825 of the side unit 2800D is attached to the inside of the unit cover 2820 with its rear surface abutting the front end of the boss portion 2820d on the unit cover 2820. The multiple LEDs 2825a mounted on the LED board 2825 are full-color LEDs, and by assembling them into the side unit 2800D, the side unit 2800D can be decorated with illumination in a variety of colors.

This side unit 2800D can be assembled by attaching the LED board 2825 to the boss portion 2820d inside the unit cover 2820, abutting (contacting) the front end surface of the peripheral wall portion 2820b of the unit cover 2820 against the rear end surface of the support frame portion 2814 of the unit main body 2810A, and then screwing mounting screws from the rear of the unit cover 2820 through the mounting holes in the unit cover 2820 into the mounting holes of the first component member 2811A of the unit main body 2810A and tightening them.

To attach the side unit 2800D to the gaming panel 1100, first, from the front of the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100, the base plate 2811a of the first component 2811A is abutted against the front surface of the panel board 1110 so that the base plate 2811a closes the opening 1112 that penetrates the panel board 1110. At this time, the two positioning protrusions 2811c of the first component 2811A are inserted into the positioning holes 1113 of the panel board 1110. In this state, the mounting holes 2811d of the first component 2811A are aligned with the mounting holes 1114 of the panel board 1110.

The side unit 2800D is then attached to the front surface of the panel board 1110 by threading a mounting screw through the mounting hole 2811d of the first component 2811A from the front and into the mounting hole 1114 of the panel board 1110 and tightening it. Because the mounting hole 2811d of the first component 2811A is located near the positioning protrusion 2811c, threading the mounting screw through the mounting hole 2811d and into the mounting hole 1114 of the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100 presses the positioning protrusion 2811c firmly against the panel board 1110, ensuring it is inserted into the positioning hole 1113. This prevents the positioning protrusion 2811c from floating up due to incomplete insertion.

When the side unit 2800D is assembled to the unit main body 2810A, the front and rear ends of the multiple ball receiving portions 2812c of the second component member 2812A are sandwiched between the front plate 2812d of the second component member 2812A and the base plate 2811a of the first component member 2811A, resulting in a structure that is more rigid than conventional side units. Therefore, when disassembling the pachinko machine 1 for recycling or the like, when the mounting screws attaching the side unit 2800D to the panel plate 1110 are removed and the side unit 2800D is pulled forward, the increased rigidity of the side unit 2800D prevents the side unit 2800D from bending. This prevents the positioning protrusions 2811c of the side unit 2800D (first component 2811A) from tilting relative to the positioning holes 1113 of the panel board 1110, allowing the side unit 2800D to be easily removed from the gaming panel 1100 (panel board 1110), providing a pachinko machine 1 that reduces the amount of disassembly required for separation.

When the side unit 2800D is attached to the front of the panel board 1110 (when the gaming board 5 is assembled), the ball passage 2811e of the first component 2811A of the unit main body 2810A and the unit cover 2820 (LED board 2825) are located within the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110 and within the thickness of the panel board 1110, and are located forward of the rear surface of the panel board 1110. As a result, the LED board 2825 is located within the thickness of the panel board 1110 in the gaming panel 1100, making effective use of the inner thickness of the panel board 1110 and making it easier to secure empty space behind the LED board 2825 (unit cover 2820). This makes it possible to install part of a performance device in that empty space, providing a pachinko machine 1 that is more appealing to players.

In addition, in the side unit 2800D of this embodiment, the unit cover 2820 has cutouts 2820c (non-contact surface portions 2831) on the top and bottom, allowing heat from the LED board 2825 to be discharged upward through the upper cutout 2820c while allowing outside air to be drawn in through the lower cutout 2820c. Furthermore, when assembled to the gaming board 5, a gap is provided between the outer periphery of the portion of the unit body 2810 of the side unit 2800D that is inserted into the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110 and the inner periphery of the opening 1112. This makes it easier for heat from the LED board 2825 to be released to the outside through the cutouts 2820c (non-contact surface portions 2831), allowing for efficient heat dissipation.

Furthermore, in the side unit 2800D of this embodiment, when the LED board 2825 is attached to the unit cover 2820, the LED board 2825 is located rearward of the cutout 2820c (non-contact surface portion 2831). In other words, the LED board 2825 is arranged so that it does not overlap the cutout 2820c (non-contact surface portion 2831) in a plan view. This makes it difficult for dust and dirt to get onto the LED board 2825, even if it enters the unit cover 2820 through the cutout 2820c, thereby minimizing the effects of the dust and dirt. Furthermore, because a cutout 2820c is also provided on the bottom side of the unit cover 2820, dust and dirt that enters through the upper cutout 2820c can be discharged downward through the lower cutout 2820c.

Furthermore, when the side unit 2800D of this embodiment is assembled to the gaming board 5, the cutout 2820c of the unit cover 2820 is located within the opening 1112 in the panel plate 1110 of the gaming panel 1100, within the thickness of the panel plate 1110, making it difficult for dust and dirt to enter the unit cover 2820 from above through the cutout 2820c.

In addition, when the side unit 2800D of this embodiment is assembled to the gaming board 5, a gap is provided between the peripheral wall portion 2820b of the unit cover 2820 and the inner surface of the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110 of the gaming panel 1100, and the base plate 2811a of the first component 2811 blocks the opening 1112 from the front. This allows heat from the LED board 2825 inside the unit cover 2820 to be dissipated toward the rear of the panel plate 1110 through the gap between the cutout portion 2820c and the inner surface of the opening 1112, and prevents foreign matter such as dust and dirt from entering the playing area 5a on the front side of the panel plate 1110 from the rear side of the panel plate 1110 through the opening 1112.

In the side unit 2800D, when a game ball B is received in the general winning opening 2001, it is guided by the ball receiving portion 2812c of the second component 2812A that forms the general winning opening 2001 to the ball passage 2811e of the rear first component 2811A. After flowing rearward through the thickness of the panel board 1110 via the ball passage 2811e, the game ball B is delivered to the rear ball guide unit 3100 of the rear unit 3000 that is provided behind the panel board 1110 (game panel 1100). After being delivered to the rear ball guide unit 3100, the game ball B is detected by the general winning opening sensor 3001 and then discharged downward.

The side unit 2800D of this embodiment can achieve the same effects as the side unit 2800 described above.

In the above-described side unit 2800D, the peripheral wall 2820b of the unit cover 2820 is provided with a notch 2820c (non-contact surface 2831), but this is not limited to this. It is also possible to provide a notch (non-contact surface 2831) cut out from the rear end to the front in the support frame 2814 of the unit main body 2810A without providing a notch 2820c in the peripheral wall 2820b of the unit cover 2820. Alternatively, notches (non-contact surface) may be provided in both the peripheral wall 2820b of the unit cover 2820 and the support frame 2814 of the unit main body 2810A.

In addition, the above-mentioned side unit 2800D is shown as having a frame-shaped support frame portion 2814 that protrudes rearward on the unit main body 2810A, with the rear end surface serving as the contact surface portion 2830. However, this is not limited to this. The unit main body 2810A may not have a support frame portion 2814, and the front end of the unit cover 2820 (peripheral wall portion 2820b) may abut against the rear surface of the unit main body 2810A, with the abutting portion serving as the contact surface portion 2830. As a result, since there is no support frame portion 2814 that protrudes rearward, the LED board 2825 can be positioned further forward, allowing the player to see brighter light-emitting decorations (light-emitting effects).

Furthermore, in the above-described side unit 2800D, the LED board 2825 is attached to the unit cover 2820, but this is not limited to this, and the LED board 2825 may also be attached to the rear side of the unit main body 2810A (first component 2811A).

Furthermore, in the above-mentioned side unit 2800D, a diffusion lens portion consisting of multiple concave and convex portions that diffuses light from the LEDs 2825a may be provided in front of the LED board 2825. This diffusion lens portion may be provided on the rear surface of the unit main body 2810A (base plate 2811a of the first component 2811A), or may be provided on a component separate from the unit main body 2810A.

In addition, while the above embodiment shows the gaming panel 1100 equipped with a panel board 1110 made of transparent resin, this is not limited to this and the gaming panel 1100 may also be made of wood. By making the gaming panel 1100 out of wood, the panel is thicker than a resin one, making it easier to more effectively utilize the thickness of the gaming panel 1100. However, if the gaming panel 1100 (panel board 1110) were made transparent, light from the LED 2825a of the LED board 2825 would enter the panel board 1110 from the inner surface of the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110 and be diffused within the panel board 1110, reducing the amount of light emitted forward and potentially weakening the illumination effect. In contrast, by making the gaming panel 1100 out of wood (opaque), the light from the LEDs 2825a of the LED board 2825 does not enter the gaming panel 1100 from the inner circumferential surface of the opening 1112, but can be reflected by the inner circumferential surface of the opening 1112, which prevents a decrease in the amount of light irradiated forward and makes it easier to fully utilize the dramatic effects of the light emission.

[12-2e. Side unit modification 5]
Next, a side unit 2800E having a configuration different from that described above will be described mainly with reference to Figure 110. Figure 110 is an explanatory diagram showing a vertical cross section of this side unit together with the game panel. Here, the same components as those of the side unit 2800D described above will be described with the same reference numerals.

The side unit 2800E extends along the inner rail 1002 to the left of the starting port unit 2100 within the game area 5a, where the player operates the handle 160 to shoot the game ball B, and is equipped with multiple (two to four) general winning ports 2001 that are always open and capable of receiving the game ball B.

The side unit 2800E comprises a unit body 2810A attached from the front to the flat panel board 1110 on the gaming panel 1100 where the obstacle nails are planted, a unit cover 2820 attached from the rear of the unit body 2810A, and an LED board 2825 mounted between the unit body 2810A and the unit cover 2820 and on which multiple LEDs 2825a are mounted. The unit body 2810A and unit cover 2820 of the side unit 2800E are made of transparent synthetic resin.

The side unit 2800E also has a contact surface portion 2830 where the unit main body 2810A and the unit cover 2820 are in contact with each other, and a non-contact surface portion 2831 that is provided on part of the contact surface portion 2830 and does not come into contact with each other.

The unit body 2810A of the side unit 2800E has a first component 2811A attached from the front to the flat panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100 on which the pegs are planted, a second component 2812A attached from the rear to the first component 2811A, and a support frame 2814 that protrudes rearward in a frame-like shape along the outer periphery of the unit cover 2820, the rear end face of which abuts the front end face of the unit cover 2820. In this embodiment, the second component 2812A is attached to the front side of the first component 2811A. The support frame 2814 also protrudes from the rear face of the first component 2811A.

The first component 2811A of the unit body 2810A comprises a flat base plate 2811a that can abut against the front surface of the gaming panel 1100 (panel board 1110), a ball passage 2811e that penetrates the base plate 2811a and opens forward, allowing gaming balls B received in the general winning opening 2001 (ball receiving portion 2812c) to flow down along the surface (board surface) of the gaming panel 1100 (panel board 1110), and a passage outlet (not shown) that opens rearward at the downstream end of the ball passage 2811e.

The first component 2811A also has multiple positioning protrusions 2811c protruding rearward from the base plate 2811a, multiple mounting holes 2811d penetrating the base plate 2811a for mounting to the gaming panel 1100, multiple mounting holes (not shown) penetrating the base plate 2811a for mounting the second component 2812A, and multiple mounting holes (not shown) on the rear surface for mounting the unit cover 2820 (see Figure 104).

The base plate 2811a extends along the inner rail 1002 of the previous component 1000. Multiple positioning protrusions 2811c are spaced apart along the length of the base plate 2811a. The positioning protrusions 2811c are inserted into positioning holes 1113 formed in the panel plate 1110 of the gaming panel 1100. In this embodiment, each positioning protrusion 2811c is the same length. Multiple mounting holes 2811d are formed near the positioning protrusions 2811c on the base plate 2811a and at the top of the base plate 2811a near the center in the left-right direction. These mounting holes 2811d have a countersunk recess formed on the front side, and countersunk mounting screws (not shown) that are screwed into mounting holes 1114 in the panel plate 1110 are inserted from the front. When attached to the front surface of the panel board 1110, the head of the mounting screw does not protrude forward beyond the front surface of the base plate 2811a.

This first component 2811A has a support frame 2814 on its rear side, the rear end of which abuts against the front end of the unit cover 2820. In other words, the first component 2811A has a support frame 2814 that protrudes rearward in a frame shape along the outer periphery of the unit cover 2820, the rear end surface of which abuts against the front end surface of the unit cover 2820. The support frame 2814 is provided on the rear surface of the base plate 2811a. When assembled to the side unit 2800E, the rear end surface of the support frame 2814 abuts against the front end surface of a peripheral wall 2820b (described below) of the unit cover 2820. In other words, the rear end surface of the support frame 2814 and the front end surface of the peripheral wall 2820b form the contact surface 2830.

The second component 2812A has a plurality of ball receiving sections 2812c that extend slightly in the front-to-rear direction and are open at the top and rear, forming the general winning opening 2001, a flat rear plate 2812e that connects the rear ends of the plurality of ball receiving sections 2812c, and a plurality of mounting holes (not shown) for mounting to the first component 2811A.

In this embodiment, a translucent decorative sticker 2803 is attached to the front surface of the ball receiving portion 2812c of the second component 2812A and the front surface of the rear plate 2812e.

The unit body 2810A is assembled by positioning the second component 2812A in front of the first component 2811A and threading mounting screws through mounting holes in the first component 2811A from the rear into mounting holes in the second component 2812A. This creates the unit body 2810A, in which the second component 2812A is attached to the first component 2811A from the rear. In this unit body 2810A, the ball receiving portion 2812c of the second component 2812A protrudes forward in front of the base plate 2811a of the first component 2811A.

The unit body 2810A of the side unit 2800E has a branch section 2801 that communicates with the general winning opening 2001 (ball receiving section 2812c), and a main section 2802 that merges with the branch section 2801 and extends along the surface (board surface) of the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100. The ball passage 2811e is made up of multiple branch sections 2801 and the main section 2802.

The branch section 2801 extends rearward from a position forward of the front face of the panel plate 1110 to a position (within the thickness of the panel plate 1110) behind the front face of the panel plate 1110 and above the main section 2802.

The main flow section 2802 extends along the surface of the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100, from near the left end to near the right end of the base plate 2811a, lowering to the right. The length of the main flow section 2802 is at least twice the diameter of the gaming ball B (8 to 10 times in this embodiment).

In addition, when assembled to the unit main body 2810A, the ball passage 2811e, which is open forward in the first component 2811A, is closed off by the rear plate 2812e of the second component 2812A except for the area behind the ball receiving portion 2812c, so that game balls B do not spill forward from the ball passage 2811e. In other words, the ball passage 2811e is formed by the first component 2811A and the second component 2812A. In other words, the ball passage 2811e is provided between the first component 2811A and the second component 2812A.

As shown in Figure 110, the first component 2811A of this embodiment, excluding the base plate 2811a, is inserted into the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100, and is formed so that its depth is within the thickness of the panel board 1110.

The unit cover 2820 of the side unit 2800E is formed in the shape of a shallow container that is open to the front, and houses an LED board 2825 inside. This unit cover 2820 has a flat cover portion 2820a, a frame-shaped peripheral wall portion 2820b that protrudes forward from the outer periphery of the cover portion 2820a, and a notch 2820c that is recessed from the front end of a portion of the peripheral wall portion 2820b. The cover portion 2820a may also be provided with multiple slits for ventilation.

The unit cover 2820 also has multiple bosses 2820d that protrude forward from the front surface of the cover portion 2820a and are shorter than the peripheral wall portion 2820b, and are used to attach the LED board 2825, and multiple mounting holes (not shown) that penetrate the cover portion 2820a and through which mounting screws are inserted to attach the unit to the unit main body 2810A.

The cover portion 2820a of the unit cover 2820 is formed to be large enough to cover the LED board 2825 from the rear. The peripheral wall portion 2820b has the same outer shape as the support frame portion 2814 of the unit main body 2810A. When assembled to the side unit 2800E, the front end surface of the peripheral wall portion 2820b abuts against the rear end surface of the support frame portion 2814 of the unit main body 2810A. In other words, the rear end surface of the support frame portion 2814 and the front end surface of the peripheral wall portion 2820b form the contact surface portion 2830.

The cutouts 2820c are provided on the upper and lower edges of the peripheral wall 2820b. When assembled to the side unit 2800D, the cutouts 2820c form a gap between the front end surface of the peripheral wall 2820b and the front end surface of the support frame 2814 of the unit main body 2810A. In other words, the cutouts 2820c form a non-contact surface 2831 in part of the contact surface 2830 formed by the rear end surface of the support frame 2814 and the front end surface of the peripheral wall 2820b, which do not come into contact with each other. The cutouts 2820c allow ventilation inside the container-shaped unit cover 2820, allowing heat from the LED board 2825 attached inside to be dissipated to the outside, preventing heat from building up inside the unit cover 2820.

The LED board 2825 of the side unit 2800E is attached to the inside of the unit cover 2820 with its rear surface abutting against the front end of the boss portion 2820d on the unit cover 2820. The multiple LEDs 2825a mounted on the LED board 2825 are full-color LEDs, and by assembling them into the side unit 2800E, the side unit 2800E can be decorated with illumination in a variety of colors.

This side unit 2800E can be assembled by attaching the LED board 2825 to the boss portion 2820d inside the unit cover 2820, abutting (contacting) the front end surface of the peripheral wall portion 2820b of the unit cover 2820 against the rear end surface of the support frame portion 2814 of the unit main body 2810A, and then screwing mounting screws from the rear of the unit cover 2820 through the mounting holes in the unit cover 2820 into the mounting holes of the first component member 2811A of the unit main body 2810A and tightening them.

To attach the side unit 2800E to the gaming panel 1100, first, from the front of the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100, the base plate 2811a of the first component 2811A is abutted against the front surface of the panel board 1110 so that the base plate 2811a closes the opening 1112 that penetrates the panel board 1110. At this time, the two positioning protrusions 2811c of the first component 2811A are inserted into the positioning holes 1113 of the panel board 1110. In this state, the mounting holes 2811d of the first component 2811A are aligned with the mounting holes 1114 of the panel board 1110.

The side unit 2800E is then attached to the front surface of the panel board 1110 by threading a mounting screw through the mounting hole 2811d of the first component 2811A from the front and into the mounting hole 1114 of the panel board 1110 and tightening it. Because the mounting hole 2811d of the first component 2811A is located near the positioning protrusion 2811c, threading the mounting screw through the mounting hole 2811d and into the mounting hole 1114 of the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100 presses the positioning protrusion 2811c firmly against the panel board 1110, ensuring it is inserted into the positioning hole 1113. This prevents the positioning protrusion 2811c from lifting up due to incomplete insertion.

In the side unit 2800E, the first component 2811A is provided with a ball passage 2811e that allows game balls B to flow down along the surface of the panel board 1110. The cross section of the ball passage 2811e is U-shaped, increasing the rigidity of the first component 2811A due to the presence of the ball passage 2811e. Meanwhile, the second component 2812A has a configuration in which multiple ball receiving portions 2812c protrude forward from the flat rear plate 2812e, making it similar to conventional side units and less rigid. However, by assembling it to the unit main body 2810A, the increased rigidity of the first component 2811A allows for greater rigidity than conventional side units. Therefore, when disassembling the pachinko machine 1 for recycling or the like, when the mounting screws attaching the side unit 2800E to the panel plate 1110 are removed and the side unit 2800E is pulled forward, the side unit 2800E does not bend because of the increased rigidity of the side unit 2800E. As a result, the positioning protrusions 2811c of the side unit 2800E (first component member 2811A) do not tilt relative to the positioning holes 1113 of the panel plate 1110, allowing the side unit 2800E to be easily removed from the gaming panel 1100 (panel plate 1110), thereby providing a pachinko machine 1 that reduces the amount of disassembly work required for sorting.

When the side unit 2800E is attached to the front of the panel board 1110 (when the game board 5 is assembled), the first component 2811A of the unit main body 2810A is located within the thickness of the panel board 1110 within the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110, and is located forward of the rear surface of the panel board 1110.

In addition, when the side unit 2800E of this embodiment is assembled to the gaming board 5, the unit cover 2820 protrudes rearward beyond the rear surface of the panel board 1110. In this case, because the cutout portions 2820c (non-contact surface portions 2831) are provided on the top and bottom, the upper cutout portion 2820c allows heat from the LED board 2825 to be discharged upward, while the lower cutout portion 2820c allows outside air to be taken in through the lower cutout portion 2820c. In addition, when assembled to the gaming board 5, a gap is provided between the outer periphery of the portion of the unit main body 2810A of the side unit 2800E that is inserted into the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110, i.e., the outer periphery of the ball passage 2811e of the first component member 2811A, and the inner periphery of the opening 1112. This makes it easier for heat from the LED board 2825 to be released to the outside through the cutout 2820c (non-contact surface portion 2831), allowing for efficient heat dissipation.

Furthermore, in the side unit 2800E of this embodiment, when the LED board 2825 is attached to the unit cover 2820, the LED board 2825 is located rearward of the cutout 2820c (non-contact surface portion 2831). In other words, the LED board 2825 is arranged so that it does not overlap the cutout 2820c (non-contact surface portion 2831) in a plan view. This makes it difficult for dust and dirt to get onto the LED board 2825, even if it enters the unit cover 2820 through the cutout 2820c, thereby minimizing the effects of the dust and dirt. Furthermore, because a cutout 2820c is also provided on the bottom side of the unit cover 2820, dust and dirt that enters through the upper cutout 2820c can be discharged downward through the lower cutout 2820c.

Furthermore, when the side unit 2800E of this embodiment is assembled to the gaming board 5, the cutout 2820c of the unit cover 2820 is located within the opening 1112 in the panel plate 1110 of the gaming panel 1100, within the thickness of the panel plate 1110, making it difficult for dust and dirt to enter the unit cover 2820 from above through the cutout 2820c.

In addition, when the side unit 2800E of this embodiment is assembled to the gaming board 5, a gap is provided between the peripheral wall portion 2820b of the unit cover 2820 and the inner surface of the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110 of the gaming panel 1100, and the base plate 2811a of the first component 2811 blocks the opening 1112 from the front. This allows heat from the LED board 2825 inside the unit cover 2820 to be dissipated toward the rear of the panel plate 1110 through the gap between the cutout portion 2820c and the inner surface of the opening 1112, and prevents foreign matter such as dust and dirt from entering the playing area 5a on the front side of the panel plate 1110 from the rear side of the panel plate 1110 through the opening 1112.

Furthermore, when the side unit 2800E is assembled to the gaming board 5, as shown in FIG. 110, a portion (front end side) of the ball passage 2811e provided in the unit main body 2810A protrudes forward beyond the front surface of the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100. Here, the ball passage 2811e protrudes forward by the thickness of the base plate 2811a of the first component 2811A. This reduces the amount of protrusion of the unit cover 2820 (LED board 2825) protruding rearward from the rear surface of the panel board 1110, thereby ensuring sufficient space behind the gaming panel 1100 (panel board 1110), and allowing the desired size of back-under performance unit 3500 (back-under movable decorative body 3510) to be installed.

The amount of rearward protrusion from the panel board 1110 is set to less than half the diameter D of the game ball B, similar to the side unit 2800A in Figure 106.

When the gaming panel 1100 is formed by injection molding, the thickness of the portion of the gaming area 5a where the obstacle nails are implanted tends to be thinner than when the gaming panel 1100 (panel board 1110) is made of wooden plywood or machined from a resin board. As a result, there is a risk that the portion of the ball passage 2811e of the unit main body 2810A that is aligned with the surface of the panel board 1110, and the unit cover 2820 attached to the rear of the unit main body 2810A, will not be able to fit within the thickness of the panel board 1110 and will protrude rearward beyond the rear surface of the panel board 1110. Furthermore, if the side unit 2800E protrudes rearward by a large amount beyond the rear surface of the panel board 1110, it will be impossible to secure sufficient space behind it. In contrast, in this embodiment, the amount of protrusion from the rear surface of the panel board 1110 in the side unit 2800E is less than half the diameter D of the game ball B, so sufficient space can be secured behind, allowing the desired size of back-under performance unit 3500 (back-under movable decorative body 3510) to be installed.

In the side unit 2800E, when a game ball B is received in the general winning opening 2001, it is guided to the rear ball passage 2811e by the ball receiving portion 2812c that forms the general winning opening 2001. The ball passage 2811e causes the ball to flow down along the surface of the panel board 1110 while remaining within the thickness of the panel board 1110, and is then handed over from a passage exit (not shown) to the rear ball guiding unit 3100 of the rear unit 3000 located at the rear. The game ball B handed over to the rear ball guiding unit 3100 is detected by the general winning opening sensor 3001 and then discharged downward.

Although detailed illustrations are omitted for the side unit 2800E of this embodiment, the passage exit (not shown) of the first component 2811A of the unit main body 2810A is located below the lower rear movable decorative body 3510 in the standby position. In other words, the general winning opening sensor 3001, which detects the game ball B received in the general winning opening 2001 (ball receiving portion 2812c), is located below the lower rear movable decorative body 3510 in the standby position. Therefore, the side unit 2800E, general winning opening sensor 3001, etc. do not interfere with the lower rear movable decorative body 3510.

The side unit 2800E of this embodiment can achieve the same effects as the side unit 2800 described above.

In the above-described side unit 2800E, the peripheral wall 2820b of the unit cover 2820 is provided with a notch 2820c (non-contact surface 2831), but this is not limited to this. It is also possible to provide a notch (non-contact surface 2831) cut out from the rear end to the front in the support frame 2814 of the unit main body 2810A without providing a notch 2820c in the peripheral wall 2820b of the unit cover 2820. Alternatively, notches (non-contact surface) may be provided in both the peripheral wall 2820b of the unit cover 2820 and the support frame 2814 of the unit main body 2810A.

In addition, in the above-described side unit 2800E, the unit main body 2810A is provided with a frame-shaped support frame portion 2814 that protrudes rearward, with the rear end surface serving as the contact surface portion 2830. However, this is not limited to this. The unit main body 2810A may not be provided with a support frame portion 2814, and the front end of the unit cover 2820 (peripheral wall portion 2820b) may be made to abut against the rear surface of the unit main body 2810A, with the abutting portion serving as the contact surface portion 2830. In this way, because the support frame portion 2814 that protrudes rearward is not provided, the amount of protrusion rearward from the rear surface of the panel board 1110 in the side unit 2800E can be reduced, making it possible to secure more free space behind the panel board 1110.

Furthermore, in the above-described side unit 2800E, the LED board 2825 is shown attached to the unit cover 2820, but this is not limited to this, and the LED board 2825 may also be attached to the rear side of the unit main body 2810A (first component 2811A).

Furthermore, in the above-mentioned side unit 2800E, a diffusion lens portion consisting of multiple concave and convex portions that diffuses light from the LEDs 2825a may be provided in front of the LED board 2825. This diffusion lens portion may be provided on the rear surface of the unit main body 2810A (first component member 2811A), or may be provided on a component separate from the unit main body 2810A.

Furthermore, the above-mentioned side unit 2800E is shown as having a ball passage 2811e composed of multiple branch sections 2801 connected to each ball receiving section 2812c and a main section 2802 where the multiple branch sections 2801 join, but this is not limited to this, and each ball receiving section 2812c may have its own independent ball passage 2811e.

In addition, while the above embodiment shows the gaming panel 1100 equipped with a panel board 1110 made of transparent resin, this is not limited to this and the gaming panel 1100 may also be made of wood. By making the gaming panel 1100 out of wood, the panel is thicker than a resin one, making it easier to more effectively utilize the thickness of the gaming panel 1100. However, if the gaming panel 1100 (panel board 1110) were made transparent, light from the LED 2825a of the LED board 2825 would enter the panel board 1110 from the inner surface of the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110 and be diffused within the panel board 1110, reducing the amount of light emitted forward and potentially weakening the illumination effect. In contrast, by making the gaming panel 1100 out of wood (opaque), the light from the LEDs 2825a of the LED board 2825 does not enter the gaming panel 1100 from the inner circumferential surface of the opening 1112, but can be reflected by the inner circumferential surface of the opening 1112, which prevents a decrease in the amount of light irradiated forward and makes it easier to fully utilize the dramatic effects of the light emission.

[12-2f. Modification 6 of the side unit]
Next, a side unit 2800F having a configuration different from that described above will be described mainly with reference to Figure 111 and other figures. Figure 111(a) is an explanatory diagram showing a cross section of a side unit having a different configuration together with a gaming panel, and Figure 111(b) is an explanatory diagram showing a longitudinal section of Figure 111(a). Here, the same components as those of the above-described side unit 2800D will be described with the same reference numerals.

The side unit 2800F extends along the inner rail 1002 to the left of the starting port unit 2100 within the game area 5a, where the player operates the handle 160 to shoot the game ball B, and is equipped with multiple (two to four) general winning ports 2001 that are always open and capable of receiving the game ball B.

The side unit 2800F comprises a unit body 2810A attached from the front to the flat panel board 1110 on the gaming panel 1100 on which the obstacle nails are planted, a unit cover 2820 attached from the rear of the unit body 2810A, and an LED board 2825 mounted with multiple LEDs 2825a and located between the unit body 2810A and the unit cover 2820. The unit body 2810A and unit cover 2820 of the side unit 2800F are made of transparent synthetic resin.

The side unit 2800F also has a contact surface portion 2830 where the unit main body 2810A and the unit cover 2820 are in contact with each other, and a non-contact surface portion 2831 that is provided on part of the contact surface portion 2830 and does not contact each other.

The unit body 2810A of the side unit 2800F has a first component 2811A attached from the front to the flat panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100 on which the pegs are planted, a second component 2812A attached from the rear to the first component 2811A, and a support frame 2814 that protrudes rearward in a frame-like shape along the outer periphery of the unit cover 2820, the rear end face of which abuts the front end face of the unit cover 2820. In this embodiment, the second component 2812A is attached to the front side of the first component 2811A. The support frame 2814 also protrudes from the rear face of the first component 2811A.

The first component 2811A of the unit body 2810A comprises a flat base plate 2811a that can abut against the front surface of the gaming panel 1100 (panel board 1110), a ball passage 2811e that penetrates the base plate 2811a and opens forward, allowing gaming balls B received in the general winning opening 2001 (ball receiving portion 2812c) to flow down along the surface (board surface) of the gaming panel 1100 (panel board 1110), and a passage outlet (not shown) that opens rearward at the downstream end of the ball passage 2811e.

The first component 2811A also has multiple positioning protrusions 2811c protruding rearward from the base plate 2811a, multiple mounting holes 2811d penetrating the base plate 2811a for mounting to the gaming panel 1100, multiple mounting holes (not shown) penetrating the base plate 2811a for mounting the second component 2812A, and multiple mounting holes (not shown) on the rear surface for mounting the unit cover 2820 (see Figure 104).

The base plate 2811a extends along the inner rail 1002 of the first component 1000. Furthermore, in the side unit 2800F, the ball passage 2811e of the first component 2811A is located below the vertical center of the base plate 2811a.

Multiple positioning protrusions 2811c are spaced apart along the length of the base plate 2811a. The positioning protrusions 2811c are inserted into positioning holes 1113 provided in the panel plate 1110 of the gaming panel 1100. In this embodiment, each positioning protrusion 2811c is the same length. Multiple mounting holes 2811d are provided on the base plate 2811a near the positioning protrusions 2811c and at the top of the base plate 2811a near the center in the left-right direction. These mounting holes 2811d have a countersunk hole formed on the front side, and countersunk mounting screws (not shown) that screw into the mounting holes 1114 in the panel plate 1110 are inserted from the front. When attached to the front surface of the panel plate 1110, the heads of the mounting screws do not protrude forward beyond the front surface of the base plate 2811a.

This first component 2811A has a support frame 2814 on its rear side, the rear end of which abuts against the front end of the unit cover 2820. In other words, the first component 2811A has a support frame 2814 that protrudes rearward in a frame-like shape along the outer periphery of the unit cover 2820, the rear end surface of which abuts against the front end surface of the unit cover 2820. The support frame 2814 is provided on the rear surface of the base plate 2811a above the spherical passage 2811e. When assembled to the side unit 2800F, the rear end surface of the support frame 2814 abuts against the front end surface of the peripheral wall 2820b (described later) of the unit cover 2820. In other words, the rear end surface of the support frame 2814 and the front end surface of the peripheral wall 2820b form the contact surface 2830.

The second component 2812A has a plurality of ball receiving sections 2812c that extend slightly in the front-to-rear direction and are open at the top and bottom, forming the general winning opening 2001; a flat front plate 2812d that connects the front ends of the plurality of ball receiving sections 2812c; a ball passage 2812f that is located behind the front plate 2812d and below the ball receiving sections 2812c, is open to the rear, and allows game balls B received in the ball receiving sections 2812c to flow through; and a plurality of mounting holes (not shown) for mounting to the first component 2811A.

In this embodiment, a translucent decorative sticker 2803 is attached to the front surface of the front panel 2812d of the second component 2812A.

The unit body 2810A is assembled by positioning the second component 2812A in front of the first component 2811A and threading mounting screws through mounting holes in the first component 2811A from the rear into mounting holes in the second component 2812A. This creates the unit body 2810A, in which the second component 2812A is attached to the first component 2811A from the rear. In this unit body 2810A, the ball receiving portion 2812c of the second component 2812A protrudes forward in front of the base plate 2811a of the first component 2811A.

The unit body 2810A of the side unit 2800F has a branch section 2801 (shown with light shading in Figure 111) that is connected to the general winning opening 2001 (ball receiving section 2812c), and a main section 2802 (shown with dark shading in Figure 111) that merges with the branch section 2801 and extends along the surface (board surface) of the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100. Ball passage 2811e and ball passage 2812f are composed of multiple branch sections 2801 and main section 2802.

When viewed from the front, the tributary portion 2801 extends downward and forward of the panel plate 1110 at the ball receiving portion 2812c in the left-right center and the ball receiving portion 2812c on the left edge, while the ball receiving portion 2812c on the right edge extends rearward from a position forward of the panel plate 1110 to a position within the thickness of the panel plate 1110.

The main flow section 2802 extends along the surface of the panel plate 1110 of the gaming panel 1100 in front of the panel plate 1110 of the gaming panel 1100 from the area below the leftmost ball receiving section 2812c to the area below the central ball receiving section 2812c in the left-right direction, then bends backward at the area below the central ball receiving section 2812c in the left-right direction, extends into the thickness of the panel plate 1110, and then extends along the surface of the panel plate 1110 within the thickness of the panel plate 1110 to the area behind the rightmost ball receiving section 2812c. The length of the main flow section 2802 is at least twice the diameter of the gaming ball B (8 to 15 times in this embodiment).

When assembled to the unit main body 2810A, the ball passage 2811e, which is open to the front of the first component 2811A, is closed by the ball passage 2812f and rear surface of the second component 2812A. Furthermore, the ball passage 2812f, which is open to the rear of the second component 2812A, is closed by the base plate 2811a and ball passage 2811e of the first component 2811A. This prevents game balls B from spilling out of the ball passage 2811e and ball passage 2812f. In other words, the ball passage 2811e and ball passage 2812f are formed by the first component 2811A and the second component 2812A. In other words, the ball passage 2811e and ball passage 2812f are provided between the first component 2811A and the second component 2812A.

As shown in FIG. 111, the first component 2811A of this embodiment, excluding the base plate 2811a, is inserted into the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100, and is formed so that its depth is within the thickness of the panel board 1110.

The unit cover 2820 of the side unit 2800F is formed in the shape of a shallow container that is open to the front, and houses an LED board 2825 inside. This unit cover 2820 has a flat cover portion 2820a, a frame-shaped peripheral wall portion 2820b that protrudes forward from the outer periphery of the cover portion 2820a, and a notch 2820c that is recessed from the front end of a portion of the peripheral wall portion 2820b. The cover portion 2820a may also be provided with multiple slits for ventilation.

The unit cover 2820 also has multiple bosses 2820d that protrude forward from the front surface of the cover portion 2820a and are shorter than the peripheral wall portion 2820b, and are used to attach the LED board 2825, and multiple mounting holes (not shown) that penetrate the cover portion 2820a and through which mounting screws are inserted to attach the unit to the unit main body 2810A.

The cover portion 2820a of the unit cover 2820 is formed to be large enough to cover the LED board 2825 from the rear. The peripheral wall portion 2820b has the same outer shape as the support frame portion 2814 of the unit main body 2810A. When assembled to the side unit 2800F, the front end surface of the peripheral wall portion 2820b abuts against the rear end surface of the support frame portion 2814 of the unit main body 2810A. In other words, the rear end surface of the support frame portion 2814 and the front end surface of the peripheral wall portion 2820b form the contact surface portion 2830.

The cutouts 2820c are provided on the upper and lower edges of the peripheral wall 2820b. When assembled to the side unit 2800D, the cutouts 2820c form a gap between the front end surface of the peripheral wall 2820b and the front end surface of the support frame 2814 of the unit main body 2810A. In other words, the cutouts 2820c form a non-contact surface 2831 in part of the contact surface 2830 formed by the rear end surface of the support frame 2814 and the front end surface of the peripheral wall 2820b, which do not come into contact with each other. The cutouts 2820c allow ventilation inside the container-shaped unit cover 2820, allowing heat from the LED board 2825 attached inside to be dissipated to the outside, preventing heat from building up inside the unit cover 2820.

The LED board 2825 of the side unit 2800F is attached to the inside of the unit cover 2820 with its rear surface abutting against the front end of the boss portion 2820d on the unit cover 2820. The multiple LEDs 2825a mounted on the LED board 2825 are full-color LEDs, and by assembling them into the side unit 2800F, the side unit 2800F can be decorated with illumination in a variety of colors.

This side unit 2800F can be assembled by attaching the LED board 2825 to the boss portion 2820d inside the unit cover 2820, abutting (contacting) the front end surface of the peripheral wall portion 2820b of the unit cover 2820 against the rear end surface of the support frame portion 2814 of the unit main body 2810A, and then screwing mounting screws from the rear of the unit cover 2820 through the mounting holes in the unit cover 2820 into the mounting holes of the first component member 2811A of the unit main body 2810A and tightening them.

To attach the side unit 2800F to the gaming panel 1100, first, from the front of the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100, the base plate 2811a of the first component 2811A is abutted against the front surface of the panel board 1110 so that the base plate 2811a closes the opening 1112 that penetrates the panel board 1110. At this time, the two positioning protrusions 2811c of the first component 2811A are inserted into the positioning holes 1113 of the panel board 1110. In this state, the mounting holes 2811d of the first component 2811A are aligned with the mounting holes 1114 of the panel board 1110.

The side unit 2800F is then attached to the front surface of the panel board 1110 by threading a mounting screw through the mounting hole 2811d of the first component 2811A from the front and into the mounting hole 1114 of the panel board 1110 and tightening it. Because the mounting hole 2811d of the first component 2811A is located near the positioning protrusion 2811c, threading the mounting screw through the mounting hole 2811d and into the mounting hole 1114 of the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100 presses the positioning protrusion 2811c firmly against the panel board 1110, ensuring it is inserted into the positioning hole 1113. This prevents the positioning protrusion 2811c from lifting up due to incomplete insertion.

In the side unit 2800F, the first component 2811A is provided with a ball passage 2811e that allows game ball B to flow down along the surface of the panel board 1110. The cross section of the ball passage 2811e is U-shaped, thereby increasing the rigidity of the first component 2811A due to the presence of the ball passage 2811e. Meanwhile, the second component 2812A is also provided with a ball passage 2812f that allows game ball B to flow down along the surface of the panel board 1110. The cross section of the ball passage 2812f is U-shaped, thereby increasing the rigidity of the second component 2812A due to the presence of the ball passage 2812f. As a result, the side unit 2800F is constructed by combining the first component 2811A and the second component 2812A, which have increased rigidity, resulting in greater rigidity than conventional side units. Therefore, when disassembling the pachinko machine 1 for recycling or the like, when the mounting screws attaching the side unit 2800F to the panel plate 1110 are removed and the side unit 2800F is pulled forward, the side unit 2800F does not bend because of the increased rigidity of the side unit 2800F. As a result, the positioning protrusions 2811c of the side unit 2800F (first component member 2811A) do not tilt relative to the positioning holes 1113 of the panel plate 1110, and the side unit 2800F can be easily removed from the gaming panel 1100 (panel plate 1110), making it possible to provide a pachinko machine 1 that reduces the amount of disassembly work required for sorting.

When the side unit 2800F is attached to the front of the panel plate 1110 (when the gaming board 5 is assembled), the ball passage 2811e of the first component 2811A of the unit main body 2810A and the unit cover 2820 (LED board 2825) are located within the thickness of the panel plate 1110 within the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110, and are located forward of the rear surface of the panel plate 1110. In other words, when assembled to the gaming board 5, the side unit 2800 does not protrude rearward beyond the rear surface of the panel plate 1110, making it possible to ensure ample space behind the panel plate 1110.

In addition, in the side unit 2800F of this embodiment, the unit cover 2820 has cutouts 2820c (non-contact surface portions 2831) on the top and bottom, allowing heat from the LED board 2825 to be discharged upward through the upper cutout 2820c while allowing outside air to be drawn in through the lower cutout 2820c. When assembled to the gaming board 5, a gap is provided between the outer periphery of the portion of the unit body 2810A of the side unit 2800F that is inserted into the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110, i.e., between the outer periphery of the support frame portion 2814 of the first component 2811A and the inner periphery of the opening 1112. This makes it easier for heat from the LED board 2825 to be released to the outside through the cutouts 2820c (non-contact surface portions 2831), allowing for efficient heat dissipation.

Furthermore, in the side unit 2800F of this embodiment, when the LED board 2825 is attached to the unit cover 2820, the LED board 2825 is located rearward of the cutout 2820c (non-contact surface portion 2831). In other words, the LED board 2825 is arranged so that it does not overlap the cutout 2820c (non-contact surface portion 2831) in a plan view. This makes it difficult for dust and dirt to get onto the LED board 2825, even if it enters the unit cover 2820 through the cutout 2820c, thereby minimizing the effects of the dust and dirt. Furthermore, because a cutout 2820c is also provided on the bottom side of the unit cover 2820, dust and dirt that enters through the upper cutout 2820c can be discharged downward through the lower cutout 2820c.

Furthermore, when the side unit 2800F of this embodiment is assembled to the gaming board 5, the cutout 2820c of the unit cover 2820 is located within the opening 1112 in the panel plate 1110 of the gaming panel 1100, within the thickness of the panel plate 1110, making it difficult for dust and dirt to enter the unit cover 2820 from above through the cutout 2820c.

In addition, when the side unit 2800F of this embodiment is assembled to the gaming board 5, a gap is provided between the peripheral wall portion 2820b of the unit cover 2820 and the inner surface of the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110 of the gaming panel 1100, and the base plate 2811a of the first component 2811 blocks the opening 1112 from the front. This allows heat from the LED board 2825 inside the unit cover 2820 to be dissipated toward the rear of the panel plate 1110 through the gap between the cutout portion 2820c and the inner surface of the opening 1112, and prevents foreign matter such as dust and dirt from entering the playing area 5a on the front side of the panel plate 1110 from the rear side of the panel plate 1110 through the opening 1112.

Furthermore, when the side unit 2800F is assembled to the gaming board 5, as shown in FIG. 111, the ball passage 2812f, through which the gaming ball B received in the ball receiving portion 2812c flows down along the surface of the panel plate 1110 of the gaming panel 1100, is provided forward of the front surface of the panel plate 1110 of the gaming panel 1100. This allows the unit cover 2820 (LED board 2825) provided on the rear side of the base plate 2811a of the first component 2811A to be contained within the thickness of the panel plate 1110 within the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110, and prevents it from protruding rearward beyond the rear surface of the panel plate 1110. Therefore, sufficient space can be secured behind the gaming panel 1100 (panel plate 1110) in the side unit 2800F, allowing a desired size of back-under performance unit 3500 (back-under movable decorative body 3510) to be provided.

In the side unit 2800F, when a game ball B is received in the general winning opening 2001, it flows down the ball receiving portion 2812c that forms the general winning opening 2001 to the ball passage 2812f below, and then flows down the surface of the panel board 1110 forward of the front of the panel board 1110 via the ball passage 2812f, bending backward in a crank shape along the way and flowing down along the surface of the panel board 1110 within the thickness of the panel board 1110, before being handed over to the rear ball guide unit 3100 of the rear unit 3000 located at the rear through a passage exit (not shown). The game ball B handed over to the rear ball guide unit 3100 is detected by the general winning opening sensor 3001 and then discharged downward. On the other hand, if a game ball B flowing down toward the side unit 2800F is not received by the general winning opening 2001 (ball receiving portion 2812c) of the side unit 2800F, the game ball B flows down through the space between the base plate 2811a and the front plate 2812d to the outlet 1008, and is discharged through the outlet 1008 to the rear and below of the game panel 1100.

As shown in Figure 111 (b), in the side unit 2800F of this embodiment, the passage outlet (not shown) of the first component 2811A of the unit main body 2810A is located below the bottom-rear movable decorative body 3510 in the standby position. In other words, the general winning opening sensor 3001, which detects the game ball B received in the general winning opening 2001 (ball receiving portion 2812c), is located below the bottom-rear movable decorative body 3510 in the standby position. Therefore, the side unit 2800F, general winning opening sensor 3001, etc. do not interfere with the bottom-rear movable decorative body 3510.

The side unit 2800F of this embodiment can achieve the same effects as the side unit 2800 described above.

In the above-described side unit 2800F, the peripheral wall 2820b of the unit cover 2820 is provided with a notch 2820c (non-contact surface 2831), but this is not limited to this. It is also possible to provide a notch (non-contact surface 2831) cut out from the rear end to the front in the support frame 2814 of the unit main body 2810A without providing a notch 2820c in the peripheral wall 2820b of the unit cover 2820. Alternatively, notches (non-contact surface) may be provided in both the peripheral wall 2820b of the unit cover 2820 and the support frame 2814 of the unit main body 2810A.

In addition, in the above-described side unit 2800F, the unit main body 2810A is provided with a frame-shaped support frame portion 2814 that protrudes rearward, with the rear end surface serving as the contact surface portion 2830. However, this is not limited to this. The unit main body 2810A may not be provided with a support frame portion 2814, and the front end of the unit cover 2820 (peripheral wall portion 2820b) may be made to abut against the rear surface of the unit main body 2810A, with the abutting portion serving as the contact surface portion 2830. In this way, since the support frame portion 2814 that protrudes rearward is not provided, the amount of rearward protrusion of the side unit 2800F can be reduced.

Furthermore, in the above-described side unit 2800F, the LED board 2825 is attached to the unit cover 2820, but this is not limited to this, and the LED board 2825 may also be attached to the rear side of the unit main body 2810A (first component 2811A).

Furthermore, in the above-mentioned side unit 2800F, a diffusion lens portion consisting of multiple concave and convex portions that diffuses light from the LEDs 2825a may be provided in front of the LED board 2825. This diffusion lens portion may be provided on the rear surface of the unit main body 2810A (first component member 2811A), or may be provided on a component separate from the unit main body 2810A.

Furthermore, the above-mentioned side unit 2800F is shown as having a ball passage 2811e composed of multiple branch sections 2801 connected to each ball receiving section 2812c and a main section 2802 where the multiple branch sections 2801 join, but this is not limited to this, and each ball receiving section 2812c may have its own independent ball passage 2811e.

In addition, while the above embodiment shows the gaming panel 1100 equipped with a panel board 1110 made of transparent resin, this is not limited to this and the gaming panel 1100 may also be made of wood. By making the gaming panel 1100 out of wood, the panel is thicker than a resin one, making it easier to more effectively utilize the thickness of the gaming panel 1100. However, if the gaming panel 1100 (panel board 1110) were made transparent, light from the LED 2825a of the LED board 2825 would enter the panel board 1110 from the inner surface of the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110 and be diffused within the panel board 1110, reducing the amount of light emitted forward and potentially weakening the illumination effect. In contrast, by making the gaming panel 1100 out of wood (opaque), the light from the LEDs 2825a of the LED board 2825 does not enter the gaming panel 1100 from the inner circumferential surface of the opening 1112, but can be reflected by the inner circumferential surface of the opening 1112, which prevents a decrease in the amount of light irradiated forward and makes it easier to fully utilize the dramatic effects of the light emission.

[12-3. Side unit etc. of the third embodiment]
Next, the side unit 2800G of the third embodiment will be described mainly with reference to Figures 112 and 114. Figure 112(a) is a front view showing the main parts of a gaming board equipped with a side unit of the third embodiment, (b) is an explanatory diagram showing an enlarged view of the outlet portion in (a), and (c) is an explanatory diagram showing a longitudinal cross section of (b). Figure 113(a) is an explanatory diagram showing an enlarged view of the outlet portion of a gaming board equipped with a side unit having a finger hook portion of a different configuration from that shown in Figure 112, and (b) is an explanatory diagram showing a longitudinal cross section of (a). Figure 114 is an explanatory diagram schematically showing a panel plate of a gaming panel in which the opening to which the side unit is attached and the outlet are continuously connected. Here, the same components as those described above will be described using the same symbols.

The side unit 2800G of the third embodiment extends along the inner rail 1002 to the left of the starting port unit 2100 within the game area 5a, where the player operates the handle 160 to shoot the game ball B, and is attached to the game panel 1100 (panel board 1110) from the front. The side unit 2800G has three general winning ports 2001 that are always open and can receive the game ball B.

In this embodiment, the gaming panel 1100 has an opening area 1101 penetrating the panel board 1110, through which gaming balls B can pass from the front side to the rear side of the panel board 1110. This opening area 1101 is composed of a normal opening area 1102 through which gaming balls B received in the general winning opening 2001 of the side unit 2800G can pass, and a specific opening area 1103 through which gaming balls B not received in the general winning opening 2001 can pass. The normal opening area 1102 is an opening 1112 at the location where the side unit 2800G is attached, and the specific opening area 1103 is the outlet 1008. This outlet 1008 is formed as a notch that opens downward in the panel board 1110.

In the embodiment of Figure 112 and Figure 113 described below, the normal opening area 1102 and the specific opening area 1103 that make up the opening area 1101 are independent and not connected to each other. In other words, the specific opening area 1103 is formed on the panel plate 1110 of the gaming panel 1100 separately from the normal opening area 1102. In other words, the outlet 1008 is formed by the specific opening area 1103 that is formed on the panel plate 1110 of the gaming panel 1100 separately from the normal opening area 1102 into which the side unit 2800G is fitted. This makes it possible to reduce the area of the panel plate 1110 that is cut outward from the outer periphery, thereby preventing a decrease in the strength of the panel plate 1110 due to the formation of the opening area 1101.

This side unit 2800G has a finger grip 2816 whose outer edge partially overlaps the outlet 1008 (specific opening area 1103) that penetrates the panel board 1110 when attached to the panel board 1110. In other words, the side unit 2800G is attached to the panel board 1110 so that its outer edge partially overlaps the outlet 1008 (specific opening area 1103).

Because the side unit 2800G is provided with a finger hook 2816, when disassembling the pachinko machine 1 for recycling or the like, by removing the mounting screws that attach the side unit 2800G to the panel board 1110 and inserting a finger or tool into the outlet 1008, the finger or tool can be hooked onto the finger hook 2816 and the side unit 2800G can be pulled forward. This allows the side unit 2800G to be easily removed from the gaming panel 1100 (panel board 1110), reducing the amount of disassembly work required for sorting.

To further explain the side unit 2800G of this embodiment, the side unit 2800G, like the side unit 2800 shown in Figure 104, etc., is composed of a first component 2811 attached from the front to the flat panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100 in which the obstacle nails are planted, and a second component 2812 attached from the rear to the first component 2811. In the side unit 2800 of this embodiment, the second component 2812 is attached to the rear of the first component 2811.

The first component 2811 of the side unit 2800G has a flat base plate 2811a that can abut against the front surface of the gaming panel 1100 (panel plate 1110), and multiple ball receiving portions 2811b that protrude forward from the base plate 2811a and are open at the top and rear, forming the general winning opening 2001.

The base plate 2811a extends along the inner rail 1002 of the previous component 1000. As shown in FIG. 112, the right end of the base plate 2811a in this embodiment extends further to the right than the ball receiving portion 2811b at the right end so as to approach the starting port unit 2100. This base plate 2811a is arranged so that a portion of its outer edge overlaps the outlet 1008 (specific opening area 1103). In other words, when attached to the panel board 1110, a portion of the outer edge of the base plate 2811a is formed to protrude forward of the outlet 1008 so as to overlap the outlet 1008 (specific opening area 1103) in a front view. In this embodiment, the portion of the base plate 2811a protruding forward of the outlet 1008 is the finger hook portion 2816.

The outer edge of the base plate 2811a is inclined so that the front surface moves rearward as it approaches the outer edge. Therefore, the portion of the outer edge of the base plate 2811a that corresponds to the outlet 1008, i.e., the front end surface of the finger grip 2816, is inclined toward the outlet 1008.

The three ball receiving portions 2811b are spaced apart from each other on the left and right, with the rightmost ball receiving portion 2811b positioned further downward. The leftmost ball receiving portion 2811b has its front end surface parallel to the base plate 2811a all the way to the bottom. The remaining ball receiving portions 2811b (center and rightmost) are inclined so that their front end surfaces move further rearward as they approach the bottom.

The first component 2811 also has two positioning protrusions 2811c protruding rearward from the base plate 2811a, multiple (three in this case) mounting holes 2811d penetrating the base plate 2811a for mounting to the gaming panel 1100, and multiple mounting holes (not shown) provided on the rear end surface of the ball receiving portion 2811b (base plate 2811a) for mounting the second component 2812.

The two positioning protrusions 2811c are spaced apart in the longitudinal direction of the base plate 2811a. Here, the two positioning protrusions 2811c are provided in a portion close to the outlet 1008 and a portion far from the outlet 1008. The positioning protrusions 2811c are inserted into positioning holes 1113 provided in the panel plate 1110 of the gaming panel 1100. In this embodiment, the two positioning protrusions 2811c are the same length.

The three mounting holes 2811d are provided near the positioning protrusion 2811c on the base plate 2811a and at the top of the base plate 2811a near the center in the left-right direction. These mounting holes 2811d have a countersunk recess on the front side, and countersunk mounting screws (not shown) that are screwed into the mounting holes 1114 of the panel plate 1110 are inserted from the front. When attached to the front surface of the panel plate 1110, the heads of the mounting screws do not protrude forward beyond the front surface of the base plate 2811a.

The mounting hole is intended to receive a mounting screw inserted into a mounting hole (not shown) in the second component 2812, which will be described later.

The second component 2812 is formed in the shape of a container that is open to the front, and has a ball passage 2812a that allows the game ball B received in the general winning opening 2001 (ball receiving portion 2811b) to flow down along the surface (board surface) of the game panel 1100 (panel board 1110), a passage outlet 2812b that opens toward the rear at the downstream end of the ball passage 2812a, and multiple mounting holes (not shown) for attachment to the first component 2811.

The second component 2812 in this embodiment is inserted (fitted) into the opening 1112 (normal opening area 1102) of the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100, and is formed so that its depth is within the thickness of the panel board 1110.

The spherical passage 2812a of the second component 2812 is formed so as to follow the inner rail 1002 of the previous component 1000 and to become lower toward the right along the surface of the panel board 1110. The passage outlet 2812b opens toward the rear at the right end of the second component 2812, which is the downstream end of the spherical passage 2812a.

The mounting holes of the second component 2812 are located at positions corresponding to the mounting holes of the first component 2811. By inserting mounting screws from the rear through the mounting holes of the second component 2812 and screwing them into the mounting holes of the first component 2811, the second component 2812 is attached to the first component 2811 from the rear.

The side unit 2800G of this embodiment has a branch section 2801 that communicates with the general winning opening 2001 (ball receiving section 2811b), and a main section 2802 that merges with the branch section 2801 and extends along the surface (board surface) of the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100. The ball passage 2812a is made up of multiple branch sections 2801 and the main section 2802.

The branch section 2801 extends rearward from a position forward of the front face of the panel plate 1110 to a position (within the thickness of the panel plate 1110) behind the front face of the panel plate 1110 and above the main section 2802.

The main flow section 2802 extends along the surface of the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100, from near the left end to near the right end of the base plate 2811a, lowering to the right. The length of the main flow section 2802 is at least twice the diameter of the gaming ball B (8 to 10 times in this embodiment).

The side unit 2800G of this embodiment is assembled by positioning the second component 2812 behind the first component 2811 and screwing mounting screws from the rear of the second component 2812 through the mounting holes in the second component 2812 into the mounting holes in the first component 2811. This creates a side unit 2800G in which the second component 2812 is attached to the first component 2811 from the rear.

The ball passage 2812a of the second component 2812 is open to the front, but when the first component 2811 is attached to the front, the front end of the ball passage 2812a is closed by the base plate 2811a of the first component 2811, so that the game ball B does not spill forward from the ball passage 2812a. In other words, the ball passage 2812a is formed by the first component 2811 and the second component 2812. In other words, the ball passage 2812a is provided between the first component 2811 and the second component 2812.

This side unit 2800G abuts the base plate 2811a of the first component 2811 against the front surface of the panel plate 1110 of the gaming panel 1100 from the front of the panel plate 1110 so that the base plate 2811a closes the opening 1112 (normal opening area 1102 of the opening area 1101) that penetrates the panel plate 1110. At this time, the two positioning protrusions 2811c of the first component 2811 are inserted into the positioning holes 1113 of the panel plate 1110. In this state, the mounting hole 2811d of the first component 2811 is aligned with the mounting hole 1114 of the panel plate 1110.

The side unit 2800G is then attached to the front surface of the panel board 1110 by threading a mounting screw through the mounting hole 2811d of the first component 2811 from the front and into the mounting hole 1114 of the panel board 1110 and tightening it. Because the mounting hole 2811d of the first component 2811 is located near the positioning protrusion 2811c, screwing the mounting screw through the mounting hole 2811d and into the mounting hole 1114 of the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100 presses the positioning protrusion 2811c firmly against the panel board 1110, ensuring it is inserted into the positioning hole 1113. This prevents the positioning protrusion 2811c from floating up due to incomplete insertion.

When the side unit 2800G of this embodiment is attached to the front surface of the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100 (when the gaming board 5 is assembled), the finger grip portion 2816 of the base plate 2811a of the first component 2811 protrudes forward of the outlet 1008 (the specific opening area 1103 of the opening area 1101).

Furthermore, when the side unit 2800G is attached to the front of the panel plate 1110 (when the gaming board 5 is assembled), the second component 2812 is located within the thickness of the panel plate 1110 within the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110, and is located forward of the rear surface of the panel plate 1110. In other words, when assembled to the gaming board 5, the side unit 2800G does not protrude rearward beyond the rear surface of the panel plate 1110, making it possible to ensure a large space behind the panel plate 1110.

In the side unit 2800G, when a game ball B is received in the general winning opening 2001, it is guided by the ball receiving portion 2811b that forms the general winning opening 2001 to the ball passage 2812a behind the front of the panel board 1110, and after flowing down along the surface of the panel board 1110 via the ball passage 2812a, it is handed over from the passage exit 2812b to the rear ball guiding unit 3100 of the rear unit 3000 located behind. After being handed over to the rear ball guiding unit 3100, the game ball B is detected by the general winning opening sensor 3001 and then discharged downward.

In this embodiment, although detailed illustrations are omitted, the passage exit 2812b of the second component 2812 is located below the rear-bottom movable decorative body 3510 in the standby position. In other words, the general winning opening sensor 3001, which detects the game ball B received in the general winning opening 2001 (ball receiving portion 2811b), is located below the rear-bottom movable decorative body 3510 in the standby position. Therefore, the side unit 2800G, general winning opening sensor 3001, etc. do not interfere with the rear-bottom movable decorative body 3510.

The side unit 2800G of this embodiment can achieve the same effects as the side unit 2800 described above.

In the side unit 2800G of this embodiment, the second component 2812 is provided with a ball passage 2812a that allows game ball B to flow down along the surface of the panel board 1110. The cross section of the ball passage 2812a is U-shaped, and the presence of the ball passage 2812a increases the rigidity of the second component 2812. Furthermore, the side unit 2800G is formed by attaching the second component 2812, which has increased rigidity, to the rear side of the first component 2811, thereby increasing the rigidity of the side unit 2800 compared to conventional side units. Therefore, during disassembly of the pachinko machine 1 for recycling, etc., when the mounting screws attaching the side unit 2800G to the panel board 1110 of the game panel 1100 are removed and the side unit 2800G is pulled forward, the increased rigidity of the side unit 2800 prevents the side unit 2800 from bending. This prevents the positioning protrusion 2811c of the side unit 2800G (first component 2811) from tilting relative to the positioning hole 1113 of the panel board 1110, allowing the side unit 2800G to be easily removed from the gaming panel 1100 (panel board 1110), providing a pachinko machine 1 that reduces the amount of disassembly required for separation.

Furthermore, according to the side unit 2800G of this embodiment, a finger hook 2816 that overlaps with the outlet 1008 of the panel board 1110 is provided on part of the outer edge. Therefore, when disassembling the pachinko machine 1 for recycling or the like, after removing the mounting screws that attach the side unit 2800G to the panel board 1110, a finger or tool can be inserted into the outlet 1008 to hook a finger or tool on the finger hook 2816 and pull the side unit 2800G forward. This allows the side unit 2800G to be easily removed from the gaming panel 1100 (panel board 1110), reducing the amount of disassembly work required for sorting.

In addition, in the side unit 2800G of this embodiment, the finger hook portion 2816 is arranged to overlap with the outlet 1008 (specific opening area 1103), and since the outlet 1008 is large enough to accommodate two or more game balls B, the operator's fingers can be easily inserted into the outlet 1008 and the fingers can be easily hooked onto the finger hook portion 2816.

Furthermore, in the side unit 2800G, the finger hook 2816 of the base plate 2811a protrudes forward of the outlet 1008 so as to overlap the outlet 1008. This prevents a game ball B flowing down the play area 5a and along the surface of the panel board 1110 from above the outlet 1008 from skimming the corners at the front end of the outlet 1008 and entering the outlet 1008, or a game ball B bouncing upward at the outlet guide section 1003 in front of the outlet 1008 from hitting the corners at the front end of the outlet 1008. In other words, the finger hook 2816 prevents the game ball B from hitting the corners at the front end of the outlet 1008 on the panel board 1110. This prevents the front end of the outlet 1008 from being chipped.

In addition, in the side unit 2800G, the front surface of the finger hook 2816 on the base plate 2811a is inclined toward the outlet 1008, so the corners of the outer edge are obtuse angles. Therefore, when disassembling the pachinko machine 1 to remove the side unit 2800G from the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100, the worker hooks their fingers or the like on the finger hook 2816 (finger hook 2817) that overlaps with the outlet 1008 on the outer edge of the base plate 2811a of the side unit 2800G. Even if the fingers or the like come into contact with the corners of the outer edge of the base plate 2811a, the obtuse angle of the corner makes it less likely that the fingers or the like will be injured compared to when the corners are right angles, and the side unit 2800G can be safely removed with the fingers or the like.

In addition, in the side unit 2800G, the front surface of the finger hook portion 2816 on the base plate 2811a is inclined toward the outlet 1008, so that the game ball B flowing down along the front surface of the base plate 2811a toward the outlet 1008 can be smoothly guided to the outlet 1008, preventing the game ball B from stagnating near the outlet 1008. Furthermore, because the front surface of the finger hook portion 2816 is inclined, the corner at the front end of the finger hook portion 2816 is an obtuse angle, making it less likely for the corner at the front end to chip.

In addition, when the side unit 2800G is assembled to the gaming board 5, the base plate 2811a of the first component 2811 blocks the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100 from the front, thereby preventing foreign matter such as dust and dirt from entering the gaming area 5a on the front side of the panel board 1110 through the opening 1112 from the rear side of the panel board 1110.

However, since the side unit 2800G is provided with two positioning protrusions 2811c, each of which is inserted into the positioning holes 1113 of the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100, when removing the side unit 2800G from the panel board 1110 during disassembly, if an attempt is made to simultaneously pull out the two positioning protrusions 2811c from the positioning holes 1113, it will be necessary to pull the side unit 2800G forward with great force, which may increase the burden on the worker. In contrast to this, in this embodiment, the positioning protrusions 2811c are provided at locations close to and far from the outlet 1008, so that when disassembling the pachinko machine 1 for recycling or the like, when removing the side unit 2800G from the panel board 1110 of the game panel 1100, the worker can hook his/her finger or the like onto the finger hook portion 2816 that overlaps with the outlet 1008 on the outer edge of the base plate 2811a of the side unit 2800 and pull it forward, thereby applying a strong pulling force to the positioning protrusion 2811c that is close to the outlet 1008. As a result, during disassembly, of the two positioning protrusions 2811c, the positioning protrusion 2811c closest to the outlet 1008 can be removed from the positioning hole 1113 first, and then the remaining positioning protrusion 2811c farthest from the outlet 1008 can be removed from the positioning hole 1113. This means that the positioning protrusions 2811c can be removed with less force than when pulling out two positioning protrusions 2811c at the same time, reducing the workload.

In the above-mentioned side unit 2800G, the finger hook 2816 is shown as a flat plate that fits along the front surface of the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100, but this is not limited to this and the finger hook 2817 may also be in the form shown in Figure 113.

When the side unit 2800G is attached to the front surface of the panel plate 1110, the finger hook 2817 overlaps with the outlet 1008 that penetrates the panel plate 1110 in a front view, and extends from the front surface of the panel plate 1110 rearward beyond the rear surface of the panel plate 1110 along the inner surface of the outlet 1008. The finger hook 2817 is provided on the outer edge of the base plate 2811a of the first component 2811 of the side unit 2800G. The front surface of the finger hook 2817 is inclined toward the outlet 1008.

In the example shown in Figure 113, the depth of the finger hook 2817 that overlaps with the outlet 1008 (specific opening area 1103) at the outer edge of the base plate 2811a of the side unit 2800G is long, and the portion inserted into the outlet 1008 has a certain thickness. Therefore, the size of the outlet 1008 becomes smaller due to the thickness of the finger hook 2817 (reducing the passage volume for discharging game ball B), but in this embodiment, the size of the outlet 1008 is made wider (increasing the passage volume for discharging game ball B) in anticipation of the thickness of the finger hook 2817. This allows game ball B to be discharged smoothly at the outlet 1008.

This finger hook 2817 can achieve the same effect as the finger hook 2816 described above. Therefore, when disassembling the pachinko machine 1 for recycling or the like, after removing the mounting screws that attach the side unit 2800G to the panel board 1110, a finger or tool can be inserted into the outlet 1008, and the finger or tool can be hooked on the finger hook 2817 to pull the side unit 2800G forward. This allows the side unit 2800G to be easily removed from the gaming panel 1100 (panel board 1110), reducing the amount of disassembly work required for sorting.

Furthermore, because the finger hook portion 2817 protrudes rearward beyond the rear surface of the panel board 1110 along the inner surface of the outlet 1008, the finger hook portion 2817 can protect the inner surface of the outlet 1008. Furthermore, when a wooden gaming panel 1100 is used, the finger hook portion 2817 can hide the inner surface of the outlet 1008, where the wood is exposed, improving the appearance of the pachinko machine 1 (gaming board 5).

In addition, in the above embodiment, the side unit 2800G is provided with the finger hooks 2816 and 2817, but this is not limited to this. As shown in Figures 112 and 113, the starting hole unit 2100 and the attacker unit 2400 attached to the front of the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100 may be provided with finger hooks 2816 and 2817 whose outer edges overlap the outlet 1008.

More specifically, the starting opening unit 2100 has a flat base plate 2103 that abuts against the front surface of the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100, and finger hooks 2816 and 2817 are provided at the portion of the base plate 2103 that overlaps with the outlet 1008. Although not shown in the figure, the starting opening unit 2100 has multiple positioning protrusions that protrude rearward from the base plate 2103 and are inserted into the positioning holes 1113 of the panel board 1110.

The attacca unit 2400 also has a flat base plate 2431 that abuts against the front surface of the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100, and finger hooks 2816 and 2817 are provided at the portion of the base plate 2431 that overlaps with the outlet 1008. Although not shown in the figure, the attacca unit 2400 has multiple positioning protrusions that protrude rearward from the base plate 2431 and are inserted into the positioning holes 1113 of the panel board 1110.

The starting port unit 2100 and attacker unit 2400 can also achieve the same effects as the side unit 2800G described above.

Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100 is shown as having an opening 1112 blocked by the side unit 2800G and an outlet 1008 that are not connected but are provided separately. However, this is not limited to this, and as shown in FIG. 114, the opening 1112 and outlet 1008 may be connected so that they are continuous. In other words, the panel board 1110 may have an opening area 1101 in which the normal opening area 1102 blocked by the side unit 2800G and the specific opening area 1103 that constitutes the outlet 1008 are connected. In other words, the outlet 1008 may be formed in the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100 so as to be continuous with the normal opening area 1102 into which the side unit 2800G is fitted, but may be configured as a specific opening area 1103 into which the side unit 2800G is not fitted.

In the embodiment of Figure 114, the side unit 2800G is also provided with a finger grip 2816 so that part of the base plate 2811a overlaps the outlet 1008 (specific opening area 1103), which not only achieves the same effect as above, but also has the specific opening area 1103 formed on the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100 so as to be continuous with the normal opening area 1102. Therefore, when a cutting tool such as an end mill is used to form the normal opening area 1102 and the specific opening area 1103 on the panel board 1110, the normal opening area 1102 and the specific opening area 1103 can be cut continuously, thereby reducing the cost of the panel board 1110.

In addition, in the above embodiment, the base plate 2811a (base plate 2103, base plate 2431) that abuts against the front surface of the panel board 1110 in the gaming panel 1100 is provided with a finger hook portion 2816 (finger hook portion 2817) that overlaps with the outlet 1008, but this is not limited to this, and the finger hook portion 2816 (finger hook portion 2817) may also be provided in a location that is separated from the surface of the panel board 1110 in the front-to-rear direction (for example, the front plate 2812d that is separated forward from the panel board 1110).

Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the gaming panel 1100 is shown to have a panel board 1110 made of transparent resin, but this is not limited to this and the gaming panel 1100 may also be made of wood. By making the gaming panel 1100 out of wood, the board thickness is greater than that of a resin panel, making it easier to more effectively utilize the board thickness of the gaming panel 1100.

Furthermore, the above-mentioned side unit 2800G is shown as having a ball passage 2812a composed of multiple branch sections 2801 connected to each ball receiving section 2812c, and a main section 2802 where the multiple branch sections 2801 join, but this is not limited to this, and each ball receiving section 2811b may have its own independent ball passage 2812a.

Furthermore, while the above-mentioned side unit 2800G does not include a ball sensor to detect the game ball B received in the ball receiving portion 2811b, this is not limited to this and the side unit 2800G may include a ball sensor. If the side unit 2800G includes a ball sensor, it is desirable to locate the ball sensor within the thickness of the panel board 1110 or to locate the ball sensor below the rear performance device (below-back performance unit 3500).

In addition, while the above side unit 2800G does not have an LED board on the rear side, this is not limited to this and LEDs for decorative illumination may also be provided. If the side unit 2800G is provided with an LED board, it is desirable to provide a unit cover that covers the LED board from the rear and whose front end face abuts the rear face of the side unit 2800G (second component 2812), and to provide a non-contact surface portion where the unit cover and side unit are in contact with each other. This allows the LEDs on the LED board to decorate the side unit 2800G and allows heat from the LEDs to be dissipated to the outside through the non-contact surface portion.

In addition, in the above embodiment, the side units 2800 (side unit 2800A, side unit 2800B, side unit 2800C, side unit 2800D, side unit 2800E, side unit 2800F, side unit 2800G) were shown as units that effectively utilize the internal thickness of the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100, but this is not limited to this, and the internal thickness of the panel board 1110 may also be effectively utilized in the start opening unit 2100, attacca unit 2400 (attacca unit 2730), normal winning opening unit 2600, second start opening unit 2720, special winning opening unit 2740, etc.

[12-4. Relationship between the LED board and the non-contact surface portion in the side unit]
Next, the relationship between the LED board 2825 and the non-contact surface portion 2831 in the side units 2800B to 2800F in which the LED board 2825 is provided will be described mainly with reference to FIG. 115 and other figures. FIG. 115(a) is an explanatory diagram showing an example in which the non-contact surface portion is provided rearward of the LED board, (b) is an explanatory diagram showing an example in which the non-contact surface portion is provided rearward of the LED board in a form different from (a), (c) is an explanatory diagram showing an example in which the non-contact surface portion is provided so as to overlap the LED board, and (d) is an explanatory diagram showing an example in which the non-contact surface portion is provided around the entire periphery of the unit cover. FIGS. 115(a) and (c) show the side unit 2800B in FIG. 107 as an example, and FIGS. 115(c) and (d) show the side unit 2800D in FIG. 109 as an example. Here, the same components as those described above will be described with the same reference numerals.

The LED board 2825 shown in Figures 107 to 111 has a resistor mounted on a separate board to limit the current driving the mounted LEDs 2825a. Therefore, in this LED board 2825, the LEDs 2825a generate the most heat. In other words, the LED board 2825 emits most heat from the front side where the LEDs 2825a are mounted. In the embodiment shown in Figures 107 to 111, a non-contact surface portion 2831 (cutout portion 2820c) is provided near the front side of the LED board 2825, where the amount of heat generated is large. This allows heat from the LED board 2825 to be quickly dissipated to the outside through the non-contact surface portion 2831 (cutout portion 2820c), preventing heat from building up inside the unit cover 2820.

In the above embodiment, the resistor (current-limiting resistor) is mounted on a separate board from the LED board 2825, but this is not limited to this and the resistor may be mounted on the LED board 2825. For example, the resistor may be mounted on the same surface of the LED board 2825 on which the LEDs 2825a are mounted. In this case, similar to the embodiment shown in Figures 107 to 111, a non-contact surface portion 2831 (cutout portion 2820c) may be provided on the side of the LED board 2825 closer to the surface on which the LEDs 2825a and resistor are mounted (here, the front surface).

When mounting the LED 2825a and resistor on the same surface of the LED board 2825, it is desirable to ensure that the LED 2825a and resistor do not overlap in the vertical direction. This prevents the heat emitted by the LED 2825a and resistor from affecting each other.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 115, the LED 2825a and the resistor 2825b for limiting the current supplied to the LED 2825a may be mounted on different surfaces of the LED board 2825. In other words, the resistor 2825b is mounted on the surface of the LED board 2825 opposite the surface on which the LED 2825a is mounted. In this case, since the resistor 2825b has a larger heat capacity than the LED 2825a, as shown in FIG. 115, a non-contact surface portion 2831 (cutout portion 2820c) may be provided on the side of the LED board 2825 closer to the surface on which the resistor 2825b is mounted (here, the rear surface).

More specifically, in the embodiment shown in Figure 115(a), the boss portion 2820d of the unit cover 2820 protrudes forward so that the non-contact surface portion 2831 (cutout portion 2820c) is located closer to the resistor 2825b mounted on the rear surface of the LED 2825a, and the LED board 2825 is positioned within the frame of the support frame portion 2814 of the unit body 2810. This allows heat from the LED board 2825 to be quickly dissipated to the outside through the non-contact surface portion 2831 (cutout portion 2820c), preventing heat from building up inside the unit cover 2820.

In the embodiment shown in Figure 115(a), the LED board 2825 is arranged so as not to overlap the cutout 2820c (non-contact surface portion 2831) in a plan view. This means that even if dust or dirt enters the unit cover 2820 through the cutout 2820c, it is less likely to get on the LED board 2825, minimizing the effects of the dust or dirt. Furthermore, because a cutout 2820c is also provided on the bottom side of the unit cover 2820, dust or dirt that enters through the upper cutout 2820c can be expelled downward from the lower cutout 2820c.

In the embodiment shown in Figure 115(a), the non-contact surface portion 2831 (cutout portion 2820c) is provided on the unit cover 2820 side, but this is not limited to this. It may also be provided on the unit main body 2810 (support frame portion 2814) side, or on both the unit main body 2810 and the unit cover 2820.

In addition, in the embodiment shown in Figure 115(b), the unit body 2810 has a plurality of bosses 2814a that protrude rearward from within the support frame 2814 on the rear surface thereof and to which the LED board 2825 is attached, and notches 2814b that are cut forward from the rear end surface of the frame-shaped support frame 2814. In this embodiment, the unit cover 2820 has only a flat cover portion 2820a, but may also have a peripheral wall portion 2820b, as described above.

In the embodiment shown in Figure 115(b), LEDs 2825a are mounted on the front surface of the LED board 2825, and resistors 2825b are mounted on the rear surface. When the LED board 2825 is attached to the boss portion 2814a, the cutout portion 2814b is located rearward of the rear surface of the LED board 2825. In other words, the non-contact surface portion 2831 (cutout portion 2814b) is provided on the side of the LED board 2825 closer to the surface on which the resistor 2825b is mounted (here, the rear surface). This allows heat from the LED board 2825 to be quickly dissipated to the outside through the non-contact surface portion 2831 (cutout portion 2814b), preventing heat from building up inside the unit cover 2820.

In the embodiment shown in Figure 115(b), the LED board 2825 is arranged so as not to overlap the cutout 2814b (non-contact surface portion 2831) in a plan view. This means that even if dust or dirt enters the unit cover 2820 through the cutout 2814b, it is less likely to get on the LED board 2825, minimizing the effects of the dust or dirt. Furthermore, because a cutout 2814b is also provided on the bottom side of the unit cover 2820, dust or dirt that enters through the upper cutout 2814b can be expelled downward from the lower cutout 2814b.

In the embodiment shown in Figure 115(b), the non-contact surface portion 2831 (cutout portion 2814b) is provided on the unit main body 2810 (support frame portion 2814) side, but this is not limited to this and it may be provided on the unit cover 2820 side, or on both the unit main body 2810 and the unit cover 2820.

In addition, in the above embodiment, the LED board 2825 does not overlap the non-contact surface portion 2831 (cutout portion 2814b, cutout portion 2820c) in a plan view. However, this is not limited to this, and the LED board 2825 may overlap the non-contact surface portion 2831 (cutout portion 2820c) as shown in FIG. 115(c). More specifically, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 115(c), the support frame portion 2814 of the unit main body 2810A and the unit cover 2820 attached to the support frame portion 2814 are positioned within the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110 in the gaming panel 1100, within the thickness of the panel board 1110. In other words, the space formed by the unit main body 2810A and the unit cover 2820 and accommodating the LED board 2825 is provided within the thickness of the panel board 1110. As a result, even if the LED board 2825 and the non-contact surface portion 2831 (cutout portion 2820c) are arranged to overlap, the cutout portion 2820c is located within the thickness of the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110, so it is possible to reduce as much as possible the possibility that foreign matter such as dust and dirt from the outside of the panel board 1110 will enter the opening 1112 and then enter the unit cover 2820 through the cutout portion 2820c. This makes it difficult for foreign matter such as dust and dirt to get on the LED board 2825, and it is possible to prevent the effects of dust and dirt as much as possible.

In the embodiment shown in Figure 115(c), a non-contact surface portion 2831 (cutout portion 2820c) is provided so that it contacts the LED board 2825. This allows both heat from the LEDs 2825a mounted on the front surface of the LED board 2825 and heat from the resistors 2825b mounted on the rear surface to be efficiently dissipated to the outside through the non-contact surface portion 2831, preventing heat from building up inside the unit cover 2820.

Note that while Figure 115(c) shows the LED 2825a and resistor 2825b mounted on different sides of the LED substrate 2825, this is not limitative and the LED 2825a and resistor 2825b may be provided on the same side of the LED substrate 2825.

In addition, Figure 115(c) shows a cutout portion 2820c provided on the unit cover 2820 as the non-contact surface portion 2831, but this is not limited to this. The non-contact surface portion 2831 may be provided on the unit main body 2810A (support frame portion 2814) side, or may be provided on both the unit main body 2810A and the unit cover 2820.

In the embodiment of Figure 115(c), a portion of the LED board 2825 may be inserted into the non-contact surface portion 2831 (notch 2820c) between the support frame portion 2814 of the unit main body 2810A and the unit cover 2820, or may protrude to the outside as long as it does not block the opening of the non-contact surface portion 2831. By inserting the LED board 2825 into the non-contact surface portion 2831 or protruding to the outside through the non-contact surface portion 2831, the LED board 2825 comes into contact with the outside air, thereby further improving the heat dissipation effect.

Furthermore, in the above embodiment, a non-contact surface portion 2831 (notch 2820c) is provided on a portion of the contact surface portion 2830 between the unit main body 2810A (support frame portion 2814) and the unit cover 2820. However, this is not limited to this, and as shown in FIG. 115(d), the non-contact surface portion 2831 may be provided around the entire circumference of the unit cover 2820. In other words, a gap is provided around the entire circumference between the rear end surface of the support frame portion 2814 of the unit main body 2810A and the front end surface of the peripheral wall portion 2820b of the unit cover 2820. In this embodiment, the unit cover 2820 is attached to a boss portion 2814a that protrudes rearward from the rear surface of the unit main body 2810A.

In the embodiment shown in Figure 115(d), a portion of the LED board 2825 is inserted into or protrudes from the non-contact surface portion 2831 (gap) between the support frame portion 2814 of the unit body 2810A and the peripheral wall portion 2820b of the unit cover 2820. Even in this case, the LED board 2825 does not block the opening of the non-contact surface portion 2831. According to this embodiment, the LED board 2825 can be more easily exposed to the outside air, further improving the heat dissipation effect. Furthermore, the opening of the non-contact surface portion 2831 is more useful in preventing the intrusion of foreign matter such as dust and dirt.

Although not shown in the figures, the LED board 2825 described above uses a light-colored (e.g., white) solder resist on at least the board surface on which the LEDs 2825a are mounted. This prevents solder from adhering to unnecessary areas when mounting electronic components, and protects the circuit pattern from oxidation and insulation. This allows the light from the LEDs 2825a, etc. to be reflected by the light-colored solder resist, thereby increasing the light-emitting efficiency. Alternatively, when a full-color LED is used as the LED 2825a, the white solder resist allows the various emitted colors to be synchronized with the viewer's color perception, creating a natural illuminated decoration.

On this LED board 2825, information (letters and symbols) such as the part numbers and mounting positions of the electronic components to be mounted, the name, mounting position and mounting direction of the LED board 2825, etc., is printed (e.g., silk screen printed) in a similar color (e.g., yellow) so that it can be read when desired.

However, electronic components such as resistors and LED drivers mounted on LED boards often have their packages molded in black resin. Therefore, if the LED board is installed close to the player, the electronic components will be noticeable even when the LEDs are off, which could affect the appearance of the gaming machine. In contrast, in the embodiment shown in Figure 115, the resistor 2825b is mounted on the back surface of the LED board 2825, so the resistor 2825b can be hidden from the player, improving the appearance of the gaming machine.

Furthermore, in the embodiment shown in Figures 107 to 111, when a resistor 2825b is mounted on the front surface of the LED board 2825, it is desirable to make the resistor 2825b less noticeable to the player. In this embodiment, a translucent decorative sticker 2803 with a predetermined decoration is provided in front of the LED board 2825, and the decorative sticker 2803 makes the resistor 2825b less noticeable.

Alternatively, when the resistor 2825b is mounted on the front surface of the LED board 2825, a plate- or sheet-shaped diffusion lens that diffuses light may be provided in front of the LED board 2825 to make the resistor 2825b less noticeable. Furthermore, a plate- or sheet-shaped decorative body with a partially opaque design may be provided in front of the LED board 2825, so that the resistor 2825b is hidden and not noticeable by the design of the decorative body. Furthermore, the resistor 2825b mounted on the front surface of the LED board 2825 may be colored with a bright paint or ink. The decorative sticker 2803, diffusion lens, decorative body, etc. described above may be used in any suitable combination.

Gaming panels 1100 are available in two types: those made of wood, which does not have translucency, and those made of translucent resin. In the case of wood, the opening 1112 is a dark tunnel-like shape, which blocks a certain amount of external light. However, in the case of transparent resin, even though the opening 1112 is the same tunnel-like shape, it is still possible to see through to the outside. Therefore, by combining this with a structure to improve appearance as described above, the above-mentioned effects can be achieved when utilizing the thickness of the gaming panel 1100 (panel board 1110).

[13. Relationship between the present invention and embodiments]
The protrusion 102 of the door frame main body 100 in the door frame 3 in this embodiment corresponds to the protrusion of the present invention, the ball launching unit 550 of the main body frame 4 in this embodiment corresponds to the ball launching means of the present invention, the foul unit 570, the circulating ball path unit 600, the ball lifting unit 650, and the ball sending unit 700 in this embodiment correspond to the ball circulating means of the present invention, the ball grinding cassette 681 in this embodiment corresponds to the detachable unit of the present invention, the ball grinding motor base 686 in this embodiment corresponds to the locking piece of the locking means of the present invention, the positioning pin 686b and the rotating connecting part 692 in this embodiment correspond to the insert of the present invention, the cassette pressing piece 693 in this embodiment corresponds to the pressing piece of the present invention, and the Nylatch 694 in this embodiment corresponds to the fixing means of the present invention.

[14. Characteristic Effects of the Present Embodiment]
According to the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, the game balls B launched from the ball launching unit 550, which launches the game balls B into the game area 5a of the game board 5, are collected by the foul unit 570, the circulating ball path unit 600, the ball lifting unit 650, and the ball sending unit 700 and supplied to the ball launching unit 550, and the game balls B are launched from the ball launching unit 550 based on the ball holding data of the player. In this pachinko machine 1 (a so-called enclosed gaming machine, a controlled gaming machine), when the ball polishing motor base 686 of the ball polishing mechanism 680 in the ball lifting unit 650 is set to the locked position with the ball polishing cassette 681 attached to the main body frame 4, the positioning pin 686b and the rotary connecting part 692 are inserted into the ball polishing cassette 681 from a direction intersecting the front-to-rear direction, and the ball polishing cassette 681 is pressed backward by the cassette pressing piece 693 (spring 695). In this state, the Nylatch locking mechanism immobilizes the pressing piece. This allows the polishing cassette 681 to be properly installed by pressing it backward, even if it is incompletely installed. The positioning pin 686b and other devices prevent the polishing cassette 681 from being removed forward. Furthermore, the Nylatch 694 allows the cassette pressing piece 693 to maintain pressure on the polishing cassette 681, preventing the polishing cassette 681 from being removed. By observing the position of the operating portion 694a on the Nylatch 694, it is easy to determine whether the Nylatch 694 has immobilized the cassette pressing piece 693, reducing the chance of forgetting to lock the cartridge. This prevents the polishing cassette 681 from accidentally coming off due to vibration or other reasons during gameplay, and prevents interruptions to gameplay due to the polishing cassette 681 coming off, thereby minimizing a loss of interest among players.

In this state, if the door frame 3 is opened relative to the main frame 4 for maintenance or other reasons, the cassette pressure piece 693 is pressing the ball-forming cassette 681 backward while the Nylatch 694 prevents the cassette pressure piece 693 from moving. Therefore, even when the door frame 3 is opened relative to the main frame 4, the cassette pressure piece 693 maintains its pressure on the ball-forming cassette 681, preventing the ball-forming cassette 681 from immediately falling forward. To remove the ball-forming cassette 681, first open the door frame 3 relative to the main frame 4 supporting the game board 5, operate the Nylatch 694 to make the cassette pressure piece 693 movable, and then rotate the ball-forming motor base 686 from the locked position to the unlocked position. This causes the positioning pins 686b and other parts to separate from the ball-forming cassette 681, allowing the ball-forming cassette 681 attached to the main frame 4 (the cassette mounting recess 668b of the lifting mechanism base 668) to be removed forward. This means that by removing the ball polishing cassette 681, which contains the polishing cloth 682 used to polish the circulating game balls B, it is possible to check the inside of the ball lifting mechanism 660 (lifting spiral shaft 661, etc.) of the ball lifting unit 650 located behind it, improving the ease of maintenance of the pachinko machine 1.

When the door frame 3 is closed against the main frame 4, even if the ball motor base 686 is not in the locked position, when the door frame 3 is closed, the protrusion 102 of the door frame 3 abuts against the ball motor base 686, causing the ball motor base 686 to rotate and move to the locked position, and the positioning pin 686b etc. is inserted into the ball cassette 681 from a direction intersecting the front-to-back direction. This prevents forgetting to lock the door and prevents the ball cassette 681 from coming off during play. Furthermore, the abutment of the door frame 3 will not damage the ball motor base 686, cassette pressure piece 693, ball cassette 681, etc.

Furthermore, if the door frame 3 is closed while the ball motor base 686 has not yet moved to the locked position, the protrusion 102 on the door frame 3 will come into contact with the ball motor base 686, causing the ball motor base 686 to rotate and move to the locked position. At the same time, the cassette pressing piece 693 will press the ball cassette 681 backward due to the biasing force of the spring 695. Therefore, in addition to the locking provided by the positioning pin 686b of the ball motor base 686, the ball cassette 681 can be properly installed even if the installation is incomplete, and it is possible to reliably prevent the ball cassette 681 from coming off.

Furthermore, the protrusions 102 on the door frame 3 lift the door frame 3 when it is closed against the main frame 4. This prevents excessive load from being continuously applied to the door frame hinge mechanism 110, which allows the door frame 3 to open and close, making the hinge less likely to warp. Even if the hinge does warp, the protrusions 102 can lift the door frame 3, allowing the door frame 3 to be closed in the correct position against the main frame 4.

In addition, the ball polishing cassette 681 is equipped with a polishing cloth 682 for polishing the circulating game balls B. If the polishing cloth 682 becomes dirty, the ball polishing cassette 681 can be removed and replaced with a new ball polishing cassette 681 equipped with a clean polishing cloth 682, thereby maintaining the circulating game balls B in a clean, good condition. Furthermore, by applying the above configuration to the ball polishing cassette 681 (detachable unit), which is subject to periodic maintenance such as replacement, problems associated with attaching and detaching the detachable unit during maintenance can be minimized.

[15. Other features included in this embodiment]
[15-1. First technical feature]
This specification has the following technical features that are different from those described above.

[15-1a. Background of the first technical feature]
A gaming machine such as a pachinko machine has been proposed in which a ball launching means launches a gaming ball into a gaming area based on the digitized ball data of a player, and when a gaming ball is launched, the launched gaming ball is subtracted from the ball data. When a gaming ball is launched from the ball launching means but not supplied to the gaming area and is collected by a foul ball collecting means, the collected gaming ball is added to the ball data (for example, Patent Document A: JP 2020-89489 A). The technology in Patent Document B allows gaming balls to be circulated within the gaming machine, reducing the burden on the gaming hall where the gaming machine is installed.

However, with the technology of Patent Document A, if a gaming ball launched by the ball launching means returns to the ball launching means for some reason, that gaming ball will not be collected by the foul ball collection means, and the gaming balls will remain subtracted from the ball holding data, which could result in an error with the actual number of gaming balls launched into the play area and cause a disadvantage to the player.

In light of the above situation, the following means aims to provide a gaming machine that can eliminate discrepancies between the actual number of gaming balls launched into the gaming area and the actual number of gaming balls that return after launching.

[15-1b. Solution to the first technical feature]
Means 1: In the gaming machine,
"A game board having a game area where a game is played with a game ball,
a ball launching means capable of supplying game balls to the game area of the game board;
foul ball collecting means for collecting game balls that have been shot by the ball shooting means but not supplied to the game area;
A ball circulation means for collecting the game balls shot by the ball shooting means and supplying them to the ball shooting means again;
and a game machine that causes the ball launching means to launch game balls based on the ball data of a player that has been converted into data,
The ball projecting means is
The game machine has a launch rail on which the game ball to be launched is placed, and the launch rail has a length that allows only one game ball to be placed thereon;
When a new game ball is supplied to the launch rail by the ball circulation means while a game ball is placed on the launch rail, the game ball subsequently supplied to the launch rail is collected by the foul ball collection means.
It is characterized by being something.

According to the configuration of means 1, the gaming machine comprises a gaming board having a gaming area where gaming is performed using gaming balls, a ball launching means capable of supplying gaming balls to the gaming area of the gaming board, a foul ball recovery means for recovering gaming balls that have been launched by the ball launching means but not supplied to the gaming area, and a ball circulation means for recovering gaming balls launched by the ball launching means and supplying them again to the ball launching means, and the gaming machine is configured to launch gaming balls using the ball launching means based on the digitized ball data of the player, the ball launching means having a launch rail on which the gaming ball to be launched is placed, the launch rail being long enough to accommodate only one gaming ball, and if a new gaming ball is supplied to the launch rail by the ball circulation means while a gaming ball is placed on the launch rail, the gaming ball later supplied to the launch rail is collected by the foul ball recovery means (see the descriptions in chapters [4-2. Ball Launching Unit] and [7-4. Launch Control Processing], Figures 27 and 68, etc. in [Form for Implementing the Invention]).

In this gaming machine (so-called enclosed gaming machine, controlled gaming machine), gaming balls launched from a ball launching means that launches gaming balls into the playing area of the gaming board are collected by a ball circulation means and supplied to the ball launching means, and gaming balls are launched from the ball launching means based on the player's ball holding data (e.g., the number of balls held is one or more). Since the length of the launch rail in the ball launching means is long enough to accommodate only one gaming ball, if a launched gaming ball returns to the launching rail for some reason, and a next gaming ball is already on the launching rail, the ball on the launching rail can bounce the returning gaming ball, making it a foul ball. On the other hand, if a launched gaming ball returns before the next gaming ball is placed on the launching rail, the returning gaming ball will be placed on the launching rail, but the next gaming ball supplied from the ball circulation means can be bounced by the returning gaming ball on the launching rail, making it a foul ball. Therefore, the player's ball data is subtracted when a ball is launched from the launch rail, but even if a launched game ball returns to the launch rail, since only one game ball can be placed on the launch rail, either the returning game ball or the next game ball will become a foul ball and be collected by the foul ball collection means. Therefore, by adding to the ball data when a foul ball is detected, the ball data can be returned to the state it was in before being launched, eliminating any discrepancy with the actual number of game balls launched into the play area and preventing the player from suffering any disadvantages.

Incidentally, because the launch rail is long enough to accommodate only one game ball, there is a risk that the ball may fall off the launch rail due to vibrations, etc. However, if a game ball falls from the launch rail when there is ball-in-hold data, it may be mistakenly recognized as having been launched as a result of the fall, and the ball-in-hold data (number of balls in play) may be deducted. However, as described above, once the ball is recovered by the foul ball recovery means, it is treated as a foul ball and added to the ball-in-hold data, restoring it to the state it was in before the fall. On the other hand, if there is no ball-in-hold data (number of balls in play) and a game ball falls from the launch rail and is recovered by the foul ball recovery means, it may not be added to the ball-in-hold data, or an alarm may be sounded to the amusement hall where the gaming machine is installed.

The ball circulation means may also be configured to supply one game ball to the launch rail after the ball launch means launches a game ball. This ensures that when a game ball is launched from the launch rail, the ball circulation means always supplies one game ball to the launch rail. Therefore, even if the launched game ball returns to the launch rail for some reason, it can be deflected by the game ball supplied to the launch rail by the ball circulation means, turning it into a foul ball, thereby reliably providing a gaming machine that achieves the above-mentioned effects.

Furthermore, as described above, when the ball circulation means supplies one game ball to the launch rail after the game ball is launched, the launch of the game ball by the ball launch means and the supply of the game ball to the ball launch means (launch rail) by the ball circulation means can be carried out as a continuous operation. Therefore, the load on the control of the gaming machine can be reduced compared to, for example, when it is determined whether the launched game ball has returned to the launch rail based on the presence or absence of a game ball on the launch rail, the operation of the ball launch means and ball circulation means, etc. (when this determination is made by programming).

The gaming machine may further comprise a ball subtraction means that subtracts one ball from the ball held data when the number of balls on the launch rail changes from present to absent while ball held data exists, and a ball addition means that adds one ball to the ball held data when a ball is collected by the foul collection means. In this way, when a player has ball held data (a state in which the number of balls held is one or more) and the ball is launched toward the play area of the game board by the ball launching means, the ball subtraction means subtracts one ball from the ball held data, and the ball is supplied to the play area, allowing the player to enjoy playing with the ball. On the other hand, if the game ball shot by the ball shooting means is not supplied to the game area, it is collected as a foul ball by the foul ball collecting means, and one game ball is added to the ball held data by the ball held adding means, so the player is not disadvantaged by the game ball not being supplied to the game area and can continue to enjoy the game. Furthermore, if a launched game ball returns to the launch rail for some reason, because the launch rail is long enough to accommodate only one game ball, if the next game ball is already placed on the launch rail, the game ball placed on the launch rail can bounce the returning game ball, making it a foul ball. The returning game ball can be placed on the launch rail, or the next game ball supplied from the ball circulation means can return and be bounced by the placed game ball, making it a foul ball. Since both are foul balls, the held ball adding means can add one game ball to the held ball data, returning the held ball data to its state before launch, eliminating any discrepancies with the actual number of game balls launched into the game area.

Foul ball recovery means may also be used to recover game balls that have fallen from the launch rail. This allows game balls that have fallen from the launch rail to be recovered by the foul ball recovery means. Therefore, if a game ball that has been launched and returned, or the next game ball supplied from the ball circulation means, is bounced off a game ball placed on the launch rail, it can be recovered by the foul ball recovery means, and can be added to the ball holding data as a foul ball, ensuring the provision of a gaming machine that achieves the above-mentioned effects.

Furthermore, as described above, when game balls that have fallen from the launch rail are collected by the foul ball collection means, even if a game ball falls from the launch rail due to vibration or the like, by being collected by the foul ball collection means, the ball can be added to the ball data as a foul ball and restored to the state before it fell, so the player will not be at a disadvantage.

Means 2: In the configuration of Means 1,
"The ball circulation means is
After the ball launching means launches the game ball, one game ball is supplied to the launching rail.

According to the configuration of means 2, the ball circulation means supplies one game ball to the launch rail after the ball launching means launches the game ball (see chapter 7-4. Launch control processing and the description in Figure 68, etc., in the "Embodiment for carrying out the invention").

As a result, when a gaming ball is launched from the launch rail, the ball circulation means always supplies one gaming ball to the launch rail. Therefore, even if a launched gaming ball returns to the launch rail for some reason, it can be deflected by the gaming ball supplied to the launch rail by the ball circulation means, turning it into a foul ball, thereby reliably providing a gaming machine that achieves the above-mentioned effects.

In addition, since it is possible to perform a series of operations, namely the launching of gaming balls by the ball launching means and the supply of gaming balls to the ball launching means (launch rail) by the ball circulation means, the load on the control of the gaming machine can be reduced compared to, for example, determining whether a launched gaming ball has returned to the launch rail based on the presence or absence of gaming balls on the launch rail, the operation of the ball launching means and ball circulation means, etc. (when this determination is made by programming).

Means 3: In the configuration of means 1 or means 2,
"When the number of game balls on the launch rail changes from present to absent while the game ball data exists, a ball subtraction means subtracts one game ball from the game ball data;
a ball-holding adding means for adding one ball to the ball-holding data when the ball is collected by the foul collecting means;
It is characterized in that it further comprises:

According to the configuration of means 3, the gaming machine is further provided with a ball-in-hold subtraction means that subtracts one ball from the ball-in-hold data when the number of balls on the launch rail changes from present to absent while there is ball-in-hold data, and a ball-in-hold addition means that adds one ball to the ball-in-hold data when a ball is collected by the foul collection means (see the descriptions in chapters [7-2. Ball-in-hold subtraction processing] and [7-3. Ball-in-hold addition processing], Figures 65 and 66, etc., in [Embodiment for carrying out the invention]).

As a result, when a game ball is launched toward the game area of the game board using the ball launching means and there is ball data for the player (the number of balls held is one or more), the ball subtraction means subtracts one ball from the ball data, and the game ball is supplied to the game area, allowing the player to enjoy playing with the game ball. On the other hand, if a game ball launched by the ball launching means is not supplied to the game area, it is collected by the foul ball collection means as a foul ball, and one game ball is added to the ball data by the ball addition means, so the player is not disadvantaged by the game ball not being supplied to the game area and can continue to enjoy playing. Furthermore, if a launched game ball returns to the launch rail for some reason, because the launch rail is long enough to accommodate only one game ball, if the next game ball is already placed on the launch rail, the game ball placed on the launch rail can bounce the returning game ball, making it a foul ball. The returning game ball can be placed on the launch rail, or the next game ball supplied from the ball circulation means can return and be bounced by the placed game ball, making it a foul ball. Since both are foul balls, the held ball adding means can add one game ball to the held ball data, returning the held ball data to its state before launch, eliminating any discrepancies with the actual number of game balls launched into the game area.

Means 4: In any one of the configurations from means 1 to means 3,
"The foul ball recovery means is
It is possible to recover game balls that fall from the launch rail.
It is characterized by being something.

Means 4 are configured so that the foul ball recovery means can recover game balls that have fallen from the launch rail (see the description of the ball launch unit 550 and foul unit 570 in the "Description of the Invention").

As a result, game balls that fall from the launch rail are collected by the foul ball collection means, so when a game ball that has been launched and returned or the next game ball supplied from the ball circulation means is bounced off a game ball placed on the launch rail, it can be collected by the foul ball collection means and added to the ball holding data as a foul ball, ensuring the provision of a gaming machine that achieves the above-mentioned effects.

In addition, game balls that fall from the launch rail are collected by a foul ball collection means. Even if a game ball falls from the launch rail due to vibration or the like, it is collected by the foul ball collection means, and is added to the ball data as a foul ball, restoring it to the state it was in before it fell, so the player is not at a disadvantage.

In addition, if there is no ball data (number of balls held is 0) and a game ball falls from the launch rail and is collected by the foul ball collection means, it may not be added to the ball data, or an alarm may be issued to the gaming hall where the gaming machine is installed.

Means 5: In the gaming machine,
"A game board having a game area where a game is played with a game ball,
a ball launching means that can supply game balls to the game area of the game board and has a launching rail on which the game balls to be launched are placed;
foul ball recovery means for recovering game balls that have been shot by the ball shooting means but not supplied to the game area, and game balls that have fallen from the shooting rail;
A ball circulation means for collecting the game balls shot by the ball shooting means and supplying them to the ball shooting means again;
and a game machine that causes the ball launching means to launch game balls based on the ball data of a player that has been converted into data,
a ball holding subtraction means for subtracting one game ball from the ball holding data when the number of game balls on the launch rail changes from present to absent while the ball holding data exists;
a ball-in-possession adding means for adding one ball to the ball-in-possession data when the ball is collected by the foul collecting means;
Further comprising:
The launch rail has a length that allows only one game ball to be placed thereon,
The ball circulation means supplies one game ball to the launch rail after the game ball is launched by the ball launch means,
When a new game ball is supplied to the launch rail by the ball circulation means while a game ball is placed on the launch rail, the game ball subsequently supplied to the launch rail is collected by the foul ball collection means.
It is characterized by being something.

According to the configuration of means 5, the gaming machine comprises a gaming board having a play area where games are played with gaming balls, a ball launching means capable of supplying gaming balls to the play area of the gaming board and having a launching rail on which the gaming balls to be launched are placed, a foul ball recovery means for recovering gaming balls that have been launched by the ball launching means but not supplied to the play area and gaming balls that have fallen from the launching rail, and a ball circulation means for recovering gaming balls launched by the ball launching means and supplying them again to the ball launching means, and the gaming machine is configured to launch gaming balls using the ball launching means based on the digitized ball data of the player, and when the ball data is available, The system further includes a ball subtraction means that subtracts one game ball from the ball held data when the number of game balls on the launch rail changes from present to absent, and a ball addition means that adds one game ball to the ball held data when a game ball is collected by the foul ball collection means. The launch rail is long enough to accommodate only one game ball, and the ball circulation means supplies one game ball to the launch rail after the ball launching means launches a game ball. If a new game ball is supplied to the launch rail by the ball circulation means while a game ball is placed on the launch rail, the game ball subsequently supplied to the launch rail is collected by the foul ball collection means.

As a result, in a gaming machine (so-called enclosed gaming machine, managed gaming machine) in which gaming balls launched from a ball launching means that launches gaming balls into the gaming area of the gaming board are collected by a ball circulation means and supplied to the ball launching means, and the balls are launched from the ball launching means based on the player's ball holding data (for example, the number of balls held is one or more), when a gaming ball is launched by the ball launching means toward the gaming area of the gaming board when the player's ball holding data is available (the number of balls held is one or more), one gaming ball is subtracted from the ball holding data by the ball holding subtraction means, and the gaming ball is supplied to the gaming area, allowing the player to enjoy playing with the gaming balls. On the other hand, if a game ball launched by the ball launching means is not supplied to the game area, it is collected as a foul ball by the foul ball collection means, and one game ball is added to the ball held data by the ball held counting means. Therefore, the player is not disadvantaged by the game ball not being supplied to the game area, and can continue to enjoy the game.

If a launched game ball returns to the launch rail for some reason, because the launch rail is long enough to accommodate only one game ball, if the next game ball has already been placed on the launch rail by the ball circulation means, the returning game ball will be bounced off the game ball placed on the launch rail and fall from the launch rail, and will be collected by the foul ball collection means as a foul ball. On the other hand, if the launched game ball returns before the next game ball is placed on the launch rail by the ball circulation means, the returning game ball will be placed on the launch rail, but the next game ball supplied by the ball circulation means will be bounced off the game ball placed on the launch rail, falling from the launch rail and being collected by the foul ball collection means as a foul ball. Therefore, when a game ball is launched from the launch rail, the held ball subtraction means subtracts one game ball from the player's held ball data. However, even if the launched game ball returns to the launch rail, since only one game ball can be placed on the launch rail, either the returning game ball or the next game ball will become a foul ball and be collected by the foul ball collection means. Therefore, the held ball addition means adds one game ball to the held ball data, returning the held ball data to its state before launch. This eliminates the error with the actual number of game balls launched into the play area and prevents the player from suffering any disadvantages.

In addition, once a gaming ball is launched from the launch rail, the ball circulation means always supplies one gaming ball to the launch rail. Therefore, even if a launched gaming ball returns to the launch rail for some reason, it can be deflected by the gaming ball supplied to the launch rail by the ball circulation means, turning it into a foul ball, thereby reliably providing a gaming machine that achieves the above-mentioned effects.

In addition, the ball circulation means supplies one game ball to the launch rail after the game ball is launched, making it possible to perform a series of operations: the launch of a game ball by the ball launch means and the supply of the game ball to the ball launch means (launch rail) by the ball circulation means. This reduces the load on the gaming machine's control compared to, for example, determining whether a launched game ball has returned to the launch rail based on the presence or absence of a game ball on the launch rail, the operation of the ball launch means and ball circulation means, etc. (when this determination is made by programming).

Furthermore, because the launch rail is long enough to accommodate only one game ball, there is a risk that the game ball may fall off the launch rail due to vibrations, etc. However, if a game ball falls off the launch rail due to vibrations, etc. while there is ball data (one or more balls in hand), it may be mistakenly recognized as having been launched as a result of the fall, and the ball data (number of balls in hand) may be deducted. However, if the ball is collected by the foul ball collection means, one game ball can be added to the ball data as a foul ball by the ball collection means, restoring the state before the ball fell, and the player will not be at a disadvantage.

In addition, since the launch rail is long enough to accommodate only one gaming ball, if a gaming ball falls from the launch rail and is collected by the foul ball collection means when there is no ball-held data (when the number of balls held is 0), the ball-held counting means may be configured to not add the gaming ball to the ball-held data, or an alarm may be sounded to the gaming hall where the gaming machine is installed.

In this way, the above solution makes it possible to provide a gaming machine that can eliminate errors between the actual number of gaming balls launched into the gaming area and the actual number of gaming balls that return after being launched.

[15-1c. Relationship between the solution of the first technical feature and embodiments]
In this embodiment, the ball launching unit 550 of the main frame 4 corresponds to the ball launching means of the above-mentioned solution means, the ball launching pad 552b of the ball launching unit 550 in this embodiment corresponds to the launch rail of the above-mentioned solution means, the foul unit 570 in this embodiment corresponds to the foul ball recovery means of the above-mentioned solution means, the circulating ball path unit 600, ball lifting unit 650, and ball sending unit 700 in this embodiment correspond to the ball circulating means of the above-mentioned solution means, the ball possession subtraction processing in the frame control board 740 in this embodiment corresponds to the ball possession subtraction means of the above-mentioned solution means, and the ball possession addition processing in the frame control board 740 in this embodiment corresponds to the ball possession addition means of the above-mentioned solution means.

[15-1d. Characteristic effect of the first technical feature]
According to the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, the game balls B launched from the ball launching unit 550, which launches the game balls B into the game area 5a of the game board 5, are collected by the foul unit 570, the circulating ball path unit 600, the ball lifting unit 650, and the ball sending unit 700 and supplied to the ball launching unit 550, and the game balls B are launched from the ball launching unit 550 based on the player's ball holding data (the number of balls held is one or more). In this pachinko machine 1 (a so-called enclosed game machine, a managed game machine), when the ball launching unit 550 launches the game ball B toward the game area 5a of the game board 5 when the player has ball holding data (the number of balls held is one or more), one game ball B is subtracted from the ball holding data by a ball holding subtraction process, and the game ball B is supplied to the game area 5a, allowing the player to enjoy playing with the game ball B. On the other hand, if the game ball B launched by the ball launching unit 550 is not supplied to the game area 5a, it is collected by the foul unit 570 as a foul ball, and one game ball B is added to the ball holding data by the ball holding addition process, so the player will not suffer any disadvantage for the game ball B not being supplied to the game area 5a, and can continue to enjoy the game.

If the launched game ball B returns to ball launch pad 552b for some reason, because ball launch pad 552b is long enough to accommodate only one game ball B, if the next game ball B has already been placed on ball launch pad 552b by ball sending unit 700, the returning game ball B will be bounced off by the game ball B placed on ball launch pad 552b, fall from ball launch pad 552b, and be collected by foul unit 570 as a foul ball. On the other hand, if the launched game ball B returns before the next game ball B is placed on ball launch pad 552b by ball sending unit 700, the returning game ball B will be placed on ball launch pad 552b, but the next game ball B supplied from ball sending unit 700 will be bounced off by the game ball B placed on ball launch pad 552b, fall from ball launch pad 552b, and be collected by foul unit 570 as a foul ball. Therefore, when a game ball B is launched from ball launch pad 552b, one game ball B is subtracted from the player's held ball data by the held ball subtraction process. However, even if the launched game ball B returns to the launch rail, since only one game ball B is placed on ball launch pad 552b, either the returning game ball B or the next game ball B becomes a foul ball and is collected by foul unit 570. Therefore, one game ball B is added to the held ball data by the held ball addition process, returning the held ball data to the state it was in before launch, eliminating the error with the actual number of game balls B launched into game area 5a and preventing the player from suffering any disadvantages.

In addition, when a game ball B is launched from ball launch pad 552b, the ball sending unit 700 is always configured to supply one game ball B to ball launch pad 552b. Therefore, even if a launched game ball B returns to ball launch pad 552b for some reason, it can be deflected by the game ball B supplied to ball launch pad 552b by ball sending unit 700, turning it into a foul ball, thereby reliably providing a pachinko machine 1 that achieves the above-mentioned effects.

In addition, after the ball sending unit 700 launches a game ball B, it supplies one game ball B to the ball launching pad 552b. The launching of game ball B by the ball launching unit 550 and the supply of game ball B to the ball launching pad 552b by the ball sending unit 700 are performed as a series of operations. This reduces the load on the control of the pachinko machine 1 compared to, for example, determining whether the launched game ball B has returned to the ball launching pad 552b based on the presence or absence of game ball B at the ball launching pad 552b, the operation of the ball launching unit 550 and the ball sending unit 700, etc. (when this determination is made by programming).

Furthermore, because ball launch pad 552b is long enough to accommodate only one game ball B, there is a risk that game ball B may fall from ball launch pad 552b due to vibrations, etc. However, if game ball B falls from ball launch pad 552b due to vibrations, etc. while there is ball data (when the number of balls held is 1 or more), it may be mistakenly recognized as having been launched as a result of the fall, and even if the ball data (number of balls held) is subtracted, it will be collected by foul unit 570, and one game ball B will be added to the ball data as a foul ball using the ball holding addition process, returning it to the state before the ball fell, so the player will not be at a disadvantage.

In addition, if there is no ball data (number of balls held is 0) and game ball B falls from ball launcher 552b and is collected by foul unit 570, the game ball B may not be added to the ball data by the ball holding addition process, or an alarm may be issued to the gaming hall where pachinko machine 1 is installed.

[15-2. Second technical feature]
This specification has the following technical features that are different from those described above.

[15-2a. Background of the second technical feature]
A gaming machine such as a pachinko machine has been proposed that includes a main frame that detachably supports a gaming board, a ball circulation means that is provided on the main frame and that circulates gaming balls within the gaming machine, and a base unit that is attached to the rear surface of the main frame below the gaming board (for example, Patent Document B: JP 2015-188537 A). According to the technology of Patent Document B, the base unit that has a control board that controls the ball circulation means and the like is provided below the gaming board, making it possible to make maximum use of the depth direction of the gaming board and further differentiate it from other gaming machines.

However, with technology such as that described in Patent Document B, part of the ball circulation means is located between the rear surface of the main body frame and the base unit, which means that the base unit must be removed in order to check or maintain that area, resulting in the problem of time-consuming maintenance. To address this issue, it is conceivable to make the rear unit, such as the base unit, openable and closable relative to the main body frame, thereby eliminating the need for removal and improving maintainability, but there is a risk that forgetting to close the rear unit could cause a malfunction.

In light of the above situation, the following measures aim to provide a gaming machine that can prevent the rear unit, which is openable and closable at the rear of the main frame, from being left open during maintenance, etc.

[15-2b. Solution of the second technical feature]
Means 1: In the gaming machine,
"A main frame detachably supports a game board having a game area where games are played with game balls from the front,
A rear cover that can be opened and closed rearward relative to the main body frame so as to cover the game board supported by the main body frame from the rear;
A ball launching means is provided on the main body frame and is capable of supplying game balls to the game area;
a ball circulation means for collecting the game balls shot by the ball shooting means and supplying them again to the ball shooting means;
and a game machine that causes the ball launching means to launch game balls based on the ball data of a player that has been converted into digital data,
The game machine further includes a rear unit that can be opened and closed rearward at a position below the game board on the rear surface of the main body frame,
The rear unit is arranged so as to interfere with the rear cover when an attempt is made to close the rear cover onto the main body frame while the rear unit is open from the main body frame.
It is characterized by being something.

Here, "rear unit" refers to a "board unit having a frame control board for controlling the ball launching means, ball circulation means, etc., and a power supply board for supplying power," "a ball passage unit that forms part of the ball path in the ball circulation means," "a speaker unit having a speaker," "a protective cover that protects the rear side of the board, passage components, etc.", etc.

According to the configuration of means 1, the gaming machine comprises a main frame that detachably supports from the front a gaming board having a gaming area where games are played with gaming balls; a rear cover that can be opened and closed rearward relative to the main frame so as to cover the gaming board supported by the main frame from the rear; a ball launching means that is attached to the main frame and capable of supplying gaming balls to the gaming area; and a ball circulation means that collects gaming balls launched by the ball launching means and supplies them again to the ball launching means. The gaming machine launches gaming balls using the ball launching means based on the digitized ball data of the player. The gaming machine further comprises a rear unit that can be opened and closed rearward at a position below the gaming board on the rear surface of the main frame, and the rear unit is arranged so as to interfere with the rear cover when an attempt is made to close the rear cover on the main frame while it is open from the main frame (see chapter 4-8. Frame Base Unit, Figures 58 to 60, etc. in [Mode for Carrying Out the Invention]).

This allows gaming machines (so-called enclosed gaming machines, controlled gaming machines) to retrieve gaming balls launched from a ball launching means that launches gaming balls into the gaming area of the gaming board and supply them to the ball launching means using a ball circulation means, while also launching gaming balls from the ball launching means based on the player's ball holding data (e.g., the number of balls held is one or more). Because the rear unit is located below the gaming board on the rear surface of the main frame, replacing the components located behind the gaming board in conventional gaming machines with the rear unit of this configuration allows the gaming board to be made wider in the depth direction by the amount of this component. This allows the gaming machine to be differentiated from other gaming machines as a gaming machine with a wider gaming board in the depth direction and provides a gaming machine that is highly appealing to players. Furthermore, because the rear unit is openable, opening the rear unit allows for viewing and maintenance of the components located in front of the rear unit on the rear surface of the main frame, the front side of the rear unit, etc., improving the ease of maintenance and other operations. At this time, the rear unit and rear cover interfere (abut) with each other, so when performing maintenance, the rear cover must be opened first, then the rear unit, and when maintenance is complete, the rear unit must be closed before the rear cover is closed. Therefore, if an attempt is made to close the rear cover covering the rear of the game board while the rear unit is open relative to the main frame, the unclosed rear unit and the rear cover will interfere with each other; in other words, the unclosed rear unit will prevent the rear cover from being closed. This makes it clear that the rear unit is not closed, preventing players from forgetting to close it during maintenance, etc.

In addition, because the rear unit and the back cover are designed to interfere with each other, even if the rear unit tries to open from the main frame due to vibration or other reasons during play, the rear cover interferes (is prevented) with the rear unit, preventing it from opening too wide and preventing malfunctions caused by the rear unit opening.

It is desirable that the rear unit be designed so that at least a portion of the ball circulation means is visible from behind when it is opened from the main frame. This makes it possible to check and maintain the area of the ball circulation means between the main frame and the rear unit by opening the rear unit from the main frame, making it easier to resolve any problems with the ball circulation means. Furthermore, even if you forget to close the rear unit from the main frame after maintenance, etc., when you try to close the rear cover, the unclosed rear unit and the rear cover will interfere (abut) and prevent the unit from closing, making you aware that the rear unit is not closed and preventing you from forgetting to close it during maintenance, etc.

The gaming machine may also be equipped with a locking device that is movable between a locked position and an unlocked position and that locks the rear unit so that it cannot be opened or closed when moved to the locked position while the rear unit is closed to the main frame. The locking device may be configured to move to the locked position when the rear cover is closed to the main frame while the rear unit is in the unlocked position and closed to the main frame. This prevents the rear unit from opening or closing when the locking device is moved to the locked position while the rear unit is closed to the main frame. This prevents the rear unit from opening unintentionally due to vibration or other reasons, preventing malfunctions caused by the rear unit opening. Furthermore, even if the locking device is forgotten to be used after closing the rear unit to the main frame at the end of maintenance, the locking device can be moved to the locked position by closing the back cover, preventing forgetting to lock.

Furthermore, when a locking means such as the one described above is provided, the locking means is designed to move between a locked position and an unlocked position, so by checking the position of the locking means, it is easy to determine whether or not the door is locked, preventing users from forgetting to lock it.

The gaming machine may further include a frame-shaped outer frame that supports the main frame so that it can be opened and closed forward, and the rear cover may be configured to interfere with the outer frame when the main frame is open relative to the outer frame and the rear cover is open relative to the main frame and the main frame is closed. This allows the rear side of the main frame to be seen when the main frame is opened forward relative to the outer frame with the outer frame attached to the island equipment in the gaming hall. In this state, opening the rear cover allows the rear side of the game board to be seen. Furthermore, opening the rear unit allows the components between the main frame and the rear unit to be seen, improving the ease of inspection and maintenance. Furthermore, if an attempt is made to close the rear cover without closing the rear unit when closing the main frame relative to the outer frame, the rear cover will interfere with (abut against) the rear unit and prevent the unit from being closed. This alerts the user that the rear unit has been left closed, preventing the rear unit from being forgotten to be closed. Furthermore, if you try to close the main frame against the outer frame when the rear cover is open with the rear unit closed, or when both the rear unit and rear cover are open, the rear cover will interfere with (contact with) the outer frame and prevent closing, making you aware that the rear cover is open and preventing you from forgetting to close it.

Means 2: In the configuration of Means 1,
"The rear unit is
By opening the main body frame, at least a part of the ball circulation means can be seen from behind.
It is characterized by being something.

According to the configuration of means 2, the rear unit is designed to open from the main frame so that at least a portion of the ball circulation means can be seen from behind (see the descriptions of the circulation ball path unit 600, ball lifting unit 650, frame base unit 730, etc. in the "Description of the Invention").

This means that by opening the rear unit relative to the main frame, the area between the main frame and rear unit in the ball circulation means can be checked and maintained, making it easier to resolve any problems with the ball circulation means. Furthermore, even if you forget to close the rear unit relative to the main frame after maintenance, when you try to close the rear cover, the unclosed rear unit and the rear cover will interfere (abut) and prevent the unit from closing. This makes you aware that the rear unit is not closed, preventing you from forgetting to close it during maintenance, etc.

Means 3: In the configuration of means 1 or means 2,
"The invention further includes a locking means that is movable between a locked position and an unlocked position, and that locks the rear unit so that it cannot be opened or closed when the locking means is moved to the locked position while the rear unit is closed relative to the main body frame.
The locking means is
When the rear cover is closed against the main body frame in the released position and the rear unit is closed against the main body frame, the rear cover is configured to move to the locked position.
It is characterized by being something.

Here, examples of "locking means" include "one that is fixed by pushing the operating part into the locked position when the rear cover abuts against it and expanding the diameter of the tip (for example, a Nylatch)," "one that has a locking piece that is rotatably supported at one end and rotates from the unlocked position to the locked position when the rear cover abuts against the other end," "one that has a pressing piece that presses the rear unit against the main frame when it moves from the unlocked position to the locked position when the rear cover abuts against it," "one that has a locking pin that is inserted into the rear unit or main frame from a direction intersecting the front-to-rear direction when it moves from the unlocked position to the locked position when the rear cover abuts against it," and "one that slides from the unlocked position to the locked position when the rear cover abuts against it."

According to the configuration of means 3, the gaming machine is further equipped with locking means that is movable between a locked position and an unlocked position, and that locks the rear unit so that it cannot be opened or closed when moved to the locked position with the rear unit closed to the main frame. The locking means is configured to move to the locked position when the rear cover is closed to the main frame in the unlocked position and with the rear unit closed to the main frame (see the description of the rear cover 505 and Nylatch 774 in the [Description of the Invention]).

As a result, when the locking means is moved to the locked position while the rear unit is closed relative to the main frame, the rear unit can be locked so that it cannot be opened or closed. This prevents the rear unit from opening on its own due to vibration or other reasons, preventing malfunctions caused by the rear unit opening. Furthermore, even if you forget to lock the rear unit with the locking means after closing it relative to the main frame at the end of maintenance, for example, you can close the rear cover to move the locking means to the locked position, preventing you from forgetting to lock.

In addition, the locking means moves between a locked position and an unlocked position, so by checking the position of the locking means, you can easily determine whether it is locked or not, preventing you from forgetting to lock it.

Means 4: In any one of the configurations from means 1 to means 3,
"The device further includes a frame-shaped outer frame that supports the main body frame so that it can be opened and closed forward,
The back cover is
The main frame is open relative to the outer frame, and the rear cover is open relative to the main frame, and when an attempt is made to close the main frame onto the outer frame, the rear cover is arranged to interfere with the outer frame.
It is characterized by being something.

According to the configuration of means 4, the gaming machine is further provided with a frame-shaped outer frame that supports the main frame so that it can be opened and closed forward, and the rear cover is arranged so as to interfere with the outer frame when an attempt is made to close the main frame onto the outer frame while the main frame is open relative to the outer frame and the rear cover is also open relative to the main frame (see the description of the rear cover 505 in the [Mode for Carrying Out the Invention]).

As a result, when the main frame is opened forward relative to the outer frame while the outer frame is attached to the island equipment in the gaming hall, the rear side of the main frame can be seen. In this state, opening the rear cover allows the rear side of the gaming board to be seen. Furthermore, opening the rear unit allows the components between the main frame and the rear unit to be seen, improving the ease of inspection and maintenance. Furthermore, when closing the main frame relative to the outer frame, if an attempt is made to close the rear cover without closing the rear unit, the rear cover will interfere with (abut against) the rear unit and prevent the unit from being closed. This alerts the user to the possibility of forgetting to close the rear unit, preventing the rear unit from being forgotten. Furthermore, if an attempt is made to close the main frame relative to the outer frame with the rear unit closed and the rear cover open, or with both the rear unit and the back cover open, the back cover will interfere with (abut against) the outer frame and prevent the unit from being closed. This alerts the user to the fact that the back cover is open, preventing the back cover from being forgotten to be closed.

Means 5: In the gaming machine,
"A frame-shaped outer frame,
a main body frame that is supported on the outer frame so as to be openable and closable forward, and that detachably supports a game board from the front, the game board having a game area where a game is played using game balls;
A rear cover that can be opened and closed rearward relative to the main body frame so as to cover the game board supported by the main body frame from the rear;
A ball launching means is provided on the main body frame and is capable of supplying game balls to the game area;
a ball circulation means for collecting the game balls shot by the ball shooting means and supplying them again to the ball shooting means;
and a game machine that causes the ball launching means to launch game balls based on the ball data of a player that has been converted into digital data,
A rear unit that can be opened and closed rearward at a position below the game board on the rear surface of the main body frame, and that can be opened from the main body frame so that at least a part of the ball circulation means can be seen from behind;
a locking means that is movable between a locked position and an unlocked position, and that locks the rear unit so that it cannot be opened or closed when the locking means is moved to the locked position while the rear unit is closed relative to the main body frame;
It further comprises:
the rear unit is provided so as to interfere with the rear cover when the rear cover is closed on the main body frame while the rear unit is open from the main body frame,
the locking means is configured to move to the locking position when the rear cover is closed against the main body frame in a state where the rear unit is closed against the main body frame at the release position,
The rear cover is provided so as to interfere with the outer frame when an attempt is made to close the main frame onto the outer frame while the main frame is open relative to the outer frame and the rear cover is open relative to the main frame.
It is characterized by being something.

According to the configuration of means 5, the gaming machine comprises a frame-shaped outer frame, a main frame that is supported on the outer frame so as to be able to open and close forward and that supports a gaming board having a gaming area where games are played with gaming balls in a detachable manner from the front, a rear cover that is provided so as to be able to open and close backward relative to the main frame so as to cover the gaming board supported on the main frame from the rear, a ball launching means that is provided on the main frame and is capable of supplying gaming balls to the gaming area, and a ball circulation means that collects gaming balls launched by the ball launching means and supplies them again to the ball launching means, and the gaming machine launches gaming balls using the ball launching means based on the digitized ball data of the player, and the rear cover is provided on the rear surface of the main frame below the gaming board so as to be able to open and close backward, and by opening it from the main frame, at least the ball circulation means The device further includes a rear unit, part of which is visible from behind, and a locking means that is movable between a locked position and an unlocked position and that locks the rear unit so that it cannot be opened or closed when moved to the locked position while the rear unit is closed relative to the main frame. The rear unit is arranged so that it interferes with the rear cover when an attempt is made to close the rear cover onto the main frame while the rear unit is open from the main frame. The locking means is arranged so that it moves to the locked position when the rear cover is closed onto the main frame while in the unlocked position and the rear unit is closed relative to the main frame. The rear cover is arranged so that it interferes with the outer frame when an attempt is made to close the main frame onto the outer frame while the main frame is open relative to the outer frame and the back cover is open relative to the main frame.

As a result, in a gaming machine (so-called enclosed gaming machine, controlled gaming machine) in which gaming balls fired from a ball firing means that fires gaming balls into the gaming area of the gaming board are collected by a ball circulation means and supplied to the ball firing means, and gaming balls are fired from the ball firing means based on the player's ball data (for example, the number of balls held is 1 or more), the rear unit is provided below the gaming board on the rear surface of the main frame, so by using the component provided behind the gaming board in conventional gaming machines as the rear unit of this configuration, the depth direction of the gaming board can be increased by the amount of this component, making it possible to further differentiate the gaming machine from other gaming machines as a gaming machine with a gaming board that is wide in the depth direction, and providing a gaming machine that is highly appealing to players. With this gaming machine, when the outer frame is attached to the island equipment in the gaming hall, the rear of the main frame can be seen by opening the main frame forward relative to the outer frame. In this state, opening the back cover allows the rear of the gaming board to be seen. Furthermore, by opening the rear unit, it is possible to see and perform maintenance on the area between the main frame and the rear unit in the ball circulation means, the components located in front of the rear unit on the rear surface of the main frame, the front side of the rear unit, etc., improving the ease of maintenance work.

When closing the main frame against the outer frame, if you try to close the rear cover without closing the rear unit, the rear cover will interfere with (abut) the rear unit and prevent it from closing, making you aware that you've forgotten to close the rear unit and preventing you from forgetting to close it. Furthermore, if you try to close the main frame against the outer frame with the rear unit closed and the rear cover open, or with both the rear unit and the rear cover open, the rear cover will interfere with (abut) the outer frame and prevent it from closing, making you aware that the rear cover is open and preventing you from forgetting to close it. This makes it possible to prevent you from forgetting to close the rear unit or rear cover during maintenance, etc.

In addition, because the rear unit and the rear cover are designed to interfere with (abut against) each other, even if the rear unit tries to open from the main frame due to vibration or other reasons during play, the rear cover interferes (is prevented) and the rear unit is prevented from opening too wide, preventing malfunctions caused by the rear unit opening.

In addition, when the locking means is moved to the locked position while the rear unit is closed relative to the main frame, the rear unit can be locked so that it cannot be opened or closed. This prevents the rear unit from opening on its own due to vibration or other reasons, preventing malfunctions caused by the rear unit opening. Even if you forget to lock the rear unit with the locking means after closing it relative to the main frame after completing maintenance, for example, you can close the rear cover to move the locking means to the locked position, preventing you from forgetting to lock.

Furthermore, the locking means moves between a locked position and an unlocked position, so by checking the position of the locking means, you can easily determine whether it is locked or not, preventing you from forgetting to lock it.

In this way, the above solution makes it possible to provide a gaming machine that prevents the rear unit, which is openable and closable at the rear of the main frame, from being left open during maintenance, etc.

[15-2c. Relationship between the solution of the second technical feature and embodiments]
In this embodiment, the ball launching unit 550 of the main frame 4 corresponds to the ball launching means of the above-mentioned solution means, the foul unit 570, the circulating ball path unit 600, the ball lifting unit 650, and the ball sending unit 700 in this embodiment correspond to the ball circulating means of the above-mentioned solution means, the frame base unit 730 in this embodiment corresponds to the rear unit of the above-mentioned solution means, the Nylatch 774 in this embodiment corresponds to the locking means of the above-mentioned solution means, and the rear cover 505 in this embodiment corresponds to the rear cover of the above-mentioned solution means.

[15-2d. Characteristic effect of the second technical feature]
According to the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, the game balls B launched from the ball launching unit 550, which launches the game balls B into the game area 5a of the game board 5, are collected by the foul unit 570, the circulating ball path unit 600, the ball lifting unit 650, and the ball sending unit 700 and supplied to the ball launching unit 550, and the game balls B are launched from the ball launching unit 550 based on the ball data of the player (the number of balls held is 1 or more). In this pachinko machine 1 (a so-called enclosed game machine, a managed game machine), Since a frame base unit 730 serving as a rear unit is provided at a position below the game board 5 on the rear surface of the main body frame 4, the component provided at the rear of the game board in conventional pachinko machines is replaced by the frame base unit 730 of this embodiment, and the depth direction of the game board 5 can be increased by the amount of this component, making it possible to further differentiate the pachinko machine 1 from other pachinko machines as a pachinko machine 1 having a game board 5 that is wide in the depth direction, and making it possible to provide a pachinko machine 1 that is highly appealing to players. In this pachinko machine 1, when the outer frame 2 is attached to the island equipment of the gaming hall, and the main frame 4 is opened forward relative to the outer frame 2, the rear side of the main frame 4 can be seen, and when the rear cover 505 is opened in this state, the rear side of the gaming board 5 can be seen, and furthermore, when the frame base unit 730 is opened, the main frame speaker 503, main frame speaker box 504, circulating ball path unit 600, ball lifting unit 650, front side of the base unit 730, etc. can be seen and maintained, thereby improving the workability involved in maintenance, etc.

When closing the main frame 4 against the outer frame 2, if an attempt is made to close the rear cover 505 without closing the frame substrate unit 730, the rear cover 505 will interfere with (abut) the frame substrate unit 730 and prevent the unit from closing. This alerts the user to the fact that the frame substrate unit 730 has been left closed, thereby preventing the unit from being left closed. Furthermore, if an attempt is made to close the main frame 4 against the outer frame 2 with the frame substrate unit 730 closed and the rear cover 505 open, or with both the frame substrate unit 730 and the rear cover 505 open, the rear cover 505 will interfere with (abut) the outer frame 2 and prevent the unit from being closed. This alerts the user to the fact that the rear cover 505, etc. is open, preventing the unit from being left closed. This prevents the unit from forgetting to close the frame substrate unit 730 or the rear cover 505 during maintenance, etc.

In addition, because the frame base unit 730 and the back cover 505 are designed to interfere with (abut against) each other, even if the frame base unit 730 attempts to open from the main frame 4 due to vibration or other reasons during play, it will interfere with (be prevented from opening by) the back cover 505, preventing the frame base unit 730 from opening too far, and preventing malfunctions caused by the frame base unit 730 opening.

In addition, when the frame substrate unit 730 is closed relative to the main body frame 4, pressing the Nylatch 774 (locking mechanism) to move it to the locked position locks the frame substrate unit 730 so that it cannot be opened or closed. This prevents the frame substrate unit 730 from opening on its own due to vibration or other reasons, preventing malfunctions caused by the frame substrate unit 730 opening. Even if you forget to lock the frame substrate unit 730 with the Nylatch 774 after closing it relative to the main body frame 4 after completing maintenance, for example, you can close the rear cover 505 to move the Nylatch 774 to the locked position, preventing you from forgetting to lock.

Furthermore, the Nylatch 774, which serves as the locking device, moves between a locked position and an unlocked position. Therefore, by checking the position of the Nylatch 774's operating part 774a, it is easy to determine whether or not the device is locked, preventing users from forgetting to lock it.

[15-3. Third technical feature]
This specification has the following technical features that are different from those described above.

[15-3a. Background of the third technical feature]
In gaming machines such as pachinko machines, a ball sensor with a detection hole is provided in the ball passageway extending vertically through which the gaming balls flow, to detect the gaming balls flowing through the ball passageway (for example, Patent Document C: JP 2016-96868 A).

However, if a ball sensor with a detection hole like that in Patent Document C is installed in a part of the ball passage where game balls flow left and right (or front and back), the passage will narrow at the detection hole, which could reduce the flow speed of the game balls or cause them to become clogged. Therefore, it is possible to consider using a photosensor without a detection hole as the ball sensor, but if the inner circumference of the ball passage is square, game balls will tend to swing in the width direction of the ball passage, and as a result, game balls will frequently come into contact with the side walls, causing wear and scratches on the sides and making it easier for dirt and dust to accumulate. This dirt, etc., can interfere with the light reception and emission of the photosensor, resulting in false detection.

Therefore, in consideration of the above situation, the following means aims to provide a gaming machine that can reduce false detection of gaming balls circulating through the ball passage.

[15-3b. Solution of the third technical feature]
Means 1: In the gaming machine,
"A game board having a game area where a game is played with a game ball,
a ball launching means capable of supplying game balls to the game area of the game board;
a ball circulation means for collecting the game balls shot by the ball shooting means and supplying them again to the ball shooting means;
and a game machine that causes the ball launching means to launch game balls based on the ball data of a player that has been converted into digital data,
The ball circulation means is
a ball passage through which game balls are distributed;
A photosensor for detecting game balls circulating through the ball passage,
The ball passage is
At least the portion where the photosensor is installed is arranged so as to contact the gaming ball at two points below the center of the gaming ball.
It is characterized by being something.

Here, examples of the part of the ball passage that "contacts the gaming ball at two points below its center" include "a pair of inclined surfaces that slope upward so that the distance between them increases (such as a V-shaped cross section or an inverted trapezoidal cross section that narrows downward)" and "a pair of protrusions that extend in the direction of flow at a distance narrower than the diameter of the gaming machine."

Means 1 is configured as a gaming machine comprising a gaming board having a play area where games are played with gaming balls, a ball launching means capable of supplying gaming balls to the play area of the gaming board, and a ball circulating means for recovering gaming balls launched by the ball launching means and supplying them back to the ball launching means. The gaming machine launches gaming balls using the ball launching means based on digitized ball data held by a player. The ball circulating means has a ball passage through which the gaming balls circulate and a photosensor for detecting gaming balls circulating in the ball passage. The ball passage is arranged so that at least the portion where the photosensor is located makes contact with the gaming balls at two points below their centers (see Chapter 4-5. Ball Lifting Unit, Figures 52 and 53, etc., in [Embodiment 1]).

As a result, in a gaming machine (so-called enclosed gaming machine, controlled gaming machine) in which gaming balls launched from a ball launching means that launches gaming balls into the playing area of the gaming board are collected by a ball circulation means and supplied to the ball launching means, and gaming balls are launched from the ball launching means based on the player's ball holding data (e.g., the number of balls held is one or more), the gaming balls contact at least the photosensor portion of the ball passage through which the gaming ball flows at two points below the center. This prevents the gaming ball from swinging in the width direction of the ball passage at the photosensor portion, preventing the gaming ball from contacting the sidewall of the ball passage, which could wear or scratch the sidewall and cause dirt, dust, and other contaminants. Therefore, since dirt, dust, and other contaminants in the ball passage can be reduced as much as possible, it is possible to prevent false detections caused by dirt, etc. impeding the light reception and emission of the photosensor, and it is possible to provide a gaming machine that is capable of reducing false detections of gaming balls flowing through the ball passage.

In addition, at least at the location of the photosensor in the ball passage, the gaming ball does not swing in the width direction of the ball passage, so the positional relationship between the photosensor and the gaming ball can be kept constant, eliminating false detections due to deviations in this positional relationship and ensuring reliable detection of gaming balls circulating through the ball passage.

The ball passage may also have a first-shaped passage section provided at least in the area where the photosensor is provided, with a pair of inclined surfaces that the gaming ball comes into contact with and that are inclined so that the distance between them increases as they move upward. This causes the gaming ball to come into contact with a pair of inclined surfaces in the first-shaped passage section in the ball passage where the photosensor is provided, thereby reducing wear and scratches on the contact points caused by the gaming ball compared to when the gaming ball comes into contact with a pair of protrusions, preventing the generation of dirt such as dust and debris and reducing false detection of the gaming ball by the photosensor.

Furthermore, as described above, when a first-shaped passage section is provided in the ball passage, a pair of inclined surfaces are provided in the first-shaped passage section of the ball passage. Therefore, even if dirt such as dust or debris is generated due to contact with the gaming ball, the inclined surfaces can guide the dirt below the point of contact with the gaming ball, thereby reducing the impact of the dirt on the photosensor and preventing dirt from adhering to the gaming ball.

The ball passage may also have an opening located upstream of the location where the photosensor is located, opening downward and large enough so as not to interfere with the flow of game balls. This allows dirt, dust, and other contaminants in the ball passage to be expelled to the outside through the opening, reducing the impact of dirt on the photosensor and reducing false detection of game balls caused by dirt in the photosensor.

Furthermore, the ball passage may have a second-shaped passage section located at least on the downstream or upstream side of the location where the photosensor is located, the second-shaped passage section having a flat bottom surface with which the gaming ball comes into contact and a width greater than the diameter of the gaming ball, and a pair of side wall surfaces extending from both widthwise ends of the bottom surface. This means that at least one of the downstream or upstream sides of the location where the photosensor is located in the ball passage is a second-shaped passage section consisting of a flat bottom surface and a pair of side wall surfaces. Therefore, when multiple gaming balls stop in the second-shaped passage section, they are pushed by the gaming balls on the upstream side, causing the gaming balls from the downstream side to line up so that they alternately come into contact with the pair of side wall surfaces. In other words, when multiple gaming balls stop in the second-shaped passage section, they are lined up in a staggered pattern, and are not lined up in a single row along the axis of the ball passage. As a result, part of the ball pressure of the game balls flowing downstream can be released alternately to the side wall surfaces they are in contact with, which reduces the ball pressure on the component holding multiple game balls compared to when they are lined up in a row on the axis, making the component less susceptible to damage and eliminating the need to reinforce the component excessively, thereby minimizing increases in the cost of the game machine.

Furthermore, if the location in the ball path where the photosensor is installed is capable of temporarily stopping the flow of game balls, the presence or absence of game balls in the location in the ball path where the game balls are stationary may be determined when the detection and non-detection times of the game balls by the photosensor exceed a predetermined threshold. Incidentally, detection of game balls at prize slots, etc., involves checking the output from the photosensor (ball sensor) at a predetermined interrupt period (e.g., 4 ms), and determining that a game ball has been detected (ON) when the output is non-detected, detected, detected (in other words, "011"). In other words, when the output from the photosensor is "011," it is determined to be ON, and when it is anything other than "011," it is determined to be OFF. However, when a photosensor installed in a location where the flow of game balls temporarily stops (a stopping area) is used to determine the presence or absence of game balls using the above-described determination method, the photosensor will only output an OFF signal if there are no game balls in the stopping area, will output many short ON signals if game balls are being supplied to the stopping area, and will output many short OFF signals if the game balls stored in the stopping area are moving one by one (the game balls are moving at the firing interval). Therefore, the above-described determination method cannot accurately determine whether there are no game balls in the stopping area. In contrast, the presence or absence of game balls is determined by the photosensor's detection and non-detection times exceeding predetermined thresholds. In other words, thresholds are set for the ON (presence) and OFF (absence) determinations, and the ON or OFF determination is made only when the thresholds are exceeded and non-detection or detection continues. That is, for example, when the output from the photosensor is "01111...", it is judged to be ON, and when it is "10000...", it is judged to be OFF. This makes it possible to reliably determine the presence or absence of gaming balls in the stopping section of the ball passage where multiple gaming balls are stopped.

Means 2: In the configuration of Means 1,
"The said spherical passage is
The first-shaped passage portion is provided at least in the area where the photosensor is provided, and has a pair of inclined surfaces that are inclined so that the distance between them increases as they go upward, with the gaming ball coming into contact with each of the inclined surfaces.
It is characterized by being something.

According to the configuration of Means 2, the ball passage has a first-shaped passage section provided at least in the area where the photosensor is provided, with a pair of inclined surfaces that are inclined so that the distance between them increases as they move upward, with the gaming balls coming into contact with each other (see the description of the V-shaped passage section 651a of the ball lifting inlet passage 651 and the V-shaped passage section 652a of the ball lifting outlet passage 652 in the [Description of the Invention]).

As a result, in the first-shaped passage section in the ball passage where the photosensor is located, the gaming ball is brought into contact with a pair of inclined surfaces, which reduces wear and scratches on the contact area caused by the gaming ball compared to when the gaming ball is brought into contact with a pair of protrusions, prevents the generation of dirt such as dust and dirt, and reduces false detection of the gaming ball by the photosensor.

In addition, because a pair of inclined surfaces are provided in the first-shaped passage section of the ball passage, even if dirt such as dust or debris is generated by contact with the gaming ball, the inclined surfaces can guide the dirt below the point of contact with the gaming ball, reducing the impact of the dirt on the photosensor and preventing dirt from adhering to the gaming ball.

Means 3: In the configuration of means 1 or means 2,
"The said spherical passage is
It is provided upstream of the location where the photosensor is provided, and has an opening that opens downward and is large enough not to interfere with the flow of game balls.
It is characterized by being something.

According to the configuration of Measure 3, the ball passage has an opening located upstream of the location where the photosensor is installed, and is open downward and is large enough not to interfere with the flow of game balls (see the description of the ball lifting inlet earth metal plate 655 and the ball lifting outlet earth metal plate 656 in the "Description of the Invention").

This allows dirt, dust, and other contaminants inside the ball passage to be expelled to the outside through the opening, reducing the impact of dirt on the photosensor and reducing false detection of game balls caused by dirt in the photosensor.

Means 4: In any one of the configurations from means 1 to means 3,
"The said spherical passage is
The second-shaped passage portion is provided at least on either the downstream side or the upstream side of the portion where the photosensor is provided, and has a flat bottom surface with which the gaming ball comes into contact and which has a width greater than the diameter of the gaming ball, and a pair of side wall surfaces erected from both ends of the bottom surface in the width direction.
It is characterized by being something.

However, if the ball passage is shaped so that it touches the ball at two points below its center, as mentioned above, the ball will not swing across the width of the passage. Therefore, if multiple balls are parked in the passage, they will line up in a row on the axis of the passage. This means that the large ball pressure caused by the balls will act on the component that holds the balls, making the component more susceptible to damage. Reinforcing the component to prevent damage could increase costs.

According to the configuration of means 4, the ball passage has a second-shaped passage portion located at least on the downstream or upstream side of the location where the photosensor is provided, and has a flat bottom surface with which the gaming ball comes into contact and which is wider than the diameter of the gaming ball, and a pair of side wall surfaces extending from both ends of the bottom surface in the width direction (see the description of the U-shaped passage portion 651b of the ball lifting inlet passage 651 and the U-shaped passage portion 652b of the ball lifting outlet passage 652 in the [Description of the Invention]).

As a result, at least one of the downstream and upstream sides of the portion of the ball passage where the photosensor is located is a second-shaped passage section consisting of a flat bottom surface and a pair of side wall surfaces. Therefore, when multiple game balls are parked in the second-shaped passage section, they are pushed by the game balls on the upstream side, causing the game balls from the downstream side to line up so that they alternately come into contact with the pair of side wall surfaces. In other words, when multiple game balls are parked in the second-shaped passage section, they line up in a staggered pattern, rather than lining up in a single line on the axis of the ball passage. Therefore, because a portion of the ball pressure of the game balls toward the downstream side can be released alternately to the side wall surfaces they are contacting, the ball pressure on the component holding the multiple game balls can be reduced compared to when the game balls are lined up in a single line on the axis. This makes the component less susceptible to damage and eliminates the need to excessively reinforce the component, thereby suppressing increases in the cost of the gaming machine.

The second-shaped passage section may be provided only downstream of the photosensor, only upstream of the photosensor, or both downstream and upstream of the photosensor. In the case of a ball passage where many gaming balls are retained downstream of the photosensor, it is desirable to provide the second-shaped passage section at least downstream of the photosensor.

Means 5: In the gaming machine,
"A game board having a game area where a game is played with a game ball,
a ball launching means capable of supplying game balls to the game area of the game board;
a ball circulation means for collecting the game balls shot by the ball shooting means and supplying them again to the ball shooting means;
and a game machine that causes the ball launching means to launch game balls based on the ball data of a player that has been converted into digital data,
The ball circulation means is
a ball passage through which game balls are distributed;
A photosensor for detecting game balls circulating through the ball passage,
The ball passage is
A first shape passage portion is provided in the portion where the photosensor is provided, and has a pair of inclined surfaces that are inclined so that the gaming ball contacts each of them so as to contact at two points below the center of the gaming ball, and the spacing between the inclined surfaces increases as the surface moves upward;
An opening provided on the upstream side of the first shape passage portion and opening downward with a size that does not hinder the flow of game balls;
and a second-shaped passage portion provided on at least one of the downstream and upstream sides of the first-shaped passage portion, the second-shaped passage portion having a flat bottom surface with which the gaming ball comes into contact and which has a width greater than the diameter of the gaming ball, and a pair of side wall surfaces erected from both ends of the bottom surface in the width direction.
It is characterized by being something.

According to the configuration of means 5, the gaming machine is equipped with a gaming board having a gaming area where games are played using gaming balls, a ball launching means capable of supplying gaming balls to the gaming area of the gaming board, and a ball circulating means that collects gaming balls launched by the ball launching means and supplies them again to the ball launching means, and the gaming balls are launched by the ball launching means based on the digitized ball data of the player, and the ball circulating means has a ball passage through which the gaming balls circulate and a photosensor that detects gaming balls circulating in the ball passage, and the ball passage is provided in the area where the photosensor is provided, and the gaming balls are circulated by the ball launching means. The passage has a first-shaped passage section with a pair of inclined surfaces that contact the game ball at two points below the center of the game ball and that slope upward so that the distance between them increases; an opening provided upstream of the first-shaped passage section that opens downward and is large enough not to interfere with the flow of the game ball; and a second-shaped passage section provided at least on either the downstream or upstream side of the first-shaped passage section, that contacts the game ball and has a flat bottom surface with a width greater than the diameter of the game ball, and a pair of side wall surfaces extending from both widthwise ends of the bottom surface.

As a result, in a gaming machine (so-called enclosed gaming machine, controlled gaming machine) in which gaming balls launched from a ball launching means that launches gaming balls into the gaming area of the gaming board are collected by a ball circulation means and supplied to the ball launching means, and gaming balls are launched from the ball launching means based on the player's ball holding data (for example, the number of balls held is 1 or more), at least the portion of the photosensor in the ball passage through which the gaming balls circulate is a first-shaped passage section having a pair of inclined surfaces that are inclined so that the spacing between them increases as they go upward, and the pair of inclined surfaces allow the gaming ball to contact the ball at two points below its center, so that the gaming ball does not swing in the width direction of the ball passage at the portion of the photosensor, and it is possible to avoid the gaming ball coming into contact with the side wall of the ball passage, which would wear or scratch the side wall and cause dirt such as dust and dirt. This allows for as little dirt, dust, and other contaminants as possible within the ball passage, preventing false detections caused by dirt or other contaminants impeding the light reception and emission of the photosensor, and provides a gaming machine that can reduce false detections of gaming balls circulating through the ball passage.

Furthermore, in the first-shaped passage section where the photosensor is installed in the ball passage, the gaming ball does not swing in the width direction of the ball passage, so the positional relationship between the photosensor and the gaming ball can be kept constant, eliminating false detections due to deviations in this positional relationship and ensuring reliable detection of gaming balls circulating through the ball passage.

In addition, in the first-shaped passage section where the photosensor is installed, the gaming ball is brought into contact with a pair of inclined surfaces, which reduces wear and scratches on the contact area caused by the gaming ball compared to when the gaming ball is brought into contact with a pair of protrusions, prevents the generation of dirt such as dust and dirt, and reduces false detection of the gaming ball by the photosensor.

Furthermore, a pair of inclined surfaces are provided in the first-shaped passage section of the ball passage. Even if dirt, dust, or other contaminants are generated by contact with the gaming ball, the inclined surfaces can guide the contaminants below the point of contact with the gaming ball, reducing the impact of the contaminants on the photosensor and preventing the adhesion of contaminants to the gaming ball.

In addition, an opening is provided upstream of the first-shaped passage section in the ball passage where the photosensor is located, allowing dirt, dust, and other contaminants in the ball passage to be discharged to the outside through the opening, thereby reducing the impact of dirt on the photosensor and reducing false detection of game balls caused by dirt on the photosensor.

In addition, at least one of the downstream and upstream sides of the first-shaped passage section, where at least the photosensor is located in the ball passage, is a second-shaped passage section consisting of a flat bottom surface and a pair of side wall surfaces. Therefore, when multiple game balls are retained in the second-shaped passage section, they are pushed by the upstream game balls, causing the game balls from the downstream side to line up so that they alternately come into contact with the pair of side wall surfaces. In other words, when multiple game balls are retained in the second-shaped passage section, they are lined up in a staggered pattern, and are not lined up in a single row on the axis of the ball passage. Therefore, because a portion of the ball pressure of the game balls toward the downstream side can be alternately released to the side wall surfaces they are contacting, the ball pressure on the component retaining the multiple game balls can be reduced compared to when the game balls are lined up in a single row on the axis. This makes the component less susceptible to damage, and there is no need to increase the strength and rigidity of the component more than necessary, thereby suppressing increases in the cost of the gaming machine.

In this way, the above solution makes it possible to provide a gaming machine that can reduce false detection of gaming balls circulating through the ball passage.

[15-3c. Relationship between the solution of the third technical feature and embodiments]
In this embodiment, the ball launching unit 550 of the main frame 4 corresponds to the ball launching means of the above-mentioned solution means, the foul unit 570, the circulating ball path unit 600, the ball lifting unit 650, and the ball sending unit 700 in this embodiment correspond to the ball circulation means of the above-mentioned solution means, the ball lifting inlet passage 651 and the ball lifting outlet passage 652 of the ball lifting unit 650 in this embodiment, and the ball sending passage 703 of the ball sending unit 700 in this embodiment correspond to the ball passage of the above-mentioned solution means, the V-shaped passage section 651a and the V-shaped passage section 652a in this embodiment correspond to the first-shaped passage section of the above-mentioned solution means, the U-shaped passage section 651b, the U-shaped passage section 652b, and the ball sending passage 703 in this embodiment correspond to the second-shaped passage section of the above-mentioned solution means, and the areas where the ball lifting inlet earth metal plate 655 and the ball lifting outlet earth metal plate 656 in this embodiment are attached correspond to the openings of the above-mentioned solution means.

[15-3d. Characteristic effect of the third technical feature]
In the following, the effects of the ball lifting exit passage 652 in the ball lifting unit 650 as a ball passage will be described, and since the ball lifting entrance passage 651 also has the same effects, the description of the effects of the ball lifting entrance passage 651 will be omitted. According to the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, the game balls B launched from the ball launching unit 550 that launches the game balls B into the game area 5a of the game board 5 are collected by the foul unit 570, the circulating ball path unit 600, the ball lifting unit 650, and the ball sending unit 700 and supplied to the ball launching unit 550, and the game balls B are launched from the ball launching unit 550 based on the player's ball holding data (the number of balls held is 1 or more), in the pachinko machine 1 (so-called enclosed type game machine, managed game machine), the ball lifting exit passage of the ball lifting unit 650 through which the game balls B circulate The portion of lift-up outlet sensor 654, which is a photosensor in 652, is configured as V-shaped passage portion 652a having a V-shaped cross section with a pair of inclined surfaces that are inclined so that the distance between them increases as it goes upward, and the pair of inclined surfaces causes game ball B to contact at two points below the center thereof, so that game ball B does not swing in the width direction of ball lift-up outlet passage 652 at the portion of lift-up outlet sensor 654, and it is possible to prevent game ball B from contacting the side wall of ball lift-up outlet passage 652, which would wear or scratch the side wall and cause dirt, dust, and other contaminants. Therefore, it is possible to reduce dirt, dust, and other contaminants in ball lift-up outlet passage 652 as much as possible, and it is possible to prevent false detections caused by dirt, etc., interfering with the light reception and emission of light by the photosensor in lift-up outlet sensor 654, and it is possible to provide a pachinko machine 1 that is capable of reducing false detections of game balls B circulating through ball lift-up outlet passage 652.

Furthermore, in the V-shaped passage section 652a in the ball lifting outlet passage 652, where the lifting outlet sensor 654 consisting of a photosensor is installed, the game ball B does not swing in the width direction of the ball lifting outlet passage 652, so the positional relationship between the lifting outlet sensor 654 (photosensor) and the game ball B can be kept constant, eliminating false detections due to deviations in this positional relationship and ensuring reliable detection of the game ball B flowing through the ball lifting outlet passage 652.

In addition, in the V-shaped passage section 652a, where the lift-up outlet sensor 654 consisting of a photosensor is provided, the game ball B is brought into contact with a pair of inclined surfaces. This reduces wear and scratches on the contact area caused by the game ball B compared to when the game ball B is brought into contact with a pair of protrusions, prevents the generation of dirt such as dust and dirt, and reduces false detection of the game ball B by the lift-up outlet sensor 654.

Furthermore, a pair of inclined surfaces are provided in the V-shaped passage portion 652a of the ball lifting outlet passage 652. Even if dirt such as dust or debris is generated by contact with the game ball B, the inclined surfaces can guide the dirt below the point of contact with the game ball B, thereby reducing the impact of the dirt on the lifting outlet sensor 654 and preventing dirt from adhering to the game ball B.

In addition, an opening to which a ball lifting outlet earth metal plate 656 is attached is provided upstream of the V-shaped passage section 652a in the ball lifting outlet passage 652, where the lifting outlet sensor 654 consisting of a photosensor is located.This allows dirt such as dust and debris from within the ball lifting outlet passage 652 to be discharged to the outside through this opening, thereby reducing the impact of dirt on the lifting outlet sensor 654 and reducing false detection of game ball B caused by dirt on the lifting outlet sensor 654.

Furthermore, at least one of the downstream or upstream sides (here, both the upstream and downstream sides) of the V-shaped passage section 652a, where the lifting outlet sensor 654 consisting of a photosensor in the ball lifting outlet passage 652 is located, is the U-shaped passage section 652b and the ball sending passage 703, which have a U-shaped cross section consisting of a flat bottom surface and a pair of side wall surfaces. Therefore, when multiple game balls B stop in the U-shaped passage section 652b and the ball sending passage 703, they are pushed by the game balls B on the upstream side, causing the game balls B from the downstream side to line up so that they alternately come into contact with the pair of side wall surfaces. In other words, when multiple game balls B stop in the U-shaped passage section 652b and the ball sending passage 703, they are lined up in a staggered pattern, and are not lined up in a single row along the axis of the ball lifting outlet passage 652 or the ball sending passage 703. Therefore, part of the ball pressure of the game balls B toward the downstream side can be released alternately to the side wall surfaces with which they are in contact, which reduces the ball pressure acting on the ball sending movable member 705 (ball stopping portion 705e) of the ball sending unit 700 that holds multiple game balls B compared to when they are lined up in a row on the axis, making the ball sending movable member 705 less likely to be damaged and eliminating the need to excessively reinforce the ball sending movable member 705, thereby suppressing increases in the costs of the pachinko machine 1.

[15-4. Fourth Technical Feature]
This specification has the following technical features that are different from those described above.

[15-4a. Background of the fourth technical feature]
As a gaming machine such as a pachinko machine, a ball sensor has been proposed in a ball passage through which gaming balls flow, and the presence or absence of gaming balls in the ball passage is determined by the detection of the gaming balls by the ball sensor (for example, Patent Document D: JP 2015-188537 A). In the technology of Patent Document 1, two ball sensors are provided at an interval in the ball passage, and the presence or absence of gaming balls is determined by the combination of detection signals from the two ball sensors.

However, the technology in Patent Document D requires the installation of multiple ball sensors to determine the presence or absence of gaming balls at specific locations in the ball passage, which increases costs and places a greater burden on the control means involved in making the determination. Therefore, while it has been considered to use a single ball sensor to determine the presence or absence of gaming balls, it is difficult to accurately determine the absence of gaming balls in locations where the flow of gaming balls temporarily stops (stopping areas).

In light of the above situation, the following solution aims to provide a gaming machine that can reliably detect the presence or absence of gaming balls at stopping points in the passageway where gaming balls circulate, where gaming balls are temporarily stopped.

[15-4b. Solution of the fourth technical feature]
Means 1: In the gaming machine,
"A game board having a game area where a game is played with a game ball,
a ball launching means capable of supplying game balls to the game area of the game board;
a ball circulation means for collecting the game balls shot by the ball shooting means and supplying them again to the ball shooting means;
a control means capable of controlling the ball circulation means and the ball launching means;
and a game machine that causes the ball launching means to launch game balls based on the ball data of a player that has been converted into digital data,
The ball projecting means and the ball circulating means are
A stopping section that is provided on a circulation ball path along which the game balls circulate and that can temporarily stop the circulation of the game balls;
A ball sensor that detects a game ball stopped at the stopping portion;
It has
The control means
When the detection time and non-detection time of the gaming ball by the ball sensor exceed a predetermined threshold, the presence or absence of the gaming ball in the stopping section is determined and the ball circulation means is controlled.
It is characterized by being something.

Here, examples of "stopping portions" include "launch rails (launch pads) in the ball launching means," "ball transport passages of the ball transport unit that supplies game balls one by one to the ball launching means in the ball circulation means," "ball lifting inlet passages and ball lifting outlet passages of the ball lifting unit that lifts game balls in the ball circulation means," and "ball storage passages of the circulating ball path unit that stores game balls in the ball circulation means."

Furthermore, examples of "ball sensors" include "photo sensors having a light-emitting element and a light-receiving element," "dielectric sensors that detect changes in induced current," "contact sensors that detect contact with a gaming ball," "magnetic sensors that detect changes in magnetism," and "capacitance sensors that detect changes in electrostatic capacitance." If multiple holding areas are provided, the ball sensors provided in each holding area may be the same type or different types.

Conventionally, game balls at prize slots and other locations are detected by checking the output from a photosensor (ball sensor) at a predetermined interrupt cycle (e.g., 4 ms). When the output is "not detected, detected, detected" (in other words, "011"), it is determined that a game ball has been detected (ON). In other words, when the output from the photosensor is "011," it is determined to be ON, and when it is anything other than "011," it is determined to be OFF. However, when a ball sensor is installed in a retention area where the flow of game balls temporarily stops, if the presence or absence of game balls is determined using the conventional determination method described above, the ball sensor will only output OFF if there are no game balls in the retention area, will output many short ONs if game balls are being supplied to the retention area, and will output many short OFFs if the game balls stored in the retention area are moving one by one (game balls are moving at the launch interval). Therefore, the conventional determination method was unable to accurately determine that there were no game balls in the retention area.

Means 1 is configured as a gaming machine comprising: a gaming board having a play area where games are played with gaming balls; a ball launching means capable of supplying gaming balls to the play area of the gaming board; a ball circulating means for collecting gaming balls launched by the ball launching means and supplying them back to the ball launching means; and a control means capable of controlling the ball circulating means and the ball launching means. The gaming machine launches gaming balls using the ball launching means based on digitized ball data held by a player. The ball launching means and the ball circulating means are located on the circulating ball path along which the gaming balls circulate, and include a stopping section where the circulation of gaming balls can be temporarily stopped, and a ball sensor that detects gaming balls stopped in the stopping section. The control means determines whether gaming balls are present in the stopping section and controls the ball circulating means when the detection and non-detection times of gaming balls by the ball sensor exceed predetermined thresholds (see Chapter 4-5. Ball Lifting Unit, Figures 52 and 53, etc., in the "Embodiment of the Invention" section).

In this way, in gaming machines (so-called enclosed gaming machines, managed gaming machines) in which gaming balls launched from a ball launching means that launches gaming balls into the gaming area of the gaming board are collected by a ball circulation means and supplied to the ball launching means, and gaming balls are launched from the ball launching means based on the player's ball holding data (for example, the number of balls held is one or more), a ball sensor is provided at a stopping section on the circulating ball path along which gaming balls circulate, where the gaming balls can temporarily stop, and when the control means determines the presence or absence of gaming balls in the stopping section and controls the ball circulation means when the detection time and non-detection time of the gaming ball by the ball sensor exceed a predetermined threshold. In other words, while conventional determinations use only the condition (threshold) of whether a gaming ball is present (ON) to determine whether a gaming ball is present (ON/OFF), this method sets a threshold for each of the ON (present) and OFF (absent) determinations, and determines whether the gaming ball is present or not only when the threshold is exceeded and there is continuous non-detection or detection. In other words, for example, when the output from the ball sensor is "01111...", it is determined to be ON, and when it is "10000...", it is determined to be OFF. This makes it possible to reliably determine whether a gaming ball is present or not in the stopping section of the ball passage where multiple gaming balls are stopped.

In addition, because the system reliably determines whether or not there are game balls in the holding area and controls the ball circulation means, it is possible to avoid situations where balls run out in the circulation ball path (holding area) and game balls cannot be released even though there is ball holding data (number of balls held), or where the ball circulation means is damaged or jammed when more game balls are supplied to the holding area when it is full, allowing players to continue enjoying the game.

If the threshold is too small, even slight vibrations will cause false detection, resulting in noise in the control. Furthermore, if the threshold is unnecessarily large, the state of the game ball will not be detected. Therefore, the appropriate threshold value will vary depending on where the ball sensor is installed, but it is desirable to set it at a minimum of 10 ms and a maximum of 300 ms. Furthermore, if the threshold is set to a multiple of the interrupt cycle, the software only needs to count the number of interrupts, reducing the burden on the software.

In addition, multiple stopping areas may be provided on the circulating ball path, and the control means may determine the presence or absence of game balls using the same or different thresholds depending on the stopping area. This allows the threshold for determining the presence or absence of game balls to be different depending on the stopping area (ball sensor). For example, it is possible to reduce the threshold for ball sensors in stopping areas such as the ball delivery passage of the ball delivery unit that supplies game balls to the ball launching means, and to increase the threshold for ball sensors in stopping areas such as the ball lifting inlet passage and ball lifting outlet passage of the ball lifting unit that lifts game balls to the ball delivery unit. Therefore, by determining the presence or absence of game balls depending on the circulation speed (stopping frequency) of game balls in the stopping areas, the number of stopped game balls, etc., the control means can perform control more efficiently and the load on control can be reduced.

Furthermore, multiple stopping areas may be provided on the circulating ball path, and the control means may determine whether a game ball is present or absent using the same threshold value or different threshold values depending on the stopping area. This allows the threshold value for whether a game ball is present and the threshold value for whether a game ball is absent to be different depending on the stopping area (ball sensor). For example, the threshold value for whether a game ball is present and the threshold value for whether a game ball is absent can be the same for a ball sensor in a stopping area such as the launch rail of a ball launching means that launches game balls, or the threshold value for whether a game ball is present and the threshold value for whether a game ball is absent can be different for a ball sensor in a stopping area such as the ball lifting inlet passage or ball lifting outlet passage of a ball lifting unit that lifts game balls. Therefore, by determining whether the threshold for when game balls are present and the threshold for when game balls are absent are the same or different depending on factors such as the circulation speed (stop frequency) of game balls in the stopping area, the number of stopped game balls, etc., the control means can efficiently perform control in accordance with the stopping area, reducing the load on the control.

Also, at least a portion of the retention area may be provided with a U-shaped passageway having a flat bottom surface with which the gaming balls come into contact and a width greater than the diameter of the gaming balls, and a pair of sidewalls extending from both widthwise ends of the bottom surface. This allows at least a portion of the retention area where gaming balls temporarily stop to have a U-shaped passageway consisting of a flat bottom surface and a pair of sidewalls. Therefore, when multiple gaming balls stop in the U-shaped passageway, they are pushed by the gaming balls on the upstream side, causing the gaming balls from the downstream side to line up so that they alternately come into contact with the pair of sidewalls. In other words, when multiple gaming balls stop in the U-shaped passageway, they are lined up in a staggered pattern, and the gaming balls are not lined up in a single row along the axis of the retention area (passageway). Therefore, part of the ball pressure of the game balls flowing downstream can be released alternately to the side wall surfaces they are in contact with, reducing the ball pressure on the specific components that hold the game balls, making those components less likely to be damaged, and eliminating the need to reinforce those components excessively, which helps to curb increases in the cost of the game machine.

Furthermore, a photosensor may be included as the ball sensor, and a V-shaped passageway may be provided at least at the location of the photosensor in the holding area, with a pair of inclined surfaces that are inclined so that the distance between each of the gaming balls increases as they contact the photosensor. In this way, a V-shaped passageway is provided at the location of the photosensor in the holding area. When the gaming ball comes into contact with the pair of inclined surfaces of the V-shaped passageway, the gaming ball will not swing in the width direction of the passageway (ball passageway) of the holding area at the photosensor location. This prevents the gaming ball from contacting the sidewalls, causing wear or damage to the sidewalls, resulting in the generation of dirt, dust, and other contaminants. This minimizes the amount of dirt, dust, and other contaminants in the holding area, preventing false detections caused by dirt, etc. impeding the light reception and emission of the photosensor. This provides a gaming machine that reduces false detections of gaming balls held in the holding area.

Furthermore, as described above, when a V-shaped passage section is provided, at least at the location of the photosensor in the stopping section, the pair of inclined surfaces of the V-shaped passage section prevents the gaming ball from swinging in the width direction of the ball passage, so the positional relationship between the photosensor and the gaming ball can be kept constant, eliminating false detections due to misalignment of this positional relationship and ensuring reliable detection of the gaming ball.

Furthermore, when a V-shaped passage section is provided as described above, the V-shaped passage section has a pair of inclined surfaces, so even if dirt such as dust and grime is generated by contact with the gaming ball, the inclined surfaces can guide the dirt below the point of contact with the gaming ball, reducing the impact of the dirt on the photosensor and preventing the dirt from adhering to the gaming ball. Note that the V-shaped passage section may be any section that has a pair of inclined surfaces, and may be a passage with a V-shaped cross section where the lower ends of the pair of inclined surfaces are connected, or a passage with an inverted trapezoidal cross section that narrows downward.

Means 2: In the configuration of Means 1,
"The stop portion is
A plurality of such spheres are provided on the circulation path,
The control means
The presence or absence of a gaming ball is determined using the same threshold value or a different threshold value depending on the stopping portion.
It is characterized by being something.

According to the configuration of Means 2, multiple stopping areas are provided on the circulating ball path, and the control means determines the presence or absence of game balls using the same threshold value or different threshold values depending on the stopping area (see the description of the launch subtraction sensor 554, lift-up inlet sensor 653, lift-up outlet sensor 654, launch pre-sensor 704, etc. in the [Embodiment for Carrying Out the Invention]).

This allows the threshold for determining the presence or absence of game balls to be different depending on the stopping section (ball sensor). For example, it is possible to lower the threshold for ball sensors in stopping sections such as the ball delivery passage of the ball delivery unit that supplies game balls to the ball launching means, and to raise the threshold for ball sensors in stopping sections such as the ball lifting inlet passage and ball lifting outlet passage of the ball lifting unit that lifts game balls to the ball delivery unit. Therefore, by determining the presence or absence of game balls depending on the circulation speed (stopping frequency) of game balls in the stopping section, the number of stopped game balls, etc., the control means can perform control more efficiently and the load on control can be reduced.

Means 3: In the configuration of means 1 or means 2,
"The stop portion is
A plurality of such spheres are provided on the circulation path,
The control means
Depending on the stopping portion, the presence or absence of a gaming ball is determined using the same threshold value, or the presence or absence of a gaming ball is determined using different threshold values.
It is characterized by being something.

In the configuration of Means 3, multiple stopping areas are provided on the circulating ball path, and the control means determines whether or not a gaming ball is present using the same threshold value, or whether or not a gaming ball is present using different threshold values, depending on the stopping area (see the description of the launch subtraction sensor 554, lift-up inlet sensor 653, lift-up outlet sensor 654, launch pre-sensor 704, etc. in the [Embodiment for Carrying Out the Invention]).

This allows the threshold for when a game ball is present and the threshold for when a game ball is absent to be different depending on the holding area (ball sensor). For example, the threshold for when a game ball is present and the threshold for when a game ball is absent can be the same for ball sensors in holding areas such as the launch rails of the ball launching means that launches game balls, or the threshold for when a game ball is present and the threshold for when a game ball is absent can be different for ball sensors in holding areas such as the ball lifting inlet passage and ball lifting outlet passage of the ball lifting unit that lifts game balls. Therefore, by making the threshold for when a game ball is present and the threshold for when a game ball is absent the same or different depending on the circulation speed (stopping frequency) of game balls in the holding area, the number of held game balls, etc., the control means can efficiently perform control in accordance with the holding area, reducing the load on control.

Means 4: In any one of the configurations from means 1 to means 3,
"The stop portion is
At least a part of the machine is provided with a U-shaped passageway having a flat bottom surface with which the gaming ball comes into contact and which is wider than the diameter of the gaming ball, and a pair of side walls extending from both ends of the bottom surface in the width direction.
It is characterized by being something.

However, since the holding area in the circulating ball path is designed to temporarily stop the circulation of game balls using a specified component, the greater the number of game balls held in the holding area, the greater the ball pressure on the specified component holding the game balls, making the component more susceptible to damage. Reinforcing the component to prevent damage could increase costs.

According to the configuration of means 4, at least a portion of the holding area is provided with a U-shaped passageway portion having a flat bottom surface with which the gaming ball comes into contact and a width greater than the diameter of the gaming ball, and a pair of side wall surfaces extending from both ends of the bottom surface in the width direction (see the description of the U-shaped passageway portion 651b of the ball lifting inlet passageway 651 and the U-shaped passageway portion 652b of the ball lifting outlet passageway 652 in the [Description of the Invention]).

As a result, at least a portion of the retention area where game balls temporarily stop is provided with a U-shaped passageway consisting of a flat bottom and a pair of side wall surfaces. Therefore, when multiple game balls stop in the U-shaped passageway, they are pushed by the upstream game balls, causing the game balls from the downstream side to line up so that they alternately come into contact with the pair of side wall surfaces. In other words, when multiple game balls stop in the U-shaped passageway, they line up in a staggered pattern, and the game balls do not line up in a single row on the axis of the retention area (passageway). Therefore, because some of the ball pressure of the game balls toward the downstream side can be released alternately to the side wall surfaces they are in contact with, the ball pressure on the specific component that retains the game balls can be reduced, making the component less susceptible to damage and eliminating the need to excessively reinforce the component, thereby suppressing increases in the cost of the gaming machine.

Means 5: In any one of the configurations of means 1 to 4,
"The spherical sensor is
It includes a photosensor,
The stop portion is
A V-shaped passage section having a pair of inclined surfaces that are inclined so that the gap between them increases as the gaming ball comes into contact with each other and moves upward is provided at least at the location of the photosensor.
It is characterized by being something.

However, when using a photosensor as a ball sensor, if the inner circumference of the photosensor in the holding area is square, the gaming ball will tend to swing across the width of the holding area (ball passage). As a result, the gaming ball will frequently come into contact with the side wall, causing wear and scratches on the side, making it more likely that dirt such as dust and debris will accumulate. This dirt and debris may interfere with the light reception and emission of the photosensor, resulting in false detection.

Means 5 is configured so that a photosensor is included as the ball sensor, and at least at the location of the photosensor in the stopping section, a V-shaped passage section is provided with a pair of inclined surfaces that are inclined so that the gap between them increases as the gaming ball contacts and moves upward (see the description of the V-shaped passage section 651a of the ball lifting inlet passage 651 and the V-shaped passage section 652a of the ball lifting outlet passage 652, the lifting inlet sensor 653, the lifting outlet sensor 654, etc. in the [Description of the Preferred Embodiments]).

As a result, a V-shaped passage is provided at the location of the photosensor in the parking area, and when the gaming ball comes into contact with the pair of inclined surfaces of the V-shaped passage, the gaming ball does not swing in the width direction of the passage (ball passage) of the parking area at the photosensor location. This prevents the gaming ball from coming into contact with the sidewall, causing wear or damage to the sidewall and resulting in the generation of dirt, dust, and other contaminants. Therefore, since dirt, dust, and other contaminants within the parking area can be reduced as much as possible, it is possible to prevent false detections caused by dirt, etc. interfering with the light reception and emission of light by the photosensor, and it is possible to provide a gaming machine that can reduce false detections of gaming balls parked in the parking area.

Furthermore, at least at the location of the photosensor in the stopping section, the pair of inclined surfaces of the V-shaped passageway prevent the gaming ball from swinging in the width direction of the ball passageway, so the positional relationship between the photosensor and the gaming ball can be kept constant, eliminating false detections due to misalignment of this positional relationship and ensuring reliable detection of the gaming ball.

Furthermore, the V-shaped passage section has a pair of inclined surfaces, so even if dirt such as dust and grime is generated by contact with the game ball, the inclined surfaces can guide the dirt below the point of contact with the game ball, reducing the impact of the dirt on the photosensor and preventing dirt from adhering to the game ball.

The V-shaped passage section may be any passage having a pair of inclined surfaces, and may be a passage with a V-shaped cross section where the lower ends of the pair of inclined surfaces are connected, or a passage with an inverted trapezoidal cross section that narrows downward.

Means 6: In the gaming machine,
"A game board having a game area where a game is played with a game ball,
a ball launching means capable of supplying game balls to the game area of the game board;
a ball circulation means for collecting the game balls shot by the ball shooting means and supplying them again to the ball shooting means;
a control means capable of controlling the ball circulation means and the ball launching means;
and a game machine that causes the ball launching means to launch game balls based on the ball data of a player that has been converted into digital data,
The ball projecting means and the ball circulating means are
A plurality of stopping sections are provided on a circulation ball path along which the game balls circulate, and are capable of temporarily stopping the circulation of the game balls;
A plurality of ball sensors including a photosensor for detecting game balls stopped at each of the stopping portions;
It has
The stop portion is
"A V-shaped passage section having a pair of inclined surfaces that are inclined so that the gaming ball comes into contact with each other and the spacing between them increases as the surface moves upward" is provided at least in the area of the photosensor, and "a U-shaped passage section having a flat bottom surface with which the gaming ball comes into contact and a width greater than the diameter of the gaming ball, and a pair of side wall surfaces erected from both ends of the bottom surface in the width direction" is provided in the area excluding the V-shaped passage section,
The control means
When the detection time and non-detection time of the gaming ball by the ball sensor exceed a predetermined threshold, the presence or absence of the gaming ball in the stopping area is determined and the ball circulation means is controlled, and further, "the presence or absence of the gaming ball is determined using the same threshold or a different threshold depending on the stopping area," and "the presence or absence of the gaming ball is determined using the same threshold or a different threshold depending on the stopping area."
It is characterized by:

According to the configuration of means 6, the gaming machine is equipped with a gaming board having a gaming area where games are played with gaming balls, a ball launching means capable of supplying gaming balls to the gaming area of the gaming board, a ball circulating means that collects gaming balls launched by the ball launching means and supplies them again to the ball launching means, and a control means that can control the ball circulating means and the ball launching means, and is configured to launch gaming balls using the ball launching means based on the digitized ball data of the player. The ball launching means and ball circulating means are provided on the circulating ball path along which the gaming balls circulate, and have multiple stopping sections that can temporarily stop the circulation of gaming balls, and multiple ball sensors including a photosensor that detect gaming balls stopped at each stopping section, and the stopping sections "are spaced apart as the gaming balls come into contact with each of them and move upward." A "V-shaped passage section having a pair of inclined surfaces that incline so as to widen" is provided at least in the area of the photosensor, and a "C-shaped passage section having a flat bottom surface with which the gaming ball comes into contact and a width greater than the diameter of the gaming ball, and a pair of side walls extending from both widthwise ends of the bottom surface" is provided in the area excluding the V-shaped passage section. When the detection time and non-detection time of the gaming ball by the ball sensor exceed a predetermined threshold, the control means determines the presence or absence of gaming balls in the stopping section and controls the ball circulation means, and further "determines the presence or absence of gaming balls using the same threshold or different thresholds depending on the stopping section," and "determines the presence or absence of gaming balls using the same threshold or different thresholds depending on the stopping section."

In this way, in gaming machines (so-called enclosed gaming machines, managed gaming machines) in which gaming balls launched from a ball launching means that launches gaming balls into the gaming area of the gaming board are collected by a ball circulation means and supplied to the ball launching means, and gaming balls are launched from the ball launching means based on the player's ball holding data (for example, the number of balls held is one or more), a ball sensor is provided at a stopping section on the circulating ball path along which gaming balls circulate, where the gaming balls can temporarily stop, and when the control means determines the presence or absence of gaming balls in the stopping section and controls the ball circulation means when the detection time and non-detection time of the gaming ball by the ball sensor exceed a predetermined threshold. In other words, while conventional determinations use only the condition (threshold) of whether a gaming ball is present (ON) to determine whether a gaming ball is present (ON/OFF), this method sets a threshold for each of the ON (present) and OFF (absent) determinations, and determines whether the gaming ball is present or not only when the threshold is exceeded and there is continuous non-detection or detection. In other words, for example, when the output from the ball sensor is "01111...", it is determined to be ON, and when it is "10000...", it is determined to be OFF. This makes it possible to reliably determine whether a gaming ball is present or not in the stopping section of the ball passage where multiple gaming balls are stopped.

In addition, because the system reliably determines whether or not there are game balls in the holding area and controls the ball circulation means, it is possible to avoid situations where balls run out in the circulation ball path (holding area) and game balls cannot be released even though there is ball holding data (number of balls held), or where the ball circulation means is damaged or jammed when more game balls are supplied to the holding area when it is full, allowing players to continue enjoying the game.

Furthermore, the threshold for determining the presence or absence of game balls can be varied depending on the stopping section (ball sensor). For example, it is possible to lower the threshold for ball sensors in stopping sections such as the ball sending passage of the ball sending unit that supplies game balls to the ball launching means, and to raise the threshold for ball sensors in stopping sections such as the ball lifting inlet passage and ball lifting outlet passage of the ball lifting unit that lifts game balls to the ball sending unit. Therefore, by determining the presence or absence of game balls depending on the circulation speed (stopping frequency) of game balls in the stopping section, the number of stopped game balls, etc., the control means can perform control more efficiently and the load on control can be reduced.

In addition, the threshold for when a game ball is present and the threshold for when a game ball is absent can be different depending on the holding area (ball sensor). For example, the threshold for when a game ball is present and the threshold for when a game ball is absent can be the same for ball sensors in holding areas such as the launch rails of the ball launching means that launches game balls, or the threshold for when a game ball is present and the threshold for when a game ball is absent can be different for ball sensors in holding areas such as the ball lifting inlet passage and ball lifting outlet passage of the ball lifting unit that lifts game balls. Therefore, by making the threshold for when a game ball is present and the threshold for when a game ball is absent the same or different depending on the circulation speed (stopping frequency) of game balls in the holding area, the number of held game balls, etc., the control means can efficiently perform control in accordance with the holding area, reducing the load on control.

Furthermore, because a V-shaped passage is provided at the location of the photosensor in the parking area, when the gaming ball comes into contact with the pair of inclined surfaces of the V-shaped passage, the gaming ball does not swing in the width direction of the passage (ball passage) of the parking area at the photosensor location. This prevents the gaming ball from coming into contact with the sidewall, causing wear or damage to the sidewall and resulting in the generation of dirt, dust, and other contaminants. Therefore, since dirt, dust, and other contaminants within the parking area can be reduced as much as possible, it is possible to prevent false detections caused by dirt, etc. interfering with the light reception and emission of light by the photosensor, and it is possible to provide a gaming machine that can reduce false detections of gaming balls parked in the parking area.

In addition, a U-shaped passageway consisting of a flat bottom and a pair of side wall surfaces is provided in a location other than the V-shaped passageway where the photosensor is located in the retention section. Therefore, when multiple game balls are retained in the U-shaped passageway, they are pushed by the game balls on the upstream side, causing the game balls from the downstream side to line up so that they alternately come into contact with the pair of side wall surfaces. In other words, when multiple game balls are retained in the U-shaped passageway, they line up in a staggered pattern, and the game balls do not line up in a single row on the axis of the retention section (passage). Therefore, because some of the ball pressure of the game balls toward the downstream side can be released alternately to the side wall surfaces they are contacting, the ball pressure on the specific components retaining the game balls can be reduced, making those components less susceptible to damage and eliminating the need to excessively reinforce those components, thereby minimizing increases in the cost of the gaming machine.

Furthermore, at the location of the photosensor in the stopping area, the pair of inclined surfaces of the V-shaped passageway prevent the gaming ball from swinging in the width direction of the ball passageway, so the positional relationship between the photosensor and the gaming ball can be kept constant, eliminating false detections due to misalignment in this positional relationship and ensuring reliable detection of the gaming ball.

In addition, because the V-shaped passageway has a pair of inclined surfaces, even if dirt such as dust and grime is generated by contact with the gaming ball, the inclined surfaces can guide the dirt below the point of contact with the gaming ball, reducing the impact of the dirt on the photosensor and preventing the dirt from adhering to the gaming ball. The V-shaped passageway may be any passageway that has a pair of inclined surfaces, and may be a passageway with a V-shaped cross section where the lower ends of the pair of inclined surfaces are connected, or a passageway with an inverted trapezoidal cross section that narrows downward.

If the threshold is too small, even slight vibrations will cause false detection, resulting in noise in the control. Also, if the threshold is larger than necessary, the state of the game ball will not be detected. Therefore, the appropriate threshold will vary depending on where the ball sensor is installed, but it is desirable to set it at a minimum of 10 ms and a maximum of 300 ms. Furthermore, if the threshold is set to a multiple of the interrupt cycle, the software only needs to count the number of interrupts, reducing the burden on the software.

In this way, the above solution makes it possible to provide a gaming machine that can reliably detect the presence or absence of gaming balls at stopping points in the passageway where gaming balls circulate, where gaming balls are temporarily stopped.

[15-4c. Relationship between the solution of the fourth technical feature and embodiments]
In this embodiment, the ball launching unit 550 of the main frame 4 corresponds to the ball launching means of the above-mentioned solution means, the foul unit 570, the circulating ball path unit 600, the ball lifting unit 650, and the ball sending unit 700 in this embodiment correspond to the ball circulating means of the above-mentioned solution means, the circulation path R in this embodiment corresponds to the circulating ball path of the above-mentioned solution means, the ball launch pad 552b of the ball launching unit 550 in this embodiment, the ball storage passage 604 of the circulating ball path unit 600, the ball lifting inlet passage 651 and the ball lifting outlet passage 652 in the ball lifting unit 650, the ball sending unit The ball sending passage 703 of the ball sending unit 700 corresponds to the stopping portion of the above-mentioned solving means, the launch subtraction sensor 554 of the ball launching unit 550 in this embodiment, the circulating ball shortage sensor 621 and circulating ball excess sensor 622 of the circulating ball path unit 600, the lifting inlet sensor 653 and lifting outlet sensor 654 of the ball lifting unit 650, and the launch pre-sensor 704 of the ball sending unit 700 correspond to the ball sensors of the above-mentioned solving means, and the launch subtraction sensor 554, lifting inlet sensor 653, and lifting outlet sensor 654 in this embodiment correspond to the photosensors of the above-mentioned solving means.

In this embodiment, the ball launch pad 552b, the V-shaped passage section 651a of the ball lifting inlet passage 651, and the V-shaped passage section 652a of the ball lifting outlet passage 652 correspond to the V-shaped passage section of the above-mentioned solution means, the ball storage passage 604, the U-shaped passage section 651b of the ball lifting inlet passage 651, the U-shaped passage section 652b of the ball lifting outlet passage 652, and the ball transport passage 703 in this embodiment correspond to the U-shaped passage section of the above-mentioned solution means, and the frame control board 740 in this embodiment corresponds to the control means of the above-mentioned solution means.

[15-4d. Characteristic effects of the fourth technical feature]
Below, the effects of the lifting inlet sensor 653 of the ball lifting inlet passage 651 in the ball lifting unit 650 will be described as a stopping point where the circulation of game balls B is temporarily stopped and stopped in a fixed position.Since the launch subtraction sensor 554, circulating ball shortage sensor 621, circulating ball excess sensor 622, lifting outlet sensor 654, launch pre-sensor 704, etc. have similar effects, descriptions of their effects will be omitted unless particularly necessary. According to the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, the game balls B launched from the ball launching unit 550 that launches the game balls B into the game area 5a of the game board 5 are collected by the foul unit 570, the circulation ball path unit 600, the ball lifting unit 650, and the ball sending unit 700 and supplied to the ball launching unit 550, and the game balls B are launched from the ball launching unit 550 based on the ball data of the player (the number of balls held is 1 or more). In a gaming machine (a gaming machine with a controlled game system), a lifting entrance sensor 653 consisting of a photosensor is provided in a ball lifting entrance passage 651 of a ball lifting unit 650, which serves as a stopping point where game ball B can temporarily stop on a circulation path R along which game ball B circulates, and when the detection time and non-detection time of game ball B by the lifting entrance sensor 653 exceed a predetermined threshold, a frame control board 740 determines the presence or absence of game ball B in the ball lifting entrance passage 651 and controls the drive of a lifting motor 664. In other words, whereas conventional determinations use only the condition (threshold) of game ball B being present (ON) to determine the presence or absence (ON/OFF) of game ball B, in this embodiment, thresholds are provided for the ON (presence) determination and the OFF (absence) determination, and an ON or OFF determination is made only when the thresholds are exceeded and non-detection or detection continues. That is, for example, when the output from the lifting inlet sensor 653 is "01111...", it is determined to be ON, and when it is "10000...", it is determined to be OFF. This makes it possible to reliably determine the presence or absence of game balls B in the ball lifting inlet passage 651 where multiple game balls B are parked.

In addition, because the system reliably determines whether or not there are game balls B in the ball lifting entrance passage 651 and controls the operation of the lifting motor 664, it is possible to avoid situations where balls run out in the circulation route R (here, the ball lifting entrance passage 651) and game balls B cannot be launched even though there is ball holding data (number of balls held), or where the ball lifting entrance passage 651 is full and more game balls B are supplied, causing damage to the ball lifting unit 650 or ball clogging, allowing players to continue enjoying the game.

Furthermore, the threshold for determining the presence or absence of game balls B can be varied depending on the stopping area where the circulation of game balls B is temporarily stopped. This allows the threshold to be reduced for the pre-launch sensor 704 located in a stopping area such as the ball sending passage 703 of the ball sending unit 700 that supplies game balls B to the ball launching unit 550, or the threshold to be increased for the lift-up inlet sensor 653 and lift-up outlet sensor 654 located in a stopping area such as the ball lift-up inlet passage 651 and ball lift-up outlet passage 652 of the ball lift-up unit 650 that lifts game balls B to the ball sending unit 700. Therefore, by determining the presence or absence of game balls B according to the circulation speed (stop frequency) of game balls B in the stopping area, the number of stopped game balls B, etc., control by the frame control board 740 can be performed more efficiently, and the load on control can be reduced.

In addition, the threshold value for the presence of game ball B and the threshold value for the absence of game ball B can be made different depending on the stopping area where the circulation of game ball B is temporarily stopped.For example, the threshold value for the presence of game ball B and the threshold value for the absence of game ball B can be made the same for the launch subtraction sensor 554 provided in a stopping area such as the ball launch pad 552b of the ball launch unit 550 that launches game ball B, or the threshold value for the presence of game ball B and the threshold value for the absence of game ball B can be made different for the lifting inlet sensor 653 and the lifting outlet sensor 654 provided in a stopping area such as the ball lifting inlet passage 651 and the ball lifting outlet passage 652 of the ball lifting unit 650 that lifts game ball B. Therefore, by determining whether the threshold for the presence of game ball B and the threshold for the absence of game balls are the same or different depending on the circulation speed (stop frequency) of game balls B in the stopping area, the number of stopped game balls B, etc., the control by the frame control board 740 can be performed efficiently in accordance with the stopping area, and the load on control can be reduced.

Furthermore, a V-shaped passage section 651a is provided at the location of the lift-up entrance sensor 653, which consists of a photosensor, in the ball lift-up entrance passage 651. Therefore, when the game ball B comes into contact with the pair of inclined surfaces of the V-shaped passage section 651a, the game ball B does not swing in the width direction of the ball lift-up entrance passage 651 at the location of the lift-up entrance sensor 653. This prevents the game ball B from contacting the sidewall, causing wear or damage to the sidewall and resulting in the generation of dirt, dust, and other contaminants. Therefore, dirt, dust, and other contaminants within the ball lift-up entrance passage 651 can be reduced as much as possible, preventing false detections caused by dirt, etc. interfering with the light reception and emission of the lift-up entrance sensor 653, which consists of a photosensor. This makes it possible to provide a pachinko machine 1 that is capable of reducing false detections of game balls B parked in the parking area.

In addition, a U-shaped passageway 651b consisting of a flat bottom and a pair of side wall surfaces is provided in the ball lifting entrance passageway 651, other than the V-shaped passageway 651a where the lifting entrance sensor 653 consisting of a photosensor is provided. Therefore, when multiple game balls B stop in the U-shaped passageway 651b, they are pushed by the game balls B on the upstream side, causing the game balls B from the downstream side to line up so that they alternately come into contact with the pair of side wall surfaces. In other words, when multiple game balls B stop in the U-shaped passageway 651b, they are lined up in a staggered pattern, and the game balls B are not lined up in a single row on the axis of the ball lifting entrance passageway 651. Therefore, part of the ball pressure of the game ball B toward the downstream side can be released alternately to the side wall surface with which it is in contact, which reduces the ball pressure acting on the lifting spiral shaft 661 that keeps the game ball B stationary, making the lifting spiral shaft 661 less likely to be damaged, and there is no need to reinforce the lifting spiral shaft 661 excessively, which helps to suppress increases in the costs of the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, at the location of the lifting entrance sensor 653, which consists of a photosensor in the ball lifting entrance passage 651, the pair of inclined surfaces of the V-shaped passage section 651a prevents the game ball B from swinging in the width direction of the ball lifting entrance passage 651, so the positional relationship between the lifting entrance sensor 653 and the game ball B can be kept constant, eliminating false detections due to misalignment of this positional relationship and ensuring reliable detection of the game ball B.

Furthermore, since the V-shaped passage portion 651a of the ball lifting inlet passage 651 has a pair of inclined surfaces, even if dirt such as dust and debris is generated by contact with the game ball B, the inclined surfaces can guide the dirt below the point of contact with the game ball B, reducing the impact of the dirt on the lifting inlet sensor 653, which is made up of a photosensor, and preventing dirt from adhering to the game ball B. Note that the V-shaped passage portion 651a may be any passage that has a pair of inclined surfaces, and may be a passage with a V-shaped cross section where the lower ends of the pair of inclined surfaces are connected, or a passage with an inverted trapezoidal cross section that narrows downward.

[15-5. Fifth technical feature]
This specification has the following technical features that are different from those described above.

[15-5a. Background of the fifth technical feature]
There are known gaming machines such as pachinko machines that circulate a large number of gaming balls enclosed inside during play, preventing players from touching the gaming balls (so-called enclosed gaming machines, managed gaming machines) (see, for example, Patent Document X: JP 2020-162850 A). In gaming machines such as this, gaming balls shot into a play area of a gaming board are collected by a ball circulation means and supplied to a ball launching means.

Such so-called enclosed gaming machines are not currently in widespread use, and as they become more widespread, they are expected to be mixed with conventional pachinko machines in island facilities for conventional pachinko machines.

For this reason, even in so-called enclosed gaming machines, the supply balls flow above the rear of the machine, and the collected balls flow below the rear of the machine. As a result, game balls, metal powder generated from game balls, and even screws that were forgotten to be collected during the replacement process fall from above.

In light of the above situation, the following solution aims to provide a gaming machine that can properly handle objects that fall from above the gaming machine.

[15-5b. Solution of the fifth technical feature]
Means 1: In the gaming machine,
"In a gaming machine in which game balls are enclosed inside the machine and games are played with the game balls circulating inside the machine,
The gaming machine accommodates a gaming board in a gaming machine frame, and the gaming machine frame includes an upper cover that protects the gaming board from above and a rear cover that protects the gaming board from behind,
The upper surface of the upper cover is spherical, allowing the game balls to flow backward, but the non-spherical member has a gentle slope that allows the game balls to remain on the upper surface of the upper cover.

Here, "a gaming machine in which gaming balls are sealed inside the machine and games are played using the gaming balls that circulate inside the machine" refers to gaming machines known as sealed-type pachinko machines, circulating-type pachinko machines, and managed gaming machines.

The "top cover" and "rear cover" can be plate-shaped components made of synthetic resin. While it is desirable for the "rear cover" to be able to be opened and closed for maintenance purposes, it is also desirable for it to be difficult to open and close from a security standpoint.

A gentle slope is one with an angle of a few degrees to about 15 degrees from the horizontal plane; any angle greater than that is not suitable as non-spherical screws or metal powder may slide off.

According to the configuration of Means 1, in a gaming machine in which gaming balls are sealed inside and games are played with the gaming balls circulating inside the machine, the gaming machine houses a gaming board in a gaming machine frame, and the gaming machine frame is equipped with an upper cover that protects the gaming board from above and a rear cover that protects it from behind, and the upper surface of the upper cover is spherical, allowing gaming balls to flow backward, while a non-spherical member has a gently sloping surface that allows the gaming balls to remain on the upper surface of the upper cover (see Chapter 4-1. Main Frame Base Unit, Figures 22 to 24, etc. in [Mode for Carrying Out the Invention]).

With the above configuration, for example, game balls that fall from the ball supply passage will simply flow down the top surface of the upper cover and fall straight down into the game ball recovery passage where they are collected, so no problems will arise. Furthermore, because of the gentle slope, metal powder, screws, etc. will not flow down, but will remain on the top surface of the cover that protects them from the top. Therefore, there will be no problems such as screws falling into the recovery passage and interfering with the recovery of game balls.

By creating a gentle slope as described above, falling objects can be selectively allowed to flow down or remain there. In other words, objects falling from above the gaming machine can be properly handled.

In this embodiment, the top surface of the cover that provides protection from above is inclined at 2.00 degrees from the horizontal plane, which, when taken into account, results in a downward inclination of 2.75 degrees when the pachinko machine is installed (typically tilted backward by about 0.75 degrees).

The protective cover for the gaming machine frame that houses the gaming board must have ventilation holes to dissipate heat from the gaming board, but it is preferable to provide these ventilation holes in the rear cover and not in the top cover. Not providing ventilation holes in the top cover prevents metal powder from adversely affecting the electrical components of the gaming board. Furthermore, unevenness caused by the ventilation holes does not impede the flow of gaming balls.

Furthermore, if the top cover is molded using a resin injection molding machine, it is desirable not to provide a so-called gate on the top surface of the top cover through which the resin is injected into the mold. This is because providing a gate could create unevenness, which could hinder the flow of game balls.

Furthermore, when the top cover is molded using a resin injection molding machine, it is desirable to avoid the marks of the ejector pins that are left when the molded product is pushed out of the mold, just like the gate. Naturally, even though the marks from the ejector pins are small, they can still create unevenness that can hinder the flow of game balls, and metal powder can get in when cleaning, making the cover look unsightly.

By keeping the top surface of the top cover as smooth as possible in this way, the effect of this invention, which is to properly handle objects that fall from above the gaming machine, can be better achieved.

Means 2: In the configuration of Means 1,
The device is characterized by the fact that "the upper surface of the top cover does not have ventilation holes, but ventilation holes are provided in the rear cover."

In the configuration of Measure 2, no ventilation holes are provided on the top surface of the top cover, but ventilation holes are provided on the rear cover. In other words, ventilation holes are an essential component of the protective cover for the gaming machine frame that houses the gaming board in order to dissipate heat from the gaming board, which generates heat. However, it is preferable to provide these ventilation holes on the rear cover, but not on the top cover (see the description of ventilation holes 502f in the "Description of the Invention").

By configuring it this way, there are no ventilation holes on the top surface of the top cover, which prevents falling metal powder from adversely affecting the electrical components of the game board. Furthermore, unevenness caused by the ventilation holes does not impede the flow of game balls.

Means 3: In the configuration of means 1 or means 2,
The top cover is made of resin, and no resin injection port is provided on the top surface of the top cover.

In the configuration of Measure 3, the top cover is made of resin, and no resin injection port is provided on the top surface of the top cover (see the description of the top cover 502a of the main body frame base 501 in the "Description of the Invention").

By configuring it in this way, the top surface of the top cover does not have any unevenness caused by the resin injection port (so-called gate), so the flow of game balls is not hindered.

Means 4: In any one of the configurations from means 1 to means 3,
The top cover is made of resin, and no ejector pin marks are left on the top surface of the top cover.

In the configuration of Measure 4, the top cover is made of resin, and no ejector pin marks are left on the top surface of the top cover (see the description of top cover 502a in the "Description of the Invention").

This construction improves the smoothness of the top surface of the top cover because no ejector pin marks are left when the molded product is pushed out of the mold during injection molding. The ejector pin marks are not particularly uneven, but by not leaving any ejector pin marks, they do not interfere with the flow of game balls. Furthermore, since there are no ejector pin marks, metal powder and the like cannot get in during cleaning, resulting in a cleaner appearance.

Means 5: In any one of the configurations of means 1 to 4,
The gaming machine frame is characterized by having an outer frame fixed to the gaming island equipment and a gaming board housing frame journaled on the outer frame, and the top cover being molded integrally with the gaming board housing frame.

According to the configuration of means 5, the gaming machine frame comprises an outer frame fixed to the gaming island equipment and a gaming board housing frame journaled on the outer frame, and the top cover is molded integrally with the gaming board housing frame (see the description of the main frame base 501 in the "Embodiment for Carrying Out the Invention").

By configuring it in this way, it is possible to reduce assembly man-hours by molding it as a single unit, and it is also possible to improve the strength of the entire game board housing frame (main frame).

Means 6: In any one of the configurations from means 1 to means 5,
It is characterized by the fact that "when the game board is accommodated in the game board accommodation frame, the top cover has a positioning portion on the inside that contacts the game board and positions it."

According to the configuration of means 6, when a gaming board is placed in the gaming board storage frame, the top cover has a positioning portion on its inside that contacts the gaming board and positions it (see the description of the abutment surface 502j in the "Description of the Preferred Embodiments").

By configuring it in this way, the positional relationship between the game board and the top cover is firmly fixed, thereby achieving the purpose of protecting the game board in the game board storage frame.

In this way, the above solution makes it possible to provide a gaming machine that can properly handle objects that fall from above the gaming machine.

[15-5c. Relationship between the solution of the fifth technical feature and embodiments]
The main frame 4 in the game board 5 of this embodiment corresponds to the game board storage frame of the above-mentioned solution means, the top cover 502a of the main frame base 501 in this embodiment corresponds to the top cover of the above-mentioned solution means, the rear cover 502b in this embodiment corresponds to the rear cover of the above-mentioned solution means, and the ventilation hole 502f in this embodiment corresponds to the ventilation hole of the above-mentioned solution means.

[15-5d. Characteristic effects of the fifth technical feature]
According to the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, the top cover 502a of the main body frame base 501, which protects the game board 5 housed in the main body frame 4 from above, has a gently sloping top surface that slopes downward toward the rear, making it possible to properly handle game balls B, metal powder, screws, etc. that fall from above the pachinko machine 1. Specifically, spherical game balls B can be made to flow down the top surface of the top cover 502a and fall below the pachinko machine 1, so the game balls B are collected as they are and do not cause any trouble. Furthermore, non-spherical metal powder, screws, etc. can be retained on the top cover 502a without flowing down, so they also do not cause any trouble.

Furthermore, no ventilation holes 502f are provided on the top surface of this top cover 502a. This prevents metal powder, screws, etc. from entering through the ventilation holes 502f and does not adversely affect the electrical components of the game board 5.

Furthermore, the top surface of the top cover 502a, which is molded using an injection molding machine, does not have a gate for injecting molten resin into the mold during molding. As a result, no irregularities caused by the gate are created on the top surface of the top cover 502a, and the flow of the game ball B is not impeded.

Similarly, care has been taken to avoid leaving ejector pin marks when the injection-molded main frame base 501 is removed from the mold. Normally, ejector pin marks are unlikely to hinder the flow of game balls B if the burrs are properly removed, but when cleaning the top surface of the top cover 502a where metal powder or the like has accumulated, the ejector pin marks may remain and spoil the aesthetic appearance. For this reason, by not leaving ejector pin marks, the aesthetic appearance can be easily restored by cleaning.

In addition, this top cover 502a is molded integrally with the main frame base 501. Molding it in this manner reduces assembly labor and improves the strength of the entire main frame base unit 500 (game board housing frame).

The top surface of the top cover 502a not only protects the game board 5 housed inside, but also has a positioning portion (abutment surface 502j) on the inside that contacts the game board 5 to position it. This fixes the positional relationship between the game board 5 and the top cover 502a, thereby fulfilling the purpose of the game board housing frame (main frame 4) of protecting the game board 5.

Furthermore, no reinforcing ribs are provided on the top surface of the top cover 502a, which means that ribs do not make cleaning difficult and maintenance is easier. However, if there are other components (e.g., frame 501a, outer frame 2, etc.) covering the top surface of the top cover 502a, and ribs are provided in areas where foreign objects will not fall, it is acceptable to provide ribs.

[15-6. Sixth Technical Feature]
This specification has the following technical features that are different from those described above.

[15-6a. Background of the sixth technical feature]
In recent years, the effective use of resources has become increasingly important against the backdrop of environmental issues. From this perspective, development is underway to form more parts of gaming machines from recyclable materials. On the other hand, the replacement cycles of gaming machines at gaming halls (amusement parlors) that install gaming machines are becoming shorter, and the number of gaming machines being disposed of and dismantled is on the rise. As a result, the burden of dismantling and sorting gaming machines is increasing, and there is a demand to reduce this work even as much as possible.

For example, in conventional gaming machines such as those shown in Patent Document Y (JP 2017-018185 A), when attempting to disassemble the side unit (ball entry unit), which has multiple general winning slots as ball entry ports, by pulling it forward and removing it from the gaming panel, the ball entry unit bends, causing the positioning protrusions inserted into the positioning holes in the gaming panel to tilt, resulting in a problem of time-consuming disassembly.

In light of the above situation, the following measures aim to provide a gaming machine that reduces the amount of disassembly work required when separating parts for recycling, etc.

[15-6b. Solution of the sixth technical feature]
Means 1: In the gaming machine,
"In a gaming machine having a ball entry unit attached to the front of a gaming panel that has multiple ball entry ports through which game balls can enter and through which game balls can flow down,
The ball entry unit is
a first component member having a positioning protrusion inserted into a positioning hole provided in the gaming panel and a first mounting hole for mounting to the gaming panel, the first component member being attached to the gaming panel so as to close an opening provided to penetrate the gaming panel from the front side;
a second component member having a second mounting hole for mounting to the first component member and attached to the rear side of the first component member;
The invention is characterized by the fact that it comprises the following.

Here, "ball entry port" refers to "a prize entry port that confers a specified bonus when a gaming ball enters (for example, a general prize entry port, regular prize entry port, start prize entry port (start prize entry port), big prize entry port, special prize entry port, V prize entry port, etc.)" and "an outlet port that ejects a gaming ball from the gaming machine without awarding a bonus even if the gaming ball enters, and without returning it to the player," etc.

The "ball inlet" may be provided in either the first component or the second component.

Furthermore, examples of "game panels" include "those made of wooden plywood such as plywood," "those made of a panel board machined from a transparent resin board and a panel holder that holds the outer periphery of the panel board," and "those made by injection molding transparent resin."

According to the configuration of means 1, in a gaming machine equipped with a ball entry unit that has multiple ball entry ports through which gaming balls can enter and is attached to the front of a gaming panel through which gaming balls can flow, the ball entry unit includes: a first component member that has a positioning protrusion that is inserted into a positioning hole provided in the gaming panel and a first mounting hole for mounting to the gaming panel, and is attached to the gaming panel so as to block from the front an opening that penetrates the gaming panel; and a second component member that has a second mounting hole for mounting to the first component member and is attached from the rear side of the first component member (see chapter [12-1. Side unit of the second embodiment] in [Mode for carrying out the invention] and the descriptions in Figures 103 to 105, etc.).

As a result, the first component is attached to the front of the gaming panel with a mounting screw via the first mounting hole, and the second component is attached with a mounting screw via the second mounting hole, thereby increasing the rigidity of the ball-entering unit made up of the first and second components. Therefore, when disassembling a gaming machine for recycling, etc., when the mounting screw threaded into the gaming panel via the first mounting hole is removed and the ball-entering unit is pulled forward, the increased rigidity of the ball-entering unit prevents the ball-entering unit from bending. Therefore, the positioning protrusion of the ball-entering unit (first component) does not tilt relative to the positioning hole in the gaming panel. This allows the ball-entering unit to be easily removed from the gaming panel, thereby providing a gaming machine that reduces the disassembly work required for sorting.

In addition, because the second component is attached to the rear of the first component with a mounting screw through the second mounting hole, the mounting screws that attach the second component are less visible from the front, improving the appearance of the gaming machine.

It is desirable to provide a first mounting hole in the first component for mounting to the gaming panel near the positioning protrusion. This allows the mounting screw to be screwed into the gaming panel through the first mounting hole, firmly pressing the positioning protrusion against the gaming panel and ensuring it is inserted into the positioning hole in the gaming panel, preventing the positioning protrusion from floating up due to incomplete insertion.

The second component may also be attached from the rear side of the first component so as to protrude into the opening. This allows the second component, which is attached from the back side of the first component, to protrude into the opening of the gaming panel. This makes it possible to make more effective use of the gaming panel's thickness than when the second component protrudes from the front or rear of the gaming panel, making it easier to secure empty space in front of or behind the gaming panel. This makes it possible to install decorative elements, LED boards, movable gadgets, and other presentation devices in this empty space, providing a gaming machine that is more appealing to players.

Furthermore, the second component may be attached from the rear side of the first component so as to protrude into the opening, and may have a ball passage between it and the first component, which allows game balls that enter the ball entrance to flow down along the surface of the game panel. As a result, the second component is provided with a ball passage that allows game balls to flow down along the surface of the game panel, and the cross section of the ball passage is U-shaped, which increases the rigidity of the second component. Furthermore, since the second component, whose rigidity is increased by the ball passage, is attached from the rear side of the first component to form the ball entrance unit, the rigidity of the ball entrance unit can be further increased, making it possible to provide a gaming machine that can reliably achieve the above-mentioned effects.

Furthermore, as described above, the second component attached from the back side of the first component protrudes into the opening of the gaming panel, and a ball passage is provided between the first and second component members to allow gaming balls that enter the ball entrance to flow down along the surface of the gaming panel. This makes it possible to make more effective use of the gaming panel's thickness and more easily secure empty space behind the gaming panel compared to when the ball passage is provided behind the rear surface of the gaming panel. This makes it possible to install decorative elements, LED boards, movable gadgets, and other presentation devices in this empty space, providing a gaming machine that is more appealing to players.

It is also desirable to provide at least two positioning protrusions spaced apart in the longitudinal direction of the first component. This means that multiple positioning protrusions on the first component are spaced apart in the longitudinal direction of the first component, so when the ball scoring unit is attached to the gaming panel, it will not rotate along the surface of the gaming panel, and the ball scoring unit can be reliably positioned at the desired position on the gaming panel.

However, when multiple positioning protrusions are provided spaced apart in the longitudinal direction on a conventional ball-entering unit with low rigidity, pulling the ball-entering unit forward during disassembly causes the center of the ball-entering unit to bend in a curved shape, moving forward. This bending creates a force that tilts the longitudinally spaced positioning protrusions so that their tips approach each other, preventing the positioning protrusions from coming out of the positioning holes in the gaming panel. In contrast, as described above, when multiple positioning protrusions on the first component are provided spaced apart in the longitudinal direction of the first component, the rigidity of the ball-entering unit is increased by attaching the second component to the first component. Therefore, even if the ball-entering unit is pulled forward, the ball-entering unit does not bend and the spaced apart positioning protrusions do not tilt. This allows the ball-entering unit to be easily removed from the gaming panel, providing a gaming machine that reduces the disassembly work required for separation.

Furthermore, it is desirable to provide the ball entry openings on the first component member so that they protrude forward beyond the front surface of the gaming panel. This allows multiple ball entry openings to protrude forward beyond the front surface of the gaming panel, so that when pulling the ball entry unit forward to remove it from the gaming panel during disassembly of the gaming machine, the ball entry openings can be grasped and pulled, making it easier to remove the ball entry unit.

The second component may also have multiple ball entry ports that protrude forward beyond the front surface of the first component, and a flat front plate connecting the front ends of the multiple ball entry ports. This allows the second component, which connects the front ends of the multiple ball entry ports that protrude forward with the flat front plate, to be attached to the rear side of the first component, which is attached to the front surface of the gaming panel, via the first mounting hole to form a ball entry unit. This provides greater rigidity than conventional ball entry units, and can achieve the same effects as those described above.

The first component may also have a flat base plate that can abut against the front surface of the gaming panel. By providing the first component with a flat base plate, the base plate can be used to block the opening in the gaming panel from the front by attaching the first component to the front surface of the gaming panel through the first mounting hole. This allows the rear of the gaming panel to be hidden by the base plate from the front (player side) through the opening, improving the appearance of the gaming machine. In this case, the flat base plate may reduce the rigidity of the first component, but because the second component is attached from the rear of the first component, the rigidity of the ball-scoring unit formed by the first and second components can be increased compared to that of conventional ball-scoring units, achieving the same effects as those described above.

Means 2: In the configuration of Means 1,
"The second component is attached to the rear side of the first component so as to protrude into the opening."
It is characterized by being something.

According to the configuration of Measure 2, the second component is attached to the rear side of the first component so as to protrude into the opening (see the description of the second component 2812 of the side unit 2800 in the "Description of the Preferred Embodiments").

As a result, the second component, which is attached from the back side of the first component, protrudes into the opening of the gaming panel. This makes more effective use of the gaming panel's thickness than if the second component protruded from the front or rear of the gaming panel, making it easier to secure empty space in front of or behind the gaming panel. This makes it possible to install decorative elements, LED boards, movable gadgets, and other presentation devices in this empty space, providing a gaming machine that is more appealing to players.

Means 3: In the configuration of means 1 or means 2,
"The second component is attached to the rear side of the first component so as to protrude into the opening, and has a ball passage between the first component and the second component that allows game balls that enter the ball entrance to flow down along the surface of the game panel."
It is characterized by being something.

According to the configuration of Means 3, the second component is attached to the rear side of the first component so as to protrude into the opening, and has a ball passage between it and the first component that allows game balls that enter the ball entrance to flow down along the surface of the game panel (see the description of the second component 2812 of the side unit 2800 in the "Description of the Invention").

As a result, the second component is provided with a ball passage that allows game balls to flow down along the surface of the gaming panel, and the cross section of the ball passage is U-shaped, which increases the rigidity of the second component. Furthermore, the second component, whose rigidity is increased by the ball passage, is attached from the rear side of the first component to form the ball entry unit, which further increases the rigidity of the ball entry unit, making it possible to provide a gaming machine that can reliably achieve the above-mentioned effects.

In addition, the second component, which is attached from the back side of the first component, protrudes into the opening of the gaming panel, and a ball passage is provided between the first and second component members to allow gaming balls that enter the ball entrance to flow down along the surface of the gaming panel. This makes it possible to make more effective use of the gaming panel's thickness and more easily secure empty space behind the gaming panel than when the ball passage is provided behind the rear surface of the gaming panel. This makes it possible to install decorative elements, LED boards, movable gadgets, and other presentation devices in this empty space, providing a gaming machine that is more appealing to players.

When installing a ball sensor to detect game balls circulating in the ball passage, it is desirable to install the ball sensor within the thickness of the game panel (inside the opening). Alternatively, it is desirable to install the ball sensor below the performance device (movable prop) installed behind it. This prevents the ball sensor from interfering with the performance device, and makes it possible to increase the range of motion of the movable prop.

Means 4: In any one of the configurations from means 1 to means 3,
"At least two of the positioning protrusions are provided spaced apart in the longitudinal direction of the first component."
It is characterized by being something.

According to the configuration of means 4, at least two positioning protrusions are provided spaced apart in the longitudinal direction of the first component (see the description of the first component 2811 of the side unit 2800 in the "Description of the Preferred Embodiments").

As a result, the multiple positioning protrusions on the first component are spaced apart in the longitudinal direction of the first component, so when the ball-scoring unit is attached to the gaming panel, it will not rotate along the surface of the gaming panel, and the ball-scoring unit can be reliably positioned at the desired position on the gaming panel.

However, when a conventional ball-entering unit with low rigidity has multiple positioning protrusions spaced apart in the longitudinal direction, pulling the ball-entering unit forward during disassembly causes the center of the ball-entering unit to bend in a curved shape and move forward. This bending creates a force that tilts the longitudinally spaced positioning protrusions so that their tips approach each other, preventing the positioning protrusions from coming out of the positioning holes in the gaming panel. In contrast, with this configuration, the rigidity of the ball-entering unit is increased by attaching the second component to the first component as described above. Therefore, even when the ball-entering unit is pulled forward, the ball-entering unit does not bend and the longitudinally spaced positioning protrusions do not tilt. This allows the ball-entering unit to be easily removed from the gaming panel, providing a gaming machine that reduces the disassembly work required for separation.

Means 5: In any one of the configurations from means 1 to means 5,
"The ball entrance is provided in the first component member so as to protrude forward beyond the front surface of the gaming panel."
It is characterized by being something.

According to the configuration of means 5, the ball entrance is provided in the first component so as to protrude forward beyond the front surface of the gaming panel (see the description of the first component 2811 of the side unit 2800 in the "Description of the Preferred Embodiments").

As a result, multiple ball entry ports protrude forward from the front of the gaming panel, so when disassembling the gaming machine, the ball entry port can be grasped and pulled when pulling the ball entry unit forward to remove it from the gaming panel, making it easier to remove the ball entry unit.

Means 6: In any one of the configurations of means 1 to 5,
The second component member has a plurality of ball inlets that protrude forward beyond the front surface of the first component member, and a flat front plate that connects the front ends of the plurality of ball inlets.
It is characterized by being something.

According to the configuration of means 6, the second component has multiple ball inlets that protrude forward beyond the front surface of the first component, and a flat front plate that connects the front ends of the multiple ball inlets (see the description of the second component 2812A of the side unit 2800D in the "Description of the Invention").

As a result, the ball entry unit is constructed by attaching the second component, which connects the front ends of multiple forward-protruding ball entry ports with a flat front plate, to the rear side of the first component, which is attached to the front surface of the gaming panel through the first mounting hole. This makes it more rigid than conventional ball entry units and achieves the same effects as those described above.

Means 7: In any one of the configurations of means 1 to 6,
"The first component member has a flat base plate that can come into contact with the front surface of the gaming panel."
It is characterized by being something.

According to the configuration of means 7, the first component member has a flat base plate that can abut against the front surface of the gaming panel (see the description of the first component member 2811 of the side unit 2800 in the "Description of the Preferred Embodiments").

As a result, because the first component is provided with a flat base plate, by attaching the first component to the front of the gaming panel via the first mounting hole, the base plate can block the opening in the gaming panel from the front. This makes it possible to hide the rear of the gaming panel from the front (player side) through the opening with the base plate, improving the appearance of the gaming machine. In this case, the flat base plate can reduce the rigidity of the first component, but because the second component is attached from the rear of the first component, the rigidity of the ball-scoring unit made up of the first and second component members can be increased compared to the rigidity of conventional ball-scoring units, achieving the same effects as those described above.

Means 8: In the gaming machine,
"In a gaming machine having a ball entry unit attached to the front of a gaming panel that has multiple ball entry ports through which game balls can enter and through which game balls can flow down,
The ball entry unit is
a first component member having a positioning protrusion inserted into a positioning hole provided in the gaming panel and a first mounting hole for mounting to the gaming panel, the first component member being attached to the gaming panel so as to close an opening provided to penetrate the gaming panel from the front side;
a second component member having a second mounting hole for mounting to the first component member and attached to the rear side of the first component member;
Equipped with
The first component member has a flat base plate from which the positioning protrusion protrudes and through which the first mounting hole penetrates, and which can abut against the front surface of the game panel, and at least two of the positioning protrusions are provided so as to be spaced apart in the longitudinal direction of the base plate, and the ball entrance is provided so as to protrude forward beyond the front surface of the base plate,
The second component is attached to the rear side of the first component so as to protrude into the opening, and has a ball passage between it and the first component that allows game balls that enter the ball entrance to flow down along the surface of the game panel.
It is characterized by being something.

According to the configuration of means 8, in a gaming machine equipped with a ball entry unit that has a plurality of ball entry ports through which gaming balls can enter and is attached to the front of a gaming panel through which gaming balls can flow down, the ball entry unit comprises a first component member that has a positioning protrusion that is inserted into a positioning hole provided in the gaming panel and a first mounting hole for mounting to the gaming panel, and is attached to the gaming panel so as to block the opening that penetrates the gaming panel from the front side, and a second component member that has a second mounting hole for mounting to the first component member and is attached from the rear side of the first component member. The first component has a flat base plate with a positioning projection protruding therefrom and a first mounting hole passing therethrough that can abut against the front surface of the gaming panel. At least two positioning projections are provided spaced apart in the longitudinal direction of the base plate, and the ball entrance is provided so as to protrude forward of the front surface of the base plate. The second component is attached to the rear side of the first component so as to protrude into the opening, and has a ball passage between it and the first component that allows gaming balls that enter the ball entrance to flow down along the surface of the gaming panel.

As a result, because the first component is provided with a flat base plate, by attaching the first component to the front of the gaming panel by screwing mounting screws into the gaming panel through the first mounting holes that penetrate the base plate, the base plate can block the opening of the gaming panel from the front. This allows the rear of the gaming panel to be hidden by the base plate from the front (player side) through the opening, improving the appearance of the gaming machine. Meanwhile, the second component is provided with a ball passage that allows gaming balls to flow down along the surface of the gaming panel. The cross section of the ball passage is U-shaped, which increases the rigidity of the second component. While the flat base plate can reduce the rigidity of the first component, the second component, whose rigidity is increased by the ball passage, is attached to the rear of the first component through the second mounting holes with mounting screws, thereby forming the ball entry unit. This increases the rigidity of the ball entry unit compared to conventional ball entry units. Therefore, when disassembling a gaming machine for recycling, etc., the ball-scoring unit will not bend when the mounting screw threaded into the gaming panel through the first mounting hole is removed and the ball-scoring unit is pulled forward. This increases the rigidity of the ball-scoring unit, so the positioning protrusion of the ball-scoring unit (first component) will not tilt relative to the positioning hole in the gaming panel. This allows the ball-scoring unit to be easily removed from the gaming panel, providing a gaming machine that reduces the amount of disassembly work required for sorting.

However, because the multiple positioning protrusions on the first component are spaced apart in the longitudinal direction of the first component, when the first component is pulled forward during disassembly, the first component bends in a curved shape, moving the center of the first component forward. This bending creates a force that tilts the longitudinally spaced positioning protrusions so that their tips approach each other, potentially preventing the positioning protrusions from being removed from the positioning holes in the gaming panel. However, in this configuration, as described above, the second component is attached to the rear of the first component to form the ball-entering unit, and the rigidity of this ball-entering unit is increased. Therefore, even when the ball-entering unit is pulled forward, the ball-entering unit does not bend and the spaced apart positioning protrusions do not tilt. This allows the ball-entering unit to be easily removed from the gaming panel, resulting in a gaming machine that reduces the disassembly work required for separation.

Furthermore, because the multiple ball entry ports protrude forward from the front of the gaming panel, when disassembling the gaming machine, the ball entry port can be grasped and pulled when pulling the ball entry unit forward to remove it from the gaming panel, making it easier to remove the ball entry unit.

In addition, because the second component is attached to the rear of the first component with a mounting screw through the second mounting hole, the mounting screws that attach the second component are less visible from the front, improving the appearance of the gaming machine.

In addition, a ball passage that allows game balls that enter the ball entrance to flow down along the surface of the game panel is provided between the first and second component members, protruding into the opening of the game panel. This makes it possible to make effective use of the game panel's thickness and make it easier to secure empty space behind the game panel, compared to conventional ball entrance units that guide game balls that enter the ball entrance behind the rear surface of the game panel and provide a ball passage behind the rear surface of the game panel to allow them to flow downward. This makes it possible to provide presentation devices such as decorative elements, LED boards, and movable parts in this empty space, making it possible to provide a game machine that is more appealing to players.

Furthermore, since the multiple positioning protrusions on the first component are spaced apart in the longitudinal direction of the first component, when the ball-scoring unit is attached to the gaming panel, it will not rotate along the surface of the gaming panel, and the ball-scoring unit can be reliably positioned at the desired position on the gaming panel.

Furthermore, if the first mounting hole for mounting the first component to the gaming panel is provided near the positioning protrusion, the mounting screw can be screwed into the gaming panel through the first mounting hole, firmly pressing the positioning protrusion against the gaming panel and ensuring it is inserted into the positioning hole in the gaming panel, preventing the positioning protrusion from floating up due to incomplete insertion.

In this way, the above solution makes it possible to provide a gaming machine that reduces the amount of disassembly work required when sorting for recycling, etc.

[15-6c. Relationship between the solution of the sixth technical feature and embodiments]
The panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100 in the game board 5 of this embodiment corresponds to the game panel of the above-mentioned solving means, the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110 in this embodiment corresponds to the opening of the above-mentioned solving means, the positioning hole 1113 in this embodiment corresponds to the positioning hole of the above-mentioned solving means, the general winning port 2001 in this embodiment, the ball receiving portion 2811b of the first component member 2811, and the ball receiving portion 2812c of the second component member 2812 correspond to the ball entrance ports of the above-mentioned solving means, and the side unit 2800, side unit 2800B, side unit 2800C, side unit 2800D, side unit 2800E, side unit 2800F, and side unit 2800G in this embodiment correspond to the ball entrance units of the above-mentioned solving means, respectively.

In addition, the first component 2811 and the first component 2811A in this embodiment correspond to the first component of the solution, the base plate 2811a in this embodiment corresponds to the base plate of the solution, the positioning protrusion 2811c in this embodiment corresponds to the positioning protrusion of the solution, the mounting hole 2811d in this embodiment corresponds to the first mounting hole of the solution, the second component 2812 and the second component 2812A in this embodiment correspond to the second component of the solution, the ball passage 2812a and the ball passage 2812f in this embodiment correspond to the ball passage of the solution, the front plate 2812d in this embodiment corresponds to the front plate of the solution, and the mounting hole of the second component 2812 in this embodiment corresponds to the second mounting hole of the solution.

[15-6d. Characteristic effects of the sixth technical feature]
Here, side unit 2800 will be described as a representative of the features of side unit 2800, side unit 2800B, side unit 2800C, side unit 2800D, side unit 2800E, side unit 2800F, and side unit 2800G in this embodiment. According to this embodiment, in the side unit 2800 attached to the front surface of the panel plate 1110 of the gaming panel 1100, a flat base plate 2811a is provided on the first component 2811, and by screwing mounting screws into the panel plate 1110 of the gaming panel 1100 through mounting holes 2811d that pass through the base plate 2811a and attaching the first component 2811 to the front surface of the panel plate 1110, the base plate 2811a can block the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110 from the front side, and the base plate 2811a can hide the components at the rear of the gaming panel 1100 through the opening 1112 from the front side (player side), thereby improving the appearance of the pachinko machine 1. On the other hand, the second component 2812 is provided with a ball passage 2812a that allows the game ball B to flow down along the surface of the panel board 1110 of the game panel 1100, and since the cross section of the ball passage 2812a is U-shaped, the presence of the ball passage 2812a can increase the rigidity of the second component 2812. Furthermore, since the base plate 2811a is flat, the rigidity of the first component 2811 may be reduced, but since the second component 2812, whose rigidity is increased by the ball passage 2812a, is attached to the rear side of the first component 2811 with mounting screws through its mounting holes to form the side unit 2800, the rigidity of the side unit 2800 can be increased compared to conventional side units. Therefore, in disassembling the pachinko machine 1 (game board 5) for recycling or the like, when the mounting screws screwed into the panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100 via the mounting holes 2811d are removed and the side unit 2800 is pulled forward, the side unit 2800 does not bend due to the increased rigidity of the side unit 2800, and the positioning protrusions 2811c of the first component member 2811 in the side unit 2800 do not tilt relative to the positioning holes 1113 of the panel plate 1110, and the side unit 2800 can be easily removed from the panel plate 1110, thereby providing a pachinko machine 1 that can reduce the disassembly work required for sorting.

In the side unit 2800, the multiple positioning protrusions 2811c on the first component 2811 are arranged so that they are spaced apart in the longitudinal direction of the first component 2811. Therefore, when the first component 2811 is pulled forward during disassembly, the center of the first component 2811 bends in a curved shape so that it moves forward. This bending causes a force to tilt each of the positioning protrusions 2811c so that the tips of the positioning protrusions 2811c that are spaced apart in the longitudinal direction move closer to each other, which may prevent the positioning protrusions 2811c from being removed from the positioning holes 1113 of the panel board 1110 in the gaming panel 1100. However, in this embodiment, as described above, the side unit 2800 is formed by attaching the second component 2812 to the rear side of the first component 2811, and the rigidity of the side unit 2800 is increased. Therefore, even if the side unit 2800 is pulled forward, the side unit 2800 does not bend and the positioning protrusions 2811c, which are spaced apart in the longitudinal direction, do not tilt. This means that the side unit 2800 can be easily removed from the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100, and a pachinko machine 1 can be provided that reduces the disassembly work required for separation.

Furthermore, according to the side unit 2800, multiple ball receiving portions 2811b (general winning openings 2001) protrude forward from the front surface of the panel plate 1110 of the gaming panel 1100. Therefore, when pulling the side unit 2800 forward to remove it from the panel plate 1110 during disassembly of the pachinko machine 1, the ball receiving portions 2811b can be grasped and pulled, making it easier to remove the side unit 2800.

Furthermore, with the side unit 2800, the second component 2812 is attached to the rear side of the first component 2811 with mounting screws through its mounting holes, making it difficult to see the mounting screws attaching the second component 2812 from the front, improving the appearance of the pachinko machine 1.

In addition, according to the side unit 2800, a ball passage 2812a is provided between the first component 2811 and the second component 2812, which protrudes into the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110, allowing the game ball B that has entered the ball receiving portion 2811b (general winning port 2001) to flow down along the surface of the panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100.Therefore, compared to conventional side units which guide the game ball B that has entered the general winning port 2001 behind the rear surface of the game panel 1100 (panel plate 1110) and provide a ball passage behind the rear surface of the game panel 1100 to allow it to flow downward, the thickness of the panel plate 1110 can be effectively utilized, making it easier to secure empty space behind the game panel 1100 (panel plate 1110). Therefore, it is possible to install presentation devices such as decorations, LED boards, and movable gadgets (below-the-scenes presentation unit 3500) in this empty space, providing a pachinko machine 1 that is more appealing to players.

Furthermore, according to the side unit 2800, the multiple positioning protrusions 2811c on the first component 2811 are spaced apart in the longitudinal direction of the first component 2811. Therefore, when the side unit 2800 is attached to the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100, the side unit 2800 does not rotate along the surface of the panel board 1110, and the side unit 2800 can be reliably positioned at the desired position on the panel board 1110.

In addition, according to the side unit 2800, the mounting hole 2811d for mounting the first component 2811 to the panel plate 1110 of the gaming panel 1100 is located near the positioning protrusion 2811c. Therefore, by screwing a mounting screw into the panel plate 1110 of the gaming panel 1100 through the mounting hole 2811d and tightening it, the positioning protrusion 2811c can be firmly pressed against the panel plate 1110, ensuring that it is inserted into the positioning hole 1113 of the panel plate 1110. This prevents the positioning protrusion 2811c from floating up due to incomplete insertion.

[15-7. Seventh Technical Feature]
This specification has the following technical features that are different from those described above.

[15-7a. Background of the seventh technical feature]
In recent years, the effective use of resources has become increasingly important against the backdrop of environmental issues. From this perspective, development is underway to form more parts of gaming machines from recyclable materials. On the other hand, the replacement cycles of gaming machines at gaming halls (amusement parlors) that install gaming machines are becoming shorter, and the number of gaming machines being disposed of and dismantled is on the rise. As a result, the burden of dismantling and sorting gaming machines is increasing, and there is a demand to reduce this work even as much as possible.

For example, in conventional gaming machines such as those shown in Patent Document Y (JP 2017-018185 A), when attempting to disassemble the side unit (ball entry unit), which has multiple general winning slots as ball entry ports, by pulling it forward and removing it from the gaming panel, the positioning protrusions of the ball entry unit are inserted into the positioning holes of the gaming panel, and resistance to the inner surface of the positioning holes makes it difficult to remove the positioning protrusions, resulting in a time-consuming disassembly process.

In light of the above situation, the following measures aim to provide a gaming machine that reduces the amount of disassembly work required when separating parts for recycling, etc.

[15-7b. Solution of the seventh technical feature]
Means 1: In the gaming machine,
"In a gaming machine having a ball entry unit attached to the front of a gaming panel that has multiple ball entry ports through which game balls can enter and through which game balls can flow down,
The gaming panel includes:
It has an opening area through which game balls can flow from the front side to the rear side,
The ball entry unit is
The ball entry unit has a positioning protrusion that is inserted into a positioning hole provided in the game panel, and an attachment hole for attachment to the game panel, and is attached to the game panel so as to block from the front a normal opening area of the opening area through which game balls that have entered the ball entry opening can pass, and is also attached to the game panel so that a part of the outer edge of the ball entry unit overlaps with a specific opening area of the opening area through which game balls that have not entered the ball entry opening can pass.
It is characterized by being something.

Here, "ball entry port" refers to "a prize entry port that confers a specified bonus when a gaming ball enters (for example, a general prize entry port, regular prize entry port, start prize entry port (start prize entry port), big prize entry port, special prize entry port, V prize entry port, etc.)" and "an outlet port that ejects a gaming ball from the gaming machine without awarding a bonus even if the gaming ball enters, and without returning it to the player," etc.

Furthermore, examples of "game panels" include "those made of wooden plywood such as plywood," "those made of a panel board machined from a transparent resin board and a panel holder that holds the outer periphery of the panel board," and "those made by injection molding transparent resin."

Furthermore, examples of "opening areas" include "holes that penetrate the gaming panel and whose inner periphery is connected around the entire circumference," and "notch-like areas that penetrate the gaming panel and have a portion that is open to the side of the gaming panel." Furthermore, "opening areas" include a normal opening area through which gaming balls that enter the ball entry opening can pass, and a specific opening area (out opening) through which gaming balls that do not enter the ball entry opening can pass, and the specific opening area may be connected to the normal opening area, or the specific opening area may be independent and not connected to the normal opening area.

Examples of "ball entry units" include "ones that are at least composed of a first component attached to the front of the gaming panel so as to block the normal opening area that penetrates the gaming panel from the front, and a second component attached from the rear of the first component, with a ball entry port provided in the first component or the second component," "ones that are at least composed of a flat base plate attached to the front of the gaming panel so as to block the normal opening area that penetrates the gaming panel from the front, and a ball receiving portion that protrudes forward from the base plate and is open upward and rearward, forming a ball entry port," and "ones that are at least composed of a flat base plate attached to the front of the gaming panel so as to block the normal opening area that penetrates the gaming panel from the front, and a ball entry port that penetrates the base plate."

Furthermore, "a part of the outer edge of the ball entry unit that overlaps the ball outlet" means that the part overlaps with the ball outlet when viewed from the front, and the outer edge constituting the part may be in contact with the front surface of the gaming panel, or the outer edge may be separated from the surface of the gaming panel.

According to the configuration of means 1, in a gaming machine having a ball entry unit attached to the front of a gaming panel that has multiple ball entry ports through which gaming balls can enter and through which gaming balls can flow, the gaming panel has an opening area through which gaming balls can flow from the front side to the rear side, and the ball entry unit has a positioning protrusion that is inserted into a positioning hole provided in the gaming panel and an attachment hole for attachment to the gaming panel, and is attached to the gaming panel so as to block from the front a normal opening area of the opening area through which gaming balls that have entered the ball entry ports can flow, and is attached to the gaming panel so that a portion of the outer edge of the ball entry unit overlaps a specific opening area of the opening area through which gaming balls that have not entered the ball entry ports can flow (see chapter [12-3. Side unit, etc. of the third embodiment] in [Mode for carrying out the invention], Figures 112 and 114, etc.).

This allows the ball entry unit to be attached to the front of the gaming panel by inserting the ball entry unit's positioning protrusion into the gaming panel's positioning hole from the front and then screwing and tightening the mounting screw into the gaming panel through the mounting hole. The ball that enters the ball entry port of the ball entry unit can be guided to the rear of the gaming panel through the normal opening area of the opening area of the gaming panel. Since the normal opening area of the gaming panel is blocked from the front by the ball entry unit, the rear of the gaming panel can be obscured and hidden through the normal opening area, improving the appearance of the gaming machine. When the ball entry unit is attached to the front of the gaming panel, a portion of the outer edge of the ball entry unit overlaps with the specific opening area of the opening area (when viewed from the front, a portion of the outer edge overlaps with the projected range of the specific opening area), so a portion of the outer edge protrudes toward the center of the specific opening area. Furthermore, when disassembling a gaming machine for recycling or the like, the ball-scoring unit can be removed from the gaming panel by hooking a worker's finger or tool on the part of the ball-scoring unit's outer edge that overlaps with the specific opening area, allowing the ball-scoring unit to be pulled forward with great force. This makes it possible to provide a gaming machine that can easily remove the ball-scoring unit from the gaming panel against the resistance between the positioning hole and the positioning protrusion, reducing the amount of disassembly work required for sorting.

It is desirable to provide a mounting hole for attaching the ball entry unit to the gaming panel near the positioning protrusion. This allows the mounting screw to be screwed into the gaming panel through the mounting hole and tightened, firmly pressing the positioning protrusion against the gaming panel and ensuring it is inserted into the positioning hole on the gaming panel, preventing the positioning protrusion from floating up due to incomplete insertion.

The front surface of the outer edge of the ball-entering unit may also be inclined toward the rear. Since the front surface of the outer edge of the ball-entering unit is inclined toward the rear, the corners of the outer edge are obtuse angles. Therefore, when a worker hooks their fingers or other objects on the part of the outer edge of the ball-entering unit that overlaps with the specific opening area to remove the ball-entering unit from the gaming panel during disassembly of the gaming machine, even if their fingers or other objects come into contact with the corners of the outer edge, the obtuse angle makes it less likely that the fingers or other objects will be injured compared to when the corners are right angles, and the ball-entering unit can be safely removed with the fingers or other objects.

Furthermore, when the front surface of the outer edge is inclined as described above, the corner of the outer edge of the ball entry unit becomes an obtuse angle. Therefore, compared to when the corner is a right angle, even if the game ball rolls along the outer edge to enter the specific opening area, the corner of the outer edge will not chip, thereby improving the durability of the ball entry unit.

Furthermore, as described above, by tilting the outer edge of the ball entry unit backward, the game ball can be smoothly guided into the specific opening area, preventing the game ball from becoming stuck in the specific opening area.

Furthermore, it is desirable to make the outer edge of the ball-entering unit transparent. This makes it possible to avoid the specific opening area appearing smaller in size, even if part of the outer edge overlaps with the specific opening area, since the outer edge of the ball-entering unit is made transparent.

It is also desirable to provide the positioning protrusions at a location close to the specific opening area and at a location far from the specific opening area. This means that the two positioning protrusions are spaced apart from each other, so when the ball-entering unit is attached to the gaming panel, it will not rotate along the surface of the gaming panel, and the ball-entering unit can be reliably positioned at the desired location on the gaming panel.

However, if the ball-entering unit has two positioning protrusions that are inserted into positioning holes in the gaming panel, attempting to simultaneously pull both positioning protrusions out of the positioning holes when removing the ball-entering unit from the gaming panel during disassembly requires the ball-entering unit to be pulled forward with great force, which could increase the burden on the worker. In contrast, if positioning protrusions are provided at locations close to and far from the specific opening area as described above, one positioning protrusion is provided near the specific opening area. Therefore, when removing the ball-entering unit from the gaming panel during disassembly of a gaming machine for recycling, etc., the worker can hook their finger or other object onto the portion of the ball-entering unit's outer edge that overlaps the specific opening area and pull it forward, applying a strong pulling force to the positioning protrusion close to the specific opening area. As a result, during disassembly, of the two positioning protrusions, the one closest to the specific opening region can be removed from the positioning hole first, and then the remaining positioning protrusion farther from the specific opening region can be removed from the positioning hole. This means that the positioning protrusions can be removed with less force than if two positioning protrusions were to be removed at the same time, reducing the workload.

Also, the portion of the outer edge that overlaps the specific opening area may be made to penetrate the specific opening area and protrude rearward beyond the rear surface of the gaming panel. However, when disassembling a gaming machine, if an operator hooks their fingers or the like on the portion of the outer edge that overlaps the specific opening area and pulls it forward to remove the ball-entering unit from the gaming panel, if the strength of that portion is weak, there is a risk that the outer edge will crack and the ball-entering unit will remain on the gaming panel. In contrast, as described above, by increasing the depth of the portion of the outer edge of the ball entry unit that overlaps with the specific opening area, the size of the specific opening area (ball discharge port) is smaller (the passage volume for discharging game balls is smaller) compared to a method in which part of the outer edge (extension portion) overlaps on the front of the game panel, or the size of the specific opening area (ball discharge port) is increased in advance (the passage volume for discharging game balls is increased), but because the strength of this portion can be increased, it will not break (be damaged) even if an operator hooks their finger or the like on this portion and pulls forward, and the ball entry unit can be reliably removed from the game panel.

Furthermore, as described above, if the portion of the outer edge that overlaps with the specific opening area is made to penetrate the specific opening area and protrude further rearward than the rear surface of the gaming panel, this portion can cover the inner surface of the specific opening area, making it difficult for players to see, improving the appearance of the gaming machine.

Furthermore, the ball entry unit may have a flat base plate that forms the outer edge and has a positioning protrusion protruding from it and a mounting hole penetrating it, and that can abut against the front surface of the gaming panel. This allows the ball entry unit to have a flat base plate, and by attaching the ball entry unit to the front surface of the gaming panel through the mounting hole, the base plate can block the normal opening area of the gaming panel from the front side. This makes it possible to use the base plate to hide the rear of the gaming panel from the front side (player side) through the normal opening area, improving the appearance of the gaming machine.

Means 2: In the gaming machine,
"In a gaming machine equipped with a gaming panel through which gaming balls can flow,
a ball entry unit having a ball entry port through which a game ball can enter;
A ball outlet into which game balls that did not enter the ball entrance can enter,
The ball entry unit has a positioning protrusion to be inserted into a positioning hole provided in the game panel, and an attachment hole for attachment to the game panel, and is attached to the game panel so as to fit into a normal opening area formed in the game panel,
The ball discharge port is configured by a specific opening area formed in the gaming panel separate from the normal opening area into which the ball entry unit is fitted,
An extension portion is formed on the outer edge of the ball entry unit,
The extension portion is formed so that at least a portion thereof overlaps the edge of the specific opening area when the positioning protrusion of the ball entry unit is inserted into the positioning hole of the game panel.
It is characterized by being something.

Here, "normal opening areas" and "specific opening areas" include "hole-like areas that penetrate the gaming panel and whose inner periphery is connected around the entire circumference," "notch-like areas that penetrate the gaming panel and have a portion that is open to the side of the gaming panel," etc.

According to the configuration of means 2, an amusement machine equipped with a gaming panel through which gaming balls can flow down is provided with a ball entry unit having a ball entry port through which gaming balls can enter, and a ball discharge port through which gaming balls that do not enter the ball entry port can enter. The ball entry unit has a positioning protrusion that is inserted into a positioning hole provided in the gaming panel and an attachment hole for attachment to the gaming panel, and is attached to the gaming panel so as to fit into a normal opening area formed in the gaming panel. The ball discharge port is formed by a specific opening area formed in the gaming panel separate from the normal opening area into which the ball entry unit fits. An extension portion is formed on the outer edge of the ball entry unit, and the extension portion is formed so that at least a portion of the extension portion overlaps the edge of the specific opening area when the positioning protrusion of the ball entry unit is inserted into the positioning hole of the gaming panel (see the description of the embodiment shown in Figures 112 and 113 in the [Form for implementing the invention]).

This allows the ball entry unit to be attached to the front of the gaming panel by inserting the ball entry unit's positioning protrusion into the gaming panel's positioning hole from the front and then screwing and tightening the mounting screw into the gaming panel through the mounting hole. The ball that enters the ball entry unit's entry port can be guided to the rear of the gaming panel through the gaming panel's normal opening area. Because the ball entry unit is attached to the gaming panel so that it fits into the normal opening area of the gaming panel, the rear of the gaming panel can be hidden and made difficult to see through the normal opening area, improving the appearance of the gaming machine. When the ball entry unit is attached to the front of the gaming panel, the extension of the ball entry unit's outer edge is formed so that a portion of it overlaps the edge of the specific opening area (when viewed from the front, a portion of the outer edge overlaps the projected range of the specific opening area), and therefore a portion of the extension protrudes toward the center of the specific opening area. Furthermore, when removing the ball-scoring unit from the gaming panel during disassembly for recycling or other purposes, the worker can hook their fingers or tools on the portion (extension) on the outer edge of the ball-scoring unit that overlaps with the edge of the specific opening area, allowing them to pull the ball-scoring unit forward with great force. This makes it possible to provide a gaming machine that allows the ball-scoring unit to be easily removed from the gaming panel against the resistance between the positioning hole and the positioning protrusion, reducing the amount of disassembly work required for sorting.

In addition, because the ball outlet (specific opening area) is formed separately from the normal opening area on the gaming panel, the strength of the gaming panel can be prevented from decreasing compared to when the normal opening area and the specific opening area are connected.

Means 3: In the gaming machine,
"In a gaming machine equipped with a gaming panel through which gaming balls can flow,
a ball entry unit having a ball entry port through which a game ball can enter;
A ball outlet into which game balls that did not enter the ball entrance can enter,
The ball entry unit has a positioning protrusion to be inserted into a positioning hole provided in the game panel, and an attachment hole for attachment to the game panel, and is attached to the game panel so as to be inserted into a normal opening area formed in the game panel,
The ball discharge port is formed on the game panel so as to be continuous with the normal opening area into which the ball entry unit is fitted, but is composed of a specific opening area into which the ball entry unit is not fitted,
An extension portion is formed on the outer edge of the ball entry unit,
The extension portion is formed so that at least a portion thereof overlaps the edge of the specific opening area when the positioning protrusion of the ball entry unit is inserted into the positioning hole of the game panel.
It is characterized by being something.

According to the configuration of means 3, an amusement machine equipped with a gaming panel through which gaming balls can flow down includes a ball entry unit having a ball entry port through which gaming balls can enter, and a ball discharge port through which gaming balls that do not enter the ball entry port can enter. The ball entry unit has a positioning protrusion that is inserted into a positioning hole provided in the gaming panel and an attachment hole for attachment to the gaming panel, and is attached to the gaming panel so as to be inserted into a normal opening area formed in the gaming panel. The ball discharge port is formed in the gaming panel so as to be continuous with the normal opening area into which the ball entry unit is fitted, but is composed of a specific opening area into which the ball entry unit is not fitted. An extension portion is formed on the outer edge of the ball entry unit, and at least a portion of the extension portion is formed to overlap the edge of the specific opening area when the positioning protrusion of the ball entry unit is inserted into the positioning hole of the gaming panel (see the description of the embodiment shown in Figure 114 in the [Form for implementing the invention]).

This allows the ball entry unit to be attached to the front of the gaming panel by inserting the ball entry unit's positioning protrusion into the gaming panel's positioning hole from the front and then screwing and tightening the mounting screw into the gaming panel through the mounting hole. The ball that enters the ball entry unit's entry port can be guided to the rear of the gaming panel through the gaming panel's normal opening area. Because the ball entry unit is attached to the gaming panel so that it fits into the normal opening area of the gaming panel, the rear of the gaming panel can be hidden and made difficult to see through the normal opening area, improving the appearance of the gaming machine. When the ball entry unit is attached to the front of the gaming panel, the extension of the ball entry unit's outer edge is formed so that a portion of it overlaps the edge of the specific opening area (when viewed from the front, a portion of the outer edge overlaps the projected range of the specific opening area), and therefore a portion of the extension protrudes toward the center of the specific opening area. Furthermore, when removing the ball-scoring unit from the gaming panel during disassembly for recycling or other purposes, the worker can hook their fingers or tools on the portion (extension) on the outer edge of the ball-scoring unit that overlaps with the edge of the specific opening area, allowing them to pull the ball-scoring unit forward with great force. This makes it possible to provide a gaming machine that allows the ball-scoring unit to be easily removed from the gaming panel against the resistance between the positioning hole and the positioning protrusion, reducing the amount of disassembly work required for sorting.

In addition, because the ball outlet (specific opening area) is formed on the gaming panel so that it is continuous with the normal opening area, when a cutting tool such as an end mill is used to form the normal opening area and the specific opening area on the gaming panel, the normal opening area and the specific opening area can be cut continuously, thereby reducing the cost of the gaming panel.

Means 4: In any one of the configurations from means 1 to means 3,
"The ball-entering unit is inclined so that the front surface of the outer edge faces rearward."
It is characterized by being something.

According to the configuration of Means 4, the ball-entering unit has the front surface of its outer edge inclined toward the rear (see the description of the base plate 2811a, finger rest 2816, and finger rest 2817 of the first component 2811 in the "Description of the Invention").

As a result, the front surface of the outer edge of the ball-entering unit is inclined toward the rear, resulting in an obtuse corner on the outer edge. Therefore, when removing the ball-entering unit from the gaming panel during disassembly of the gaming machine, even if the worker's finger or other object comes into contact with the corner of the outer edge when hooking the part of the ball-entering unit's outer edge (extension portion) that overlaps with the specific opening area, the obtuse angle of the corner makes it less likely that the finger or other object will be injured compared to when the corner is a right angle, and the ball-entering unit can be safely removed with the finger or other object.

Furthermore, as mentioned above, because the corners of the outer edge of the ball entry unit are obtuse angles, even if the game ball rolls along the outer edge to enter the specific opening area, the corners of the outer edge will not chip, compared to when the corners are right angles, thereby improving the durability of the ball entry unit.

In addition, the outer edge of the ball entry unit is tilted backward, allowing the game ball to be smoothly guided into the specific opening area, preventing the game ball from becoming stuck in the specific opening area.

Means 5: In any one of the configurations of means 1 to 4,
"The outer edge of the ball-entering unit is transparent."
It is characterized by:

According to the configuration of means 5, the ball entry unit is characterized by having a transparent outer edge (see the description regarding the base plate 2811a of the first component member 2811 in the [Form for implementing the invention]).

This makes the outer edge of the ball-entering unit transparent, so even if part of the outer edge overlaps the specific opening area, it is possible to avoid the specific opening area appearing smaller.

Means 6: In any one of the configurations of means 1 to 5,
"The positioning protrusions are provided at a portion close to the specific opening region and a portion far from the specific opening region."
It is characterized by being something.

According to the configuration of Means 6, the positioning protrusions are provided in a region close to the specific opening region and a region far from the specific opening region (see the description of the positioning protrusions 2811c of the first component 2811 in the "Description of Embodiments").

As a result, the two positioning protrusions are spaced apart from each other, so when the ball-entering unit is attached to the gaming panel, it will not rotate along the surface of the gaming panel, and the ball-entering unit can be reliably positioned at the desired position on the gaming panel.

However, if the ball-entering unit has two positioning protrusions that are inserted into positioning holes in the gaming panel, attempting to simultaneously pull both positioning protrusions out of the positioning holes when removing the ball-entering unit from the gaming panel during disassembly requires the ball-entering unit to be pulled forward with great force, which could increase the burden on the worker. In contrast, with this configuration, one positioning protrusion is provided near the specific opening area. Therefore, when removing the ball-entering unit from the gaming panel during disassembly of a gaming machine for recycling, etc., the worker can hook their finger or other object onto the part of the outer edge (extension portion) of the ball-entering unit that overlaps with the specific opening area and pull it forward, applying a strong pulling force to the positioning protrusion close to the specific opening area. As a result, during disassembly, of the two positioning protrusions, the one closest to the specific opening region can be removed from the positioning hole first, and then the remaining positioning protrusion farther from the specific opening region can be removed from the positioning hole. This means that the positioning protrusions can be removed with less force than if two positioning protrusions were to be removed at the same time, reducing the workload.

Means 7: In any one of the configurations of means 1 to 6,
"The portion of the outer edge that overlaps with the specific opening area penetrates the specific opening area and protrudes rearward beyond the rear surface of the gaming panel."
It is characterized by being something.

According to the configuration of Means 7, the portion of the outer edge that overlaps with the specific opening area penetrates the specific opening area and protrudes rearward beyond the rear surface of the gaming panel (see the description of the finger grip portion 2817 in the "Description of the Preferred Embodiments").

When disassembling a gaming machine, if an operator hooks their fingers or other objects around the portion of the outer edge (extension portion) that overlaps the specific opening area and pulls it forward to remove the ball-entering unit from the gaming panel, there is a risk that the outer edge will break, leaving the ball-entering unit on the gaming panel. In contrast, with this configuration, the depth of the portion of the outer edge of the ball-entering unit that overlaps the specific opening area is increased, which reduces the size of the specific opening area (ball outlet) compared to a method in which part of the outer edge (extension portion) overlaps with the front of the gaming panel (reducing the passage volume for discharging game balls). Alternatively, the size of the specific opening area (ball outlet) must be increased in advance (increasing the passage volume for discharging game balls). However, because the strength of this portion can be increased, even if an operator hooks their fingers or other objects around this portion and pulls it forward, it will not break (be damaged), and the ball-entering unit can be reliably removed from the gaming panel.

In addition, the portion of the outer edge that overlaps with the specific opening area penetrates the specific opening area and protrudes rearward beyond the rear surface of the gaming panel, covering the inner surface of the specific opening area and making it difficult for players to see, improving the appearance of the gaming machine.

Means 8: In any one of the configurations of means 1 to 7,
The ball entry unit is characterized by having a flat base plate that forms the outer edge, with the positioning protrusion protruding and the mounting hole passing through it, and that can abut against the front surface of the game panel.

According to the configuration of means 8, the ball-entering unit has a flat base plate that forms the outer edge and has a positioning protrusion protruding from it and a mounting hole penetrating it, and that can abut against the front surface of the gaming panel (see the description of the base plate 2811a of the first component 2811 in the "Description of the Preferred Embodiments").

As a result, the ball entry unit is equipped with a flat base plate, and by attaching the ball entry unit to the front of the gaming panel via the mounting holes, the base plate can block the normal opening area of the gaming panel from the front. This makes it possible to hide the rear of the gaming panel from the front (player side) through the normal opening area with the base plate, improving the appearance of the gaming machine.

Means 9: In any one of the configurations of means 1 and means 4 to 8,
"The specific opening area is not connected to the normal opening area and is provided independently so as to penetrate the gaming panel."
It is characterized by being something.

According to the configuration of means 9, the specific opening area is not connected to the normal opening area but is provided independently so as to penetrate the gaming panel (see the description of the embodiment shown in Figures 112 and 113 in the [Form for implementing the invention]).

In addition to achieving the same effects as above, this configuration also prevents a decrease in the strength of the gaming panel, since the specific opening area is provided independently of the normal opening area and is not connected to the normal opening area.

Means 10: In any one of the configurations of means 1 and means 4 to 8,
"The specific opening area is provided so as to be connected to the normal opening area."
It is characterized by being something.

According to the configuration of means 10, the specific opening area is arranged so as to be connected to the normal opening area (see the description of the embodiment shown in Figure 114 in the "Form for implementing the invention").

In addition to achieving the same effects as above, this also means that the specific opening area and the normal opening area are connected, so when forming opening areas (normal opening area and specific opening area) on the gaming panel using a cutting tool such as an end mill, the normal opening area and the specific opening area can be cut continuously, reducing the cost of the gaming panel.

Means 11: In the gaming machine,
"In a gaming machine having a ball entry unit attached to the front of a gaming panel that has multiple ball entry ports through which game balls can enter and through which game balls can flow down,
The gaming panel includes:
The game panel has an opening area in which game balls can flow from the front side to the rear side, and which is made up of a normal opening area through which game balls that have entered the ball entrance can flow, and a specific opening area through which game balls that have not entered the ball entrance can flow, and the specific opening area is not connected to the normal opening area but penetrates the game panel independently, or the specific opening area is connected to the normal opening area,
The ball entry unit is
a flat base plate that can contact the front surface of the game panel, a positioning protrusion that protrudes from the base plate and is inserted into a positioning hole provided in the game panel, and an attachment hole that penetrates the base plate and is used for attachment to the game panel; the base plate is attached to the game panel so as to close the normal opening area of the opening area from the front side, and the base plate is attached to the game panel so that a part of the transparent outer edge of the base plate overlaps the specific opening area of the opening area;
Furthermore, the front surface of the outer edge of the base plate is inclined toward the rear, and the positioning protrusions are provided at a portion close to the ball discharge port and a portion far from the ball discharge port.
It is characterized by being something.

According to the configuration of means 11, in a gaming machine having a ball entry unit attached to the front of a gaming panel that has multiple ball entry ports through which gaming balls can enter and through which gaming balls can flow, the gaming panel is configured to allow gaming balls to flow from the front side to the rear side, and is composed of a normal opening area through which gaming balls that have entered the ball entry port can flow and a specific opening area through which gaming balls that have not entered the ball entry port can flow, and the specific opening area is not connected to the normal opening area but penetrates the gaming panel independently, or the specific opening area is connected to the normal opening area, and the ball entry unit is It has a flat base plate that can abut against the front of the panel, positioning protrusions that protrude from the base plate and are inserted into positioning holes provided in the gaming panel, and mounting holes that penetrate the base plate for mounting to the gaming panel. It is attached to the gaming panel so as to cover the normal opening area of the opening area from the front, and is attached to the gaming panel so that part of the transparent outer edge of the base plate overlaps the specific opening area of the opening area. Furthermore, the front of the outer edge of the base plate is inclined toward the rear, and positioning protrusions are provided in areas close to the ball discharge opening and areas far from the ball discharge opening.

This allows the ball entry unit to be attached to the front of the gaming panel by inserting the positioning protrusions protruding from the base plate of the ball entry unit into the positioning holes of the gaming panel from the front, abutting the base plate against the front surface of the gaming panel, and then screwing and tightening mounting screws into the gaming panel through the mounting holes that penetrate the base plate. Balls that enter the ball entry port of the ball entry unit can be guided to the rear of the gaming panel through the normal opening area of the opening area of the gaming panel. Since the normal opening area of the gaming panel is blocked from the front by the base plate of the ball entry unit, the rear of the gaming panel can be obscured and hidden through the normal opening area, improving the appearance of the gaming machine. When the ball entry unit is attached to the front surface of the gaming panel, a portion of the transparent outer edge of the base plate of the ball entry unit overlaps with the specific opening area of the opening area (when viewed from the front, a portion of the outer edge overlaps the projection range of the specific opening area), so a portion of the outer edge protrudes toward the center of the specific opening area. Furthermore, when disassembling a gaming machine for recycling or other purposes, the ball-scoring unit can be removed from the gaming panel by hooking a worker's fingers or tools into the area of the base plate's outer edge that overlaps with the specific opening area. By hooking a finger or tool, the ball-scoring unit can be pulled forward with great force along with the base plate. This makes it possible to easily remove the ball-scoring unit from the gaming panel against the resistance between the positioning hole and the positioning protrusion, providing a gaming machine that reduces the disassembly work required for sorting.

However, if the ball-entering unit has two positioning protrusions that are inserted into positioning holes in the gaming panel, attempting to simultaneously pull both positioning protrusions out of the positioning holes when removing the ball-entering unit from the gaming panel during disassembly requires the ball-entering unit to be pulled forward with great force, which could increase the burden on the worker. In contrast, with this configuration, the positioning protrusions are provided at locations close to and far from the specific opening area. Therefore, when removing the ball-entering unit from the gaming panel during disassembly of a gaming machine for recycling, etc., the worker can hook their fingers or other objects onto the portion of the outer edge of the ball-entering unit that overlaps the specific opening area and pull it forward, applying a strong pulling force to the positioning protrusion closest to the specific opening area. As a result, during disassembly, of the two positioning protrusions, the one closest to the specific opening region can be removed from the positioning hole first, and then the remaining positioning protrusion farther from the specific opening region can be removed from the positioning hole. This means that the positioning protrusions can be removed with less force than if two positioning protrusions were to be removed at the same time, reducing the workload.

In addition, because the front surface of the outer edge of the base plate of the ball-entering unit is inclined toward the rear, the corners of the outer edge are obtuse. Therefore, when a worker hooks their fingers or other objects on the part of the ball-entering unit's outer edge that overlaps with the specific opening area to remove the ball-entering unit from the gaming panel during disassembly of the gaming machine, even if their fingers or other objects come into contact with the corners of the outer edge, the obtuse angle makes it less likely that the fingers or other objects will be injured compared to when the corners are right angles, and the ball-entering unit can be safely removed with the fingers or other objects.

Furthermore, as mentioned above, because the corners of the outer edge of the ball entry unit are obtuse angles, even if the game ball rolls along the outer edge to enter the specific opening area, the corners of the outer edge will not chip, compared to when the corners are right angles, thereby improving the durability of the ball entry unit.

In addition, the front surface of the outer edge of the base plate of the ball entry unit is inclined toward the rear, resulting in an obtuse angle at the corner of the outer edge. Therefore, even if the game ball rolls along the outer edge to enter the specific opening area, the obtuse angle of the outer edge prevents the outer edge from chipping, improving the durability of the ball entry unit.

In addition, the outer edge of the base plate in the ball entry unit is tilted backward, allowing the game ball to be smoothly guided into the specific opening area, preventing the game ball from becoming stuck in the specific opening area.

Furthermore, because the outer edge of the base plate in the ball-entering unit is transparent, even if part of the outer edge overlaps with the specific opening area, the size of the specific opening area does not appear smaller.

In addition, because the two positioning protrusions are spaced apart, when the ball-entering unit is attached to the gaming panel, it will not rotate along the surface of the gaming panel, allowing the ball-entering unit to be reliably positioned at the desired position on the gaming panel.

It is desirable to provide a mounting hole for attaching the ball entry unit to the gaming panel near the positioning protrusion. This allows the mounting screw to be screwed into the gaming panel through the mounting hole and tightened, firmly pressing the positioning protrusion against the gaming panel and ensuring it is inserted into the positioning hole on the gaming panel, preventing the positioning protrusion from floating up due to incomplete insertion.

In this way, the above solution makes it possible to provide a gaming machine that reduces the amount of disassembly work required when sorting for recycling, etc.

[15-7c. Relationship between the solution of the seventh technical feature and embodiments]
The outlet 1008 and specific opening area 1103 in the game board 5 of this embodiment correspond to the ball outlet (specific opening area) of the above-mentioned solution means, the opening area 1101 of the game panel 1100 of this embodiment corresponds to the opening area of the above-mentioned solution means, the panel board 1110 of the game panel 1100 of this embodiment corresponds to the game panel of the above-mentioned solution means, the opening 1112 and normal opening area 1102 of the panel board 1110 of this embodiment correspond to the normal opening area of the above-mentioned solution means, the positioning hole 1113 in this embodiment corresponds to the positioning hole of the above-mentioned solution means, the general winning port 2001 in this embodiment and the ball receiving portion 2811b of the first component member 2811 correspond to the ball entry port of the above-mentioned solution means, and the side unit 2800G in this embodiment corresponds to the ball entry unit of the above-mentioned solution means.

In addition, the base plate 2811a in this embodiment corresponds to the base plate (extension) of the above-mentioned solution, the positioning protrusion 2811c in this embodiment corresponds to the positioning protrusion of the above-mentioned solution, and the mounting hole 2811d in this embodiment corresponds to the mounting hole of the above-mentioned solution. Furthermore, the finger hook portion 2816 and the finger hook portion 2817 in this embodiment correspond to the area where a portion of the outer edge (base plate, extension) of the ball receiving unit (side unit 2800G) overlaps with the ball discharge port (outlet 1008, specific opening area 1103) of the above-mentioned solution.

[15-7d. Characteristic effects of the seventh technical feature]
According to this embodiment, the positioning protrusion 2811c protruding from the base plate 2811a of the side unit 2800G on the gaming board 5 is inserted from the front into the positioning hole 1113 of the panel plate 1110 on the gaming panel 1100, and the base plate 2811a is abutted against the front surface of the panel plate 1110. Then, a mounting screw is screwed into the panel plate 1110 of the gaming panel 1100 through the mounting hole 2811d that penetrates the base plate 2811a and tightened, thereby enabling the side unit 2800G to be attached to the front surface of the panel plate 1110 of the gaming panel 1100, and the gaming ball B that has entered the ball entry port of the general winning port 2001 (ball receiving portion 2811b) of the side unit 2800G can be guided to the rear of the gaming panel 1100 through the opening 1112 (normal opening area 1102 of the opening area 1101) of the panel plate 1110. In this case, the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100 is blocked from the front by the base plate 2811a of the side unit 2800G, so that the rear of the gaming panel 1100 can be hidden and made difficult to see through the opening 1112, improving the appearance of the pachinko machine 1 (gaming board 5). When the side unit 2800G is attached to the front of the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100, a part of the transparent outer edge (finger hook portion 2816 and finger hook portion 2817) of the base plate 2811a of the side unit 2800G is attached so as to overlap with the outlet 1008 (specific opening region 1103 of the opening region 1101) (in a front view, a part of the outer edge overlaps with the projection range of the outlet 1008), so that the finger hook portion 2816 (finger hook portion 2817) protrudes toward the center of the outlet 1008. Furthermore, when disassembling the pachinko machine 1 for recycling or the like, when removing the side unit 2800G from the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100, the worker can hook his/her fingers or tools on the finger hooks 2816 (2817) that overlap with the outlet 1008 on the outer edge of the base plate 2811a, and by hooking his/her fingers or the like, the side unit 2800G can be pulled forward together with the base plate 2811a with great force. Therefore, the side unit 2800G can be easily removed from the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100 against the resistance between the positioning holes 1113 and the positioning protrusions 2811c, and a pachinko machine 1 can be provided that can reduce the disassembly work required for sorting.

However, since the side unit 2800G is provided with two positioning protrusions 2811c, each of which is inserted into the positioning holes 1113 of the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100, when removing the side unit 2800G from the panel board 1110 during disassembly, if an attempt is made to simultaneously pull out the two positioning protrusions 2811c from the positioning holes 1113, it will be necessary to pull the side unit 2800G forward with great force, which may increase the burden on the worker. In contrast to this, in this embodiment, the positioning protrusions 2811c are provided at locations close to and far from the outlet 1008, so that when disassembling the pachinko machine 1 for recycling or the like, when removing the side unit 2800G from the panel board 1110 of the game panel 1100, the worker can hook his/her finger or the like onto the finger hook portion 2816 (finger hook portion 2817) that overlaps with the outlet 1008 at the outer edge of the base plate 2811a of the side unit 2800 and pull it forward, thereby applying a strong pulling force to the positioning protrusion 2811c that is close to the outlet 1008. As a result, during disassembly, of the two positioning protrusions 2811c, the positioning protrusion 2811c closest to the outlet 1008 can be removed from the positioning hole 1113 first, and then the remaining positioning protrusion 2811c farthest from the outlet 1008 can be removed from the positioning hole 1113. This means that the positioning protrusions 2811c can be removed with less force than when pulling out two positioning protrusions 2811c at the same time, reducing the workload.

In addition, because the front surface of the outer edge of the base plate 2811a of the side unit 2800G is inclined toward the rear, the corners of the outer edge are obtuse angles. Therefore, when disassembling the pachinko machine 1 to remove the side unit 2800G from the panel plate 1110 of the gaming panel 1100, the worker's fingers or the like are hooked on the finger hook portion 2816 (finger hook portion 2817) that overlaps with the outlet 1008 on the outer edge of the base plate 2811a of the side unit 2800G. Even if the fingers or the like come into contact with the corners of the outer edge of the base plate 2811a, the obtuse angle of the corner makes it less likely that the fingers or the like will be injured compared to when the corners are right angles, and the side unit 2800G can be safely removed with the fingers or the like.

Furthermore, as mentioned above, the corners of the outer edge of the base plate 2811a of the side unit 2800G are obtuse angles. Therefore, compared to when the corners are right angles, even if the game ball B rolls along the outer edge of the base plate 2811a to enter the outlet 1008, the outer edge will not be chipped, thereby improving the durability of the side unit 2800G.

In addition, the outer edge of the base plate 2811a of the side unit 2800G is tilted backward, allowing the game ball B to be smoothly guided to the outlet 1008, preventing the game ball B from becoming stuck at the outlet 1008.

Furthermore, because the outer edge of the base plate 2811a of the side unit 2800G is transparent, even if part of the outer edge overlaps with the outlet 1008, as with the finger hook portion 2816 (finger hook portion 2817), the outlet 1008 does not appear to be smaller in size.

Furthermore, because the two positioning protrusions 2811c are spaced apart from each other, when the side unit 2800G is attached to the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100, the side unit 2800G does not rotate along the surface of the panel board 1110, and the side unit 2800G can be reliably positioned at the desired position on the panel board 1110.

In addition, the mounting hole 2811d for mounting the side unit 2800G to the panel plate 1110 of the gaming panel 1100 is located near the positioning protrusion 2811c. By screwing a mounting screw into the mounting hole 1114 of the panel plate 1110 through the mounting hole 2811d and tightening it, the positioning protrusion 2811c can be firmly pressed against the panel plate 1110, ensuring that it is inserted into the positioning hole 1113 of the panel plate 1110. This prevents the positioning protrusion 2811c from floating up due to incomplete insertion.

When disassembling the pachinko machine 1, in order to remove the side unit 2800G from the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100, if the worker hooks his/her fingers or the like on the part of the outer edge of the base plate 2811a that overlaps with the outlet 1008 and pulls it forward, if the strength of that part is weak, there is a risk that the outer edge will crack and the side unit 2800G will remain on the gaming panel 1100 side. In contrast, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 113, the depth of the finger hook 2817 that overlaps with the outlet 1008 at the outer edge of the base plate 2811a of the side unit 2800G is increased. This reduces the size of the specific opening area 1103 (outlet 1008) (reducing the passage volume for discharging game ball B) compared to a method in which part of the outer edge (extension) of the base plate 2811a overlaps with the front of the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100. Alternatively, the size of the specific opening area 1103 (outlet 1008) is increased in advance (increasing the passage volume for discharging game ball B). However, because the strength of the finger hook 2817 can be increased, the finger hook 2817 will not crack (break) even if an operator hooks their finger or the like on it and pulls it forward, and the side unit 2800G can be reliably removed from the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100.

Furthermore, the finger hook portion 2817 that overlaps with the outlet 1008 at the outer edge of the base plate 2811a of the side unit 2800G passes through the outlet 1008 and protrudes rearward beyond the rear surface of the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100. This allows the finger hook portion 2817 to cover the inner surface of the outlet 1008, making it difficult for players to see, improving the appearance of the pachinko machine 1.

[15-8. Eighth Technical Feature]
This specification has the following technical features that are different from those described above.

[15-8a. Background of the eighth technical feature]
In recent years, in gaming machines such as pachinko machines, in order to create effects that can attract the attention of players, the effect devices have been made larger, the range of movement of the effect devices has been widened, and the effect devices have been given flashy illumination decorations.

In conventional gaming machines such as those described in Patent Document Y (JP 2017-018185 A), a ball entry unit with multiple ball entry ports (e.g., general prize entry ports) is attached to the front of a gaming panel along which gaming balls flow. Gaming balls that enter the ball entry ports of this ball entry unit are guided to the rear of the gaming panel, where they are detected by a ball sensor in a ball guidance unit located behind the gaming panel and then ejected downward. To illuminate and decorate such a ball entry unit, an LED with an LED mounted on it must be installed behind the ball guidance unit located behind the ball entry unit. However, installing an LED board narrows the space behind the ball entry unit, making it difficult to secure more space for installing performance devices.

The following measures take into consideration the above situation and aim to provide a gaming machine that can present more impactful effects by making it easier to secure space behind the ball-entering unit.

[15-8b. Solution of the eighth technical feature]
Means 1: In the gaming machine,
"In a gaming machine having a ball entry unit attached to the front of a gaming panel that has multiple ball entry ports through which game balls can enter and through which game balls can flow down,
The ball entry unit is
a first component having a positioning protrusion inserted into a positioning hole provided in the gaming panel and a first mounting hole for mounting to the gaming panel, the first component being attached to the gaming panel so as to close an opening provided to penetrate the gaming panel from the front side;
a second component part having a second mounting hole for mounting to the first component part, the second component part being mounted from the rear side of the first component part so as to form a predetermined space within the opening together with the first component part;
An LED substrate on which an LED is mounted is provided in the space formed by the first component and the second component.
It is characterized by being something.

Here, "ball entry port" refers to "a prize entry port that confers a specified bonus when a gaming ball enters (for example, a general prize entry port, regular prize entry port, start prize entry port (start prize entry port), big prize entry port, special prize entry port, V prize entry port, etc.)" and "an outlet port that ejects a gaming ball from the gaming machine without awarding a bonus even if the gaming ball enters, and without returning it to the player," etc.

Furthermore, examples of "game panels" include "those made of wooden plywood such as plywood," "those made of a panel board machined from a transparent resin board and a panel holder that holds the outer periphery of the panel board," and "those made by injection molding transparent resin."

Furthermore, the "LED substrate" may be attached to either the first component or the second component. Furthermore, the "non-contact surface portion" may be provided on either the first component or the second component, or on both the first and second component portions.

According to the configuration of means 1, in a gaming machine equipped with a ball entry unit that has multiple ball entry ports through which gaming balls can enter and is attached to the front of a gaming panel through which gaming balls can flow, the ball entry unit comprises: a first component that has a positioning protrusion that is inserted into a positioning hole provided in the gaming panel and a first mounting hole for mounting to the gaming panel, and is attached to the gaming panel so as to block from the front an opening that penetrates the gaming panel; and a second component that has a second mounting hole for mounting to the first component, and is attached from the rear side of the first component so as to form a predetermined space within the opening together with the first component; and an LED board on which LEDs are mounted is provided in the space formed by the first component and the second component (see the description of chapter [12-2b. Side Unit Variation 2], Figure 107, etc. in [Mode for Carrying Out the Invention]).

This allows the ball-scoring unit to be attached to the front of the gaming panel by attaching the second component to the rear of the first component via the second mounting hole with a mounting screw, inserting the positioning protrusion of the first component into the positioning hole of the gaming panel from the front, and then screwing and tightening the mounting screw into the gaming panel via the first mounting hole. The first component also blocks the opening that penetrates the gaming panel, making it difficult to see behind the gaming panel through the opening, improving the appearance of the gaming machine and preventing foreign matter such as dust and dirt from entering the front of the gaming panel through the opening from the rear side of the gaming panel. The first component and the second component, which is attached to the rear of the first component via the second mounting hole with a mounting screw, form a space within the opening of the gaming panel, and an LED board is provided within this space, allowing the ball-scoring unit to be illuminated and decorated with LEDs on the LED board. In this case, because a space for the LED board is formed within the opening of the gaming panel, the space and the LED board can be contained within the thickness of the gaming panel, minimizing the amount of rearward protrusion from the rear surface of the gaming panel and ensuring more space behind the ball-scoring unit. This makes it possible to install large presentation devices or presentation devices with a wide range of movement behind the ball-scoring unit, allowing for more impactful presentations to be presented to players, resulting in a gaming machine that is highly appealing to players.

It is desirable to provide a first mounting hole for mounting the ball entry unit to the gaming panel near the positioning protrusion. This allows the mounting screw to be screwed into the gaming panel through the first mounting hole and tightened, firmly pressing the positioning protrusion against the gaming panel and ensuring it is inserted into the positioning hole on the gaming panel, preventing the positioning protrusion from floating up due to incomplete insertion.

It is also desirable to provide a non-contact surface portion on the ball entrance unit where the first and second components are in contact with each other. This allows the LED board to be provided in the space between the first and second components, and a non-contact surface portion on the contact surface portion where the first and second components are in contact with each other, so that heat from the LED board can be dissipated to the outside through the non-contact surface portion, thereby avoiding the effects of heat.

Furthermore, when a non-contact surface portion is provided as described above, the front end side of the opening in the gaming panel is blocked by the first component, so heat released to the outside from the non-contact surface portion does not flow to the front side of the gaming panel, but can be dissipated to the rear side of the gaming panel.

Furthermore, when providing a non-contact surface portion as described above, it is desirable to form the ball entry unit so that there is a gap between it and the inner periphery of the opening of the gaming panel, and to provide the non-contact surface portion on at least the upper contact surface portion. This allows the non-contact surface portion, which can dissipate heat from the LED board provided in the space formed by the first and second components, to be provided in at least the upper portion of the contact surface portion, so that the non-contact surface portion can reliably dissipate heat from the LED board to the outside and prevents heat from becoming trapped within the space. In this case, a gap is provided between the outer periphery of the portion of the ball entry unit inserted into the opening of the gaming panel and the inner periphery of the opening. In other words, because there is a gap between the non-contact surface portion and the inner periphery of the opening, heat from the LED board can be reliably dissipated from the non-contact surface portion to the gap, and can be exhausted from within the opening through the gap.

Furthermore, when providing a non-contact surface portion as described above, it is desirable to provide the LED substrate so that it does not overlap the non-contact surface portion in a plan view. This makes it difficult for foreign matter such as dust or dirt to get onto the LED substrate, even if it enters the space in which the LED substrate is provided through the non-contact surface portion, and minimizes the effects of the foreign matter.

Furthermore, it is desirable to make the gaming panel opaque. By making the gaming panel opaque, light from the LEDs on the LED board does not enter the gaming panel through the inner periphery of the opening, but can be reflected by the inner periphery of the opening, which prevents a decrease in the amount of light irradiated forward and makes it easier to fully utilize the dramatic effects of the LED light emission.

Furthermore, when a non-contact surface portion is provided as described above, the non-contact surface portion may be provided behind the rear surface of the gaming panel. This allows heat from the LED board provided in the space between the first component and the second component to be reliably dissipated behind the rear surface of the gaming panel through the non-contact surface portion, thereby avoiding the effects of heat.

The first component may also have a flat base plate with a positioning protrusion protruding from it and a mounting hole passing through it that can abut against the front surface of the gaming panel. This allows the ball-entry unit to be provided with a flat base plate, and by attaching the ball-entry unit to the front surface of the gaming panel via the mounting hole, the base plate can block the opening in the gaming panel from the front. This makes it possible to use the base plate to hide the rear of the gaming panel from the front (player side) through the opening, improving the appearance of the gaming machine.

Furthermore, as described above, by providing the first component with a base plate, the opening of the gaming panel can be blocked from the front by the base plate of the ball entry unit, allowing heat from the LED board located in the space between the first and second components to be dissipated to the rear side of the gaming panel through the non-contact surface portion, while also preventing foreign matter such as dust and dirt from entering the front side of the gaming panel from the rear side through the opening in the gaming panel.

Means 2: In the configuration of Means 1,
"The said entry unit is
A non-contact surface portion where the first component and the second component are not in contact with each other is provided in a part of the contact surface portion where the first component and the second component are in contact with each other.
It is characterized by being something.

According to the configuration of Means 2, the ball entry unit has a non-contact surface portion where the first component and the second component are not in contact with each other, in part of the contact surface portion where they are in contact with each other (see the description of the side unit 2800B, contact surface portion 2830, and non-contact surface portion 2831 in the [Mode for Carrying Out the Invention]).

As a result, an LED substrate is provided in the space between the first and second components, and a non-contact surface portion is provided in a portion of the contact surface portion where the first and second components are in contact with each other, allowing heat from the LED substrate to be dissipated to the outside through the non-contact surface portion, thereby avoiding the effects of heat.

In addition, because the front end of the opening in the gaming panel is blocked by the first component, heat released to the outside from the non-contact surface portion does not flow to the front side of the gaming panel, but can be dissipated to the rear side of the gaming panel.

Means 3: In the configuration of Means 2,
The ball entry unit is formed so as to have a gap between it and the inner periphery of the opening of the gaming panel,
The non-contact surface portion is provided on at least the upper contact surface portion.
It is characterized by being something.

According to the configuration of Means 3, the ball entry unit is formed so that there is a gap between it and the inner periphery of the opening of the gaming panel, and the non-contact surface portion is provided on at least the upper contact surface portion (see the description of the side unit 2800B and non-contact surface portion 2831 in the [Embodiment]).

As a result, a non-contact surface portion capable of radiating heat from the LED board located within the space formed by the first and second components is provided at least in the upper portion of the contact surface portion, so that heat from the LED board can be reliably radiated to the outside by this non-contact surface portion, preventing heat from becoming trapped within the space. At the same time, a gap is provided between the outer periphery of the portion of the ball entry unit that is inserted into the opening of the gaming panel and the inner periphery of the opening. In other words, because there is a gap between the non-contact surface portion and the inner periphery of the opening, heat from the LED board can be reliably radiated from the non-contact surface portion to this gap, and can be exhausted from within the opening through this gap.

Means 4: In the configuration of means 2 or means 3,
"The LED substrate is provided so as not to overlap the non-contact surface portion in a plan view."
It is characterized by being something.

In the configuration of means 4, the LED substrate is provided so that it does not overlap the non-contact surface portion in a plan view (see the description of the LED substrate 2825 and the non-contact surface portion 2831 in the "Description of the Invention").

As a result, even if foreign matter such as dust or dirt enters the space where the LED board is installed through the non-contact surface, it is less likely to get on the LED board, minimizing the impact of the foreign matter.

Means 5: In any one of the configurations of means 1 to 4,
"The gaming panel is opaque."
It is characterized by:

However, if the gaming panel is made transparent, the light from the LED board will enter the gaming panel from the inner surface of the opening and be diffused inside the panel, reducing the amount of light emitted forward and potentially weakening the visual effect of the LED light.

Means 5 is configured to make the gaming panel opaque (see the description of gaming panel 1100 in the "Description of Embodiments").

As a result, because the gaming panel is opaque, light from the LEDs on the LED board does not enter the interior of the gaming panel through the inner periphery of the opening, but can be reflected by the inner periphery of the opening, which prevents a decrease in the amount of light irradiated forward and makes it easier to fully utilize the dramatic effects of the LED light emission.

Means 6: In any one of the configurations from means 2 to means 5,
The non-contact surface portion is provided rearward of the rear surface of the gaming panel.
It is characterized by being something.

According to the configuration of means 6, the non-contact surface portion is located behind the rear surface of the gaming panel (see the description of side unit 2800B in the "Description of the Preferred Embodiments").

This allows heat from the LED board located in the space between the first and second components to be reliably dissipated behind the rear surface of the gaming panel through the non-contact surface, thereby avoiding the effects of heat.

Means 7: In any one of the configurations of means 1 to 6,
"The first component has a flat base plate from which the positioning projection protrudes and through which the mounting hole penetrates, and which can abut against the front surface of the gaming panel."
It is characterized by being something.

According to the configuration of means 7, the first component has a flat base plate with a positioning projection protruding therefrom and a mounting hole passing therethrough, which can abut against the front surface of the gaming panel (see the description of the unit body 2810 of the side unit 2800B in the "Description of the Preferred Embodiments").

As a result, the ball entry unit is equipped with a flat base plate, and by attaching the ball entry unit to the front of the gaming panel via the mounting holes, the base plate can block the opening in the gaming panel from the front. This makes it possible to hide the rear of the gaming panel from the front (player side) through the opening with the base plate, improving the appearance of the gaming machine.

In addition, because the opening of the gaming panel can be blocked from the front by the base plate of the ball entry unit, heat from the LED board located in the space between the first and second components can be dissipated to the rear side of the gaming panel through the non-contact surface portion, and foreign matter such as dust and dirt can be prevented from entering the front side of the gaming panel from the rear side through the opening.

Means 8: In the gaming machine,
"In a gaming machine having a ball entry unit attached to the front of a gaming panel that has multiple ball entry ports through which game balls can enter and through which game balls can flow down,
The ball entry unit is
a first component having a positioning protrusion inserted into a positioning hole provided in the gaming panel and a first mounting hole for mounting to the gaming panel, the first component being attached to the gaming panel so as to close an opening provided to penetrate the gaming panel from the front side;
a second component having a second mounting hole for mounting to the first component, the second component being mounted from the rear side of the first component so as to form a predetermined space within the opening together with the first component;
and a gap is formed between the opening of the game panel and the inner periphery of the opening,
a non-contact surface portion that is not in contact with the first component portion and the second component portion at least in an upper portion of a contact surface portion where the first component portion and the second component portion are in contact with each other;
An LED substrate on which an LED is mounted is provided in the space formed by the first component and the second component so as not to overlap the non-contact surface portion in a plan view.
It is characterized by being something.

According to the configuration of means 8, in a gaming machine equipped with a ball entry unit that has multiple ball entry ports through which gaming balls can enter and is attached to the front of a gaming panel through which gaming balls can flow, the ball entry unit comprises: a first component that has a positioning protrusion that is inserted into a positioning hole provided in the gaming panel and a first mounting hole for mounting to the gaming panel, and is attached to the gaming panel so as to block the opening that penetrates the gaming panel from the front; and a second component that has a second mounting hole for mounting to the first component and is attached from the rear side of the first component so as to form a predetermined space within the opening together with the first component; the ball entry unit is formed so as to provide a gap between the inner periphery of the opening of the gaming panel; a non-contact surface portion that is not in contact with the first component and the second component is provided at least at the upper side of the contact surface portion where the first component and the second component are in contact with each other; and an LED board with LEDs mounted on it is provided in the space formed by the first component and the second component so as not to overlap the non-contact surface portion in a plan view.

This allows the ball-scoring unit to be attached to the front of the gaming panel by attaching the second component to the rear of the first component with a mounting screw through the second mounting hole, inserting the positioning protrusion protruding from the flat base plate of the first component into the positioning hole of the gaming panel from the front, and then screwing and tightening the mounting screw into the gaming panel through the first mounting hole so that the base plate abuts against the front of the gaming panel. The base plate of the first component also blocks the opening that penetrates the gaming panel, making it difficult to see behind the gaming panel through the opening, improving the appearance of the gaming machine and preventing foreign matter such as dust and dirt from entering the front of the gaming panel through the opening from the rear side of the gaming panel. The first component and the second component, which is attached to the rear of the first component with a mounting screw through the second mounting hole, form a space within the opening of the gaming panel, and an LED board is provided within this space, allowing the ball-scoring unit to be illuminated and decorated with LEDs on the LED board. In this case, because a space for the LED board is formed within the opening of the gaming panel, the space and the LED board can be contained within the thickness of the gaming panel, minimizing the amount of rearward protrusion from the rear surface of the gaming panel and ensuring more space behind the ball-scoring unit. This makes it possible to install large presentation devices or presentation devices with a wide range of movement behind the ball-scoring unit, allowing for more impactful presentations to be presented to players, resulting in a gaming machine that is highly appealing to players.

In addition, an LED board is provided in the space between the first and second components, and a non-contact surface portion is provided at least above the contact surface portion where the first and second components are in contact. This allows heat from the LED board to be dissipated to the outside through the non-contact surface portion, thereby avoiding the effects of heat. In this case, a gap is provided between the outer periphery of the portion of the ball entry unit inserted into the opening of the gaming panel and the inner periphery of the opening. In other words, a gap is provided between the non-contact surface portion and the inner periphery of the opening, ensuring that heat from the LED board can be dissipated from the non-contact surface portion to the gap. Furthermore, because the front end of the opening of the gaming panel is blocked by the base plate of the first component, heat released from the non-contact surface portion to the gap can be guided to the rear side of the gaming panel without flowing through the gap to the front side of the gaming panel, ensuring heat dissipation from the LED board.

In addition, because the LED board is positioned so that it does not overlap the non-contact surface in a plan view, even if foreign matter such as dust or dirt enters the space where the LED board is located through the non-contact surface, it is less likely to get on the LED board, minimizing the impact of foreign matter.

Furthermore, because the gaming panel is opaque, light from the LEDs on the LED board does not enter the interior of the gaming panel through the inner periphery of the opening, and can be reflected by the inner periphery of the opening, which prevents a decrease in the amount of light irradiated forward and makes it easier to fully utilize the dramatic effects of the LED light emission.

In addition, because the base plate of the ball entry unit blocks the opening of the gaming panel from the front, heat from the LED board located in the space between the first and second components can be dissipated to the rear of the gaming panel through the non-contact surface, and foreign matter such as dust and dirt can be prevented from entering the front of the gaming panel from the rear through the opening.

In addition, it is desirable to provide a first mounting hole, which penetrates the base plate for mounting to the gaming panel, in the first component of the ball entry unit, near the positioning protrusion. This allows the mounting screw to be screwed into the gaming panel through the first mounting hole and tightened, thereby firmly pressing the positioning protrusion against the gaming panel and ensuring it is inserted into the positioning hole in the gaming panel, preventing the positioning protrusion from floating up due to incomplete insertion.

In this way, the above solution makes it easier to secure space behind the ball-entering unit, thereby providing a gaming machine that can present more impactful effects.

[15-8c. Relationship between the solution of the eighth technical feature and embodiments]
The panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100 in the game board 5 of this embodiment corresponds to the game panel of the above-mentioned solving means, the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110 in this embodiment corresponds to the opening of the above-mentioned solving means, the positioning hole 1113 in this embodiment corresponds to the positioning hole of the above-mentioned solving means, the general winning port 2001 in this embodiment and the ball receiving portion 2811b of the first component member 2811 correspond to the ball entry port of the above-mentioned solving means, and the side unit 2800B, side unit 2800C, side unit 2800D, side unit 2800E, and side unit 2800F in this embodiment correspond to the ball entry units of the above-mentioned solving means, respectively.

In addition, the unit main body 2810 and the unit main body 2810A in this embodiment correspond to the first component of the solution, the base plate 2811a in this embodiment corresponds to the base plate of the solution, the positioning protrusion 2811c in this embodiment corresponds to the positioning protrusion of the solution, the mounting hole 2811d in this embodiment corresponds to the mounting hole of the solution, the unit cover 2820 in this embodiment corresponds to the second component of the solution, and the LED board 2825 in this embodiment corresponds to the LED board of the solution. In addition, the contact surface portion 2830 in this embodiment (the portion where the support frame portion 2814 and the unit cover 2820 are in contact) corresponds to the contact surface portion of the solution, and the non-contact surface portion 2831 in this embodiment (the notch 2814b of the support frame portion 2814 and the notch 2820c of the unit cover 2820) corresponds to the non-contact surface portion of the solution.

[15-8d. Characteristic effects of the eighth technical feature]
Here, the side unit 2800B will be described as a representative of the features of the side unit 2800B, side unit 2800C, side unit 2800D, side unit 2800E, and side unit 2800F in this embodiment. According to this embodiment, in the side unit 2800B attached to the front surface of the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100, the unit cover 2820 is attached from the rear side of the unit main body 2810 with a mounting screw through a mounting hole, and then the positioning protrusion 2811c protruding from the flat base plate 2811a of the first component 2811 of the unit main body 2810 is inserted from the front into the positioning hole 1113 of the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100, and then the mounting screw is inserted into the panel through the mounting hole 2811d so that the base plate 2811a abuts against the front surface of the panel board 1110. By screwing and tightening the side unit 2800B into the panel plate 1110, the side unit 2800B can be attached to the front surface of the panel plate 1110, and the base plate 2811a can block the opening 1112 penetrating the panel plate 1110, making it difficult to see behind the gaming panel 1100 through the opening 1112, improving the appearance of the pachinko machine 1 and preventing foreign matter such as dust and dirt from entering the front surface of the panel plate 1110 (the gaming area 5a) through the opening 1112 from the rear side of the panel plate 1110 in the gaming panel 1100. The unit body 2810 and the unit cover 2820 attached from the rear side of the panel plate 1110 with mounting screws via mounting holes form a space within the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110, and an LED board 2825 is provided in the space, so that the side unit 2800B can be illuminated and decorated by the LEDs 2825a of the LED board 2825. In this case, since a space in which the LED board 2825 is provided is formed within the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110 in the gaming panel 1100, the space and the LED board 2825 can be contained within the thickness of the panel board 1110, the amount of rearward protrusion from the rear surface of the panel board 1110 can be minimized as much as possible, and a larger space can be secured behind the side unit 2800B. Therefore, it is possible to provide a large effect device or an effect device with a wide movable area behind the side unit 2800B, so that more impactful effects can be presented to the player, and a pachinko machine 1 with high appeal to players can be provided.

In addition, the LED board 2825 is provided in the space between the unit main body 2810 and the unit cover 2820 in the side unit 2800B, and a non-contact surface portion 2831 (notch 2820c) is provided at least in the upper portion of the contact surface portion 2830 where the unit main body 2810 and the unit cover 2820 are in contact with each other. This allows heat from the LED board 2825 to be dissipated to the outside through the non-contact surface portion 2831, thereby avoiding the effects of heat. In this case, a gap is provided between the outer periphery of the portion of the side unit 2800B inserted into the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110 and the inner periphery of the opening 1112. In other words, the gap between the non-contact surface portion 2831 and the inner periphery of the opening 1112 ensures that heat from the LED board 2825 is dissipated from the non-contact surface portion 2831 to the gap. Furthermore, because the front end side of the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110 in the gaming panel 1100 is blocked by the base plate 2811a of the first component 2811 in the unit body 2810, heat released into the gap from the non-contact surface portion 2831 can be guided to the rear side of the panel board 1110 without flowing through the gap to the front side of the panel board 1110, ensuring that heat from the LED board 2825 can be dissipated reliably.

In addition, since the LED board 2825 is arranged so that it does not overlap the non-contact surface portion 2831 in a plan view, even if foreign matter such as dust or dirt enters the space in which the LED board 2825 is arranged through the non-contact surface portion 2831, it is difficult for the foreign matter to get on the LED board 2825, thereby minimizing the effects of the foreign matter.

Furthermore, by making the gaming panel 1100 opaque, light from the LED 2825a of the LED board 2825 does not enter the gaming panel 1100 through the inner circumferential surface of the opening 1112, but can be reflected by the inner circumferential surface of the opening 1112. This prevents a decrease in the amount of light emitted forward, making it easier to fully utilize the dramatic effect of the light emitted by the LED 2825a.

In addition, the base plate 2811a of the first component 2811 in the side unit 2800B blocks the opening 1112 in the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100 from the front, so heat from the LED board 2825 located in the space between the unit main body 2810 and the unit cover 2820 can be dissipated to the rear side of the panel board 1110 through the non-contact surface portion 2831, and foreign matter such as dust and dirt can be prevented from entering the front side of the panel board 1110 from the rear side through the opening 1112 in the panel board 1110.

In addition, in the side unit 2800B, the first component 2811 of the unit main body 2810 has a mounting hole 2811d that penetrates the base plate 2811a for mounting to the panel plate 1110 of the gaming panel 1100, located near the positioning protrusion 2811c.By screwing a mounting screw into the panel plate 1110 of the gaming panel 1100 through the mounting hole 2811d and tightening it, the positioning protrusion 2811c can be firmly pressed against the panel plate 1110, ensuring that it is inserted into the positioning hole 1113 of the panel plate 1110, preventing the positioning protrusion 2811c from floating up due to incomplete insertion.

[15-9. Ninth Technical Feature]
This specification has the following technical features that are different from those described above.

[15-9a. Background of the ninth technical feature]
In recent years, in gaming machines such as pachinko machines, in order to create effects that can attract the attention of players, the effect devices have been made larger, the range of movement of the effect devices has been widened, and the effect devices have been made more flashy with illumination decorations.

Conventional gaming machines of this type, such as those described in Patent Document Y (JP 2017-018185 A), are known to include a ball entry unit with multiple ball entry ports (e.g., general entry ports) on the front of a gaming panel along which gaming balls flow, and a ball guidance unit at the rear of the gaming panel that detects gaming balls that enter the ball entry port of the ball entry unit and ejects them downward.

However, with the technology of Patent Document Y, a ball guide unit is installed behind the gaming panel, and the presence of this ball guide unit narrows the space behind the ball entry unit, making it impossible to secure more space for installing the presentation device.

The following measures take into consideration the above situation and aim to provide a gaming machine that can present more impactful effects by making it easier to secure space behind the ball-entering unit.

[15-9b. Solution of the ninth technical feature]
Means 1: In the gaming machine,
"In a gaming machine having a ball entry unit that has a plurality of ball entry ports through which game balls can enter and is attached to the front of a game board through which game balls can flow down,
The ball entry unit is
a first component having a positioning protrusion inserted into a positioning hole provided in the game board and an attachment hole for attachment to the game board, the first component being attached to the game board so as to close an opening provided to penetrate the game board from the front side;
a second component provided behind the first component and having a ball passage through which a game ball entering the ball entrance can flow down along the surface of the game board within the opening so that the game ball falls within the thickness of the game board;
The present invention is characterized by comprising:

Here, "ball entry port" refers to "a prize entry port that confers a specified bonus when a gaming ball enters (for example, a general prize entry port, regular prize entry port, start prize entry port (start prize entry port), big prize entry port, special prize entry port, V prize entry port, etc.)" and "an outlet port that ejects a gaming ball from the gaming machine without awarding a bonus even if the gaming ball enters, and without returning it to the player," etc.

Furthermore, "game boards" are boards in which obstacle nails are planted in a specified gauge arrangement, and examples include "boards made of wooden plywood such as plywood," "boards made of panel boards machined from transparent resin boards," and "boards made by injection molding transparent resin."

Furthermore, the "ball passage" may extend entirely within the thickness of the game board, or only partially within the thickness of the game board.

According to the configuration of Means 1, in an amusement machine equipped with a ball entry unit that has multiple ball entry ports through which game balls can enter and is attached to the front of a game board through which game balls can flow, the ball entry unit comprises: a first component that has positioning protrusions that are inserted into positioning holes on the game board and mounting holes for mounting to the game board, and is attached to the game board so as to block the opening that penetrates the game board from the front; and a second component that is attached to the rear of the first component and has a ball passage that allows game balls that enter the ball entry ports to flow down along the surface of the game board within the opening so that they are within the thickness of the game board (see Chapter 12-1. Side Unit of the Second Embodiment, Figures 103 to 108, etc. in [Mode for Carrying Out the Invention]).

This allows the first component (ball entry unit) to be attached to the front of the gaming board by inserting the positioning protrusion of the first component into the positioning hole of the gaming panel from the front and then screwing and tightening a mounting screw into the gaming board through the mounting hole. The first component also blocks the opening that penetrates the gaming board, making it difficult to see behind the gaming board through the opening, improving the appearance of the gaming machine and preventing foreign matter such as dust and dirt from entering the front side of the gaming board through the opening. The second component, located behind the first component, has a ball passage that extends along the surface of the gaming board within the opening so as to extend within the thickness of the gaming board. This ball passage allows gaming balls that enter the ball entry opening to flow down within the thickness of the gaming board. By utilizing the thickness of the gaming board, the amount of rearward protrusion of the ball entry unit from the rear surface of the gaming board can be minimized, thereby ensuring more space behind the ball entry unit. This makes it possible to install large presentation devices or presentation devices with a wide range of movement (movable props) behind the ball-entering unit, allowing for more impactful presentations to be presented to players, providing a gaming machine that is highly appealing to players.

It is desirable to provide a mounting hole for attaching the first component of the ball entry unit to the game board near the positioning protrusion. This allows the mounting screw to be screwed into the game board through the mounting hole and tightened, firmly pressing the positioning protrusion against the game board and ensuring it is inserted into the positioning hole on the game board, preventing the positioning protrusion from floating up due to incomplete insertion.

In addition, at least the forward portion of the movable device in the ball passage may be arranged to extend within the thickness of the gaming board. This allows the forward portion of the movable device, which serves as a performance device in the ball passage, to extend within the thickness of the gaming board, ensuring sufficient space in the front-to-back direction of the portion where the movable device is located, and also allows for a wider range of movement for the movable device, providing a gaming machine that can present more impactful performances to players.

Furthermore, as mentioned above, if the portion of the ball passage in front of the movable device is positioned within the thickness of the gaming board, it is possible to ensure sufficient space in the front-to-rear direction of the portion of the rear side of the gaming board where the movable device is located. Therefore, for example, a decorative element can be placed between the ball entry unit and the movable device, and this decorative element can be used to hide the movable device in its lowered position so that it is difficult for the player to see. This allows the player to see an effect in which the movable device appears when it is raised from its lowered position, making it possible to provide a gaming machine that makes a strong impact and is enjoyable for players.

Furthermore, a ball sensor that detects game balls flowing down the ball passage may be installed below the movable device located at the rear of the ball passage. In this way, the ball sensor that detects game balls that enter the ball entrance is installed below the movable device located at the rear, so the ball sensor does not interfere with the movable device, allowing the desired presentation effect of the movable device to be fully realized.

The ball passage may also have a branch section that is connected to the ball entrance and extends rearward, and a main section that merges with the branch section and extends downward along the surface of the game board. This allows the branch sections that are connected to each ball entrance to merge with the main section and flow downward, eliminating the need to provide separate ball passages for multiple ball entrances. Balls can be discharged together through a single ball passage, and it is also easier to secure space behind the ball entrance unit.

The second component may also be attached to the rear of the first component. This allows the second component to be attached to the rear of the first component, thereby increasing the rigidity of the first component. Specifically, for example, when disassembling a gaming machine for recycling, if the first component has low rigidity, it may bend when the first component is pulled forward to remove it from the gaming board. This bending may tilt the positioning protrusions inserted into the positioning holes in the gaming board, making them difficult to remove from the positioning holes and making the disassembly process more difficult. In contrast, if the second component is attached to the rear of the first component, the second component has a ball passageway, which has a U-shaped cross section. Therefore, the rigidity of the second component is increased by the presence of the ball passageway. Therefore, attaching this second component can increase the rigidity of the first component (ball entry unit). Therefore, when disassembling the gaming machine for recycling, etc., the increased rigidity of the ball-entering unit prevents the first component from which the positioning protrusion protrudes from bending when the ball-entering unit is pulled forward, preventing the positioning protrusion from tilting relative to the positioning hole in the gaming board. This allows the ball-entering unit to be easily removed from the gaming board, providing a gaming machine that reduces the amount of disassembly work required for sorting.

Furthermore, the second component may be attached to a back member provided at the rear of the game board. This allows the second component of the ball entry unit to be attached to the back member at the rear of the game board, making it possible to extend the ball passage below the opening penetrating the game board at the rear of the game board. More specifically, if the second component is attached to the first component, the first component blocks the opening of the game board from the front, so the second component in which the ball passage is provided must be smaller than the opening, making it difficult to extend part of the ball passage below the opening at the rear of the game board. In contrast, if the second component is attached to a back member provided at the rear of the game board, it is possible to extend part of the ball passage below the opening at the rear of the game board. Therefore, since the ball passage can be extended to the bottom of the game board, the height at which game balls discharged downward can be reduced, thereby reducing the impact of the discharged game balls. Additionally, because part of the ball passage can be made to extend downward beyond the opening on the rear side of the game board, there is no need to extend the opening that penetrates the game board all the way down to the bottom edge of the game board, and the strength of the game board is not reduced.

Furthermore, as described above, by attaching the second component of the ball entry unit to the rear member behind the game board, if a ball sensor is installed in the ball passage, electronic components such as the ball sensor will be installed on the rear member side behind the game board, allowing the electronic components to be concentrated on the rear member side, eliminating the need to install electronic components such as the ball sensor on the game board side. Therefore, when assembling or disassembling the game machine, since the wiring of the electronic components does not extend from the game board side, the wiring will not get caught on components such as obstacle nails, interfering with the work or causing the wiring to be cut.

Means 2: In the configuration of Means 1,
"The second component is provided so that at least the portion in front of the movable device in the ball passage is within the thickness of the game board."
It is characterized by being something.

According to the configuration of Means 2, the second component is arranged so that at least the portion of the ball passage that is in front of the movable device is within the thickness of the gaming board (see the description of the ball passage 2812a of the second component 2812 in the "Description of the Invention").

This allows the front portion of the movable device, which acts as a presentation device in the ball passage, to be within the thickness of the gaming board, ensuring sufficient space in the front-to-rear direction of the area where the movable device is located, and also allows for a wider range of movement for the movable device, providing a gaming machine that can present more impactful presentations to players.

Furthermore, as mentioned above, it is possible to ensure sufficient space in the front-to-back direction at the rear of the game board where the movable device is located. For example, a decorative element can be placed between the ball-entering unit and the movable device, and this decorative element can be used to hide the movable device in its lowered position so that it is difficult for the player to see. This allows the player to see an effect in which the movable device appears when it is raised from its lowered position, making it possible to provide a gaming machine that leaves a strong impact on players and provides them with enjoyment.

Means 3: In the configuration of means 1 or means 2,
"The second component is provided with a ball sensor that detects game balls flowing down the ball passage, at a position below the movable device provided at the rear of the ball passage."
It is characterized by being something.

According to the configuration of Means 3, the second component is a ball sensor that detects game balls flowing down the ball passage, located below the movable device located at the rear of the ball passage (see the description of ball sensor 2813b in the [Embodiment for carrying out the invention]).

As a result, the ball sensor that detects game balls entering the ball entrance is located below the movable device located at the rear, so the ball sensor does not interfere with the movable device, allowing the desired presentation effect to be fully achieved by the movable device.

Means 4: In any one of the configurations from means 1 to means 3,
"The ball passage has a branch portion that is connected to the ball entrance and extends rearward, and a main portion that joins the branch portion and extends downward along the surface of the game board."
It is characterized by being something.

According to the configuration of means 4, the ball passage has a branch section that is connected to the ball entrance and extends rearward, and a main section that merges with the branch section and extends downward along the surface of the game board (see the description of the branch section 2801 and main section 2802 in the ball passage 2812a in the "Description of the Invention").

This allows each branch section connected to each ball inlet to merge with the main section and flow down, eliminating the need to provide a separate ball passage for each of the multiple ball inlets. Instead, the balls can be discharged together through a single ball passage, and it also makes it easier to secure space behind the ball inlet unit.

Means 5: In any one of the configurations of means 1 to 4,
"The second component is attached to the rear side of the first component."
It is characterized by being something.

According to the configuration of Means 5, the second component is attached to the rear side of the first component (see the description of the second component 2812 of the side unit 2800 in the "Description of the Invention").

As a result, the second component is attached to the rear of the first component, allowing the second component to increase the rigidity of the first component. More specifically, for example, when disassembling a gaming machine for recycling, if the first component's rigidity is low, it may bend when pulling the first component forward to remove it from the gaming board. This bending may tilt the positioning protrusions inserted into the positioning holes in the gaming board, making them difficult to remove from the positioning holes and making the disassembly process more time-consuming. In contrast, in this method, the second component is provided with a ball passage, and the cross section of this ball passage is U-shaped. Therefore, the rigidity of the second component is increased by the presence of the ball passage, and attaching this second component allows the rigidity of the first component (ball entry unit) to be increased. Therefore, when disassembling the gaming machine for recycling, etc., the increased rigidity of the ball-entering unit prevents the first component from which the positioning protrusion protrudes from bending when the ball-entering unit is pulled forward, preventing the positioning protrusion from tilting relative to the positioning hole in the gaming board. This allows the ball-entering unit to be easily removed from the gaming board, providing a gaming machine that reduces the amount of disassembly work required for sorting.

Means 6: In any one of the configurations from means 1 to means 4,
"The second component is attached to a back member provided at the rear of the play board."
It is characterized by being something.

Here, examples of "back component" include "back decorative body," "back unit," "back box," etc.

According to the configuration of means 6, the second component is attached to a rear member provided at the rear of the play board (see the description of the second component 2813 of the side unit 2800A in the "Description of the Preferred Embodiments").

As a result, because the second component of the ball entry unit is attached to the rear member at the rear of the game board, it is possible to extend the ball passage below the opening that penetrates the game board at the rear of the game board. More specifically, if the second component were attached to the first component, the first component would block the opening in the game board from the front, so the second component in which the ball passage is provided would need to be smaller than the opening, making it difficult to extend part of the ball passage below the opening at the rear of the game board. In contrast, with this method, because the second component is attached to the rear member at the rear of the game board, it is possible to extend part of the ball passage below the opening at the rear of the game board. Therefore, because it is possible to extend the ball passage to the bottom of the game board, the falling height of game balls ejected downward can be reduced, and the impact of the ejected game balls can be reduced. Additionally, because part of the ball passage can be made to extend downward beyond the opening on the rear side of the game board, there is no need to extend the opening that penetrates the game board all the way down to the bottom edge of the game board, and the strength of the game board is not reduced.

In addition, because the second component of the ball entry unit is attached to the rear member behind the game board, if a ball sensor is installed in the ball passage, electronic components such as the ball sensor are installed on the rear member side behind the game board, allowing the electronic components to be concentrated on the rear member side, eliminating the need to install electronic components such as the ball sensor on the game board side. Therefore, when assembling or disassembling the game machine, the wiring of the electronic components does not extend from the game board side, so the wiring will not get caught on components such as obstacle nails, interfering with the work or causing the wiring to be cut.

Means 7: In the gaming machine,
"In a gaming machine having a ball entry unit that has a plurality of ball entry ports through which game balls can enter and is attached to the front of a game board through which game balls can flow down,
The ball entry unit is
a first component having a positioning protrusion inserted into a positioning hole provided in the game board and an attachment hole for attachment to the game board, the first component being attached to the game board so as to close an opening provided to penetrate the game board from the front side;
A second component is provided behind the first component, and has a ball passage through which the game balls entering the ball entrance can flow down along the surface of the game board within the opening so that the balls are within the thickness of the game board;
Equipped with
The second component is attached to the rear side of the first component or to a back member provided behind the game board, and a ball sensor is provided below the movable device to detect game balls flowing down the ball passage.
The ball passage has a branch section that is connected to the ball entrance and extends rearward, and a main section that joins the branch section and extends downward along the surface of the game board, and is arranged so that at least the portion in front of the movable device is within the thickness of the game board.
It is characterized by being something.

According to the configuration of Means 7, in a gaming machine having a ball entry unit that has multiple ball entry ports through which game balls can enter and is attached to the front of a game board through which game balls can flow, the ball entry unit has a positioning protrusion that is inserted into a positioning hole provided on the game board and an attachment hole for attachment to the game board, and is attached to the game board so as to block the opening that penetrates the game board from the front side, and is provided on the rear side of the first component, and game balls that enter the ball entry port are moved along the surface of the game board within the opening so as to fall within the thickness of the game board. and a second component having a ball passageway through which balls can flow down. The second component is attached to the rear side of the first component or to a back member provided at the rear of the game board, and is provided with a ball sensor below the movable device that detects game balls flowing down the ball passageway. The ball passageway has a branch section that is connected to the ball entrance and extends rearward, and a main section that merges with the branch section and extends downward along the surface of the game board, and is arranged so that at least the section in front of the movable device is within the thickness of the game board.

This allows the first component (ball entry unit) to be attached to the front of the gaming board by inserting the positioning protrusion of the first component into the positioning hole of the gaming panel from the front and then screwing and tightening a mounting screw into the gaming board through the mounting hole. The first component also blocks the opening that penetrates the gaming board, making it difficult to see behind the gaming board through the opening, improving the appearance of the gaming machine and preventing foreign matter such as dust and dirt from entering the front side of the gaming board through the opening. The second component, located behind the first component, has a ball passage that extends along the surface of the gaming board within the opening so as to extend within the thickness of the gaming board. This ball passage allows gaming balls that enter the ball entry opening to flow down within the thickness of the gaming board. By utilizing the thickness of the gaming board, the amount of rearward protrusion of the ball entry unit from the rear surface of the gaming board can be minimized, thereby ensuring more space behind the ball entry unit. This makes it possible to install large presentation devices or presentation devices with a wide range of movement (movable props) behind the ball-entering unit, allowing for more impactful presentations to be presented to players, providing a gaming machine that is highly appealing to players.

In addition, the front portion of the movable device, which acts as a presentation device in the ball passage, is designed to be within the thickness of the gaming board, ensuring sufficient space in the front-to-rear direction of the area where the movable device is located, and also allowing for a wider range of movement for the movable device, providing a gaming machine that can present more impactful presentations to players.

Furthermore, as mentioned above, it is possible to ensure sufficient space in the front-to-back direction at the rear of the game board where the movable device is located. For example, a decorative element can be placed between the ball-entering unit and the movable device, and this decorative element can be used to hide the movable device in its lowered position so that it is difficult for the player to see. This allows the player to see an effect in which the movable device appears when it is raised from its lowered position, making it possible to provide a gaming machine that leaves a strong impact on players and provides them with enjoyment.

Furthermore, the ball sensor that detects game balls entering the ball entrance is located below the movable device located at the rear, so the ball sensor does not interfere with the movable device, allowing the desired presentation effect to be fully realized.

In addition, the tributaries connected to each ball inlet are designed to merge into the main flow and flow down, eliminating the need to provide separate ball passages for each of the multiple ball inlets. They can be discharged together through a single ball passage, and it is also easier to secure space behind the ball inlet unit.

Furthermore, by attaching the second component to the rear of the first component, the rigidity of the first component can be increased by the second component. More specifically, for example, when disassembling a gaming machine for recycling, etc., if the rigidity of the first component is low, the first component may bend when pulling the first component forward to remove it from the gaming board. This bending may tilt the positioning protrusions inserted into the positioning holes in the gaming board, making them difficult to remove from the positioning holes and making the disassembly process more time-consuming. In contrast, by attaching the second component to the rear of the first component, the second component is provided with a ball passage whose cross section is U-shaped, and the rigidity of the second component is increased by the presence of the ball passage. Therefore, attaching this second component can increase the rigidity of the first component (ball entry unit). Therefore, when disassembling the gaming machine for recycling, etc., the increased rigidity of the ball-entering unit prevents the first component from which the positioning protrusion protrudes from bending when the ball-entering unit is pulled forward, preventing the positioning protrusion from tilting relative to the positioning hole in the gaming board. This allows the ball-entering unit to be easily removed from the gaming board, providing a gaming machine that reduces the amount of disassembly work required for sorting.

Furthermore, if the second component of the ball entry unit is attached to the back member at the rear of the game board, it becomes possible to extend the ball passage below the opening that penetrates the game board at the rear of the game board. More specifically, if the second component is attached to the first component, the first component blocks the opening of the game board from the front, so the second component in which the ball passage is provided must be smaller than the opening, making it difficult to extend part of the ball passage below the opening at the rear of the game board. In contrast, if the second component is attached to the back member at the rear of the game board, it becomes possible to extend part of the ball passage below the opening at the rear of the game board. Therefore, since it becomes possible to extend the ball passage to the bottom of the game board, the height at which game balls discharged downward can be reduced, and the impact of the discharged game balls can be reduced. Additionally, because part of the ball passage can be made to extend downward beyond the opening on the rear side of the game board, there is no need to extend the opening that penetrates the game board all the way down to the bottom edge of the game board, and the strength of the game board is not reduced.

Furthermore, by attaching the second component of the ball entry unit to the rear member behind the game board, electronic components such as the ball sensor installed in the ball passage are installed on the rear member side behind the game board, allowing the electronic components to be concentrated on the rear member side, eliminating the need to install electronic components such as the ball sensor on the game board side. Therefore, when assembling or disassembling the game machine, since the wiring of the electronic components does not extend from the game board side, the wiring will not get caught on components such as obstacle nails, interfering with the work or causing the wiring to be cut.

It is desirable to provide a mounting hole for attaching the first component of the ball entry unit to the game board near the positioning protrusion. This allows the mounting screw to be screwed into the game board through the mounting hole and tightened, firmly pressing the positioning protrusion against the game board and ensuring it is inserted into the positioning hole on the game board, preventing the positioning protrusion from floating up due to incomplete insertion.

In this way, the above solution makes it easier to secure space behind the ball-entering unit, thereby providing a gaming machine that can present more impactful effects.

[15-9c. Relationship between the solution of the ninth technical feature and embodiments]
The panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100 in the game board 5 of this embodiment corresponds to the game board of the above-mentioned solving means, the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110 in this embodiment corresponds to the opening of the above-mentioned solving means, the positioning hole 1113 in this embodiment corresponds to the positioning hole of the above-mentioned solving means, the general winning port 2001 in this embodiment and the ball receiving portion 2811b of the first component member 2811 correspond to the ball entry port of the above-mentioned solving means, and the side unit 2800, side unit 2800A, side unit 2800B, side unit 2800C, and side unit 2800G in this embodiment correspond to the ball entry units of the above-mentioned solving means, respectively.

In addition, in this embodiment, the first component 2811 of the unit main body 2810 corresponds to the first component part of the resolving means, the positioning protrusion 2811c in this embodiment corresponds to the positioning protrusion of the resolving means, the mounting hole 2811d in this embodiment corresponds to the mounting hole of the resolving means, the second component 2812 and second component 2813 in this embodiment correspond to the second component part of the resolving means, the ball passage 2812a and ball passage 2813a in this embodiment correspond to the ball passage of the resolving means, the ball sensor 2813b and ball sensor 2815 in this embodiment correspond to the ball sensor of the resolving means, the back unit 3000 (back box 3010) in this embodiment corresponds to the back member of the resolving means, and the back-under performance unit 3500 in this embodiment corresponds to the movable prop of the resolving means.

[15-9d. Characteristic effects of the ninth technical feature]
Here, the side unit 2800 will be described as a representative of the features of the side unit 2800, the side unit 2800A, the side unit 2800B, the side unit 2800C, and the side unit 2800G in this embodiment. According to this embodiment, in the game board 5, the positioning protrusion 2811c of the first component 2811 in the side unit 2800 is inserted from the front into the positioning hole 1113 of the panel plate 1110 in the game panel 1100, and then a mounting screw is screwed into the panel plate 1110 through the mounting hole 2811d and tightened, thereby attaching the first component 2811 (side unit 2800) to the front of the panel plate 1110, and the first component 2811 can block the opening 1112 that penetrates the panel plate 1110, making it difficult to see behind the panel plate 1110 through the opening 1112, improving the appearance of the pachinko machine 1 and preventing foreign matter such as dust and dirt from entering the front side of the panel plate 1110 (game area 5a) through the opening 1112 from the rear side of the panel plate 1110. Furthermore, the second component 2812 provided behind the first component 2811 is provided with a ball passage 2812a extending along the surface of the panel plate 1110 within the opening 1112 so as to be within the thickness of the panel plate 1110. This allows the game ball B that enters the ball receiving section 2811b (general winning opening 2001) to flow down so as to be within the thickness of the panel plate 1110. By utilizing the thickness of the panel plate 1110, the amount of rearward protrusion of the side unit 2800 from the rear surface of the panel plate 1110 can be minimized, thereby ensuring more space behind the side unit 2800. Therefore, it is possible to provide a large presentation device such as the underside presentation unit 3500 or a presentation device with a wide movable area behind the side unit 2800, which allows for more impactful presentations to be presented to players, thereby providing a pachinko machine 1 that is highly appealing to players.

In addition, the portion of the ball passage 2812a in front of the lower back performance unit 3500 is designed to fit within the thickness of the panel board 1110, ensuring sufficient space in the front-to-rear direction of the portion where the lower back performance unit 3500 is installed, and also allowing for a wider range of movement for the lower back performance unit 3500, making it possible to provide a pachinko machine 1 that can present more impactful performances to players.

Furthermore, as mentioned above, it is possible to ensure sufficient space in the front-to-back direction at the rear of the panel board 1110 where the underside display unit 3500 is installed. Therefore, for example, a decorative body can be placed between the side unit 2800 and the underside display unit 3500, and this decorative body can be used to hide the underside movable decorative body 3510 in the lowered position so that it is difficult for the player to see. In this way, when the underside movable decorative body 3510 is raised from the lowered position, the player can be shown an effect in which the underside movable decorative body 3510 appears, making it possible to provide a pachinko machine 1 that can make a strong impact and entertain the player.

In addition, in the side unit 2800, the branch sections 2801 that are connected to each ball receiving section 2811b are merged into the main flow section 2802 and flow down, so there is no need to provide a ball passage 2812a for each of the multiple ball receiving sections 2811b. They can be discharged together through a single ball passage 2812a, and it is also easier to secure space behind the side unit 2800.

Furthermore, in the side unit 2800A, the ball sensor 2813b that detects the game ball B that has entered the ball receiving section 2811b (general winning opening 2001) is located below the rear-bottom performance unit 3500, so the ball sensor 2813b does not interfere with the rear-bottom performance unit 3500, allowing the desired performance effect by the rear-bottom performance unit 3500 to be fully realized.

Furthermore, by attaching the second component 2812 to the rear of the first component 2811, as in the side unit 2800, the rigidity of the first component 2811 can be increased by the second component 2812. More specifically, for example, when disassembling a pachinko machine 1 for recycling or the like, if the rigidity of the first component 2811 is low, the first component 2811 will bend when the first component 2811 is pulled forward to remove it from the panel plate 1110. This bending will tilt the positioning protrusion 2811c inserted into the positioning hole 1113 of the panel plate 1110, making it difficult to remove from the positioning hole 1113, which may make the disassembly process more difficult. In contrast, if the second component 2812 is attached to the rear of the first component 2811, the second component 2812 is provided with a ball passage 2812a, which has a U-shaped cross section. The rigidity of the second component 2812 is therefore increased by the presence of the ball passage 2812a, and attaching this second component 2812 can increase the rigidity of the first component 2811 (side unit 2800). Therefore, during disassembly of the pachinko machine 1 for recycling or the like, when the side unit 2800 is pulled forward, the increased rigidity of the side unit 2800 prevents the first component 2811, from which the positioning protrusion 2811c protrudes, from bending. This prevents the positioning protrusion 2811c from tilting relative to the positioning hole 1113 of the panel plate 1110, allowing the side unit 2800 to be easily removed from the panel plate 1110. This makes it possible to provide a pachinko machine 1 that reduces the amount of disassembly work required for sorting.

Furthermore, in the side unit 2800A, the second component 2813 is attached to a rear component such as the rear unit 3000 behind the panel plate 1110, making it possible to extend the ball passage 2813a downward beyond the opening 1112 that penetrates the panel plate 1110 on the rear side of the panel plate 1110. More specifically, if the second component 2812 is attached to the first component 2811, the first component 2811 blocks the opening 1112 in the panel plate 1110 from the front, so the second component 2812 in which the ball passage 2812a is provided must be smaller than the opening 1112, making it difficult to extend part of the ball passage 2812a downward beyond the opening 1112 on the rear side of the panel plate 1110. In contrast, in the side unit 2800A, the second component 2813 is attached to a rear component such as the rear unit 3000 provided behind the panel plate 1110, so a portion of the ball passage 2813a can be made to extend downward beyond the opening 1112 on the rear side of the panel plate 1110. Therefore, since the ball passage 2813a can be extended to the bottom end of the panel plate 1110, the height at which the game ball B ejected downward can be reduced, thereby reducing the impact of the ejected game ball B. Furthermore, since a portion of the ball passage 2813a can be made to extend downward beyond the opening 1112 on the rear side of the panel plate 1110, there is no need to extend the opening 1112, which penetrates the panel plate 1110, downward to the bottom end of the panel plate 1110, and the strength of the panel plate 1110 is not reduced.

In addition, in the side unit 2800A, the second component 2813 is attached to a rear component such as the rear unit 3000 behind the panel board 1110, so electronic components such as the ball sensor 2813b provided in the ball passage 2813a are provided on the rear component side behind the panel board 1110, allowing the electronic components to be grouped together on the rear component side, eliminating the need to provide electronic components such as the ball sensor 2813b on the panel board 1110 side. Therefore, during assembly and disassembly of the pachinko machine 1, the wiring of the electronic components does not extend from the panel board 1110 side, so the wiring will not get caught on components such as obstructing nails, interfering with work or causing the wiring to be cut.

In addition, in the side unit 2800, the mounting hole 2811d for mounting the first component 2811 to the panel plate 1110 is located near the positioning protrusion 2811c. Therefore, by screwing a mounting screw into the panel plate 1110 through the mounting hole 2811d and tightening it, the positioning protrusion 2811c is pressed firmly against the panel plate 1110, ensuring that it is inserted securely into the positioning hole 1113 on the panel plate 1110. This prevents the positioning protrusion 2811c from floating up due to incomplete insertion.

[15-10. Tenth Technical Feature]
This specification has the following technical features that are different from those described above.

[15-10a. Background of the Tenth Technical Feature]
There is known a gaming machine such as a pachinko machine that has a center role device that is attached from the front to an opening in a gaming panel that forms a gaming area into which gaming balls can flow, and that has a decorative body with a predetermined decoration (for example, Patent Document Z: JP 2017-074434 A). In the technology of Patent Document Z, the decorative body attached to the center role device is intended to improve the appearance of the gaming machine.

However, with the technology of Patent Document Z, flat decorative elements are placed near the front end of the central role-playing device, so even if the decorative elements are decorated with reliefs, they lack a sense of depth, and some players may quickly tire of looking at them, potentially reducing their interest.

In light of the above situation, the following means aims to provide a gaming machine that can prevent players from losing interest by providing decorative elements with a more decorative effect.

[15-10b. Solution of the Tenth Technical Feature]
Means 1: In the gaming machine,
"In a gaming machine equipped with a gaming board having a gaming panel in which a gaming area in which gaming balls can flow down is formed,
The game board is
A frame-shaped center frame attached from the front to an opening formed in the game panel;
a decorative body attached to the center frame and having a predetermined decoration;
Equipped with
The decorative body is
The center frame has a rear decorative portion extending within the frame and a portion of which protrudes rearward beyond the rear end of the center frame, and a front decorative portion provided forward of the rear decorative portion,
The rear decorative portion and the front decorative portion are decorated in a manner that coordinates with each other.
It is characterized by being something.

Here, examples of "game panel" include "opaque panels such as plywood," "panels made of transparent resin," and "those composed of a panel made of transparent resin and a frame-shaped panel holder that holds the outer edge of the panel."

Examples of "center frames" include "those having a flat flange portion that can come into contact with the front surface of the gaming panel, and an inflow restriction portion that extends forward from the flange portion and restricts gaming balls flowing down the gaming area from flowing into the opening of the gaming panel," and "those having an insertion portion that is inserted into the opening of the gaming panel and is arranged to fit along the inner surface of the opening, a flat flange portion that extends from the front end of the insertion portion in a direction along the surface of the gaming panel and can come into contact with the front surface of the gaming panel, and an inflow restriction portion that extends forward of the flange portion and restricts gaming balls flowing down the gaming area from flowing into the opening of the gaming panel."

Furthermore, examples of "decorative objects" include "objects decorated with patterns created by printing or painting, etc.," "objects decorated with three-dimensionally shaped decorations," and "objects decorated with decorations that have a metallic luster, such as plating."

Further examples of "decorative objects" include "those that are illuminated by the light emitted by LEDs mounted on an LED board," "those that have opaque sections that make it difficult to see from the front the wiring of the electronic components (e.g., LED board, relay board, spherical sensor, magnetic sensor, display (display with special design), solenoid, etc.) located at the rear," and "those that have electronic components (e.g., LED board, relay board, spherical sensor, magnetic sensor, display (display with special design), solenoid, etc.) that protrude rearward beyond the rear end of the center frame."

Furthermore, examples of "decorations that coordinate with each other" include "decorations in which the decoration of the front decorative part and the decoration of the back decorative part form a single decoration (pattern)," "decorations in which the decoration of the front decorative part and the decoration of the back decorative part form a pattern (figure) that continues from each other," and "decorations in which the decoration of the front decorative part or the decoration of the back decorative part complement (emphasize) the decoration of the front decorative part or the decoration of the back decorative part."

In accordance with the configuration of Method 1, in a gaming machine equipped with a gaming board having a gaming panel that forms a gaming area through which gaming balls can flow, the gaming board comprises a frame-shaped center frame that is attached from the front to an opening formed in the gaming panel, and a decorative body attached to the center frame and decorated with a predetermined ornament. The decorative body has a rear decorative portion that extends within the center frame and partially protrudes rearward beyond the rear end of the center frame, and a front decorative portion that is located forward of the rear decorative portion, and the rear decorative portion and the front decorative portion are decorated in a coordinated manner. (See Chapter 11-2. Second Embodiment of Center Device in the [Embodiment of the Invention] and the description in Figure 98, etc.)

As a result, the center frame attached to the gaming panel of the gaming board is provided with a decorative body consisting of a rear decorative portion that partially protrudes rearward from the rear end of the center frame, and a front decorative portion that is located forward of the rear decorative portion, allowing the player to see a decoration with depth created by the front and rear decorative portions of the decorative body. In this case, because the rear and front decorative portions are decorated in a coordinated manner, a large decoration can be seen by the player, and the rear and front decorative portions can form a decorative body that is large, deep, and highly decorative. Therefore, because a decorative body with a highly decorative effect can be provided on the center frame, the decorative body can strongly attract the player's attention, making it difficult for them to become bored, and a gaming machine can be provided that can prevent a decline in player interest.

In addition, because the rear decorative part that makes up the decorative body extends within the center frame, the rear decorative part does not narrow the playing area in front of the gaming panel or make it difficult to see the gaming balls flowing down the playing area, allowing players to enjoy playing with the gaming balls in the playing area in good condition.

Furthermore, since the rear decorative portion that makes up the decorative body extends within the framework of the center frame, if a performance display device, movable decorative body, decorative body, etc. is provided behind the gaming panel, the rear decorative portion can be used to decorate the area around the performance display device (display screen) or work in conjunction with the decorative body (movable decorative body) to create decorations (performances) with a more decorative effect, providing a highly appealing gaming machine that can strongly attract the attention of players.

It is desirable to arrange the front decorative portion and the rear decorative portion so that they at least partially overlap when viewed from the front. This makes it difficult to distinguish the boundary between the decoration of the front decorative portion and the decoration of the rear decorative portion when viewed from the front (front), allowing the player to see the large decoration made up of the front decorative portion in a better condition and further enhancing the decorative effect of the decorative body.

It is also desirable to form the center frame transparent. This makes it difficult for players to see the center frame and makes it less noticeable, allowing the decorative body (front decorative portion and rear decorative portion) to stand out in comparison, further enhancing the decorative effect of the decorative body.

Furthermore, the decorative body may have an opaque section that makes it difficult to see the wiring of the electronic components attached to the center frame from the front. This makes it difficult to see the wiring of the electronic components from the front using the opaque section of the decorative body, and the opaque section can hide the wiring, preventing the wiring from being visible and detracting from the appearance, making it easier to achieve the decorative effect of the decorative body.

The decorative body may also be placed in front of the LED board on which the LEDs are mounted. By placing the decorative body in front of the LED board, the LED board can be hidden by the decorative body (decoration), preventing the LED board from being visible and making it easier to achieve the decorative effect of the decorative body.

The center frame may also be fitted with a display that can display the results of a lottery for a special symbol drawn when a gaming ball hits the play area. By doing so, the display for displaying the special symbol is attached to the center frame, so the display can be attached to the play panel together with the center frame, reducing the effort required for assembling the gaming machine compared to when a display is attached separately.

Means 2: In the configuration of Means 1,
"The front decorative portion and the rear decorative portion are arranged so as to overlap at least partially in a front view."
It is characterized by being something.

In accordance with the configuration of Method 2, the front decorative portion and the rear decorative portion are arranged so that they at least partially overlap when viewed from the front. (See the description of the decorative body 2580 in the "Description of the Invention" section.)

As a result, the front and rear decorative parts, which are decorated in a coordinated manner, are arranged so that they partially overlap when viewed from the front. This makes it difficult to distinguish the boundary between the decoration of the front decorative part and the decoration of the rear decorative part when viewed from the front (front), allowing players to see the large decoration made up of the front and rear decorative parts in a better condition and further enhancing the decorative effect of the decorative body.

Means 3: In the configuration of means 1 and means 2,
The center frame is characterized by being transparent.

Method 3 configures the center frame to be transparent. In other words, the center frame is made of a transparent material. (See the description of the center frame 2511 in the "Description of the Invention" section.)

By making the center frame transparent, it is possible to make it less visible to players and less noticeable, while making the decorative body (front decorative part and rear decorative part) stand out in comparison, further enhancing the decorative effect of the decorative body.

Furthermore, because the center frame is transparent, if the gaming panel is also made transparent and decorative objects or effect display devices are provided behind the gaming panel, the center frame becomes less noticeable, making the decorative objects and effect images visible through the transparent gaming panel more noticeable, thereby providing a gaming machine that provides more enjoyment to players.

Means 4: In any one of the configurations from means 1 to means 3,
"The decorative body is
It has an opaque section that makes it difficult to see the wiring of the electronic components attached to the center frame from the front.
It is characterized by being something.

Here, "electronic components" include "LED boards," "relay boards," "ball sensors that detect game balls," "magnetic sensors," "displays for displaying special patterns," "solenoids for opening and closing variable winning openings," and "solenoids or drive motors for moving movable decorative elements."

Method 4 is configured so that the decorative body has an opaque portion that makes it difficult to see the wiring of the electronic components attached to the center frame from the front. (See the description of decorative body 2580 in the "Description of the Invention" section.)

As a result, the opaque parts of the decorative body make it difficult to see the wiring of the electronic components from the front, and the opaque parts allow the wiring to be hidden, preventing the wiring from being visible and spoiling the appearance, making it easier to bring out the decorative effect of the decorative body.

Means 5: In any one of the configurations of means 1 to 4,
"The decorative body is
It is located in front of the LED board on which the LED is mounted.
It is characterized by being something.

Method 5 is configured so that the decorative body is placed in front of the LED board on which the LEDs are mounted. (See the description of the LED board 2586 of the decorative body 2580 in the "Description of the Invention" section.)

As a result, the decorative body is placed in front of the LED board, allowing the LED board to be hidden by the decorative body (decoration), preventing the LED board from being visible and spoiling the appearance, and making it easier to bring out the decorative effect of the decorative body.

Furthermore, by irradiating the decorative object with light from the LEDs mounted on the LED board, the LED board can make the decorative object appear illuminated, making it look bright and beautiful, entertaining players and preventing a decline in interest.

Means 6: In any one of the configurations from means 1 to means 5,
"The center frame has
A display is attached which can display the results of the lottery for the special symbol drawn by the starting ball of the game ball in the game area.
It is characterized by being something.

Means 6 is configured to attach a display to the center frame that can display the results of the special symbol lottery drawn by the starting ball in the play area. (See the description of the symbol display 2518 in the "Description of the Invention" section.)

As a result, the display for displaying special symbols is attached to the center frame, so the display can be attached to the gaming panel along with the center frame, reducing the effort required to assemble the gaming machine compared to when the display is attached separately.

Means 7: In the gaming machine,
"In a gaming machine equipped with a gaming board having a gaming panel in which a gaming area in which gaming balls can flow down is formed,
The game board is
A display capable of displaying the result of a lottery of a special pattern drawn by a starting ball entry by a game ball in the game area is attached, and a frame-shaped transparent center frame is attached from the front to an opening formed in the game panel;
a decorative body attached to the center frame, having a predetermined decoration and having an opaque portion that makes it difficult to see wiring of electronic components attached to the center frame from the front, and provided in front of an LED board on which LEDs are mounted;
Equipped with
The decorative body is
The center frame has a rear decorative portion extending within the frame and a portion of the rear decorative portion protruding rearward from the rear end of the center frame, and a front decorative portion provided forward of the rear decorative portion,
The rear decorative portion and the front decorative portion are decorated to coordinate with each other, and are arranged so that they at least partially overlap when viewed from the front.
It is characterized by being something.

According to the configuration of means 7, the gaming machine is equipped with a gaming board having a gaming panel that forms a gaming area into which gaming balls can flow, and the gaming board is equipped with a display that can display the results of a lottery for a special design drawn by a starting ball entry by a gaming ball within the gaming area. The gaming machine is also equipped with a transparent frame-shaped center frame that is attached from the front to an opening formed in the gaming panel, and a decorative body that is attached to the center frame and is decorated with a predetermined ornament and has an opaque portion that makes it difficult to see the wiring of the electronic components attached to the center frame from the front, and is provided in front of the LED board on which LEDs are mounted. The decorative body has a rear decorative portion that extends within the frame of the center frame and has a portion that protrudes rearward beyond the rear end of the center frame, and a front decorative portion that is provided forward of the rear decorative portion, and the rear decorative portion and front decorative portion are decorated to coordinate with each other and are provided so that at least a portion of them overlap when viewed from the front.

This allows a transparent center frame attached to the gaming panel of the gaming board to be fitted with a decorative body consisting of a rear decorative portion that partially protrudes rearward from the rear end of the center frame and a front decorative portion that is located forward of the rear decorative portion. The transparency of the center frame makes the decorative body less noticeable, making it stand out relatively, and the front and rear decorative portions of the decorative body can create a decorative effect with depth for the player. In this case, the rear and front decorative portions are decorated in a coordinated manner and are arranged so that they partially overlap when viewed from the front. This makes it difficult to distinguish the boundary between the decorative portion of the front and the decorative portion of the rear decorative portion when viewed from the front (front). This allows the player to see the large decoration of the front and rear decorative portions in a good condition, and the rear and front decorative portions can form a decorative body with a large, deep, and highly decorative effect. Therefore, by providing a decorative body with a highly decorative effect on the center frame, the decorative body can strongly attract the player's attention, preventing them from becoming bored, and a gaming machine can be provided that can prevent a decline in player interest.

In addition, because the rear decorative part that makes up the decorative body extends within the center frame, the rear decorative part does not narrow the playing area in front of the gaming panel or make it difficult to see the gaming balls flowing down the playing area, allowing players to enjoy playing with the gaming balls in the playing area in good condition.

Furthermore, since the rear decorative portion that makes up the decorative body extends within the framework of the center frame, if a performance display device, movable decorative body, decorative body, etc. is provided behind the gaming panel, the rear decorative portion can be used to decorate the area around the performance display device (display screen) or work in conjunction with the decorative body (movable decorative body) to create decorations (performances) with a more decorative effect, providing a highly appealing gaming machine that can strongly attract the attention of players.

In addition, the opaque parts of the decorative body make it difficult to see the wiring of the electronic components from the front, and the opaque parts allow the wiring to be hidden, preventing the wiring from being visible and spoiling the appearance, making it easier to bring out the decorative effect of the decorative body.

Furthermore, since the decorative body is placed in front of the LED board, the LED board can be hidden by the decorative body (decoration), preventing the LED board from being visible and spoiling the appearance, making it easier to bring out the decorative effect of the decorative body.

In addition, because the display for displaying special symbols is attached to the center frame, the display can be attached to the gaming panel along with the center frame, reducing the effort required to assemble the gaming machine compared to when the display is attached separately.

In this way, the above solution makes it possible to provide a gaming machine that can prevent players from losing interest by providing decorative elements with a more decorative effect.

[15-10c. Relationship between the solution of the tenth technical feature and the embodiment]
The game panel 1100 consisting of the panel board 1110 and the panel holder 1120 in the game board 5 of this embodiment corresponds to the game panel of the above-mentioned solution means, the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110 in this embodiment corresponds to the opening of the game panel of the above-mentioned solution means, the center frame 2511 of the center device 2500 in this embodiment corresponds to the center frame of the above-mentioned solution means, the pattern display 2518 in this embodiment corresponds to the display of the above-mentioned solution means, the decorative body 2580 in this embodiment corresponds to the decorative body of the above-mentioned solution means, the front decorative part 2581 in this embodiment corresponds to the front decorative part of the above-mentioned solution means, the rear decorative part 2582 in this embodiment corresponds to the rear decorative part of the above-mentioned solution means, and the LED board 2586 in this embodiment corresponds to the LED board of the above-mentioned solution means.

[15-10d. Characteristic effects of the tenth technical feature]
According to this embodiment, a decorative body 2580 consisting of a rear decorative part 2582, part of which protrudes rearward from the rear end of the center frame 2511, and a front decorative part 2581, which is provided forward of the rear decorative part 2582, is provided on a transparent center frame 2511 attached to the game panel 1100 of the game board 5.Therefore, since the center frame 2511 is transparent, it is less noticeable, making the decorative body 2580 stand out in comparison, and the front decorative part 2581 and rear decorative part 2582 of the decorative body 2580 can give the player a decorative appearance with depth. In this case, the rear decorative portion 2582 and the front decorative portion 2581 are decorated in a coordinated manner, and are arranged so that a portion of each overlaps when viewed from the front, making it possible to make it difficult to distinguish the boundary between the decoration of the front decorative portion 2581 and the decoration of the rear decorative portion 2582 when viewed from the front (front), allowing the player to see the large decoration formed by the front decorative portion 2581 and the rear decorative portion 2582 in good condition, and the rear decorative portion 2582 and the front decorative portion 2581 can form a large, deep, and highly decorative decorative body 2580. Therefore, since the decorative body 2580 with a highly decorative effect can be provided on the center frame 2511, the decorative body 2580 can strongly attract the player's attention and prevent them from becoming bored, making it possible to provide a pachinko machine 1 that is capable of suppressing a decline in the player's interest.

In addition, according to this embodiment, the rear decorative portion 2582 that constitutes the decorative body 2580 extends within the frame of the center frame 2511, so the rear decorative portion 2582 does not narrow the game area 5a on the front of the game panel 1100 or make it difficult to see the game ball B flowing down the game area 5a, allowing players to enjoy playing with the game ball B in the game area 5a in good condition.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the rear decorative portion 2582 that constitutes the decorative body 2580 extends within the framework of the center frame 2511. This makes it possible to decorate the periphery of the performance display device 1600 (display screen) for the performance display device 1600, the back front performance unit 3300, the back rear performance unit 3400, etc., which are provided behind the gaming panel 1100, and to work in conjunction with the decorative bodies (movable decorative bodies) of the back front performance unit 3300 and the back rear performance unit 3400 to create decorations (performances) with a more decorative effect, thereby providing a highly appealing pachinko machine 1 that is capable of strongly attracting the attention of players.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the opaque portions of the decorative body 2580 make it difficult to see the wiring of electronic components such as the LED board 2586 from the front. This allows the wiring to be hidden by the opaque portions, preventing the wiring from being visible and detracting from the appearance, making it easier to achieve the decorative effect of the decorative body 2580.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the decorative body 2580 (front decorative portion 2581) is arranged in front of the LED board 2586, so the LED board 2586 can be hidden by the decorative body 2580 (decoration), which prevents the LED board 2586 from being visible and making it look unattractive, making it easier to achieve the decorative effect of the decorative body 2580.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the pattern display 2518 for displaying special patterns is attached to the center frame 2511, so the pattern display 2518 can be attached to the gaming panel 1100 together with the center frame 2511, reducing the effort required for assembling the pachinko machine 1 compared to when the pattern display 2518 is attached separately.

[15-11. Eleventh technical feature]
This specification has the following technical features that are different from those described above.

[15-11a. Background of the eleventh technical feature]
There is known a gaming machine such as a pachinko machine that has a center role device that is attached from the front to an opening in a gaming panel that forms a gaming area into which gaming balls can flow, and that has a decorative body with a predetermined decoration (for example, Patent Document Z: JP 2017-074434 A). In the technology of Patent Document Z, the decorative body attached to the center role device is intended to improve the appearance of the gaming machine.

However, with the technology of Patent Document Z, flat decorative elements are placed near the front end of the central role-playing device, so even if the decorative elements are decorated with reliefs, they lack a sense of depth, and some players may quickly tire of looking at them, potentially reducing their interest.

In response to this, it is possible to enhance the decorativeness of the center role by providing a decorative body that is three-dimensionally formed in the front-to-back direction on the center role, but if the rear end of the decorative body protrudes further rearward than the center role (center frame), the protruding part can easily get in the way when manufacturing the gaming machine, making it difficult to handle (handle), and there is a risk that manufacturing costs will increase.

In light of the above situation, the following measures aim to provide a gaming machine that can improve handling during manufacturing while maintaining decorativeness.

[15-11b. Solution of the eleventh technical feature]
Means 1: In the gaming machine,
"In a gaming machine equipped with a gaming board having a gaming panel in which a gaming area in which gaming balls can flow down is formed,
The game board is
A frame-shaped center frame attached from the front to an opening formed in the game panel;
a decorative body attached to the center frame and having a predetermined decoration;
Equipped with
The decorative body is
a rear decorative portion extending within the center frame and provided forward of the rear end of the center frame;
and a front decorative portion that is arranged to overlap at least a portion of the front of the rear decorative portion.

Here, examples of "game panel" include "opaque panels such as plywood," "panels made of transparent resin," and "those composed of a panel made of transparent resin and a frame-shaped panel holder that holds the outer edge of the panel."

Examples of "center frames" include "those having a flat flange portion that can come into contact with the front surface of the gaming panel, and an inflow restriction portion that extends forward from the flange portion and restricts gaming balls flowing down the gaming area from flowing into the opening of the gaming panel," and "those having an insertion portion that is inserted into the opening of the gaming panel and is arranged to fit along the inner surface of the opening, a flat flange portion that extends from the front end of the insertion portion in a direction along the surface of the gaming panel and can come into contact with the front surface of the gaming panel, and an inflow restriction portion that extends forward of the flange portion and restricts gaming balls flowing down the gaming area from flowing into the opening of the gaming panel."

Furthermore, examples of "decorative objects" include "objects decorated with patterns created by printing or painting, etc.," "objects decorated with three-dimensionally shaped decorations," and "objects decorated with decorations that have a metallic luster, such as plating."

Further examples of "decorative objects" include "those that are illuminated by the light emitted by LEDs mounted on an LED board," "those that have opaque sections that make it difficult to see from the front the wiring of the electronic components (e.g., LED board, relay board, spherical sensor, magnetic sensor, display (display with special design), solenoid, etc.) located at the rear," and "those that have electronic components (e.g., LED board, relay board, spherical sensor, magnetic sensor, display (display with special design), solenoid, etc.) that protrude rearward beyond the rear end of the center frame."

In addition, examples of the relationship between the rear decorative portion and the front decorative portion that make up the decorative body include "a rear decorative portion decorated in a way that coordinates with the decoration of the front decorative portion," "a rear decorative portion decorated in the same way as the decoration of the front decorative portion so as to coordinate with the decoration of the front decorative portion," "a rear decorative portion decorated in a way that is different from the decoration of the front decorative portion," "a front decorative portion having a transparent portion through which the decoration of the rear decorative portion (rear decoration) behind it can be seen," and "a front decorative portion having a transparent portion through which the decoration of the rear decorative portion (rear decoration) behind it can be seen, and a plurality of dots on the transparent portion decorated with decoration that constitutes part of the front decoration."

In accordance with the configuration of Method 1, in a gaming machine equipped with a gaming panel having a gaming area through which gaming balls can flow, the gaming panel includes a frame-shaped center frame attached from the front to an opening formed in the gaming panel, and a decorative body attached to the center frame and decorated with a predetermined ornament. The decorative body extends within the frame of the center frame and includes a rear decorative portion located forward of the rear end of the center frame, and a front decorative portion located so as to overlap at least a portion of the front of the rear decorative portion. (See Chapter 11-1. Center Device of the First Embodiment and Figures 94 to 97 in the "Embodiment of the Invention" section.)

As a result, the center frame attached to the gaming panel of the gaming board is provided with a decorative body consisting of a rear decorative portion located forward of the rear end of the center frame and a front decorative portion located so as to overlap at least a portion of the front of the rear decorative portion, allowing the player to see a decoration with depth created by the front and rear decorative portions of the decorative body. In this case, because a portion of the rear decorative portion overlaps the front decorative portion, it is possible to make it difficult to distinguish the boundary between the decoration of the front decorative portion and the decoration of the rear decorative portion when viewed from the front (front), allowing the player to see a large decoration created by the front and rear decorative portions, and the rear decorative portion and front decorative portion can form a large, deep, and highly decorative body. Therefore, because a decorative body with a highly decorative effect can be provided on the center frame, the decorative body can strongly attract the player's attention, making it difficult for them to become bored, and a gaming machine can be provided that can prevent a decline in player interest.

In addition, because the rear decorative portion is located forward of the rear end of the center frame, there are no parts that would protrude rearward from the center frame and get in the way during the manufacture of the gaming machine. This improves handling during manufacturing, and the improved workability helps to reduce increases in manufacturing costs. Specifically, for example, when the center frame is placed with its rear end facing down on a workbench, the center frame does not wobble. Furthermore, when handling the center frame during assembly or transportation, because no part of the decorative body protrudes rearward from the rear end of the center frame, there is no risk of the protruding part from the center frame coming into contact with other parts and being scratched or damaged. This eliminates the need for meticulous care during the work, improving workability.

Furthermore, because the rear decorative portion that makes up the decorative body extends within the center frame, the rear decorative portion does not narrow the playing area in front of the gaming panel or make it difficult to see the gaming balls flowing down the playing area, allowing players to enjoy playing with the gaming balls in the playing area in good condition.

In addition, because the rear decorative portion that makes up the decorative body extends within the framework of the center frame, if a performance display device, movable decorative body, decorative body, etc. is provided behind the gaming panel, the rear decorative portion can decorate the area around the performance display device (display screen) or work in conjunction with the decorative body (movable decorative body) to create decorations (performances) with a more decorative effect, providing a highly appealing gaming machine that can strongly attract the attention of players.

It is desirable to apply decoration to the rear decorative portion that coordinates with the decoration of the front decorative portion. This allows the player to see the decoration of the rear decorative portion and the decoration of the front decorative portion as one large decoration, further enhancing the decorative effect of the decorative body.

It is also desirable to make the center frame transparent. This makes it difficult for players to see the center frame and makes it less noticeable, allowing the decorative body (front decorative part and rear decorative part) to stand out in comparison, further enhancing the decorative effect of the decorative body.

The decorative body may also have an opaque section that makes it difficult to see the wiring of the electronic components attached to the center frame from the front. This makes it difficult to see the wiring of the electronic components from the front using the opaque section of the decorative body, and the wiring can be hidden by the opaque section, preventing the wiring from being visible and detracting from the appearance, making it easier to achieve the decorative effect of the decorative body.

Furthermore, the rear decorative portion is decorated with a rear decoration that is the same as the portion of the front decorative portion that overlaps in front of it when viewed from the front, and the front decorative portion may have a transparent portion in front of the ball passage through which game balls flow, which is located in at least a portion of the front decorative portion between the front decorative portion and the rear decorative portion, that allows the rear decoration and the game balls flowing through the ball passage to be visible from the front. This allows the rear decoration of the rear decorative portion, which is located behind, to be visible through the transparent portion located in front of the ball passage on the front decorative portion when game balls are not flowing through the ball passage located between the front decorative portion and the rear decorative portion. In this case, because the rear decoration of the rear decorative portion has the same decoration as the front decoration of the front decorative portion, the rear decoration of the rear decorative portion complements the transparent portion on the front decoration of the front decorative portion, allowing the player to see the original decoration as if there were no transparent portion on the front decoration of the front decorative portion, ensuring the decorative effect of the decorative body. On the other hand, when game balls are flowing through the ball passage provided between the front decorative section and the rear decorative section, the game balls can be seen through the transparent section in the front decoration of the front decorative section, which prevents players from feeling distrustful or anxious when the game balls become invisible, even if only temporarily, and allows players to enjoy playing with game balls and prevents a decline in interest.

Furthermore, as described above, when a transparent portion is provided in the front decoration of the front decorative part in front of the ball passage, and the same rear decoration is provided on the rear decorative part behind the transparent portion, the front decorative part may have multiple dot portions provided in the transparent portion and decorated with decorations that are smaller than the gaming balls and form part of the front decoration. In this way, even if the decoration of the rear decorative part visible through the transparent portion of the front decoration of the front decorative part is blocked from view by a gaming ball flowing through the ball passage provided between the front decorative part and the rear decorative part, the decoration of the multiple dot portions provided in the transparent portion in front of the gaming ball can be seen, allowing the player to see the gaming ball in the ball passage while avoiding the appearance of the decorative body being impaired, and allowing the decorative effect of the decorative body to be fully realized.

The decorative body may also be placed in front of the LED board on which the LEDs are mounted. By placing the decorative body in front of the LED board, the LED board can be hidden by the decorative body (decoration), preventing the LED board from being visible and making it easier to achieve the decorative effect of the decorative body.

The center frame may also be fitted with a display that can display the results of a lottery for a special symbol drawn when a gaming ball hits the play area. By doing so, the display for displaying the special symbol is attached to the center frame, so the display can be attached to the play panel together with the center frame, reducing the effort required for assembling the gaming machine compared to when a display is attached separately.

Means 2: In the configuration of Means 1,
"The rear decorative portion is decorated in a manner that is in harmony with the decoration of the front decorative portion."
It is characterized by being something.

Here, "coordinated decoration" refers to "decorations in which the decoration of the front decorative portion and the decoration of the back decorative portion form a single decoration (pattern)," "decorations in which the decoration of the front decorative portion and the decoration of the back decorative portion are continuous with each other in a pattern (figure)," "decorations in which the decoration of the front decorative portion or the decoration of the back decorative portion complement (emphasize) the decoration of the back decorative portion or the decoration of the front decorative portion," etc.

According to the configuration of Method 2, the rear decorative portion is decorated in a manner that coordinates with the decoration of the front decorative portion. (See the description of decorative body 2570 and decorative body 2570A in the "Description of the Invention" section.)

This allows the rear decorative part to be decorated in a way that coordinates with the decoration on the front decorative part, so that the decoration on the rear decorative part and the decoration on the front decorative part combine to form one large decoration for the player, further enhancing the decorative effect of the decorative body.

Means 3: In the configuration of means 1 or means 2,
The center frame is formed to be transparent.
It is characterized by being something.

Method 3 configures the center frame to be transparent. In other words, the center frame is made of a transparent material. (See the description of the center frame 2511 in the "Description of the Invention" section.)

By making the center frame transparent, it is possible to make it less visible to players and less noticeable, while making the decorative body (front decorative part and rear decorative part) stand out in comparison, further enhancing the decorative effect of the decorative body.

Furthermore, because the center frame is transparent, if the gaming panel is also made transparent and decorative objects or effect display devices are provided behind the gaming panel, the center frame becomes less noticeable, making the decorative objects and effect images visible through the transparent gaming panel more noticeable, thereby providing a gaming machine that provides more enjoyment to players.

Means 4: In any one of the configurations from means 1 to means 3,
"The decorative body is
It has an opaque section that makes it difficult to see the wiring of the electronic components attached to the center frame from the front.
It is characterized by being something.

Here, "electronic components" include "LED boards," "relay boards," "ball sensors that detect game balls," "magnetic sensors," "displays for displaying special patterns," "solenoids for opening and closing variable winning openings," and "solenoids or drive motors for moving movable decorative elements."

Method 4 is configured so that the decorative body has an opaque portion that makes it difficult to see the wiring of the electronic components attached to the center frame from the front. (See the description of decorative body 2570 and decorative body 2570A in the "Description of the Invention" section.)

As a result, the opaque parts of the decorative body make it difficult to see the wiring of the electronic components from the front, and the opaque parts allow the wiring to be hidden, preventing the wiring from being visible and spoiling the appearance, making it easier to bring out the decorative effect of the decorative body.

Means 5: In any one of the configurations from means 1 to means 4,
The rear decorative part is provided with a rear decoration that is the same as the part of the front decorative part that overlaps the front decoration of the front decorative part in a front view,
The front decorative portion has a transparent portion in front of the ball passage through which the game balls flow, which is provided in at least a portion of the front decorative portion between the front decorative portion and the rear decorative portion, through which the game balls flow. This transparent portion allows the game balls flowing through the rear decorative portion and the ball passage to be seen from the front.
It is characterized by being something.

Here, examples of "transparent portion" include "colorless transparent portion," "colored transparent portion," "through-hole portion," etc.

According to the configuration of Measure 5, the rear decorative portion is decorated with a rear decoration that is the same as the portion of the front decorative portion that overlaps the front decorative portion in front of it when viewed from the front. The front decorative portion has a transparent portion in front of the ball passage through which the game balls pass, which is located at least partially between the front decorative portion and the rear decorative portion, allowing the rear decorative portion and the game balls passing through the ball passage to be seen from the front. (See the description of the decorative body 2570 in the "Description of the Invention" section.)

As a result, when no game balls are flowing through the ball passageway between the front and rear decorative sections, the rear decoration of the rear decorative section located at the rear can be seen through the transparent section located in front of the ball passageway in the front decoration of the front decorative section. In this case, because the rear decoration of the rear decorative section is the same as the front decoration of the front decorative section, the rear decoration of the rear decorative section complements the transparent section in the front decoration of the front decorative section, allowing the player to see the original decoration as if there were no transparent section in the front decoration of the front decorative section, ensuring the decorative effect of the decorative body is fully realized.

On the other hand, when game balls are flowing through the ball passageway located between the front and rear decorative sections, they can be seen through the transparent section in the front decoration of the front decorative section. This prevents players from feeling distrustful or anxious when the game balls become invisible, even if only temporarily, and allows players to enjoy playing with game balls while preventing a decline in interest.

Means 6: In the configuration of Means 5,
"The front decorative part is
The transparent portion has a plurality of dots that are smaller than the game ball and are decorated to form part of the front decoration.
It is characterized by being something.

According to the configuration of means 6, the front decorative portion has a plurality of decorative dots that are smaller than the game balls and that form part of the front decorative portion, provided in the transparent portion. (See the description of the decorative body 2570 in the "Description of the Invention" section.)

As a result, even if the decoration of the rear decorative part, which can be seen through the transparent part of the front decoration of the front decorative part, is blocked by a gaming ball flowing through the ball passage provided between the front and rear decorative parts and becomes invisible, the decoration of the multiple dots provided in the transparent part in front of the gaming ball can be seen, allowing the player to see the gaming ball in the ball passage while avoiding the appearance of the decorative body being impaired, and allowing the decorative effect of the decorative body to be fully realized.

Means 7: In the gaming machine,
"In a gaming machine equipped with a gaming board having a gaming panel in which a gaming area in which gaming balls can flow down is formed,
The game board is
A frame-shaped transparent center frame attached from the front to an opening formed in the game panel;
a decorative body attached to the center frame, having a predetermined decoration and an opaque portion that makes it difficult to see wiring of electronic components attached to the center frame from the front;
Equipped with
The decorative body is
a rear decorative portion extending within the center frame and provided forward of the rear end of the center frame;
a front decorative part provided to overlap at least a portion of the front of the rear decorative part,
The rear decorative portion is provided with a rear decoration that is coordinated with the front decoration of the front decorative portion and has the same decoration as a portion of the front decorative portion that overlaps the front decoration of the front decorative portion in a front view,
The front decoration has a transparent portion in a portion in front of the ball passage through which the game balls flow, which is provided in at least a portion of the front decoration between the front decoration and the rear decoration, that allows the rear decoration and the game balls flowing through the ball passage to be seen from the front, and a plurality of dot portions that are provided in the transparent portion and are decorated with a size smaller than the game balls and that constitute part of the front decoration.
It is characterized by being something.

According to the configuration of Means 7, in a gaming machine equipped with a gaming board having a gaming panel in which a gaming area is formed through which gaming balls can flow down, the gaming board comprises a frame-shaped transparent center frame that is attached from the front to an opening formed in the gaming panel, and a decorative body attached to the center frame that is decorated with a predetermined ornament and has an opaque portion that makes it difficult to see the wiring of the electronic components attached to the center frame from the front, and the decorative body extends within the frame of the center frame and comprises a rear decorative portion that is located forward of the rear end of the center frame, and at least one of the rear decorative portions The front decorative portion has a front decorative portion that overlaps the front of the front decorative portion, and the rear decorative portion has a rear decorative portion that is coordinated with the front decorative portion and has the same decoration as the portion of the front decorative portion that overlaps in front of it when viewed from the front. The front decorative portion has a transparent portion in front of the ball passage through which the game balls flow, which is provided in at least a portion of the front decorative portion between the front decorative portion and the rear decorative portion, and which allows the rear decorative portion and the game balls flowing through the ball passage to be seen from the front, and a plurality of dot portions that are provided in the transparent portion and are decorated with dots that are smaller than the game balls and form part of the front decorative portion.

As a result, a decorative body consisting of a rear decorative portion located forward of the rear end of the center frame and a front decorative portion located so as to overlap at least a portion of the front of the rear decorative portion is attached to a transparent center frame attached to the gaming panel of the gaming board. Because the center frame is transparent, the decorative body stands out relatively by making it less noticeable, and the front and rear decorative portions of the decorative body create a decorative effect with depth. In this case, the rear and front decorative portions are decorated in a coordinated manner, and are arranged so that they partially overlap when viewed from the front. This makes it difficult to distinguish the boundary between the decorative portion of the front and the decorative portion of the rear decorative portion when viewed from the front (front). This allows the player to see the large decorative body made up of the front and rear decorative portions in a good condition, and the rear and front decorative portions create a decorative body with a large, deep, and highly decorative effect. Therefore, because the center frame can be fitted with decorative elements that have a highly decorative effect, the decorative elements can strongly attract the attention of players, making it difficult for them to become bored, and it is possible to provide a gaming machine that can prevent players from losing interest.

The rear decorative portion is decorated with a rear decoration that is the same as the portion of the front decorative portion that overlaps in front of it when viewed from the front. The front decorative portion has a transparent portion in front of the ball passage through which game balls flow, located at least partially between the front decorative portion and the rear decorative portion, which allows the rear decoration and the game balls flowing through the ball passage to be seen from the front, and a plurality of dots in the transparent portion that are decorated and smaller than the game balls and form part of the front decoration. Therefore, when game balls are not flowing through the ball passage between the front decorative portion and the rear decorative portion, the rear decoration of the rear decorative portion located behind can be seen through the transparent portion located in front of the ball passage on the front decorative portion. In this case, because the rear decoration of the rear decorative portion is the same as the front decoration of the front decorative portion, the rear decoration of the rear decorative portion complements the transparent portion of the front decoration of the front decorative portion, allowing the player to see the original decoration as if there were no transparent portion on the front decoration of the front decorative portion, ensuring the decorative effect of the decorative body is fully realized.

On the other hand, when a gaming ball is flowing through the ball passageway between the front and rear decorative sections, the gaming ball can be seen through the transparent portion of the front decoration of the front decorative section. This prevents the player from feeling distrustful or anxious when the gaming ball is even temporarily hidden from view, allowing the player to enjoy the game with the gaming ball and preventing a decline in interest. In this case, because the transparent portion is provided with multiple dots that form part of the front decoration, even if the decoration of the rear decoration part, which can be seen through the transparent portion of the front decoration of the front decorative section, is blocked by a gaming ball flowing through the ball passageway between the front and rear decorative sections and becomes invisible, the decoration of the multiple dots provided in the transparent portion in front of the gaming ball can be seen, allowing the player to see the gaming ball in the ball passageway while preventing the decorative body from becoming unattractive, allowing the decorative effect of the decorative body to be fully realized.

In addition, because the rear decorative portion is located forward of the rear end of the center frame, there are no parts that would protrude rearward from the center frame and get in the way during the manufacture of the gaming machine. This improves handling during manufacturing, and the improved workability helps to reduce increases in manufacturing costs. Specifically, for example, when the center frame is placed with its rear end facing down on a workbench, the center frame does not wobble. Furthermore, when handling the center frame during assembly or transportation, because no part of the decorative body protrudes rearward from the rear end of the center frame, there is no risk of the protruding part from the center frame coming into contact with other parts and being scratched or damaged. This eliminates the need for meticulous care during the work, improving workability.

In addition, because the rear decorative part that makes up the decorative body extends within the center frame, the rear decorative part does not narrow the playing area in front of the gaming panel or make it difficult to see the gaming balls flowing down the playing area, allowing players to enjoy playing with the gaming balls in the playing area in good condition.

Furthermore, since the rear decorative portion that makes up the decorative body extends within the framework of the center frame, if a performance display device, movable decorative body, decorative body, etc. is provided behind the gaming panel, the rear decorative portion can be used to decorate the area around the performance display device (display screen) or work in conjunction with the decorative body (movable decorative body) to create decorations (performances) with a more decorative effect, providing a highly appealing gaming machine that can strongly attract the attention of players.

In addition, the opaque parts of the decorative body make it difficult to see the wiring of the electronic components from the front, and the opaque parts allow the wiring to be hidden, preventing the wiring from being visible and spoiling the appearance, making it easier to bring out the decorative effect of the decorative body.

In this way, the above solution makes it possible to provide a gaming machine that maintains decorativeness while improving ease of handling during manufacturing.

[15-11c. Relationship between the solution of the eleventh technical feature and embodiments]
The game panel 1100 consisting of the panel board 1110 and the panel holder 1120 in the game board 5 of this embodiment corresponds to the game panel of the above-mentioned solution means, the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110 in this embodiment corresponds to the opening of the game panel of the above-mentioned solution means, the center frame 2511 of the center device 2500 in this embodiment corresponds to the center frame of the above-mentioned solution means, the ball passage 2517 in this embodiment corresponds to the ball passage of the above-mentioned solution means, the decorative body 2570 and the decorative body 2570A in this embodiment correspond to the decorative body of the above-mentioned solution means, the front decorative part 2572 in this embodiment corresponds to the front decorative part of the above-mentioned solution means, the transparent part 2572a in this embodiment corresponds to the transparent part of the above-mentioned solution means, the dot part 2572b in this embodiment corresponds to the dot part of the above-mentioned solution means, and the rear decorative part 2573 in this embodiment corresponds to the rear decorative part of the above-mentioned solution means.

[15-11d. Characteristic effects of the eleventh technical feature]
According to this embodiment, a decorative body 2570 (decorative body 2570A) consisting of a rear decorative portion 2573 that is provided forward of the rear end of the center frame 2511 and a front decorative portion 2572 that is provided so as to overlap with at least a portion of the front of the rear decorative portion 2573 is provided on a transparent center frame 2511 that is attached to the game panel 1100 of the game board 5.Therefore, since the center frame 2511 is transparent, it is less noticeable and the decorative body 2570 (decorative body 2570A) can be made to stand out relatively, and the front decorative portion 2572 and rear decorative portion 2573 of the decorative body 2570 (decorative body 2570A) can be made to appear to the player as a decoration with depth. In this case, the rear decorative portion 2573 and the front decorative portion 2572 are decorated in a coordinated manner, and are arranged so that a portion of each overlaps when viewed from the front, making it possible to make it difficult to distinguish the boundary between the decoration of the front decorative portion 2572 and the decoration of the rear decorative portion 2573 when viewed from the front (front), allowing the player to see the large decoration formed by the front decorative portion 2572 and the rear decorative portion 2573 in good condition, and the rear decorative portion 2573 and the front decorative portion 2572 can form a large, deep, and highly decorative decorative body 2570 (decorative body 2570A). Therefore, since the decorative body 2570 (decorative body 2570A) with a high decorative effect can be provided on the center frame 2511, the decorative body 2570 (decorative body 2570A) can strongly attract the player's attention and prevent them from becoming bored, making it possible to provide a pachinko machine 1 that is capable of suppressing a decline in the player's interest.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, in the decorative body 2570, the rear decorative portion 2573 is provided with a decoration (rear decoration) that is the same as the portion of the decoration (front decoration) of the front decorative portion 2572 that overlaps in front of it when viewed from the front, and the front decorative portion 2572 is provided with a transparent portion 2573 in the portion in front of the ball passage 2517 through which the game ball B flows, which is provided in at least a portion of the decoration of the front decorative portion 2572 between the front decorative portion 2572 and the rear decorative portion 2573, that allows the decoration of the rear decorative portion 2573 and the game ball B flowing through the ball passage 2517 to be visible from the front. 572a, and multiple dot portions 2572b, which are provided in the transparent portion 2572a and are smaller than the game ball B and are decorated to form part of the decoration of the front decorative portion 2572. Therefore, when the game ball B is not flowing through the ball passage 2517 provided between the front decorative portion 2572 and the rear decorative portion 2573, the decoration of the rear decorative portion 2573, which is provided at the rear, can be seen through the transparent portion 2572a provided in the portion of the decoration of the front decorative portion 2572 in front of the ball passage 2517. At this time, because the decoration of the rear decorative portion 2573 is the same as the decoration of the front decorative portion 2572, the decoration of the rear decorative portion 2573 complements the transparent portion 2572a in the decoration of the front decorative portion 2572, allowing the player to see the original decoration as if the transparent portion 2572a were not present in the decoration of the front decorative portion 2572, and ensuring the decorative effect of the decorative body 2570.

On the other hand, when game ball B is circulating through the ball passage 2517 provided between the front decorative portion 2572 and the rear decorative portion 2573, game ball B can be seen through the transparent portion 2572a in the decoration of the front decorative portion 2572, so it is possible to avoid causing distrust or anxiety among the player due to game ball B becoming invisible, even if only temporarily, and to allow the player to enjoy playing with game ball B and prevent a decline in interest. In this case, since the transparent portion 2572a is provided with multiple dot portions 2572b that form part of the decoration of the front decorative portion 2572, even if the decoration of the rear decorative portion 2573 that can be seen through the transparent portion 2572a in the decoration of the front decorative portion 2572 is blocked from view by a game ball B flowing through the ball passage 2517 provided between the front decorative portion 2572 and the rear decorative portion 2573 and becomes invisible, the decoration of the multiple dot portions 2572b provided in the transparent portion 2572a in front of the game ball B can be seen, allowing the player to see the game ball B in the ball passage 2517 while preventing the appearance of the decorative body 2570 from being impaired, and allowing the decorative effect of the decorative body 2570 to be fully demonstrated.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the rear decorative portion 2573 of the decorative body 2570 (decorative body 2570A) is located forward of the rear end of the center frame 2511, and there are no parts that would protrude rearward from the center frame 2511 and get in the way during the manufacture of the pachinko machine 1. This improves handling during manufacturing, and the improved workability helps to reduce increases in manufacturing costs. Specifically, for example, when the center frame 2511 is placed with its rear end facing down on a workbench TA, the center frame 2511 does not wobble. Furthermore, when the center frame 2511 is being handled during assembly work, transportation work, etc., because a portion of the decorative body 2570 (decorative body 2570A) does not protrude rearward from the rear end of the center frame 2511, there is no risk of the protruding portion from the center frame 2511 coming into contact with other components and being scratched or damaged. This eliminates the need for meticulous care during the work, improving workability.

In addition, according to this embodiment, the rear decorative portion 2573 that constitutes the decorative body 2570 (decorative body 2570A) extends within the frame of the center frame 2511, so the rear decorative portion 2573 does not narrow the game area 5a on the front of the game panel 1100 or make it difficult to see the game ball B flowing down the game area 5a, allowing players to enjoy playing with the game ball B in the game area 5a in good condition.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the rear decorative portion 2573 constituting the decorative body 2570 (decorative body 2570A) extends within the framework of the center frame 2511. This makes it possible to decorate the periphery of the performance display device 1600 (display screen) for the performance display device 1600, the back front performance unit 3300, the back rear performance unit 3400, etc., which are provided behind the gaming panel 1100, and to work in conjunction with the decorative bodies (movable decorative bodies) of the back front performance unit 3300 and the back rear performance unit 3400 to show decorations (performances) with a more decorative effect, thereby providing a highly appealing pachinko machine 1 that is capable of strongly attracting the attention of players.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the opaque portions of decorative body 2570 (decorative body 2570A) make it difficult to see the wiring of electronic components such as LED boards from the front, and since the wiring can be hidden by the opaque portions, it is possible to prevent the wiring from being visible and thereby prevent the appearance from being impaired, making it easier to achieve the decorative effect of decorative body 2570 (decorative body 2570A).

[15-12. Twelfth Technical Feature]
This specification has the following technical features that are different from those described above.

[15-12a. Background of the twelfth technical feature]
There is known a gaming machine such as a pachinko machine that includes a center device attached from the front to an opening in a gaming panel that forms a gaming area through which gaming balls can flow, and that serves as an inflow restriction unit that restricts gaming balls flowing down the gaming area from flowing into the opening of the gaming panel (for example, Patent Document Z: JP 2017-074434 A). According to the technology of Patent Document Z, the center device can divide the gaming area into desired sizes.

However, with the technology of Patent Document Z, if the size of the opening in the gaming panel differs depending on the model of gaming machine, it is necessary to manufacture a separate center device (inflow restriction section), making it difficult to reuse the inflow restriction section.

In light of the above situation, the following measures aim to provide a gaming machine that allows the inflow restriction section to be reused even if the opening of the gaming panel differs depending on the model.

[15-12b. Solution of the twelfth technical feature]
Means 1: In the gaming machine,
"In a gaming machine equipped with a gaming board having a gaming area where gaming balls can flow down,
The game board is
A gaming panel on the front side of which the gaming area is formed;
an inflow restriction portion provided corresponding to an edge portion of the opening formed in the game panel, which restricts game balls flowing down the game area from flowing into the opening;
Equipped with
The inflow restriction portion has at least a first inflow restriction portion and a second inflow restriction portion,
The first inflow restriction portion and the second inflow restriction portion each have a flange portion formed along the front surface of the gaming panel, and at least one of their ends has a non-flange portion where the flange portion is not formed, and the end of the first inflow restriction portion and the end of the second inflow restriction portion are attached to the front surface of the gaming panel by an attachment portion provided on the flange portion so that they are adjacent to each other.
It is characterized by being something.

Here, examples of "game panel" include "opaque panels such as plywood," "panels made of transparent resin," and "those composed of a panel made of transparent resin and a frame-shaped panel holder that holds the outer edge of the panel."

Furthermore, examples of "flange portion" include "something that extends outward from the opening in the gaming panel, with the inflow restriction portion as the boundary," "something that extends inward from the opening in the gaming panel, with the inflow restriction portion as the boundary," and "something that extends both outward and inward from the opening in the gaming panel, with the inflow restriction portion as the boundary."

The "non-flange portion" may be provided on the side of the inflow restriction portion facing the center of the gaming panel, on the side of the inflow restriction portion facing outward away from the center of the gaming panel, or on both sides of the inflow restriction portion.

Furthermore, examples of a configuration in which "the end of the first inflow restriction portion and the end of the second inflow restriction portion are attached so that they are adjacent to each other" include "the end face of the end of the first inflow restriction portion and the end face of the end of the second inflow restriction portion are attached so that they face each other," "the inner side of the end of the first inflow restriction portion and the outer side of the end of the second inflow restriction portion are attached so that they face each other," and "the outer side of the end of the first inflow restriction portion and the inner side of the end of the second inflow restriction portion are attached so that they face each other." Furthermore, the end of the first inflow restriction portion and the end of the second inflow restriction portion may be in contact with each other or may be separated from each other.

According to the configuration of the first aspect, in a gaming machine equipped with a gaming board having a play area through which gaming balls can flow, the gaming board comprises a gaming panel with the play area formed on the front side, and an inflow restriction portion disposed corresponding to the edge of an opening formed in the gaming panel, which restricts gaming balls flowing down the play area from entering the opening. The inflow restriction portion has at least a first inflow restriction portion and a second inflow restriction portion, each of which has a flange portion formed along the front side of the gaming panel, and at least one of its ends has a non-flange portion without a flange portion. The first inflow restriction portion and the second inflow restriction portion are attached to the front side of the gaming panel by an attachment portion provided on the flange portion so that the ends of the first inflow restriction portion and the second inflow restriction portion are adjacent to each other. (See Chapter 11-3. Center Device of the Third Embodiment in the [Embodiment of the Invention] and Figures 99 to 102, etc.)

As a result, the inflow restriction section, which is provided corresponding to the edge of the opening of the gaming panel that forms the gaming area on the front side and restricts gaming balls from entering the opening, is composed of at least a first inflow restriction section and a second inflow restriction section, and is attached so that the end of the first inflow restriction section and the end of the second inflow restriction section are adjacent to each other on the front side of the gaming panel via the mounting section of the flange section provided on each section. Therefore, by appropriately selecting the relative mounting positions of the first inflow restriction section and the second inflow restriction section relative to the gaming panel, the inflow restriction section can be attached to gaming panels with openings of various sizes and shapes without having to be newly manufactured, and the inflow restriction section can be reused even if the model is different.

More specifically, for example, by installing the ends of the first and second inflow restriction parts so that they are spaced apart, it is possible to accommodate gaming panels with large openings. In this case, it is desirable that the gap between the ends of the first and second inflow restriction parts be large enough to prevent gaming balls from passing through, but if the gap is large enough that gaming balls can pass through, it is also possible to prevent gaming balls from passing through by planting obstacle nails in the gap.

Alternatively, by attaching the end of the first inflow restriction portion and the end of the second inflow restriction portion so that their respective side surfaces face each other, it is possible to accommodate gaming panels with small openings. In this case, by providing a non-flange portion on at least one end of the first inflow restriction portion and the second inflow restriction portion, it is possible to bring the side of the end of the first inflow restriction portion and the side of the end of the second inflow restriction portion as close as possible to each other, which increases the degree of freedom in the placement of the first inflow restriction portion and the second inflow restriction portion, making it easier to accommodate gaming panels with openings of various sizes.

Furthermore, as mentioned above, since it is possible to accommodate gaming panels with openings of various sizes, if it is desired to change the size of the gaming area due to design changes, etc., the size of the gaming area can be easily changed by changing the relative mounting positions of the first inflow restriction unit and the second inflow restriction unit, thereby increasing the design freedom of the gaming machine. Therefore, there is no need to manufacture a new inflow restriction unit to fit the changing size of the gaming area, which helps to suppress increases in the costs associated with the gaming machine.

The gaming board may further include multiple frames, from a first frame with a first inflow restriction section to an nth frame with an nth inflow restriction section (n is an integer of two or more), and a connecting and retaining section that prevents at least one frame from falling off the gaming panel. This allows the inflow restriction section to be made up of multiple frames, so that by appropriately setting the mounting position of each frame relative to the gaming panel, the same effects as above can be achieved. Furthermore, because the inflow restriction section is made up of multiple frames, if a malfunction occurs in one frame, only that frame needs to be replaced, reducing maintenance costs. Furthermore, the connecting and retaining sections prevent the frames from falling off the gaming panel and becoming damaged or broken during assembly or maintenance of the gaming machine.

Furthermore, when providing a connecting retaining portion as described above, it is desirable that the connecting retaining portion be formed in the shape of a flexible string. This allows the connecting retaining portion to flexibly deform and follow changes in the mounting position relationship between the first inflow restriction portion (first frame) and the second inflow restriction portion (second frame), for example. This allows the connecting retaining portion to accommodate changes in the size and shape of the opening in the gaming panel while preventing the frame from falling off the gaming panel.

Furthermore, as described above, by providing a flexible string-like connecting and retaining part, when the frame tries to detach from the gaming panel, the connecting and retaining part will flexibly deform, providing resistance and preventing the frame from immediately detaching from the gaming panel. Furthermore, if the frame does detach from the gaming panel, the connecting and retaining part will flexibly deform, reducing the falling speed and absorbing the impact, thereby preventing damage to the frame.

Furthermore, when providing a connecting and retaining portion as described above, it is desirable to connect adjacent frames together using the connecting and retaining portion. This makes it easier to handle multiple frames as a single unit compared to connecting one end of the connecting and retaining portion to a gaming panel or other component, improving workability during the manufacture of gaming machines, etc.

Furthermore, when providing a connecting and retaining part as described above, it is desirable to provide the connecting and retaining part so that it can be attached and detached from the frame. This allows, for example, when attaching multiple frames to the gaming panel in sequence, or when removing some frames from the gaming panel for maintenance, etc., to easily move and handle the frames by simply removing and attaching the connecting and retaining part, thereby improving workability.

Furthermore, by making the connecting and retaining parts detachable as described above, it becomes possible to connect the frame to the gaming panel using the connecting and retaining parts until the frame is attached to the gaming panel, and then remove the connecting and retaining parts once the frame is attached to the gaming panel, thereby preventing the connecting and retaining parts from spoiling the appearance.

Furthermore, when multiple frames are provided as described above, the gaming board may further include electronic components attached to at least one of the frames. This allows electronic components to be attached to at least one frame, and since the weight of the frame to which the electronic components are attached increases, if the frame detaches from the gaming panel and falls during assembly work, etc., the weight of the frame makes it more susceptible to damage. However, because a connecting retaining section is provided to prevent the frame from falling, the frame will not fall to a workbench, floor, etc. and be damaged. Therefore, it is possible to provide a gaming machine that can reliably utilize the effects of the electronic components attached to the frame.

Means 2: In the configuration of Means 1,
"The game board is
a plurality of frames from a first frame in which the first inflow restriction unit is provided to an nth frame in which an nth inflow restriction unit (n is an integer of 2 or more) is provided;
and a connecting and retaining portion that prevents at least one of the frames from falling off the game panel.

Here, the number of multiple frames, "n," is preferably in the range of 2 to 6. If the number of frames exceeds this range, attaching the frames during manufacturing of the gaming machine becomes more time-consuming and may increase costs. Electronic components such as LED boards may be attached to some of the multiple frames.

Examples of the "connecting and retaining part" include "flexible string-like parts" and "flexible band-like parts." Examples of the "connecting and retaining part" include "parts that connect adjacent frames together," "parts that connect a frame to another component," and "parts that connect a frame to a gaming panel." Furthermore, the "connecting and retaining part" may or may not be decorative. It is also desirable that the "connecting and retaining part" be long enough so that if the frame comes off the gaming panel and falls while the gaming board is upright, the frame will not come into contact with the table, floor, etc.

According to the configuration of Method 2, the gaming board further comprises multiple frames, from a first frame having a first inflow restriction portion to an nth frame having an nth inflow restriction portion (n is an integer of two or more), and a connecting/retaining portion that prevents at least one frame from falling off the gaming panel. (See the description of the center frame 2700 and the connecting/retaining portion 2710 in the "Description of the Invention" section.)

As a result, because the inflow restriction section is made up of multiple frames, the same effects as above can be achieved by appropriately setting the mounting position of each frame relative to the gaming panel. Furthermore, because the inflow restriction section is made up of multiple frames, if a malfunction occurs in one of the frames, only that frame needs to be replaced, reducing maintenance costs. Furthermore, because a connecting retaining section is provided, it is possible to prevent the frames from falling off the gaming panel and being damaged or broken during assembly or maintenance of the gaming machine.

Means 3: In the configuration of Means 2,
"The connecting and holding portion is
It is characterized by being "formed in a flexible string shape."

In the configuration of Feature 3, the connection and retention portion is formed in a flexible string-like shape. (See the description of the connection and retention portion 2710 in the "Description of the Invention" section.)

As a result, the connecting and retaining part is made flexible and string-like, so even if the relative mounting positions of the first inflow restriction part (first frame) and the second inflow restriction part (second frame) are changed, the connecting and retaining part can flexibly deform to follow, preventing the frame from falling off the gaming panel while also being able to accommodate the size and shape of the opening in the gaming panel.

In addition, because the connecting and retaining parts are made in the form of flexible strings, when the frame tries to detach from the gaming panel, the connecting and retaining parts attempt to flexibly deform, providing resistance and preventing the frame from immediately detaching from the gaming panel. Furthermore, if the frame does detach from the gaming panel, the connecting and retaining parts flexibly deform, reducing the falling speed and absorbing the impact, thereby preventing damage to the frame.

Means 4: In the configuration of means 2 or means 3,
"The connecting and holding portion is
The frame is characterized by "connecting adjacent frames together."

In the configuration of Measure 4, the connecting and retaining portion connects adjacent frames. (See the description of the connecting and retaining portion 2710 in the "Description of the Invention" section.)

This makes it easier to handle multiple frames as a single unit compared to connecting one end of the connecting holder to a gaming panel or other component, improving workability during the manufacture of gaming machines.

Means 5: In any one of the configurations from means 2 to means 4,
"The connecting and holding portion is
The device is characterized in that it is "detachably attached to the frame."

In accordance with the configuration of Feature 5, the connecting and retaining portion is detachably attached to the frame. (See the description of the connecting and retaining portion 2710 in the "Description of the Invention" section.)

This means that, for example, when attaching multiple frames to a gaming panel in sequence or removing some of the frames from the gaming panel for maintenance, the connecting retaining portion can be removed and then attached, making the frames easier to handle and maneuver, and improving workability.

In addition, because the connecting and retaining parts are detachable, the frame can be connected by the connecting and retaining parts until it is attached to the gaming panel, and then the connecting and retaining parts can be removed once the frame is attached to the gaming panel, preventing the connecting and retaining parts from spoiling the appearance.

Means 6: In any one of the configurations from means 2 to means 5,
"The game board is
At least one electronic component attached to the frame,
The invention is characterized in that it further comprises:

Here, "electronic components" include "LED boards," "relay boards," "ball sensors," "magnetic sensors," "displays (displays with special designs)," "solenoids," "motors," etc.

According to the configuration of means 6, the gaming board further includes electronic components attached to at least one frame. (See the description of the symbol display 2518 and center frame 2700 in the "Description of the Invention" section.)

This allows electronic components to be attached to at least one frame, and since the weight of the frame with the electronic components attached increases, if the frame were to come off the gaming panel and fall during assembly work, the weight of the frame could easily damage it. However, because a connecting retainer is provided to prevent the frame from falling, the frame will not fall to a workbench or floor and be damaged. This makes it possible to provide a gaming machine that can reliably utilize the effects of the electronic components attached to the frame.

Means 7: In the gaming machine,
"In a gaming machine equipped with a gaming board having a gaming area where gaming balls can flow down,
The game board is
A gaming panel on the front side of which the gaming area is formed;
an inflow restriction section provided in correspondence with the edge of the opening formed in the game panel, restricting game balls flowing down the game area from flowing into the opening, the inflow restriction section having a first inflow restriction section to an n-th inflow restriction section (n is an integer of 2 or more);
a plurality of frames from a first frame in which the first inflow restriction unit is provided to an nth frame in which an nth inflow restriction unit (n is an integer of 2 or more) is provided;
a connecting and retaining portion that prevents at least one of the frames from falling off the game panel;
at least one electronic component attached to the frame;
Equipped with
The inflow restriction portion is
The mth inflow regulation portion (m is an integer between 1 and n-1) and the (m+1)th inflow regulation portion each have a flange portion formed along the front surface of the gaming panel, and at least one of their ends has a non-flange portion where the flange portion is not formed, and the mth inflow regulation portion and the (m+1)th inflow regulation portion are attached to the front surface of the gaming panel by an attachment portion provided on the flange portion so that the end of the mth inflow regulation portion and the end of the (m+1)th inflow regulation portion are adjacent to each other;
The connection holding portion is
It is formed in the shape of a flexible string, connects adjacent frames together, and is detachably attached to the frames.
It is characterized by being something.

According to the configuration of means 7, in a gaming machine equipped with a gaming board having a gaming area through which gaming balls can flow, the gaming board comprises a gaming panel on the front side of which the gaming area is formed, an inflow restriction portion provided corresponding to the edge of an opening formed in the gaming panel and restricting gaming balls flowing down the gaming area from flowing into the opening, the inflow restriction portion having first to n-th inflow restriction portions (n is an integer of 2 or greater), a plurality of frames from the first frame on which the first inflow restriction portion is provided to the n-th frame on which the n-th inflow restriction portion (n is an integer of 2 or greater) is provided, a connecting retaining portion that prevents at least one frame from falling from the gaming panel, and at least one frame. and electronic components attached to the frames, and the mth inflow restriction section (m is an integer between 1 and n-1) and the (m+1)th inflow restriction section each have a flange section formed along the front surface of the gaming panel, and at least one of their ends has a non-flange section where no flange section is formed. The mth and (m+1)th inflow restriction sections are attached to the front surface of the gaming panel so that their ends are adjacent to each other using attachment sections provided on the flange sections, and the connecting and retaining section is formed in the shape of a flexible string that connects adjacent frames and is detachably attached to the frames.

As a result, the inflow restriction units, which are provided corresponding to the edge of the opening of the gaming panel that forms the gaming area on the front side and restrict gaming balls from entering the opening, are composed of at least a first inflow restriction unit through an nth inflow restriction unit (n is an integer of two or more), and are attached to the front of the gaming panel via the mounting portion of the flange provided on each unit so that the end of the mth inflow restriction unit (m is an integer between 1 and n-1) and the end of the (m+1)th inflow restriction unit are adjacent to each other. By appropriately selecting the mounting position relationship between the mth inflow restriction unit and the (m+1)th inflow restriction unit relative to the gaming panel, the inflow restriction units can be attached to gaming panels with openings of various sizes and shapes without having to be newly manufactured, and the inflow restriction units can be reused even across different models.

In the following detailed explanation, assuming m is 1, for example, by installing the ends of the first inflow restriction part and the second inflow restriction part so that they are spaced apart, it is possible to accommodate gaming panels with large openings. In this case, it is desirable that the gap between the ends of the first inflow restriction part and the second inflow restriction part is large enough to prevent gaming balls from passing through, but if the gap is large enough that gaming balls can pass through, it is also possible to prevent gaming balls from passing through by planting obstacle nails.

Alternatively, by attaching the end of the first inflow restriction portion and the end of the second inflow restriction portion so that their respective side surfaces face each other, it is possible to accommodate gaming panels with small openings. In this case, by providing a non-flange portion on at least one end of the first inflow restriction portion and the second inflow restriction portion, it is possible to bring the side of the end of the first inflow restriction portion and the side of the end of the second inflow restriction portion as close as possible to each other, which increases the degree of freedom in the placement of the first inflow restriction portion and the second inflow restriction portion, making it easier to accommodate gaming panels with openings of various sizes.

Furthermore, as mentioned above, since it is possible to accommodate gaming panels with openings of various sizes, if it is desired to change the size of the gaming area due to design changes, etc., the size of the gaming area can be easily changed by changing the relative mounting positions of the first inflow restriction unit and the second inflow restriction unit, thereby increasing the design freedom of the gaming machine. Therefore, there is no need to manufacture a new inflow restriction unit to fit the changing size of the gaming area, which helps to suppress increases in the costs associated with the gaming machine.

Furthermore, because the inflow restriction section is made up of multiple frames, the same effects as above can be achieved by appropriately setting the mounting position of each frame relative to the gaming panel. Also, because the inflow restriction section is made up of multiple frames, if a malfunction occurs in one of the frames, only that frame needs to be replaced, reducing maintenance costs. Furthermore, because a connecting retaining section is provided, it is possible to prevent the frames from falling off the gaming panel and being damaged or broken during assembly or maintenance of the gaming machine.

Furthermore, because the connecting and retaining part is made flexible and string-like, even if the relative mounting positions of the first inflow restriction part (first frame) and the second inflow restriction part (second frame) are changed, the connecting and retaining part can flexibly deform to follow, preventing the frame from falling off the gaming panel while also being able to accommodate the size and shape of the opening in the gaming panel.

In addition, because the frame is provided with a flexible, string-like connecting and retaining part, when the frame tries to detach from the gaming panel, the connecting and retaining part attempts to flexibly deform, providing resistance and preventing the frame from immediately detaching from the gaming panel. If the frame does detach from the gaming panel, the connecting and retaining part flexibly deforms, reducing the falling speed and absorbing the impact, preventing damage to the frame.

Furthermore, because adjacent frames are connected by the connecting and retaining portion, it is easier to handle multiple frames as a single unit compared to when one end of the connecting and retaining portion is connected to a gaming panel or other component, improving workability during the manufacture of gaming machines, etc.

In addition, because the connecting and retaining parts are detachable from the frame, when, for example, attaching multiple frames to the gaming panel in sequence or removing some of the frames from the gaming panel for maintenance, the connecting and retaining parts can be detached and attached, making the frames easier to handle and maneuver, and improving workability.

In addition, because the connecting and retaining parts are detachable, the frame can be connected by the connecting and retaining parts until it is attached to the gaming panel, and then the connecting and retaining parts can be removed once the frame is attached to the gaming panel, preventing the connecting and retaining parts from spoiling the appearance.

Furthermore, electronic components are attached to at least one frame, and since the weight of the frame with the electronic components attached increases, if the frame were to come off the gaming panel and fall during assembly work, the weight of the frame would make it more susceptible to damage. However, because a connecting retainer is provided to prevent the frame from falling, the frame will not fall to a workbench or floor and be damaged. This makes it possible to provide a gaming machine that can reliably utilize the effects of the electronic components attached to the frame.

In this way, the above solution makes it possible to provide a gaming machine in which the inflow restriction section can be reused even if the opening of the gaming panel differs depending on the model.

[15-12c. Relationship between the solution of the twelfth technical feature and embodiments]
The game panel 1100 (see FIG. 100) in the game board 5 of this embodiment corresponds to the game panel of the above-mentioned solving means, the opening 1112 of the game panel 1100 of this embodiment corresponds to the opening of the game panel of the above-mentioned solving means, the pattern display 2518, the second starting opening unit 2720, the attacker unit 2730, and the role winning opening unit 2740 of this embodiment correspond to the electronic components of the above-mentioned solving means, and the inflow restriction portion 2700a of the center frame 2700 in the center role 2500A of this embodiment corresponds to the electronic components of the above-mentioned solving means. The flange portion 2700b of the center frame 2700, the first flange portion 2701b of the first frame 2701, and the second flange portion 2702b of the second frame 2702 in this embodiment correspond to the flange portions of the above-mentioned solution means, and the non-flange portion 2700c of the center frame 2700, the first non-flange portion 2701c of the first frame 2701, and the second non-flange portion 2702c of the second frame 2702 in this embodiment correspond to the non-flange portions of the above-mentioned solution means, respectively.

In addition, the first frame 2701, second frame 2702, third frame 2703, fourth frame 2704, and fifth frame 2705 in this embodiment correspond to the frames of the above-mentioned solution means, the first inflow restriction portion 2701a in this embodiment corresponds to the first inflow restriction portion of the above-mentioned solution means, the second inflow restriction portion 2702a in this embodiment corresponds to the second inflow restriction portion of the above-mentioned solution means, the mounting holes provided in flange portions 2700b such as first flange portion 2701b and second flange portion 2702b in this embodiment correspond to the mounting portions of the above-mentioned solution means, and the connecting and retaining portion 2710 in this embodiment corresponds to the connecting and retaining portion of the above-mentioned solution means.

[15-12d. Characteristic effect of the twelfth technical feature]
According to this embodiment, in the center frame 2700 of the center role 2500A of the game board 5, the inflow restriction portion 2700a is provided corresponding to the edge portion of the opening 1112 of the game panel 1100 where the game area 5a is formed on the front side, and restricts the game ball B from flowing into the inside of the opening 1112. The inflow restriction portion 2700a is composed of at least a first inflow restriction portion 2701a and a second inflow restriction portion 2702a, and the inflow restriction portion 2700a is provided on the game panel 1100 via the mounting portion of the flange portion 2700b (the first flange portion 2701b and the second flange portion 2702b). Since the end of the first inflow restriction portion 2701a and the end of the second inflow restriction portion 2702a are attached adjacent to each other on the front surface, by appropriately selecting the relative attachment positions of the first inflow restriction portion 2701a and the second inflow restriction portion 2702a relative to the gaming panel 1100, the inflow restriction portion 2700a (center frame 2700) can be attached to gaming panels 1100 having openings 1112 of various sizes and shapes without having to be newly manufactured, and the inflow restriction portion 2700a (center frame 2700) can be reused even if the model is different.

More specifically, for example, by installing the end of the first inflow restriction portion 2701a and the end of the second inflow restriction portion 2702a so that they are spaced apart, it is possible to accommodate a gaming panel 1100 with a large opening 1112. In this case, it is desirable that the gap C between the end of the first inflow restriction portion 2701a and the end of the second inflow restriction portion 2702a be large enough to prevent the passage of gaming ball B, but if the gap C is large enough to allow gaming ball B to pass through, it is also possible to prevent the passage of gaming ball B by planting obstacle nails.

Alternatively, by attaching the end of the first inflow restriction portion 2701a and the end of the second inflow restriction portion 2702a so that their respective side surfaces face each other, it is possible to accommodate gaming panels 1100 with small openings 1112. In this case, by providing a non-flange portion 2700c (first non-flange portion 2701c or second non-flange portion 2702c) on at least one end of the first inflow restriction portion 2701a and the second inflow restriction portion 2702a, it is possible to bring the side of the end of the first inflow restriction portion 2701a and the side of the end of the second inflow restriction portion 2702a as close as possible to each other, which increases the degree of freedom in the placement of the first inflow restriction portion 2701a (first frame 2701) and the second inflow restriction portion 2702a (second frame 2702), making it easier to accommodate gaming panels 1100 with openings 1112 of various sizes.

Furthermore, as described above, since it is possible to accommodate game panels 1100 having openings 1112 of various sizes, if it is desired to change the size of the play area 5a due to a design change or the like, the size of the play area 5a can be easily changed by changing the relative mounting positions of the first inflow restriction portion 2701a (first frame 2701) and the second inflow restriction portion 2702a (second frame 2702), thereby increasing the design freedom of the pachinko machine 1. Therefore, there is no need to manufacture a new inflow restriction portion 2700a (center frame 2700) to match the size of the play area 5a, which helps to prevent increases in the costs of the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, because the inflow restriction section 2700a (center frame 2700) is composed of multiple frames, such as the first frame 2701 to the fifth frame 2705, the same effects as those described above can be achieved by appropriately setting the mounting position of each frame relative to the gaming panel 1100. Also, because the inflow restriction section 2700a is composed of multiple frames, if a malfunction occurs in one of the frames, only that frame needs to be replaced, reducing maintenance costs. Furthermore, because the connecting and holding section 2710 is provided, it is possible to prevent the frames from falling from the gaming panel 1100 and being damaged or broken during assembly or maintenance of the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, because the connecting and retaining portion 2710 is made flexible and string-like, even if the relative mounting positions of the first inflow restriction portion 2701a (first frame 2701) and the second inflow restriction portion 2702a (second frame 2702) are changed, the connecting and retaining portion 2710 can flexibly deform to follow, thereby preventing the frame from falling off the gaming panel 1100 and adapting to the size and shape of the opening 1112 of the gaming panel 1100.

In addition, because a flexible, string-like connecting and retaining portion 2710 is provided, when a frame such as the first frame 2701 attempts to detach from the gaming panel 1100, the connecting and retaining portion 2710 attempts to flexibly deform, providing resistance and preventing the frame from immediately detaching from the gaming panel 1100. Furthermore, if the frame detaches from the gaming panel 1100, the connecting and retaining portion 2710 flexibly deforms, reducing the falling speed and absorbing the impact, thereby preventing damage to the frame.

Furthermore, because adjacent frames, such as the first frame 2701 and the second frame 2702, are connected by the connecting and holding portion 2710, it is easier to handle multiple frames as a single unit compared to when one end of the connecting and holding portion 2710 is connected to the gaming panel 1100 or other components, thereby improving workability during the manufacture of the pachinko machine 1, etc.

Furthermore, because the connecting and retaining portion 2710 is detachably attached to the frame, for example, when attaching multiple frames to the gaming panel 1100 in sequence or removing some frames from the gaming panel for maintenance, the connecting and retaining portion 2710 can be removed and attached, improving the handling and maneuverability of the frames and workability.

In addition, because the connecting and retaining portion 2710 is detachable, it is possible to connect the frame with the connecting and retaining portion 2710 until the frame is attached to the gaming panel 1100, and then remove the connecting and retaining portion 2710 once the frame is attached to the gaming panel 1100, thereby preventing the presence of the connecting and retaining portion 2710 from spoiling the appearance.

Furthermore, electronic components such as the symbol display 2518 are attached to at least one frame. Since the weight of the frame with the electronic components attached increases, if the frame were to come off the gaming panel 1100 and fall during assembly of the pachinko machine 1, the weight of the frame would make it more susceptible to damage. However, because a connecting retainer 2710 is provided to prevent the frame from falling, the frame will not fall to a workbench, floor, etc. and be damaged. Therefore, it is possible to provide a pachinko machine 1 that can reliably utilize the effects of the electronic components attached to the frame.

[Regarding the ID code of the frame decoration material]
In this embodiment, a game board 5 that allows the game area 5a to be seen from the front is attached to the main body frame 4, and the following frame decorative members are attached to the door frame 3: a door frame top unit 300 that is provided above the game window 101 on the front surface of the door frame main body 100, a door frame right side unit 340 that is provided to the right of the game window 101 on the front surface of the door frame main body 100, and a performance operation unit 250 (operation device) that is provided in the center of the shelf unit 200 in the left-right direction and can be operated by the player. Figure 116 is an explanatory diagram showing frame decorative members that can be attached and detached to the door frame.

As shown in FIG. 116, the game board 5, door frame top unit 300, door frame right side unit 340, and presentation operation unit 250 can be attached and detached while the pachinko machine 1 is attached to the island equipment of the amusement hall, and a predetermined set of game boards 5, door frame top units 300, door frame right side units 340, and presentation operation units 250 can be installed as a group for each model series. In other words, when changing to a new model series, the game board 5, door frame top unit 300, door frame right side unit 340, and presentation operation unit 250 corresponding to the previous model series are removed while the pachinko machine 1 is attached to the island equipment of the amusement hall, and then the game board 5, door frame top unit 300, door frame right side unit 340, and presentation operation unit 250 corresponding to the new model series are attached. By using this configuration, when changing models and wanting to completely renew not only the gameplay but also the appearance of the gaming machine, the cost of changing the main body frame 4 and door frame 3 can be reduced, allowing for an efficient renewal of the gameplay and appearance of the gaming machine.

In this example, the door frame right side unit 340 is formed integrally with the door frame top unit 300, and the door frame top unit 300 and door frame right side unit 340 are detachable as a unit from the door frame 3. In contrast, the door frame right side unit 340 may be separate from the door frame top unit 300, and each may be detachable from the door frame 3 separately. In addition to giving the gaming machine a new look, the protruding side portions of this type of door frame right side unit 340 act as a barrier between players who leave their seats, reducing the discomfort players may feel when they are concerned about being seen by others, and the protruding upper and side portions create a space unique to each player.

The peripheral control board 1510 attached to the game board 5 is electrically connected to the door frame top relay board (not shown) attached to the door frame top unit 300. The door frame top relay board relays the connection with the door frame top decorative board, which is equipped with multiple LEDs for illuminating and decorating the door frame top decorative body 301 of the door frame top unit 300, and the door frame right side decorative board, which is equipped with multiple LEDs for illuminating and decorating the door frame right side decorative body 341, the door frame right side left side decorative body, and the door frame right side right side decorative body of the door frame right side unit 340. This allows the peripheral control unit 1511 of the peripheral control board 1510 to control the illumination of various LEDs mounted on the door frame top decorative board and the door frame right side decorative board, for example, via the door frame top relay board.

The peripheral control board 1510 attached to the game board 5 is also electrically connected to an operation unit relay board (not shown) attached to the effect operation unit 250. The operation unit relay board relays the connection to an operation unit decoration board (not shown) that is equipped with multiple LEDs for lighting up and decorating the first effect button 251 and second effect button 252 of the effect operation unit 250. This allows the peripheral control unit 1511 of the peripheral control board 1510 to, for example, control the lighting of various LEDs mounted on the operation unit decoration board via the operation unit relay board.

The door frame top relay board attached to the door frame top unit 300 and the operation unit relay board attached to the performance operation unit 250 are pre-stored with a unique ID code, which is special information with a unique code (a code that exists only once in the world) to identify the model series. This ID code is unique to each model series and cannot be rewritten even using an external device. The peripheral control unit 1511 of the peripheral control board 1510 is able to retrieve and reference the ID codes from the door frame top relay board and operation unit relay board. The RAM built into the peripheral control unit 1511 stores a table for referencing the ID codes attached to the door frame top relay board and operation unit relay board. The ID codes stored in this table match the ID codes of the door frame top relay board attached to the door frame top unit 300 of the matching model series for the game board 5, and the ID codes of the operation unit relay board attached to the performance operation unit 250 of the matching model series.

When the power is turned on, the peripheral control unit 1511 of the peripheral control board 1510 determines within a predetermined determination period whether the ID code stored in the lookup table matches the ID code of the door frame top relay board attached to the door frame top unit 300, and whether the ID code stored in the lookup table matches the ID code of the operation unit relay board attached to the performance operation unit 250. Here, if a door frame top unit 300 and a door frame right side unit 340 of the same model series (that are in a regular relationship) are attached to the gaming board 5, the ID code stored in the lookup table matches the ID code of the door frame top relay board attached to the door frame top unit 300. On the other hand, if a door frame top unit 300 and a door frame right side unit 340 of a different model series (that are not in a regular relationship) are attached to the gaming board 5, the respective ID codes will not match. Similarly, if a presentation operation unit 250 of a matching model series (regular relationship) is attached to the gaming board 5, the ID code stored in the reference table will match the ID code of the operation unit relay board attached to the presentation operation unit 250; on the other hand, if a presentation operation unit 250 of a mismatched model series (not regular relationship) is attached to the gaming board 5, the ID code stored in the reference table will not match the ID code of the operation unit relay board attached to the presentation operation unit 250.

In this example, the following power-on patterns A to C are provided as power-on operation modes. Power-on pattern A occurs when the power switch 751 is operated without turning on the RAM clear switch 743. This does not execute a RAM clear to initialize the RAM built into the main control board 1310, and game-related information is not initialized. Power-on pattern B occurs when the power switch 751 is operated while turning on the RAM clear switch 743. This executes a RAM clear and initializes game-related information. Power-on pattern C occurs when the power switch 751 is operated while turning on the ball removal switch 742 without turning on the RAM clear switch 743. This executes the ball removal process described above. Power-on pattern C does not execute a RAM clear and does not initialize game-related information, but game progress during the ball removal process is stopped. The determination of whether the ID codes match is performed when power is turned on using power-on patterns A and B, but is not performed when power is turned on using power-on pattern C. In other words, when the power is turned on using power-on pattern C, the game stops during the ball removal process, and there is no need to perform the light-emitting effect using the frame decoration components, so no check is made to see if the components have matching ID codes.

Furthermore, if only the ID code of the door frame top unit 300 does not match the game board 5, the performance display device 1600 is used to execute error notification pattern 1 (for example, displaying "Please check the type of door frame top unit") to notify that a door frame top unit 300 and door frame right side unit 340 that do not match the model series have been installed.Furthermore, if only the ID code of the performance operation unit 250 does not match the game board 5, the performance display device 1600 is used to execute error notification pattern 2 (for example, displaying "Please check the type of performance operation unit") to notify that a performance operation unit 250 that does not match the model series has been installed. Furthermore, if the ID code of the door frame top unit 300 and the ID code of the performance operation unit 250 do not match the game board 5, the performance display device 1600 executes error notification pattern 3 (for example, a message saying "Please check the types of the door frame top unit, door frame right side unit, and performance operation unit") to notify the player that a door frame top unit 300 and door frame right side unit 340 of an incompatible model series and a performance operation unit 250 of an incompatible model series have been installed.

On the other hand, if the door frame top unit 300 or the performance operation unit 250 is not attached to the door frame 3, the peripheral control unit 1511 of the peripheral control board 1510 cannot retrieve and reference the ID code from the door frame top relay board or the operation unit relay board when power is turned on. In such a case, when power is turned on, the peripheral control unit 1511 of the peripheral control board 1510 determines whether the ID code stored in the lookup table matches the ID code of the door frame top relay board attached to the door frame top unit 300, and whether the ID code stored in the lookup table matches the ID code of the operation unit relay board attached to the performance operation unit 250. However, since no ID code has been input to the peripheral control unit 1511 of the peripheral control board 1510, the ID code cannot be confirmed. Specifically, when power is turned on, the peripheral control unit 1511 of the peripheral control board 1510 determines that the device is not connected if no ID code is input from the door frame top relay board or the operation unit relay board after a predetermined determination period has elapsed.

Furthermore, if only the ID code of the door frame top unit 300 cannot be confirmed (obtained) for the game board 5, the performance display device 1600 is used to execute error notification pattern 4 (for example, displaying "Please check the connection of the door frame top unit and door frame right side unit") to notify that the performance operation unit 250 and door frame right side unit 340 are not installed.Furthermore, if only the ID code of the performance operation unit 250 cannot be confirmed (obtained) for the game board 5, the performance display device 1600 is used to execute error notification pattern 5 (for example, displaying "Please check the connection of the performance operation unit") to notify that the performance operation unit 250 is not installed. Furthermore, if neither the ID code of the door frame top unit 300 nor the ID code of the performance operation unit 250 can be confirmed (obtained) for the game board 5, the performance display device 1600 executes error notification pattern 6 (for example, a message saying "Please check the connections between the door frame top unit, door frame right side unit, and performance operation unit") to notify that the door frame top unit 300, door frame right side unit 340, and performance operation unit 250 are not attached.

Here, with regard to the gaming board 5, the various LEDs mounted on the light-emitting boards of the gaming board 5 can be controlled to emit light when normal effects (changing effects and non-changing effects) are being performed, regardless of whether the ID code of the door frame top relay board attached to the door frame top unit 300 and the ID code of the operation unit relay board attached to the effect operation unit 250 match. Similarly, with regard to the gaming board 5, even if the ID code of any part of the door frame top unit 300, door frame right side unit 340, or effect operation unit 250 cannot be confirmed, the various LEDs mounted on the light-emitting boards of the gaming board 5 can be controlled to emit light when normal effects (changing effects and non-changing effects) are being performed.

Furthermore, for the door frame top unit 300 and the door frame right-side unit 340, if the ID code stored in the reference table matches the ID code of the door frame top relay board attached to the door frame top unit 300, during normal performances (changing performances and non-changing performances), the various LEDs mounted on, for example, the door frame top decorative board of the door frame top unit 300 and the door frame right-side decorative board of the door frame right-side unit 340 can be controlled to emit light via the door frame top relay board. However, if they do not match, the various LEDs mounted on the light-emitting boards of the door frame top unit 300 and door frame right-side unit 340, which are not of the same model series (not in a regular relationship), are not controlled to emit light, and the various LEDs are turned off. Furthermore, if the door frame top unit 300 and door frame right-side unit 340 are not installed and the ID code of the door frame top relay board cannot be confirmed, the various LEDs mounted on the light-emitting boards of the door frame top unit 300 and door frame right-side unit 340 are not controlled to emit light.

Similarly, for the performance operation unit 250, if the ID code stored in the reference table matches the ID code of the operation unit relay board attached to the performance operation unit 250, then during normal performances (changing or non-changing performances), the various LEDs mounted on, for example, the front decorative board 321 and rear decorative board 322 can be controlled to emit light via the operation unit relay board. However, if they do not match, the various LEDs mounted on the light-emitting board of a performance operation unit 250 that does not match the model series (is not in a regular relationship) will not be controlled to emit light, and will remain turned off. Furthermore, if the performance operation unit 250 is not attached and the ID code of the operation unit relay board cannot be confirmed, the various LEDs mounted on the light-emitting board of the performance operation unit 250 will not be controlled to emit light.

Furthermore, when predetermined execution conditions are met, when the various LEDs mounted on the light-emitting boards of the gaming board 5 are controlled to emit light, the various LEDs mounted on the light-emitting boards of the door frame top unit 300 and door frame right-side unit 340, which are components located around the gaming board 5, and the various LEDs mounted on the light-emitting board of the performance operation unit 250 are controlled in cooperation. This allows for the execution of integrated light-emitting performances using not only the gaming board 5, but also the door frame top unit 300, door frame right-side unit 340, and performance operation unit 250. However, for parts of the door frame top unit 300, door frame right-side unit 340, and performance operation unit 250 whose ID codes do not match those of the gaming board 5, the various LEDs mounted on the light-emitting boards of those parts are not controlled to emit light, and therefore cannot participate in the light-emitting performance. Similarly, for the door frame top unit 300, door frame right side unit 340 and performance operation unit 250 that are not attached to the door frame 3 and whose ID codes have not been confirmed, the various LEDs mounted on the light-emitting boards of those parts that have not been confirmed cannot be controlled to emit light, and therefore cannot participate in the light-emitting performance.

As mentioned above, when a predetermined execution condition is met, when the various LEDs mounted on the light-emitting board of the gaming board 5 are controlled to emit light, the various LEDs mounted on the light-emitting boards of the door frame top unit 300 and door frame right-side unit 340, which are components located around the gaming board 5, and the various LEDs mounted on the light-emitting board of the performance operation unit 250 are controlled in cooperation with each other. However, the various LEDs mounted on the light-emitting board of the door frame 3 can also be controlled in cooperation with each other. This makes it possible to execute an integrated light-emitting performance using not only the gaming board 5, door frame top unit 300, door frame right-side unit 340, and performance operation unit 250, but also the door frame 3.

[Regarding operation check of frame decoration parts (reusable products)]
In recent years, with the improvement in the performance of gaming machines, the cost of manufacturing gaming machines can become high if new parts are constantly procured to manufacture them. To prevent such cost increases, it is possible to reuse some or all of the specific decorative parts (including drive-related, light-emitting, etc.) that are part of the gaming machine. For example, the gaming board 5 can be easily attached and detached to the door frame 3, and the above-mentioned frame decoration member can also be easily attached and detached to the door frame 3 and used as a reusable part. However, since it is necessary to determine whether such reusable parts are in normal operation during inspection at the shipping source, the operating condition of each reusable part must be individually confirmed. However, when attaching or detaching a reusable part, there may be cases where the reusable part is attached to the game board 5 and so it is necessary to temporarily remove the game board 5 from the door frame 3, or if the operational status of the reusable part can only be checked when the power is turned off and then turned back on after the reusable part is attached or detached, since it is necessary to remove the game board 5 and turn off the power every time a reusable part is attached or detached, it becomes time-consuming to check the operational status of the reusable part. In this regard, in this example, the time-consuming task of removing the game board 5 and turning off the power is eliminated, improving the efficiency of checking the operational status of the reusable parts and providing a highly convenient pachinko machine 1.

The frame decoration member described above is a specific decorative component that is part of the pachinko machine 1, but is not attached to the game board 5, but is attached to the door frame 3. Therefore, the frame decoration member can be attached and detached from the door frame 3 without removing the game board 5 from the door frame 3, while the game board 5 remains attached to the door frame 3. Furthermore, the frame decoration members, including the door frame top unit 300, door frame right side unit 340, and performance operation unit 250, are attached and detached using a tool-less locking mechanism, which simplifies the installation work required by the hall manager. Examples of tool-less locking mechanisms include hand screws with a knob at the top, well-known snap locks that can be attached and detached with a single touch by moving a lever up or down (not shown), and well-known crescent locks that can be attached and detached by rotating a lever. In this way, the frame decoration member can be easily attached and detached from the door frame 3, eliminating the need for time and effort when checking the operating status of the frame decoration member.

Furthermore, the frame decoration element can be attached or detached both before and after power is turned on. However, if the power is turned off while the device is powered on, then the frame decoration element is detached and then turned on again to check the operational status of the detached frame decoration element, checking the operational status can be time-consuming. For this reason, in this example, if a specific operation is performed before detaching the frame decoration element while the device is powered on, the device transitions to a special state (reuse confirmation state) that allows the operational status of the detached frame decoration element to be checked after detaching the frame decoration element without having to turn the power off and then on again. Furthermore, in the power-on state, the device monitors whether the reuse permission switch has been operated as a specific operation, and at a determination timing when a predetermined period (e.g., 3 seconds) has elapsed since power was turned on, it determines whether the reuse permission switch was turned on before that determination timing. Specifically, the reuse permission switch operation information is referenced at a determination timing after a predetermined period of time has elapsed since power-on. If the operation information indicates "operation" (for example, the reuse permission switch is turned ON before or at the same time as the determination timing), the reuse confirmation state is initiated. By attaching or detaching a frame decorative element in this reuse confirmation state, the operational status of the detached frame decorative element can be confirmed. On the other hand, if the reuse permission switch operation information is referenced at a determination timing after a predetermined period of time has elapsed since power-on and the operation information indicates "no operation" (for example, the reuse permission switch is turned ON after the determination timing), the reuse confirmation state is not initiated and the normal state remains. Even if the frame decorative element is detached in this normal state, the operational status of the detached frame decorative element cannot be confirmed. Note that an external notification may be sent to notify the operator that the reuse permission switch can be turned ON between power-on and the predetermined period of time.

In this example, the following power-on patterns A to C are provided as modes of operation when the power is turned on. Power-on pattern A occurs when the power switch 751 is operated without turning on the RAM clear switch 743, and RAM clear, which initializes the RAM built into the main control board 1310, is not performed, and information related to the game is not initialized. Power-on pattern B occurs when the power switch 751 is operated while turning on the RAM clear switch 743, and RAM clear is performed and information related to the game is initialized. Power-on pattern C occurs when the RAM clear switch 743 is not turned on, but the ball removal switch 742 is turned on and the power switch 751 is operated, and the ball removal process described above is performed. In power-on pattern C, RAM clear is not performed and information related to the game is not initialized, but the progress of the game during the ball removal process is stopped. At the above-mentioned determination timing, the determination of whether the reuse permission switch was turned ON before that determination timing is performed when the power is turned on using power-on patterns A and B, but is not performed when the power is turned on using power-on pattern C. In other words, when the power is turned on using power-on pattern C, the ball removal process is simply performed, and the reuse confirmation state is not initiated, making it impossible to check the operating state of the frame decoration member.

To explain the specific operation mentioned above in more detail, a reuse permission switch is provided on the back side of the pachinko machine 1 as an operation control unit (such as a button that can switch between ON and OFF states, or a key switch that can switch between ON and OFF states by inserting a key) on the main control board 1310, which cannot be touched by the player. Furthermore, before the judgment timing when a predetermined period of time has elapsed after power-on, each time the reuse permission switch is turned ON, operation information for the reuse permission switch is input to the main control board 1310, and the main control board 1310 stores the number of times the operation information for the reuse permission switch has been input. At the determination timing, which is a predetermined period of time after power-on, the main control board 1310 references the memory of the number of times the reuse permission switch operation information has been input. If the referenced memory count of the number of times the operation information has been input is “one” (e.g., the reuse permission switch was turned ON once before or simultaneously with the determination timing), the reuse confirmation state A is initiated. If the memory count of the number of times the operation information has been input is “two or more” (e.g., the reuse permission switch was turned ON twice before or simultaneously with the determination timing), the reuse confirmation state B is initiated. These reuse confirmation states may be terminated after a certain period of time has elapsed, but it is preferable that they be terminated at the operator's discretion (e.g., by operating the same operation unit as the operation unit operated to initiate the reuse confirmation state) rather than after a certain period of time has elapsed. This allows the duration of the reuse confirmation state to be set arbitrarily, improving the convenience for operators who detach and attach frame decorative members and check the operating status of the detached frame decorative members. In this example, whether reuse confirmation state A or reuse confirmation state B is initiated is determined by the number of times the reuse permission switch operation information is input, but it may also be determined by another type of operation.

The peripheral control board 1510 also monitors whether or not it is electrically connected to frame decoration members such as the door frame top unit 300 and the door frame right side unit 340. In this example, each frame decoration member is connected to the main frame 4 and door frame 3 of the pachinko machine 1 using a drawer connector. If the electrical connection via the drawer connector is interrupted, the frame decoration member has detached from the pachinko machine 1 or shifted position, and the peripheral control board 1510 determines that the frame decoration member is not connected. In other words, for example, if an operator removes a frame decoration member while the power is on, the peripheral control board 1510 determines that the frame decoration member is not connected, and if the frame decoration member is reinstalled, the peripheral control board 1510 determines that the frame decoration member is connected. Unlike this example, a detection switch may be provided to detect whether each frame decoration member is in the correct position, and if the detection switch connected by wiring to the peripheral control board 1510 is OFF, the frame decoration member has detached from the pachinko machine 1 or has shifted position, and the peripheral control board 1510 may determine that the frame decoration member is not connected.

Below, we will first explain the behavior of the pachinko machine 1 when the door frame 3 is opened and the frame decoration member is detached during normal business hours, focusing on the operating state of the frame decoration member. Normal business hours refer to when the power is on and the reuse permission switch is not operated before the determination timing when a predetermined period of time has passed since power was turned on, and the frame decoration member is detached in the normal state, not the reuse confirmation state. Next, we will explain the behavior of the pachinko machine 1 when the door frame 3 is opened and the frame decoration member is detached in the reuse confirmation state, focusing on the operating state of the frame decoration member. The reuse confirmation state refers to when the power is on and the reuse permission switch is operated before the determination timing when a predetermined period of time has passed since power was turned on, and the frame decoration member is detached after transitioning to the reuse confirmation state.

(Attachment and removal of frame decoration components during normal business hours)
117 is a time chart showing the behavior of the pachinko machine 1 when the door frame 3 is opened and a frame decoration member is attached or detached during normal business hours. First, we will explain the case where the reuse permission switch is not operated before the predetermined judgment timing, so that the frame decoration member is detached while remaining in the normal state without transitioning from the normal state to the reuse confirmation state. Regarding the attachment or detachment of the frame decoration member during normal business hours, it is assumed that if a malfunction (abnormality, failure, etc.) occurs in the frame decoration member, such as the LED of the frame decoration member no longer emitting light, the door frame 3 is opened and the frame decoration member is removed, and then the door frame 3 is temporarily closed without the frame decoration member being attached, and the door frame 3 is opened again and the same frame decoration member or a different frame decoration member is attached.

As shown in FIG. 117, after power is first turned on at timing ts, power-on processing is performed on the main control board 1310 and peripheral control board 1510, and the game state on the main control board 1510 side is controlled to the normal state, allowing a period during which game (main game) can proceed on the main control board 1310 side. In other words, in the normal state after power is turned on, when the player operates the handle 160, game balls can be launched into the game area 5a, the variable display of special symbols can be initiated when a starting win occurs, and when the variable display of special symbols stops and displays a winning symbol, the jackpot game can be initiated. In the normal state, the period during which game (main game) can proceed on the main control board 1310 side continues regardless of whether the frame decoration member is removed at timing t2, etc., as described below. Additionally, the peripheral control board 1510 monitors whether or not it is electrically connected to frame decoration components such as the door frame top unit 300, door frame right side unit 340, and performance operation unit 250. After power is turned on at timing ts, it determines that the frame decoration components have not been removed and are connected by the time timing tx, which will be described later, arrives.

The peripheral control board 1510 also controls the in-frame LEDs (lamp A) mounted on the various decorative boards of the frame decoration components, the out-frame LEDs (lamp B) mounted on various decorative boards other than the frame decoration components, the LCD display device 1600, the speaker, and other components. These components, which are instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510, are set to perform their normal operation after power is turned on at timing ts. Lamp B can be further classified as out-frame LED 1 mounted on various decorative boards of some components other than the frame decoration components, and out-frame LED 2 mounted on various decorative boards of other components. Out-frame LED 1 is set to perform its normal operation regardless of whether the door frame 3 is open or closed, or whether a frame decoration component is installed or closed. Here, during normal operation, when the special symbol variable display is not being executed, an operation corresponding to a standby effect (e.g., a demo effect) is executed while waiting for the special symbol variable display to begin. When the special symbol variable display is being executed, the peripheral control board 1510 executes an operation corresponding to a variable effect (an effect based on a variable pattern) based on the variable pattern command received. For example, when the peripheral control board 1510 receives a variable pattern command, the effect display device 1600 executes an effect display (e.g., a reach effect) including a variable display of the decorative symbol, and the LEDs of Lamp A (inside the frame decoration), Lamp B (outside the frame decoration LED 1), and Lamp B (outside the frame decoration LED 2) light up or flash in conjunction with the effect display executed by the effect display device 1600, and sound is output from the speaker in conjunction with the effect display executed by the effect display device 1600.

In addition, components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510 are operating normally after the power is turned on at timing ts, but for such components, the volume and light intensity can be changed by operating the setting adjustment button 204. Specifically, when the setting adjustment button 204 is operated, the operation is accepted and the volume and light intensity are adjusted internally, so that this is reflected in the volume and light intensity currently being executed. However, for lamp B (outside frame decoration LED 1), which is one of the components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510, the light intensity of the LED is kept constant, so that the volume and light intensity do not change even if the setting adjustment button 204 is operated.

The external terminal board can also output predetermined signals to the hall computer, and by receiving these signals the hall computer can understand the behavior of the pachinko machine 1. In this case, the door frame 3 is closed, so the door frame open signal described below is not output, and since this is the normal state, not the reuse confirmation state described below, the reuse confirmation signal described below is not output.

Then, at time tz1, a predetermined period of time after power-on at time ts, a determination is made as to whether the reuse permission switch was operated before time tz1. In other words, the determination determines whether the reuse permission switch was operated between time ts and time tz1. In this case, because the reuse permission switch was not operated before time tz1, the machine does not transition to the reuse confirmation state at time tz1, and continues in the normal state thereafter. The behavior of the pachinko machine 1 is also assumed to remain unchanged before and after time tz1. For example, components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510 continue to operate normally even after time tz1.

Furthermore, even if the reuse permission switch is operated at timing tz2 after it is determined that the reuse permission switch has not been operated at timing tz1, the normal state does not transition to the reuse confirmation state, and the normal state continues thereafter. In other words, the operation of the reuse permission switch at timing tz2 is treated as invalid. The behavior of the pachinko machine 1 is also assumed to remain unchanged before and after timing tz2. For example, components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510 continue to operate normally even after timing tz2.

Next, at timing t1, when the door frame 3 is opened under normal conditions, a signal from the open switch to detect the opening of the door frame 3 is input to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310, which then outputs a door frame open command to the peripheral control board 1510 to notify that the door frame 3 has been opened. At this time, after power is turned on at timing ts, the components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510 are performing their normal operations, but at timing t1, the peripheral control board 1510 receives the door frame open command and performs the open operation.

Specifically, when the peripheral control board 1510 receives a door frame open command, lamp A (inside the frame LED) and lamp B (outside the frame LED 2) light up or flash in a single color with high brightness to emit light when opened, and the performance display device 1600 displays the message "Door frame is open" to indicate opening, and outputs the sound "Door frame is open" from the speaker to indicate opening. However, of the components whose operation is instructed by the peripheral control board 1510, lamp B (outside the frame LED 1) continues to operate normally without performing the opening operation.

Furthermore, at timing t1, when the door frame 3 is opened in the normal state, the components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510 are performing their opening operations, with the exception of lamp B (outside frame decoration LED 1). During this opening operation, the light intensity of the LEDs and other components is kept constant, and the volume from the speaker is kept constant. For this reason, for components performing the opening operation, the volume and light intensity do not change even if the setting adjustment button 204 is operated. Specifically, when the setting adjustment button 204 is operated, the operation is accepted and the volume and light intensity can be adjusted internally, but this is not reflected in the volume and light intensity currently being executed. When the device is returned to normal operation, this internally adjusted volume and light intensity will be reflected in the volume and light intensity currently being executed based on the internally adjusted volume and light intensity. Note that the light intensity of the performance display device 1600 may change when the setting adjustment button 204 is operated.

Furthermore, if the door frame 3 is opened under normal conditions at time t1, the external terminal board outputs a door frame open signal to the hall computer, allowing the hall to know that the door frame 3 has been opened. This door frame open signal stops being output to the hall computer a predetermined period of time (e.g., 30 seconds) after the door frame 3 is closed at time t2, which will be described later. This makes it easier for the hall to know that the door frame 3 has been opened, even if the opening and closing time of the door frame 3 is short.

Next, if the frame decoration member is removed under normal conditions at timing tx after the door frame 3 is opened, the peripheral control board 1510 determines that the frame decoration member is not connected. At this time, after the door frame 3 is opened at timing t1, the peripheral control board 1510 executes the opening operation for the member instructed to operate. However, after the frame decoration member is removed at timing tx, the peripheral control board 1510 executes the opening operation for the member instructed to operate, even though it is possible to execute the operation for when the frame decoration is not connected. The operation for when the frame decoration is not connected is executed after the door frame 3 is closed and the opening operation is completed. In this way, if the peripheral control board 1510 executes the operation for when the frame decoration is not connected for the member instructed to operate with priority, the opening of the door frame 3 would not be notified to the outside, and fraudulent activity could be performed on the back side of the pachinko machine 1 without the hall manager noticing. However, by executing the opening operation with priority, such a situation can be prevented. In the normal state, regardless of whether the frame decoration member is removed at timing t2, the period during which the game (main game) can proceed on the main control board 1310 side continues.

However, among the components for which operation is instructed by the peripheral control board 1510, the performance display device 1600 performs the operation when the frame decoration is not connected in addition to the operation when the door is opened. Specifically, the performance display device 1600 not only displays the message "Door frame is open" when the door is open, but also displays the message "Frame decoration member is not connected" when the frame decoration is not connected. In other words, under normal conditions, the frame decoration member is not permitted to be removed without performing the operation when the frame decoration is not connected. Furthermore, with regard to lamp A (LED inside the frame decoration), once the frame decoration member has been removed, the LED will no longer light up or flash.

Next, after the frame decoration member is removed, if the door frame 3 is closed under normal conditions at timing t2, a signal from the close switch to detect the closure of the door frame 3 is input to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310, and a door frame close command to notify the peripheral control board 1510 that the door frame 3 is closed is output. At this time, after the frame decoration member is removed at timing tx, the peripheral control board 1510 instructs the operation of the member to be opened, prioritizing the operation when the frame decoration is not connected. However, at timing t2, the peripheral control board 1510 receives the door frame close command, and ends the open operation, and performs the operation when the frame decoration is not connected.

Specifically, when the peripheral control board 1510 receives a door frame close command, Lamp B (outside frame decoration LED 2) lights or flashes a single color (different from the color emitted when the door frame is open) with high brightness to indicate that the door frame is not connected. The performance display device 1600 displays the message "Frame decoration component not connected" to indicate that the door frame is not connected, and the speaker outputs the sound "Frame decoration component not connected" to indicate that the door frame is not connected. However, among the components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510, Lamp B (outside frame decoration LED 1) continues its normal operation without performing the operation it performs when the door frame is not connected. Furthermore, among the components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510, Lamp B (outside frame decoration LED 2) is set to emit light when the door frame is closed for a predetermined period (e.g., 10 seconds) after receiving the door frame close command, and then emits light when the door frame is not connected after that predetermined period has elapsed. This means that even if the door frame 3 is only opened and closed for a short time, lighting the light when it is closed makes it easier for the hall staff to notice that the door frame 3 has been opened.

Furthermore, at timing t2, when the door frame 3 is closed in the normal state, the components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510, with the exception of Lamp B (outside the frame LED 1), are performing the same operation as when the frame is not connected. During this operation when the frame is not connected, the light intensity of the LEDs and the volume from the speaker are kept constant. For this reason, for components performing the operation when the frame is not connected, the volume and light intensity do not change even if the setting adjustment button 204 is operated. Specifically, when the setting adjustment button 204 is operated, the operation is accepted and the volume and light intensity can be adjusted internally, but this is not reflected in the volume and light intensity currently being executed. When the normal operation is restored, this internally adjusted volume and light intensity will be reflected in the volume and light intensity currently being executed based on the internally adjusted volume and light intensity. Note that the light intensity of the performance display device 1600 may change when the setting adjustment button 204 is operated.

Next, at timing t3, when the door frame 3 is opened again in the normal state to attach the frame decoration member, the behavior is approximately the same as when the door frame 3 is opened in the normal state at timing t1. In other words, when the door frame 3 is opened again while the frame decoration member has been removed, the components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510 perform their open operation in priority over the operation they perform when the frame decoration is not connected. However, since the frame decoration member has been removed, Lamp A (the LED inside the frame decoration) does not perform its open operation. Furthermore, among the components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510, the performance display device 1600 performs its operation when the frame decoration is not connected in addition to its open operation.

Next, after the door frame 3 is opened, if the frame decoration member is attached again in the normal state at timing ty, the peripheral control board 1510 determines that the frame decoration member has been connected. At this time, after the door frame 3 is opened at timing t2, the components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510 perform their opening operation, but even after the frame decoration member is attached at timing ty, the components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510 continue to operate as they would if the frame decoration were not connected. However, among the components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510, the performance display device 1600 continues to operate as it would if the frame decoration were not connected, in addition to its opening operation, even after the frame decoration member is attached at timing ty. Furthermore, after the frame decoration member is attached, and the door frame 3 is closed at timing t4 (described below), the opening operation ends, but it does not return to normal operation and continues to operate as it would if the frame decoration were not connected. This means that if the frame decoration member is removed under normal conditions, even if it is reattached, evidence will be left that the frame decoration member has been disconnected, preventing fraudulent activity caused by attaching or detaching the frame decoration member.

Furthermore, if a frame decoration member is attached in the normal state at timing ty, Lamp A (the LED inside the frame decoration) begins to receive electricity when the frame decoration member is attached, but it does not light up or flash after that and remains off. This means that if the frame decoration member is removed in the normal state, even if the frame decoration member is attached again, evidence that the frame decoration member has been disconnected remains, preventing fraudulent activity through the attachment and removal of the frame decoration member. Furthermore, in this example, the reuse permission switch is not operated before the determination timing of timing tz1, and the device remains in the normal state after timing tz1 and does not transition to the reuse confirmation state. However, even if a frame decoration member is attached (detached) in such a normal state, the operating status of the attached (detached) frame decoration member cannot be confirmed. In other words, in the normal state, the operation of the frame decoration member is not permitted when the frame decoration member is attached.

Next, after the frame decoration member is attached, if the door frame 3 is closed under normal conditions at timing t4, a signal from the closing switch to detect the closure of the door frame 3 is input to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310, and a door frame close command to notify the closure of the door frame 3 is output to the peripheral control board 1510. At this time, after the frame decoration member is attached at timing ty, the components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510 are executing their opening operations, but at timing t4, upon receiving the door frame close command, the peripheral control board 1510 terminates their opening operations and resumes normal operation. However, among the components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510, lamp B (outside frame decoration LED 2) is set to emit light when closed for a predetermined period (e.g., 10 seconds) after receiving the door frame close command, and then begins emitting light normally after that predetermined period has elapsed. This means that even if the door frame 3 is only opened and closed for a short time, lighting the light when it is closed makes it easier for the hall staff to notice that the door frame 3 has been opened.

As explained in detail above, after the frame decoration member is attached, at timing t4, the door frame 3 is closed and the open operation ends, but the normal operation does not return and the operation when the frame decoration is not connected continues. Furthermore, if the frame decoration member is attached in the normal state at timing ty, lamp A (the LED inside the frame decoration) is turned off, but this off state continues even after the door frame 3 is closed at timing t4. In such a case, unless the power is subsequently turned back on, the off state will not be canceled and the lamp will not light up, making it time-consuming to check the operating status of the attached or detached frame decoration member.

(Removal and installation of frame decoration member in reuse confirmation state A, part 1)
118 is a time chart showing the behavior of the pachinko machine 1 when a frame decoration member is removed while the door frame 3 is open in the reuse confirmation state A and then attached while the next door frame 3 is open. First, a case will be described in which the frame decoration member is removed after transitioning from the normal state to the reuse confirmation state A by operating the reuse permission switch before a predetermined determination timing. Regarding the removal and attachment of the frame decoration member in the reuse confirmation state A, when checking the operating states of multiple frame decoration members used as reusable parts, it is assumed that after the door frame 3 is opened and the frame decoration member is removed, the door frame 3 is temporarily closed with the frame decoration member still disconnected, and the door frame 3 is then opened again to attach another frame decoration member or to reattach the same frame decoration member for reconfirmation.

As shown in Figure 118, after power is first turned on at timing ts, the device behaves the same as when power is turned on at timing ts shown in Figure 117. For example, after power is turned on at timing ts, power-on processing is performed on the main control board 1310 and peripheral control board 1510, the game state on the main control board 1510 side is controlled to the normal state, and a period is set in which game (main game) can proceed on the main control board 1310 side. In other words, in the normal state after power is turned on, when the player operates the handle 160, game balls can be launched into the game area 5a, the variable display of special symbols can be initiated when a starting win occurs, and the jackpot game can be initiated when the variable display of special symbols stops and displays the winning symbol. The peripheral control board 1510 also monitors whether or not it is electrically connected to frame decoration components such as the door frame top unit 300, door frame right side unit 340, and performance operation unit 250. After power is turned on at time ts, it determines that the frame decoration components have not been removed and are still connected by the time the timing tx described below arrives. Furthermore, for components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510, normal operation is performed after power is turned on at time ts.

Then, at time tz1, a predetermined period after power-on at time ts, a determination is made as to whether the reuse permission switch was operated before time tz1. In other words, the determination determines whether the reuse permission switch was operated between time ts and time tz1. Here, by operating the reuse permission switch at time tx3, which is before time tz1, the game transitions from the normal state to reuse confirmation state A at time tz1. After transitioning to reuse confirmation state A at time tz1, the main control board 1310 is in a period during which it is unable to proceed with gameplay (main gameplay) on the main control board 1310 side. In other words, in reuse confirmation state A, even if the player operates the handle 160, it is impossible to launch a game ball into the game area 5a. Even if a starting win occurs, the display of the special symbol cannot be initiated, and normal gameplay is unavailable. This prevents normal gameplay from interfering with the removal and attachment of frame decoration members or the confirmation of their operational status in reuse confirmation state A. In reuse confirmation state A, a period of time during which gameplay (main gameplay) cannot be progressed on the main control board 1310 side continues until reuse confirmation state A is ended by operating the reuse permission switch again at timing tz4, described below.

Furthermore, after transitioning to reuse confirmation state A at timing tz1, some of the components for which the peripheral control board 1510 has instructed them to operate are used to perform the operations required for reuse confirmation. Specifically, after transitioning to reuse confirmation state A at timing tz1, the performance display device 1600 displays the message "You can now check the operation of the frame decoration components" as a display for reuse confirmation, and outputs the sound "You can now check the operation of the frame decoration components" from the speaker as a reuse confirmation sound. Meanwhile, among the components for which the peripheral control board 1510 has instructed them to operate, Lamp A (inside the frame decoration LED), Lamp B (outside the frame decoration LED 1), and Lamp B (outside the frame decoration LED 2) continue to operate normally without performing the operations required for reuse confirmation. In this way, after transitioning to reuse confirmation state A at timing tz1, only some of the components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510 are performing reuse confirmation operations. However, the transition to reuse confirmation state A is caused by the operator operating the reuse permission switch, and there is no need to notify the outside in an easily recognizable manner. Therefore, lamp A (inside frame LED), lamp B (outside frame LED 1), and lamp B (outside frame LED 2) do not perform reuse confirmation operations. Furthermore, these reuse confirmation operations continue until the reuse permission switch is operated again at timing tz4, described below, to end reuse confirmation state A.

Furthermore, after transitioning to reuse confirmation state A at timing tz1, some of the components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510 are performing reuse confirmation operations. For these components, the light intensity of LEDs and other components is kept constant, and the volume from the speaker is kept constant. Therefore, for components performing reuse confirmation operations, the volume and light intensity do not change even if the setting adjustment button 204 is operated. Specifically, when the setting adjustment button 204 is operated, the operation is accepted and the volume and light intensity can be adjusted internally, but this is not reflected in the volume and light intensity currently being executed. When the reuse permission switch is operated again at timing tz4 (described below) to transition from reuse confirmation state A to the normal state and return to normal operation, these internally adjusted volume and light intensity are reflected in the volume and light intensity currently being executed based on the internally adjusted volume and light intensity. Meanwhile, even after transitioning to reuse confirmation state A at timing tz1, the components that are still operating normally, Lamp A (inside the frame LED) and Lamp B (outside the frame LED 2), have their light intensity changed by operating the setting adjustment button 204. However, for Lamp B (outside the frame LED 1), the LED light intensity is kept constant, so that the light intensity does not change even when the setting adjustment button 204 is operated. In this way, in this example, components that keep the LED light intensity constant are provided, so it is easy to determine whether the light intensity has changed compared to components that do not keep the LED light intensity constant. Note that the light intensity of the performance display device 1600 may also change when the setting adjustment button 204 is operated.

Furthermore, after the transition to reuse confirmation state A at timing tz1, a reuse confirmation signal is output from the external terminal board to the hall computer, allowing the hall to know that the transition to reuse confirmation state A has occurred. Output of this reuse confirmation signal to the hall computer is terminated when the reuse permission switch is operated again at timing tz4, described below, to end reuse confirmation state A. Note that output of the reuse confirmation signal to the hall computer may also be terminated when a predetermined period (e.g., 30 seconds) has elapsed after end of reuse confirmation state A. This makes it easier for the hall to notice that the transition to reuse confirmation state A has occurred, even if the transition period to reuse confirmation state A is short.

Next, at timing t1, when the door frame 3 is opened in the reuse confirmation state A, a signal from the opening switch for detecting the opening of the door frame 3 is input to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310, and a door frame open command for notifying the peripheral control board 1510 that the door frame 3 has been opened is output to the peripheral control board 1510. The behavior of the pachinko machine 1 is assumed to remain unchanged before and after timing t1. For example, among the components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510, those performing normal operations continue to operate normally even after timing t1, while those performing reuse confirmation operations continue to operate as they did during reuse confirmation even after timing t1. In other words, when the door frame 3 is opened in the reuse confirmation state A, although the peripheral control board 1510 receives the door frame open command, the components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510 do not perform their opening operations, and the behavior of the pachinko machine 1 is assumed to remain unchanged before and after timing t1. This prevents the removal and installation of frame decorative members and confirmation of their operational status from being hindered by the opening operation being performed in reuse confirmation state A.

Furthermore, if the door frame 3 is opened in reuse confirmation state A at time t1, the external terminal board outputs a door frame open signal to the hall computer, allowing the hall to know that the door frame 3 has been opened. This door frame open signal stops being output to the hall computer a predetermined period of time (e.g., 30 seconds) after the door frame 3 is closed at time t2, which will be described later. This makes it easier for the hall to know that the door frame 3 has been opened, even if the opening and closing time of the door frame 3 is short.

Next, after the door frame 3 is opened, if the frame decoration member is removed in the reuse confirmation state A at time tx, the peripheral control board 1510 determines that the frame decoration member is not connected. The behavior of the pachinko machine 1 is assumed to remain unchanged before and after time tx. For example, among the components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510, those performing normal operations continue to operate normally even after time tx, while those performing reuse confirmation operations continue to operate as they would if the frame decoration were not connected even after time tx. Furthermore, if the frame decoration member is removed in the reuse confirmation state A, although the frame decoration member has been removed, the components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510 do not perform the operations they would perform if the frame decoration were not connected, and the behavior is assumed to remain unchanged before and after time tx. In other words, in the reuse confirmation state A, the frame decoration member can be removed without performing the operations they would perform if the frame decoration were not connected. This prevents the removal and attachment of frame decoration components and confirmation of the frame decoration component's operating status from being hindered in reuse confirmation state A by operations that are performed when the frame decoration is not connected.

The behavior of the pachinko machine 1 does not change before or after timing tx, but as for Lamp A (the LED inside the frame decoration), since the frame decoration member has been removed, the LED will no longer light up or flash after that.

Next, after removing the frame decoration member, if the door frame 3 is closed in the reuse confirmation state A at timing t2, a signal from the closing switch for detecting the closure of the door frame 3 is input to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310, and a door frame closing command for notifying the closure of the door frame 3 is output to the peripheral control board 1510. The behavior of the pachinko machine 1 is assumed to remain unchanged before and after timing t2. For example, among the components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510, those performing normal operations continue to operate normally even after timing t2, while those performing reuse confirmation operations continue to operate as they did during reuse confirmation even after timing t2. In other words, if the door frame 3 is closed in the reuse confirmation state A, the peripheral control board 1510 receives the door frame closing command, but the components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510 do not perform their closing operations, and the behavior of the pachinko machine 1 is assumed to remain unchanged before and after timing t2. This prevents the removal and installation of the frame decoration member and confirmation of its operational status from being hindered by the execution of the closing operation when in reuse confirmation state A.

Next, when the door frame 3 is opened again at timing t3 in reuse confirmation state A to attach the frame decoration member, the behavior is approximately the same as when the door frame 3 is opened in reuse confirmation state A at timing t1. In other words, when the door frame 3 is opened again while the frame decoration member is being removed, the components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510 do not perform the opening operation, and no change occurs before or after timing t3. For example, of the components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510, those performing normal operations continue to perform normal operations even after timing t3, and those performing reuse confirmation operations continue to perform reuse confirmation operations even after timing t3.

Next, after the door frame 3 is opened, if the frame decoration member is attached again at timing ty in reuse confirmation state A, the peripheral control board 1510 determines that the frame decoration member has been connected. The behavior of the pachinko machine 1 is assumed to remain unchanged before and after timing ty. For example, among the components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510, components that are performing normal operations continue to perform normal operations even after timing ty, and components that are performing reuse confirmation operations continue to perform reuse confirmation operations even after timing ty.

Furthermore, if a frame decoration member is attached in reuse confirmation state A at timing ty, the attachment of the frame decoration member causes the lamp A (LED within the frame decoration) to start receiving electricity, and the lamp A performs normal operation. As described above in detail, during normal operation, when the special symbol variable display is not being executed, the lamp A performs an operation corresponding to a standby effect (e.g., a demo effect) while waiting for the special symbol variable display to begin. When the special symbol variable display is being executed, the peripheral control board 1510 receives a variable pattern command and performs an operation corresponding to a variable effect (an effect based on a variable pattern). For example, when the peripheral control board 1510 receives a variable pattern command, the lamp A (LED within the frame decoration) lights up or flashes in conjunction with the effect display executed by the effect display device 1600. However, if the frame decoration is installed and a malfunction occurs, such as a disconnection in the wiring to Lamp A (the LED inside the frame decoration) preventing power from being supplied, or if Lamp A (the LED inside the frame decoration) itself breaks down, normal operation will not be performed and the LED will not light up or flash.

In this example, if the reuse permission switch is not operated before the determination timing of timing tz1, the device remains in the normal state and does not transition to the reuse confirmation state. Even if the frame decoration member is removed and then reattached, the light does not light up or flash afterwards and remains off. However, if the reuse permission switch is operated once before the determination timing of timing tz1, the device transitions to reuse confirmation state A. In reuse confirmation state A, the frame decoration member is removed, and then reattached at timing ty, allowing normal operation. In other words, in reuse confirmation state A, the frame decoration member is permitted to operate when it is attached. Then, transition to reuse confirmation state A is conditional on operating the reuse permission switch once before the determination timing of timing tz1. When a frame decoration member is attached (detached) in reuse confirmation state A, the operating status of the attached (detached) frame decoration member can be confirmed.

In addition, in this example, during the period from timing tx to timing ty, i.e., while the frame decoration member is removed to attach or detach it in reuse confirmation state A, the LED of Lamp A (the frame decoration's LED) does not light up or flash. However, during this period, if the setting adjustment button 204 is operated, the operation is accepted and the volume and light intensity can be adjusted internally, but the adjustment is not reflected in the light intensity of Lamp A (the frame decoration's LED). When the frame decoration member is reattached at timing ty (described below) and the LED is able to light up or flash, these internally adjusted volume and light intensity are reflected in the light intensity of Lamp A (the frame decoration's LED) based on the internally adjusted light intensity. Thus, in this example, when the frame decoration member is reattached at timing ty (described below), the internally adjusted light intensity is not reset to its initial state, but rather the internally adjusted light intensity is reflected as is, making it easy to determine whether the light intensity of Lamp A (the frame decoration's LED) of the attached (detached) frame decoration member is changing normally. Regardless of whether the frame decoration member is removed or not, the light intensity of the LED for Lamp B (outside frame decoration LED 1) is kept constant, and the light intensity does not change even if the setting adjustment button 204 is operated. Therefore, when the frame decoration member is reattached at timing ty, it is easy to determine whether the light intensity for Lamp A (inside frame decoration LED) of the frame decoration member is changing normally by comparing it with Lamp B (outside frame decoration LED 1).

The above-mentioned Lamp A (in-frame LED) is an in-frame LED mounted on the various decorative boards of the frame decoration member and is provided on the frame decoration member. However, the frame decoration member may also be provided with an in-frame LED2 (Lamp A') mounted on the various decorative boards of the frame decoration member in addition to Lamp A (in-frame LED). The light output of Lamp A' (in-frame LED 2) is kept constant, so that the volume and light output do not change even when the setting adjustment button 204 is operated. Because Lamp A' (in-frame LED 2) is provided on the frame decoration member just like Lamp A (in-frame LED), when the frame decoration member is reattached at timing ty, it can be easily determined whether the light output of Lamp A (in-frame LED) on the frame decoration member is changing normally, based on the light output internally adjusted during the period the frame decoration member was removed, by comparing it with Lamp A' (in-frame LED 2) on the frame decoration member.

Next, when the door frame 3 is closed in reuse confirmation state A at timing t4 after the frame decoration member is attached, the behavior is approximately the same as when the door frame 3 is closed in reuse confirmation state A at timing t2. In other words, when the door frame 3 is closed after the frame decoration member is attached, the components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510 do not perform their closing operation, and no change occurs before or after timing t4. For example, of the components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510, those performing normal operations continue to perform their normal operation even after timing t4, and those performing reuse confirmation operations continue to perform reuse confirmation operations even after timing t4.

Next, after closing the door frame 3, if the reuse permission switch is operated again at timing tz4, reuse confirmation state A ends and the system transitions to the normal state. Here, the normal state is the same as the normal state after the power is turned on at timing ts. In other words, after the main control board 1310 transitions to the normal state at timing tz4, it is possible for the main control board 1310 to continue gameplay (main gameplay) on its side. Furthermore, for components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510, normal operation is performed after transitioning to the normal state at timing tz4. In this way, in this example, the frame decoration member, which is a reusable part, can be detached, and after the operational status of the frame decoration member has been confirmed, the system can be returned to the normal state from reuse confirmation state A. Therefore, after confirming the operational status of the frame decoration member, it is possible to check whether gameplay (main gameplay) is proceeding normally.

In this example, after the frame decoration member is removed in the reuse confirmation state A, the frame decoration member is reattached at timing ty, causing Lamp A (the LED in the frame decoration) to perform its normal operation. However, it is also possible to have Lamp A (the LED in the frame decoration) perform its normal operation by not performing its normal operation when the frame decoration member is reattached at timing ty, but by operating the operation permission switch after the frame decoration member is reattached. The operation permission switch is located on the back side of the pachinko machine 1 and is provided on the main control board 1310 as a control unit for operation that cannot be touched by the player (such as a button that can switch between the ON and OFF states, or a key switch that can switch between the ON and OFF states by inserting a key). Furthermore, between the time the frame decoration member is reattached at timing ty and the time the operation permission switch is operated, Lamp A (the LED in the frame decoration) is in standby mode, for example, with the LED lit or extinguished. This allows the hall manager to check the operating status of the frame decoration members at will by operating the operation permission switch, improving convenience.

The above-mentioned operation permission switch is provided separately from the reuse permission switch, but the reuse permission switch may also serve as the operation permission switch. In other words, when the frame decoration member is reattached at timing ty, normal operation may not be performed, but by operating the reuse permission switch after the frame decoration member is attached, Lamp A (the LED in the frame decoration) may perform normal operation. The reuse permission switch may also be configured to allow the user to select one option from multiple options, and may be configured to have an option for starting the reuse confirmation state and an option for Lamp A (the LED in the frame decoration) to perform normal operation.

In addition, in this example, after the frame decoration member is removed in the reuse confirmation state A, the frame decoration member is reattached at timing ty while the door frame 3 is open, causing lamp A (the LED in the frame decoration) to perform its normal operation. However, if the frame decoration member is reattached while the door frame 3 is open at timing ty, the normal operation may not be performed, and lamp A (the LED in the frame decoration) may be configured to perform its normal operation by closing the open door frame 3 at timing t2. In this case, from the time the frame decoration member is reattached while the door frame 3 is open at timing ty until the open door frame 3 is closed, lamp A (the LED in the frame decoration) is in standby mode, for example, with the LED turned on or off. This allows the hall manager to optionally start checking the operating status of the frame decoration member by closing the door frame 3, improving convenience.

In this example, the period before the reuse permission switch is operated again at timing tz4 to end the reuse confirmation state is set as a period during which game (main game) cannot be progressed on the main control board 1310 side, and when the reuse permission switch is operated again at timing tz4 to end the reuse confirmation state is set as a period during which game (main game) can be progressed on the main control board 1310 side. However, even before the reuse permission switch is operated again to end the reuse confirmation state, the period during which game (main game) can be progressed on the main control board 1310 side may be entered by operating the game permission switch. The game permission switch is provided on the back side of the pachinko machine 1 as a work operation unit (such as a button that can switch between ON and OFF states, or a key switch that can switch between ON and OFF states by inserting a key) that is inaccessible to the player and is provided on the main control board 1310. As a result, during the period when the game (main game) can be progressed on the main control board 1310 side, operating the handle 160 allows the launch of game balls into the game area 5a, and when a starting win occurs, a lottery can be held to start the variable display of special symbols, and when the variable display of special symbols stops and displays a winning symbol, the jackpot game can begin. Therefore, the hall manager can check whether the game (main game) is progressing normally by operating the game permission switch at will, thereby improving convenience.

The above-mentioned play permission switch is provided separately from the reuse permission switch, but the reuse permission switch may also serve as the play permission switch. In other words, by operating the reuse permission switch at a timing before operating the reuse permission switch again to end the reuse confirmation state, a transition to a period in which play (main game) can proceed on the main control board 1310 side may be made. The reuse permission switch may also be configured to allow one option to be selected from multiple options, and may be configured to have an option for starting the reuse confirmation state and an option for transitioning to a period in which play (main game) can proceed on the main control board 1310 side.

In the above example, if the number of times the reuse permission switch's operation information is input is stored as "1" at a predetermined judgment timing after power-on (for example, if the reuse permission switch is pressed ON once before or at the same time as the judgment timing), the system transitions from the normal state to reuse confirmation state A, and the frame decoration member is detached in reuse confirmation state A. However, if the number of times the reuse permission switch's operation information is input is stored as "2 or more" (for example, if the reuse permission switch is pressed ON twice before or at the same time as the judgment timing), the system transitions from the normal state to reuse confirmation state B, and the frame decoration member can be detached in reuse confirmation state B. Here, reuse confirmation state A is a period during which game (main game) cannot proceed on the main control board 1310 side, while reuse confirmation state B is a period during which game (main game) can proceed on the main control board 1310 side. Furthermore, in all other respects, reuse confirmation state B behaves the same as the behavior of the pachinko machine 1 in reuse confirmation state A. For example, even if the reuse confirmation state B is entered on the condition that the number of times the reuse permission switch operation information is input is "twice or more" at the time of the determination timing of timing tz1, when a frame decoration member is attached (detached) in reuse confirmation state B, it is possible to confirm the operating status of the attached (detached) frame decoration member.

Figure 119 is a time chart showing the behavior of the pachinko machine 1 when a frame decoration member is removed while the door frame 3 is open in reuse confirmation state B, and then the frame decoration member is attached while the door frame 3 is next open. This section focuses on the differences from reuse confirmation state A.

As shown in FIG. 119, after power is turned on at time ts, power-on processing is performed on the main control board 1310 and peripheral control board 1510, the game state on the main control board 1510 is controlled to the normal state, and a period of time during which game (main game) can proceed on the main control board 1310 side is permitted. Then, at time tz1, a predetermined period of time after power is turned on at time ts, a determination is made as to whether the reuse permission switch was operated before time tz1. At this determination, the number of times the reuse permission switch was operated between time ts and time tz1 is also determined. Here, by operating the reuse permission switch twice before time tz1, the game transitions from the normal state to reuse confirmation state B at time tz1. Then, reuse confirmation state A is permitted as a period of time during which game (main game) can proceed on the main control board 1310 side. In other words, in reuse confirmation state A, when the player operates the handle 160, the game ball can be launched into the play area 5a, the variable display of special symbols can be initiated when a starting win occurs, and the jackpot game can be initiated when the variable display of special symbols stops and displays a winning symbol, allowing normal play to be played. Note that in reuse confirmation state A, the period during which game play (main game) can be progressed on the main control board 1310 side continues until the reuse permission switch is operated again at timing tz4 to end reuse confirmation state A.

Furthermore, if the reuse permission switch is operated twice before the determination timing of timing tz1, the system transitions to reuse confirmation state B. In reuse confirmation state B, the frame decoration member is removed, and then at timing ty, the frame decoration member is reattached, allowing normal operation. In other words, in reuse confirmation state B, the frame decoration member is permitted to operate once it is attached. Then, the system transitions to reuse confirmation state B on the condition that the reuse permission switch is operated twice before the determination timing of timing tz1, and when the frame decoration member is attached (detached) in reuse confirmation state B, the operating status of the attached (detached) frame decoration member can be confirmed.

In this example, if the reuse permission switch is operated twice before the determination timing of timing tz1, the machine transitions to reuse confirmation state B. This reuse confirmation state B is a period during which game play (main game) can proceed on the main control board 1310 side. Therefore, in reuse confirmation state B, it is possible to check whether game play (main game) is proceeding normally. In other words, in reuse confirmation state B, it is possible to check the operating status of a frame decoration member, which is a reusable part, while detaching it. However, checking whether game play (main game) is proceeding normally can also be done at the same time, without waiting for the machine to return to the normal state from reuse confirmation state B. This improves the efficiency of inspections of the pachinko machine 1, including checking the operating status of multiple frame decoration members.

(Removal and installation of frame decoration member in reuse confirmation state A, part 2)
120 is a time chart showing the behavior of the pachinko machine 1 when a frame decoration member is detached while the door frame 3 is open in the reuse confirmation state A. First, a case will be described in which the frame decoration member is detached after the normal state transitions to the reuse confirmation state A by operating the reuse permission switch before a predetermined judgment timing. Furthermore, regarding the detachment of the frame decoration member, when checking the operating states of multiple frame decoration members used as reusable parts, it is assumed that after the door frame 3 is opened and a frame decoration member is removed, a different frame decoration member is attached without closing the door frame 3, or the same frame decoration member is attached again for reconfirmation.

As shown in Figure 120, after the power is turned on at time ts, predetermined operations are performed and the frame decoration member is removed in reuse confirmed state A at time tx. During this period, the behavior is the same as the period from when the power is turned on at time ts shown in Figure 118 until the frame decoration member is removed in reuse confirmed state A at time tx. In other words, after the power is turned on at time ts, the reuse permission switch is operated at time tz3, the machine transitions from the normal state to reuse confirmed state A at time tz1, the door frame 3 is opened in reuse confirmed state A at time t1, and the frame decoration member is removed in reuse confirmed state A at time tx. These are the same operations as those shown in Figure 118, and the behavior of the pachinko machine 1 is the same.

In this example, after the door frame 3 is opened, the frame decoration member is removed at timing tx in reuse confirmation state A. However, after removing the frame decoration member, the door frame 3 is not closed and the frame decoration member is reattached at timing ty while the door frame 3 is open. In this way, when the frame decoration member is reattached at timing ty in reuse confirmation state A while the door frame 3 is open, the peripheral control board 1510 determines that the frame decoration member has been connected.

If, while the door frame 3 is open, a frame decoration member is attached in the reuse confirmation state A at timing ty, the attachment of the frame decoration member causes the lamp A (LED in the frame decoration) to start receiving electricity, and the lamp A performs normal operation. As described above in detail, during normal operation, when the special symbol variable display is not being executed, the lamp A performs an operation corresponding to a standby effect (e.g., a demo effect) while waiting for the special symbol variable display to begin. When the special symbol variable display is being executed, the peripheral control board 1510 receives a variable pattern command and performs an operation corresponding to a variable effect (an effect based on a variable pattern). For example, when the peripheral control board 1510 receives a variable pattern command, the lamp A (LED in the frame decoration) lights up or flashes in conjunction with the effect display executed by the effect display device 1600. However, if the frame decoration is installed and a malfunction occurs, such as a disconnection in the wiring to Lamp A (the LED inside the frame decoration) preventing power from being supplied, or if Lamp A (the LED inside the frame decoration) itself breaks down, normal operation will not be performed and the LED will not light up or flash.

It is assumed that the behavior of the pachinko machine 1 does not change before or after timing ty. For example, among the components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510, components that are performing normal operations continue to perform normal operations even after timing ty, and components that are performing operations during reuse confirmation continue to perform operations during reuse confirmation even after timing ty.

In this example, if the reuse permission switch is not operated before the determination timing of timing tz1, the device remains in the normal state and does not transition to the reuse confirmation state. Even if the frame decoration member is reattached, the light does not light up or flash afterwards and remains off. However, if the reuse permission switch is operated once before the determination timing of timing tz1, the device transitions to reuse confirmation state A, and normal operation is performed by reattaching the frame decoration member. In other words, in reuse confirmation state A, the frame decoration member is permitted to operate upon attachment. Then, the device transitions to reuse confirmation state A on the condition that the reuse permission switch is operated once before the determination timing of timing tz1. When a frame decoration member is attached (removed) in reuse confirmation state A, the operating status of the attached (removed) frame decoration member can be confirmed. Furthermore, in this example, even if a frame decoration member is removed in the reuse confirmation state A at time tx while the door frame 3 is open, and then reattached at time ty while the door frame 3 is open, it is possible to check the operational status of the attached (detached) frame decoration member. In other words, after removing the frame decoration member in the reuse confirmation state A at time tx, it is not necessary to close and reopen the door frame 3 between the time the frame decoration member is removed and the time the frame decoration member is reattached at time ty. In this way, even if a frame decoration member is removed and attached in the reuse confirmation state A while the door frame 3 is open once, it is possible to check the operational status of the detached frame decoration member, thereby improving the efficiency of checking the operational status of multiple frame decoration members.

In addition, in this example, during the period from timing tx to timing ty, i.e., while the frame decoration member is removed to attach or detach it in reuse confirmation state A, the LED of Lamp A (the frame decoration's LED) does not light up or flash. However, during this period, if the setting adjustment button 204 is operated, the operation is accepted and the volume and light intensity can be adjusted internally, but the adjustment is not reflected in the light intensity of Lamp A (the frame decoration's LED). When the frame decoration member is reattached at timing ty (described below) and the LED is able to light up or flash, these internally adjusted volume and light intensity are reflected in the light intensity of Lamp A (the frame decoration's LED) based on the internally adjusted light intensity. Thus, in this example, when the frame decoration member is reattached at timing ty (described below), the internally adjusted light intensity is not reset to its initial state, but rather the internally adjusted light intensity is reflected as is, making it easy to determine whether the light intensity of Lamp A (the frame decoration's LED) of the attached (detached) frame decoration member is changing normally. Regardless of whether the frame decoration member is removed or not, the light intensity of the LED for Lamp B (outside frame decoration LED 1) is kept constant, and the light intensity does not change even if the setting adjustment button 204 is operated. Therefore, when the frame decoration member is reattached at timing ty, it is easy to determine whether the light intensity for Lamp A (inside frame decoration LED) of the frame decoration member is changing normally by comparing it with Lamp B (outside frame decoration LED 1).

Next, after the frame decoration member is attached, if the door frame 3 is closed in the reuse confirmation state A at time t2, a signal from the closing switch for detecting the closure of the door frame 3 is input to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310, and a door frame closing command for notifying the closure of the door frame 3 is output to the peripheral control board 1510. The behavior of the pachinko machine 1 is assumed to remain unchanged before and after time t2. For example, among the components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510, those performing normal operations continue to operate normally even after time t2, while those performing reuse confirmation operations continue to operate as they did during reuse confirmation even after time t2. In other words, if the door frame 3 is closed in the reuse confirmation state A, the peripheral control board 1510 receives the door frame closing command, but the components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510 do not perform their closing operations, and the behavior of the pachinko machine 1 is assumed to remain unchanged before and after time t2. This prevents the removal and installation of the frame decoration member and confirmation of its operational status from being hindered by the execution of the closing operation when in reuse confirmation state A.

Next, after the door frame 3 is opened again, if a different frame decoration member is detached or attached while the door frame 3 is open, the period from timing t1 to timing t2 described above will be repeated. In other words, the door frame 3 is opened at timing t1', a frame decoration member is removed at timing tx', a different frame decoration member is attached at timing ty', and the door frame 3 is closed at timing t2'. In this sense, the same operations are performed as in the period from timing t1 to timing t2 described above, and the behavior of the pachinko machine 1 is the same.

Next, after closing the door frame 3, if the reuse permission switch is operated again at timing tz4, reuse confirmation state A ends and the system transitions to the normal state. Here, the normal state is the same as the normal state after the power is turned on at timing ts. In other words, after the main control board 1310 transitions to the normal state at timing tz4, it is possible for the main control board 1310 to continue gameplay (main gameplay) on its side. Furthermore, for components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510, normal operation is performed after transitioning to the normal state at timing tz4. In this way, in this example, the frame decoration member, which is a reusable part, can be detached, and after the operational status of the frame decoration member has been confirmed, the system can be returned to the normal state from reuse confirmation state A. Therefore, after confirming the operational status of the frame decoration member, it is possible to check whether gameplay (main gameplay) is proceeding normally.

In the above example, if the number of times the reuse permission switch's operation information is input is stored as "1" at a predetermined judgment timing after power-on (for example, if the reuse permission switch is pressed ON once before or at the same time as the judgment timing), the system transitions from the normal state to reuse confirmation state A, and the frame decoration member is detached in reuse confirmation state A. However, if the number of times the reuse permission switch's operation information is input is stored as "2 or more" (for example, if the reuse permission switch is pressed ON twice before or at the same time as the judgment timing), the system transitions from the normal state to reuse confirmation state B, and the frame decoration member can be detached in reuse confirmation state B. Here, reuse confirmation state A is a period during which game (main game) cannot proceed on the main control board 1310 side, while reuse confirmation state B is a period during which game (main game) can proceed on the main control board 1310 side. In other respects, reuse confirmation state B behaves the same as the behavior of the pachinko machine 1 in reuse confirmation state A. For example, even if the reuse permission switch is operated twice before the determination timing of timing tz1 to transition to reuse confirmation state B, when a frame decoration member is attached (detached) in reuse confirmation state B, it is possible to confirm the operating status of the attached (detached) frame decoration member.

Figure 121 is a time chart showing the behavior of the pachinko machine 1 when a frame decoration member is detached while the door frame 3 is open in reuse confirmation state B. This section focuses on the differences from reuse confirmation state A.

As shown in FIG. 121, after power is turned on at timing ts, power-on processing is performed on the main control board 1310 and peripheral control board 1510, the game state on the main control board 1510 is controlled to the normal state, and a period of time is allowed for game (main game) to proceed on the main control board 1310. Then, at timing tz1, when a predetermined period of time has elapsed after power is turned on at timing ts, a judgment timing is provided for determining whether the reuse permission switch was operated before timing tz1. This judgment timing also determines the number of times the reuse permission switch was operated between timing ts and timing tz1. Here, by operating the reuse permission switch twice before timing tz1, the game transitions from the normal state to reuse confirmation state B at timing tz1. Then, reuse confirmation state B is a period of time allowed for game (main game) to proceed on the main control board 1310. In other words, in reuse confirmation state B, when the player operates the handle 160, the game ball can be launched into the play area 5a, the variable display of special symbols can be started when a starting win occurs, and when the variable display of special symbols stops and displays a winning symbol, the jackpot game can begin, allowing normal play to be played. Note that in reuse confirmation state B, the period during which game play (main game) can be progressed on the main control board 1310 side continues until the reuse permission switch is operated again at timing tz4 to end reuse confirmation state B.

Furthermore, if the reuse permission switch is operated twice before the determination timing of timing tz1, the system transitions to reuse confirmation state B. In reuse confirmation state B, the frame decoration member is removed, and then at timing ty, the frame decoration member is reattached, allowing normal operation. In other words, in reuse confirmation state B, the frame decoration member is permitted to operate once it is attached. Then, the system transitions to reuse confirmation state B on the condition that the reuse permission switch is operated twice before the determination timing of timing tz1, and when the frame decoration member is attached (detached) in reuse confirmation state B, the operating status of the attached (detached) frame decoration member can be confirmed.

In this example, if the reuse permission switch is operated twice before the determination timing of timing tz1, the machine transitions to reuse confirmation state B. This reuse confirmation state B is a period during which game play (main game) can proceed on the main control board 1310 side. Therefore, in reuse confirmation state B, it is possible to check whether game play (main game) is proceeding normally. In other words, in reuse confirmation state B, it is possible to check the operating status of a frame decoration member, which is a reusable part, while detaching it. However, checking whether game play (main game) is proceeding normally can also be done at the same time, without waiting for the machine to return to the normal state from reuse confirmation state B. This improves the efficiency of inspections of the pachinko machine 1, including checking the operating status of multiple frame decoration members.

(Attaching the frame decoration member when the frame decoration member is not connected at the time of determination)
FIG. 122 is a time chart showing the behavior of the pachinko machine 1 when a frame decoration member is attached after determining that the frame decoration member is not connected at the predetermined timing. In the above example, if the reuse permission switch is operated before the predetermined timing and the frame decoration member is determined to be connected at the predetermined timing, the machine transitions from the normal state to the reuse confirmation state A. When the frame decoration member is attached (detached) in the reuse confirmation state A, the operational status of the attached (detached) frame decoration member can be confirmed. On the other hand, even if the reuse permission switch is operated before the predetermined timing, if the frame decoration member is determined to be not connected at the predetermined timing, the machine does not transition from the normal state to the reuse confirmation state A. Even if the frame decoration member is subsequently attached, the LED does not light up or flash, preventing confirmation of the operational status of the attached (detached) frame decoration member. A specific example of this is described below.

As shown in Figure 122, after power is first turned on at timing ts, the behavior is approximately the same as when power is turned on at timing ts shown in Figure 117. For example, after power is turned on at timing ts, power-on processing is performed on the main control board 1310 and peripheral control board 1510, the game state on the main control board 1510 side is controlled to the normal state, and a period is set in which game (main game) can proceed on the main control board 1310 side. In other words, in the normal state after power is turned on, when the player operates the handle 160, game balls can be launched into the game area 5a, the variable display of special symbols can be initiated when a starting win occurs, and when the variable display of special symbols stops and displays the winning symbol, jackpot game can be initiated, allowing normal game play to be performed. The peripheral control board 1510 also monitors whether it is electrically connected to the performance operation unit 250 and other frame decoration components such as the performance operation unit 250, but after power is turned on at time ts, it determines that the frame decoration component is not connected until time tx, which will be described later, arrives. In other words, since the frame decoration component is not connected to Lamp A (the LED within the frame decoration), the LED does not light up or flash. Furthermore, components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510 perform their normal operation after power is turned on at time ts.

Then, at time tz1, a predetermined period after power-on at time ts, a determination is made as to whether the reuse permission switch was operated before time tz1. At this determination, a determination is also made as to whether the frame decoration member is not connected. If the reuse permission switch was operated before time tz1 and it is determined at the determination that the frame decoration member is connected, the system transitions from the normal state to reuse confirmation state A. However, if it is determined at the determination that the frame decoration member is not connected, the system does not transition from the normal state to reuse confirmation state A, and the system continues to remain in the normal state. Note that in the normal state, regardless of whether the frame decoration member is not connected at time tz1, etc., the period during which gameplay (main gameplay) can proceed on the main control board 1310 side continues.

Furthermore, after determining at timing tz1 that the frame decoration members are not connected, the peripheral control board 1510 uses some of the members it has instructed to operate to perform the operation required when reuse confirmation is not activated. Specifically, after determining at timing tz1 that the frame decoration members are not connected, the performance display device 1600 displays the message "Operation confirmation of frame decoration members cannot be performed" as a display for when reuse confirmation is not activated, and outputs the sound "Operation confirmation of frame decoration members cannot be performed" from the speaker as a sound indicating that reuse confirmation is not activated. Meanwhile, among the members it has instructed to operate, Lamp A (inside frame decoration LED), Lamp B (outside frame decoration LED 1), and Lamp B (outside frame decoration LED 2) continue to operate normally without performing the operation required when reuse confirmation is not activated. Thus, after it is determined at time tz1 that the frame decoration member is not connected, only some of the members instructed by the peripheral control board 1510 are performing the operation required when reuse confirmation is not activated. However, since the determination that the frame decoration member is not connected at time tz1 is due to the operator operating the reuse permission switch and does not need to be easily recognized externally, lamp A (inside frame decoration LED), lamp B (outside frame decoration LED 1), and lamp B (outside frame decoration LED 2) do not perform the operation required when reuse confirmation is not activated. Furthermore, this operation required when reuse confirmation is not activated continues regardless of whether a frame decoration member is attached or whether the door frame 3 is opened or closed after it is determined that the frame decoration member is not connected at time tz1.

Furthermore, after determining at timing tz1 that a frame decoration member is not connected, some of the members instructed by the peripheral control board 1510 are still performing operations when reuse confirmation is not in progress. However, for such members, the light intensity of LEDs and other components is kept constant, and the volume from the speaker is kept constant. Therefore, for components performing operations when reuse confirmation is not in progress, the volume and light intensity do not change even if the setting adjustment button 204 is operated. Specifically, when the setting adjustment button 204 is operated, the operation is accepted and the volume and light intensity can be adjusted internally, but the adjustment is not reflected in the volume and light intensity currently being executed. Meanwhile, for Lamp B (outside frame decoration LED 2), which is a component performing normal operations even after determining at timing tz1 that a frame decoration member is not connected, the light intensity of the LED is changed by operating the setting adjustment button 204, but for Lamp B (outside frame decoration LED 1), the light intensity of the LED is kept constant, and the light intensity does not change even if the setting adjustment button 204 is operated. In this way, in this example, because a component that keeps the LED light output constant is provided, it is easy to determine whether the light output is changing compared to a component that does not keep the LED light output constant. Note that the performance display device 1600 may also be configured to change the light output when the setting adjustment button 204 is operated.

Furthermore, after it is determined at timing tz1 that the frame decoration member is not connected, the external terminal board does not output a reuse confirmation signal to the hall computer.

Next, at timing t1, if the door frame 3 is opened in the normal state, a signal from the opening switch for detecting the opening of the door frame 3 is input to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310, and a door frame open command for notifying the peripheral control board 1510 that the door frame 3 has been opened is output to the peripheral control board 1510. The behavior of the pachinko machine 1 is assumed to remain unchanged before and after timing t1. For example, among the components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510, those performing normal operations continue to operate in their normal state even after timing t1, while those performing operations when reuse confirmation is not activated continue to operate when reuse confirmation is not activated even after timing t1. In other words, if the door frame 3 is opened in the normal state after determining that the frame decoration component is not connected, the peripheral control board 1510 receives the door frame open command, but the components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510 do not perform their opening operations, and the behavior of the pachinko machine 1 is assumed to remain unchanged before and after timing t1. This prevents the execution of opening operations from interfering with confirmation of whether the game (main game) is proceeding normally in the normal state after it is determined that the frame decoration member is not connected.

Furthermore, if the door frame 3 is opened under normal conditions at time t1, the external terminal board outputs a door frame open signal to the hall computer, allowing the hall to know that the door frame 3 has been opened. This door frame open signal stops being output to the hall computer a predetermined period of time (e.g., 30 seconds) after the door frame 3 is closed at time t2, which will be described later. This makes it easier for the hall to know that the door frame 3 has been opened, even if the opening and closing time of the door frame 3 is short.

Next, after the door frame 3 is opened, if a frame decoration member is attached in the normal state at timing ty, the peripheral control board 1510 determines that the frame decoration member has been connected. The behavior of the pachinko machine 1 is assumed to remain unchanged before and after timing ty. For example, among the components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510, components that are performing normal operations continue to perform normal operations even after timing ty, and components that are performing operations when reuse confirmation is not activated continue to perform operations when reuse confirmation is not activated even after timing ty.

Furthermore, if a frame decoration member is attached in a normal state at timing ty, Lamp A (the LED inside the frame decoration) will not light up or flash after the frame decoration member is attached, but will remain off. This allows evidence that the frame decoration member was not connected to be left behind, even if the frame decoration member is attached in a normal state after it has been determined that the frame decoration member is not connected, preventing fraudulent activity through the attachment and removal of the frame decoration member. Furthermore, if Lamp A (the LED inside the frame decoration) were to light up or flash after the frame decoration member is attached, this could potentially hinder an operator's ability to confirm whether gameplay (main game) is proceeding normally. In this example, if the reuse permission switch is operated before the determination timing of timing tz1 and the frame decoration member is determined to be not connected at that time, Lamp A (the LED inside the frame decoration) will not light up or flash even if the frame decoration member is subsequently attached, preventing such confirmation from being hindered. On the other hand, if the reuse permission switch is operated before the judgment timing of tz1 and the frame decoration member is connected at that judgment timing, when the frame decoration member is subsequently attached, Lamp A (the LED inside the frame decoration) will light up or flash. This allows the operator to choose at the judgment timing whether they want to check the operating status of the frame decoration member as a reusable part, or whether they just want to check whether gameplay (main game) is progressing normally.

Next, after the frame decoration member is attached, if the door frame 3 is closed in the normal state at time t2, a signal from the closing switch for detecting the closure of the door frame 3 is input to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310, and a door frame closing command for notifying the closure of the door frame 3 is output to the peripheral control board 1510. The behavior of the pachinko machine 1 is assumed to remain unchanged before and after time t2. For example, among the components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510, those performing normal operations continue to operate in their normal state even after time t2, while those performing operations when reuse confirmation is not activated continue to operate in their normal state even after time t2. In other words, if the door frame 3 is closed in the normal state after determining that the frame decoration member is not connected, the peripheral control board 1510 receives the door frame closing command, but the components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510 do not execute their closing operations, and the behavior of the pachinko machine 1 is assumed to remain unchanged before and after time t2. This prevents the execution of the closing operation from interfering with confirmation of whether the game (main game) is proceeding normally in the normal state after it is determined that the frame decoration member is not connected.

Next, if the door frame 3 is opened again at timing t3 in the normal state to remove the frame decoration member, the behavior is approximately the same as when the door frame 3 is opened in the normal state at timing t1. In other words, if the door frame 3 is opened again while the frame decoration member is attached, the components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510 will not perform the opening operation and will remain unchanged before and after timing t3. For example, of the components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510, those performing normal operations will continue to perform normal operations even after timing t3, and those performing operations when reuse confirmation is not activated will continue to perform operations when reuse confirmation is not activated even after timing t3.

Next, if the frame decoration member is removed again in the normal state at timing tx after the door frame 3 is opened, the peripheral control board 1510 determines that the frame decoration member is not connected. The behavior of the pachinko machine 1 is assumed to remain unchanged before and after timing tx. In other words, if the frame decoration member is removed again after the door frame 3 is opened, the components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510 will not perform the operation they would perform when the frame decoration is not connected, and will remain unchanged before and after timing tx. For example, of the components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510, those performing normal operations will continue to perform normal operations even after timing tx, and those performing operations when reuse confirmation is not in operation will continue to perform operations when reuse confirmation is not in operation even after timing tx.

The behavior of the pachinko machine 1 does not change before or after timing tx, but as for Lamp A (the LED inside the frame decoration), since the frame decoration member has been removed, the LED no longer lights up or flashes after that.

Next, when the door frame 3 is closed in the normal state at timing t4 after the frame decoration member is removed, it behaves in approximately the same way as when the door frame 3 is closed in the normal state at timing t2. In other words, when the door frame 3 is closed after the frame decoration member is removed, the components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510 do not execute their closing operations and do not change before or after timing t4. For example, of the components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510, those performing normal operations continue to operate in their normal state even after timing t4, and those performing operations when reuse confirmation has not yet been performed continue to operate when reuse confirmation has not yet been performed even after timing t4.

In this example, after determining at timing tz1 that the frame decoration member is not connected, some of the components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510 are used to perform the operation that would have been performed if the reuse check had not been activated. However, such operation that would have been performed if the reuse check had not been activated continues regardless of whether a frame decoration member is subsequently attached or whether the door frame 3 is opened or closed. This leaves evidence that the frame decoration member was not connected, even if a frame decoration member is attached after determining at timing tz1 that the frame decoration member is not connected, preventing fraudulent activity involving the attachment or removal of a frame decoration member. Additionally, as previously explained, if the reuse permission switch is determined not to have been operated at timing tz1 when a frame decoration member is connected, and the frame decoration member is subsequently removed, the peripheral control board 1510 would execute the operation it would have performed when the frame decoration was not connected for the components it instructed to operate. However, in this example, if the reuse permission switch is determined to have been operated at timing tz1 when a frame decoration member is not connected, the peripheral control board 1510 would not execute the operation it would have performed when the frame decoration was not connected, even if the frame decoration member was subsequently removed. This prevents the normal state after it is determined that the frame decoration member is not connected from being hindered by the execution of the operation it would have performed when the frame decoration was not connected. Furthermore, in this example, the operation it performs when the reuse confirmation is not activated is intended to communicate that it is not possible to check the operation of the frame decoration member. This is different from the operation it performs when the frame decoration is not connected, as previously explained, but these operations may be common.

(Confirmation of error light emission when a frame decoration member is detached in reuse confirmation state A)
Figure 123 is a time chart showing the behavior of the pachinko machine 1 when a frame decoration member is removed while the door frame 3 is open in an error state and reuse confirmation state A, and then the frame decoration member is attached while the door frame 3 is next open. In the above example, if the reuse permission switch is operated before a predetermined determination timing, the machine transitions from the normal state to reuse confirmation state A. When a frame decoration member is attached (detached) in reuse confirmation state A, the operational status of the attached (detached) frame decoration member can be confirmed. On the other hand, if an abnormality is detected in the pachinko machine 1, such as detection of magnetism, vibration, or radio waves, the machine transitions to an error state. In such an error state, the LED of the frame decoration member emits an error light. However, to confirm the operational status of the frame decoration member, it is also necessary to check whether the LED of the frame decoration member emits an error light normally. In this regard, in this example, if the reuse confirmation state A and the error state occur at the same time, when a frame decorative member is attached (detached) in that state, it is possible to confirm that the LED of the attached (detached) frame decorative member emits an error light. A specific example of such a case will be described below.

In this example, the error detection unit is configured to detect magnetism using a magnetic sensor that detects magnetism applied to the pachinko machine 1 by bringing a magnet close to the pachinko machine 1, to detect vibrations using a vibration sensor that detects vibrations applied to the pachinko machine 1 by shaking or hitting the pachinko machine 1, and to detect radio waves using a radio wave sensor that detects radio waves applied to the pachinko machine 1 by irradiating it with illegal radio waves. After the main control board 1310 is powered on at timing ts, it monitors whether it is detecting magnetism, vibrations, or radio waves applied to the pachinko machine 1.

As shown in Figure 123, after power is first turned on at timing ts, the device behaves the same as when power is turned on at timing ts shown in Figure 117. For example, after power is turned on at timing ts, power-on processing is performed on the main control board 1310 and peripheral control board 1510, the game state on the main control board 1510 side is controlled to the normal state, and a period is set in which game (main game) can proceed on the main control board 1310 side. In other words, in the normal state after power is turned on, when the player operates the handle 160, game balls can be launched into the game area 5a, the variable display of special symbols can be initiated when a starting win occurs, and the jackpot game can be initiated when the variable display of special symbols stops and displays the winning symbol. The peripheral control board 1510 also monitors whether or not it is electrically connected to frame decoration components such as the door frame top unit 300, door frame right side unit 340, and performance operation unit 250. After power is turned on at time ts, it determines that the frame decoration components have not been removed and are still connected by the time the timing tx described below arrives. Furthermore, for components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510, normal operation is performed after power is turned on at time ts.

After power is turned on at time ts, when signals from the magnetic sensor for detecting magnetism, the vibration sensor for detecting vibration, and the radio wave sensor for detecting radio waves are input to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 at time t0, the main control board 1310 detects an abnormality in the magnetism, vibration, or radio waves, and outputs an abnormality notification command to the peripheral control board 1510 to notify the execution of an abnormality notification based on the occurrence of the abnormality. After power is turned on at time ts, the components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510 are performing their normal operations, but at time t0, an error state occurs based on the peripheral control board 1510 receiving the abnormality notification command. In the error state, the peripheral control board 1510 does not perform its normal operations, but instead performs its error operations. Furthermore, even after sending the abnormality notification command to the peripheral control board 1510 at timing t0, the main control board 1310 controls the game state to the normal state, just as if no abnormality had occurred, and this is the period during which it is possible to proceed with the game (main game) on the main control board 1310 side.

Specifically, when the peripheral control board 1510 receives an abnormality notification command, Lamp A (inside the frame LED) and Lamp B (outside the frame LED 2) light up or flash in a single color with high brightness as an error light, and the performance display device 1600 displays an error message such as "A magnetic error has occurred," "A vibration error has occurred," or "A radio wave error has occurred," and the speaker outputs an error sound such as "A magnetic error has occurred," "A vibration error has occurred," or "A radio wave error has occurred." In this example, different actions are taken in response to the abnormality notification, for example, different message displays, LED light colors, and alarm sounds, depending on whether magnetism, vibration, or radio waves have been detected, making it possible to determine whether magnetism, vibration, or radio waves have been detected. However, among the components whose operation is instructed by the peripheral control board 1510, Lamp B (outside the frame LED 1) continues to operate normally without executing the error action.

Furthermore, if an abnormality is detected at timing t0, the components instructed by the peripheral control board 1510 to operate will perform the error operation, with the exception of lamp B (outside frame LED 1). During this error operation, the light intensity of the LEDs and other components will be constant, and the volume from the speaker will be constant. For this reason, for components performing an error operation, the volume and light intensity will not change even if the setting adjustment button 204 is operated. Specifically, when the setting adjustment button 204 is operated, the operation is accepted and the volume and light intensity can be adjusted internally, but this is not reflected in the volume and light intensity currently being executed. When normal operation is restored, this internally adjusted volume and light intensity will be reflected in the volume and light intensity currently being executed based on the internally adjusted volume and light intensity. Note that for the performance display device 1600, the light intensity may change when the setting adjustment button 204 is operated.

Furthermore, if an abnormality is detected at timing t0, the external terminal board outputs an error signal to the hall computer, allowing the hall to know that an abnormality has been detected.

Next, after the power is turned on at time ts, a predetermined period of time elapses, and at time tz1, a determination is made as to whether the reuse permission switch was operated before time tz1. In other words, the determination determines whether the reuse permission switch was operated between time ts and time tz1. Here, by operating the reuse permission switch at time tx3, which is before time tz1, the machine transitions from the normal state to reuse confirmation state A at time tz1. After transitioning to reuse confirmation state A at time tz1, the main control board 1310 is in a period during which it is unable to continue gameplay (main gameplay) on the main control board 1310 side. In other words, in reuse confirmation state A, even if the player operates the handle 160, it is impossible to launch a game ball into the game area 5a. Even if a starting win occurs, the display of the special symbol cannot be initiated, and normal gameplay is unavailable. This prevents normal gameplay from interfering with the removal and attachment of frame decoration members or the confirmation of their operational status in reuse confirmation state A. In reuse confirmation state A, a period of time during which gameplay (main gameplay) cannot be progressed on the main control board 1310 side continues until reuse confirmation state A is ended by operating the reuse permission switch again at timing tz4, described below.

Furthermore, after transitioning to reuse confirmation state A at timing tz1, some of the components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510 are used to perform the operations required for reuse confirmation. Specifically, after transitioning to reuse confirmation state A at timing tz1, the performance display device 1600 displays the message "You can now check the operation of the frame decoration components" in addition to the error message as a display for reuse confirmation. The speaker outputs the sound "You can now check the operation of the frame decoration components" as a reuse confirmation sound. Meanwhile, among the components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510, lamp A (LED inside the frame decoration), lamp B (LED 2 outside the frame decoration), and speaker continue to operate in the event of an error. Furthermore, these operations required for reuse confirmation continue until the reuse permission switch is operated again at timing tz4, described below, to end reuse confirmation state A.

Furthermore, after the transition to reuse confirmation state A at timing tz1, a reuse confirmation signal is output from the external terminal board to the hall computer, allowing the hall to know that the transition to reuse confirmation state A has occurred. Output of this reuse confirmation signal to the hall computer is terminated when the reuse permission switch is operated again at timing tz4, described below, to end reuse confirmation state A. Note that output of the reuse confirmation signal to the hall computer may also be terminated when a predetermined period (e.g., 30 seconds) has elapsed after end of reuse confirmation state A. This makes it easier for the hall to notice that the transition to reuse confirmation state A has occurred, even if the transition period to reuse confirmation state A is short.

Next, at timing t1, when the door frame 3 is opened in the reuse confirmation state A, a signal from the opening switch for detecting the opening of the door frame 3 is input to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310, and a door frame open command for notifying the peripheral control board 1510 that the door frame 3 has been opened is output to the peripheral control board 1510. The behavior of the pachinko machine 1 is assumed to remain unchanged before and after timing t1. For example, among the components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510, components that are executing operations in the event of an error continue to operate in the event of an error even after timing t1, and components that are executing operations during reuse confirmation continue to operate as they did during reuse confirmation even after timing t1. In other words, when the door frame 3 is opened in the reuse confirmation state A, although the peripheral control board 1510 receives the door frame open command, the components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510 do not execute their opening operations, and the behavior is assumed to remain unchanged before and after timing t1. This prevents the removal and installation of frame decorative members and confirmation of their operational status from being hindered by the opening operation being performed in reuse confirmation state A.

Furthermore, if the door frame 3 is opened in reuse confirmation state A at time t1, the external terminal board outputs a door frame open signal to the hall computer, allowing the hall to know that the door frame 3 has been opened. This door frame open signal stops being output to the hall computer a predetermined period of time (e.g., 30 seconds) after the door frame 3 is closed at time t2, which will be described later. This makes it easier for the hall to know that the door frame 3 has been opened, even if the opening and closing time of the door frame 3 is short.

Next, after the door frame 3 is opened, if the frame decoration member is removed in the reuse confirmation state A at time tx, the peripheral control board 1510 determines that the frame decoration member is not connected. The behavior of the pachinko machine 1 is assumed to remain unchanged before and after time tx. For example, among the components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510, those performing the operation in the event of an error continue to perform the operation in the event of an error even after time tx, while those performing the operation during reuse confirmation continue to perform the operation during reuse confirmation even after time tx. Furthermore, if the frame decoration member is removed in the reuse confirmation state A, although the frame decoration member has been removed, the components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510 do not perform the operation required for a frame decoration not to be connected, and the behavior is assumed to remain unchanged before and after time t1. In other words, in the reuse confirmation state A, the frame decoration member can be removed without performing the operation required for a frame decoration not to be connected. This prevents the removal and attachment of frame decoration components and confirmation of the frame decoration component's operating status from being hindered by operations that are performed when the frame decoration is not connected, when reuse confirmation state A is in effect.

The behavior of the pachinko machine 1 does not change before or after timing tx, but as for Lamp A (the LED inside the frame decoration), since the frame decoration member has been removed, the LED will no longer light up or flash after that.

Next, after removing the frame decoration member, if the door frame 3 is closed in the reuse confirmation state A at time t2, a signal from the closing switch for detecting the closure of the door frame 3 is input to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310, and a door frame closing command for notifying the closure of the door frame 3 is output to the peripheral control board 1510. The behavior of the pachinko machine 1 is assumed to remain unchanged before and after time t2. For example, among the components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510, those performing the operation in the event of an error continue to perform the operation in the event of an error even after time t2, while those performing the operation during reuse confirmation continue to perform the operation during reuse confirmation even after time t2. In other words, if the door frame 3 is closed in the reuse confirmation state A, although the peripheral control board 1510 receives the door frame closing command, the components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510 do not perform the closing operation, and so the behavior of the pachinko machine 1 is assumed to remain unchanged before and after time t2. This prevents the removal and installation of the frame decoration member and confirmation of its operational status from being hindered by the execution of the closing operation when in reuse confirmation state A.

Next, when the door frame 3 is opened again at timing t3 in reuse confirmation state A to attach the frame decoration member, the behavior is approximately the same as when the door frame 3 is opened in reuse confirmation state A at timing t1. In other words, when the door frame 3 is opened again while the frame decoration member is being removed, the components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510 do not perform the opening operation, and no change occurs before or after timing t3. For example, of the components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510, components that are performing the operation in the event of an error continue to perform the operation in the event of an error even after timing t3, and components that are performing the operation during reuse confirmation continue to perform the operation during reuse confirmation even after timing t3.

Next, after the door frame 3 is opened, if the frame decoration member is attached again at timing ty in reuse confirmation state A, the peripheral control board 1510 determines that the frame decoration member has been connected. The behavior of the pachinko machine 1 is assumed to remain unchanged before and after timing ty. For example, of the components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510, components that are performing operations in the event of an error continue to perform the operation in the event of an error even after timing ty, and components that are performing operations during reuse confirmation continue to perform the operation during reuse confirmation even after timing ty.

Furthermore, if a frame decoration member is attached in reuse confirmation state A at timing ty, the installation of the frame decoration member will cause Lamp A (LED in the frame decoration) to begin receiving electricity, but this operation will not be its normal operation, but will instead be its error operation. As explained in detail above, the error operation for Lamp A (LED in the frame decoration) is to light up or flash in a single color with high brightness as an error light. However, if a malfunction occurs when the frame decoration member is attached, such as if the wiring to Lamp A (LED in the frame decoration) is broken and no electricity is supplied, or if Lamp A (LED in the frame decoration) itself has failed, the error operation will not be executed and the LED will not light up or flash.

In this example, if the reuse permission switch is operated before the determination timing of timing tz1, the system transitions to reuse confirmation state A. If the frame decoration member emits an error light in reuse confirmation state A, the frame decoration member is removed and then reattached at timing ty to resume operation in the event of an error. In other words, reuse confirmation state A allows for the frame decoration member to be attached so that operation in the event of an error can be resumed. Then, on the condition that the reuse permission switch is operated before the determination timing of timing tz1, the system transitions to reuse confirmation state A. When a frame decoration member is attached (detached) in reuse confirmation state A, it is possible to check whether the attached (detached) frame decoration member emits an error light normally.

Next, when the door frame 3 is closed in reuse confirmation state A at timing t4 after the frame decoration member is attached, the behavior is approximately the same as when the door frame 3 is closed in reuse confirmation state A at timing t2. In other words, when the door frame 3 is closed after the frame decoration member is attached, the components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510 do not execute their closing operations, and no change occurs before or after timing t4. For example, of the components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510, components that are executing operations in the event of an error continue to execute their error operations even after timing t4, and components that are executing operations during reuse confirmation continue to execute their reuse confirmation operations even after timing t4.

Next, after closing the door frame 3, if the reuse permission switch is operated again at timing tz4, reuse confirmation state A ends and the system transitions to the normal state. Here, the normal state is the same as the normal state before transitioning to reuse confirmation state A at timing t1. In other words, after transitioning to the normal state at timing tz4, the main control board 1310 is able to continue gameplay (main gameplay) on its side. Furthermore, for components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510, after transitioning to the normal state at timing tz4, an error operation based on the error state is executed. In this way, in this example, frame decoration members, which are reusable parts, can be detached, and after confirmation of the operating status of the frame decoration member is completed, the system can be returned to the normal state from reuse confirmation state A. Therefore, after checking the operating status of the frame decoration member, it is possible to check whether gameplay (main gameplay) is proceeding normally.

In this example, after the frame decoration member is removed in the reuse confirmation state A, the frame decoration member is reattached at timing ty, causing Lamp A (the LED in the frame decoration) to perform its error operation. However, it is also possible to configure Lamp A (the LED in the frame decoration) to perform its error operation by not performing the error operation when the frame decoration member is reattached at timing ty, but by operating the operation permission switch after the frame decoration member is reattached. The operation permission switch is located on the back side of the pachinko machine 1 and is provided on the main control board 1310 as a control unit for operation that cannot be touched by the player (such as a button that can switch between the ON and OFF states, or a key switch that can switch between the ON and OFF states by inserting a key). Furthermore, between the time the frame decoration member is reattached at timing ty and the time the operation permission switch is operated, Lamp A (the LED in the frame decoration) is in its standby state, for example, with the LED lit or extinguished. This allows the hall manager to check the operating status of the frame decoration members at will by operating the operation permission switch, improving convenience.

The above-mentioned operation permission switch is provided separately from the reuse permission switch, but the reuse permission switch may also serve as the operation permission switch. In other words, if the frame decoration member is reattached at timing ty, the error operation may not be performed, but by operating the reuse permission switch after the frame decoration member is attached, Lamp A (the LED in the frame decoration) may perform the error operation. The reuse permission switch may also be configured to allow one option to be selected from multiple options, and may be configured to have an option for starting the reuse confirmation state and an option for Lamp A (the LED in the frame decoration) to perform the error operation.

In addition, in this example, after the frame decoration member is removed in the reuse confirmation state A, the frame decoration member is reattached at timing ty while the door frame 3 is open, causing lamp A (LED in the frame decoration) to perform the error operation. However, if the frame decoration member is reattached while the door frame 3 is open at timing ty, the error operation may not be performed, and lamp A (LED in the frame decoration) may be configured to perform the error operation by closing the open door frame 3 at timing t2. In this case, from the time the frame decoration member is reattached while the door frame 3 is open at timing ty until the open door frame 3 is closed, lamp A (LED in the frame decoration) is in standby mode, for example, with the LED lit or extinguished. This allows the hall manager to optionally start checking the operating status of the frame decoration member by closing the door frame 3, improving convenience.

In this example, the period before the reuse permission switch is operated again at timing tz4 to end the reuse confirmation state is set as a period during which game (main game) cannot be progressed on the main control board 1310 side, and when the reuse permission switch is operated again at timing tz4 to end the reuse confirmation state is set as a period during which game (main game) can be progressed on the main control board 1310 side. However, even before the reuse permission switch is operated again to end the reuse confirmation state, the period during which game (main game) can be progressed on the main control board 1310 side may be entered by operating the game permission switch. The game permission switch is provided on the back side of the pachinko machine 1 as a work operation unit (such as a button that can switch between ON and OFF states, or a key switch that can switch between ON and OFF states by inserting a key) that is inaccessible to the player and is provided on the main control board 1310. As a result, during the period when the game (main game) can be progressed on the main control board 1310 side, operating the handle 160 allows the launch of game balls into the game area 5a, and when a starting win occurs, a lottery can be held to start the variable display of special symbols, and when the variable display of special symbols stops and displays a winning symbol, the jackpot game can begin. Therefore, the hall manager can check whether the game (main game) is progressing normally by operating the game permission switch at will, thereby improving convenience.

The above-mentioned play permission switch is provided separately from the reuse permission switch, but the reuse permission switch may also serve as the play permission switch. In other words, by operating the reuse permission switch at a timing before operating the reuse permission switch again to end the reuse confirmation state, a transition to a period in which play (main game) can proceed on the main control board 1310 side may be made. The reuse permission switch may also be configured to allow one option to be selected from multiple options, and may be configured to have an option for starting the reuse confirmation state and an option for transitioning to a period in which play (main game) can proceed on the main control board 1310 side.

[Change settings and confirmation display]
In the following example, a fourth embodiment of the pachinko machine 1 will be described, in which a setting function is added to the pachinko machines 1 of the above-mentioned embodiments. The pachinko machine 1 of this example has a setting value related to the probability of winning or losing, and by performing a predetermined operation when the power is turned on, it is possible to change the setting value or display a confirmation of the setting value.

First, the main control board 1310 is connected via two-way communication to the frame control board 740 provided on the main frame 4, and is connected unidirectionally to the peripheral control board 1510 for output signals only. The main control board 1310 also receives game ball B detection signals from the general prize opening sensor 3001, gate sensor 2011, first start opening sensor 2101, second start opening sensor 2401, and special prize opening sensor 2402. The main control board 1310 also outputs drive signals to the start opening solenoid 2412 for opening and closing the second start opening 2004, the attacca solenoid 2414 for opening and closing the special prize opening 2005, and so on.

The main control board 1310 is also equipped with a setting key switch having a setting key cylinder into which the setting key is inserted and rotated, as well as a setting change permission lamp that can emit light in a single color (e.g., red), and a setting indicator consisting of a single 7-segment LED display with a decimal point (so-called dot). The setting indicator is capable of displaying the setting value of the pachinko machine 1.

The setting key switch is initially in the OFF position when the setting key is ready to be inserted into the socket formed on the front of the setting key cylinder of the setting key switch (for example, a position where the length of the rectangular socket is aligned vertically). When the setting key cylinder is in its initial position, a metal setting key can be inserted into the socket and removed from it. In this embodiment, the depth dimension of the setting key switch is designed to prevent the setting key from interfering with or being damaged by components of other pachinko machines (or components of the island equipment) installed back-to-back on the island equipment of the gaming hall, even if the rear cover 640 covering the rear of the gaming board 5 is detached from the pachinko machine 1 for some reason and the main frame 4 is closed against the outer frame 2 with the setting key still inserted in the socket.

The setting key switch can be turned ON by rotating the setting key cylinder 60 degrees clockwise from its initial position, and this setting key ON signal is input to the main control MPU of the main control board 1310. The setting key switch can also be turned OFF by rotating the setting key cylinder 60 degrees counterclockwise to return the setting key switch from the rotational position of the setting key cylinder that turned the setting key ON to its original initial position (i.e., the rotational position of the setting key cylinder that turns the setting key switch OFF). This OFF signal is input to the main control MPU of the main control board 1310.

Next, we will briefly explain the setting key switch and setting display on the main control board 1310. Here, we will first explain how to change the setting value, and then how to display and confirm the current setting value. Note that the setting key is an important key that can be used to change the setting value as well as check the current setting value, so only a limited number of people, including the arcade manager, are permitted to possess it, and it is limited to two to three people.

First, when changing the setting value, when the pachinko machine 1 is turned on or when power is restored after a power outage (a momentary power outage), the main frame 4 must be opened relative to the outer frame 2, the setting key must be inserted into the setting key cylinder socket of the setting key switch on the main control board 1310, the setting key cylinder must be rotated 60 degrees clockwise to turn it ON, turning the setting key switch ON, and the pressing operation portion of the RAM clear switch 741 on the frame control board 740 must be operated, thereby meeting the "predetermined setting value change permission conditions." In other words, the person actually changing the setting value must first make sure that the pachinko machine 1 is not powered on (the power to the pachinko machine 1 is cut off), then open the main body frame 4 from the outer frame 2, then insert a metal setting key into the socket of the setting key cylinder of the setting key switch and turn it on by rotating it 60 degrees clockwise to turn the setting key switch on, and then operate the power switch 751 while operating the pressing operation part of the RAM clear switch 741 to power on the pachinko machine 1.

The person changing the setting value must first confirm that the pachinko machine 1 is not powered on (the power supply to the pachinko machine 1 is cut off), then release the main frame 4 from the outer frame 2. Next, insert a metal setting key into the setting key cylinder socket of the setting key switch and turn the setting key switch ON by rotating the setting key cylinder 60 degrees clockwise. Next, while operating the pressing portion of the RAM clear switch 741, operate the power switch 751 to turn on the power to the pachinko machine 1. This inputs the RAM clear switch 741 and setting key ON signals to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310. The main control MPU displays the current setting value (the value set among setting values 1 through 6 at the time the setting key cylinder of the setting key switch is turned ON) stored in a specific area of its built-in RAM on the setting display and switches the setting change permission lamp from off to on.

When a person changing the setting value presses the pressing operation portion of the RAM clear switch 741 on the frame control board 740, a detection signal from the RAM clear switch 741 is input from the frame control board 740 to the main control MPU 1310a on the main control board 1310. Each time a person changing the setting value presses the pressing operation portion of the RAM clear switch 741, the main control MPU 1310a increases the current setting value by one based on the detection signal from the RAM clear switch 741. When it reaches the maximum setting value of 6, it returns to the initial setting value of 1, and then increases by one again, displaying the setting value on the setting display.

When a person changing a setting value finalizes the setting value, they turn the setting key switch OFF by rotating it 60 degrees counterclockwise from the rotational position of the setting key cylinder that turned the setting key ON back to its original initial position (i.e., the rotational position of the setting key cylinder that turns the setting key switch OFF). This setting key OFF signal is input to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310. In response, the main control MPU 1310a stores the changed and finalized setting value in a specific area of RAM built into the main control MPU, switches the setting display from displaying the setting value to not displaying it, and switches the setting change permission lamp from lit to extinguished.

The person changing the setting value removes the metal setting key from the insertion port of the setting key cylinder of the setting key switch, closes the main frame 4 against the outer frame 2, and completes the setting value change procedure.

Next, to display and confirm the currently set setting value, when the power to the pachinko machine 1 is turned on or when power is restored after a power outage (a momentary power outage), the main frame 4 must be opened relative to the outer frame 2, the setting key must be inserted into the setting key cylinder socket of the setting key switch, the setting key cylinder must be rotated 60 degrees clockwise to turn it ON, and the setting key switch must be set to ON, and the pressing operation part of the RAM clear switch 741 must not be operated, which means that the ``predetermined setting value display permission conditions'' must be met. In other words, a person who actually checks and displays the currently set setting value must first make sure that the pachinko machine 1 is not powered on (the power to the pachinko machine 1 is cut off), then open the main body frame 4 from the outer frame 2, and then insert a metal setting key into the socket of the setting key cylinder of the setting key switch and turn it on by rotating it 60 degrees clockwise to turn the setting key switch on, and then operate the power switch 751 to power on the pachinko machine 1 without operating the pressing operation part of the RAM clear switch 741.

The person checking and displaying the currently set setting value must first ensure that the pachinko machine 1 is not powered on (the power to the pachinko machine 1 is cut off), then open the main frame 4 from the outer frame 2, insert a metal setting key into the setting key cylinder socket of the setting key switch, and turn the setting key switch to setting key ON by rotating the setting key cylinder clockwise 60 degrees to ON. Next, without operating the pressing operation portion of the RAM clear switch 741, the power switch 751 is operated to turn on the power to the pachinko machine 1. This inputs a setting key ON signal to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310. The main control MPU displays the current setting value (the value set among setting values 1 to 6 at the time the setting key cylinder of the setting key switch is turned ON) stored in a specific area of its built-in RAM on the setting display. At this time, the setting change permission lamp remains off, and even if the person checking and displaying the currently set setting presses the pressing operation portion of the RAM clear switch 741, the setting value will not change at all in response to this pressing operation, and the content displayed on the setting display will not change either.

When the person checking and displaying the currently set setting has finished checking the currently set setting, they turn the setting key switch OFF by rotating it 60 degrees counterclockwise from the rotation position of the setting key cylinder that turned the setting key ON back to its original initial position (i.e., the rotation position of the setting key cylinder that turns the setting key switch OFF). This setting key OFF signal is input to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310. This causes the main control MPU to switch the setting display from displaying the setting value to not displaying it.

The person who wishes to confirm and display the currently set value removes the metal setting key from the insertion port of the setting key cylinder of the setting key switch, closes the main frame 4 against the outer frame 2, and completes the confirmation and display of the currently set value.

As described above, the "predetermined setting value change permission conditions" require that when the pachinko machine 1 is powered on or when power is restored after a power outage (a momentary power outage), the main frame 4 is open relative to the outer frame 2, the setting key is inserted into the setting key cylinder socket of the setting key switch, the setting key cylinder is rotated 60 degrees clockwise to turn it on, thereby turning the setting key on, and the pressure operation part of the RAM clear switch 741 is operated. In contrast, as described above, the "predetermined setting value display permission conditions" require that when the pachinko machine 1 is powered on or when power is restored after a power outage (a momentary power outage), the main frame 4 is open relative to the outer frame 2, the setting key is inserted into the setting key cylinder socket of the setting key switch, the setting key cylinder is rotated 60 degrees clockwise to turn it on, thereby turning the setting key on, and the pressure operation part of the RAM clear switch 741 is not operated. Thus, the "predetermined setting value change permission conditions" and the "predetermined setting value display permission conditions" share a common requirement in that when the pachinko machine 1 is powered on or when power is restored after a power outage (a momentary power outage), the main body frame 4 is opened relative to the outer frame 2, the setting key is inserted into the setting key cylinder socket of the setting key switch, and the setting key cylinder is rotated 60 degrees clockwise to turn it on, thereby turning the setting key on. However, the "predetermined setting value change permission conditions" require that "the press operation portion of the RAM clear switch 741 is operated when the pachinko machine 1 is powered on or when power is restored after a power outage (a momentary power outage)," whereas the "predetermined setting value display permission conditions" differ in that "the press operation portion of the RAM clear switch 741 is not operated when the pachinko machine 1 is powered on or when power is restored after a power outage (a momentary power outage).

To briefly explain the setting values, the "setting values" in this example can change the probability that the lottery results for the first special symbol and the second special symbol described above will result in a jackpot, and are preset to provide a probability (degree of advantage) that is advantageous to the player (i.e., increases the number of game balls the player can acquire). In this embodiment, the setting values provided are setting value 1 (jackpot probability 1/319), setting value 2 (jackpot probability 1/310), setting value 3 (jackpot probability 1/300), setting value 4 (jackpot probability 1/290), setting value 5 (jackpot probability 1/280), and setting value 6 (jackpot probability 1/270), and the probability (degree of advantage) that is advantageous to the player is preset from setting value 1 to setting value 6. The main control MPU of the main control board 1310 selects various tables used in various lottery determinations associated with set values (e.g., a jackpot determination table that specifies the percentage of jackpot determination values indicating a jackpot win), or various tables used in various allocation rates associated with set values (e.g., an allocation table that specifies the allocation time, or a block that manages the operation of an electric drive source such as a motor or solenoid). The various tables used in various lottery determinations associated with set values allocate various determination values at a predetermined rate. Note that the various tables used in various lottery determinations are set so that at least some of the values differ from each other, and the various tables used in various allocation rates are set so that at least some of the values differ from each other, or so that the values differ based on the relationship between a table corresponding to a block that manages the operation of one electric drive source and a table corresponding to a block that manages the operation of another electric drive source. Additionally, while the above-described setting values are six setting values (integers) ranging from setting value 1 to setting value 6, the range may be smaller or larger. For example, there may be four setting values (integers) ranging from setting value 1 to setting value 4, or eight setting values (integers) ranging from setting value 1 to setting value 8.

In this example, setting values 1 through 6 are pre-prepared, each with a different jackpot probability. However, while multiple setting values are possible, it is also possible to set all of them to the same setting value (with the same jackpot probability). For example, while six setting values are possible, it is possible to set all of them in one stage so that they are all setting value 1. In this way, when all setting values are setting value 1, a state in which setting values can be changed occurs in the setting change state, and even if the setting value is switched, it is simply switched from setting value 1 to setting value 1, and the setting value remains unchanged. Furthermore, even if the setting value is confirmed in the setting confirmation state, setting value 1 is always confirmed. Here, there are pachinko machines 1 that require setting value changes (changes in jackpot probability) and pachinko machines 1 that do not require setting value changes (changes in jackpot probability). However, by allowing all setting values to be the same, it is possible to use a common control program regardless of whether setting value changes are required. Additionally, for pachinko machines 1 where changing the setting value (changing the probability of winning) is not necessary, the configuration of the setting key switch, etc. may be retained, but instead of allowing six setting values to be set, only one setting value may be set, allowing setting to be achieved in one stage.

Furthermore, while setting values are being changed or displayed for confirmation, the main control board 1310 controls the system to a state in which game play is not possible, i.e., the display of changing patterns does not begin even if game ball B enters one of the ball entry ports, such as the first starting port 2003. Furthermore, the frame control board 740 controls the system to a state in which game ball circulation is not possible, i.e., a state in which game ball B is not launched from the ball launching unit 550 even when the handle 160 is operated, and various controls, such as the settlement process via the counting button switch 180, the ball launching unit 550, the ball lifting unit 650, and the ball sending unit 700, are stopped, and game ball B is not managed (monitored) in the circulation ball path unit 600. As a result, if game play or ball circulation is in progress while setting values are being changed or displayed for confirmation, there is a possibility that work related to the setting value may be hindered. However, by stopping game play or ball circulation, such a situation can be prevented from occurring. After that, when the setting value changes and confirmation display are finished and the setting value is no longer displayed on the setting display, the system enters a state in which games can be played and ball circulation can be carried out. For example, by operating the handle 160, game ball B is launched from the ball launching unit 550, and when game ball B enters various ball entry ports such as the first starting port 2003, the display of changing patterns begins. The system also enters a state in which settlement processing is carried out by operating the counting button switch 180, and various controls such as the ball launching unit 550, ball lifting unit 650, and ball sending unit 700 are initiated, thereby managing (monitoring) game ball B in the circulation ball path unit 600.

However, while the setting values are being changed or the setting value confirmation display is in progress, the system may be controlled to a state in which ball circulation is possible, for example, a state in which game balls B are launched from the ball launching unit 550 by operating the handle 160, or a state in which settlement processing is performed by operating the counting button switch 180, or various controls such as the ball launching unit 550, ball lifting unit 650, and ball sending unit 700 are initiated to manage (monitor) game balls B in the circulation ball path unit 600. This allows game play to begin promptly after the setting values are changed or the setting value confirmation display has finished.

In addition to displaying the setting values as described above, the setting display also checks the contents of its own built-in RAM when the main control MPU restores power to determine whether there is an abnormality. If it determines that there is an abnormality, and if the main control side power-off processing did not end normally when the power was cut off, it displays an error message indicating that there is an abnormality (or that the contents stored in its own built-in RAM are unreliable). In this embodiment, the main control MPU 1310a displays the letter E on the setting display as an error message.

In addition to the setting display, the main control board 1310 is also equipped with a base monitor consisting of a row of six 7-segment LED displays with decimal points (so-called dots). The setting display is capable of displaying the setting values of the pachinko machine 1, while the base monitor, as will be described in more detail below, is capable of displaying the calculated ratio of the number of payouts to the number of balls entered (number of prize balls to the number of balls entered). However, it is also possible to provide only the base monitor, which functions to both display the setting values of the pachinko machine 1 and the calculated ratio of the number of payouts to the number of balls entered. In such a case, the base monitor displays the setting values of the pachinko machine 1 when the setting values can be changed (change permitted state) or when the setting value confirmation display is being displayed (confirmation display state), but displays the calculated ratio of the number of payouts to the number of balls entered when the change permitted state or confirmation display state is not being displayed. This reduces the number of parts and contributes to cost savings.

In addition, in the above-described embodiment, the RAM clear switch 741 is provided on the frame control board 740, and the operation-related components related to setting values (setting key switches, setting display, RAM clear switch 741) are distributed across the frame control board 740 and the main control board 1310. This arrangement requires the operation of multiple operating units located in different positions to change the setting value, making unauthorized setting changes more difficult than when the operation-related components related to setting values are all located on a single board, and is effective in preventing fraud. The RAM clear switch 741 may also be located on the main control board 1310, where the setting key switches and setting display are located, rather than on the frame control board 740. In this case, although the effectiveness of fraud prevention is less than when they are all located separately, the relative positions make it easier to recognize the various operation and confirmation components at a glance, improving operational efficiency when setting and checking setting values.

[Manage Base Monitor]
Next, the base monitor of the pachinko machine 1 of the fourth embodiment will be described. In the other embodiments described above, the base monitor (four 7-segment LEDs) was described as displaying the number of game balls B counted by detection by the out ball sensor 605 provided in the circulating ball path unit 600, but the base monitor of the fourth embodiment counts the number of balls that enter and the number of balls that are paid out (number of prize balls) that increase as the game progresses, and displays a base value (the ratio of the number of balls that are paid out to the number of balls that enter). Note that the basic configuration of the base monitor, such as having four 7-segment LEDs, is the same as in the other embodiments.

The game area 5a, which is partitioned and formed on the game board 5, is provided with multiple ball entry ports through which game balls B can enter. Of the multiple ball entry ports, the entry ports from which prize balls are paid out (a prize ball number is awarded) upon entry include multiple (three in this case) general entry ports 2001 that are always open to receive game balls B that have been shot into the game area 5a, a normal entry port 2002 that is located at a predetermined position within the game area 5a and is always open to receive game balls B, and a first initial entry port 2003 that is located at a predetermined position within the game area 5a and is always open to receive game balls B. The machine is provided with a moving opening 2003, a second starting opening 2004 which can accept the game ball B in accordance with the result of the lottery for the normal symbol drawn when the game ball B is accepted into the normal winning opening 2002, and a large winning opening 2005 and a special winning opening 2006 which can accept the game ball B in accordance with the first special symbol drawn when the game ball B is accepted into the first starting opening 2003 or the second special symbol drawn when the game ball B is accepted into the second starting opening 2004. In addition, game ball B that enters general prize entry port 2001, normal prize entry port 2002, first start port 2003, second start port 2004, large prize entry port 2005, and special prize entry port 2006 is detected by general prize entry port sensor 3001, normal prize entry port sensor 3002, first start port sensor 2101, second start port sensor 2401, large prize entry port sensor 2402, and special prize entry port sensor 2501, respectively.

Of the multiple ball inlets, the outlets for collecting game balls B that did not enter the winning holes include an outlet 2020 located at the most downstream position within the game area 5a, which is always open to receive game balls B and discharges received game balls B outside the game area 5a without returning them, and two sub-outlets 2021 located upstream of the outlet 2020 within the game area 5a, which are always open to receive game balls B and discharge received game balls B outside the game area 5a without returning them.

A game ball B that is discharged to the rear of the game panel 1100 through one of the multiple ball entry ports, such as the out port 2020 or the sub-out port 2021, is discharged to the out ball receiving port 600a in the circulating ball path unit 600, and, being received by the out ball receiving port 600a, flows through the out ball passage 601 and is detected (counted) one by one by the out ball sensor 605. On the other hand, a game ball B that is received by a prize entry port such as the general prize entry port 2001, the normal prize entry port 2002, the first start port 2003, the second start port 2004, the big prize entry port 2005, or the special prize entry port 2006 and is discharged downward from the front unit 2000 or the back unit 3000 is discharged to the safe ball receiving port 600b in the circulating ball path unit 600, and, being received by the safe ball receiving port 600b, flows through the safe ball passage 602 and is detected (counted) one by one by the safe ball sensor 606.

The main control MPU counts the number of game balls B (entry ball count) that have entered the entry ports (winning port, out port) provided in the game area 5a defined on the game board 5, i.e., the number of game balls B that are discharged from the game area 5a. Specifically, the number of game balls B that have entered the entry port, which is the target for paying out prize balls upon entry, detected by the safe ball sensor 606, and the number of game balls B that have entered the out port, which collects game balls B that did not enter the winning port, detected by the out ball sensor 605, are counted as the total.

The main control MPU also counts the number of game balls B (hereinafter referred to as the payout number) that are paid out (awarded) as prize balls when a ball enters a prize slot. Specifically, it is predetermined that a predetermined number of game balls B (e.g., three balls for a ball entering the first start slot 2003 or the second start slot 2004) will be paid out corresponding to the prize slot from which prize balls are paid out when the ball enters the prize slot) is detected by a detection sensor corresponding to the prize slot from which prize balls are paid out when the ball enters the prize slot, and the number of that predetermined number of game balls B is counted as the payout number. For example, when a game ball B enters the general winning slot 2001, 10 game balls B are paid out; when a game ball B enters the normal winning slot 2002, 1 game ball B is paid out; when a game ball B enters the first starting slot 2003 or the second starting slot 2004, 3 game balls B are paid out; and when a game ball B enters the big winning slot 2005 or the special winning slot 2006, 10 game balls B are paid out, and the number of game balls B paid out as prize balls is counted as the number of balls paid out. Note that in this example, the pachinko machine 1 does not pay out actual balls, so the number of game balls B paid out (awarded) as prize balls is added to the number of balls the player has.

The main control MPU then calculates the ratio of the number of payouts to the number of balls that enter the machine, stores this calculation result as a base value in a specific area of the built-in RAM, and displays it on the base monitor. The formula for calculating the ratio of the number of payouts to the number of balls that enter the machine is "base value = (number of payouts ÷ number of balls that enter the machine) x 100." For example, if the ratio of the number of payouts to the number of balls that enter the machine is too high, it is possible that the balls are only entering the winning slots that are the target of paying out prize balls when they enter the machine. By monitoring the information displayed on the base monitor, it is possible to determine whether or not balls are being entered into the winning slots through fraudulent activity.

In this example, the number of game balls B entering the ball entry slots (prize entry slots, exit slots) (number of game balls entering) and the number of game balls B paid out as prize balls (number of payouts) are counted only in the low-probability non-time-saving mode among the multiple game modes, and are reflected in the display on the base monitor. Here, in the low-probability time-saving mode (time-saving mode) or the high-probability time-saving mode (probability variable mode), balls frequently enter the second starting slot 2004, so the number of game balls B paid out as prize balls also increases, and the ratio of the number of payouts to the number of balls entering tends to be high. In other words, whether the ratio of the number of payouts to the number of balls entering increases depends on the period during which the low-probability time-saving mode (time-saving mode) or the high-probability time-saving mode (probability variable mode) is in effect. However, by excluding such periods, the ratio of the number of payouts to the number of balls entering can be kept within a certain range, provided there is no fraudulent activity.

In addition, the base monitor displays the ratio of the number of balls paid out to the number of balls entered, but it may also be possible to display the number of game balls B that entered the ball entry port (winning port, out port) (number of balls entered) and the number of game balls B paid out as prize balls (number paid out).

For the base monitor, the main control MPU calculates the ratio of the number of payouts to the number of balls that enter, and the calculation result is stored in a specific area of the built-in RAM and displayed on the base monitor. Furthermore, the information stored in the specific area of the RAM (the ratio of the number of payouts to the number of balls that enter) is not cleared, even if the RAM clear switch 741 is operated when the power is turned on. However, the ratio of the number of payouts to the number of balls that enter is newly calculated each time the number of game balls B that enter the ball entrance (winning entrance, out entrance) (number of balls that enter) reaches 60,000, and the calculation results for the ratio of the number of payouts to the number of balls that enter that are outdated are saved as history up to a predetermined number of calculation results. In such base monitor specifications, for example, the display of the ratio of payouts to the number of incoming balls may be restricted from the time when the ratio of payouts to the number of incoming balls is newly calculated until the number of game balls B (entry balls) entering the entry slots (winning slots, outgoing slots) reaches at least 1,000. This is because, immediately after the ratio of payouts to the number of incoming balls is newly calculated, a bias is likely to occur, such as a situation in which balls continue to enter the winning slots that are eligible for prize ball payouts, causing the ratio of payouts to the number of incoming balls to be higher than the reference value, or a situation in which balls do not enter the winning slots that are eligible for prize ball payouts, causing the ratio of payouts to the number of incoming balls to be lower than the reference value. For this reason, immediately after the ratio of payouts to the number of incoming balls is newly calculated, the information obtained from the base monitor information command may be deemed unreliable, and the display of the ratio of payouts to the number of incoming balls may not be executed.

In addition, in this example, game balls B collected at the outlet 2020 or sub-outlet 2021 are detected (counted) by the out ball sensor 605 provided on the main frame 4 side, and game balls B that enter prize ports such as the general prize port 2001, normal prize port 2002, first start port 2003, second start port 2004, large prize port 2005, and special prize port 2006 are detected (counted) by the safe ball sensor 606 provided on the main frame 4 side, but these sensors may also be provided on the game board 5 side. Also, a passage may be formed so that the game balls B collected at the outlet 2020 or sub-outlet 2021 and the game balls B that enter the various prize ports converge, and a single sensor may be provided on that passage, and the number of game balls B that enter the prize port (outlet) may be counted based on the detection of that single sensor.

In addition, in this example, the base monitor is located on the main control board 1310, but it may also be located on the frame control board 740. In such cases, the ratio of the number of payouts to the number of balls scored is calculated on the main control board 1310 side, and the calculation result is displayed on the base monitor via the frame control board 740, but other methods may also be used. For example, commands related to the number of balls scored and the number of payouts may be sent from the main control board 1310 to the frame control board 740 at a predetermined timing, and the frame control board 740 may calculate the ratio of the number of payouts to the number of balls scored and display the calculation result on the base monitor. In this way, by having the frame control board 740 handle some of the base monitor-related control, the control burden on the main control board 1310 side can be reduced.

In addition, in this example, the number of game balls B (number of game balls entering) that have entered the ball entry ports (winning port, out port) is calculated using the out ball sensor 605 and the safe ball sensor 606. However, the number of game balls B (number of game balls entering) that have entered the ball entry ports (winning port, out port) may be calculated using a different configuration. For example, when calculating the ratio of the number of payouts to the number of game balls entering on the frame control board 740 side, the number of game balls launched into the game area 5a may be calculated based on the detection results of the launch subtraction sensor 554 in the ball launch unit 550, and this value (number of game balls launched into the game area 5a) may be substituted for the "number of game balls B (number of game balls entering) that have entered the ball entry ports (winning port, out port)." Note that the "number of game balls launched into the game area" here preferably excludes the number of balls treated as foul balls, as described above. In this case, the calculation of the base value on the frame control board 740 side can be, for example, "base value = (number of payouts ÷ number of game balls fired into the game area) × 100)." In this way, by having the frame control board 740 side handle some of the control related to the base monitor, the control burden on the main control board 1310 side can be reduced.

[New form of gaming management]
In recent years, even when a large number of balls are awarded to a fraudster due to new fraudulent activities, it is difficult to distinguish between cases where a large number of balls have been awarded to a player due to a bias in the probability of winning or losing, making it difficult for gaming parlors to urge fraudsters to stop playing, resulting in problems of difficult gaming machine management. Furthermore, a bias in the probability of winning or losing can also result in a large number of balls being awarded to legitimate players, leading to problems such as so-called "addiction." Therefore, as one embodiment for solving these problems, a new gaming control is described below that aims to optimize the management of gaming machines that award large numbers of balls. This new gaming control newly extracts a "number of balls awarded in a specified period" and reflects this in the game progress, separate from the control that calculates and displays the base value described above. For ease of explanation, the following description will be based on the pachinko machine 1 of the fourth embodiment.

(Extraction of ball volume for a specified period)
In this example, the pachinko machine 1 is capable of calculating and deriving the following two types of ball output amount A and ball output amount B as the ball output amount (difference in ball output amount) for a specified period by the main control board 1310.

First, the main control MPU counts the number of game balls B (number of shots) launched into the game area 5a by operating the handle 160. Specifically, when the handle 160 is operated to launch a game ball B into the game area 5a, the launch subtraction sensor 554 detects that the game ball B has been launched from the ball launch pad 552b, and counts the number of game balls B (excluding the number of balls processed as foul balls) as the "number of shots" used to calculate the amounts of balls A and B to be dispensed. Note that the number of shots may be counted using a different method; for example, a sensor other than the launch subtraction sensor 554 may be installed to detect and count game balls that enter the game area 5a.

The main control MPU also counts the number of game balls B (number of payouts) that are paid out (awarded) as prize balls when a ball enters a prize slot. Specifically, it is predetermined that a predetermined number of game balls B (e.g., three balls for a ball entering the first start slot 2003 or the second start slot 2004) will be paid out (awarded) corresponding to the prize slot that will pay out (award) prize balls when the ball enters the prize slot, and when detected by a detection sensor corresponding to the prize slot that will pay out prize balls when the ball enters the prize slot, the predetermined number of game balls B is counted as the "number of payouts (number of awards)" for calculating the ball amounts A and B. For example, when game ball B enters general prize opening 2001, 15 game balls B are paid out; when game ball B enters normal prize opening 2002, 1 game ball B is paid out; when game ball B enters first start opening 2003 or second start opening 2004, 3 game balls B are paid out; and when game ball B enters large prize opening 2005 or accessory prize opening 2006, 15 game balls B are paid out, and the number of game balls B paid out as prize balls is counted as the number of payouts used to calculate payout amounts A and B. Note that in this example, the pachinko machine 1 does not pay out actual balls, so the number of game balls B awarded as prize balls is counted as the number of payouts used to calculate payout amounts A and B.

The main control MPU calculates the difference between the number of balls fired and the number of balls paid out within the period until a predetermined clear condition, described below, is met, in addition to the normal number of balls that a player can settle by operating the counting button switch 180 (the number of balls displayed on the ball count display unit 140), and can store and retain this calculation result in a "stop counter" as a value for calculating the ball amounts A and B. The value of the stop counter is stored in a specific area of the built-in RAM. One example of a formula for calculating the difference between the number of balls fired and the number of balls paid out is "stop counter value = number of balls paid out - number of balls fired." For example, if the value of the stop counter becomes too high, it can be determined that a large number of balls has been dispensed from the pachinko machine 1, regardless of whether the player has changed or not. Furthermore, in this example of pachinko machine 1, the increase or decrease in player A's normal number of balls (the number of balls displayed on the ball count display unit 140) is managed by subtracting player A's normal number of balls when game ball B is fired and adding player A's normal number of balls when prize balls are paid out. However, as described above, the value of the limit counter is stored (memorized) separately from the normal number of balls and managed by the main control MPU. This limit counter value is also subtracted when game ball B is fired and added when prize balls are paid out, which is similar to the process for managing the increase or decrease in the normal number of balls. However, the limit counter value cannot be settled by the player by operating the counting button switch 180, which is a significant difference from the normal number of balls. Below, we will explain the ball payout amounts A and B calculated using the limit counter value.

The amount of balls dispensed A is the difference between the value at which the stop counter reaches its highest value within the period until the specified clear condition described below is met and the value at which the stop counter reaches its lowest value within the period until the specified clear condition described below is met. In other words, the main control MPU stores the progress of this stop counter, calculates the difference between the maximum and minimum values of the stop counter, updates this calculation result as the amount of balls dispensed A as needed, and stores it in a specific area of the built-in RAM. The amount of balls dispensed A is cleared and returned to its initial value of 0 when the specified clear condition described below is met. Note that the clear condition described below does not include "settlement of balls (operation of the counting button switch 180)." Therefore, even if player B begins playing after player A's settlement, the amount of balls dispensed A for both player A and player B during the game progress is stored (maintained) in a cumulative form as long as the clear condition is not met. This makes it possible to detect not only cases where a single gaming machine awards an unexpectedly large number of balls to a single player, but also cases where a single gaming machine awards an unexpectedly large number of balls to multiple players.

The amount of balls dispensed B is the difference between the predetermined initial value of 0 and the value of the stop counter at its highest point within the period until the specified clear condition described below is met. In other words, the main control MPU stores the progress of the stop counter, calculates the difference (i.e., a difference greater than 0) between the initial value of 0 and the value at which the stop counter reaches its highest point, updates this calculation result as the amount of balls dispensed B as needed, and stores it in a specific area of the built-in RAM. The amount of balls dispensed B is cleared and returned to its initial value of 0 when the specified clear condition described below is met. Note that the clear condition described below does not include "settlement of balls (operation of the counting button switch 180)." Therefore, even if player B begins playing after player A's settlement, the amount of balls dispensed B for both player A and player B during the game progress is stored (maintained) in a cumulative manner, as long as the clear condition is not met. This makes it possible to detect not only cases where a single gaming machine awards an unexpectedly large number of balls to a single player, but also cases where a single gaming machine awards an unexpectedly large number of balls to multiple players.

Figure 124 is a time chart showing an example of the amount of balls dispensed calculated in relation to the progress of the limit counter. Here, we will explain a specific example where the limit counter starts from its initial value of 0 and repeatedly increases and decreases as the game is played.

As shown in Figure 124, the cap counter starts from its initial value of 0, then decreases to -2000, increases to 3000, decreases to -4000, increases to 2000, decreases to -500, increases to 4000, and decreases to 2500. In this case, the amount of balls dispensed A is calculated and stored as 8000, which is the difference between 4000 when the cap counter was at its highest and -4000 when the cap counter was at its lowest. On the other hand, the amount of balls dispensed B is calculated and stored as 4000, which is the value of the cap counter at its highest, starting from 0, which is the initial value of the cap counter. The maximum difference between the amounts of balls dispensed A and B is stored, and the stored amounts of balls dispensed A and B are updated by calculating a new maximum difference.

In this example, the main control board 1310 calculates two types of ball output amounts: output amount A and output amount B. The hall can freely select which one to use to suit its management style. Specifically, an operation switch A that can be operated by the hall manager is provided on the back side of the pachinko machine 1 (for example, on the main control board 1310), and by operating this operation switch A, either output amount A or output amount B can be selected. On the other hand, taking into account the control load on the main control board 1310, only one of output amount A or output amount B may be used and installed. Furthermore, the operation of operation switch A to select either output amount A or output amount B may be determined only when the power is turned on to reflect which one is selected, or it may be determined at any time after the power is turned on to reflect which one is selected at any time (in real time).

Furthermore, while the calculation of the base value mentioned above calculates the ratio of the number of payouts to the number of balls inserted, the calculation of the amount of balls dispensed calculates the difference between the number of shots and the number of payouts. These calculation programs are executed by separate programs in the main control MPU. This means that even if the calculation of the base value is not performed correctly, it will not affect the calculation of the amount of balls dispensed, and it is easy to separately control processes related to the initialization of the base value and amount of balls dispensed, including the specified clear conditions described below. Furthermore, it is easy to rewrite the calculation program for the amount of balls dispensed for each model, making it possible, for example, to easily change which of ball amount A and ball amount B is used for each model.

In addition, while the base value mentioned above is displayed on the base monitor, unlike the base value, it is desirable that the amount of balls dispensed not be displayed at all times in order to prevent fraud. However, when the hall manager performs a specified operation (for example, when a dedicated switch is operated to turn on the power), the amount of balls dispensed may be displayed on a specified display device (for example, the effect display device 1600 or a dedicated display device installed on the back of the gaming machine).

In this example, the amount of balls dispensed is calculated on the main control board 1310 side, but other methods may be used. For example, a limit counter may be provided on the frame control board 740 side, and commands related to the number of balls fired and the number of balls paid out may be sent from the main control board 1310 to the frame control board 740 at a predetermined timing. The frame control board 740 may then manage the limit counter and calculate the amount of balls dispensed from the increase or decrease in the limit counter. Alternatively, a limit counter may be provided on the main control board 1310 side, and commands related to the limit counter may be sent from the main control board 1310 to the frame control board 740 at a predetermined timing. The frame control board 740 may then calculate the amount of balls dispensed from the increase or decrease in the received limit counter. Furthermore, from the perspective of reducing the control burden, the amount of balls dispensed may be calculated on the main control board 1310 side, while the base value described above may be calculated on the frame control board 740 side. Additionally, from the perspective of reducing the control burden, the normal number of balls held and the management of the limit counter may be calculated separately on the main control board 1310 and the frame control board 740.

Furthermore, the calculation of the amount of balls dispensed is performed using a limit counter, which is the difference between the number of balls fired and the number of balls paid out. However, the amount of balls dispensed may be calculated by storing and holding the "difference between the number of balls fired and the number of balls paid out" in the limit counter using the number of balls fired used in the base value described above. In other words, the "number of balls fired" used to calculate the amount of balls dispensed A and B may be replaced with the "number of game balls B that entered the ball entrance (winning entrance, out entrance) (number of balls fired)." In this case, the value of the limit counter can be, for example, "value of limit counter = number of balls paid out - number of balls fired." In this way, by using the number of balls fired used in the base value described above as the value stored and held in the limit counter and sharing it with some of the base monitor-related control on the main control board 1310 side, the control burden on the main control board 1310 can be reduced. In addition, in the pachinko machine 1, game balls shot into the game area 5a by operating the handle 160 enter the ball entrance (winning entrance, out entrance) and are then discharged to the outside; the number of shots and the number of balls that enter should show approximately the same value, and as a result, whether the number of shots or the number of balls that enter is used, the amount of balls dispensed will show approximately the same value.

(Game Restrictions)
In this example, when the amount of balls dispensed (amounts A and B) reaches a specific value, the pachinko machine 1 executes one of the following three restriction patterns, and the main control board 1310 puts the machine into a stop state, making it possible to restrict play. When the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value, restrictions are imposed on subsequent play, but information related to the game, such as the game state (high probability state, time-saving state, information on the number of reserved balls stored, and information on the currently changing symbols), is retained rather than cleared. As will be described in more detail later, the machine is configured so that it can choose whether to maintain or clear the information related to the game when the power is turned back on after being shut off.

First, the specific value is configured to allow selection of one of the predetermined values: 50,000, 80,000, or 100,000 balls. Specifically, an operation switch B operable by the hall manager is provided on the back side of the pachinko machine 1 (e.g., the main control board 1310), and operation of this operation switch B allows selection of one of 50,000, 80,000, or 100,000 balls. Here, the lower the specific value selected, the greater the likelihood of game restrictions being implemented, while the higher the specific value selected, the less likely game restrictions will be implemented. Note that, from the perspective of reducing the capacity of the ROM that stores various processing programs, only one of the specific values may be used. Furthermore, the selected specific value may be a common value used for both payout amounts A and B, or may be selectable separately for payout amounts A and B. Furthermore, when operating operation switch B to select one of several specific values, it may be determined only when the power is turned on and the selected value is reflected, or it may be determined at any time after the power is turned on and the selected value is reflected at any time (in real time).

Furthermore, the restriction pattern is configured so that one of restriction patterns 1 to 3, which have different game restrictions, can be selected. Specifically, an operation switch C that can be operated by the hall manager is provided on the back side of the pachinko machine 1 (for example, the main control board 1310), and one of restriction patterns 1 to 3 is selected by operating this operation switch C. Note that, from the perspective of reducing the capacity of the ROM that stores various processing programs, only one of restriction patterns 1 to 3 may be adopted. Furthermore, when selecting one of multiple restriction patterns, the operation of the operation switch C may be determined only when the power is turned on to reflect which one is selected, or it may be determined at any time after the power is turned on to reflect which one is selected at any time (in real time).

Restriction pattern 1 is a pattern in which a game halt occurs when the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value, resulting in a "game halt." When a "game halt" occurs, game balls can be fired into the game area 5a when the player operates the handle 160, but even if a starting win occurs, no game balls are paid out, the variable display of special symbols cannot begin, and normal game play cannot be played. In other words, although the firing of game balls is permitted, the game (main game) currently being played on the main control board 1310 is forcibly stopped, and the game (main game) on the main control board 1310 cannot proceed.

Restriction pattern 2 is a pattern in which a stopping state is entered with a "launch halt" when the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value. When a "launch halt" occurs, game balls cannot be fired into the game area 5a when the player operates the handle 160. However, if a starting win occurs, game balls are paid out, the display of special symbols can begin to change, and normal game play can be played. In other words, since the firing of game balls is not permitted, a starting win cannot occur in the first place, and while the game (main game) currently being played on the main control board 1310 is allowed to proceed, the game (main game) on the main control board 1310 cannot proceed thereafter. Specific examples of situations where "launching has stopped" include a state in which the frame control board 740 is unable to circulate game balls, such as a state in which game ball B is not launched from the ball launching unit 550 even when the handle 160 is operated, or a state in which various controls of the ball launching unit 550, ball lifting unit 650, ball sending unit 700, etc. are stopped, and game ball B is not managed (monitored) in the circulating ball path unit 600.

Restriction pattern 3 is a pattern in which a play-stop state is entered that involves both "game stop" and "launch stop" when the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value. When "game stop" and "launch stop" occur, not only are game balls unable to be launched into the game area 5a when the player operates the handle 160, but even if a starting win occurs, no game balls are paid out, the variable display of special symbols cannot begin, and normal play cannot be played. In other words, the launch of game balls is not permitted, and the game (main game) currently being played on the main control board 1310 is forcibly stopped, meaning that the game (main game) on the main control board 1310 cannot proceed.

In this example, in all of restriction patterns 1 to 3, the settlement process by operating the counting button switch 180 is enabled (permitted) rather than disabled. This allows the player to operate the counting button switch 180 to execute the settlement process even if the player is prevented from continuing play due to any of restriction patterns 1 to 3, thereby preventing confusion among players. However, to guard against fraudulent activity resulting in a large amount of winnings being awarded to fraudulent players, the settlement process by operating the counting button switch 180 may also be disabled in all of restriction patterns 1 to 3. In such cases, it is possible to enable the operation of the counting button switch 180 (enabling the settlement process) by a specified operation by the hall manager (for example, operating a backup counting button switch provided on the frame control board 740) after it has been confirmed that no fraudulent activity has occurred.

Furthermore, while any of the above-mentioned restriction patterns 1 to 3 is applied, the "stopped state" is forcibly continued until the clear condition described below is met. The clear condition described below does not include any clear conditions that are met by any operation on the player's side, and cannot be canceled by the player. As mentioned above, even if the player is allowed to operate the counting button switch 180 to execute the settlement process while in the stopped state, the stopped state continues even after the counting button switch 180 is operated and the settlement process is executed. Furthermore, if the stopped state continues after the settlement process is executed, it is preferable to disable the addition of the normal number of balls for a new player and the reception of data transfer from the game ball dispensing device 8 so that a new player cannot start playing. Furthermore, in such cases, it is possible to control the display mode of the ball count display unit 140 to a non-acceptable mode corresponding to the stopped state, such as "EEEE," to inform new players that they cannot start playing.

In this example, when the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value, a stoppage state is triggered in which game play is restricted based on one of restriction patterns 1 to 3. This prevents fraudulent activity by preventing large amounts of balls from being awarded to fraudulent players. It also prevents problems such as "addiction" by preventing large amounts of balls from being awarded to legitimate players due to biases in the probability of winning or losing. This allows for the proper management of gaming machines that dispense large amounts of balls.

In addition, in this example, the game restrictions imposed in the game-stop state include "game stop," "launch stop," and "both game stop and launch stop." However, these methods are not limited to these, as long as the restrictions make it difficult to increase the number of balls dispensed after a specific value is reached. For example, as another restriction, the time required for the variable display of all special symbols that begins after the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value (variation time) may be lengthened, so that even if a starting winning occurs, it takes time for the results of the variable display of the special symbols to be displayed, thereby restricting game progress. Furthermore, in a gaming machine that controls the game state to either a low-probability state or a high-probability state with a higher probability of winning than the low-probability state, the game may be forcibly controlled to the low-probability state after the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value, regardless of whether a winning event that would require a high-probability state has occurred, thereby restricting game progress. In these cases, since it takes longer to win compared to before the game restriction, the number of balls dispensed becomes less likely to increase, thereby reducing the desire to continue playing. Furthermore, after the amount of dispensed balls reaches a specific value, "play stops" or "firing stops" is not performed, but a special notification corresponding to the amount of dispensed balls reaching a specific value may be issued using the effect display device 1600 or another effect device. In such cases, the progress of the effect is hindered by the special notification, which can reduce the desire to continue playing. Furthermore, when issuing a special notification, it is preferable to display a special image on the entire screen of the effect display device 1600 so that the conventional effect display cannot be seen at all. In such cases, the progress of the effect is significantly hindered, which can more effectively reduce the desire to continue playing.

In addition, in this example, even if the amount of balls dispensed reaches the specific value, the information on the amount of balls dispensed is not erased but is stored and maintained until the clear condition described below is met. After the amount of balls dispensed reaches the specific value, the update of the amounts of balls dispensed A and B (updating the limit counter) may be forcibly stopped, or calculations may continue without stopping. Furthermore, for example, if the update of the amounts of balls dispensed A and B (updating the limit counter) continues without stopping, it is possible that a malfunction or fraudulent act caused game balls to be dispensed when the above-mentioned "discharge stop" was not performed, causing the limit counter to decrease. In such a case, the limit counter may fall below the specific value. Taking this into consideration, it is preferable to continue the limit state without terminating it once the amount of balls dispensed reaches the specific value, even if the limit counter subsequently decreases.

(Clearing restrictions on ball output and play)
The pachinko machine 1 in this example is designed to trigger a stop state when the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value, but the gaming hall can choose whether to maintain or clear the "amount of balls dispensed calculated before the stop state was initiated" and the "restrictions on play during the stop state" when the power is turned back on after being shut off.

First, there are five power-on patterns available for operation when the power is turned on. Power-on pattern 1 occurs when the RAM clear switch 741 and setting key switch are not turned on when the power is turned on (when the power switch 751 is operated). No setting changes or confirmation displays are made to the setting values, and the game status (game information) at the time the power was turned off is maintained without being initialized.

Power-on pattern 2 occurs when the RAM clear switch 741 is turned ON but the setting key switch is not turned ON when the power is turned on. No setting changes or confirmation displays are made to the setting values, but a RAM clear is executed to initialize the RAM built into the main control board 1310, initializing the game state at the time of power cut. However, information related to setting values is not initialized by the RAM clear.

Power-on pattern 3 occurs when the RAM clear switch 741 is turned ON and the setting key switch is turned ON when the power is turned on. After changing the setting values, a RAM clear is executed to initialize the RAM built into the main control board 1310, initializing the game state at the time of power cut. However, information related to the setting values is not initialized by the RAM clear.

Power-on pattern 4 occurs when the setting key switch is turned ON without turning ON the RAM clear switch 741. After a confirmation display of the setting values is displayed, the game state at the time of power-off is maintained without being initialized.

Power-on pattern 5 is the same as power-on pattern 1 in that the RAM clear switch 741 and setting key switch are not turned ON when the power is turned on. However, in this case, the ball removal switch 742 on the frame control board 740 is turned ON, and the game state (game information) at the time of power-off is maintained without changing the setting values or displaying a confirmation message. When the ball removal switch 742 is turned ON, the ball removal process described above is executed, and the enclosed game ball B can be removed from the ball removal opening 613p of the circulating ball path unit 600 to the outside (ball receiving tray 720). Note that when the RAM clear switch 741 and setting key switch are turned ON and the ball removal switch 742 is also turned ON when the power is turned on, the ball removal process described above is executed first, without changing the setting values, displaying a confirmation message, or clearing the RAM.

As such, of power-on patterns 1 to 5, for power-on patterns 2 and 3, the RAM clear switch 741 is turned ON when the power is turned on, thereby initializing the game state at the time of power-off, whereas for power-on patterns 1, 4, and 5, the RAM clear switch 741 is not turned ON when the power is turned on, thereby maintaining the game state at the time of power-off. Note that the game state at the time of power-off includes game states such as high probability state, time-saving state, and winning game state, as well as whether or not a variable display of a currently active special symbol is being displayed, whether or not a hold is being held, etc. Furthermore, when the power is turned on using power-on patterns 2 and 3, the game state at the time of power-off will not be restored, but when the power is turned on using power-on patterns 1, 4, and 5, the game state at the time of power-off will be restored.

Figure 125 is a table showing the clearing conditions for the "amount of balls calculated before the stop state begins" and the "game limits during the stop state." In this example, the system is configured so that one of limited clear pattern tables 1-3, which have different clearing conditions, can be selected. Specifically, a limited clear pattern selection switch operable by the hall manager is provided on the back side of the pachinko machine 1 (e.g., the main control board 1310), and one of limited clear pattern tables 1-3 is selected by operating this limited clear pattern selection switch. Note that, in order to reduce the ROM capacity required to store various processing programs, only one of limited clear pattern tables 1-3 may be used. Furthermore, the operation of the limited clear pattern selection switch when selecting limited clear pattern tables 1-3 may be determined only when the power is turned on to reflect which one is selected, or may be determined at any time after the power is turned on to reflect which one is selected at any time (in real time). Additionally, the "amount of balls dispensed" in Figure 125 also includes the "value of the counter for limiting the number of balls dispensed." In this example, if the amount of balls dispensed is maintained, the value of the counter for limiting the number of balls dispensed is also maintained, and if the amount of balls dispensed is cleared, the value of the counter for limiting the number of balls dispensed is also cleared.

Figure 125 (A) shows the limited clear pattern table 1 selected when the limited clear pattern selection switch is set to "1." When power is turned on, power-on pattern 1 maintains the game state at the time of power-off, but also maintains the "ball payout amount before and after the stop state was initiated" and the "game limits during the stop state." When this stop state is maintained, a state in which the game (main game) cannot proceed on the main control board 1310 side remains. Furthermore, as a notification method for the outside world, from the time the power is turned on until a predetermined period of time has elapsed, the LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards on the game board 5 and door frame 3 emit blue light, a sound is output from the speaker stating "The ball payout amount and stop state are maintained," and an image message stating "The ball payout amount and stop state are maintained" is also displayed on the effect display device 1600.

When power is turned on, power-on pattern 2 clears (initializes) the game state at the time of power-off, but also clears (initializes) the "amount of balls dispensed before and after the stop state was initiated" and the "game restrictions during the stop state." Specifically, when game play is restricted by restriction pattern 1 described above, "game is stopped," but the "game stop" is lifted when the stop state is cleared. When game play is restricted by restriction pattern 2, "fire is stopped," but the "fire stop" is lifted when the stop state is cleared. When game play is restricted by restriction pattern 3, "game is stopped" and "fire is stopped," but the "game stop" and "fire stop" are lifted when the stop state is cleared. In either case, game play (main game) can be resumed on the main control board 1310 side. Additionally, as a notification method for the outside world, from the time the power is turned on until a predetermined period of time has passed, the LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards on the game board 5 and door frame 3 are made to emit red light, a sound saying "The ball output limit has been cleared" is output from the speaker, and an image message saying "The ball output limit has been cleared" is displayed on the effect display device 1600.

When power is turned on, power-on pattern 3 clears (initializes) the game state at the time of power-off, but also clears (initializes) the "amount of balls dispensed before and after the stop state was initiated" and the "game limits during the stop state." Furthermore, as a notification method for external notification, from the time the power is turned on until a predetermined period of time has elapsed, the LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards on the game board 5 and door frame 3 emit red light, a sound is output from the speaker stating "The amount of balls dispensed and the stop state have been cleared," and an image message stating "The amount of balls dispensed and the stop state have been cleared" is displayed on the effect display device 1600.

Power-on pattern 4 maintains the game state that existed when the power was turned off when the power was turned on, but also maintains the "amount of balls dispensed before and after the stop state was initiated" and the "game limits during the stop state." Furthermore, as a notification method for external notification, from the time the power is turned on until a predetermined period of time has elapsed, the LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards on the game board 5 and door frame 3 emit blue light, a sound is output from the speaker stating "The amount of balls dispensed and the stop state have been cleared," and an image message stating "The amount of balls dispensed and the stop state have been cleared" is displayed on the effect display device 1600.

When power is turned on, power-on pattern 5 maintains the game state that existed when power was turned off, but also maintains the "amount of balls dispensed before and after the stop state was initiated" and the "game limits during the stop state." Furthermore, as a notification method for the outside world, from the time the power is turned on until a predetermined period of time has elapsed, the LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards on the game board 5 and door frame 3 emit blue light, a sound is output from the speaker stating "The amount of balls dispensed and the stop state are being maintained," and an image message stating "The amount of balls dispensed and the stop state are being maintained" is displayed on the effect display device 1600.

In this way, in limit clear pattern table 1, when the power is turned on, the "amount of balls dispensed before or after the stopped state began" and the "game limits during the stopped state" are cleared (initialized) only if the game state at the time of power interruption is cleared (initialized) as in power-on patterns 2 and 3. On the other hand, when the game state at the time of power interruption is maintained as in power-on patterns 1, 4, and 5, the "amount of balls dispensed before or after the stopped state began" and the "game limits during the stopped state" are maintained. This clears not only the game state at the time of power interruption, but also the amount of balls dispensed and the stopped state all at once, making it less likely that the hall manager will make an operational error when deciding whether to clear the amount of balls dispensed and the stopped state.

Figure 125 (B) shows the restriction clear pattern table 2 that is selected when the restriction clear pattern selection switch is set to "2." Of power-on patterns 1 to 5, power-on patterns 2 to 5 are the same as those in restriction clear pattern table 1, so their explanation will be omitted.

When power is turned on, power-on pattern 1 maintains the game state that existed when power was turned off, but the "amount of balls dispensed before and after the stop state was initiated" and "game limits during the stop state" are cleared (initialized). Furthermore, as a notification method for external notification, from the time the power is turned on until a predetermined period of time has elapsed, the LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards on the game board 5 and door frame 3 emit yellow light, a sound is output from the speaker stating "The amount of balls dispensed and the stop state have been cleared," and an image message stating "The amount of balls dispensed and the stop state have been cleared" is displayed on the effect display device 1600.

As such, Power-On Pattern 1 is the same as Power-On Pattern 4 in that it maintains the game state at the time of power-off when the power is turned on, but differs from Power-On Pattern 4 in that it clears (initializes) the "amount of balls dispensed before the stop state began or after the stop state began" and the "game limits during the stop state." In other words, with Limit Clear Pattern Table 2, if the game state at the time of power-off is maintained when the power is turned on, the hall manager can choose whether to clear (initialize) the "amount of balls dispensed before the stop state began or after the stop state began" and the "game limits during the stop state" as in Power-On Pattern 1, or to maintain the "amount of balls dispensed before the stop state began or after the stop state began" and the "game limits during the stop state" as in Power-On Pattern 4. Furthermore, since power-on pattern 1 does not require the RAM clear switch 741 or setting key switch to be turned on when the power is turned on, the hall manager can easily clear (initialize) the "amount of balls dispensed before and after the stop state begins" and "play restrictions during the stop state."

Figure 125 (C) shows restriction clear pattern table 3, which is selected when the restriction clear pattern selection switch is set to "3." Of power-on patterns 1 to 5, power-on patterns 1, 3 to 5 are the same as those in restriction clear pattern table 1, so their explanation will be omitted.

When power is turned on, power-on pattern 2 clears (initializes) the game state at the time of power-off, but maintains the "amount of balls dispensed before and after the stop state was initiated" and the "game limits during the stop state." Furthermore, as a notification method for the outside world, from the time the power is turned on until a predetermined period of time has elapsed, the LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards on the game board 5 and door frame 3 emit blue light, a sound is output from the speaker stating "The amount of balls dispensed and the stop state are being maintained," and an image message stating "The amount of balls dispensed and the stop state are being maintained" is displayed on the effect display device 1600.

As such, Power-On Pattern 2 is the same as Power-On Pattern 3 in that it clears (initializes) the game state at the time of power-off when the power is turned on, but differs from Power-On Pattern 3 in that it maintains the "amount of balls dispensed before and after the stop state began" and the "game limits during the stop state." In other words, with Limit Clear Pattern Table 3, when the game state at the time of power-off is cleared (initialized) when the power is turned on, the hall manager can choose whether to maintain the "amount of balls dispensed before and after the stop state began" and the "game limits during the stop state" as in Power-On Pattern 2, or to clear (initialize) the "amount of balls dispensed before and after the stop state began" and the "game limits during the stop state" as in Power-On Pattern 3. Furthermore, only when the power is turned on using power-on pattern 3 can the "amount of balls dispensed before the stop state began and after the stop state began" and "game limits during the stop state" be cleared (initialized); for power-on pattern 3, since both the RAM clear switch 741 and the setting key switch must be turned ON when the power is turned on, clearing (initializing) the "amount of balls dispensed before the stop state began and after the stop state began" and "game limits during the stop state" can only be done under strict supervision by the hall manager.

In this example, the amount of balls dispensed can be cleared (initialized) by turning the power on in a specified power-on pattern, but as another example, it may be possible to clear (initialize) it every unit of time (for example, three hours). In this way, if the amount of balls dispensed were not cleared (initialized) every unit of time (for example, three hours), the amount of balls dispensed by the previous player's play would affect the next player in terms of whether the amount of balls dispensed reached a specific value. However, by clearing (initializing) the amount of balls dispensed every unit of time (for example, three hours), it is possible to make it less likely that the amount of balls dispensed by the previous player's play will affect the next player.

(Details of gaming restrictions)
In this example, when the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value, the main control board 1310 enters a stop state in which play is restricted, and details of this will be explained below.

Figure 126 is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value and play is restricted. Here, we explain the case where, at timing t1, it is determined that the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value due to the payout of prize balls based on balls entering the winning slot, the stop-play flag is determined to be ON, and the machine transitions to a stop-play state. Furthermore, when the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value, restriction pattern 3, which performs both "play stop" and "firing stop," is selected as the restriction on play in the stop-play state. Furthermore, after transitioning to the stop-play state, when the power is turned back on after being shut off, a power-on pattern is selected that maintains the play state at the time of power-off and also maintains the number of balls dispensed and the stop-play state.

As shown in Figure 126, prior to timing t1, the game state on the main control board 1310 side is controlled to the normal state (a state where the game is not stopped), and this is a period during which the game (main game) on the main control board 1310 side can proceed. In other words, in the normal state where the game is not stopped, the variable display of special symbols can begin when a starting win occurs, and when the variable display of special symbols stops and displays as a winning symbol, the jackpot game can begin, allowing normal gameplay to be played.

Furthermore, the effect display device 1600, Lamp A (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the frame decoration members), Lamp B (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the game board 5), Lamp C (LEDs mounted on the light-emitting board of the function display unit 1400), speaker, and movable body are configured to perform their normal operations before timing t1. Note that Lamp C is controlled by the main control board 1310, while the other components are controlled by the peripheral control board 1510. Here, for Lamp C, multiple LEDs on the function display unit 1400 light up or flash as the game progresses. On the other hand, for the components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510, when the special symbol variable display is not being executed, they are configured to perform an operation corresponding to a standby effect (e.g., a demo effect) while waiting for the special symbol variable display to begin. When the special symbol variable display is being executed, they are configured to perform an operation corresponding to a variable effect (an effect based on a variable pattern) based on the variable pattern command received by the peripheral control board 1510. For example, when the peripheral control board 1510 receives a variation pattern command, the performance display device 1600 executes a performance display (for example, a reach performance) that includes a variation display of the decorative pattern, the LEDs of lamps A and B light up or blink in conjunction with the performance display executed by the performance display device 1600, the speaker outputs sound in conjunction with the performance display executed by the performance display device 1600, and the movable body performs a predetermined operation in conjunction with the performance display executed by the performance display device 1600.

The external terminal board can also output predetermined signals to the hall computer, and by receiving these signals, the hall computer can understand the behavior of the pachinko machine 1. For example, it outputs corresponding signals when a starting win occurs, when the special symbol variable display stops at a winning symbol and a jackpot game is being played, or when an abnormality is detected.

In addition, before timing t1, when the player operates the handle 160, it is possible to launch a game ball into the game area 5a.

The base monitor also counts the number of game balls B that enter the ball entrance (winning entrance, outgoing entrance) (number of entering balls) and the number of game balls B that are paid out as prize balls (number of paid out), calculates the ratio of the number of paid out balls to the number of entering balls, and displays the calculation result as a base value, but it is possible to perform such calculations before timing t1.

In addition, before timing t1, when a ball is detected entering the prize slot, a predetermined number of game balls can be paid out as prize balls, and the number of game balls the player has is increased by the number of game balls paid out as prize balls, and the limit counter is also updated.

Next, when the main control board 1310 detects a ball entering the winning slot at time tx, which is before time t1, the peripheral control board 1510 uses some components such as the performance display device 1600 to perform the pre-announcement operation. Here, the ball entering the winning slot at time tx is the ball that entered the winning slot one slot before the ball entering the winning slot at time t1, and even if prize balls are paid out (a number of prize balls is awarded) based on the ball entering the winning slot at time tx, the amount of balls paid out will not reach the specific value. However, when prize balls are paid out (a number of prize balls is awarded) based on the ball entering the winning slot at time t1, the amount of balls paid out will reach the specific value.

The operation during advance notification is performed using the effect display device 1600 and lamp B. Specifically, the effect display device 1600 displays the message "+XX shots remaining until play limit" as an advance notification display, and lamp B flashes an LED as an advance notification light. This allows the player to know that play will soon be restricted. Furthermore, because the operation during advance notification uses only some components such as the effect display device 1600, variable effects based on the winning combination can be executed, and the player's interest in the variable effects will not be lost.

In this example, the pre-notification action is executed when the ball lands one ball before the ball lands in the winning slot at timing t1, but the pre-notification action can be executed at any timing before the specific value is reached, such as from an earlier ball (for example, five balls before that). Also, before the ball lands in the winning slot at timing t1, the pre-notification action may be executed each time a predetermined number of balls are lands or a special pattern is displayed. Another example of the pre-notification action is to display "+xx balls remaining until play limit" based on the number of balls dispensed at that time for a certain period of time after power-on, or at all times after power-on, to let the player know the approximate time until play is limited.

Next, at timing t1, it is determined that the number of balls dispensed will reach a specific value due to the payout of prize balls based on the ball entering the winning slot. When the main control board 1310 detects a ball entering the winning slot, it turns on the stop flag and transitions to a "stop state" in which restriction pattern 3, which both "stops gameplay" and "stops launching," is applied. In the stop state, game balls cannot be launched, and the main control board 1310 is in a stop state in which it is not possible to progress the game (main game). In other words, in the stop state, the special symbol variable display and jackpot game are not executed, and even if a starting win occurs, the special symbol variable display will not be newly initiated.

Furthermore, the effect display device 1600, lamps A-C, speaker, and movable body perform their actions when progress is not possible after a predetermined time has elapsed from timing t1. Specifically, the effect display device 1600 displays the message "Play is restricted" as a progress-not possible indication, lamps A and B light up or blink in a single color as a progress-not possible LED, and the speaker outputs a sound indicating progress is not possible saying, "Play is restricted as the daily ball payout limit has been reached."

In addition, Lamp C is equipped with a functional display unit 1400 including a status indicator, normal symbol indicator, normal hold indicator, first special symbol indicator, first special hold number indicator, second special symbol indicator, second special hold number indicator, and round indicator, and all of these LEDs are lit. However, as another example, the functional display unit 1400 may be equipped with an LED dedicated to end-of-play notification, and in the end-of-play state, the dedicated LED for end-of-play notification may be lit and the other LEDs may be turned off.

Moving bodies are also put into an inoperable state where they will not operate after a predetermined time has elapsed since timing t1. For example, if a moving body is in operation before the predetermined time has elapsed since timing t1, the moving body is forcibly stopped mid-operation once the predetermined time has elapsed since timing t1. However, as another example, a moving body that is not in its initial position may be returned to its initial position after the predetermined time has elapsed since timing t1, and then stopped. In this way, even if the moving body is located in front of the display area of the performance display device 1600 once the predetermined time has elapsed since timing t1, the moving body will return to its initial position after the predetermined time has elapsed since timing t1, making it difficult to miss the progress-impossible display being displayed on the performance display device 1600.

In this example, the game transitions to a stop state at time t1, but the effect display device 1600, lamps A to C, speaker, and movable body perform their actions when progress is impossible after a predetermined time has passed since time t1. This means that if a ball enters a prize slot at time t1, a prize ball based on the ball entering the prize slot will be paid out afterwards. However, by performing the action when progress is impossible after a predetermined time has passed since time t1, it is possible to wait for the prize ball based on the ball entering the prize slot to be paid out before performing the action when progress is impossible, preventing any sense of incongruity. However, the effect display device 1600, lamps A to C, speaker, and movable body may also be configured to perform their action when progress is impossible from time t1.

In addition, at timing t1, the external terminal board transitions to a stopped state and outputs a security signal. This security signal is output when an abnormality is detected, a setting value is changed, or a setting value confirmation display is in progress, and the same security signal is output even when the system transitions to a stopped state. In other words, in the stopped state, a forced output state is entered in which a security signal is forcibly output, even when an abnormality is not detected, a setting value is not changed, or a setting value confirmation display is not in progress. As a result, in the stopped state, a security signal is output to the hall computer, allowing the hall to know that the system has transitioned to a stopped state.

In addition, in this example, at time t1, the system transitions to a halted state and outputs a security signal. However, if a security signal based on the detection of an abnormality is being output at time t1, the system will terminate the security signal being output and not output a new security signal, but will continue to output the security signal being output. This will prevent the hall from mistakenly believing that the detection of an abnormality has ended.

In addition, in this example, in addition to the security signal, the external terminal board outputs various signals to the hall computer to inform it of the game status, balls entering the winning slot, and the payout of prize balls. If any of these signals are being output at timing t1, the signals being output are terminated before the security signal is output. This allows the hall to reliably understand that the game has entered a stop state.

Furthermore, after the transition to the no-play state at timing t1, it is not possible for game balls to be fired into the play area 5a when the player operates the handle 160. However, in this example, if restriction pattern 3, which performs both "play stop" and "fire stop" when the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value, is selected, and restriction pattern 1, which only performs "play stop" but does not perform "fire stop" when the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value, is selected, game balls will be able to be fired into the play area 5a when the player operates the handle 160 after the transition to the no-play state.

Furthermore, at timing t1, after the transition to the no-play state, the number of game balls B that enter the ball entrance (winning entrance, outgoing entrance) (number of entering balls) and the number of game balls B that are paid out as prize balls (number of paid out) are not counted. In other words, it is not possible to perform calculations regarding the ratio of the number of paid out balls to the number of entering balls, and this is not reflected in the base value displayed on the base monitor. However, the number of game balls B that enter the ball entrance (winning entrance, outgoing entrance) (number of entering balls) may be counted, and a calculation may be performed regarding the ratio of the number of paid out balls to the number of entering balls, which may be reflected in the base value displayed on the base monitor.

Furthermore, after transitioning to the no-play state at timing t1, for balls detected entering a prize slot before timing t1, a predetermined number of game balls can be paid out as prize balls, and the number of game balls paid out as prize balls can be added to the player's ball count. This allows the player to obtain prize balls up to the number of game balls until the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value. On the other hand, for balls detected entering a prize slot after transitioning to the no-play state at timing t1, the predetermined number of game balls will not be paid out as prize balls, and will not be added to the player's ball count. However, it is also possible to configure the system not to detect balls entering a prize slot after transitioning to the no-play state at timing t1. Similarly, even if a ball enters a prize slot, the predetermined number of game balls will not be paid out as prize balls, and will not be added to the player's ball count.

In this example, when a ball is detected entering a prize slot at timing t1, no prize balls have been paid out based on that ball entering the prize slot, but it is determined that the number of balls paid out will reach a specific value due to the payout of prize balls based on the ball entering the prize slot, and the machine transitions to a stopped state. However, a different method may be adopted. For example, instead of transitioning to a stopped state when a ball is detected entering a prize slot at timing t1, the machine may transition to a stopped state when the payout of prize balls based on the ball entering the prize slot is completed and the number of balls paid out reaches a specific value. This makes it possible to transition to a stopped state only after the payout of prize balls based on the ball entering the prize slot is completed and the number of balls paid out reaches a specific value, preventing any sense of incongruity.

In addition, in this example, after transitioning to the play-stop state at timing t1, no abnormality determination is made to determine whether or not an abnormality such as magnetism or vibration has been detected. In other words, even if an abnormality is detected after transitioning to the play-stop state, no abnormality determination is made, and therefore no abnormality notification is issued to notify the outside world that an abnormality has occurred. In this way, after transitioning to the play-stop state, by executing an action corresponding to the play-stop state when progress is impossible, taking priority over an abnormality notification, it is possible to ensure that players and hall managers are aware that a play-stop state has been entered. However, after transitioning to the play-stop state at timing t1, it is also possible to configure the system not to detect abnormalities such as magnetism or vibration. Similarly, even if no abnormality is detected, no abnormality notification to notify the outside world that an abnormality has occurred will be issued, even if an abnormality has occurred.

Next, after transitioning to the stopped state, the power is shut off at timing t2, and then turned back on at timing t3. In this example, after transitioning to the stopped state, when the power is turned back on after being shut off, a power-on pattern is selected that maintains the game state at the time of power-off, as well as the amount of balls dispensed and the stopped state. Therefore, after the power is turned back on at timing t3, the normal state (a state where the stopped state is not reached) is not restored, and the stopped state is maintained, just as from timing t1 to t2.

The stopped state remains the same as it was between t1 and t2. In other words, since the stopped state is maintained after the power is turned back on at time t3, for example, a period during which the game (main game) cannot proceed on the main control board 1310 side is assumed, and the display device 1600, lamps A-C, speaker, and movable body perform the operations required for a game that cannot proceed. This allows players and hall managers to recognize that the stopped state has been restored when the power is turned back on after being shut off. In this example, although not shown, before performing the operations required for a game that cannot proceed, the speaker outputs a sound stating, "The ball volume and stopped state are maintained," and the display device 1600 temporarily displays a message stating, "The ball volume and stopped state are maintained." Furthermore, the LEDs of lamps A-C are set to emit light in a color corresponding to the power-on pattern selected when the power is turned back on. It is also possible to omit the period during which the speaker outputs the voice "The ball output amount and limit state are being maintained" and the effect display device 1600 displays the message image "The ball output amount and limit state are being maintained."

Furthermore, after the power is turned back on at timing t3, the effect display device 1600 displays the message "Play is restricted" to indicate that progress is not possible, but the message content may be changed from the state in which play was restricted between timings t1 and t2. Also, at the same time as or prior to the display of "Play is restricted," a message is displayed stating "Ball volume and play is restricted, but not limited" so that when the power is turned back on the next business day, the hall manager will be aware that the situation has continued from the previous day, and this prevents the hall manager from becoming confused when play is suddenly restricted.

Furthermore, when the power is turned on normally, rather than when the power is turned back on after being shut off in a stopped state, the normal power-on sound is output from the speaker. However, in this example, after the power is turned back on at timing t3, the speaker outputs the sound "The ball output amount and stopped state are maintained," but the normal power-on sound is not output. In this way, when the stopped state is restored when the power is turned back on, the sound "The ball output amount and stopped state are maintained" is output from the speaker in priority over the normal power-on sound, ensuring that players and hall managers are aware that the stopped state has been restored.

Furthermore, when power is turned on normally, rather than when power is turned on again after being shut off in a stalled state, the movable body performs an initial operation to check whether the movable body is operating normally and to align it with its initial position. However, in this example, at timing t3, after power is turned on again, the movable body has stopped operating and does not perform the initial operation. In this way, if the stopped state is restored when power is turned on again, the movable body does not perform the initial operation, which makes it clear that it has not been returned to the normal state (a state that is not in a stalled state). However, at timing t3, after power is turned on again, the movable body may perform the initial operation.

Figure 127 is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when game play restrictions are lifted when the power is turned back on after a power outage. In the above explanation, after the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value and transitions to a capped state, the game state at the time of power outage is maintained, and the amount of balls dispensed and the capped state are maintained when the power is turned back on after a power outage. However, in this example, when the power is turned back on after a power outage, the game state at the time of power outage is cleared (initialized), and the amount of balls dispensed and the capped state are also cleared (initialized). Specifically, after transitioning to a capped state, a power-on pattern is selected that clears (initializes) the game state at the time of power outage and clears (initializes) the amount of balls dispensed and the capped state when the power is turned back on after a power outage. Here, the explanation is the same as above up until the power is turned off at timing t2, so the explanation is given from timing t3 onwards after the power is turned back on.

As shown in FIG. 127, after the power is shut off in the stopped state, the power is turned back on at timing t3. When the power is turned back on after the shutoff, the selected power-on pattern is to clear (initialize) the game state at the time of the power shutoff, as well as clear (initialize) the ball payout amount and the stopped state. Therefore, after the power is turned back on at timing t3, the stopped state flag is turned OFF, and the stopped state is not maintained. However, before returning to the normal state (a state where the game is not stopped), the system is controlled to a recovery waiting state in which it waits for a return to the normal state (a state where the game is not stopped). The recovery waiting state is a period during which it is impossible to progress the game (main game) on the main control board 1310 side. In other words, in the stopped state, the special symbol variable display and jackpot game are not executed, and even if a start win occurs, the special symbol variable display is not newly started.

Furthermore, the performance display device 1600, lamps A to C, speaker, and movable body perform their recovery operations at timing t3. Specifically, the performance display device 1600 displays the message "The ball output and ball stop states have been cleared" as a recovery display, lamps A to C emit LEDs in the color corresponding to the power-on pattern selected when the power is turned back on as a recovery light, and the speaker outputs the recovery sound "The ball output and ball stop states have been cleared."

Furthermore, at time t3, the movable body is placed in an inoperable state where it cannot move.

In addition, the external terminal board outputs a security signal at timing t3, just as it would if the system had transitioned to a stopped state. In other words, in the recovery waiting state, a forced output state is set in which a security signal is forcibly output, even though no abnormalities have been detected, no setting values have been changed, or no setting values are being displayed for confirmation. As a result, in the recovery waiting state, a security signal is output to the hall computer, allowing the hall to know that the stopped state may be lifted.

Furthermore, at timing t3, after the transition to the recovery waiting state, it is disabled for game balls to be fired into the play area 5a when the player operates the handle 160. As described above in detail, if restriction pattern 1 is selected, which only performs "play stop" but does not perform "launch stop" when the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value, it is possible for game balls to be fired into the play area 5a when the player operates the handle 160 after the transition to the shot limit state. However, even in such a case, after the transition to the recovery waiting state at timing t3, it is disabled for game balls to be fired into the play area 5a when the player operates the handle 160.

Furthermore, at timing t3, after the transition to the recovery waiting state, the number of game balls B that enter the ball entrance (winning entrance, outgoing entrance) (number of balls entering) and the number of game balls B that are paid out as prize balls (number of paid out) are not counted. In other words, it is not possible to perform calculations regarding the ratio of the number of paid out balls to the number of balls entering, and this is not reflected in the base value displayed on the base monitor.

Furthermore, after transitioning to the return waiting state at timing t3, even if a ball is detected entering the winning slot, the specified number of game balls will not be paid out as prize balls, and they will not be added to the number of balls the player has. However, after transitioning to the return waiting state at timing t3, the system may be configured not to detect balls entering the winning slot, and similarly, even if a ball entering the winning slot is not detected in the first place, even if a ball enters the winning slot, the specified number of game balls will not be paid out as prize balls, and they will not be added to the number of balls the player has.

Next, at time t4, a predetermined time (e.g., 5 seconds) after time t3, the wait-for-return state ends, and the game state on the main control board 1310 transitions to the normal state (a state where play is not stopped). Here, the normal state (a state where play is not stopped) is the same as the normal state (a state where play is not stopped) before time t1, and the restrictions on play during the stopped state are lifted. Note that the timing for ending the wait-for-return state does not have to be the predetermined time (e.g., 5 seconds) after time t3, but may also be triggered by the hall manager performing a predetermined restart operation. For example, if the power-on operation at time t3 is power-on pattern 3, an example of a restart operation would be to turn off the setting key switch by rotating it 60 degrees counterclockwise to return it to its initial position (i.e., the rotation position of the setting key cylinder that turns the setting key switch OFF).

At timing t4, after returning to the normal state (not the stopped state), lamps A to C perform the initial light emission when powered on. Lamps A to C also perform the initial light emission when powered on normally, not just when power is turned on again after being shut off in the stopped state.

Furthermore, at timing t4, after returning to the normal state (a state that is not in a stopped state), the speaker outputs the normal power-on sound. Note that the speaker also outputs the normal power-on sound when the power is turned on normally, not when the power is turned on again after being shut off in a stopped state.

Furthermore, after returning to the normal state (non-stop state) at timing t4, the movable body undergoes initial operation to check whether the movable body operates normally and to align it with its initial position. Note that the initial operation of the movable body is also performed when the power is turned on normally, not just when the power is turned on again after being shut off in the stop state. However, the initial operation of the movable body may be performed at timing t3, before returning to the normal state (non-stop state). This allows the initial operation of the movable body to be completed before returning to the normal state (non-stop state), and allows operation corresponding to the variation effect (effect based on the variation pattern) to be performed immediately after the return.

In addition, the external terminal board outputs a security signal at time t3 during the recovery wait state, but by the time a predetermined amount of time has passed since time t4, the system has returned to normal (a state where the game is not stopped), but the security signal continues to be output. As a result, even if the recovery wait state ends in a short time, the security signal continues to be output to the hall computer, allowing the hall to know that the game may be released from the stopped state.

In this example, after the power is shut off in a stopped state, the power is turned back on at timing t3. When the power is turned back on after being shut off, it is controlled to a recovery waiting state and then returns to the normal state (a state where the game is not stopped). However, as an alternative example, when the power is turned back on after being shut off, it may return to the normal state (a state where the game is not stopped) without being controlled to a recovery waiting state. This allows gameplay to begin immediately after the power is turned back on after being shut off.

(Example of a presentation when the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value during a jackpot or while a special symbol is being displayed)
In this example, when the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value, a game restriction is implemented. Of the balls dispensed, the amount of balls dispensed A is the difference between the value at the time the limit counter reached its highest and the value at the time the limit counter reached its lowest. The amount of balls dispensed B is the difference between the value at the time the limit counter reached its highest and the predetermined initial value of 0. Both involve the value at the time the number of balls held is greatest. When a game ball enters the large prize slot 2005 during a jackpot game, or when a game ball enters a prize slot other than the large prize slot 2005 (the general prize slot 2001, the normal prize slot 2002, the first start slot 2003, or the second start slot 2004) during a variable or non-variable display of special symbols, the payout number increases and the limit counter increases due to the payout of prize balls. Therefore, when the balls enter, it is determined that the amount of balls dispensed has reached a specific value, and game restriction is implemented. Here, we will first explain a specific example of the presentation when the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value at the moment a game ball enters the large prize opening 2005 during a jackpot game, and then we will explain a specific example of the presentation when the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value at the moment a game ball enters the general prize opening 2001 during the changing display of special patterns.

Figure 128 shows a specific example of a presentation in which the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value when a game ball enters the large prize opening during jackpot play. In this example, 80,000 is set as the "specific value" described above, and either restriction pattern 1 or restriction pattern 3 is selected as the "restriction pattern" described above. That is, if restriction pattern 1 is set, a game-stop state is triggered when the amount of balls dispensed reaches the specific value (80,000 balls), accompanied by a "game stop." If restriction pattern 3 is set, a game-stop state is triggered when the amount of balls dispensed reaches the specific value (80,000 balls), accompanied by a "game stop" and a "fire stop." In addition, in this example, if the result of the special symbol lottery results in a jackpot, a 10-round jackpot game is awarded in which the large prize opening 2005 and the special feature opening 2006 are opened and closed, and a high probability state is awarded after the jackpot play ends.

As shown in FIG. 128 (A), the effect display device 1600 executes a variable effect (an effect based on a variable pattern) corresponding to the variable display of the special symbol, and displays the variable decorative symbol in the central area of the effect display device 1600. Here, depending on the result of the lottery for the special symbol, or during a "consecutive win mode" in which a high probability state continues due to the receipt of game ball B into the first V winning slot 2007 or the second V winning slot 2008, if the lottery result for the special symbol is a winning one, "777" is displayed as the stopping symbol for the decorative symbol in the central area of the effect display device 1600. Also, in the upper right area of the effect display device 1600, a variable display of the second decorative symbol is performed, and if the lottery result for the special symbol is a winning one, "○" is displayed as the stopping symbol for the second decorative symbol. Additionally, the lower left area of the effect display device 1600 displays a pending display for the amount of time that the gaming ball has entered the first starting hole 2003 or the second starting hole 2004, but the variable display of the special symbol is on hold. Additionally, the lower right area of the effect display device 1600 displays a "consecutive win mode" message indicating that the "consecutive win mode" is in effect, and also displays a "hit right" arrow instructing the player to aim for the gaming ball to enter the large winning hole 2005 located in the game area 5a to the right of the effect display device 1600 during jackpot play.

As shown in Figure 128 (B), at the start of a jackpot game, the message "Special Bonus! Aim for the V!" is displayed in the central area of the effect display device 1600, and the large prize entry port 2005 and the special prize entry port 2006 begin to open and close during the jackpot game, and the player is informed that they should aim to get the game ball to enter the first V prize entry port 2007 and the second V prize entry port 2008 during the jackpot game.

As shown in Figure 128 (C), during a jackpot game, the current number of rounds is displayed in the upper left area of the effect display device 1600, and the total number of prize balls paid out as game balls enter the jackpot slot 2005 during "consecutive win mode" is displayed in the center area of the effect display device 1600. Here, "3R" is displayed as the current number of rounds, and "18,000 GET" is displayed as the total number of prize balls.

In this example, before the main control board 1310 reaches a specific value and restricts play, it monitors the number of balls remaining until the specific value is reached. When a game ball enters the large prize slot 2005, which brings the remaining number of balls to "+1500," the advance flag is turned ON, and the advance flag ON information is sent from the main control board 1310 to the peripheral control board 1510. The peripheral control board 1510 then receives the advance flag ON information and continues to execute the advance notification operation until the specific value is reached (until the remaining number of balls reaches 0). The amount of balls dispensed is calculated on the main control board 1310 based on a counter for limiting the number of balls fired, which is the difference between the number of balls fired and the number of balls paid out. In other words, the number of balls remaining until the specific value is reached increases as the number of balls fired increases, and decreases as the number of balls paid out increases. Furthermore, the operation during advance notification continues once the number of balls dispensed reaches a predetermined value (in this example, when the number of balls remaining until the number of balls dispensed reaches the specific value is 1,500, i.e., when the number of balls dispensed reaches 78,500), until the number of balls dispensed reaches the specific value, so that the player does not miss information regarding game restrictions.

In addition, in this example, once a pre-announcement has been made, even if the number of balls remaining until the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value subsequently exceeds a predetermined value (1,500 remaining), the pre-announcement is not terminated and continues until the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value. Specifically, even if the number of balls shot increases after the pre-announcement flag ON information is sent from the main control board 1310 to the peripheral control board 1510 and the number of balls remaining until the amount of balls dispensed exceeds the predetermined value (1,500 remaining), the main control board 1310 keeps the pre-announcement flag ON without turning it OFF. As a result, even if the number of balls remaining until the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value of 1,500, then exceeds 1,500, and then reaches 1,500 again, the main control board 1310 does not switch the pre-announcement flag frequently, preventing the pre-announcement flag ON information from being sent multiple times to the peripheral control board 1510, thereby avoiding control burdens and complexity.

As shown in Figure 128 (D), when a game ball enters the large prize opening 2005 during a jackpot game, and the number of balls remaining until the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value becomes "+1500 balls," an advance notice display "+1500 balls remaining until the game limit" is displayed in the upper area of the effect display device 1600 as an advance notice operation, indicating the number of balls remaining until the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value. Here, the final "10R" is displayed as the current number of rounds, and "18,800 balls GET" is displayed as the total number of prize balls. The effect display device 1600 continuously displays the current round number in the upper left area, the total number of prize balls paid out as a result of game balls entering the jackpot slot 2005 during the "consecutive win mode" in the upper area, the stop symbol for the second decorative symbol in the upper right area, and a "hit right" arrow in the lower right area, even before the advance notice display is displayed. The advance notice display indicating "+1500 balls remaining until the game limit" is displayed so as to overlap the background image, but is not overlapped with important information displays related to the ongoing jackpot game. Specifically, in this example, the "current round number," "total number of prize balls," and "'hit right' arrow" are important information displays that should be recognized by the player, so the advance notice display is displayed in a position that does not overlap these information displays. Note that the advance notice display may overlap at least a portion of the information displays, as long as the content of the information displays can be recognized without being completely obscured by the player. This allows players to play smoothly during a jackpot game without missing the information displayed about the jackpot game in progress. The movable body can be moved toward the front of the display device 1600 during a jackpot game, but it can also be moved toward the front while the advance notice display, "+1500 shots remaining until play limit," is displayed. This prevents a decline in interest in the game during a jackpot game.

As shown in Figure 128 (E), at the end of a jackpot game, the message "Continuous win mode continues! (10th time)" is displayed in the central area of the effect display device 1600, informing the player that the high probability state will continue again after the jackpot game ends (that "Continuous win mode" will continue). Here, at the end of a jackpot game, just as during the jackpot game, a pre-notification display stating "+1500 shots remaining until play limit" is displayed. Note that because the message "Continuous win mode continues! (10th time)" is an important information display that must be made known to the player, the pre-notification display is displayed in a position that does not overlap with this information display. Note that the pre-notification display may overlap at least a portion of the information display, as long as the content of the information display can be recognized and not so much that it becomes invisible to the player.

As shown in Figure 128 (F), during "consecutive wins mode," when a variation effect (a performance based on a variation pattern) corresponding to the variation display of a special symbol is executed again, a variation display of a decorative symbol is displayed in the central area of the effect display device 1600. Furthermore, a variation display of a second decorative symbol is displayed in the upper right area of the effect display device 1600. Furthermore, four pending displays are displayed in the lower left area of the effect display device 1600, and it is possible to change the appearance of pending displays with a high probability of winning. Furthermore, while the variation display of decorative symbols is in progress, the volume and light intensity can be adjusted by operating the setting adjustment button 204. While the volume or light intensity is being adjusted, an image corresponding to the volume or light intensity being adjusted is displayed in the left area of the effect display device 1600. The image corresponding to the volume or light intensity being adjusted begins displaying when the setting adjustment button 204 is operated, and disappears after a certain period of time has passed since the start of display.

Furthermore, while the decorative symbol changes during "consecutive win mode," a pre-notification display stating "+1500 shots remaining until play limit" is displayed, just as during jackpot play. The effect display device 1600 displays the decorative symbol change display in the central area, the second decorative symbol change display in the upper right area, the "consecutive win mode" message and a "hit right" arrow in the lower right area, a hold display in the lower left area, and images corresponding to volume and light intensity in the left area. While the pre-notification display stating "+1500 shots remaining until play limit" is displayed so as to overlap the background image, it is not displayed so as to overlap important information displays related to the variable play currently being performed. Specifically, in this example, the "decorative symbol change display," "second decorative symbol change display," "'consecutive win mode' message," "'hit right' arrow," "hold display," and "images corresponding to volume and light intensity" are important information displays that should be recognized by the player, and therefore the pre-notification display is displayed in a position that does not overlap these information displays. Note that the advance notice display may overlap at least a portion of these information displays, as long as the information displays are not completely overlapped and the player can still see the contents of the information displays. This allows players to play smoothly during variable play without missing the information displays related to the variable play currently in progress. Note that the movable body can be moved toward the front of the effect display device 1600 during variable play, but when the advance notice display saying "+1500 shots remaining until play limit" is displayed, the movable body may be moved toward the front. This prevents a decrease in interest in the game during variable play.

As shown in Figure 128 (G), when the special symbol lottery results in a winning combination again during the "consecutive wins mode," "777" is displayed as the decorative symbol stopping symbol in the central area of the effect display device 1600. Here too, the advance notice display of "+1500 shots remaining until play limit" is displayed so as to overlap the background image, but is displayed so as not to overlap the decorative symbol stopping symbol "777" (a type of important information display), allowing the player to see the decorative symbol stopping symbol "777."

As shown in FIG. 128 (H), when a jackpot game is started again, the message "Special Bonus! Aim for V!" is displayed in the central area of the effect display device 1600, and the opening and closing of the large prize entry port 2005 and the accessory prize entry port 2006 begins during the jackpot game, and the player is informed that they should aim for the game ball to enter the first V prize entry port 2007 and the second V prize entry port 2008 during the jackpot game. At this point, just like during the previous jackpot game, the advance notice display "+1500 shots remaining until play limit" is displayed. Here again, the advance notice display "+1500 shots remaining until play limit" is displayed so as to overlap with the background image, but not so as to overlap with the message "Special Bonus! Aim for V!" (a type of important information display), allowing the player to see the message "Special Bonus! Aim for V!".

As shown in Figure 128 (I), during a jackpot game, the current round number is displayed in the upper left area of the effect display device 1600, and the total number of prize balls paid out as game balls enter the large prize slot 2005 during "consecutive win mode" is displayed in the center area of the effect display device 1600. Here, "10R" is displayed as the current round number, and "19,900 balls GET" is displayed as the total number of prize balls. At this point, the number of balls remaining until the amount of balls paid out reaches a specific value has decreased due to the payout of prize balls during the jackpot game, and a pre-notification display is displayed stating "+10 balls remaining until the game limit is reached."

In this example, before the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value and game play is restricted, the number of balls remaining until the number of balls dispensed reaches that specific value is monitored. However, if the number of remaining balls becomes "+0" due to the payout of prize balls based on game balls entering the large prize opening 2005 during jackpot play, the game stop flag is turned ON as the number of balls dispensed reaches the specific value, and the game transitions to a game stop state until a specified clear condition is met, while performing an operation when progress is impossible. Then, at the point where the game transitions to the game stop state, the jackpot play in progress is stopped (interrupted), thereby forcibly closing the large prize opening 2005. No more game balls will enter the large prize opening 2005, and game play restrictions will begin.

As shown in Figure 128 (J), when the number of balls remaining until the number of balls to be dispensed reaches a specific value due to the payout of prize balls based on the entry of game balls into the large prize slot 2005 during jackpot play reaches "+0 balls" (when the game enters a dead-end state), the upper area of the effect display device 1600 displays a pre-announcement message for a predetermined time (5 seconds in this example) indicating the number of balls remaining until the number of balls to be dispensed reaches a specific value. Here, "10R" is displayed as the current number of rounds, and "19,915 balls GET" is displayed as the total number of prize balls. Then, when a predetermined time (5 seconds in this example) has passed since the pre-announcement message "+0 balls remaining until the game enters a dead-end state" was displayed, an image corresponding to the dead-end state shown in Figure 128 (K) is displayed.

In this example, the total number of prize balls and the content of the advance notice displayed on the effect display device 1600 are reflected in the amount of prize balls paid out when a game ball enters the large prize opening 2005. However, the total number of prize balls and the content of the advance notice display are not displayed at the time when a game ball enters the large prize opening 2005, which will cause the amount of balls paid out to reach a specific value, but are displayed continuously until a predetermined time (5 seconds in this example) has passed since the amount of prize balls is reflected in the total number of prize balls and the content of the advance notice display. This prevents players from missing information regarding whether the amount of balls paid out has reached a specific value, and ensures that the player is aware of the reason why the game will subsequently enter a limit state. Also, just before the number of balls remaining until the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value becomes "+0 balls," a pre-notification display stating "+10 balls remaining until play limit" is displayed. However, with regard to the prize balls (15 in this example) that are dispensed when a game ball enters the large prize opening 2005, even if the number of prize balls exceeds the number of balls remaining until the specific value is reached, the excess prize balls (5 in this example) are dispensed. This prevents a situation where prize balls are not dispensed for the number of prize balls that exceeds the specific value even though a game ball has entered the large prize opening 2005, making it less likely that players will become dissatisfied. However, if monitoring the amount of balls dispensed is important from the perspective of preventing fraud, the excess prize balls may not be dispensed for the number of prize balls that exceeds the specific value.

In the above, the total number of prize balls and the contents of the advance notice display are not displayed until the amount of prize balls dispensed reaches a specific value, but are displayed continuously until the amount of prize balls is reflected in the total number of prize balls and the contents of the advance notice display. However, it is also possible to end the display when the amount of dispensed balls reaches a specific value and display an image corresponding to the stop state. In other words, instead of displaying the image shown in Figure 128 (J), it is also possible to proceed to the image shown in Figure 128 (K), which will be described later. In this way, the game will transition to the stop state when the amount of dispensed balls reaches a specific value, but at the same time, by displaying an image corresponding to the stop state, the player can immediately understand that the game has transitioned to the stop state.

In addition, once the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value, the game transitions to a stop state and game restrictions are implemented. Therefore, to prevent players from accidentally firing game balls, it is preferable to make the "hit right" arrow that encourages the game ball to be released invisible to the player after the image corresponding to the stop state is displayed, and in this example it is erased. In addition, even in other situations, if the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value while a display encouraging the game ball to be released (for example, a hit right display, a hit left display, a "Aim for V!" display, etc.) is being displayed, the display encouraging the game ball to be released is made invisible to the player (it is erased) at that point.

As shown in Figure 128 (K), when the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value and game play is restricted, the display device 1600 displays an image corresponding to the game play limit. The image corresponding to the game play limit displays the message "Game Play Limit," along with messages such as "The daily ball play limit of 80,000 balls has been reached, so game play is restricted," "Please call an attendant," and "The Settlement Button is Valid." The settlement button here refers to the counting button switch 180 used to execute the settlement process. Furthermore, before the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value, the display device 1600 displays the current round number, the stopped symbol of the second decorative symbol, the total number of winning balls, and advance notices. However, such game-related information is hidden (made invisible) when the message "Game Play Limit" is displayed after the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value, and instead displays the message on a darkened screen. This allows the player to understand that the number of balls dispensed has reached a specific value and game play has been restricted, and that the game play restriction can only be lifted by the hall manager's action. Additionally, players can see that they can adjust the number of balls they have by operating the counting button switch 180.

In the above example, before the amount of dispensed balls reaches a specific value, the effect display device 1600 displays the current number of rounds, the stopped symbols of the second decorative symbols, the total number of prize balls, and the advance notice display. However, all such information related to the game is made unrecognizable once the amount of dispensed balls reaches a specific value. However, when the amount of dispensed balls reaches a specific value, some of the information related to the game may be made unrecognizable, while other information may remain recognizable. For example, the total number of prize balls and the advance notice display may be made unrecognizable, as they are information related to whether or not to implement game restrictions, while the current number of rounds and the stopped symbols of the second decorative symbols may remain recognizable. This makes it possible to understand under what circumstances the amount of dispensed balls reached a specific value even after the amount of dispensed balls has reached the specific value.

In this example, in order for the specified clear condition to end the stalled state to be met, the machine must be re-powered using a specified power-on pattern after being shut off. This section explains the following cases: A power-on pattern that maintains the game state at the time of power-off and maintains the ball output amount and stalled state (in this example, power-on patterns 1, 4, and 5 in Restricted Clear Pattern Table 1, power-on patterns 4 and 5 in Restricted Clear Pattern Table 2, and power-on patterns 1, 4, and 5 in Restricted Clear Pattern Table 3) is selected; a power-on pattern that clears (initializes) the game state at the time of power-off and clears (initializes) the ball output amount and stalled state (in this example, power-on patterns 2 and 3 in Restricted Clear Pattern Table 1, power-on patterns 2 and 3 in Restricted Clear Pattern Table 2, and power-on pattern 3 in Restricted Clear Pattern Table 3) is selected; or a power-on pattern that maintains the game state at the time of power-off and clears (initializes) the ball output amount and stalled state (in this example, power-on pattern 1 in Restricted Clear Pattern Table 2 and power-on pattern 2 in Restricted Clear Pattern Table 3) is selected.

First, after the game has entered a capped state, if a power-on pattern is selected that maintains the game state at the time of power-off and maintains the ball dispense amount and capped state when the power is turned back on after being shut off, the game restrictions associated with the capped state are not lifted, and the effect display device 1600 again displays the image shown in FIG. 128(K). Although not shown in the figure in this example, before the image shown in FIG. 128(K) is displayed, a sound message stating "The ball dispense amount and capped state are being maintained" is output from the speaker, and the effect display device 1600 temporarily displays a message image stating "The ball dispense amount and capped state are being maintained." The dedicated period for displaying the message image stating "The ball dispense amount and capped state are being maintained" on the effect display device 1600 may be omitted. However, in order to emphasize that the hall manager is aware of the maintenance of the ball dispense amount and capped state, the dedicated period may be omitted, and the message image stating "The ball dispense amount and capped state are being maintained" may also be displayed on the effect display device 1600 along with the image shown in FIG. 128(K).

Furthermore, after the game has transitioned to the stopped state, if a power-on pattern is selected that clears (initializes) the game state at the time of power interruption and also clears (initializes) the ball payout amount and the stopped state, the game restrictions in the stopped state are lifted by clearing (initializing) the ball payout amount and the stopped state. When the ball payout amount and the stopped state are cleared (initialized), all information involved in calculating the ball payout amount, such as the stop counter, payout number, and shot number, is cleared (initialized). Furthermore, information regarding the remaining jackpot gameplay when interrupted at the time of transition to the stopped state and information regarding the "consecutive jackpot mode" (high probability state) after the jackpot game is retained after the game transitioned to the stopped state and at the time of power interruption. However, when the power is reconnected after a power interruption, information regarding the remaining jackpot gameplay when interrupted and information regarding the "consecutive jackpot mode" (high probability state) after the jackpot game is lost, and the game starts in the low probability state. For this reason, as shown in Figure 128 (L), the effect display device 1600 displays an initial image in which the decorative pattern is stopped at the initial pattern.

On the other hand, if a power-on pattern is selected that maintains the game state at the time of power-off while clearing (initializing) the ball payout amount and the stoppage state when the power is turned back on after a power-off after a power-off, the ball payout amount and the stoppage state are cleared (initialized), thereby lifting the game restrictions imposed by the stoppage state. Furthermore, information regarding the remaining jackpot gameplay when the game was interrupted at the time of the transition to the stoppage state and information regarding the "consecutive jackpot mode" (high probability state) after the jackpot game is retained after the transition to the stoppage state and at the time of power-off. However, even when the power is turned back on after a power-off, information regarding the remaining jackpot gameplay when the game was interrupted and information regarding the "consecutive jackpot mode" (high probability state) after the jackpot game is retained, allowing gameplay to resume in the state it was in when it was interrupted. For this reason, as shown in FIG. 128 (L'), the effect display device 1600 returns to and displays an image related to the "consecutive jackpot mode" (high probability state), which is the ending period when the final round of the jackpot game has ended. Furthermore, if a power-on pattern that clears (initializes) the payout amount and the limit state is selected, before resuming play after power is turned off and then turned back on, a special return notification (image and sound indicating that play will return to the state before the limit state) may be displayed to indicate that play will return to the previous game. This special return notification corresponds to the return display, return light, and return sound in the return waiting state from timing t3 to timing t4 in FIG. 125 described above, and as described above, examples include outputting a sound from the speaker saying "The payout amount and limit state have been cleared," and displaying a message image on the effect display device 1600 saying "The payout amount and limit state have been cleared."

Figure 129 is a specific example of a presentation where the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value when a game ball enters the general winning slot while the special symbol is being displayed. In this example, 80,000 is set as the "specific value" described above, and either restriction pattern 1 or restriction pattern 3 is selected as the "restriction pattern" described above. In other words, if restriction pattern 1 is set, a stopping state will occur with "play stopping" when the amount of balls dispensed reaches the specific value (80,000 balls), and if restriction pattern 3 is set, a stopping state will occur with "play stopping" and "firing stopping" when the amount of balls dispensed reaches the specific value (80,000 balls).

As shown in FIG. 129 (A), the effect display device 1600 executes a variable effect (an effect based on a variable pattern) corresponding to the variable display of the special symbol, and displays the variable decorative symbol in the central area of the effect display device 1600. Here, depending on the result of the lottery for the special symbol, or during a "consecutive win mode" in which a high probability state continues due to the receipt of game ball B into the first V winning slot 2007 or the second V winning slot 2008, if the lottery result for the special symbol is a winning one, "777" is displayed as the stopping symbol for the decorative symbol in the central area of the effect display device 1600. Also, in the upper right area of the effect display device 1600, a variable display of the second decorative symbol is performed, and if the lottery result for the special symbol is a winning one, "○" is displayed as the stopping symbol for the second decorative symbol. Additionally, the lower left area of the effect display device 1600 displays a pending display for the amount of time that the gaming ball has entered the first starting hole 2003 or the second starting hole 2004, but the variable display of the special symbol is on hold. Additionally, the lower right area of the effect display device 1600 displays a "consecutive win mode" message indicating that the "consecutive win mode" is in effect, and also displays a "hit right" arrow instructing the player to aim for the gaming ball to enter the large winning hole 2005 located in the game area 5a to the right of the effect display device 1600 during jackpot play.

As shown in FIG. 129(B), at the start of a jackpot game, the message "Special Bonus! Aim for the V!" is displayed in the central area of the effect display device 1600, and the large prize entry port 2005 and the special prize entry port 2006 begin to open and close during the jackpot game, and the player is advised to aim for the game ball to enter the first V prize entry port 2007 and the second V prize entry port 2008 during the jackpot game.

As shown in Figure 129 (C), during a jackpot game, the current number of rounds is displayed in the upper left area of the effect display device 1600, and the total number of prize balls paid out as game balls enter the jackpot slot 2005 during "consecutive win mode" is displayed in the center area of the effect display device 1600. Here, "3R" is displayed as the current number of rounds, and "17,500 GET" is displayed as the total number of prize balls.

In this example, before the main control board 1310 reaches a specific value and restricts play, it monitors the number of balls remaining until the specific value is reached. When a game ball enters the large prize slot 2005, which brings the remaining number of balls to "+1500 balls," the advance flag is turned ON, and the advance flag ON information is sent from the main control board 1310 to the peripheral control board 1510. The peripheral control board 1510 then receives the advance flag ON information and continues to execute the advance notification operation until the specific value is reached. The amount of balls dispensed is calculated on the main control board 1310 based on a counter for limiting the number of balls fired, which is the difference between the number of balls fired and the number of balls paid out. In other words, the number of balls remaining until the specific value is reached increases as the number of balls fired increases, and decreases as the number of balls paid out increases. Furthermore, the operation during advance notification continues once the number of balls dispensed reaches a predetermined value (in this example, when the number of balls remaining until the number of balls dispensed reaches the specific value is 1,500, i.e., when the number of balls dispensed reaches 78,500), until the number of balls dispensed reaches the specific value, so that the player does not miss information regarding game restrictions.

In addition, in this example, once a pre-announcement has been made, even if the number of balls remaining until the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value subsequently falls below a predetermined value (1,500 remaining), the pre-announcement is not terminated and continues until the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value. Specifically, even if the number of balls shot increases after the pre-announcement flag ON information is sent from the main control board 1310 to the peripheral control board 1510 and the number of balls remaining until the amount of balls dispensed falls below the predetermined value (1,500 remaining), the main control board 1310 keeps the pre-announcement flag ON without turning it OFF. As a result, even if the number of balls remaining until the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value of 1,500, then falls below 1,500, and then reaches 1,500 again, the pre-announcement will not be switched frequently on the main control board 1310 side, preventing the pre-announcement flag ON information from being sent multiple times to the peripheral control board 1510, thereby avoiding control burdens and complexity.

As shown in Figure 129 (D), when a game ball enters the large prize opening 2005 during a jackpot game, and the number of balls remaining until the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value becomes "+1500 balls," an advance notice display "+1500 balls remaining until the game limit" is displayed in the upper area of the effect display device 1600 as an advance notice operation, indicating the number of balls remaining until the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value. Here, the final "10R" is displayed as the current number of rounds, and "18,800 balls GET" is displayed as the total number of prize balls. The effect display device 1600 continuously displays the current round number in the upper left area, the total number of prize balls paid out as a result of game balls entering the jackpot slot 2005 during the "consecutive win mode" in the upper area, the stop symbol for the second decorative symbol in the upper right area, and a "hit right" arrow in the lower right area, even before the advance notice display is displayed. The advance notice display indicating "+1500 balls remaining until the game limit" is displayed so as to overlap the background image, but is not overlapped with important information displays related to the ongoing jackpot game. Specifically, in this example, the "current round number," "total number of prize balls," and "'hit right' arrow" are important information displays that should be recognized by the player, so the advance notice display is displayed in a position that does not overlap these information displays. Note that the advance notice display may overlap at least a portion of the information displays, as long as the content of the information displays can be recognized without being completely obscured by the player. This allows players to play smoothly during a jackpot game without missing the information displayed about the jackpot game in progress. The movable body can be moved toward the front of the display device 1600 during a jackpot game, but it can also be moved toward the front while the advance notice display, "+1500 shots remaining until play limit," is displayed. This prevents a decline in interest in the game during a jackpot game.

As shown in Figure 129 (E), at the end of a jackpot game, the message "Continuous win mode continues! (10th time)" is displayed in the central area of the effect display device 1600, informing the player that the high probability state will continue again after the jackpot game ends (that "Continuous win mode" will continue). Here, at the end of a jackpot game, just as during the jackpot game, a pre-notification display stating "+1500 shots remaining until play limit" is displayed. Note that because the message "Continuous win mode continues! (10th time)" is also an important information display that the player must be aware of, the pre-notification display is displayed in a position that does not overlap with this information display. Note that the pre-notification display may overlap at least a portion of the information display, as long as the content of the information display can be recognized and not so much that it becomes invisible to the player.

As shown in Figure 129 (F), during "consecutive wins mode," when a variable effect (effect based on a variable pattern) corresponding to the variable display of a special symbol is executed again, a variable decorative symbol is displayed in the central area of the effect display device 1600. A variable second decorative symbol is displayed in the upper right area of the effect display device 1600. Four pending displays are displayed in the lower left area of the effect display device 1600, and the appearance of pending displays with a high probability of winning can be changed. While the variable decorative symbol display is in progress, the volume and light intensity can be adjusted by operating the setting adjustment button 204. While the volume or light intensity is being adjusted, an image corresponding to the volume or light intensity being adjusted is displayed in the left area of the effect display device 1600. The image corresponding to the volume or light intensity being adjusted begins displaying when the setting adjustment button 204 is operated, and disappears after a certain amount of time has passed since the display began.

Furthermore, while the decorative symbol changes during "Consecutive Winning Mode," a pre-notification display stating "+10 shots remaining until play limit" is displayed, just as during jackpot play. The effect display device 1600 displays the decorative symbol change display in the central area, the second decorative symbol change display in the upper right area, the "Consecutive Winning Mode" message and a "Hit Right" arrow in the lower right area, a hold display in the lower left area, and images corresponding to volume and light intensity in the left area. While the pre-notification display stating "+10 shots remaining until play limit" is displayed overlapping the background image, it is displayed so as not to overlap important information displays related to the variable play currently being performed. Specifically, in this example, the "decorative symbol change display," "second decorative symbol change display," "'Consecutive Winning Mode' message," "'Hit Right' arrow," "hold display," and "images corresponding to volume and light intensity" are important information displays that should be recognized by the player, and therefore the pre-notification display is displayed in a position that does not overlap these information displays. Note that the advance notice display may overlap at least a portion of these information displays, as long as the information displays are not completely overlapped and the player can still see the contents of the information displays. This prevents the player from missing the information displays related to the variable play currently in progress, allowing for smooth play during variable play. Note that the movable body can be moved toward the front of the effect display device 1600 during variable play, but when the advance notice display saying "+10 shots remaining until play limit" is displayed, the movable body may be moved toward the front. This prevents a decrease in interest in the game during variable play.

In this example, the number of balls remaining until the specified value is reached is monitored before the specified value is reached and game play is restricted. However, if the remaining number of balls becomes "+0" due to the payout of prize balls based on game balls entering the general winning slot 2001 while the special symbol is being displayed, the specified value is reached and the game is stopped, and the game is stopped until a specified clear condition is met. At the point when the game is stopped, the timing of the change time is stopped (interrupted) to prevent the display of the currently active special symbol from progressing, forcibly stopping gameplay and initiating game restriction. Here, we will explain the function display unit 1400 when the timing of the change time is stopped (interrupted) to prevent the display of the currently active special symbol from progressing. The function display unit 1400 continues to flash the LED on the first special symbol display or the second special symbol display (control mode during the change display) (since the change time is not being measured, it continues to flash until the clear condition is met). However, the function display unit 1400 may have the LEDs on the first special symbol display or second special symbol display all lit or all extinguished rather than flashing. In this case, not only the LEDs on the first special symbol display or second special symbol display, but also other LEDs on the function display unit 1400 (such as LEDs on the status indicator, normal symbol display, normal hold indicator, first special hold number indicator, second special hold number indicator, and round indicator) are all lit or all extinguished. Also, if the function display unit 1400 is provided with an LED dedicated to end-of-game notification, that LED may be lit and the other LEDs may be extinguished. Note that when timing of the variable time is stopped (interrupted), the remaining variable time is stored in RAM built into the main control board 1310.

As shown in Figure 129 (G), when the number of balls remaining until the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value becomes "+0" due to the payout of prize balls based on game balls entering the general winning slot 2001 while the special pattern is being displayed, a pre-notification display "+0 balls remaining until game limit" is displayed in the upper area of the effect display device 1600 for a predetermined period of time (5 seconds in this example) as a pre-notification operation, indicating the number of balls remaining until the amount of balls dispensed reaches the specific value. Here, just before the number of balls remaining until the amount of balls dispensed reaches the specific value becomes "+0," the decorative pattern and second decorative pattern are displayed. However, when the number of balls remaining until the amount of balls dispensed reaches the specific value becomes "+0," the decorative pattern display is forcibly stopped at a predetermined stopping pattern (in this example, "767"), and the second decorative pattern display is forcibly stopped at a predetermined stopping pattern (in this example, "X"). Then, after a predetermined time (5 seconds in this example) has passed since the advance notice display "0 shots remaining until play limit" was displayed, an image corresponding to the play limit state shown in Figure 129 (H) will be displayed.

In this example, the amount of prize balls paid out when a game ball enters the general winning slot 2001 is reflected in the content of the advance notice displayed on the performance display device 1600. However, the content of the advance notice display is not displayed at the time when a game ball enters the general winning slot 2001, which will cause the amount of balls to reach a specific value, but is displayed continuously until a predetermined time (5 seconds in this example) has passed since the amount of prize balls is reflected in the content of the advance notice display. This prevents the player from missing information regarding whether the amount of balls to be paid out has reached a specific value, and ensures that the player is aware of the reason why the game will subsequently enter a limit state. Also, just before the number of balls remaining until the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value becomes "+0 balls," a pre-notification display stating "+10 balls remaining until the game limit" is displayed. However, for the prize balls (15 in this example) that are dispensed when a game ball enters general prize opening 2001, even if the number of prize balls exceeds the number of balls remaining until the specific value is reached, the excess prize balls (5 in this example) are dispensed. This prevents a situation where prize balls are not dispensed for the number of prize balls that exceeds the specific value even though a game ball enters general prize opening 2001, making it less likely that players will become dissatisfied. However, if monitoring the amount of balls dispensed is important from the perspective of preventing fraud, the excess prize balls may not be dispensed for the number of prize balls that exceeds the specific value.

In the above, the content of the advance notice display is not displayed until the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value, but continues to be displayed until the amount of prize balls is reflected in the content of the advance notice display. However, it may be configured to end when the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value, and an image corresponding to the stop state be displayed. In other words, instead of displaying the image shown in Figure 129 (G), it may proceed to the image shown in Figure 129 (H), which will be described later. In this way, the game will transition to the stop state when the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value, but at the same time, by displaying an image corresponding to the stop state, the player can immediately understand that the game has transitioned to the stop state.

In addition, once the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value, the game transitions to a stop state and game restrictions are implemented. Therefore, to prevent players from accidentally firing game balls, it is preferable to make the "hit right" arrow that encourages the game ball to be released invisible to the player after the image corresponding to the stop state is displayed, and in this example it is erased. In addition, even in other situations, if the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value while a display encouraging the game ball to be released (for example, a hit right display, a hit left display, a "Aim for V!" display, etc.) is being displayed, the display encouraging the game ball to be released is made invisible to the player (it is erased) at that point.

As shown in Figure 129 (H), when the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value and game play is restricted, the display device 1600 displays an image corresponding to the game play limit. The image corresponding to the game play limit displays the message "Game Play Limit," along with messages such as "The daily ball play limit of 80,000 balls has been reached, so game play is restricted," "Please call an attendant," and "The Settlement Button is Valid." The settlement button here refers to the counting button switch 180 used to execute the settlement process. Furthermore, when the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value, the display device 1600 displays the stopping symbols of the decorative symbols, the stopping symbols of the second decorative symbols, the hold indicator, and the advance notice indicator. However, such game-related information is hidden (made invisible) when the message "Game Play Limit" is displayed after the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value, and instead displays the message on a darkened screen. This allows the user to understand that the number of balls dispensed has reached a specific value and game play has been restricted, and that the game play restriction can only be lifted by the hall manager's action. Additionally, players can see that they can adjust the number of balls they have by operating the counting button switch 180.

In the above example, the effect display device 1600 displays the decorative symbol stopping symbol, the second decorative symbol stopping symbol, the hold display, and the advance notice display before the amount of dispensed balls reaches a specific value, but all such game-related information becomes unrecognizable when the amount of dispensed balls reaches a specific value. However, when the amount of dispensed balls reaches a specific value, some of the game-related information may become unrecognizable, while other information may remain recognizable. For example, the advance notice display may become unrecognizable because it contains information about whether or not to implement a game restriction, while the decorative symbol stopping symbol, the second decorative symbol stopping symbol, and the hold display may remain recognizable. This makes it possible to understand under what circumstances the amount of dispensed balls reached a specific value even after the amount of dispensed balls has reached the specific value.

Here, if the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value due to a game ball entering the general winning slot 2001 while the special symbol is being displayed, the same action as when the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value due to a game ball entering the large winning slot 2005 during a jackpot game is executed, and an image corresponding to the game's halt state is displayed, etc. In this way, when the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value and game play is restricted, regardless of the trigger, a common notification is issued, allowing the player to reliably understand that the game has entered a halt state.

In this example, in order for the specified clear condition to end the stalled state to be met, the machine must be re-powered using a specified power-on pattern after being shut off. This section explains the following cases: A power-on pattern that maintains the game state at the time of power-off and maintains the ball output amount and stalled state (in this example, power-on patterns 1, 4, and 5 in Restricted Clear Pattern Table 1, power-on patterns 4 and 5 in Restricted Clear Pattern Table 2, and power-on patterns 1, 4, and 5 in Restricted Clear Pattern Table 3) is selected; a power-on pattern that clears (initializes) the game state at the time of power-off and clears (initializes) the ball output amount and stalled state (in this example, power-on patterns 2 and 3 in Restricted Clear Pattern Table 1, power-on patterns 2 and 3 in Restricted Clear Pattern Table 2, and power-on pattern 3 in Restricted Clear Pattern Table 3) is selected; or a power-on pattern that maintains the game state at the time of power-off and clears (initializes) the ball output amount and stalled state (in this example, power-on pattern 1 in Restricted Clear Pattern Table 2 and power-on pattern 2 in Restricted Clear Pattern Table 3) is selected.

First, after the game has entered a stopped state, if the game state at the time of power cut is maintained when the power is turned back on after being shut off, and a power-on pattern is selected that maintains the amount of balls dispensed and the stopped state, the game restrictions imposed by the stopped state are not lifted, and the effect display device 1600 will again display the image shown in Figure 129 (H).

Furthermore, after the game has transitioned to the stopped state, if a power-on pattern is selected that clears (initializes) the game state at the time of power-off and also clears (initializes) the amount of balls dispensed and the stopped state, the game restrictions imposed by the stopped state are lifted by clearing (initializing) the amount of balls dispensed and the stopped state. When the amount of balls dispensed and the stopped state are cleared (initialized), all information involved in calculating the amount of balls dispensed, such as the stop counter, payout count, and number of shots, is cleared (initialized). Furthermore, information regarding the remaining time of the game when it was interrupted at the time of the transition to the stopped state, information regarding the "consecutive win mode" (high probability state), and information regarding reserved balls, is retained after the game transitioned to the stopped state and at the time of the power-off. However, when the power is re-connected after a power-off, information regarding the remaining time of the game when it was interrupted, information regarding the "consecutive win mode" (high probability state), and information regarding reserved balls is lost, so the game starts in a low probability state with no reserved balls. For this reason, as shown in Figure 129 (I), the effect display device 1600 displays an initial image in which there is no hold display and the decorative pattern is stopped at the initial pattern.

On the other hand, if a power-on pattern is selected that maintains the game state at the time of power-off while clearing (initializing) the ball payout amount and the stoppage state when the power is turned back on after a power-off after a power-off after a power-off, the ball payout amount and the stoppage state are cleared (initialized), thereby lifting the game restrictions imposed by the stoppage state. Furthermore, information regarding the remaining fluctuation time when the game was interrupted at the time of the transition to the stoppage state, information regarding the "consecutive wins mode" (high probability state), and information regarding the reserved balls are retained after the transition to the stoppage state and at the time of the power-off. Even when the power is turned back on after a power-off, information regarding the remaining fluctuation time when the game was interrupted, information regarding the "consecutive wins mode" (high probability state), and information regarding the reserved balls are retained, allowing the game to resume in a high probability state with reserved balls and in the middle of the previous fluctuation. In other words, if the timing of the fluctuation time was stopped (interrupted) at the time of the transition to the stoppage state, the remaining fluctuation time is stored in the RAM built into the main control board 1310. After the power is turned back on, the decorative pattern fluctuation display and the second decorative pattern fluctuation display are executed for the remaining fluctuation time. For this reason, as shown in FIG. 129 (I'), the effect display device 1600 returns to displaying an image related to the "consecutive wins mode" (high probability state), and resumes displaying the changing decorative symbols and the changing second decorative symbols based on the information related to the hold. Furthermore, if a power-on pattern that clears (initializes) the amount of balls dispensed and the limit state is selected, a special return notification (image and sound indicating that the state will be restored to before the game limit was reached) indicating that the game will return to the state it was in before the game limit was reached may be displayed before the various effect displays are restored after the power is turned back on after being turned off.

In addition, in the above description, if the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value during a jackpot game, a stop state is immediately triggered. However, as another example, if the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value during a jackpot game, the timing of the start of the stop state may be delayed until the end of that jackpot game. In other words, if the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value during multiple rounds of a jackpot game, the jackpot game may continue until the final round ends. In such cases, the number of balls dispensed increases due to the payout of prize balls even after the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value, but this increase in the number of balls dispensed is tolerated. Alternatively, the stop state, which involves a "game stop" or "fire stop," may be triggered after the jackpot game has ended. This prevents gameplay from being restricted during a jackpot game and prevents disadvantages in winning prize balls, making it less likely for players to become dissatisfied.

In addition, in the above-mentioned fourth embodiment, a gaming machine of the type that circulates gaming balls without paying out actual prize balls outside the gaming machine (so-called sealed gaming machine, managed gaming machine) was described. However, the above-mentioned "technology for generating a stop state based on the amount of balls paid out (amount of balls paid out A, B)" is not limited to this type of gaming machine, and may also be applied to conventional gaming machines (gaming machines that pay out actual prize balls outside the gaming machine). Furthermore, when applied to conventional gaming machines, it is preferable to set the timing for generating the stop state and game control during the stop state as follows.

In other words, conventional gaming machines have a payout control board instead of a frame control board 740, and this payout control board is typically capable of controlling a payout device that pays out game balls stored in a ball tank on the back side of the machine as prize balls. The prize balls paid out to the ball tray on the front side of the machine are then awarded to the player as real balls. However, with this configuration, there is a longer time lag between the time game balls enter various prize slots and the time they are paid out than with gaming machines that circulate game balls. In particular, it is conceivable that multiple game balls may enter the big prize slot 2005 during a jackpot game, leaving many prize balls stored as unpaid. In such cases, there is a possibility that many prize balls may remain stored as unpaid even after the aforementioned stop-play state begins. In such a case, as in the fourth embodiment described above, if the payout process on the payout control board is stopped at the same time that the game (main game) on the main control board 1310 is stopped when the max-out state begins, there is a risk that the player will not be able to obtain the profit that he or she should have (prize balls that are stored as unpaid). Therefore, when applying "technology that triggers a max-out state based on the amount of payout balls (amount of payout balls A and B)" to conventional gaming machines, the following two control methods are possible.

First, in the first pattern, the "payout number" that is the subject of calculation for the limit counter is the actual number of balls paid out. Specifically, a ball sensor is installed to detect the number of game balls sent by the payout device toward the ball tray, and the detection result of this ball sensor is reflected in the "payout number." This makes it possible to reduce the number of unpaid prize balls compared to calculating the limit counter based on prize ball information on the main control board 1310.

In addition, the second pattern is that even if play is stopped when the machine reaches its limit, the "payout of unpaid prize balls" will continue. Then, once all unpaid prize balls have been used, play will stop completely. Note that the second pattern can be used in conjunction with the first pattern.

(Addition of Restriction Clear Pattern Table 4)
In the above description, limited clear pattern tables 1 to 3 are provided as limited clear pattern tables with different clear conditions for "the amount of balls calculated before the stop state began" and "the limit on play during the stop state," but a separate limited clear pattern table 4 may also be provided. In such a case, too, one of limited clear pattern tables 1 to 4 is selected by operating a limited clear pattern selection switch that can be operated by the hall manager. However, with regard to the limited clear pattern table, only limited clear pattern table 4 may be used from the viewpoint of reducing the capacity of the ROM that stores various processing programs.

Figure 130 shows the limited clear pattern table 4 that is selected when the limited clear pattern selection switch is set to "4." When this limited clear pattern table 4 is selected, the arcade can choose whether to maintain or clear the "game restrictions during a stalled state" when the power is turned back on after a power outage, but the "amount of balls calculated before the stalled state began" is always cleared when the power is turned back on after a power outage.

Power-on pattern 1 maintains the game state at the time of power-off when the power is turned on, but clears (initializes) the "amount of balls dispensed before and after the stop state was initiated," while maintaining the "game limits during the stop state." Furthermore, as a notification method for external notification, from the time the power is turned on until a predetermined period of time has elapsed, the LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards on the game board 5 and door frame 3 emit green light, a sound is output from the speaker saying "The amount of balls dispensed has been cleared. The stop state is maintained," and the effect display device 1600 displays an image message saying "The amount of balls dispensed has been cleared. The stop state is maintained" (equivalent to clear notification 1 and progress impossible notification, described below). In addition to these notifications, a clear method notification may be added to show the hall manager how to clear the stop state.

When power is turned on, power-on pattern 2 clears (initializes) the game state at the time of power-off, but also clears (initializes) the "amount of balls dispensed before and after the stop state was initiated" and the "game restrictions during the stop state." Specifically, when game play is restricted by restriction pattern 1 described above, "game is stopped," but the "game stop" is lifted when the stop state is cleared. When game play is restricted by restriction pattern 2, "fire is stopped," but the "fire stop" is lifted when the stop state is cleared. When game play is restricted by restriction pattern 3, "game is stopped" and "fire is stopped," but the "game stop" and "fire stop" are lifted when the stop state is cleared. In either case, game play (main game) can be resumed on the main control board 1310 side. Additionally, as a notification method for the outside world, from the time the power is turned on until a predetermined period of time has passed, the LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards on the game board 5 and door frame 3 are made to emit red light, a sound is output from the speaker saying "The ball output limit has been cleared," and an image message saying "The ball output limit has been cleared" is displayed on the effect display device 1600 (equivalent to clear notification 2 described below).

When power is turned on, power-on pattern 3 clears (initializes) the game state at the time of power-off, but also clears (initializes) the "amount of balls dispensed before and after the stop state began" and the "game limits during the stop state." Furthermore, as a notification method for external notification, from the time the power is turned on until a predetermined period of time has elapsed, the LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards on the game board 5 and door frame 3 emit red light, a sound is output from the speaker stating "The amount of balls dispensed and the stop state have been cleared," and an image message stating "The amount of balls dispensed and the stop state have been cleared" is displayed on the effect display device 1600. (This corresponds to clear notification 2, described below.)

Power-on pattern 4 maintains the game state at the time of power-off when the power is turned on, but clears (initializes) the "amount of balls dispensed before and after the stop state was initiated," while maintaining the "restrictions on play during the stop state." Furthermore, as a notification method for external notification, from the time the power is turned on until a predetermined period of time has elapsed, the LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards on the game board 5 and door frame 3 emit blue light, a sound is output from the speaker stating "The amount of balls dispensed has been cleared. The stop state is maintained," and the effect display device 1600 displays an image message stating "The amount of balls dispensed has been cleared. The stop state is maintained." (This corresponds to clear notification 1 and the play disabled notification, described below.) In addition to these notifications, a clear method notification may be added to show the hall manager how to clear the stop state.

When power is turned on, power-on pattern 5 maintains the game state that was in place when power was turned off, but also maintains the "amount of balls dispensed before and after the stop state was initiated" and the "game limits during the stop state." Furthermore, as a notification method for external notification, from the time the power is turned on until a predetermined period of time has elapsed, the LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards on the game board 5 and door frame 3 emit blue light, a sound is output from the speaker stating "The amount of balls dispensed and the stop state are being maintained," and an image message stating "The amount of balls dispensed and the stop state are being maintained" is displayed on the performance display device 1600.

In this way, when the power is turned on, the limit clear pattern table 4 clears (initializes) the "amount of balls dispensed before or after the limit state began" regardless of whether the selected mode is to maintain the game state at the time of power-on, as in power-on patterns 1 and 4, or to clear (initialize) the game state at the time of power-on, as in power-on patterns 2 and 3. This ensures that the hall manager will not forget to clear the amount of balls dispensed when the power is turned on, such as when opening the store, and prevents the amount of balls dispensed from reaching a specific value and entering a limit state immediately after opening. Note that when power-on pattern 5 is selected, the ball removal process described above is simply executed and game play does not begin, so the "amount of balls dispensed before or after the limit state began" is maintained without being cleared (initialized).

In addition, in the restriction clearing pattern table 4, the "restrictions on play during the stopped game state" are cleared (initialized) only when the game state at the time of power-on is cleared (initialized), as in power-on patterns 2 and 3. On the other hand, when the game state at the time of power-on is maintained, as in power-on patterns 1 and 4, the "restrictions on play during the stopped game state" are maintained. In other words, the amusement hall can choose whether to maintain or clear the "restrictions on play during the stopped game state" when power is turned back on after a power-on interruption. For example, if a game has already been stopped and you want to release the game restrictions, you can perform the power-on operation to clear the "restrictions on play during the stopped game state" after a power-on interruption. If you want to maintain the game restrictions, you can perform the power-on operation to maintain the "restrictions on play during the stopped game state" after a power-on interruption. Note that if power-on pattern 5 is selected when power is turned on, the ball removal process described above is simply executed, and game play does not begin. Therefore, the "restrictions on play during the stopped game state" are maintained without being cleared (initialized).

(Notification regarding the amount of balls dispensed when an abnormality is detected)
In this example, abnormalities such as magnetism and vibration can be detected while the machine is powered on, and a determination is made as to whether an abnormality has been detected. Depending on the type of abnormality, gameplay may be stopped upon detection, and gameplay may not resume until the power is turned back on. However, as is evident from, for example, Limit Clear Pattern Table 4, turning the power back on may result in clearing (initializing) the "amount of balls dispensed before or after the initiation of the limit state" and the "game limit during the limit state" depending on the manner of operation performed upon powering on. Therefore, there is a possibility of a new fraudulent scheme in which an intentional abnormality is created just before the initiation of the limit state due to the amount of balls dispensed approaching a specific value, or during the limit state, in order to force the hall manager to turn the power back on and clear (initialize) the "amount of balls dispensed before or after the limit state" and the "game limit during the limit state." In this example, in order to prevent such new fraud, the following describes a case in which, when an abnormality is detected, an announcement is made regarding "the amount of balls dispensed before or after the stop state is initiated" and "restrictions on play during the stop state."

In this example, while the power is on, an abnormality determination is made to determine whether an abnormality has been detected. The type of abnormality is determined to be either a minor or a major abnormality. Examples of minor abnormalities include the opening of the main frame 4 relative to the outer frame 2, the opening of the door frame 3 relative to the main frame 4, and the removal of a frame decoration. When a minor abnormality is detected, game progress is not halted. When a minor abnormality is detected, an abnormality alert is issued to notify the outside world that a minor abnormality has occurred. The abnormality alert is terminated when an error termination condition is met, such as the passage of a predetermined period of time (e.g., 30 seconds). In other words, when a minor abnormality is detected, although there is a possibility that the main frame 4 has been opened relative to the outer frame 2 through fraudulent activity, the abnormality alert is terminated at a predetermined timing because it is easy to confirm whether the main frame 4 has been opened relative to the outer frame 2.

On the other hand, detection of serious abnormalities includes detecting magnetism, vibrations, and radio waves in the pachinko machine 1. In this example, the pachinko machine 1 is equipped with a magnetic sensor for detecting magnetism, a vibration sensor for detecting vibrations, and a radio wave sensor for detecting unauthorized radio waves, each capable of detecting magnetism, vibration, and radio waves. If a serious abnormality is detected, game play is halted because it is highly likely that the magnetism, vibration, or radio waves were caused by unauthorized activity rather than the work of the hall manager. Furthermore, if a serious abnormality is detected, an abnormality alert is issued to notify the outside world that a serious abnormality has occurred, but the abnormality alert does not end even after a predetermined period (e.g., 30 seconds) has elapsed. Therefore, if a serious abnormality occurs, the hall manager must shut off the power to end the abnormality alert, and then turn the power back on to resume game play.

In addition, abnormality notifications are not only sent using components on the front side of the pachinko machine 1, such as the performance display device 1600, but also using components on the back side of the pachinko machine 1, such as the back side of the main frame 4 and the back side of the game board 5. This allows the hall manager to know that an abnormality has occurred, even if he or she is working on the back side of the pachinko machine 1, for example.

Figures 131 to 133 are time charts showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when a minor or major abnormality occurs. In this example, we will explain, in order, the behavior of a pachinko machine when a minor abnormality occurs during a normal state or a stop state, the behavior of a pachinko machine when a major abnormality occurs during a normal state, and the behavior of a pachinko machine when a major abnormality occurs during a stop state. Note that a normal state is a state that is not a stop state before the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value, and may be when special symbols are being displayed in a variable manner, when a jackpot game is being played, or when the machine is in a standby state where special symbols are not being displayed in a variable manner or a jackpot game is not being played.

Furthermore, the case where, at timing t1, it is determined that the payout amount reaches a specific value due to the payout of prize balls based on balls entering the winning slot, the stop flag is determined to be ON, and the machine transitions to the stop state has already been explained using Figure 126. In other words, the behavior of the pachinko machine in a state (normal state) that is not in the stop state before the payout amount reaches a specific value, and in a stop state when no minor or serious abnormality has occurred, has already been explained, so an explanation will be omitted here. However, in Figure 126, after the transition to the stop state at timing t1, no abnormality determination is made to determine whether an abnormality such as magnetism or vibration has been detected. However, in this example, an abnormality determination is made even during the stop state, and an abnormality alert is issued to notify the outside that an abnormality has occurred.

In addition, in this example, when the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value, restriction pattern 3 is selected, which both "stops play" and "stops firing" as restrictions on play in the stopped state. Furthermore, when the power is turned back on after being shut off, restriction clear pattern table 4 is used as the restriction clear pattern table, and the following power-on patterns are explained: when power-on patterns 1 and 4 are selected, which clear the amount of balls dispensed but maintain the stopped state, and when power-on patterns 2 and 3 are selected, which clear the amount of balls dispensed and the stopped state.

Figure 131 is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when a minor abnormality occurs during normal operation or during a stoppage state.

First, before timing t1 when the system transitions to the stop state, it is controlled to the normal state (a state where the system is not in a stop state). The behavior of the normal state (a state where the system is not in a stop state) is as described above.

Here, we will explain what happens when a minor abnormality is detected at timing tx during a normal state (a state where the game is not at a dead end). When a minor abnormality is detected, an abnormality alert is issued to notify the outside world that the abnormality has occurred, and the performance display device 1600, lamp A (LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards of the frame decoration member), lamp B (LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards of the game board 5), speaker, and external terminal board execute their error-prone operations as an abnormality alert. Meanwhile, in all other respects, such as the progress of the game, other than the execution of the abnormality alert, no change occurs from the state before timing tx when no minor abnormality was detected, and normal state (a state where the game is not at a dead end) behavior is maintained.

Specifically, the performance display device 1600, lamp A (LED mounted on various decorative boards of the frame decoration members), lamp B (LED mounted on various decorative boards of the game board 5), and speaker perform the operation they would perform when an error occurs at timing tx. For example, if the opening of the main frame 4 relative to the outer frame 2 is detected as a minor abnormality, the performance display device 1600 displays the message "Door open error" as error display A, and also displays the message "+xx balls remaining until game limit" as current status display A to indicate the number of balls remaining until game play is limited (the number of balls remaining until the number of balls reaches a specific value). Specifically, the advance notice display is executed after the number of balls remaining to be dispensed reaches a specific value of 5,000, but even when the advance notice display is not being executed, for example, if a minor abnormality is detected when the number of balls remaining to be dispensed to reach the specific value is 50,000, the effect display device 1600 will display a message as current status display A stating "+50,000 balls remaining until game limit." Note that while current status display A shows the number of balls remaining to be dispensed until the number of balls reaches the specific value, it may also show the amount of balls dispensed at that time.

As described above, if a minor abnormality is detected during normal operation (when play is not at a limit), the effect display device 1600 will display not only error display A but also current status display A, showing the remaining number of balls to be dispensed before play is restricted (the number of balls remaining until the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value). If the power is turned off at this time, the minor abnormality detection will be resolved, but the number of balls dispensed will be cleared when the power is turned back on using power-on patterns 1 to 4 in the limit clear pattern table 4. In this regard, in this example, the hall manager can determine the number of balls remaining to be dispensed before play is restricted and then decide whether or not to turn the power back on.

Before the timing t1 of the transition to the stop state, the peripheral control board 1510 uses some components, such as the effect display device 1600, to perform pre-notification operations to notify the player that the number of balls dispensed is approaching a specific value. Specifically, the effect display device 1600 displays the message "+XX balls remaining until play limit" in a specific display area as a pre-notification display. This specific display area is set as part of the display area of the effect display device 1600 and is used to display when the number of balls dispensed is approaching a specific value. To prevent the hall manager from overlooking this, it is a fixed area that remains unchanged regardless of the game status. Furthermore, if a minor abnormality is detected while such a pre-notification display is being executed, the effect display device 1600 may display the same data as the pre-notification display as current status display A. Additionally, when the advance notice display is used to display current status display A, it is configured to be displayed on a layer higher (closer to the front) than the layers displaying other effect images; in this example, current status display A is displayed on the top layer, and the display is controlled to ensure that it can continue to be recognized while the abnormality notification is being executed. This prevents current status display A from becoming unrecognizable.

In addition, in this example, for the start operation of the advance notice (operation when the advance notice starts), in addition to the advance notice display using the effect display device 1600, Lamp B (an LED mounted on various decorative boards on the gaming board 5) flashes for a predetermined period (e.g., 2 seconds) as an advance notice light. This makes it easier to recognize that the amount of balls dispensed is approaching a specific value.

In addition, in this example, the advance notice display is executed after the number of balls remaining to be dispensed reaches a specific value, reaching 5,000. This advance notice display, which will be described in more detail below, ends when the number of remaining balls exceeds 5,000. The advance notice display cannot be cleared after a predetermined time has passed or by administrator action. On the other hand, if a minor abnormality occurs or a serious abnormality, as described below, occurs, current status display A is executed, but current status display A will not end even if the number of remaining balls to be dispensed changes. Current status display A can be cleared, for example, after a predetermined time has passed until error display A ends, or by administrator action to resolve the abnormality. This ensures that it is never impossible to distinguish between the advance notice display and current status display A.

In addition, in this example, current status display A is executed by the effect display device 1600, but it is also possible to display the remaining number of balls until the number of balls released reaches a specific value using a display component on the back side of the pachinko machine 1, such as the back side of the main frame 4 or the back side of the game board 5, rather than on a display component on the front side of the pachinko machine 1. Also, even when current status display A is executed by the effect display device 1600, current status display A may be the remaining number of balls until the number of balls released reaches a specific value, or an encrypted version depending on the number of balls released (for example, A is displayed when the remaining number of balls released is between 0 and 5000). This allows only the hall manager to view current status display A, preventing fraudulent attempts to learn the number of balls released by deliberately causing an abnormality.

In addition, in this example, if a minor abnormality occurs or if a serious abnormality, as described below, occurs, the effect display device 1600 executes current status display A. However, if a frequently occurring operational abnormality (error) occurs, such as the upper tray becoming full on a conventional gaming machine (a gaming machine that pays out actual prize balls to the outside of the gaming machine), the effect display device 1600 is configured not to execute current status display A. This makes it possible to prevent current status display A from being displayed too frequently.

In addition, in this example, if a minor abnormality occurs or if a severe abnormality, as described below, occurs, the performance display device 1600 executes current status display A. However, if a RAM error occurs, for example, it is assumed that a severe abnormality has occurred, and the performance display device 1600 executes current status display A. However, if a RAM error occurs, there is a possibility that the memory relating to the amount of balls dispensed itself is abnormal, so the performance display device 1600 may not execute current status display A.

In addition, at timing tx, lamps A and B emit an error light by lighting or flashing a single color LED, and the speaker outputs an error sound saying "Door open error."

In addition, a security signal is output from the external terminal board at timing tx. As a result, if a minor abnormality is detected, a security signal is output to the hall computer, allowing the hall to know that a minor abnormality has occurred.

In addition, in this example, an abnormality alert is initiated at timing tx, but is terminated after a predetermined period of time (e.g., 30 seconds) has passed. In other words, the performance display device 1600, lamp A (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the frame decoration member), lamp B (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the game board 5), speaker, and external terminal board are returned to normal operation. However, if it is detected that a minor abnormality, such as the main frame 4 closing against the outer frame 2, has been resolved before the predetermined period has passed, the abnormality alert is terminated at that point.

Next, at timing t1, it is determined that the number of balls dispensed will reach a specific value due to the payout of prize balls based on the balls entering the winning slot. When the main control board 1310 detects a ball entering the winning slot, it turns on the stop flag and transitions to a "stop state" in which restriction pattern 3 is applied, which performs both "game stop" and "firing stop." The behavior of the stop state is as described above.

Here, we will explain what happens when a minor abnormality is detected at timing ty during the game-stop state. When a minor abnormality is detected, an abnormality notification is issued to notify the outside world that the abnormality has occurred, and the effect display device 1600 executes the operation it would perform when an error occurs as an abnormality notification. Meanwhile, in all other respects, such as disabling game progress, nothing has changed from the situation before timing ty when no minor abnormality was detected, and the game-stop state behavior is maintained.

Specifically, the effect display device 1600 executes the operation to be performed when an error occurs at timing tx. For example, if the opening of the main frame 4 relative to the outer frame 2 is detected as a minor abnormality, the effect display device 1600 displays the message "Door open error" as error display A, and also displays the message "Play limit reached" as current status display B to indicate that the machine has already entered a play limit state and play is restricted (after the amount of balls dispensed has reached a specific value).

As described above, if a minor abnormality is detected during a game-stopping state, the effect display device 1600 will display not only error display A but also current status display B, indicating that the game has already transitioned to a game-stopping state and that play is restricted (after the number of balls dispensed has reached a specific value). When the power is turned back on in this case, the minor abnormality detection is resolved, but while turning the power back on using power-on patterns 1 and 4 in the restriction clear pattern table 4 will maintain the restrictions on play during the game-stopping state, turning the power back on using power-on patterns 2 and 3 will clear the restrictions on play during the game-stopping state. In this regard, in this example, the hall manager can determine which power-on pattern to use to turn the power back on after understanding that the game has already transitioned to a game-stopping state and that play is restricted.

In this example, only the effect display device 1600 is used to issue an abnormality alert, and components other than the effect display device 1600 are prioritized for operation when progress is impossible. This makes it easy to understand that even if a minor abnormality is detected during a play-stop state, the game has already transitioned to a play-stop state and play is restricted.

In addition, in this example, if a minor abnormality occurs during a stalled state, or if a serious abnormality, as described below, occurs, current status display B is executed, but current status display B will not end even if the amount of balls dispensed changes thereafter. Furthermore, current status display B can be erased, for example, when a predetermined time has passed until error display A ends, or by administrator operation to resolve the abnormality. This makes it possible to prevent current status display B from being displayed more than necessary.

In addition, in this example, if a minor abnormality occurs during a stalled state, or if a serious abnormality, as described below, occurs, the effect display device 1600 executes current status display B. However, if a frequently occurring operational abnormality (error) occurs, such as the upper tray becoming full on a conventional gaming machine (a gaming machine that pays out actual prize balls to the outside of the gaming machine), the effect display device 1600 is configured not to execute current status display B. This makes it possible to prevent current status display B from being displayed too frequently.

In addition, in this example, if a minor abnormality occurs during the stalled state, or if a serious abnormality, as described below, occurs, the performance display device 1600 executes current status display B. However, if a RAM error occurs, for example, it is assumed that a serious abnormality has occurred, and the performance display device 1600 executes current status display B. However, if a RAM error occurs, there is a possibility that the memory relating to the stalled state itself is abnormal, so the performance display device 1600 may not execute current status display B.

Furthermore, after a predetermined time has elapsed from timing t1, the speaker performs the operation required for when progress is impossible, outputting a sound indicating that progress is impossible, saying, "Play is being restricted as the daily ball payout limit has been reached." However, this sound indicating progress is impossible may be set to end a predetermined period of time (e.g., 30 seconds) after it began to be output. This prevents the sound indicating progress is impossible from continuing to be output after the machine has transitioned to a play limit state, preventing it from interfering with players playing on other pachinko machines 1.

In addition, from the external terminal board, a forced output state is set in which a security signal is forcibly output from the time t1 when the system transitions to a stopped state. However, if a minor abnormality is detected at time tx, the security signal being output is terminated and no new security signal is output, but the security signal being output continues to be output. This prevents the hall from mistakenly believing that the stopped state has ended.

In addition, in this example, an abnormality alert is initiated at timing ty, but is terminated after a predetermined period of time (e.g., 30 seconds) has passed. In other words, the performance display device 1600 is set to return to operation as it would be if progress was impossible. However, if it is detected that a minor abnormality, such as the main frame 4 closing against the outer frame 2, has been resolved before the predetermined period has passed, the abnormality alert is terminated at that point.

Next, after transitioning to the stopped state, the power is turned off at timing t2, and then turned back on at timing t3. In this example, when the power is turned back on, limit clear pattern table 4 is used as the limit clear pattern table.

First, let's consider the case where the power is turned back on at timing t3, but power-on pattern 2 or 3 is selected, which clears the ball output amount and the stopped state. When power-on pattern 2 or 3 is selected, the game state at the time of power interruption is cleared (initialized), but the "ball output amount before and after the stopped state began" and "game limits during the stopped state" are also cleared (initialized). Therefore, whether power-on pattern 2 or 3 is selected, the "game limits during the stopped state" are cleared, thereby controlling the game to the normal state (a state where the game is not stopped). In other words, it is possible to resume gameplay (main gameplay) on the main control board 1310 side. The behavior in the normal state (a state where the game is not stopped) is as described above.

At timing t3, the effect display device 1600, Lamp A (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the frame decoration member), Lamp B (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the game board 5), and speaker execute Clear Notification 2. For example, the effect display device 1600 displays a predetermined combination of decorative patterns as the initial display, and also displays the message "Limits cleared" as Clear Notification 2 to indicate that the ball output amount and limit have been cleared. This allows the hall manager to confirm that the ball output amount and limit have been cleared when the power is turned back on. However, Clear Notification 2 does not necessarily notify that the limit has been cleared if the limit was not reached when the power was turned off, and it may instead notify that the ball output amount has been cleared or the amount of balls output at the time of clearing.

In addition, at timing t3, lamps A and B will light up or flash red as clear notification 2.

In addition, at timing t3, the speaker outputs a clear notification 2 saying "Limits cleared," indicating that the payout amount and limit have been cleared.

In this example, Clear Notification 2 is initiated at timing t3, but is terminated after a predetermined period of time (e.g., 10 seconds) has passed. In other words, the effect display device 1600, Lamp A (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the frame decoration member), Lamp B (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the gaming board 5), and speaker are returned to normal operation. However, normal operation may be initiated before Clear Notification 2 is terminated. Clear Notification 2 displayed on the effect display device 1600 may continue to be displayed even after the predetermined period has passed. Such Clear Notification 2 may also be made erasable by administrator operation. This means that Clear Notification 2 will remain displayed unless it is erased by administrator operation, making it more difficult to commit fraud.

Next, we will explain the case where the power is turned back on at timing t3', and power-on pattern 1 or 4 is selected, which clears the number of balls dispensed but maintains the stopped state. When power-on pattern 1 or 4 is selected, the game state at the time of power-off is maintained, but the "number of balls dispensed before and after the stopped state began" is cleared (initialized), while the "restrictions on play during the stopped state" are maintained. Therefore, whether power-on pattern 1 or 4 is selected, the behavior of the stopped state is maintained by maintaining the "restrictions on play during the stopped state." In other words, it is impossible to resume play (main game) on the main control board 1310 side. The behavior of the stopped state is as described above.

At timing t3', the effect display device 1600, Lamp A (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the frame decoration members), Lamp B (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the game board 5), and speaker execute Clear Notification 1. For example, the effect display device 1600 displays the message "Ball output has been cleared" as Clear Notification 1 to indicate that the ball output amount has been cleared. This allows the hall manager to confirm that the ball output amount has been cleared when the power is turned back on. However, Clear Notification 1 may also notify that the stop state has been maintained if the ball output amount was in a stop state when the power was cut off, or it may not only notify that the ball output amount has been cleared but also the amount of balls output at the time of clearing.

In addition, at timing t3', lamps A and B will light up or flash green as clear notification 1.

In addition, at timing t3', the speaker outputs a clear notification 1 saying "The amount of dispensed balls has been cleared" to indicate that the amount of dispensed balls has been cleared.

In addition, in this example, Clear Notification 1 is initiated at timing t3, but is terminated after a predetermined period of time (for example, 10 seconds) has passed. In other words, the performance display device 1600, Lamp A (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the frame decoration member), Lamp B (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the game board 5), and speaker are set to return to operation when progress is impossible. However, operation when progress is impossible may be initiated before Clear Notification 1 is terminated.

Specifically, the effect display device 1600 displays the message "Play restricted" as a progress impossibility notification (progression impossibility display). In addition, the effect display device 1600 displays the message "Return to normal state by clearing the RAM" as a clearing method notification (clearing method display) to show the hall manager how to clear the stalled state. This allows the hall manager to understand that the stalled state cannot be cleared unless power-on pattern 2 or 3, which involves clearing the RAM, is selected when the power is turned back on.

Furthermore, when the speaker performs an action when progress is disabled, it outputs a sound that says, "Play is being restricted because the daily ball payout limit has been reached," as a progress disabled notification (progress disabled sound). However, as mentioned above, such progress disabled sound may end after a predetermined period of time (e.g., 30 seconds) has elapsed since its output began. However, even if the output of the progress disabled sound has ended during a play-disabled state, the progress disabled sound may be output again if the power is turned back on at timing t3'. In such a case, the output of the progress disabled sound will end once a predetermined time has elapsed since timing t3'. As a result, when the power is turned back on, the progress disabled sound is output again, making it easy to understand that the play-disabled state has not been cleared and play is being restricted.

In this example, if power-on pattern 1 or 4 is selected when the power is turned back on, the ball output is cleared but the capped state is maintained. Therefore, the unprogressable notification and clearing method notification are executed after clearing notification 1 is terminated, and clearing notification 1 is executed in priority over the unprogressable notification and clearing method notification. This allows the hall manager to confirm that the ball output has been cleared when the power is turned back on. As another example, the unprogressable notification and clearing method notification may be executed in parallel with clearing notification 1, or clearing notification 1 and the unprogressable notification and clearing method notification may be executed alternately. Furthermore, when an unprogressable notification and clearing method notification are executed in parallel with clearing notification 1, clearing notification 1 may be executed on some of the multiple components and the unprogressable notification and clearing method notification may be executed on the remaining components. Alternatively, clearing notification 1 may be executed on some areas of the same components and the unprogressable notification and clearing method notification may be executed on the remaining areas. Furthermore, even when an unprogressable notification and clearing method notification are executed in parallel with clearing notification 1, clearing notification 1 may be terminated after a predetermined period (e.g., 10 seconds) has elapsed. The clearing method notification may also end after a predetermined period of time (e.g., 10 seconds) has elapsed.

Figure 132 is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when a serious abnormality occurs during normal operation.

First, before the timing tx at which a severe abnormality is detected, control is performed to the normal state (a state that is not in a stalled state). The behavior of the normal state (a state that is not in a stalled state) is as described above.

Here, we will explain what happens when a severe abnormality is detected at timing tx during normal operation (when the game is not at a dead end). When a severe abnormality is detected, it becomes impossible to fire game balls, and it becomes impossible to proceed with the game (main game) on the main control board 1310 side. In other words, when a severe abnormality occurs, the special symbol variable display and jackpot game will not be executed, and even if a start win occurs, the special symbol variable display will not be newly started.

In addition, if a serious abnormality is detected, an abnormality alert is issued to notify the outside world that the abnormality has occurred, and the performance display device 1600, lamps A-C, speaker, movable body, and external terminal board perform the operations required when an error occurs as an abnormality alert.

Specifically, the effect display device 1600, lamp A (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the frame decoration members), lamp B (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the game board 5), and speaker perform the operations they would perform when an error occurs at timing tx. For example, if magnetism is detected as a serious abnormality, the effect display device 1600 will display the message "Magnetic abnormality" as error display B, and will also display the message "+xx balls remaining until game limit" as current status display A to indicate the number of balls remaining until game play is limited (the number of balls remaining until the number of balls reaches a specific value).

As mentioned above, if a serious abnormality is detected during normal operation (when play is not at a limit), the effect display device 1600 will display not only error display B but also current status display A, indicating the number of balls remaining to be dispensed before play is restricted (the number of balls remaining to be dispensed until the number of balls reaches a specific value). If the power is turned off at this time, the detection of the serious abnormality will be resolved, but the number of balls dispensed will be cleared when the power is turned back on using power-on patterns 1 to 4 in the restriction clear pattern table 4. In this regard, in this example, the hall manager can determine the number of balls remaining to be dispensed before play is restricted and then decide whether or not to turn the power back on.

Before the game reaches its limit, the peripheral control board 1510 uses some components, such as the effect display device 1600, to perform pre-notification operations to notify the player that the number of balls dispensed is approaching a specific value. Specifically, the effect display device 1600 displays the message "+XX balls remaining until play limit" in a specific display area as a pre-notification display. This specific display area is set as part of the display area of the effect display device 1600 and is used to display when the number of balls dispensed is approaching a specific value. To prevent the hall manager from overlooking this, it is a fixed area that remains unchanged regardless of the game status. If a serious abnormality is detected while this pre-notification display is being executed, the effect display device 1600 may display the same data as the pre-notification display as current status display A. Additionally, when the advance notice display is used to display current status display A, it is configured to be displayed on a layer higher (closer to the front) than the layers displaying other effect images; in this example, current status display A is displayed on the top layer, and the display is controlled to ensure that it can continue to be recognized while the abnormality notification is being executed. This prevents current status display A from becoming unrecognizable.

In addition, at timing tx, lamps A and B emit an error light, with the LED lighting up or blinking in a single color.

In addition, Lamp C is equipped with a functional display unit 1400 including a status indicator, normal symbol indicator, normal hold indicator, first special symbol indicator, first special hold number indicator, second special symbol indicator, second special hold number indicator, and round indicator, and all of these LEDs are set to light up. However, as another example, the functional display unit 1400 may be provided with an LED dedicated to abnormality notification, and when a serious abnormality is detected, the LED dedicated to abnormality notification may be set to light up and the other LEDs may be set to off.

In addition, the speaker will output an error sound saying, "A magnetic abnormality has occurred."

In addition, the movable body is put into an inoperable state at time tx so that it will not operate. For example, if the movable body is in operation at time tx, the movable body is forcibly stopped mid-operation. However, as another example, a movable body that is not in its initial position may be returned to its initial position after time tx before the movable body is stopped. In this way, even if the movable body is located in front of the display area of the performance display device 1600 at time tx, the movable body will return to its initial position after time tx, making it less likely that the error display B or current status display A being executed by the performance display device 1600 will be overlooked.

In addition, a security signal is output from the external terminal board at timing tx. As a result, if a serious abnormality is detected, a security signal is output to the hall computer, allowing the hall to understand that a serious abnormality has occurred.

Furthermore, if a serious abnormality is detected at timing tx, it will be impossible for the game ball to be launched into the game area 5a when the player operates the handle 160.

Furthermore, if a severe abnormality is detected at timing tx, the number of game balls B that enter the ball entrance (winning hole, out hole) (number of entering balls) and the number of game balls B that are paid out as prize balls (number of paid out) are not counted. In other words, it is not possible to perform calculations regarding the ratio of the number of paid out balls to the number of entering balls, and this is not reflected in the base value displayed on the base monitor. However, the number of game balls B that enter the ball entrance (winning hole, out hole) (number of entering balls) may be counted, and a calculation may be performed regarding the ratio of the number of paid out balls to the number of entering balls, which may be reflected in the base value displayed on the base monitor.

Furthermore, if a severe abnormality is detected at time tx, a predetermined number of game balls can be paid out as prize balls for balls detected entering a prize slot before time tx, and the number of game balls paid out as prize balls can be added to the player's ball count. This allows the player to obtain prize balls up to the number of game balls until the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value. On the other hand, if a ball is detected entering a prize slot after a severe abnormality is detected at time tx, the predetermined number of game balls will not be paid out as prize balls, and will not be added to the player's ball count. However, if a severe abnormality is detected at time tx, the machine may be configured not to detect balls entering a prize slot. Similarly, even if a ball enters a prize slot, the predetermined number of game balls will not be paid out as prize balls, and will not be added to the player's ball count.

Furthermore, if a serious abnormality is detected at timing tx, the operation performed when an error occurs is executed as an abnormality notification, but if another serious abnormality is detected thereafter at timing ty, the operation performed when that error occurred is continued without change. However, it may also be configured so that after a serious abnormality is detected at timing tx, another serious abnormality is not detected.

In addition, in this example, an abnormality alert is initiated at timing tx, but the alert does not end even after a predetermined period of time (e.g., 30 seconds) has passed. For this reason, if a serious abnormality occurs, the hall manager must shut off the power to end the abnormality alert, and then turn the power back on so that game progress can resume.

Next, after a serious abnormality is detected during normal operation (not during a stalled state), the power is shut off at time t2 to terminate the abnormality notification, and then the power is turned back on at time t3. In this example, when the power is turned back on, limit clear pattern table 4 is used as the limit clear pattern table.

First, let us consider the case where the power is turned back on at time t3, and power-on pattern 2 or 3 is selected as the power-on pattern, which clears the ball output amount and the stopped state. When power-on pattern 2 or 3 is selected, the game state at the time of power-off is cleared (initialized), but the "ball output amount before and after the stopped state began" and "game restrictions during the stopped state" are also cleared (initialized). In this example, since the game was not in a stopped state when the power was turned off at time t2, when the power is turned back on at time t3, the game is controlled to the normal state (a state where the game is not stopped) regardless of whether power-on pattern 2 or 3 is selected. In other words, it is possible to resume gameplay (main gameplay) on the main control board 1310 side. The behavior of the normal state (a state where the game is not stopped) is as described above.

At timing t3, the effect display device 1600, Lamp A (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the frame decoration member), Lamp B (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the game board 5), and speaker execute Clear Notification 2. For example, the effect display device 1600 displays a predetermined combination of decorative patterns as the initial display, and also displays the message "Limits cleared" as Clear Notification 2 to indicate that the ball output amount and limit have been cleared. This allows the hall manager to confirm that the ball output amount and limit have been cleared when the power is turned back on. However, since the limit was not reached when the power was turned off, Clear Notification 2 does not necessarily have to notify that the limit has been cleared, and it may instead notify that the ball output amount has been cleared or the amount of balls output at the time of clearing.

In addition, at timing t3, lamps A and B will light up or flash red as clear notification 2.

In addition, at timing t3, the speaker outputs a clear notification 2 saying "Limits cleared," indicating that the payout amount and limit have been cleared.

In this example, Clear Notification 2 is initiated at timing t3, but is terminated after a predetermined period of time (e.g., 10 seconds) has passed. In other words, the effect display device 1600, Lamp A (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the frame decoration member), Lamp B (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the gaming board 5), and speaker are returned to normal operation. However, normal operation may be initiated before Clear Notification 2 is terminated. Clear Notification 2 displayed on the effect display device 1600 may continue to be displayed even after the predetermined period has passed. Such Clear Notification 2 may also be made erasable by administrator operation. This means that Clear Notification 2 will remain displayed unless it is erased by administrator operation, making it more difficult to commit fraud.

Next, we will explain the case where the power is turned back on at timing t3', and power-on pattern 1 or 4 is selected, which clears the ball dispense amount but maintains the stopped state. When power-on pattern 1 or 4 is selected, the game state at the time of power-off is maintained, but the "ball dispense amount before and after the stopped state began" is cleared (initialized), while the "game restrictions during the stopped state" are maintained. In this example, since the game was not in a stopped state when the power was turned off at timing t2, when the power is turned back on at timing t3, it is controlled to the normal state (a state where the game is not in a stopped state) regardless of whether power-on pattern 1 or 4 is selected. In other words, it is possible to resume gameplay (main gameplay) on the main control board 1310 side. The behavior of the normal state (a state where the game is not in a stopped state) is as described above.

At timing t3', the effect display device 1600, Lamp A (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the frame decoration members), Lamp B (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the game board 5), and speaker execute Clear Notification 1. For example, the effect display device 1600 displays the message "Ball output has been cleared" as Clear Notification 1 to indicate that the ball output amount has been cleared. This allows the hall manager to confirm that the ball output amount has been cleared when the power is turned back on. However, Clear Notification 1 may also notify that the stop state has been maintained if the ball output amount was in a stop state when the power was cut off, or it may not only notify that the ball output amount has been cleared but also the amount of balls output at the time of clearing.

In addition, at timing t3', lamps A and B will light up or flash green as clear notification 1.

In addition, at timing t3', the speaker outputs a clear notification 1 saying "The amount of dispensed balls has been cleared" to indicate that the amount of dispensed balls has been cleared.

In addition, in this example, Clear Notification 1 is initiated at timing t3, but is terminated after a predetermined period of time (e.g., 10 seconds) has passed. In other words, the effect display device 1600, Lamp A (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the frame decoration member), Lamp B (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the game board 5), and speaker are returned to normal operation. However, normal operation may be initiated before Clear Notification 1 is terminated.

Figure 133 is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when a serious abnormality occurs during a play stop state.

First, the system is controlled to a stalled state before the timing tx at which a severe abnormality is detected. The behavior of the stalled state is as described above.

Here, we will explain what happens when a serious abnormality is detected at timing tx during the game-stop state. When a serious abnormality is detected, an abnormality notification is issued to notify the outside world that the abnormality has occurred, and the effect display device 1600 executes the operation it would perform when an error occurs as an abnormality notification. Meanwhile, in all other respects, such as disabling game progress, nothing changes from the situation before timing tx when no serious abnormality was detected, and the game-stop state behavior is maintained.

Specifically, the effect display device 1600 performs the operation when an error occurs at timing tx. For example, if magnetism is detected as a serious abnormality, the effect display device 1600 displays the message "Magnetic abnormality" as error display B, and also displays the message "Play limit reached" as current status display B to indicate that the game has already entered a stop state and play is restricted (after the number of balls dispensed has reached a specific value).

As described above, if a serious abnormality is detected during a game-stopping state, the effect display device 1600 will display not only error display B but also current status display B, indicating that the game has already transitioned to a game-stopping state and play is restricted (after the number of balls dispensed has reached a specific value). When the power is turned back on in this case, the detection of the serious abnormality will be resolved, but while turning the power back on using power-on patterns 1 and 4 in the restriction clear pattern table 4 will maintain the restrictions on play during the game-stopping state, turning the power back on using power-on patterns 2 and 3 will clear the restrictions on play during the game-stopping state. In this regard, in this example, the hall manager can determine which power-on pattern to use after understanding that the game has already transitioned to a game-stopping state and play is restricted.

In addition, in this example, only the effect display device 1600 is used to issue an abnormality alert, and components other than the effect display device 1600 are prioritized to execute operations when progress is impossible. This makes it easy to understand that even if a serious abnormality is detected during a play-stop state, the game has already transitioned to a play-stop state and play is restricted.

In addition, from the external terminal board, a forced output state is set in which a security signal is forcibly output from the time t1 when the system transitions to a stopped state. However, if a serious abnormality is detected at time tx, the security signal being output is terminated and no new security signal is output, but the security signal being output continues to be output. This prevents the hall from mistakenly believing that the stopped state has ended.

In addition, in this example, an abnormality alert is initiated at timing tx, but the alert does not end even after a predetermined period of time (e.g., 30 seconds) has passed. For this reason, if a serious abnormality occurs, the hall manager must shut off the power to end the abnormality alert, and then turn the power back on so that game progress can resume.

Next, after a serious abnormality is detected during the stopped state, the power is shut off at timing t2 to terminate the abnormality notification, and then the power is turned back on at timing t3. In this example, when the power is turned back on, limit clear pattern table 4 is used as the limit clear pattern table.

First, let's consider the case where the power is turned back on at timing t3, but power-on pattern 2 or 3 is selected, which clears the ball output amount and the stopped state. When power-on pattern 2 or 3 is selected, the game state at the time of power interruption is cleared (initialized), but the "ball output amount before and after the stopped state began" and "game limits during the stopped state" are also cleared (initialized). Therefore, whether power-on pattern 2 or 3 is selected, the "game limits during the stopped state" are cleared, thereby controlling the game to the normal state (a state where the game is not stopped). In other words, it is possible to resume gameplay (main gameplay) on the main control board 1310 side. The behavior in the normal state (a state where the game is not stopped) is as described above.

At timing t3, the effect display device 1600, Lamp A (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the frame decoration member), Lamp B (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the game board 5), and speaker execute Clear Notification 2. For example, the effect display device 1600 displays a predetermined combination of decorative patterns as the initial display, and also displays the message "Limits cleared" as Clear Notification 2 to indicate that the ball output amount and limit have been cleared. This allows the hall manager to confirm that the ball output amount and limit have been cleared when the power is turned back on. However, Clear Notification 2 does not necessarily notify that the limit has been cleared if the limit was not reached when the power was turned off, and it may instead notify that the ball output amount has been cleared or the amount of balls output at the time of clearing.

In addition, at timing t3, lamps A and B will light up or flash red as clear notification 2.

In addition, at timing t3, the speaker outputs a clear notification 2 saying "Limits cleared," indicating that the payout amount and limit have been cleared.

In this example, Clear Notification 2 begins at timing t3, but ends after a predetermined period of time (e.g., 10 seconds) has passed. In other words, the effect display device 1600, Lamp A (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the frame decoration member), Lamp B (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the gaming board 5), and speaker are returned to normal operation. However, Clear Notification 2 displayed on the effect display device 1600 may continue to be displayed even after the predetermined period has passed. Furthermore, such Clear Notification 2 may be made to be erasable by administrator operation. In this way, unless Clear Notification 2 is erased by administrator operation, Clear Notification 2 will remain displayed, making it more difficult to commit fraud.

Next, we will explain the case where the power is turned back on at timing t3', and power-on pattern 1 or 4 is selected, which clears the number of balls dispensed but maintains the stopped state. When power-on pattern 1 or 4 is selected, the game state at the time of power-off is maintained, but the "number of balls dispensed before and after the stopped state began" is cleared (initialized), while the "restrictions on play during the stopped state" are maintained. Therefore, whether power-on pattern 1 or 4 is selected, the behavior of the stopped state is maintained by maintaining the "restrictions on play during the stopped state." In other words, it is impossible to resume play (main game) on the main control board 1310 side. The behavior of the stopped state is as described above.

At timing t3', the effect display device 1600, Lamp A (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the frame decoration members), Lamp B (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the game board 5), and speaker execute Clear Notification 1. For example, the effect display device 1600 displays the message "Ball output has been cleared" as Clear Notification 1 to indicate that the ball output amount has been cleared. This allows the hall manager to confirm that the ball output amount has been cleared when the power is turned back on. However, Clear Notification 1 may also notify that the stop state has been maintained if the ball output amount was in a stop state when the power was cut off, or it may not only notify that the ball output amount has been cleared but also the amount of balls output at the time of clearing.

In addition, at timing t3', lamps A and B will light up or flash green as clear notification 1.

In addition, at timing t3', the speaker outputs a clear notification 1 saying "The amount of dispensed balls has been cleared" to indicate that the amount of dispensed balls has been cleared.

In addition, in this example, Clear Notification 1 is initiated at timing t3, but is terminated after a predetermined period of time (for example, 10 seconds) has passed. In other words, the performance display device 1600, Lamp A (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the frame decoration member), Lamp B (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the game board 5), and speaker are set to return to operation when progress is impossible. However, operation when progress is impossible may be initiated before Clear Notification 1 is terminated.

Specifically, the effect display device 1600 displays the message "Play restricted" as a progress impossibility notification (progression impossibility display). In addition, the effect display device 1600 displays the message "Return to normal state by clearing the RAM" as a clearing method notification (clearing method display) to show the hall manager how to clear the stalled state. This allows the hall manager to understand that the stalled state cannot be cleared unless power-on pattern 2 or 3, which involves clearing the RAM, is selected when the power is turned back on.

Furthermore, when the speaker performs an action when progress is disabled, it outputs a sound that says, "Play is being restricted because the daily ball payout limit has been reached," as a progress disabled notification (progress disabled sound). However, as mentioned above, such progress disabled sound may end after a predetermined period of time (e.g., 30 seconds) has elapsed since its output began. However, even if the output of the progress disabled sound has ended during a play-disabled state, the progress disabled sound may be output again if the power is turned back on at timing t3'. In such a case, the output of the progress disabled sound will end once a predetermined time has elapsed since timing t3'. As a result, when the power is turned back on, the progress disabled sound is output again, making it easy to understand that the play-disabled state has not been cleared and play is being restricted.

In this example, if power-on pattern 1 or 4 is selected when the power is turned back on, the number of balls dispensed is cleared but the capped state is maintained. Therefore, the unable to progress notification and clearing method notification are executed after clear notification 1 is terminated, and clear notification 1 is executed in priority over the unable to progress notification and clearing method notification. This allows the hall manager to confirm that the number of balls dispensed has been cleared when the power is turned back on. As another example, the unable to progress notification and clearing method notification may be executed in parallel with clear notification 1, or clear notification 1 and the unable to progress notification and clearing method notification may be executed alternately. Furthermore, when the unable to progress notification and clearing method notification are executed in parallel with clear notification 1, clear notification 1 may be executed on some of the multiple components and the unable to progress notification and clearing method notification may be executed on the remaining components. Alternatively, clear notification 1 may be executed on some areas of the same components and the unable to progress notification and clearing method notification may be executed on the remaining areas. Furthermore, even when the unable to progress notification and clearing method notification are executed in parallel with clear notification 1, clear notification 1 may be terminated after a predetermined period (e.g., 10 seconds) has elapsed.

(When a stop preparation state is set: Notification of the amount of balls dispensed when an abnormality is detected during the stop preparation state)
In the above example, when the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value, the main control board 1310 enters a stop state, restricting gameplay. However, when the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value during a jackpot game (winning game), the game may be configured to transition to a stop state upon the end of the jackpot game, rather than remaining in the stop state until the jackpot game ends. For example, when the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value during a jackpot game, the game does not immediately enter a stop state, but transitions to a stop state upon the end of the last round of the jackpot game. In other words, when the number of balls dispensed during a jackpot game reaches a specific value, it is possible to acquire balls that exceed the specific value. In this way, by not ending the jackpot game when the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value during a jackpot game, player dissatisfaction can be alleviated.

In this example, when the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value during jackpot play, the machine transitions to a stop preparation state, and although it is confirmed that the machine will transition to the stop state, the jackpot play continues. Furthermore, as with the stop state, the machine is configured so that when the power is turned back on after a power outage, it is possible to choose whether to maintain or clear the stop preparation state.

Specifically, in Limit Clear Pattern Table 4, when the power is turned on, the "restrictions on play during the stop state" are cleared (initialized) only if the game state at the time of power interruption is cleared (initialized), as in power-on patterns 2 and 3, but the stop preparation state is also cleared (initialized). On the other hand, when the game state at the time of power interruption is maintained, as in power-on patterns 1 and 4, the "restrictions on play during the stop state" are maintained, but the stop preparation state is also maintained. In other words, just like the stop state, it is possible to choose whether to maintain or clear the stop preparation state when power is turned on again after a power interruption. For example, if the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value during jackpot play and a stop preparation state occurs, and you want to clear the stop preparation state, you can simply perform a power-on operation to clear the stop preparation state after the power is turned off. This power-on operation will clear the jackpot play that was in progress. On the other hand, if you want to maintain the ready-to-stop state, you can perform the power-on operation to maintain the ready-to-stop state after power is turned off. This will restart any jackpot play that was in progress. If power-on pattern 5 is selected when the power is turned on, the ball removal process described above is simply executed, and play does not begin, so the ready-to-stop state is maintained without being cleared (initialized).

Figure 134 is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when a minor abnormality occurs during the stop preparation state.

First, at time t1 during jackpot play, it is determined that the number of balls dispensed will reach a specific value due to the payout of prize balls based on the ball entering the winning slot. When the main control board 1310 detects a ball entering the winning slot, it turns on the stop flag and transitions to a stop preparation state. Note that prior to time t1, when the transition to the stop preparation state occurs, the system is controlled to the normal state (a state that is not in a stop state) and jackpot play is being executed. The behavior in the normal state (a state that is not in a stop state) is as described above.

In addition, in the stop preparation state, the ongoing jackpot game continues. Also, in the stop preparation state, after a predetermined time has passed from timing t1, the effect display device 1600 is used to execute a standby notification to inform the outside that the number of balls dispensed has reached a specific value. For example, in addition to displaying a display (normal display) related to the ongoing jackpot game, the effect display device 1600 is configured to display a standby display saying "The jackpot has ended and today is over," indicating that the number of balls dispensed has already reached a specific value. In this way, in the stop preparation state, a warning is given that the game will transition to the stop state when the jackpot game ends.

On the other hand, in all respects other than the execution of the standby notification, such as the progress of the jackpot game, the situation remains unchanged from before timing t1, and normal behavior (a state in which the game is not stopped) is maintained.

In this example, only the effect display device 1600 is used to execute the standby notification, and components other than the effect display device 1600 are given priority for normal operation. This makes it easy to grasp information about the jackpot game currently being played when preparing to stop.

Next, we will explain what happens when a minor abnormality is detected at timing tx during the game-stop preparation state. When a minor abnormality is detected, an abnormality alert is issued to notify the outside world that the abnormality has occurred, and the effect display device 1600, lamp A (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the frame decoration member), lamp B (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the game board 5), speaker, and external terminal board execute their error-prone operations as an abnormality alert. Meanwhile, with regard to aspects other than the execution of the abnormality alert, such as the progress of jackpot play, nothing changes from the situation before timing tx when no minor abnormality was detected, and normal behavior (a state where game-stop state is not in effect) is maintained.

Specifically, the effect display device 1600, lamp A (LED mounted on various decorative boards of the frame decoration members), lamp B (LED mounted on various decorative boards of the game board 5), and speaker perform the operations they would perform when an error occurs at timing tx. For example, if the opening of the main frame 4 relative to the outer frame 2 is detected as a minor abnormality, the effect display device 1600 will display the message "Door open error" as error display A, and will also display the message "The jackpot has ended, so today is over" as current status display C, indicating that the number of balls dispensed has already reached a specific value.

As described above, if a minor abnormality is detected during the stop preparation state, the effect display device 1600 will display not only error display A but also current status display C, indicating that the amount of balls dispensed has already reached a specific value. If the power is turned off at this time, the minor abnormality detection will be resolved, but the stop preparation state will be maintained when the power is turned back on using power-on patterns 1 and 4 in the limit clear pattern table 4, while the stop preparation state will be cleared when the power is turned back on using power-on patterns 2 and 3. In this regard, in this example, the hall manager can determine whether the amount of balls dispensed has already reached a specific value and the machine has transitioned to the stop preparation state, and then determine which power-on pattern to use to turn the power back on.

Note that while in the end-of-play preparation state, the effect display device 1600 displays a standby display message saying "The jackpot is over, so today's game is over," indicating that the number of balls dispensed has already reached a specific value. However, if a minor abnormality is detected during this end-of-play preparation state, the effect display device 1600 may reuse the same data as the standby display to display current status display C. Furthermore, when the standby display is reused to display current status display C, current status display C is displayed as the top layer, and the display is controlled so that it can continue to be recognized while the abnormality notification is being executed. This prevents current status display C from becoming unrecognizable.

In addition, in this example, if a minor abnormality occurs during the preparation state for stopping the game, or if a serious abnormality described below occurs, current status display C is executed, but current status display C will not end even if the amount of balls dispensed changes thereafter. Furthermore, current status display C can be erased, for example, when a predetermined time has passed until error display A ends, or by administrator operation to resolve the abnormality. This makes it possible to prevent current status display C from being displayed more than necessary.

In addition, in this example, if a minor abnormality occurs during the preparation state for finishing the game, or if a serious abnormality, as described below, occurs, the effect display device 1600 executes current status display C. However, if a frequently occurring operational abnormality (error) occurs, such as the upper tray becoming full on a conventional gaming machine (a gaming machine that pays out actual prize balls to the outside of the gaming machine), the effect display device 1600 is configured not to execute current status display C. This makes it possible to prevent current status display C from being displayed too frequently.

In addition, in this example, if a minor abnormality occurs during the stop preparation state, or if a serious abnormality, as described below, occurs, the performance display device 1600 executes current status display C. However, if a RAM error occurs, for example, it is assumed that a serious abnormality has occurred, and the performance display device 1600 executes current status display C. However, if a RAM error occurs, there is a possibility that the memory relating to the stop preparation state itself is abnormal, so the performance display device 1600 may not execute current status display C.

In addition, at timing tx, lamps A and B emit an error light by lighting or flashing a single color LED, and the speaker outputs an error sound saying "Door open error."

In addition, a security signal is output from the external terminal board at timing tx. As a result, if a minor abnormality is detected, a security signal is output to the hall computer, allowing the hall to know that a minor abnormality has occurred.

In addition, in this example, an abnormality alert is initiated at timing tx, but is terminated after a predetermined period of time (e.g., 30 seconds) has passed. In other words, the performance display device 1600, lamp A (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the frame decoration member), lamp B (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the game board 5), speaker, and external terminal board are returned to normal operation. However, if it is detected that a minor abnormality, such as the main frame 4 closing against the outer frame 2, has been resolved before the predetermined period has passed, the abnormality alert is terminated at that point.

Next, at timing tz, it is determined that the jackpot game has ended, but after the jackpot game state ends, the system transitions to a "stop game state" in which restriction pattern 3, which performs both "game stop" and "firing stop," is applied. The behavior of the stop game state is as described above.

Furthermore, after the transition to the stopped state, the power is turned off at timing t2, and then turned back on at timing t3. In this example, when the power is turned back on, limit clear pattern table 4 is used as the limit clear pattern table. Here, the power is turned back on at timing t3, but power-on patterns 2 and 3, which clear the amount of balls dispensed and the stopped state, are selected as the power-on pattern, and the power is turned back on at timing t3', but power-on patterns 1 and 4, which clear the amount of balls dispensed but maintain the stopped state, are selected as the power-on pattern. The behavior of these cases is as explained in Figure 131.

Figure 135 is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when a serious abnormality occurs during the stop preparation state.

First, before the timing tx at which a severe abnormality is detected, the machine is controlled to enter a stop-play preparation state, and the jackpot game is being played. The behavior of the stop-play preparation state is as described above.

Here, we will explain what happens when a serious abnormality is detected at timing tx during the stop preparation state. If a serious abnormality is detected, the launch of game balls is disabled, and the game (main game) on the main control board 1310 side cannot proceed. In other words, if a serious abnormality occurs, the jackpot game currently being played is stopped.

In addition, if a serious abnormality is detected, an abnormality alert is issued to notify the outside world that the abnormality has occurred, and the performance display device 1600, lamps A-C, speaker, movable body, and external terminal board perform the operations required when an error occurs as an abnormality alert.

Specifically, the effect display device 1600, lamp A (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the frame decoration members), lamp B (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the gaming board 5), and speaker perform the operations they would perform when an error occurs at timing tx. For example, if magnetism is detected as a serious abnormality, the effect display device 1600 will display the message "Magnetic abnormality" as error display B, and will also display the message "The jackpot has ended, so today is over" as current status display C, indicating that the number of balls dispensed has already reached a specific value.

As described above, if a serious abnormality is detected during the stop preparation state, the effect display device 1600 will display not only error display A but also current status display C, indicating that the number of balls dispensed has already reached a specific value. If the power is turned off at this time, the serious abnormality detection will be resolved, but the stop preparation state will be maintained when the power is turned back on using power-on patterns 1 and 4 in the limit clear pattern table 4, while the stop preparation state will be cleared when the power is turned back on using power-on patterns 2 and 3. In this regard, in this example, the hall manager can determine whether the power can be turned back on using any power-on pattern after understanding that the number of balls dispensed has already reached a specific value and the machine has transitioned to the stop preparation state.

Note that while in the stop preparation state, the effect display device 1600 displays a standby display message saying "The jackpot is over, so today's game is over" to indicate that the number of balls dispensed has already reached a specific value. However, if a serious abnormality is detected during this stop preparation state, the effect display device 1600 may reuse the same data as the standby display to display current status display C. Furthermore, when the standby display is reused to display current status display C, current status display C is displayed as the top layer, and the display is controlled so that it can continue to be recognized while the abnormality notification is being executed. This prevents current status display C from becoming unrecognizable.

In addition, at timing tx, lamps A and B emit an error light, with the LED lighting up or blinking in a single color.

In addition, Lamp C is equipped with a functional display unit 1400 including a status indicator, normal symbol indicator, normal hold indicator, first special symbol indicator, first special hold number indicator, second special symbol indicator, second special hold number indicator, and round indicator, and all of these LEDs are set to light up. However, as another example, the functional display unit 1400 may be provided with an LED dedicated to abnormality notification, and when a serious abnormality is detected, the LED dedicated to abnormality notification may be set to light up and the other LEDs may be set to off.

In addition, the speaker will output an error sound saying, "A magnetic abnormality has occurred."

In addition, the movable body is put into an inoperable state at time tx, preventing it from operating. For example, if the movable body is in operation at time tx, the movable body is forcibly stopped mid-operation. However, as another example, a movable body that is not in its initial position may be returned to its initial position after time tx before the movable body is stopped. In this way, even if the movable body is located in front of the display area of the performance display device 1600 at time tx, the movable body will return to its initial position after time tx, making it less likely that the error display B or current status display C being executed by the performance display device 1600 will be overlooked.

In addition, a security signal is output from the external terminal board at timing tx. As a result, if a serious abnormality is detected, a security signal is output to the hall computer, allowing the hall to understand that a serious abnormality has occurred.

Furthermore, if a serious abnormality is detected at timing tx, it will be impossible for the game ball to be launched into the game area 5a when the player operates the handle 160.

Furthermore, if a severe abnormality is detected at timing tx, the number of game balls B that enter the ball entrance (winning hole, out hole) (number of entering balls) and the number of game balls B that are paid out as prize balls (number of paid out) are not counted. In other words, it is not possible to perform calculations regarding the ratio of the number of paid out balls to the number of entering balls, and this is not reflected in the base value displayed on the base monitor. However, the number of game balls B that enter the ball entrance (winning hole, out hole) (number of entering balls) may be counted, and a calculation may be performed regarding the ratio of the number of paid out balls to the number of entering balls, which may be reflected in the base value displayed on the base monitor.

Furthermore, if a severe abnormality is detected at time tx, a predetermined number of game balls can be paid out as prize balls for balls detected entering a prize slot before time tx, and the number of game balls paid out as prize balls can be added to the player's ball count. This allows the player to obtain prize balls up to the number of game balls until the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value. On the other hand, if a ball is detected entering a prize slot after a severe abnormality is detected at time tx, the predetermined number of game balls will not be paid out as prize balls, and will not be added to the player's ball count. However, if a severe abnormality is detected at time tx, the machine may be configured not to detect balls entering a prize slot. Similarly, even if a ball enters a prize slot, the predetermined number of game balls will not be paid out as prize balls, and will not be added to the player's ball count.

In addition, in this example, an abnormality alert is initiated at timing tx, but the alert does not end even after a predetermined period of time (e.g., 30 seconds) has passed. For this reason, if a serious abnormality occurs, the hall manager must shut off the power to end the abnormality alert, and then turn the power back on so that game progress can resume.

Next, after a serious abnormality is detected during the cutoff preparation state, the power is shut off at timing t2 to terminate the abnormality notification, and then the power is turned back on at timing t3. In this example, when the power is turned back on, limit clear pattern table 4 is used as the limit clear pattern table.

First, let's consider the case where power is turned back on at timing t3, but power-on pattern 2 or 3 is selected, which clears the payout amount and the stoppage state. When power-on pattern 2 or 3 is selected, the game state at the time of power interruption is cleared (initialized), clearing information about the jackpot game that was in progress. Furthermore, the "payout amount before and after the stoppage state was initiated" and "game limits during the stoppage state" are cleared (initialized), and the stoppage preparation state is also cleared (initialized). Therefore, whether power-on pattern 2 or 3 is selected, clearing the stoppage preparation state controls the game to the normal state (a state where the game is not in a stoppage state). In other words, it is possible to resume gameplay (main game) on the main control board 1310 side. However, the jackpot game that was in progress will not be resumed. The behavior in the normal state (a state where the game is not in a stoppage state) is as described above.

The effect display device 1600, Lamp A (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the frame decoration member), Lamp B (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the game board 5), and speaker execute Clear Notification 2 at timing t3. For example, the effect display device 1600 initially displays a predetermined combination of decorative symbols, and also displays the message "Limit Cleared" as Clear Notification 2 to indicate that the ball volume and limit preparation state have been cleared. This allows the hall manager to confirm that the ball volume and limit preparation state have been cleared when the power is turned back on. However, with regard to Clear Notification 2, it is not necessary to notify that the limit preparation state has been cleared if the limit preparation state was not in effect when the power was turned off, and it may instead notify that the ball volume has been cleared or the amount of balls dispensed at the time of clearing. Furthermore, although a common notification is executed for Clear Notification 2 when the limit state is cleared and when the limit preparation state is cleared, separate notifications may also be executed.

In addition, at timing t3, lamps A and B will light up or flash red as clear notification 2.

In addition, at timing t3, the speaker outputs a clear notification 2 saying "Limits cleared," indicating that the ball output amount and limit preparation state have been cleared.

In this example, Clear Notification 2 is initiated at timing t3, but is terminated after a predetermined period of time (e.g., 10 seconds) has passed. In other words, the effect display device 1600, Lamp A (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the frame decoration member), Lamp B (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the gaming board 5), and speaker are returned to normal operation. However, normal operation may be initiated before Clear Notification 2 is terminated. Clear Notification 2 displayed on the effect display device 1600 may continue to be displayed even after the predetermined period has passed. Such Clear Notification 2 may also be made erasable by administrator operation. This means that Clear Notification 2 will remain displayed unless it is erased by administrator operation, making it more difficult to commit fraud.

Next, we will explain the case where the power is turned back on at timing t3', and power-on pattern 1 or 4 is selected, which clears the number of balls dispensed but maintains the stopped state. When power-on pattern 1 or 4 is selected, the game state at the time of power-off is maintained, so information about the jackpot game that was in progress is maintained. In addition, the "number of balls dispensed before and after the stopped state was initiated" is cleared (initialized), while the "game limits during the stopped state" are maintained, and the stop preparation state is also maintained. Therefore, whether power-on pattern 1 or 4 is selected, the stop preparation state is maintained. In other words, in the stop preparation state, the jackpot game that was in progress will resume. The behavior of the stop preparation state is as described above.

At timing t3', the effect display device 1600, Lamp A (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the frame decoration members), Lamp B (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the game board 5), and speaker execute Clear Notification 1. For example, the effect display device 1600 displays the message "Ball output has been cleared" as Clear Notification 1 to indicate that the ball output amount has been cleared. This allows the hall manager to confirm that the ball output amount has been cleared when the power is turned back on. However, Clear Notification 1 may also notify that the stop state has been maintained if the ball output amount was in a stop state when the power was cut off, or it may not only notify that the ball output amount has been cleared but also the amount of balls output at the time of clearing.

In addition, at timing t3', lamps A and B will light up or flash green as clear notification 1.

In addition, at timing t3', the speaker outputs a clear notification 1 saying "The amount of dispensed balls has been cleared" to indicate that the amount of dispensed balls has been cleared.

In addition, in this example, Clear Notification 1 is initiated at timing t3, but is terminated after a predetermined period of time (e.g., 10 seconds) has passed. In other words, the effect display device 1600, Lamp A (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the frame decoration member), Lamp B (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the game board 5), and speaker are returned to normal operation. However, normal operation may be initiated before Clear Notification 1 is terminated.

Specifically, the effect display device 1600 not only displays a display (normal display) regarding the resumed jackpot game, but also displays a standby message saying "The jackpot is over, so today's game is over" to indicate that the number of balls dispensed has already reached a specific value. Additionally, the effect display device 1600 displays a clearing method message saying "Clearing the RAM will return to normal mode" to show the hall manager how to clear the ready-to-stop mode. This allows the hall manager to understand that the ready-to-stop mode cannot be cleared unless power-on pattern 2 or 3, which involves clearing the RAM, is selected when the power is turned back on. However, the clearing method notification may be executed after the mode transitions from the ready-to-stop mode to the stopped mode.

In this example, if power-on pattern 1 or 4 is selected when the power is turned back on, after clear notification 1 ends, the effect display device 1600 displays the normal display (display related to the resumed jackpot game) and the standby display, but the normal display and standby display may also be executed in parallel with clear notification 1. This prevents the player from missing out on winning balls when jackpot game is resumed.

In this example, to clear the ball output amount while maintaining the ready state for the machine to stop playing, the wait display notification and clear method notification are executed after clear notification 1 ends, and clear notification 1 is executed in priority over the wait display notification and clear method notification. This allows the hall manager to confirm that the ball output amount has been cleared when the power is turned back on. As another example, the wait display notification and clear method notification may be executed in parallel with clear notification 1, or clear notification 1 and the wait display notification and clear method notification may be executed alternately. Furthermore, when executing the wait display notification and clear method notification in parallel with clear notification 1, clear notification 1 may be executed on some of the multiple components and the wait display notification and clear method notification on the remaining components, or clear notification 1 may be executed on some areas of the same components and the wait display notification and clear method notification on the remaining areas. Furthermore, even when the wait display notification and clear method notification are executed in parallel with clear notification 1, clear notification 1 may be terminated after a predetermined period (e.g., 10 seconds) has elapsed. The clearing method notification may also end after a predetermined period of time (e.g., 10 seconds) has elapsed.

Figure 136 is a specific example of what happens when a minor abnormality occurs during normal operation or during a stoppage state. In this example, 100,000 is set as the "specific value" described above, and limit pattern 3 is selected as the "limit pattern" described above. In other words, if limit pattern 3 is set, when the amount of balls dispensed reaches the specific value (100,000 balls), the stoppage state will occur, accompanied by "play stop" and "firing stop."

As shown in Figure 136 (A), the effect display device 1600 executes a variable effect (an effect based on a variable pattern) corresponding to the variable display of the special symbol, and displays the variable decorative symbol in the central area of the effect display device 1600. In addition, in the upper right area of the effect display device 1600, the variable second decorative symbol is displayed. In addition, in the lower left area of the effect display device 1600, a pending display is displayed for the amount of time that a gaming ball has entered the first starting hole 2003 or the second starting hole 2004, but the variable special symbol display is pending.

As shown in FIG. 136(B), if the opening of the main frame 4 relative to the outer frame 2 is detected as a minor abnormality during normal operation, the display of the varying decorative symbols continues, but the central area of the effect display device 1600 displays the message "Door open error. Please call an attendant" as error display A, indicating that the main frame 4 is open. Also, the upper area of the effect display device 1600 displays the message "+42,000 balls remaining until game limit" as current status display A, indicating the remaining number of balls until game limit is reached (the remaining number of balls until game limit is reached). These error display A and current status display A are displayed on a higher layer than the display of information related to gameplay, such as decorative symbols. Also, current status display A is displayed in a position where it does not overlap with the display of information related to gameplay or error display A. This allows the remaining number of balls until game limit is reached to be accurately determined when a minor abnormality occurs.

As shown in Figure 136 (C), when a specified error termination condition is met, such as the main frame 4 closing against the outer frame 2, the performance display device 1600 erases error display A and current status display A.

As shown in Figure 136 (D), when the amount of balls dispensed approaches a specific value, for example, when the number of balls remaining until the amount of balls dispensed reaches the specific value becomes "+500 balls," the upper area of the effect display device 1600 displays a pre-notification display indicating the number of balls remaining until the amount of balls dispensed reaches the specific value, stating "+500 balls remaining until game limit." Note that the pre-notification display is displayed in a position that does not overlap with the display of information related to the game, such as decorative patterns.

As shown in Figure 136 (E), when the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value, the machine transitions to a stop state and game play is restricted. The display device 1600 displays an image corresponding to the stop state. The image corresponding to the stop state displays the message "Game Restriction," along with messages such as "Play has been restricted because the daily limit of 100,000 balls has been reached," "Please call an attendant," and "The settlement button is active." The settlement button here refers to the counting button switch 180 used to execute the settlement process. Furthermore, when the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value, the display device 1600 displays the stopping symbols of the decorative symbols, the stopping symbols of the second decorative symbols, a hold indicator, and a pre-notification indicator. However, such game-related information is hidden (made invisible) when the message "Game Restriction" is displayed after the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value, and the message is displayed on a darkened screen. This allows the player to know that the number of balls dispensed has reached a certain value and that a play restriction has been implemented, and that the play restriction cannot be lifted without the hall manager's operation. It also allows the player to know that the number of balls the player has can be settled by operating the counting button switch 180.

In the above example, the effect display device 1600 displays the decorative symbol stopping symbol, the second decorative symbol stopping symbol, the hold display, and the advance notice display before the amount of dispensed balls reaches a specific value, but all such game-related information becomes unrecognizable when the amount of dispensed balls reaches a specific value. However, when the amount of dispensed balls reaches a specific value, some of the game-related information may become unrecognizable, while other information may remain recognizable. For example, the advance notice display may become unrecognizable because it contains information about whether or not to implement a game restriction, while the decorative symbol stopping symbol, the second decorative symbol stopping symbol, and the hold display may remain recognizable. This makes it possible to understand under what circumstances the amount of dispensed balls reached a specific value even after the amount of dispensed balls has reached the specific value.

As shown in Figure 136 (F), if the opening of the main frame 4 relative to the outer frame 2 is detected as a minor abnormality during the stop-play state, the display of the fluctuating decorative symbols continues, but the central area of the effect display device 1600 displays the message "Door open error. Please call an attendant" as error display A, indicating that the main frame 4 is open. Also, in the upper area of the effect display device 1600, a specific display area displays the message "Play limit reached" as current status display B, indicating that the game has already entered the stop-play state and play is restricted (after the number of balls dispensed has reached a specific value). This specific display area is set as part of the display area of the effect display device 1600 and is also used for the advance notice display and current status display A described above. It is a fixed area that remains unchanged regardless of the game status so that the hall manager will not overlook it. These error display A and current status display B are configured to be displayed on a layer higher (forward) than layers that display other effect images, such as images corresponding to the play-stop state; in this example, error display A and current status display B are displayed on the top layer. Current status display B is also displayed in a position that does not overlap with the image display (message) corresponding to the play-stop state or error display A. This allows the player to reliably understand that play is being restricted when a minor abnormality occurs.

As shown in Figure 136 (G), when a specified error termination condition is met, such as the main frame 4 closing against the outer frame 2, the performance display device 1600 erases error display A and current status display B.

In this example, in order for the specified clear conditions to end the stalled state to be met, the power must be turned back on in a specified power-on pattern after being shut off. Here, using the limited clear pattern table 4, we will explain the cases where power-on patterns 2 and 3 are selected as the power-on pattern when the power is turned on, which clear the game state at the time of power-off and clear the amount of balls dispensed and the stalled state, and where power-on patterns 1 and 4 are selected, which maintain the game state at the time of power-off and clear the amount of balls dispensed but maintain the stalled state.

First, after the game has transitioned to a capped state, if power-on patterns 2 and 3 are selected when the power is turned back on after a power outage, the game state at the time of the power outage is cleared and the capped state is cleared, thereby lifting the game restrictions associated with the capped state. Furthermore, information regarding the remaining variable display and reserved balls when the game was interrupted at the time of the transition to the capped state is retained after the transition to the capped state and at the time of the power outage. However, when the power is turned back on after a power outage, such information regarding the remaining variable display and reserved balls when the game was interrupted is cleared, allowing the game to start in a low-probability state with no reserved balls. For this reason, as shown in Figure 136 (H-1), the effect display device 1600 displays an initial image in which there are no reserved balls and the decorative pattern is frozen at its initial pattern. Furthermore, the upper area of the effect display device 1600 displays a message "Restrictions Cleared" as clear notification 2, indicating that the ball outage and capped state have been cleared. This clear notification 2 is displayed on a higher layer than the display of information about the game, such as decorative symbols, and is displayed in a position where it does not overlap with the display of information about the game. This allows you to reliably know that the number of balls dispensed and the limit have been cleared when the power is turned back on.

On the other hand, if power-on patterns 1 and 4 are selected when the power is turned back on after a transition to a stopped state, maintaining the game state at the time of power-off and clearing the ball output amount but maintaining the stopped state, the game restrictions associated with the stopped state are not lifted. For this reason, the effect display device 1600 displays the message "Ball output amount cleared" as clear notification 1, indicating that the ball output amount has been cleared, and then displays the image shown in Figure 136 (H-2) again. In addition, in the upper area of the effect display device 1600, a message "Resetting the RAM will return to normal" is displayed as a clearing method display, indicating to the hall manager how to clear the stopped state. This clearing method display is displayed in a higher layer than the image display corresponding to the stopped state, and is displayed in a position that does not overlap with the image display (message) corresponding to the stopped state. This allows the player to clearly understand that a power-on restart accompanied by a RAM clear is required to lift the game restrictions when the power is turned back on.

Figure 137 is a specific example of what happens when a serious abnormality occurs during normal operation or during a stoppage state. In this example, 100,000 is set as the "specific value" described above, and limit pattern 3 is selected as the "limit pattern" described above. In other words, if limit pattern 3 is set, when the amount of balls dispensed reaches the specific value (100,000 balls), a stoppage state will occur, accompanied by "play stop" and "firing stop."

First, we will explain what happens when a serious abnormality occurs during normal operation. As shown in Figure 137 (A), the effect display device 1600 executes a variable effect (an effect based on a variable pattern) corresponding to the variable display of the special symbol, and displays the variable decorative symbol in the central area of the effect display device 1600. In addition, in the upper right area of the effect display device 1600, the variable second decorative symbol is displayed. In addition, in the lower left area of the effect display device 1600, a pending display is displayed for the amount of time that a gaming ball has entered the first start port 2003 or the second start port 2004, but the variable special symbol display is pending.

As shown in Figure 137 (B), if magnetism is detected as a severe abnormality during normal operation, an error state occurs in which the display of the varying decorative symbols is stopped and gameplay is disabled. However, the effect display device 1600 displays the message "Magnetic Abnormal" as error display B, indicating that magnetism has been detected, along with messages such as "Please call an attendant" and "Restarting the power will restore and reset restrictions." Furthermore, when magnetism is detected, the effect display device 1600 displays the stopped decorative symbols, the stopped second decorative symbols, and the hold display. However, such game-related information is hidden (made invisible) when the message "Magnetic Abnormal" is displayed after magnetism is detected, and instead the message is displayed on a darkened screen. This allows the player to know that an error state has occurred when magnetism is detected. It also allows the player to know that the error state will not be resolved unless the power is turned back on, and that the game restrictions will be lifted when the power is turned back on.

In addition, in the upper area of the effect display device 1600, a current status display A is displayed, displaying the message "+42,000 balls remaining until play is restricted," indicating the remaining number of balls until play is restricted (the remaining number of balls until play reaches a specific value). The error display B and current status display A are displayed on a higher layer than the display of information about play, such as decorative patterns. Furthermore, the current status display A is displayed in a position where it does not overlap with the error display B (message). This makes it possible to reliably determine the remaining number of balls until play is restricted when a serious abnormality is detected.

In this example, in order for the specified clear conditions to be met to end the error state related to a severe abnormality to be met, the power must be turned back on after being shut off. Here, using the limit clear pattern table 4, we will explain the cases where power-on patterns 2 and 3 are selected as the power-on pattern when the power is turned on, which clear the game state at the time of power-off and clear the ball output amount and the limit state, and power-on patterns 1 and 4 are selected, which maintain the game state at the time of power-off and clear the ball output amount but maintain the limit state.

First, after an error occurs, if power-on patterns 2 and 3 are selected when the power is turned back on after a power-off, the game status at the time of the power-off is cleared and the payout amount and limit state are cleared. The error state is cleared, allowing gameplay to resume. Furthermore, information regarding the remaining variable display and reserved information at the time of the interruption when the error occurred is retained after the error occurred or when the power was turned off. However, when the power is turned back on after a power-off, such information regarding the remaining variable display and reserved information at the time of the interruption is cleared, allowing gameplay to begin in a low-probability state with no reserved information. For this reason, as shown in Figure 137 (C-1), the effect display device 1600 displays an initial image in which there are no reserved display and the decorative pattern is frozen at the initial pattern. Furthermore, the upper area of the effect display device 1600 displays a clear notification 2, a message stating "Limits Cleared," indicating that the payout amount and limit state have been cleared. This clear notification 2 is displayed on a higher layer than the display of game-related information such as decorative patterns, and is displayed in a position that does not overlap with the display of game-related information. However, in this example, the game was not in a stalled state when the error state occurred, so Clear Notification 2 does not need to display that the stalled state has been cleared, and Clear Notification 2 may instead display that the amount of balls dispensed has been cleared or the amount of balls dispensed at the time of clearing.

Similarly, if power-on patterns 1 and 4 are selected after an error occurs and power is turned back on after a power-off, maintaining the game state at the time of power-off, clearing the ball dispense amount, but maintaining the stopped state, the error state is cleared, allowing gameplay to resume. However, information regarding the remaining display changes and information regarding the pending state when the game was interrupted when the error occurred is retained after the error occurred and when power was turned off. By maintaining information regarding the remaining display changes and information regarding the pending state when the game was interrupted, even when power is turned back on after a power-off, gameplay resumes with pending state and in the middle of the previous change. For this reason, as shown in Figure 137 (C-2), the effect display device 1600 resumes the display of the decorative pattern changes and the second decorative pattern changes. Additionally, the upper area of the effect display device 1600 displays a message "Ball dispense amount cleared" as clear notification 1, indicating that the ball dispense amount has been cleared. This clear notification 1 is displayed in a higher layer than the display of game-related information such as decorative patterns, and is displayed in a position that does not overlap with the display of game-related information. This allows the player to know with certainty that the number of balls dispensed has been cleared when the power is turned back on. In this example, the display of the decorative pattern changes and the second decorative pattern changes are resumed before the end of Clear Notification 1, but the display of the decorative pattern changes and the second decorative pattern changes may also be resumed after the end of Clear Notification 1.

Next, we will explain what happens when a serious abnormality occurs during a game-stop state. As shown in FIG. 137(A'), when the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value, the game transitions to a game-stop state and game play is restricted. The display device 1600 displays an image corresponding to the game-stop state. The image corresponding to the game-stop state displays the message "Game Restriction," along with messages such as "The daily ball-dispensing limit of 100,000 balls has been reached, so game play is restricted," "Please call an attendant," and "The settlement button is active." The settlement button here refers to the counting button switch 180 used to execute the settlement process. Furthermore, when the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value, the display device 1600 displays the decorative symbol, the second decorative symbol, a hold indicator, and a pre-notification indicator. However, such game-related information is hidden (made invisible) when the message "Game Restriction" is displayed after the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value, and instead displays the message on a darkened screen.

As shown in Figure 137 (B'), if magnetism is detected as a serious abnormality during a game-stopped state, the effect display device 1600 displays the message "Magnetic Anomaly" as error display B, indicating that magnetism has been detected, along with messages such as "Please call an attendant" and "Restarting the power will restore the game and reset restrictions." Furthermore, when magnetism is detected, the effect display device 1600 displays an image corresponding to the game-stopped state; however, such an image is hidden (made invisible) at the point when the message "Magnetic Anomaly" is displayed after detecting magnetism, and the message is displayed on a darkened screen. This allows the player to know that an error state has occurred upon detection of magnetism. It also allows the player to know that the error state will not be resolved unless the power is turned back on, and that the game restrictions will be lifted once the power is turned back on.

In addition, in the upper area of the effect display device 1600, a message "Play Limit Reached" is displayed in a specific display area as current status display B, indicating that the game has already transitioned to a play limit state and play is being restricted (after the number of balls dispensed has reached a specific value). This specific display area is set as part of the display area of the effect display device 1600 and is also used for the advance notice display and current status display A described above. It is a fixed area that remains unchanged regardless of the play status so that it is not overlooked by the hall manager. Furthermore, these error display B and current status display B are configured to be displayed in a layer higher (toward the front) than the layer that displays other effect images, such as the image display corresponding to the play limit state. In this example, error display B and current status display B are displayed as the top layer. Furthermore, current status display B is displayed in a position that does not overlap with error display B (message). This allows the player to reliably understand that play is being restricted when a serious abnormality occurs.

In this example, in order for the specified clear conditions to be met to end the error state related to a severe abnormality to be met, the power must be turned back on after being shut off. Here, using the limit clear pattern table 4, we will explain the cases where power-on patterns 2 and 3 are selected as the power-on pattern when the power is turned on, which clear the game state at the time of power-off and clear the ball output amount and the limit state, and power-on patterns 1 and 4 are selected, which maintain the game state at the time of power-off and clear the ball output amount but maintain the limit state.

First, if an error occurs during a game-stop state, and power-on patterns 2 and 3 are selected upon power-on after a power-off, the game state at the time of power-off is cleared and the payout amount and the game-stop state are cleared. This clears the error state and the game-stop state, lifting the game restrictions imposed by the game-stop state and allowing gameplay to resume. Furthermore, information regarding the remaining variable display and reserved items when the game was interrupted upon transition to the game-stop state is retained after the game-stop state and at the time of power-off. However, upon power-on again after a power-off, such information regarding the remaining variable display and reserved items when the game was interrupted is cleared, allowing the game to begin in a low-probability state with no reserved items. For this reason, as shown in Figure 137 (C'-1), the effect display device 1600 displays an initial image in which there are no reserved items and the decorative pattern is frozen at its initial pattern. Furthermore, the upper area of the effect display device 1600 displays a "Restrictions Cleared" message as a clear notification 2, indicating that the payout amount and the game-stop state have been cleared. This clear notification 2 is displayed on a higher layer than the display of information about the game, such as decorative symbols, and is displayed in a position where it does not overlap with the display of information about the game. This allows you to reliably know that the number of balls dispensed and the limit have been cleared when the power is turned back on.

On the other hand, if an error occurs during a stopped state, and power-on patterns 1 and 4 are selected when the power is turned back on after being shut off, maintaining the game state at the time of power-off and clearing the ball output amount while maintaining the stopped state, the error state is cleared, but the game restrictions associated with the stopped state are not lifted. For this reason, the effect display device 1600 displays the message "Ball output amount cleared" as clear notification 1, indicating that the ball output amount has been cleared, and then displays the image shown in Figure 137 (C'-2) again. Additionally, in the upper area of the effect display device 1600, a message "Resetting the RAM will return to normal" is displayed as a clearing method display, indicating to the hall manager how to clear the stopped state. This clearing method display is displayed in a higher layer than the image display corresponding to the stopped state, and is displayed in a position that does not overlap with the image display (message) corresponding to the stopped state. This allows the user to clearly understand that a power-on restart accompanied by a RAM clear is required to lift the game restrictions when the power is turned back on.

Figure 138 shows a specific example of a presentation that occurs when a minor or serious abnormality occurs during the jackpot preparation state. In this example, the system transitions to the jackpot preparation state when the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value at the time a game ball enters the large prize opening during jackpot play, and then transitions to the jackpot state after the jackpot play ends. This example also shows a case where 100,000 is set as the "specific value" described above, and restriction pattern 3 is selected as the "restriction pattern" described above. In other words, if restriction pattern 3 is set, the system will enter a jackpot state accompanied by "game stop" and "fire stop" when the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value (100,000). In this example, if the special symbol lottery results in a jackpot, a 10-round jackpot game is awarded in which the large prize opening 2005 and the special feature opening 2006 are opened and closed.

As shown in FIG. 138 (A), the effect display device 1600 executes a variable effect (an effect based on a variable pattern) corresponding to the variable display of the special symbol, and displays the variable decorative symbol in the central area of the effect display device 1600. Here, depending on the result of the lottery for the special symbol, or during a "consecutive win mode" in which a high probability state continues due to the receipt of game ball B into the first V winning slot 2007 or the second V winning slot 2008, if the lottery result for the special symbol is a winning one, "777" is displayed as the stopping symbol for the decorative symbol in the central area of the effect display device 1600. Also, in the upper right area of the effect display device 1600, a variable display of the second decorative symbol is performed, and if the lottery result for the special symbol is a winning one, "○" is displayed as the stopping symbol for the second decorative symbol. Additionally, the lower left area of the effect display device 1600 displays a pending display for the amount of time that the gaming ball has entered the first starting hole 2003 or the second starting hole 2004, but the variable display of the special symbol is on hold. Additionally, the lower right area of the effect display device 1600 displays a "consecutive win mode" message indicating that the "consecutive win mode" is in effect, and also displays a "hit right" arrow instructing the player to aim for the gaming ball to enter the large winning hole 2005 located in the game area 5a to the right of the effect display device 1600 during jackpot play.

In addition, when the amount of balls dispensed approaches a specific value, for example, when the number of balls remaining until the amount of balls dispensed reaches the specific value becomes "+1400 balls," the upper area of the effect display device 1600 displays a pre-notification display indicating the number of balls remaining until the amount of balls dispensed reaches the specific value, stating "+1400 balls remaining until game limit." Note that the pre-notification display is displayed in a position that does not overlap with the information display regarding the jackpot game currently being played.

As shown in Figure 138 (B), at the start of a jackpot game, the message "Special Bonus! Aim for the V!" is displayed in the central area of the effect display device 1600, and the large prize entry port 2005 and the special prize entry port 2006 begin to open and close during the jackpot game, and the player is advised to aim for the game ball to enter the first V prize entry port 2007 and the second V prize entry port 2008 during the jackpot game.

As shown in Figure 138 (C), when the number of balls remaining until the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value due to the payout of prize balls based on the entry of a game ball into the large prize slot 2005 during jackpot play reaches "+0 balls" (when the game transitions to the stop-play preparation state), the upper area of the effect display device 1600 displays a pre-announcement display for a predetermined time (5 seconds in this example) indicating the number of balls remaining until the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value. Here, "8R" is displayed as the current number of rounds, and "19,900 balls GET" is displayed as the total number of prize balls. Then, when a predetermined time (5 seconds in this example) has passed since the pre-announcement display "+0 balls remaining until the amount of balls dispensed reaches the game limit" was displayed, the standby display shown in Figure 138 (D) is displayed.

In this example, the number of prize balls paid out when a game ball enters the large prize opening 2005 is reflected in the total number of prize balls and the content of the advance notice displayed on the effect display device 1600. However, the total number of prize balls and the content of the advance notice display are not displayed at the time when a game ball enters the large prize opening 2005, which will cause the number of balls to reach a specific value, but are displayed continuously until a predetermined time (5 seconds in this example) has passed since the number of prize balls is reflected in the total number of prize balls and the content of the advance notice display. This prevents players from missing information regarding whether the number of balls paid out has reached a specific value, and ensures that the player is aware of the reason why the game will subsequently enter a limit state.

In the above, the total number of prize balls and the contents of the advance notice display are not displayed until the amount of prize balls dispensed reaches a specific value, but are displayed continuously until the amount of prize balls is reflected in the total number of prize balls and the contents of the advance notice display. However, it is also possible to have the display end when the amount of dispensed balls reaches a specific value and display a standby display. In this way, the machine will transition to a state where it is ready to stop dispense when the amount of dispensed balls reaches a specific value, but by displaying a standby display at the same time, it is possible to immediately know that it has transitioned to a state where it is ready to stop dispense.

In addition, once the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value, the machine will transition to a state where it is ready to stop playing, but the jackpot game that is currently in progress will continue, so the "hit right" arrow that encourages players to continue firing game balls will continue to be displayed.

As shown in Figure 138 (D), after transitioning to the ready-to-play state, a standby display is displayed in the upper area of the effect display device 1600. Specifically, the standby display displays the message "The jackpot is over, so today's over," indicating that the number of balls dispensed has already reached a specific value. This allows the player in the ready-to-play state to understand that when the jackpot game ends, the game will transition to the ready-to-play state and play will be restricted. Note that the standby display is displayed in a position that does not overlap with the display of information about the jackpot game in progress. This allows the player to understand both that the game has transitioned to the ready-to-play state and information about the jackpot game in progress. Here, "9R" is displayed as the current number of rounds, and "19,915 balls GET" is displayed as the total number of prize balls.

As shown in FIG. 138(E), if a minor abnormality is detected during the game-stop preparation state, such as the opening of the main frame 4 relative to the outer frame 2, the jackpot game continues, but the central area of the effect display device 1600 displays the message "Door open error. Please call an attendant" as error display A, indicating that the main frame 4 is open. Also, in the upper area of the effect display device 1600, the current status display C continues the standby display content and displays the message "The jackpot has ended, so today is over," indicating that the number of balls dispensed has already reached a specific value. These error display A and current status display C are displayed in a higher layer than the information display regarding the jackpot game. Also, current status display C is displayed in a position that does not overlap with the information display regarding the jackpot game or error display A (message). This allows the player to reliably understand that the number of balls dispensed has already reached a specific value and the game is ready to stop when a minor abnormality occurs.

As shown in Figure 138 (F), when a specified error termination condition is met, such as the main frame 4 closing against the outer frame 2, the effect display device 1600 erases the error display A, but the current status display C continues to be displayed as a standby display. Here, "10R" is displayed as the current number of rounds, and "20,020 GET" is displayed as the total number of prize balls.

As shown in Figure 138 (G), at the end of a jackpot game, an ending display is executed to accompany the end of the jackpot game, and the message "Win! Good job! Download the special bonus!" is displayed in the central area of the effect display device 1600. In addition, a camera-readable code is displayed in the lower right area of the effect display area 1600, and by reading this code, a special bonus can be downloaded. This special bonus can only be obtained when the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value during jackpot game, thereby reducing player frustration over the game being limited by a transition to a dead-end state. Note that although a standby display is not displayed at the end of a jackpot game, it may be displayed.

As shown in Figure 138 (H), after the jackpot game ends, the game transitions to a game-stop state and game play restrictions are imposed. The display device 1600 displays an image corresponding to the game-stop state. The image corresponding to the game-stop state displays the message "Game Limit," along with messages such as "The daily ball payout limit of 100,000 balls has been reached, so game play is being restricted," "Please call an attendant," and "The settlement button is active." The settlement button here refers to the counting button switch 180 used to execute the settlement process. Furthermore, upon displaying the message "Game Limit," the display device 1600 does not display (makes invisible) the ending display accompanying the end of the jackpot game, and instead displays the message on a darkened screen. This allows the player to understand that the number of balls dispensed has reached a certain value and game play restrictions are being imposed, and that the game restrictions cannot be lifted without the hall manager's operation. Furthermore, the player can understand that the player's ball count can be settled by operating the counting button switch 180.

However, the effect display device 1600 continues to display the code that was displayed during the ending display following the end of a jackpot game, even after the image corresponding to the end state is displayed. Furthermore, the code that was displayed during the ending display following the end of a jackpot game is displayed in a position that does not overlap with the image (message) corresponding to the end state. This allows the user to read the code without rushing, even after the state has transitioned to the end state, and ensures that they do not miss out on downloading the special bonus.

Next, we will explain what happens when a serious abnormality occurs during the game termination preparation state. As shown in Figure 138 (E'), if magnetism is detected as a serious abnormality during game termination preparation, an error state occurs in which the ongoing jackpot game is stopped and game progress is disabled. However, the effect display device 1600 displays the message "Magnetic Anomaly" as error display B, indicating that magnetism has been detected, along with messages such as "Please call an attendant" and "Recovery and restrictions will be initialized when the power is turned back on." Furthermore, when magnetism is detected, the effect display device 1600 displays information about the jackpot game. However, when the message "Magnetic Anomaly" is displayed after magnetism is detected, the information display about such jackpot game is hidden (made invisible), and the message is displayed on a darkened screen. This allows the user to understand that an error state has occurred upon detection of magnetism. Furthermore, the user can understand that the error state will not be resolved unless the power is turned back on, and that the game restrictions will be lifted when the power is turned back on.

In addition, in the upper area of the effect display device 1600, the standby display content continues and a message is displayed as current status display C, saying "The jackpot has ended and it's over for today," indicating that the number of balls dispensed has already reached a specific value. The error display B and current status display C are displayed in a higher layer than the information display regarding the jackpot game. Furthermore, current status display C is displayed in a position that does not overlap with error display B (message). This makes it possible to reliably understand that the number of balls dispensed has already reached a specific value and that the machine is ready to stop playing when a serious abnormality occurs.

In this example, in order for the specified clear conditions to be met to end the error state related to a severe abnormality to be met, the power must be turned back on after being shut off. Here, using the limit clear pattern table 4, we will explain the cases where power-on patterns 2 and 3 are selected as the power-on pattern when the power is turned on, which clear the game state at the time of power-off and clear the ball output amount and the limit state, and power-on patterns 1 and 4 are selected, which maintain the game state at the time of power-off and clear the ball output amount but maintain the limit state.

First, if an error occurs during the pre-stop state, and power is turned off and then turned back on, selecting power-on pattern 2 or 3, which clears the game state at the time of power-off and clears the payout amount and the pre-stop state, clears the error state, allowing gameplay to resume. However, the pre-stop state is also cleared, preventing the planned gameplay restrictions for the pre-stop state from being implemented after the pre-stop state ends. Furthermore, information regarding the remaining jackpot game and reserved balls when the game was interrupted when the error state occurred is retained after the error state occurred or when the power was turned off. However, when power is turned back on after the power was turned off, information regarding the remaining jackpot game and reserved balls when the game was interrupted is cleared, allowing the game to start in a low-probability state with no reserved balls. For this reason, as shown in Figure 138 (F'-1), the effect display device 1600 displays an initial image in which there is no reserved ball display and the decorative pattern is frozen at the initial pattern. Additionally, in the upper area of the effect display device 1600, a clear notification 2 is displayed, indicating that the amount of balls dispensed and the limit preparation state have been cleared, reading "Limits cleared." This clear notification 2 is displayed in a higher layer than the display of information related to the game, such as decorative patterns, and is displayed in a position that does not overlap with the display of information related to the game. This allows the player to know with certainty that the amount of balls dispensed and the limit preparation state have been cleared when the power is turned back on.

On the other hand, if an error occurs during the stop preparation state, and power-on patterns 1 and 4 are selected when the power is turned back on after a power outage, maintaining the game state at the time of power outage and clearing the ball dispense amount but maintaining the stop state, the error state is cleared, allowing gameplay to resume, but the stop preparation state is not cleared. Furthermore, information regarding the remaining jackpot game and information regarding reserved balls when the game was interrupted when the error state occurred is retained after the error state occurred and when the power was turned back on after a power outage. However, by maintaining such information regarding the remaining jackpot game and information regarding reserved balls when the game was interrupted, the interrupted jackpot game can be resumed. For this reason, the effect display device 1600 displays the message "Ball dispense amount cleared" as clear notification 1, indicating that the ball dispense amount has been cleared, and then re-displays the image shown in Figure 138 (F'-2). Additionally, the upper area of the effect display device 1600 not only displays the standby message "The jackpot is over, so today's over," indicating that the number of balls dispensed has already reached a specific value, but also displays a clearing method message for the hall manager saying "Clear the RAM and it will return to normal mode," indicating how to clear the ready-to-play state. This clearing method display is displayed on a higher layer than the information display regarding the jackpot game, and is displayed in a position that does not overlap with the information display regarding the jackpot game. This allows the user to know with certainty that when the power is turned back on, it is necessary to turn the power back on with a RAM clear in order to clear the ready-to-play state.

(Another example of a limit counter 1)
In the above example, the "limit counter" is configured to be set to an initial value of 0 when the "amount of balls dispensed before or after the limit state is initiated" is cleared (initialized) upon power-on, and is decremented by each launch of game ball B and incremented by each payout of prize balls. When the limit counter is set to 0 and only the number of shots increases, it counts downward from 0. In contrast, in Example 1, the "limit counter" is configured to be set to a non-zero predetermined value (e.g., 100,000) when the "amount of balls dispensed before or after the limit state is initiated" is cleared (initialized) upon power-on, and is configured to be decremented by each launch of game ball B and incremented by each payout of prize balls.

Specifically, the amount of balls dispensed A is calculated as the difference between the value at which the cap counter reaches its highest value within the period until the specified clear condition is met, starting from the initial value of 100,000, and the value at which the cap counter reaches its lowest value within the period until the specified clear condition is met.

Furthermore, the amount of balls dispensed B is calculated starting from the initial value of 100,000 of the limit counter, and is calculated as the difference between the initial value of 100,000 and the value at the point when the limit counter reaches its highest value within the period until the specified clear condition is met. Note that in Alternative Example 1, the maximum difference value is stored and held as the amounts of balls dispensed A and B, and the stored and held amounts of balls dispensed A and B are updated by newly calculating the maximum difference value, which is the same as when the initial value is 0.

In Alternative Example 1, when the number of balls dispensed (number of balls dispensed A, B) reaches a specific value, a stop is placed on the game and game play is restricted. For example, if 100,000 balls is selected as the specific value, the stop counter starts at the initial value of 100,000, and adds +100,000 for the specific value. When the stop counter reaches 200,000, it is determined that number of balls dispensed B has reached the specific value.

In addition, in Alternative Example 1, the "limit counter" is configured not only to start from an initial value of 100,000, but also to have 0 as its minimum value. In other words, even if the number of shots increases further after the limit counter reaches 0, it is not counted downward from 0, but is configured to maintain the 0 state. As a result, even if the number of shots increases after the limit counter reaches 0, the amount of balls dispensed B is determined to have reached a specific value when the limit counter reaches 200,000 from that point of 0, so the amount of balls dispensed B will reach the specific value sooner than if it were counted downward from 0. In other words, by making it possible to quickly trigger a limit state that restricts play, it is possible to prevent large amounts of balls from being awarded to fraudulent players due to fraudulent activity, or to prevent large amounts of balls from being awarded to legitimate players due to biased winning and losing probabilities.

(Another example of a limit counter 2)
In another example 2, the "limit counter" is configured to be set to 0 as the initial value and to have 0 as the minimum value when the "amount of balls dispensed before the limit state was initiated or after the limit state was initiated" is cleared (initialized) when the power is turned on. In such a case, the limit counter starts from 0, which is the initial value, when the power is turned on, and is subtracted when game ball B is fired and added when prize balls are paid out, but once the limit counter reaches 0, even if the number of shots alone increases, it is not counted in the negative direction from 0 and is configured to maintain the 0 state.

In addition, in Alternative Example 2, the amount of balls dispensed C is calculated from the limiting counter. The limiting counter starts from its initial value of 0, and the amount of balls dispensed C is calculated as the difference between the initial value of 0 and the value at which the limiting counter reaches its highest value within the period until the specified clear condition is met. In Alternative Example 2, the maximum difference is stored and held as the amount of balls dispensed C, and the stored and held amount of balls dispensed C is updated by calculating a new maximum difference, which is the same as when there is no minimum value = 0. Then, when the amount of balls dispensed C reaches a specific value, the game is limited by the limiting state.

In addition, in Alternative Example 2, when the amount of balls dispensed C reaches a specific value, a stop state is entered and game play is restricted. For example, if 100,000 balls is selected as the specific value, the stop counter starts from its initial value of 0, and adds +100,000 for the specific value, and when the stop counter reaches 100,000, it is determined that the amount of balls dispensed C has reached the specific value.

In addition, in Alternative Example 2, the "limit counter" is configured not only to start from its initial value of 0, but also to have 0 as its minimum value. However, even if the number of balls released increases after the limit counter reaches 0, the amount of balls released C is determined to have reached a specific value when the limit counter reaches 100,000 from that point. Therefore, the amount of balls released C will reach a specific value sooner than if it were counting in a negative direction from 0. In other words, by making it possible to quickly trigger a limit state that restricts play, it is possible to prevent large amounts of balls from being awarded to fraudulent players due to fraudulent activity, or to prevent large amounts of balls from being awarded to legitimate players due to biased winning and losing probabilities.

The "limit counter" is decremented by each launch of game ball B and incremented by each payout of prize balls. However, it may be configured so that its initial value is greater than the specific value that triggers the limit state and restricts play, and is incremented by each launch of game ball B and decremented by each payout of prize balls. In such a case, for example, if 100,000 balls is selected as the specific value, the limit counter starts at its initial value of 100,000 and subtracts +100,000 for the specific value. When the limit counter reaches 0, it is determined that the amount of balls dispensed has reached the specific value. Furthermore, when applied to Alternative Example 2, for example, the limit counter starts from its initial value of 100,000 when the power is turned on, and is incremented by each launch of game ball B and decremented by each payout of prize balls. However, even if the number of shots increases after the limit counter reaches 100,000, it does not count upward from 100,000, but remains at 100,000.

(Regarding the progress of advance notice displays)
In this example, when the "limit counter" is turned on, if the "amount of balls dispensed before and after the limit state is initiated" is cleared (initialized), it is set to 0 as its initial value, subtracted when game ball B is fired, and added when prize balls are paid out. Furthermore, 100,000 balls is selected as the specific value. When the limit counter reaches 100,000, it is determined that the amount of balls dispensed has reached the specific value, and the limit state is entered, limiting play. Furthermore, before the amount of balls dispensed reaches the specific value, after a predetermined value (in this example, the number of balls remaining until the limit state is reached is 5,000, i.e., the amount of balls dispensed reaches 95,000) is reached, a pre-notification display (in this example, "+XX balls remaining until the limit state is reached") is displayed on the display device 1600 as a pre-notification operation until the amount of balls dispensed reaches the specific value. Furthermore, when the pre-notification display is displayed, the LED of lamp B flashes for a predetermined period (e.g., 2 seconds) as a pre-notification light.

Specifically, before the main control board 1310 reaches a specific value and restricts play, it monitors the number of balls remaining until the specific value is reached. When a game ball enters a prize slot such as the large prize slot 2005, which causes the remaining number of balls to reach "+5000 balls," a pre-flag is set to ON, and the pre-flag ON information is sent from the main control board 1310 to the peripheral control board 1510. Then, on the peripheral control board 1510 side, upon receiving the pre-flag ON information, the effect display device 1600 starts displaying a pre-announcement (in this example, "+XX balls remaining until play limit"), and continues to do so until the specific value is reached. The amount of balls dispensed is calculated on the main control board 1310 side based on a counter for limiting play, which is the difference between the number of balls fired and the number of balls paid out. In other words, the number of balls remaining until the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value will decrease as the number of shots increases and the number of remaining balls increases, and vice versa.

When the number of balls remaining until the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value reaches "+5000 balls," the effect display device 1600 begins displaying a pre-announcement. However, if the amount of balls dispensed subsequently decreases and the number of remaining balls increases, causing the remaining balls to exceed "+5000 balls" and the pre-announcement display to end, or if the amount of balls dispensed increases again and the number of remaining balls decreases, causing the remaining balls to reach "+5000 balls" and the pre-announcement display to begin, the pre-announcement flag will be frequently switched on the main control board 1310 side, and the pre-announcement flag ON information will be sent multiple times to the peripheral control board 1510 side. Furthermore, if the pre-announcement display is sometimes displayed and sometimes not, it will be difficult to understand the game status. In this regard, in this example, when the advance notice display is initiated on the effect display device 1600, even if the number of balls dispensed subsequently decreases and the number of remaining balls increases, the advance notice display will not end until the number of remaining balls reaches a predetermined value exceeding "+5000 balls" (in this example, the number of balls remaining until the number of dispensed balls reaches a specific value is 5100, i.e., the number of dispensed balls reaches 94900). This prevents the advance flag from being switched frequently on the main control board 1310 side, preventing advance flag ON information from being sent repeatedly to the peripheral control board 1510, and avoids control burden and complexity. Furthermore, by displaying the advance notice display as continuously as possible, it is possible to prevent difficulty in understanding the game status. In this example, the progression of the advance notice display after it has started is described below.

Figure 139 is a time chart showing the progression of the advance notice display after it has begun. In this example, it explains the situation where the number of balls dispensed increases or decreases around 95,000 (5,000 remaining balls).

In (A), as the number of balls dispensed increases, when the number of balls dispensed reaches 95,000 (5,000 remaining), the main control board 1310 sends a pre-notification start command to the peripheral control board 1510, and the performance display device 1600 begins displaying "+5,000 balls remaining until play limit" as a pre-notification display. At this time, the LED of lamp B flashes for a predetermined period (e.g., 2 seconds) as a pre-notification light.

After the advance notice display begins, as the amount of balls dispensed increases, a advance notice update command is sent from main control board 1310 to peripheral control board 1510 each time the amount of balls dispensed increases by 100, and performance display device 1600 updates the display content of the advance notice display. For example, when the amount of balls dispensed increases by 100, performance display device 1600 updates the advance notice display to read "+4900 balls remaining until play limit," and when the amount of balls dispensed increases by another 100, performance display device 1600 updates the advance notice display to read "+4800 balls remaining until play limit." Here, the display content of the advance notice display is updated when the amount of balls dispensed increases by 100, but is not updated if the amount of balls dispensed increases by only 1 to 99. As a result, the content of the advance notice display is not updated in real time when the number of balls dispensed increases, and advance notice update commands are prevented from being sent multiple times to the peripheral control board 1510, avoiding control burden and complexity. Note that in Lamp B, the LED flashes for a predetermined period (for example, 2 seconds) as an advance notice light only when there are 5,000 balls remaining until the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value, in other words, when the number of balls dispensed reaches 95,000; when the number of balls dispensed increases by 100 and the content of the advance notice display is updated, Lamp B does not emit any light corresponding to the update.

In (B), after the advance notice display has started, if the number of balls dispensed decreases and falls below 95,000 (the number of remaining balls exceeds 5,000), the main control board 1310 does not send an advance notice end command to the peripheral control board 1510, and the performance display device 1600 continues to display the advance notice message "+5,000 balls remaining until play limit." Then, as the number of balls dispensed increases again, it exceeds 95,000 (5,000 balls remaining). Then, as the number of balls dispensed subsequently decreases, it falls below 95,000 (more than 5,000 balls remaining). However, at the point where the number of balls dispensed reaches 95,000 (5,000 balls remaining), the main control board 1310 does not send a pre-announcement start command or pre-announcement end command to the peripheral control board 1510, and the effect display device 1600 continues to display the pre-announcement message "+5,000 balls remaining until play limit." This prevents pre-announcement start and end commands from being repeatedly sent to the peripheral control board 1510 after the pre-announcement display has begun, thereby avoiding control burdens and complexity. Furthermore, while Lamp B emits light in response to the pre-announcement start command, it does not emit light in response to the pre-announcement end command, thereby preventing external parties from misunderstanding that something is wrong with the gaming machine.

In (C), after the advance notice display has begun, as the number of balls dispensed decreases, if the number of balls dispensed reaches 94,900 (5,100 remaining balls), a advance notice end command is sent from the main control board 1310 to the peripheral control board 1510, and the performance display device 1600 ends the advance notice display. Here, after the advance notice display has begun, the advance notice display ends when the number of balls dispensed decreases by 100, and the advance notice display does not end if the number of balls dispensed decreases by only 1 to 99. In other words, after the advance notice display has begun, there is a termination suppression period in which the advance notice display will not end even if the number of balls dispensed falls below 95,000, until the number of balls dispensed decreases by 99. This allows for a slight decrease in the number of balls dispensed after the advance notice display has begun, and continues to display the advance notice display as much as possible, preventing it from becoming difficult to understand the game status. In this example, the "end suppression period" during which the advance notice display is allowed to continue is set to "until the amount of balls dispensed decreases by 1 to 99 balls," but this is not limited to this, and the amount of ball dispensed reduction can be set appropriately depending on the performance of the gaming machine, such as "until the amount of balls dispensed decreases by 1 to 199 balls" or "until the amount of balls dispensed decreases by 1 to 49 balls."

In this example, when the advance notice starts, the effect display device 1600 displays an advance notice and lamp B emits an advance notice light. However, when the advance notice starts, the effect display device 1600 may be used to display an advance notice, without emitting an advance notice light. This prevents lamp B from emitting light multiple times, giving the outside world the wrong impression that something is wrong with the gaming machine when the advance notice start command is sent several times due to an increase or decrease in the amount of balls dispensed beyond the aforementioned termination inhibition period.

In (D), as the number of balls dispensed increases again, when the number of balls dispensed reaches 95,000 (5,000 remaining), the main control board 1310 sends a pre-notification start command to the peripheral control board 1510, and the performance display device 1600 begins to display the pre-notification message "+5,000 balls remaining until play limit."

In (E), after the advance notice display has begun, as the number of balls dispensed decreases, if the number of balls dispensed reaches 94,900 (5,100 remaining balls), a advance notice end command is sent from the main control board 1310 to the peripheral control board 1510. However, for some reason, such as a temporary power outage or a poor connection between the main control board 1310 and the peripheral control board 1510, an irregularity may occur in which the peripheral control board 1510 is unable to properly receive the advance notice end command (the peripheral control board 1510 fails to receive the advance notice end command). When such an irregularity occurs, it would normally be considered to resend the advance notice end command when the number of balls dispensed reaches 94,900 (5,100 remaining balls), but in this example, the effect display device 1600 deliberately does not resend the command at this opportunity and does not end the advance notice display. In other words, when such an irregularity occurs, even if the number of balls dispensed reaches 94,900 (5,100 remaining balls) and the time has come to end the advance notice display, the advance notice display will continue to display "+5,000 balls remaining until play limit." This prevents the advance notice end command from being resent at unexpected times during play (for example, when no game balls have been fired, or when no balls have landed in the outlet), which would cause the player to feel uncomfortable.

In (F), when the above-mentioned irregularity occurs and the advance notice display does not end, and the number of balls dispensed continues to decrease, if the number of balls dispensed reaches 94,800 (5,200 remaining balls), the main control board 1310 sends an advance notice end command to the peripheral control board 1510, and the performance display device 1600 ends the advance notice display. In this example, assuming that the advance notice display will not end when it should, the main control board 1310 sends a preliminary advance notice end command to the peripheral control board 1510 not only when the number of balls dispensed reaches 94,900 (5,100 remaining balls), but also when the number of balls dispensed reaches 94,800 (5,200 remaining balls) and 94,700 (5,300 remaining balls). This means that even if the peripheral control board 1510 temporarily fails to receive the advance notice end command and an irregular event occurs in which the advance notice display does not end, the advance notice display can be ended at a different time that does not cause discomfort, and it is possible to reliably prevent the advance notice display from continuing without ending.

In this example, the preliminary trigger for sending the advance notice end command is set to be between "the moment the number of balls dispensed reaches 94,900 (5,100 remaining balls) and the moment the number of balls dispensed reaches 94,500 (5,500 remaining balls)," in increments of 100 balls, but the advance notice display may also be terminated by other triggers. For example, the advance notice end command may be forcibly sent when the hall manager performs a termination operation (for example, by operating the RAM clear switch 741 or setting key switch while the power is on, or by opening the main frame 4 or door frame 3), thereby forcibly terminating the advance notice display at the time it should have ended.

In addition, in this example, if an irregularity occurs in which the peripheral control board 1510 is unable to properly receive the advance notification end command (the advance notification end command is missed on the peripheral control board 1510 side) due to some reason such as a temporary power outage or poor connection between the main control board 1310 and the peripheral control board 1510, the process of preliminarily sending the advance notification end command is performed at another trigger as described above, but if an irregularity occurs in which the peripheral control board 1510 is unable to properly receive the advance notification update command (the advance notification update command is missed on the peripheral control board 1510 side), the process of preliminarily sending the advance notification update command is not performed at another trigger. For example, if the number of balls dispensed increases by 100 after the advance notice display begins, reaching 95,100 (4,900 balls remaining), a advance notice update command is sent from main control board 1310 to peripheral control board 1510. However, if an irregularity occurs in which peripheral control board 1510 is unable to receive this advance notice update command, performance display device 1600 continues to display "+5,000 balls remaining until play limit" as the advance notice display. If the number of balls dispensed then increases by another 100, reaching 95,200 (4,800 balls remaining), a advance notice update command corresponding to the number of balls dispensed reaching 95,200 (4,800 balls remaining) is sent to peripheral control board 1510, and the advance notice display is updated to "+4,800 balls remaining until play limit." This allows the player to feel as if the number of balls dispensed has increased all at once, and the irregularity can be used to increase interest in the game. Additionally, while Lamp B emits light in response to advance notification start commands, it does not emit light in response to advance notification update commands, preventing external parties from misunderstanding that something is wrong with the gaming machine.

However, since it is possible that the advance notice display update will not proceed on the peripheral control board 1510 side until the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value due to some kind of abnormality, in such cases, for example, an advance notice update command may be forcibly sent when an update operation is performed by the hall manager (for example, by operating the RAM clear switch 741 or setting key switch while the power is on, or by opening the main frame 4 or door frame 3; preferably at a different trigger than the termination operation described above), thereby forcibly updating the advance notice display.

At (G), as the number of balls dispensed increases again, when the number of balls dispensed reaches 95,000 (5,000 remaining), the main control board 1310 sends a pre-notification start command to the peripheral control board 1510, and the performance display device 1600 begins to display the pre-notification message "+5,000 balls remaining until play limit."

In (H), after the advance notice display has begun, if the number of balls dispensed increases by 100 and reaches 95,100 (4,900 remaining balls), the main control board 1310 sends an advance notice update command to the peripheral control board 1510, and the effect display device 1600 updates the advance notice display to show "+4,900 balls remaining until play limit."

In (I), after the advance notice display is updated to "+4900 balls remaining until play limit," if the number of balls dispensed falls below 95,100 (the number of remaining balls exceeds 4,900 balls) as the number of balls dispensed decreases, the main control board 1310 does not send an advance notice downgrade command to the peripheral control board 1510, and the performance display device 1600 continues to display "+4900 balls remaining until play limit" as the advance notice display. This prevents advance notice update commands and advance notice downgrade commands from being sent multiple times to the peripheral control board 1510 after the advance notice display is updated to "+4900 balls remaining until play limit," thereby avoiding control burdens and complexity. In this example, the advance notice update command used when the number of balls dispensed increases (the number of remaining balls decreases) and the advance notice downgrade command used when the number of balls dispensed decreases (the number of remaining balls increases) are separate commands, but they may also be shared as a command that indicates the display content of the advance notice display.

In (J), after the advance notice display is updated to "+4900 balls remaining until play limit," if the number of balls dispensed falls below 95,000 (more than 5,000 balls remaining) as the number of balls dispensed decreases, a advance notice downgrade command is sent from the main control board 1310 to the peripheral control board 1510, and the effect display device 1600 updates the advance notice display to "+5,000 balls remaining until play limit." Here, when the number of balls dispensed reaches 95,100 (4,900 balls remaining), the advance notice display is updated to "+4900 balls remaining until play limit," and when the number of balls dispensed decreases by 100, the advance notice display is updated; if the number of balls dispensed decreases by only 1 to 99, the advance notice display is not updated. In other words, after the advance notice display is updated to "+4900 balls remaining until play limit is reached," there is a downgrade suppression period in which the advance notice display content is not updated until the number of balls dispensed decreases by 99. This prevents the advance notice display from becoming difficult to understand the game status by continuing to display this as much as possible after it has been updated to "+4900 balls remaining until play limit is reached."

In this example, as the number of balls dispensed increases from (G) to (H), the effect display device 1600 displays "+5000 balls remaining until play limit" as a pre-notification display during the period from when the number of balls dispensed increases from 95,000 (5,000 balls remaining) to 95,100 (4,900 balls remaining). However, as the number of balls dispensed decreases from (I) to (J), the effect display device 1600 displays "+4,900 balls remaining until play limit." In this way, even if the interval for the number of balls dispensed is the same, by changing the display content of the pre-notification display depending on whether the number of balls dispensed is increasing or decreasing, it is possible to continue displaying the display content of the pre-notification display once it has been displayed as long as possible.

In (K), after the advance notice display is updated to "+5000 balls remaining until play limit", if the number of balls dispensed decreases and reaches 94,900 (5,100 balls remaining), the main control board 1310 sends an advance notice end command to the peripheral control board 1510, and the effect display device 1600 ends the advance notice display.

In this example, as the number of balls dispensed increases from (G) to (H), the effect display device 1600 displays "+5000 balls remaining until play limit" as a pre-notification display during the period from when the number of balls dispensed increases from 95,000 (5,000 balls remaining) to 95,100 (4,900 balls remaining). However, as the number of balls dispensed decreases from (J) to (K), the effect display device 1600 displays "+5,000 balls remaining until play limit" as a pre-notification display during the period from when the number of balls dispensed decreases from 95,000 (5,000 balls remaining) to 94,900 (5,100 balls remaining). In this way, even if the intervals for the number of balls dispensed are different, by keeping the display content of the pre-notification display the same depending on whether the number of balls dispensed is increasing or decreasing, it is possible to continue displaying the display content of the pre-notification display once it has been displayed as long as possible.

In this example, as described above, if a serious abnormality is detected while the advance notice display is being executed, the effect display device 1600 displays the same data as the advance notice display as current status display A. However, if a serious abnormality is detected while the end of the advance notice display or demotion is being suppressed, it is desirable to control the display content of current status display A to display the exact amount of balls dispensed to the hall manager, while still using the same data as the advance notice display. In this way, even if an irregular situation occurs, the hall manager can recognize the exact amount of balls dispensed through current status display A.

Furthermore, in each of the above examples, the pre-announcement message is displayed in a specific display area on the top layer of the effect display device 1600 as the game progresses, and the visibility of the pre-announcement message is not obstructed by other effect images. However, if a predetermined area displaying an adjustment image (e.g., an image corresponding to volume or light intensity, or an image related to other adjustments) that reflects the player's adjustment operations on the effect surface is positioned so that it overlaps the specific display area in the front-to-back direction, there is a risk that the visibility of the adjustment image will be obstructed by the pre-announcement message at least while the pre-announcement message is displayed, thereby reducing interest in the game. To resolve this, for example, in each of the above examples, the predetermined area displaying the adjustment image can be positioned so that it does not overlap the specific display area in the front-to-back direction at all. This ensures the visibility of the adjustment image even while the pre-announcement message is displayed, and prevents a decrease in interest in the game. Additionally, if the predetermined area displaying the adjustment image is set up so that it partially overlaps with a specific display area in the front-to-back direction, the adjustment image can be displayed offset from the advance notice display to at least allow the player to confirm the results of the adjustment operation (for example, if the adjustment image is a level gauge type, it can be displayed so that it does not overlap to the extent that the change in the level gauge can be grasped, and if the adjustment image is a numerical type, it can be displayed so that it does not overlap to the extent that the number can be grasped), which also helps to avoid a decrease in interest in the game.

In addition, in each of the above examples, the advance notice message is displayed in a specific display area on the top layer of the effect display device 1600 as the game progresses, and the visibility of the advance notice display is not obstructed by other effect images. However, it is desirable to continue displaying the advance notice display even after the game transitions to a standby state in which the game is not progressing. This prevents new players from starting play without being aware of information such as the amount of balls dispensed before starting the game. Furthermore, because the advance notice display is displayed on the top layer of the effect display device 1600, there is a concern that it may obstruct the visibility of demonstration images (e.g., effect explanations, promotional images, etc.) displayed in the standby state, and not satisfy the needs of players who want to see the demonstration images. To solve this problem, for example, in each of the above examples, the advance notice display in a specific display area can be hidden so that it cannot be seen during all or part of the period during which the demonstration image is displayed, and the advance notice display in the specific display area can be resumed when at least a new player performs a specified operation (for example, touching the handle 160 before operating it, performing an adjustment operation, or operating another button, etc.). This satisfies the needs of players who want to check the demonstration image, while preventing new players from starting play without being aware of information such as the number of balls dispensed before starting play.

(Modification of Restriction Clear Pattern Table 4)
As described above in detail, the limit clearing pattern table 4 clears (initializes) the "amount of balls dispensed before the stop state was initiated or after the stop state was initiated" regardless of which of power-on patterns 1 to 4 is selected when the power is turned on. Specifically, the limit clearing pattern table 4 clears (initializes) the "game limit during the stop state" only when the game state at the time of power-off is cleared (initialized) as in power-on patterns 2 and 3, but clearing the amount of balls dispensed also clears (initializes) the stop preparation state. On the other hand, when the game state at the time of power-off is maintained as in power-on patterns 1 and 4, the "game limit during the stop state" is maintained, but the stop preparation state is also maintained regardless of clearing the amount of balls dispensed. In other words, as with the stop state, it is possible to select whether to maintain or clear the stop preparation state when the power is turned on again after a power-off. For example, if the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value during a jackpot game and a stop-preparation state occurs, and you want to clear that stop-preparation state, you can perform a power-on operation after the power is turned off to clear the amount of balls dispensed that meets the start conditions for the stop-preparation state, but in the limit clear pattern table 4, this power-on operation will clear the jackpot game that was in progress. On the other hand, if you want to maintain the stop-preparation state, you can perform a power-on operation after the power is turned off to maintain the amount of balls dispensed that meets the start conditions for the stop-preparation state, but this power-on operation will resume the jackpot game that was in progress.

As described above, with the above-mentioned limit clear pattern table 4, in order to resume a jackpot game that was in progress upon power-on operation, it was necessary to maintain the stop preparation state. While restarting a jackpot game that was in progress upon power-on operation allowed the jackpot game to resume, it was not possible to clear only the stop preparation state. With this configuration, for example, in a situation such as a test firing test during the development stage of a gaming machine, if the number of balls released reached a specific value during jackpot gameplay and the stop preparation state occurred, even if it was desired to continue the test firing test without initiating the stop preparation state, it was not possible to clear only the stop preparation state, and there was a risk that the subsequent occurrence of the stop preparation state would prevent the continued execution of the test firing test. Furthermore, even if an attempt was made to clear the stop preparation state, the jackpot game would be cleared along with the stop preparation state, which again could prevent the continued execution of the test firing test. In light of these circumstances, in this example, a configuration is described below as a modified version of Limited Clear Pattern Table 4, in which the jackpot game that was running before the power was turned off is resumed when the power is turned on, but only the stop preparation state is cleared.

Figure 140 shows a modified example of the limited clear pattern table 4 when the power is turned on. In this example, limited clear pattern table 4(a) and limited clear pattern table 4(b) are provided as the limited clear pattern table 4 used when the limited clear pattern selection switch is set to "4." The system controls the use of either limited clear pattern table 4(a) or limited clear pattern table 4(b) depending on whether a special external signal is output during the stop preparation state. Only if a special external signal is output during the stop preparation state and this is determined to be the case when the power is turned on, the system clears only the stop preparation state while resuming the jackpot game that was running before the power was turned off. Here, the "special external signal" is output through a specific circuit implemented on the main control board 1310. It may be any signal that satisfies certain output requirements and is output from the main control board 1310 to an external device, such as an external test device. In this example, an empty test circuit is set as a specific circuit formed on the main control board 1310, and detecting that a test electronic component is mounted on that empty test circuit is considered to "satisfy specific output requirements." If a test electronic component is mounted on the empty test circuit, a special external signal is constantly output to an external test device. The special external signal may be output from the main control board 1310 to the outside via an external terminal board, or it may be output directly from the main control board 1310 to the outside without going through the external terminal board.

Figure 140(A) shows a modified version of the restricted clear pattern table 4, restricted clear pattern table 4(a), which is the table selected when the power is cut off while a special external signal is being output during the preparatory state for limiting, and then the power is turned back on. In this example, a determination is made as to whether a special external signal has been output from the main control board 1310 prior to the various clear processes during the power-on process, and restricted clear pattern table 4(a) or restricted clear pattern table 4(b) is selected based on the result of this determination.

Power-on pattern 1 of limit clear pattern table 4(a) maintains the game state at the time of power-off when the power is turned on, but clears (initializes) the "amount of balls dispensed before and after the stop state was initiated." It also maintains the "game limits during the stop state," but clears (initializes) the stop preparation state. The notification method for the outside world is as follows: from the time the power is turned on until a predetermined period of time has elapsed, the LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards on the game board 5 and door frame 3 emit green light (if the stop state is maintained; red if the stop preparation state is cleared), a sound is output from the speaker stating, "The amount of balls dispensed has been cleared. The stop state is maintained (the stop preparation state has been cleared)," and the effect display device 1600 displays an image message stating, "The amount of balls dispensed has been cleared. The stop state is maintained (the stop preparation state has been cleared)" (equivalent to clear notification 1, a progress impossibility notification). More specifically, if the power is cut off during a stop state, a notification that the stop state has been maintained is sent when the power is turned on; if the power is cut off during a stop preparation state, a notification that the stop preparation state has been cleared is sent when the power is turned on; and in all other cases, a notification is sent only that the amount of balls dispensed has been cleared. Furthermore, if the power is cut off during a stop state, in addition to these notifications, a clearing method notification indicating how to clear the stop state described above may be added.

Power-on pattern 2 of restriction clear pattern table 4(a) clears (initializes) the game state at the time of power-off when the power is turned on, but also clears (initializes) the "amount of balls dispensed before and after the stop state was initiated." It also clears (initializes) the "game restrictions during the stop state" and the stop preparation state. Specifically, when play is restricted by restriction pattern 1 described above, "play is stopped," but the "game stop" is canceled when the stop state is cleared. When play is restricted by restriction pattern 2, "fire is stopped," but the "fire stop" is canceled when the stop state is cleared. When play is restricted by restriction pattern 3, "play is stopped" and "fire is stopped," but the "play stop" and "fire stop" are canceled when the stop state is cleared. In either case, game (main game) can be resumed on the main control board 1310 side. Additionally, as a notification method for the outside world, from the time the power is turned on until a predetermined period of time has passed, the LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards on the game board 5 and door frame 3 are made to emit red light, a sound is output from the speaker stating "The ball output amount and limit state (limit preparation state) have been cleared," and the effect display device 1600 displays an image message stating "The ball output amount and limit state (limit preparation state) have been cleared" (equivalent to clear notification 2). More specifically, if the power is turned off during the limit state, a notification is made that the limit state has been cleared when the power is turned on; if the power is turned off during the limit preparation state, a notification is made that the limit preparation state has been cleared when the power is turned on; in all other cases, only a notification is made that the ball output amount has been cleared.

Power-on pattern 3 of limit clear pattern table 4(a) clears (initializes) the game state at the time of power-off when the power is turned on, but also clears (initializes) the "ball payout amount before and after the stop state was initiated." It also clears (initializes) the "game limits during the stop state" and the stop preparation state. Furthermore, as a notification method for external notification, from the time the power is turned on until a predetermined period of time has elapsed, the LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards on the game board 5 and door frame 3 emit red light, a sound is output from the speaker stating "The ball payout amount and stop state (stop preparation state) have been cleared," and the effect display device 1600 displays a message image stating "The ball payout amount and stop state (stop preparation state) have been cleared." (Equivalent to clear notification 2). More specifically, if the power is cut off during a stop state, a notification will be sent when the power is turned on that the stop state has been cleared; if the power is cut off during a stop preparation state, a notification will be sent when the power is turned on that the stop preparation state has been cleared; in all other cases, a notification will only be sent that the number of balls dispensed has been cleared.

When power is turned on, power-on pattern 4 of limit clear pattern table 4(a) maintains the game state at the time of power-off, but clears (initializes) the "amount of balls dispensed before and after the stop state was initiated." It also maintains the "game limits during the stop state," but clears (initializes) the stop preparation state. The notification method for the outside world is as follows: from the time the power is turned on until a predetermined period of time has elapsed, the LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards on the game board 5 and door frame 3 emit green light (if the stop state is maintained; red if the stop preparation state is cleared), a sound is output from the speaker stating, "The amount of balls dispensed has been cleared. The stop state is maintained (the stop preparation state has been cleared)," and the effect display device 1600 displays an image message stating, "The amount of balls dispensed has been cleared. The stop state is maintained (the stop preparation state has been cleared)" (equivalent to clear notification 1, game unplayable notification). More specifically, if the power is cut off during a stop state, a notification that the stop state has been maintained is sent when the power is turned on; if the power is cut off during a stop preparation state, a notification that the stop preparation state has been cleared is sent when the power is turned on; and in all other cases, a notification is sent only that the amount of balls dispensed has been cleared. Furthermore, if the power is cut off during a stop state, in addition to these notifications, a clearing method notification indicating how to clear the stop state described above may be added.

When the power-on pattern 5 of the limit clear pattern table 4(a) is turned on, it maintains the game state at the time of power-off, but also maintains the "amount of balls dispensed before and after the stop state was initiated." It also maintains the "game limits during the stop state" and the stop preparation state. Furthermore, as a notification method for the outside world, from the time the power is turned on until a predetermined period of time has elapsed, the LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards on the game board 5 and door frame 3 emit blue light, a sound is output from the speaker stating, "The amount of balls dispensed and the stop state (stop preparation state) are maintained," and the performance display device 1600 displays an image message stating, "The amount of balls dispensed and the stop state (stop preparation state) are maintained." More specifically, if the power is cut off while the machine is in a stopped state, a notification will be sent when the power is turned on that the stopped state has been maintained; if the power is cut off while the machine is in a stop preparation state, a notification will be sent when the power is turned on that the stop preparation state has been cleared; and in all other cases, a notification will only be sent that the number of balls dispensed has been cleared.

In this way, the limit clear pattern table 4(a), which is used when a special external signal is output, clears (initializes) the "amount of balls dispensed before the limit state began and after the limit state began" regardless of whether the game state at the time of power-on is maintained as in power-on patterns 1 and 4, or the game state at the time of power-on is cleared (initialized) as in power-on patterns 2 and 3. This allows only the limit preparation state to be cleared when the power is turned on during a test firing test during the development stage of a gaming machine, preventing the subsequent occurrence of a limit state from interfering with the continuation of the test firing test. Note that if power-on pattern 5 is selected when the power is turned on, the ball removal process described above is simply executed, and game play does not begin, so the "amount of balls dispensed before the limit state began and after the limit state began" is maintained without being cleared (initialized).

Furthermore, in the restriction clear pattern table 4(a), which is used when a special external signal is output, the "restrictions on play during the paused state" are cleared (initialized) only when the play state at the time of power-off is cleared (initialized) as in power-on patterns 2 and 3. On the other hand, when the play state at the time of power-off is maintained as in power-on patterns 1 and 4, the "restrictions on play during the paused state" are maintained. In other words, developers can choose whether to maintain or clear the "restrictions on play during the paused state" when the power is turned back on after a power-off in situations such as test firing during the development stage of a gaming machine. For example, if a paused state has already occurred and you want to release the play restrictions, you can simply perform the power-on operation to clear the "restrictions on play during the paused state" after the power-off. If you want to maintain the play restrictions, you can simply perform the power-on operation to maintain the "restrictions on play during the paused state" after the power-off. Furthermore, if power-on pattern 5 is selected when the power is turned on, the ball removal process described above is simply executed, and game play does not begin, so the "game play limit during the game stop state" is maintained without being cleared (initialized).

Furthermore, in limit clear pattern table 4(a), which is used when a special external signal is output, when the game state at the time of power interruption is cleared (initialized) as in power-on patterns 2 and 3, not only are the "amount of balls dispensed before the limit state began and after the limit state began" cleared (initialized), but the limit preparation state is also cleared (initialized). On the other hand, when the game state at the time of power interruption is maintained as in power-on patterns 1 and 4, not only are the "amount of balls dispensed before the limit state began and after the limit state began" cleared (initialized), but the limit preparation state is also cleared (initialized). This makes it possible to select whether or not to clear the game state when clearing the limit preparation state in situations such as test firing during the development stage of a gaming machine, making it possible to configure the system to be suitable for normal operation (such as operation in an amusement hall) that is not a test firing.

Figure 140(B) shows a modified version of the limit clear pattern table 4, limit clear pattern table 4(b), which is the table selected when the power is cut off while no special external signal is being output during the limit preparation state and then power is turned back on. Note that power-on patterns 2, 3, and 5 here are the same as those in the limit clear pattern table 4(a) described above, so their explanation is omitted here.

Power-on pattern 1 of limit clear pattern table 4 (b) maintains the game state at the time of power-off when the power is turned on, but clears (initializes) the "amount of balls dispensed before and after the stop state was initiated." It also maintains the "game limits during the stop state" and the stop preparation state. The notification method for the outside world is as follows: from the time the power is turned on until a predetermined period of time has elapsed, the LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards on the game board 5 and door frame 3 emit green light, the speaker outputs a sound saying "The amount of balls dispensed has been cleared. The stop state (stop preparation state) is maintained," and the performance display device 1600 displays a message image saying "The amount of balls dispensed has been cleared. The stop state (stop preparation state) is maintained" (equivalent to clear notification 1 and progress impossible notification). More specifically, if the power is cut off during a stopped state, a notification that the stopped state has been maintained is sent when the power is turned on; if the power is cut off during a stop preparation state, a notification that the stop preparation state has been maintained is sent when the power is turned on; and in all other cases, a notification is sent only that the amount of balls dispensed has been cleared. Furthermore, if the power is cut off during a stopped state, in addition to these notifications, a clearing method notification may be sent to the hall manager showing how to clear the stopped state.

Power-on pattern 4 of limit clear pattern table 4 (b) maintains the game state at the time of power-off when the power is turned on, but clears (initializes) the "amount of balls dispensed before and after the stop state was initiated." It also maintains the "game limits during the stop state" and the stop preparation state. The notification method for the outside world is as follows: from the time the power is turned on until a predetermined period of time has elapsed, the LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards on the game board 5 and door frame 3 emit green light, the speaker outputs a sound saying "The amount of balls dispensed has been cleared. The stop state (stop preparation state) is maintained," and the performance display device 1600 displays a message image saying "The amount of balls dispensed has been cleared. The stop state (stop preparation state) is maintained" (equivalent to clear notification 1, game unplayable notification). More specifically, if the power is cut off during a stopped state, a notification that the stopped state has been maintained is sent when the power is turned on; if the power is cut off during a stop preparation state, a notification that the stop preparation state has been maintained is sent when the power is turned on; and in all other cases, a notification is sent only that the amount of balls dispensed has been cleared. Furthermore, if the power is cut off during a stopped state, in addition to these notifications, a clearing method notification may be sent to the hall manager showing how to clear the stopped state.

In this way, in limit clear pattern table 4(b), which is used when a special external signal is not being output, when the game state at the time of power cut is cleared (initialized) as in power-on patterns 2 and 3, not only is the "amount of balls dispensed before the limit state began and after the limit state began" cleared (initialized), but the limit preparation state is also cleared (initialized). On the other hand, when the game state at the time of power cut is maintained as in power-on patterns 1 and 4, the "amount of balls dispensed before the limit state began and after the limit state began" is cleared (initialized), but the limit preparation state is maintained regardless of the clearing of the amount of balls dispensed. For example, if the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value during a jackpot game during normal operation (such as operation at an amusement hall) and the machine enters a ready-to-stop state, and a serious malfunction (such as detection of magnetism, vibration, or radio waves) occurs due to a player's fraudulent behavior, and the user wishes to resolve the malfunction, the machine can simply turn the power off and then perform a power-on operation to resolve the malfunction, but the ready-to-stop state will be maintained even if power-on patterns 1 and 4 are selected as the power-on operation. In other words, if the jackpot game that was in progress is resumed but the ready-to-stop state is maintained, the machine will transition to the ready-to-stop state when the resumed jackpot game ends. In this way, a fraudster may intentionally cause a serious malfunction during the game's pre-play state, forcing the hall manager to turn the power back on and clear (initialize) the game's pre-play state, potentially resulting in new fraud. However, if the power-on contributes to resolving the serious malfunction, the fraudulent clearing of the game's pre-play state can be avoided, and game play can be ended once the resumed jackpot game has ended, thereby preventing such new fraud. In this way, limited clear pattern table 4(b), which is used when no special external signal is being output, can be configured to be suitable for normal operation (such as operation in an amusement hall) that is not a test firing, unlike limited clear pattern table 4(a).

In the above example, the special external signal is constantly output when test electronic components are installed in an empty test circuit. However, if the output time of the special external signal is longer than necessary, there is another problem in that the control load on the main control board 1310 increases. In light of this, instead of constantly outputting the special external signal when test electronic components are installed in an empty test circuit, it is also possible to configure the special external signal to be output only when necessary when a predetermined output start condition is met. This point will be explained below using Figures 140 (C) and (D).

Figure 141 is a time chart showing the start of outputting a special external signal before the start of the stop preparation state and the stop state. Of these, Figure 141(A) is a time chart when power is cut off before the start of the stop preparation state and the stop state, and power is turned on using power-on patterns 1 and 4 in the above-mentioned limit clear pattern table 4(a). Also, Figure 141(B) is a time chart when power is cut off after the start of the stop preparation state and power is turned on using power-on patterns 1 and 4 in the above-mentioned limit clear pattern table 4(a).

First, let's look at Figure 141(A). In Figure 141(A), even when test electronic components are installed in an empty test circuit, the special external signal is not output continuously. Instead, the output of the special external signal begins at a specific timing (t1) before the start of the pre-play state and the play-stop state. In this example, the specific timing (t1) is set to coincide with the execution conditions for the advance notice display described above. That is, as described above, when the number of balls remaining until the amount of balls dispensed due to winning during gameplay reaches a specific value becomes "+1500 balls," the advance notice display "+1500 balls remaining until the game limit" is displayed in the upper area of the effect display device 1600 as an advance notice, indicating the number of balls remaining until the amount of balls dispensed reaches the specific value. The special external signal is output when the number of balls remaining until the specific value becomes "+1500 balls," which is the same timing as when this advance notice display is displayed. Here, it is conceivable that a specific external signal may be output via the external terminal board at the timing when the advance notice display is displayed. To avoid confusion between such a specific external signal and a special external signal, in this example, it is preferable to output the special external signal directly from the main control board 1310 to the outside without going through the external terminal board.

When the output of a special external signal begins at a specific timing (t1), in situations such as test firing tests during the development stage of a gaming machine, it becomes possible to determine that the game is approaching a ready-to-stop state or a stopped state due to the operation of test equipment that receives the special external signal. This makes it possible to avoid the game being ready to stop or a stopped state without clearing (initializing) the game state by shutting off the power (t2) when the output of the special external signal is determined and then turning the power on (t3) using power-on patterns 1 and 4 in the above-mentioned limit clear pattern table 4(a).

Furthermore, after power-on (t3) using power-on patterns 1 and 4 in the limited clear pattern table 4(a), the output of the special external signal is terminated after a predetermined time has elapsed. In this example, the main control board 1310 determines whether or not a special external signal is being output prior to various clearing processes during power-on processing. Therefore, the output of the special external signal can be terminated at any time after this determination is made. However, if the output of the special external signal continues for an unnecessarily long time after power-on (t3) using power-on patterns 1 and 4 in the limited clear pattern table 4(a), it may be possible to erroneously determine that a game is ready to stop or that a game has stopped. Therefore, it is desirable to terminate the output of the special external signal relatively early after power-on (e.g., within 5 seconds). Furthermore, if the power is shut off (t2) when the output of the special external signal is detected, but the power is turned on using an incorrect power-on pattern, resulting in the ball payout amount being maintained, it is preferable to continue outputting the special external signal. This means that a special external signal will be output for an extended period of time after the power is turned on incorrectly, making it possible to determine that the number of balls dispensed has not been cleared (initialized), and to guide the user to shut off the power again.

In this way, by configuring the device to output a special external signal at a specific timing (t1) before the start of the stop preparation state or the stop state, it is possible to avoid the constant output of the special external signal and reduce the control load on the main control board 1310. Furthermore, the approaching start of the stop preparation state or the stop state can be detected early from the outside through the special external signal along with the advance notice display, making it possible to ensure smooth operation of test firing tests and the like during the development stage of the gaming machine. Furthermore, because the main control board 1310 outputs a special external signal to the outside, even if the advance notice display is incomplete during the development stage of the gaming machine, the approaching start of the stop preparation state or the stop state can be detected early from the outside through the special external signal, as long as the specific timing is set. This also makes it possible to ensure smooth operation of test firing tests and the like during the development stage of the gaming machine.

Next, we will explain Figure 141 (B). In Figure 141 (B), when a test electronic component is installed in an empty test circuit, the output of a special external signal begins at a specific timing (t1) before the start of the stop preparation state, and the power is shut off after the stop preparation state begins.

Specifically, the special external signal is not output constantly even when test electronic components are installed in an empty test circuit. Rather, the output of the special external signal begins at a specific timing (t1) before the start of the stop preparation state. However, the output of the special external signal continues even after the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value during jackpot play and the stop preparation state is triggered (t2). Here, since it is possible that a specific external signal is output via the external terminal board during the stop preparation state, to avoid confusion between such a specific external signal and the special external signal, in this example, it is preferable to output the special external signal directly from the main control board 1310 to the outside without going through the external terminal board. Furthermore, during the stop preparation state, as described above, the effect display device 1600 not only displays a display (normal display) related to the ongoing jackpot play, but also displays a standby display stating "The jackpot has ended and today is over" to indicate that the number of balls dispensed has already reached a specific value.

After the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value during jackpot play and a stop-play preparation state occurs (t2), the machine transitions to the stop-play preparation state when the jackpot play ends. However, by continuing to output a special external signal during this stop-play preparation state, it becomes possible to detect the approaching stop-play state from the operation of test equipment that receives the special external signal, such as in situations such as test firing tests during the development stage of a gaming machine. As a result, by shutting off the power (t3) when the output of the special external signal is detected during the stop-play preparation state and then turning on the power (t4) using power-on patterns 1 and 4 in the above-mentioned limit clear pattern table 4(a), it becomes possible to clear the stop-play preparation state without clearing (initializing) the game state and avoid the occurrence of a stop-play state.

Then, when the output of a special external signal is detected during the ready-to-stop state, the power is shut off (t3), and when the power is turned on (t4) using power-on patterns 1 and 4 in the above-mentioned limit clear pattern table 4(a), the ready-to-stop state is cleared without clearing the jackpot game that was running before the power was shut off. Instead, after various clearing processes are performed during the power-on process, the jackpot game that was running before the power was shut off is resumed. This means that even if the amount of balls released reaches a specific value during jackpot play during a test firing test during the development stage of a gaming machine, and the ready-to-stop state is triggered, the continuous execution of the test firing test is not hindered by only clearing the ready-to-stop state.

Furthermore, after power-on (t4) using power-on patterns 1 and 4 in the restriction clear pattern table 4(a), the output of the special external signal is terminated after a predetermined time has elapsed, as described above. However, because a determination is made as to whether or not a special external signal is being output from the main control board 1310 prior to the various clear processes in the power-on process, the output of the special external signal can be terminated at any time after this determination is made.

In this way, by configuring the device to continue outputting a special external signal not only before the start of the stop-play preparation state, but also after the start of the stop-play preparation state, it is possible to know early from the outside that the start of the stop-play state is approaching through the standby display and the special external signal, making it possible to ensure smooth operation of test firing tests and the like during the development stage of the gaming machine.

Note that the specific timing (t1) does not have to be the same as the execution conditions for the advance notice display described above; it may be a timing before the execution conditions for the advance notice display, or a timing after the execution conditions for the advance notice display, as long as it is before the stop preparation state or stop state begins.

In addition, the present invention is not limited to the configurations shown in Figures 141(A) and (B) above. For example, regardless of whether test electronic components are installed in the empty test circuits, the output/non-output of the special external signal may be switched in response to the ON/OFF operation of the output start switch installed on the main control board 1310. Specifically, when the output start switch is turned ON during the stop preparation state, specific output requirements are met and the special external signal is output. However, when the output start switch is turned ON while not in the stop preparation state, the specific output requirements are met and the special external signal is output after a specific timing (t1) before the start of the stop preparation state has arrived. In such cases, the constant output of the special external signal can be avoided, making it possible to reduce the control load on the main control board 1310.

(Regarding subtraction adjustment of ball output amount)
As described above in detail, when the amount of balls dispensed during a jackpot game (winning game) reaches a specific value, the machine transitions to a stop-ready state, and does not remain in the stop-ready state until the jackpot game ends, but transitions to the stop-ready state when the jackpot game ends. For example, when the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value during a jackpot game, the machine does not immediately transition to the stop-ready state, but transitions to the stop-ready state when the last round of the jackpot game ends. In other words, when the amount of balls dispensed during a jackpot game reaches a specific value, it is possible to acquire balls dispensed in excess of the specific value.

Incidentally, in situations such as "multiple holds that are determined to be jackpots are stored, and after the jackpot game associated with the consumption of earlier holds has ended, the execution of the jackpot game associated with the consumption of later holds has also been confirmed (the occurrence of multiple jackpots can be recognized by the player as multiple hold displays with high expectation display modes being displayed)," "the jackpot is a special jackpot, and it is confirmed that after the jackpot game ends, a transition to a high probability state (such as consecutive win mode) will occur," or "a game ball enters the first V winning slot 2007 or the second V winning slot 2008 during the jackpot game, and it is confirmed that after the jackpot game ends, a transition to a high probability state will occur," it is confirmed that the next jackpot can be won even while the jackpot game is being played. However, even if the next jackpot is confirmed during a jackpot game, if the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value during the jackpot game and the machine transitions to a stop-play preparation state, the machine cannot transition to the stop-play state once the jackpot game ends, preventing players from earning the profits associated with the next jackpot, causing great dissatisfaction among players. In this example, when the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value during a jackpot game and the machine transitions to a stop-play preparation state, if the hall manager performs a specific operation, the amount of balls dispensed (the value of the stop-play counter) is adjusted downwards, returning the amount of balls dispensed to the state before the specific value was reached (normal state), thereby canceling the stop-play preparation state and allowing players to win the next jackpot after the jackpot game ends. This configuration is described below.

First, a ball output subtraction switch is provided on the back side of the pachinko machine 1 for subtracting and adjusting the number of balls output (the value of the limit counter). This ball output subtraction switch is provided on the main control board 1310 as an operation unit (such as a button that can switch between ON and OFF states, or a key switch that can be used to switch between ON and OFF states by inserting a key) that cannot be touched by the player. When the ball output subtraction switch is operated (for example, by turning it ON for three seconds or more and then switching it to OFF), the operation signal is input to the main control board 1310, making it possible to subtract a predetermined number of balls output (for example, 1,500 balls) from the current number of balls output. In other words, it makes it possible to subtract a predetermined number of balls output (for example, 1,500 balls) from the value at the time the limit counter reached its highest value.

In this example, if the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value during a jackpot game and the machine transitions to a stop-play preparation state, the operation of the ball dispense amount subtraction switch is enabled during the stop-play preparation state. When the hall manager operates the ball dispense amount subtraction switch, a specific number of balls (e.g., 1,500) is subtracted from the current number of balls dispensed, bringing the number of balls dispensed below the specific value. At this time, the stop-play flag that was on when the machine transitioned to the stop-play preparation state is turned off, canceling the stop-play preparation state and returning to the normal state. For example, if the "specific value" is set to 100,000, and the number of balls dispensed reaches the specific value (100,000) during a jackpot game, the machine transitions to the stop-play preparation state. However, when the hall manager operates the ball dispense amount subtraction switch, the specific number of balls dispensed is subtracted by 1,500, bringing the number of balls dispensed to 98,500, bringing the number of balls dispensed below the specific value (100,000). Here, when the amount of balls dispensed is reduced so that it falls below a specific value, the stop preparation state is canceled, but the information for the ongoing jackpot game or the next jackpot is not canceled. Also, after the amount of balls dispensed is reduced so that it falls below a specific value, counting of the amount of balls dispensed is resumed, starting from the subtracted amount of balls dispensed.

In this way, even if the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value during a jackpot game and the machine transitions to a ready-to-stop state, the hall manager can cancel the ready-to-stop state by operating the ball dispense amount subtraction switch, and gameplay can continue even after the jackpot game ends, as long as the number of balls dispensed does not reach the specific value again. This allows gameplay to continue after the jackpot game ends, even if the next jackpot is confirmed during the jackpot game as described above, allowing the player to earn profits related to the next jackpot and alleviating player dissatisfaction. Although gameplay continues after the jackpot game ends, if the number of balls dispensed again reaches a specific value during the next jackpot game, the machine transitions to a ready-to-stop state, and if the number of balls dispensed again reaches a specific value when not in a jackpot game, the machine transitions to a ready-to-stop state.

On the other hand, when the machine is not in the stop-play preparation state, operation of the ball output subtraction switch is disabled, and even if the hall manager operates the ball output subtraction switch, the specified amount of balls output (e.g., 1,500 balls) will not be subtracted from the current amount of balls output. For this reason, even if the ball output subtraction switch is operated during a stop-play state, the specified amount of balls output (e.g., 1,500 balls) will not be subtracted from the current amount of balls output, and the amount of balls output will not fall below a specific value. In other words, the machine will not return to the normal state, but will maintain the stop-play state, making it impossible to resume play. In such cases, it is necessary to shut off the power during the stop-play state, and when the power is turned back on, the amount of balls output will be cleared and the stop-play state will also be cleared.

When the payout amount subtraction switch is operated during the stop-preparation state, a predetermined amount of payout balls (e.g., 1,500 balls) is subtracted from the current amount of payout balls. The amount of payout balls subtracted is equivalent to the amount of payout balls that can be won in one jackpot game. In this example, the amount of payout balls that can be won in one jackpot game is approximately 1,500 balls, and the amount of payout balls subtracted when the payout amount subtraction switch is operated is set to 1,500 balls. As a result, if the amount of payout balls reaches a specific value during a jackpot game and the game transitions to the stop-preparation state, operating the payout amount subtraction switch during the stop-preparation state will cancel the stop-preparation state. The amount of payout balls will not reach the specific value again during that jackpot game, and the game will not transition to the stop-preparation state. In other words, even if the next jackpot is confirmed during the jackpot game as described above, you can continue playing after the jackpot game ends and earn the profits related to the next jackpot. Furthermore, since the amount of balls subtracted when the ball output subtraction switch is operated is equivalent to the amount of balls that can be won in one jackpot game, there is a high possibility that the amount of balls output will reach a specific value again in the next jackpot game and the machine will transition to a stop-play preparation state; at the end of that next jackpot game, the machine will transition to a stop-play state and the game can be ended.

In addition, when the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value during jackpot play, the system transitions to a stop-play preparation state. However, after transitioning to the stop-play preparation state, the system is configured so that the amount of balls dispensed during jackpot play (the value of the stop-play counter) is not counted. In other words, the system is configured so that the amount of balls dispensed does not exceed the specific value. Therefore, when the ball dispense amount subtraction switch is operated during the stop-play preparation state, a specific amount of balls dispensed (e.g., 1,500 balls) is subtracted from the specific value, which is the current amount of balls dispensed, so that the amount of balls dispensed falls below the specific value. However, the amount of balls dispensed during jackpot play (the value of the stop-play counter) may also be counted even after transitioning to the stop-play preparation state. In other words, the amount of balls dispensed may be counted in excess of the specific value. In this configuration, when the ball dispense amount subtraction switch is operated during the stop-play preparation state, a specific amount of balls dispensed (e.g., 1,500 balls) is subtracted from the current amount of balls dispensed, which exceeds the specific value, so that the amount of balls dispensed falls below the specific value.

Furthermore, when the payout amount subtraction switch is operated during the stop-play preparation state, a predetermined amount of balls (e.g., 1,500 balls) is subtracted from the current amount of balls. Alternatively, as an alternative, when the power is turned off during the stop-play preparation state and the payout amount subtraction switch is operated when the power is turned back on, a predetermined amount of balls (e.g., 1,500 balls) is subtracted from the current amount of balls. In this configuration, even if the stop-play preparation state is maintained when the power is turned back on, operating the payout amount subtraction switch when the power is turned back on subtracts a predetermined amount of balls (e.g., 1,500 balls) from the current amount of balls, so that the amount of balls dispensed falls below a specific value. In other words, when the payout amount subtraction switch is operated when the power is turned back on, the stop-play preparation state is canceled, and the jackpot game that was in progress when the power was turned off can be resumed. In this way, by requiring the power to be turned on and off to enable the operation of the payout amount subtraction switch, the hall manager can strictly manage the cancellation of the stop-play preparation state.

Furthermore, if the payout amount subtraction switch is operated during the stop-play preparation state, making it possible to win the next jackpot, and when that next jackpot is played, it is possible that a similar game situation will occur again (a situation in which the payout amount reaches a specific value during the jackpot game, causing the machine to transition to the stop-play preparation state, even though the next jackpot has been confirmed). Taking such cases into consideration, it is preferable not to limit the number of times the payout amount subtraction switch can be operated (subtractions) during the stop-play preparation state, but to allow operations to be accepted for each stop-play preparation state. This allows the hall manager to manage the system appropriately, preventing player dissatisfaction even if a similar game situation occurs after operating the payout amount subtraction switch. However, to prevent the payout amount subtraction switch from being operated multiple times during one stop-play preparation state, resulting in more balls being subtracted than necessary, it is preferable to limit the number of times the payout amount subtraction switch can be operated (subtractions) to just one during one stop-play preparation state.

Furthermore, operating the payout amount subtraction switch during the pre-stop state requires the hall manager's intervention, which temporarily halts the player's play. However, since the jackpot game continues during this time, there is a risk that the player will not be able to acquire the payout balls during this time, resulting in damage to the player. To avoid this, for example, when the payout amount subtraction switch is operated during the pre-stop state, control may be exercised to halt the game, including the jackpot game. For example, if the payout amount subtraction switch is turned ON for three seconds or more and then turned OFF to subtract the payout amount, it is possible to halt the game, including the jackpot game, at least while the payout amount subtraction switch is turned ON. Furthermore, to ensure that the player is aware that the jackpot game has not been canceled, it is preferable to issue a unique notification corresponding to the temporary halt of the game, including the jackpot game, while the payout amount subtraction switch is turned ON, so that this information can be recognized externally.

The amount of balls that will be subtracted by operating the ball output subtraction switch during the stop preparation state is not limited to the "amount of balls that can be won in one jackpot game" described above, but may be set appropriately depending on the game specifications, etc. For example, in a game where four jackpot games are guaranteed after one jackpot game (e.g., 500 balls), a single operation of the ball output subtraction switch may subtract a value that exceeds the amount of balls that can be won in the next jackpot game (500 balls) (e.g., 2000 balls, which is equivalent to the amount of balls that can be won in four jackpot games). This can alleviate player frustration.

(Regarding transition to a cap-like state after clearing a cap-like state)
As described above in detail, the limit clearing pattern table 4 clears (initializes) the "amount of balls dispensed before or after the initiation of the stop state" regardless of which of power-on patterns 1 to 4 is selected when the power is turned on. Furthermore, the limit clearing pattern table 4 clears (initializes) the "game limit during the stop state" only when the game state at the time of power-off is cleared (initialized) as in power-on patterns 2 and 3. On the other hand, when the game state at the time of power-off is maintained as in power-on patterns 1 and 4, the "game limit during the stop state" is maintained. In other words, when the power is turned on again after a power-off, it is possible to select whether to maintain or clear the "game limit during the stop state." For example, if a stop state has already occurred and you want to release the game limit, you can perform a power-on operation to clear the "game limit during the stop state" after the power is turned off. If you want to maintain the game limit, you can perform a power-on operation to maintain the "game limit during the stop state" after the power is turned off.

However, if the hall manager mistakenly performs a power-on operation to clear the "play restrictions during a play restriction state" after a power-off, without realizing that a play restriction state has already occurred, the play restriction state may be cleared and play may resume, even though the hall manager wishes to continue the play restriction state. In this example, when a play restriction state has already occurred and the power-on operation is performed to clear the "play restrictions during a play restriction state," the play restriction state is cleared at that point, but the system does not immediately return to the normal state. Instead, the system transitions to a play restriction-like state in which play is restricted in the same way as a play restriction state. The play restriction-like state continues until the hall manager performs a specific operation. This configuration is described below.

First, a similar-to-limit state end switch for ending the similar-to-limit state is provided on the back side of the pachinko machine 1. This similar-to-limit state end switch is provided on the main control board 1310 as a control unit (such as a button that can switch between ON and OFF states, or a key switch that can switch between ON and OFF states by inserting a key) that cannot be touched by the player. When the similar-to-limit state end switch is operated during the similar-to-limit state, the operation signal is input to the main control board 1310. Although play is restricted during the similar-to-limit state, the similar-to-limit state is terminated, returning to normal play and allowing play to resume. Note that while operation of the similar-to-limit state end switch is enabled during the similar-to-limit state, operation of the similar-to-limit state end switch is disabled during the similar-to-limit state, so that operation of the similar-to-limit state end switch during the similar-to-limit state does not terminate the similar-to-limit state. Furthermore, the similar-to-limit state end switch may also serve as the ball payout amount subtraction switch described above.

Figure 142 is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when a stop-like state occurs after clearing the stop-state when the power is turned on.

First, at timing t1, it is determined that the number of balls dispensed will reach a specific value due to the payout of prize balls based on the balls entering the winning slot. When the main control board 1310 detects a ball entering the winning slot, the stop flag is turned ON, and the system transitions to a "stop state" in which restriction pattern 3 is applied, which performs both "game stop" and "firing stop." The behavior of the stop state is as described above.

Specifically, in the stopped state, game balls cannot be fired, and the game (main game) cannot proceed on the main control board 1310 side. In other words, in the stopped state, the special symbol variable display and jackpot game are not executed, and even if a starting win occurs, the special symbol variable display will not be newly started.

Next, after the game enters the stopped state, the power is shut off at time t2, and then turned back on at time t3. In this example, when the power is turned back on, limit clear pattern table 4 is used as the limit clear pattern table, and power-on patterns 2 and 3, which clear the amount of balls dispensed and the stopped state, are selected as the power-on patterns. Therefore, when the power is turned back on, the game state at the time of power-off is cleared (initialized), but the "amount of balls dispensed before and after the stopped state began" and the "game limits during the stopped state" are also cleared (initialized).

In this example, when the power is turned back on, the "restrictions on play during a stopped game state" are cleared (initialized), but the system does not immediately return to the normal state. Instead, it transitions to a stop-like state in which play is restricted in the same way as in a stopped game state. In this stop-like state, just like in a stopped game state, the launch of game balls is disabled, and game play (main game) cannot proceed on the main control board 1310 side. In other words, in a stop-like state, the display of special symbol variations and jackpot play are not executed, and even if a start win occurs, the display of special symbol variations is not newly initiated. In this way, even if the hall manager mistakenly performs a power-on operation to clear the "restrictions on play during a stopped game state" after a power outage without realizing that a stopped game state has already occurred, the system transitions to a stop-like state, and play is restricted in the same way as in a stopped game state until the hall manager operates the stop-like state end switch, allowing the hall manager to strictly control the resumption of play.

In a state similar to a stoppage, the notification is sent to the outside in a different manner than the stoppage state. Specifically, in a state similar to a stoppage, for example, the effect display device 1600, Lamp A (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the frame decoration member), Lamp B (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the game board 5), and speaker notify the player that play is temporarily restricted until the stoppage state end switch is operated. In this way, by notifying the player in a different manner than the stoppage state, the player can reliably determine whether the state is currently in a stoppage state or has been shut off during the stoppage state. Furthermore, when the power is turned back on, the "amount of balls dispensed before and after the stoppage state began" and "play restrictions during the stoppage state" are cleared (initialized), and therefore the player is notified that the amount of balls dispensed and the stoppage state have been cleared.

The behavior of the near-stop state is essentially the same as that of the near-stop state, except for the manner in which it is notified to the outside. Specifically, in the near-stop state, the moving parts are placed in an inoperable state where they cannot move. Also, in the near-stop state, the external terminal board is placed in a forced output state where a security signal is forcibly output, even when no abnormalities are detected, setting values are not changed, or setting values are not being displayed for confirmation. As a result, in the near-stop state, a security signal is output to the hall computer, allowing the hall to know that it has entered a near-stop state.

Furthermore, in a state similar to the dead-end state, the number of game balls B that enter the ball entrance (winning entrance, outgoing entrance) (number of entering balls) and the number of game balls B that are paid out as prize balls (number of paid out) are not counted. In other words, it is not possible to perform calculations regarding the ratio of the number of paid out balls to the number of entering balls, and this is not reflected in the base value displayed on the base monitor.

Furthermore, in a state similar to the limit, even if a ball is detected entering a prize slot, the specified number of game balls will not be paid out as prize balls, and they will not be added to the player's ball count. However, in a state similar to the limit, it is possible to configure the machine not to detect balls entering a prize slot, and similarly, even if a ball enters a prize slot, the specified number of game balls will not be paid out as prize balls, and they will not be added to the player's ball count. Furthermore, in a state similar to the limit, there is a period during which the player's ball count can be settled by operating the counting button switch 180.

In addition, in a state similar to a limit, no abnormality determination is made to determine whether or not an abnormality such as magnetic or vibration has been detected. In other words, even if an abnormality is detected in a state similar to a limit, no abnormality determination is made, and therefore no abnormality notification is issued to notify the outside world that an abnormality has occurred. In this way, in a state similar to a limit, a notification regarding the state similar to a limit is issued in priority over an abnormality notification, thereby ensuring that players and hall managers are aware that a state similar to a limit has been entered. However, a state similar to a limit may be configured not to detect abnormalities such as magnetic or vibration, and similarly, even if no abnormality is detected in the first place, no abnormality notification to notify the outside world that an abnormality has occurred will be issued.

Next, after transitioning to a similar-to-limit state, the similar-to-limit state end switch is operated at timing t4. In this example, when the similar-to-limit state end switch is operated while in the similar-to-limit state, the similar-to-limit state is resolved, returning to the normal state and removing the restrictions on play in the similar-to-limit state. The behavior in the normal state is as described above.

Specifically, in the normal state, game balls can be fired and the game (main game) can proceed on the main control board 1310 side. In other words, unlike the end-of-game-like state and the end-of-game state, the normal state allows normal gameplay to be played, in which the variable display of special symbols can begin when a starting win occurs, and when the variable display of special symbols stops and displays a winning symbol, the jackpot game can begin.

When the power is turned back on, the "amount of balls dispensed before and after the stop state began" and "restrictions on play during the stop state" are cleared (initialized), and a notification is sent that the amount of balls dispensed and the stop state have been cleared. However, such a notification may be sent when the stop-like state end switch is operated during the stop-like state and the normal state is restored. This prevents the player from feeling uncomfortable when the power is turned back on, as the amount of balls dispensed and the stop state have been cleared, but the game has transitioned to a stop-like state and play is restricted in the same way as during the stop state.

(Regarding the visibility of advance notices and impossibility of proceeding displays)
In the above examples, the advance notice message is displayed in a specific display area on the top layer of the effect display device 1600 as the game progresses, and the visibility of the advance notice message is not obstructed by other effect images. However, if a predetermined area displaying an adjustment image (e.g., an image corresponding to volume or light intensity, or an image related to other adjustments) that reflects the player's adjustment operations on the effect surface is positioned so as to overlap the specific display area in the front-to-back direction, the advance notice message may obstruct the visibility of the adjustment image at least while the advance notice message is displayed, which may reduce interest in the game. In such a case, while the advance notice message in the specific display area is hidden so that it cannot be seen, the following example will describe a configuration in which game information such as the adjustment image is displayed outside the specific display area while the advance notice message is displayed in the specific display area.

Figure 143 is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when a pre-notification display or a progress-impossible display is displayed during standby mode.

First, once the remaining number of balls to be dispensed reaches a specific value (for example, 5,000), a pre-warning display is displayed. This pre-warning display is displayed not only while the special symbol is being displayed in a variable manner, but also while the special symbol is in a standby state and not in a variable manner, until the number of balls to be dispensed reaches the specific value. Also, as described above in detail, the effect display device 1600 displays the message "+xx balls remaining until play limit" in a specific display area as a pre-warning display. This specific display area is set as part of the display area of the effect display device 1600 and is used to display when the number of balls to be dispensed approaches a specific value. It is a fixed area that remains unchanged regardless of the play status so that the hall manager will not overlook it.

In addition, advance notice displays and progress impossibility displays are displayed on the upper layer of the performance display device 1600. Here, the performance display device 1600 in this example is capable of displaying multiple layers, including at least an upper layer, a middle layer, and a lower layer, on top of each other, and in the relationship of "upper layer > middle layer > lower layer," the higher the layer display, the closer it is to the front, allowing it to be viewed with priority. This means that the visibility of advance notice displays and progress impossibility displays displayed on the upper layer is not obstructed by displays displayed on the middle and lower layers.

In addition, during the non-changing display of the special symbol, a stopped decorative symbol is displayed as standby display 1 (standby effect 1) from the time the special symbol is confirmed and stopped until a predetermined time (e.g., 30 seconds) has elapsed, with the stopped decorative symbol being displayed on a lower layer of effect display device 1600. The decorative symbol is displayed on a lower layer of effect display device 1600 regardless of whether the special symbol is being displayed in a changing state or in a non-changing state. Furthermore, the specified area of standby display 1 where the stopped decorative symbol is displayed is outside the specific display area where the advance notice display is displayed, and is positioned so that it does not overlap at all in the front-to-back direction with the specific display area. This ensures the visibility of the stopped decorative symbol even while the advance notice display is displayed, and makes it clear that the special symbol is being displayed in a non-changing state. Furthermore, the specified area of the standby display 1 where the decorative symbol is displayed may be positioned so that it partially overlaps with a specific display area in the front-to-back direction; for example, the decorative symbol may be displayed offset from the advance notice display to such an extent that the decorative symbol can be seen.

Furthermore, during the non-variable display of special symbols, the volume and light intensity can be adjusted by operating the setting adjustment button 204, just as during the variable display of special symbols. While the volume or light intensity is being adjusted, an adjustment image corresponding to the volume or light intensity being adjusted is displayed. The adjustment image begins displaying upon operation of the setting adjustment button 204 and is erased a certain period of time (e.g., three seconds) after the display begins. Here, if the setting adjustment button 204 is operated at timing t1 during the non-variable display of special symbols, an adjustment image is displayed. This adjustment image is displayed on the middle layer of the effect display device 1600. Furthermore, the specified area in which the adjustment image is displayed is located outside the specific display area in which the advance notice display is displayed, and is positioned so that it does not overlap with the specific display area in the front-to-back direction. This ensures visibility of the adjustment image even while the advance notice display is displayed, preventing a decrease in interest in the game. The specified area in which the adjustment image is displayed may be positioned so that it partially overlaps with a specific display area in the front-to-back direction. For example, if the adjustment image is a level gauge type, it may be displayed so that it does not overlap to the extent that the change in the level gauge can be grasped, or if the adjustment image is a numerical type, it may be displayed so that it does not overlap to the extent that the value can be grasped. In this way, the adjustment image may be displayed offset from the advance notice display to such an extent that at least the results of the adjustment operation by the player can be confirmed.

In addition, advance notice displays and progress impossibility displays are not subject to image conversion processing (mosaic processing, grayscale processing, enlargement/reduction processing, etc.) performed by the peripheral control board 1510. In other words, performance images other than advance notice displays and progress impossibility displays are subject to image conversion processing performed by the peripheral control board 1510, and the appearance of the performance images is allowed to change as the performance progresses, but advance notice displays and progress impossibility displays are not subject to image conversion processing performed by the peripheral control board 1510, and the appearance of the performance images is not allowed to change even if the performance progresses. As a result, the visibility of advance notice displays and progress impossibility displays does not change while they are displayed, making it possible to avoid overlooking information regarding the amount of balls dispensed, etc.

Next, at timing t3, after the variable display of the special symbol has finished, and a predetermined time (e.g., 30 seconds) has elapsed since the special symbol was fixed and stopped, a demonstration period begins in which demonstration images (e.g., images explaining the effects or promotional images) are displayed. This demonstration period ends when the variable display of the special symbol begins. Furthermore, even after the transition to the demonstration period has begun, the advance notice display continues to be displayed. This prevents new players from starting play without being aware of information such as the number of balls to be dispensed before starting play.

During the demonstration period, the following demonstration image is displayed as standby display 2 (standby effect 2). Specifically, first, the effect display device 1600 is used to explain the effects of pachinko machine 1 and display promotional images (movies), and at the end of this, the logo of the model title of pachinko machine 1 is displayed. Then, after the model title logo display has finished, the effect display device 1600 displays the logo of the manufacturer of pachinko machine 1, and then displays a warning message regarding "addiction prevention" to prevent players from becoming overly addicted to the game (for example, a text display saying "Pachinko should be enjoyed in moderation. Take care not to become addicted"). Displaying such a warning message can prevent players from becoming overly addicted to the game during subsequent games.

In this example, the above-mentioned standby display 2 is displayed on a lower layer of the effect display device 1600. For example, the designated area in which the warning message is displayed is positioned outside the designated display area in which the advance notice display is displayed, and does not overlap the designated display area in any forward or backward direction. This ensures the visibility of the warning message even while the advance notice display is displayed, reliably preventing players from becoming overly absorbed in the game. The designated area in which the warning message is displayed may be positioned so that a portion of the designated area overlaps the designated display area in the forward or backward direction. For example, even if the designated area overlaps the designated display area, the warning message may be displayed offset vertically or horizontally from the advance notice display to such an extent that the content of the warning message can be confirmed. Furthermore, for example, the designated area in which the warning message is displayed may be positioned outside the display area in which the adjustment image described below is displayed. This ensures that the warning message is visible even when the adjustment image is displayed, and reliably prevents players from becoming overly absorbed in the game.

As another example, the above-mentioned standby display 2 may be displayed on a higher layer of the effect display device 1600. In this case, the predetermined area in which the warning message is displayed and the specific display area in which the advance notice display is displayed will be displayed on the same layer, but it is desirable to offset the predetermined area and the specific display area vertically or horizontally so that they do not overlap at all. This ensures that the warning message is visible even while the advance notice display is displayed, and reliably prevents players from becoming overly absorbed in the game. Note that the predetermined area in which the warning message is displayed may be partially overlapped with the specific display area. For example, even if the predetermined area overlaps with the specific display area, the warning message may be displayed offset vertically or horizontally from the advance notice display to such an extent that the content of the warning message can be confirmed.

If the setting adjustment button 204 is operated at timing t4 during the demonstration period, an adjustment image is displayed, and as described above, this adjustment image is displayed on the middle layer of the effect display device 1600. Furthermore, the specified area in which the adjustment image is displayed is outside the specific display area in which the advance notice display is displayed, and is positioned so that it does not overlap at all in the front-to-back direction with the specific display area. This ensures that the adjustment image is visible even while the advance notice display is displayed, and prevents a decrease in interest in playing the game. If the setting adjustment button 204 is operated during the demonstration period, the demonstration period may end while the standby state continues, but the advance notice display will continue to be displayed even in the standby state after the demonstration period has ended.

In addition, during the demonstration period, the movable body provided on the game board 5 may be moved from its initial position to an appearance position and made to appear in front of the screen of the effect display device 1600. However, even if the movable body appears in front of the screen of the effect display device 1600, it is preferable that it is not positioned in front of the specific display area where the advance notice display is displayed. This ensures the visibility of the advance notice display even when the movable body is moving during the demonstration period.

Next, at timing t6, when the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value and game play is restricted, the standby state ends and the system transitions to a stop state in which game play is disabled. As described above, when the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value as calculated based on the winning balls that enter each winning slot, the system transitions to a stop state and game play is restricted. However, in this example, these game play restrictions are controlled not only during the variable display of special symbols or during a winning game, but also during the standby state. As a result, for example, if a game ball released in the standby state enters a general winning slot 2001, etc., and the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value as a result of this winning, game play restrictions are implemented even when game play is not progressing, and the system transitions directly from the standby state to the stop state, making it possible to prevent the game from being terminated during the variable display of special symbols or during a winning game.

When the game transitions directly from the standby state to the play-stop state, the effect display device 1600 displays an image corresponding to the play-stop state, indicating that progress is impossible. The impossibility of progress display displays the message "Play Restrictions," along with messages such as "Play has been restricted as the daily ball output limit of XXX balls has been reached," "Please call an attendant," and "The settlement button is enabled." Furthermore, as described above, the impossibility of progress display is displayed on a higher layer of the effect display device 1600. This allows the player to understand that the amount of balls output has reached a specific value and that play is being restricted.

In addition, in this example, the progress impossibility display is displayed on a screen consisting of an opaque blackout display (for example, a black background image) in an upper layer of the effect display device 1600. This blackout display is displayed across almost the entire surface of the effect display device 1600. As a result, screens displayed on layers lower than the upper layer are made invisible due to the blackout display in the upper layer. Specifically, even after the transition to the play-stop state at timing t6, the lower layer of the effect display device 1600 continues to display a demonstration image as standby display 2, but the upper layer of the effect display device 1600 displays a progress impossibility display using almost the entire surface of the effect display device 1600, making the demonstration image invisible. As a result, after the transition to the play-stop state, the player does not realize that the demonstration period is in progress while the progress impossibility display is being displayed, and can reliably understand that the number of balls dispensed has reached a specific value and game restrictions are being implemented. Furthermore, after transitioning to the stop state, regardless of whether a predetermined period (e.g., 30 seconds) has elapsed in a standby state in which no special symbols are displayed in a variable manner, the lower layer of the effect display device 1600 may be forced to terminate so that the demonstration image does not continue to be displayed.

Furthermore, if the setting adjustment button 204 is operated at timing t7 while the progress impossible display is being displayed, the operation of the setting adjustment button 204 itself can be accepted, and an adjustment image is displayed on the middle layer of the performance display device 1600. However, the progress impossible display is displayed on the upper layer of the performance display device 1600, using almost the entire surface of the performance display device 1600, making the adjustment image invisible. Note that while the progress impossible display is being displayed, the adjustment image is not displayed, but adjustments to the volume and light intensity can be internally accepted by operating the setting adjustment button 204. However, while the progress impossible display is being displayed, priority is given to control related to sound and light emission based on the stalled state, and adjustments to the volume and light intensity made in response to operation of the setting adjustment button 204 are not reflected. Note that, as another example, adjustments to the volume and light intensity made in response to operation of the setting adjustment button 204 may be reflected while the progress impossible display is being displayed; for example, adjustments to the volume and light intensity may be reflected except for those related to the notification mode described below.

In addition, in this example, even after the transition to the stopped state at timing t6, the demonstration image as standby display 2 continues to be displayed on the lower layer of the performance display device 1600. However, if the setting adjustment button 204 is operated while the progress impossible display is being displayed, the demonstration image being continued on the lower layer may be terminated. This reduces the control load on the peripheral control board 1510. Note that the condition for terminating the demonstration image being continued on the lower layer is not limited to operating the setting adjustment button 204, but may also be operating the first performance button 251 or the second performance button 252 or operating the handle 160. Furthermore, if the setting adjustment button 204, first performance button 251 or the second performance button 252, or the handle 160 is operated while the progress impossible display is being displayed (if a specified operation is performed that is a condition for terminating the demonstration image being continued on the lower layer), it is desirable not to issue any corresponding notification such as a dedicated sound, light emission, or display. In other words, if a dedicated sound, light, display, or other notification were to be made in response to each operation, there is a risk that the player might misunderstand that "I can play now," but by not making any dedicated sound, light, display, or other notification in response to each operation, this risk of misunderstanding can be prevented. Note that in the case of the so-called enclosed gaming machine or controlled gaming machine described above, no dedicated sound, light, display, or other notification is made in response to the operation of the setting adjustment button 204, first effect button 251, second effect button 252, or handle 160, but in the case of the operation of the counting button switch 180 only, a dedicated sound, light, display, or other notification in response to that operation may be made in response to that operation in order to clearly indicate that play has ended normally.

Next, the notification modes regarding light emission and sound during the execution of the play limit state will be explained using Figure 143. In this example, when the play limit state is entered, not only the effect display device 1600 but also notification elements other than the effect display device 1600 are used to notify the outside world in an emphasized manner that the play limit state has been entered, so as to actively notify the outside world. However, unless the play limit state is resolved, continuing to notify in this emphasized manner may interfere with the play of surrounding players. In order to alleviate this concern, the following describes a configuration for controlling the notification modes regarding light emission and sound during the play limit state so that they change in a unique manner.

First, at timing t6, when the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value and game play is restricted, the game transitions to a stopped state in which game progress is disabled, and the effect display device 1600 displays a progress disabled message on almost the entire surface of the effect display device 1600 as an image corresponding to the stopped state. At this time, as the actions taken when progress is disabled are performed by lamp A (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the frame decoration member), lamp B (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the gaming board 5), and speaker, notification mode A is forcibly executed in an emphasized mode consisting of a predetermined specific light intensity (e.g., maximum light intensity) and a predetermined specific volume (e.g., maximum volume), regardless of the setting status set by operating the setting adjustment button 204. More specifically, Lamp A (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the frame decoration members) and Lamp B (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the game board 5) emit a monochromatic white light, with the LEDs flashing or lighting up at a specific light intensity (for example, maximum light intensity), and the speaker outputs a voice message at a specific volume (for example, maximum volume) saying, "The daily ball payout limit has been reached, so play is being restricted." This allows the hall manager to be clearly informed that play has entered a stop state. Note that it is preferable that the highlighted notification related to the stop state be in a different mode from the notification mode used in the event of other errors such as abnormalities.

Then, at time t8, after a predetermined period (e.g., 15 seconds) has elapsed since the start of the highlighted notification as notification mode A, the effect display device 1600 maintains the progress-impossible display using substantially the entire surface of the effect display device 1600, but the lamps A (LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards of the frame decoration member), lamp B (LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards of the gaming board 5), and speaker transition to a suppressed notification mode in which the light intensity and volume are reduced as notification mode B. Specifically, while the LEDs of lamps A (LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards of the frame decoration member) and lamp B (LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards of the gaming board 5) continue to emit monochromatic white light, they are no longer flashing or lit at a specific light intensity (e.g., maximum light intensity) (they are flashing or lit at an intensity less than the specific light intensity), and the speaker is no longer outputting the audio message "Play has been restricted because the daily ball payout limit has been reached," resulting in a silent (inaudible) state in which no sound can be heard. This allows the highlighted notification to end even during a game-stop state, preventing the game from interfering with surrounding players. It also prevents excessive power consumption by gaming machines that are no longer being played in a game-stop state.

The suppression mode may be one that reduces the light intensity and volume more than the highlight mode. For example, for Lamp A (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the frame decoration members) and Lamp B (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the gaming board 5), the highlight mode may involve changing the light color pattern so that the LEDs flash or light up in multiple colors, or outputting a voice message such as "Play has been restricted because the daily ball payout limit has been reached" or playing specified background music at a volume lower than a specific volume from the speaker. By doing this, the decorative effect can be maintained even on gaming machines that have reached their limit and are no longer being played, and the machine can play a role in livening up the entire gaming hall. Furthermore, decorative effects are unnecessary on gaming machines that have reached a dead-end state and are no longer being played, and if even greater energy savings are desired, the light intensity and volume of the suppression modes can be completely suppressed. For example, the performance display device 1600 can maintain the no-progress display using almost the entire surface of the performance display device 1600, but lamp A (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the frame decoration member) and lamp B (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the gaming board 5) can be turned off, and the speaker can be set to a silent state (inaudible state) where no sound can be heard. Furthermore, a specified suppression mode selection switch can be provided so that the administrator can change (select) the suppression mode setting by operating the suppression mode selection switch.

Furthermore, if the setting adjustment button 204 is operated at timing t9 after the start of the notification in the suppressed mode as notification mode B, the effect display device 1600 maintains the progress impossibility display, while the lamps A (LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards of the frame decoration members), lamp B (LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards of the gaming board 5), and speaker transition to again executing the notification in the emphasized mode, which emphasizes the light intensity and volume, as notification mode A. Similarly, if there is contact with the handle 160 and the handle touch sensor 162 detects the player's contact, the lamps A (LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards of the frame decoration members), lamp B (LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards of the gaming board 5), and speaker transition to again executing the notification in the emphasized mode, which emphasizes the light intensity and volume, as notification mode A. This allows the notification to transition to the emphasized mode, even if a new player tries to start playing without realizing that play has been stopped, making the player aware of the stoppage. Furthermore, even if you rotate the handle 160 while in contact with it, if play is restricted by the above-mentioned restriction pattern 3, the "play stopped" and "fire stopped" states will be set during the shot limit state, and game balls will not be fired toward the play area 5a.

Furthermore, after restarting the highlighted notification as notification mode A, at time t10, a predetermined period (e.g., 15 seconds) has elapsed. While the effect display device 1600 maintains the "progression is not possible" indication, the lamps A (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the frame decoration member), lamp B (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the gaming board 5), and speaker transition to restarting the notification in a suppressed mode, reducing the light intensity and volume, as notification mode B. This terminates the highlighted notification even if the setting adjustment button 204 is accidentally operated or the handle 160 is accidentally touched, preventing it from interfering with the gameplay of surrounding players. Note that in this example, the time taken to transition from notification mode A (highlighted mode) to notification mode B (suppressed mode) is the same predetermined time (15 seconds) for both the time from t6 to t8 and the time from t9 to t10. However, the time from t6 to t8 and the time from t9 to t10 may be different. For example, the time from timing t6 to timing t8 is desirably set to a relatively long time (15 seconds) as the purpose is to inform those around, while the time from timing t9 to timing t10 can be set to a shorter time than timing t6 to timing t8 (for example, 5 seconds) as new players are in a dead-end state and the purpose is to extend the energy-saving period.

Furthermore, the predetermined condition for transitioning from notification mode A (highlighted mode) to notification mode B (suppressed mode) is not limited to the passage of the predetermined time described above, but may also be an operation by an administrator. For example, a predetermined suppression mode setting switch may be provided so that the administrator can forcibly change to notification mode B (suppressed mode) by operating the suppression mode setting switch while in notification mode A (highlighted mode).

As described above, when a predetermined condition, such as the passage of a predetermined period of time, is met while the stop state is in progress, the notification behavior of Lamp A (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the frame decoration members), Lamp B (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the game board 5), and speaker changes. In contrast, Lamp C is equipped with a status indicator, normal symbol indicator, normal hold indicator, first special symbol indicator, first special hold number indicator, second special symbol indicator, second special hold number indicator, and round indicator as part of the functional display unit 1400, and all of these LEDs are lit during the stop state, so the notification behavior does not change even if a predetermined condition is met. As a result, even if the notification behavior of a component changes, the notification using Lamp C allows the player to know that the stop state has not been resolved.

In addition, when notification mode A is executed at timing t6 immediately after transitioning to the stop state, and when notification mode A is executed at timing t10 due to operation of the setting adjustment button 204 or contact with the handle 160, a common notification is executed in an emphasized mode. This allows for the standardization of the control program.

As another example, if the setting adjustment button 204 is operated or the handle 160 is touched at timing t10, the lamps A (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the frame decoration member), lamp B (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the game board 5), and speaker may transition to notification mode C, which is different from notification mode A and notification mode B. Even with this configuration, if a new player tries to start playing without realizing that play has been stopped, the notification mode may transition to a different mode from notification mode A and notification mode B, making the player aware that play has been stopped.

Next, using Figure 143, we will explain whether or not the handle contact effect can be executed while the special symbol is not being displayed (during standby mode). In this example, if there is new contact with the handle 160 while the special symbol is not being displayed, the handle contact effect can be executed, increasing the excitement of starting play.

First, during the non-variable display of the special symbol (standby state) when the game is not in the end state, a handle contact effect can be executed if the handle 160 is newly contacted, regardless of whether or not the demonstration period is in progress. For example, if the handle 160 is newly contacted at timing t1 while the advance notice display is being displayed, the handle contact effect is initiated and executed for a predetermined period (e.g., 5 seconds). In this handle contact effect, the effect display device 1600 is used to display a contact-specific image corresponding to contact with the handle 160 (e.g., a video display of a specific character to emphasize the start of play). However, Lamp A (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the frame decoration member), Lamp B (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the gaming board 5), and speaker are also capable of executing specific effect processing corresponding to contact with the handle 160 (e.g., sound or light emission to emphasize the start of play). The contact-specific image corresponding to contact with the handle 160 is outside the specific display area where the advance notice display is displayed and is displayed on the lower layer described above.

On the other hand, while the progress-impossible display is being displayed in the play-stop state, the handle contact effect cannot be executed if there is new contact with the handle 160. In other words, even if there is new contact with the handle 160 while the progress-impossible display is being displayed, the effect display device 1600 does not display the dedicated image for contact with the handle 160, thereby restricting the execution of the handle contact effect. As a result, even if a new player attempts to start playing without recognizing that the play-stop state has been reached, the normal handle contact effect will not be executed. In other words, the absence of the normal handle contact effect can alert the player to the fact that the play-stop state has been reached. Note that, as mentioned above, the dedicated image for contact is displayed on a lower layer. Therefore, in order to avoid complicating control depending on whether or not the dedicated image for contact is displayed, the dedicated image for contact may be displayed on a lower layer if there is new contact with the handle 160 while the progress-impossible display is being displayed. Even if a contact-only image is displayed on a lower layer, if a progress-impossible display is displayed on a higher layer of the effect display device 1600 using almost the entire surface of the effect display device 1600, the player will not be able to see the contact-only image, and the normal handle contact effect will not be displayed, making the player aware that the game has reached a dead end. Furthermore, even if the player rotates the handle 160 while making contact, if play is restricted by the above-mentioned restriction pattern 3, the game ball will not be launched toward the game area 5a because "play stopped" and "launch stopped" are in the dead end state.

Furthermore, as explained in detail above, if there is new contact with the handle 160 while the progress-impossible display is being displayed, it is possible for lamp A (an LED mounted on the various decorative boards of the frame decoration member), lamp B (an LED mounted on the various decorative boards of the game board 5), and speaker to change from notification mode B to notification mode A (or, as another example, notification mode C), and transition to a notification in an emphasized mode. As a result, even if a new player tries to start playing without realizing that play has been stopped, the notification in an emphasized mode can be executed, making the player aware that play has been stopped.

Furthermore, if there is new contact with the handle 160 at timing t5 while the advance notice display is being displayed, the handle contact effect will begin. However, if the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value and the game transitions to a deadlock state at timing t6, before the end of the handle contact effect, the handle contact effect will end midway through its execution and will not be executed to the end. In other words, after the game transitions to a deadlock state, the contact-specific image corresponding to contact with the handle 160 is made difficult to see. This makes it possible to make the player aware that the game will transition to a deadlock state and that they will no longer be able to continue playing, even if they are paying attention to the handle contact effect.

In this example, while the game is in a stalled state, data transfer from the gaming machine to the gaming ball dispensing device 8 is acceptable, but adding to the normal number of balls a new player has or data transfer from the gaming ball dispensing device 8 to the gaming machine is not accepted, preventing the new player from starting play. If a new player attempts to add to the normal number of balls they have (a ball dispensing operation), a specified notification is issued. For example, just as if the handle 160 were to be newly touched while the progress-impossible display was being displayed, Lamp A (an LED mounted on the various decorative boards of the frame decoration member), Lamp B (an LED mounted on the various decorative boards of the gaming board 5), and speaker are changed from Notification Mode B to Notification Mode A (or, as another example, Notification Mode C), transitioning to a highlighted notification mode. As a result, even if a new player tries to start playing without realizing that the game is at a limit, the normal number of balls held will not be added when the ball is dispensed, preventing the player from starting the game. In addition, the player is made aware of the limit by the highlighted notification. Note that, if the game is at a limit and it is not possible to add new players' normal number of balls or to receive data transfer from the game ball dispenser 8, it is preferable to control the display mode of the ball count display unit 140 to a mode that indicates the limit, such as "EEEE," and notify the player of this in advance.

As another example, during a play-stop state, it may be possible to add a new player's normal ball count or to accept data transfer from the game ball lending device 8 to the gaming machine. Even in such cases, if a new player attempts to add to their normal ball count (a ball lending operation), a predetermined notification is issued. For example, just as in the case of new contact with the handle 160 while the progress-stopped message is being displayed, lamp A (an LED mounted on the various decorative boards of the frame decoration member), lamp B (an LED mounted on the various decorative boards of the gaming board 5), and speaker change from notification mode B to notification mode A (or, as another example, notification mode C), and the notification is switched to an emphasized mode. As a result, if a new player attempts to start playing without realizing that play is stopped, the normal ball count will be added when the ball lending operation is executed, but the emphasized notification can alert the player to the fact that play is stopped.

As another example, during the non-variable display of the special symbol (during standby mode), a movable body on the gaming board 5 may be moved from its initial position to its appearance position at a predetermined time during the demonstration period and left waiting in front of the screen of the effect display device 1600 for a predetermined operation period (after the operation period has elapsed, the movable body is returned from its appearance position to its initial position), thereby performing a so-called "customer-attracting operation." However, such a customer-attracting operation may also be partially restricted, as with the handle contact effect described above. For example, if the operation (customer-attracting operation) of the movable body on the gaming board 5 is pre-set to be performed from its initial position to its appearance position at timing t5 during the display of the advance notice display, the customer-attracting operation is performed for a predetermined operation period from timing t5. However, if the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value at timing t6, before the operation period has elapsed and the game enters a stop state, the operation period is terminated midway, and the movable body is forcibly returned from its appearance position to its initial position, thereby shortening the customer-attracting operation. In other words, the customer-attracting operation is not performed after the game enters a stop state. This allows players to be made aware that even if they are performing a customer attraction operation, the game will be stopped and they will no longer be able to continue playing.

Next, Figure 143 will be used to explain whether or not a presentation change operation can be accepted. In this example, if the setting adjustment button 204 is pressed and held during either the variable display of special symbols, the non-variable display of special symbols, or a winning game (jackpot game), a change to "auto button mode, which enables the auto button function that considers the first presentation button 251 or the second presentation button 252 to have been operated when operation is requested in subsequent presentations, even if the first presentation button 251 or the second presentation button 252 has not been operated" or "3D display mode, which enables 3D image display on the presentation display device 1600" is possible, providing a gaming environment that suits the player's needs. Note that if the setting adjustment button 204 is pressed and held again after a change to auto button mode or 3D display mode, the change is canceled and the mode is changed back to normal mode.

First, as an example, we will explain what happens when the setting adjustment button 204 is pressed and held while a special symbol is not being displayed in a variable manner when the game is not at a full-play state. When a special symbol is not being displayed in a variable manner when the game is not at a full-play state, acceptance of a long press of the setting adjustment button 204 is enabled regardless of whether or not a demonstration period is in progress, making it possible to change to auto button mode or 3D display mode. For example, if a long press of the setting adjustment button 204 is initiated at timing t1 while the advance notice display is being displayed, the effect display device 1600 executes an acceptance effect consisting of images and sounds corresponding to the acceptance of the long press (for example, a display or sound such as "If you continue to press for 5 seconds, the mode will change to auto button mode and 3D display mode"). Then, at timing t2, when the setting adjustment button 204 has been pressed and held for a predetermined period of time (for example, 5 seconds), the mode changes to auto button mode or 3D display mode, and the performance display device 1600 displays an accepted performance consisting of an image and sound corresponding to the acceptance of the long press (for example, a display or sound such as "Changed to auto button mode and 3D display mode"). Note that the image display of the currently accepted performance and the accepted performance is outside the specific display area where the advance notice display is displayed, and is displayed on a middle layer of the performance display device 1600.

In addition, although not shown, if the setting adjustment button 204 is pressed and held during the display of special symbols that are not in the end-of-play state or during a winning game (jackpot game), the acceptance of the long press of the setting adjustment button 204 is enabled in the same manner as when the special symbols are not being displayed and it is possible to change to auto button mode or 3D display mode, and the acceptance-in-progress and acceptance-completed effects are also executed. Furthermore, if the setting adjustment button 204 is pressed and held while the special symbols are being displayed and changing, the acceptance of the long press is continued not only during the display of the special symbols, but also after the display of the special symbols has ended and after the display of the next special symbols begins and the long press is not forcibly canceled midway when the display of the special symbols and changing are completed.

Furthermore, after changing to auto button mode or 3D display mode while the special symbol is changing, while the special symbol is not changing, or during a winning game (jackpot game), subsequent effects are changed to correspond to auto button mode or 3D display mode, and a setting effect (setting image) indicating that auto button mode or 3D display mode is set is executed. However, if the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value and the game transitions to a deadlock state in this state, the change to auto button mode or 3D display mode is forcibly canceled, and the execution of subsequent setting effect (setting image) is restricted. In other words, when the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value and the game transitions to a deadlock state, the set auto button mode or 3D display mode is forcibly canceled without any operation of the setting adjustment button 204, and the above-mentioned progress-impossible display, etc. is executed in a normal manner that does not correspond to either mode. Furthermore, the setting effect (setting image), like the images of the reception effect and reception completed effect, is outside the specific display area where the play impossible display is displayed, and is displayed on a middle layer of the effect display device 1600. This prevents the impossible-to-play display from being displayed in 3D display, etc., and also prevents the impossible-to-play display from being difficult to see in the setting effect (setting image), making it possible to properly notify the player that play has come to a halt without causing discomfort or disgust to the player.

Next, we will explain what happens when the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value while the setting adjustment button 204 is being pressed and held to change to auto button mode or 3D display mode during a special symbol variable display, a non-variable special symbol display, or a winning game (jackpot game). Using Figure 143 as an example of a non-variable special symbol display when the game is not in a stopped state, if the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value and the game transitions to a stopped state at timing t6 (e.g., when the setting adjustment button 204 is pressed and held for three seconds) while the setting adjustment button 204 is being pressed and held to change to auto button mode or 3D display mode, the game will block continued acceptance of long presses of the setting adjustment button 204 at timing t6, forcibly disabling further operation acceptance. Furthermore, if the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value and the game transitions to a stopped state during the execution of a currently accepting effect or a currently accepted effect, the effect will be forcibly terminated at the point of transition to the stopped state. In other words, even if the setting adjustment button 204 is subsequently pressed and held for five seconds or more, restrictions are placed on preventing a change to auto button mode or 3D display mode. As a result, even if the setting adjustment button 204 is pressed and held before the game enters the stopped state, if the game enters the stopped state during that press and hold, none of the reception effect, reception completed effect, or setting effect will be executed after the game enters the stopped state, and the game can be properly notified of the stopped state without causing discomfort or disgust to the player.

On the other hand, while the progress impossible display is displayed in the play-stop state, acceptance of long presses of the setting adjustment button 204 is disabled, and restrictions are placed on preventing changes to auto button mode or 3D display mode. In other words, even if the setting adjustment button 204 is long pressed while the progress impossible display is displayed, the effect display device 1600 is restricted from executing the "Accepting" effect, "Accepted" effect, and "Setting" effect. As a result, even if a new player long presses the setting adjustment button 204 without recognizing that the play is stopped, no notification regarding a change to auto button mode or 3D display mode is issued, avoiding the misunderstanding that play is possible.

In addition, if the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value while the setting adjustment button 204 is being pressed and held to cancel the already-set auto button mode or 3D display mode during a variable special symbol display, a non-variable special symbol display, or a winning game (jackpot game), the following control is implemented. That is, if the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value and the game transitions to a stop state at timing t6 (e.g., when the setting adjustment button 204 is pressed and held for three seconds) while the setting adjustment button 204 is being pressed and held to cancel the auto button mode or 3D display mode, continued acceptance of the long press of the setting adjustment button 204 is blocked at timing t6, forcibly disabling further operation acceptance as described above. Furthermore, if the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value and the game transitions to a stop state during the execution of a currently-accepted or accepted effect, the effect is forcibly terminated as soon as the game transitions to a stop state as described above. However, if the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value while the setting adjustment button 204 is being pressed and held to cancel an already-set auto button mode or 3D display mode, even if continued acceptance of the long press of the setting adjustment button 204 is blocked, the auto button mode or 3D display mode is canceled based on the amount of balls dispensed reaching the specific value. In other words, if the setting adjustment button 204 is pressed and held (to cancel) before the game is stopped, the game will transition to the stopped state during that long press. After the game is stopped, none of the accepting effect, accepted effect, or setting effect will be executed, but the auto button mode or 3D display mode will be forcibly canceled. This prevents the game stop state notification from being distorted to reflect a special mode, and avoids causing discomfort or dislike to the player.

Furthermore, as explained in detail above, if the setting adjustment button 204 is operated (pressed and held) while the progress-impossible display is being displayed, it is possible for lamp A (LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards of the frame decoration member), lamp B (LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards of the game board 5), and speaker to change from notification mode B to notification mode A (or, as another example, notification mode C), and the notification will transition to an emphasized mode. As a result, even if a new player presses and holds the setting adjustment button 204 without realizing that play has reached a limit, the notification will be executed in an emphasized mode, making the player aware that play has reached a limit.

Furthermore, if a long press of the setting adjustment button 204 is initiated at timing t5 while the advance notice display is in progress, the effect display device 1600 displays an image of the effect currently being accepted. However, if the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value at timing t6, before the long press of the setting adjustment button 204 reaches a predetermined period (e.g., 5 seconds), and the game transitions to a stop state, the display of the image of the effect currently being accepted is terminated midway, and the display of the image of the effect currently being accepted is not completed. In other words, after the game transitions to a stop state, the display of the image of the effect currently being accepted is not visible. Furthermore, since acceptance of the long press of the setting adjustment button 204 is disabled after the game transitions to a stop state, even if the long press has continued before the game transitions to a stop state, the mode will not change to auto button mode or 3D display mode at timing t7, when the long press period reaches a predetermined period (e.g., 5 seconds), and the effect display device 1600 will not display an image of the effect that has been accepted. This allows the player to be made aware that even if the setting adjustment button 204 is pressed and held down, the game will be stopped and the player will be unable to continue playing.

When the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value during a jackpot game and the game transitions to the stop preparation state, unlike when the progress impossibility indicator is displayed in the stop state, acceptance of a long press of the setting adjustment button 204 is enabled, making it possible to change to auto button mode or 3D display mode. Therefore, if a long press of the setting adjustment button 204 is initiated while the advance notice indicator is displayed and the game transitions to the stop preparation state before the long press duration reaches a predetermined period (e.g., 5 seconds), the effect currently being accepted will not end midway. Instead, when the long press duration reaches the predetermined period (e.g., 5 seconds) after the game transitions to the stop preparation state, the effect will change to the auto button or 3D display, and the effect display device 1600 will display an image of the effect that has been accepted. As a result, when the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value during a long press of the setting adjustment button 204, it is possible to know whether the game has transitioned to the stop state or the stop preparation state. After the game transitions to the stop preparation state, the corresponding effect will be executed, allowing the player to play according to their needs.

In the above, an example was given of changing to another mode such as auto button mode or 3D display mode by long pressing the setting adjustment button 204, but the other modes that can be changed to by long pressing the setting adjustment button 204 are not limited to these modes. For example, the other mode may be a change to "another presentation mode in which preview presentations and reach presentations are executed in different ways." Also, while an example was given of changing to another mode by long pressing the setting adjustment button 204, the player's operation that triggers the change to another mode is not limited to a long press of the setting adjustment button 204, but may also be a "short press of the setting adjustment button 204 or another button."

The timing for reflecting a change to another mode, such as auto button mode or 3D display mode, is not limited to the above example. For example, the change may be put on hold until the next time the special symbol starts changing, and the change to another mode may be reflected when the next special symbol starts changing. In such a case, if the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value and stops playing between the time the change to the other mode is put on hold and the time the next special symbol starts changing, the next special symbol change will not start, making it impossible to reflect the change to the other mode, and achieving the same effect as described above. In such a case, the control load on the peripheral control board 1510 can be reduced by erasing information about the change to another mode being put on hold when the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value and stops playing.

(Operation of the moving body after transition to the deadlock state)
As described above in detail, when a game ball enters the general winning slot 2001 or the like while the special symbol is being displayed, if the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value due to the payout of prize balls, the game transitions to a stop state and game restrictions are imposed. When the game transitions to a stop state, the effect display device 1600 displays the message "Game Restriction" as an image corresponding to the stop state, thereby informing the player that the number of balls dispensed has reached a specific value and game restrictions are being imposed. However, during the special symbol display, as part of the variable effect, it is possible to move movable bodies such as the rear-front lifting decorative body unit 3310 and the rear-rear lifting decorative body 3410 from their standby positions to a performance position located in front of the display screen of the effect display device 1600 in a performance pattern determined at the start of the special symbol display. Therefore, if the display of the special symbols is stopped when the game transitions to a stop state during the display of the special symbols, but the movable body is operated in the presentation pattern determined at the start of the display of the special symbols after the transition to the stop state, the display content (the image corresponding to the stop state) displayed on the presentation display device 1600 will be hidden by the movable body and will be impossible to see, making it difficult to understand that a game restriction has been implemented. Furthermore, if the display of the special symbols is not only stopped but also the movable body is forcibly stopped when the game transitions to a stop state during the display of the special symbols, when the movable body stops in the presentation position, the display content (the image corresponding to the stop state) displayed on the presentation display device 1600 will be hidden by the movable body and will be impossible to see, making it difficult to understand that a game restriction has been implemented. Therefore, in this example, a configuration will be described below in which the movable body does not stop in the presentation position after the transition to the stop state and does not move to a new presentation position.

In this example, the game board 5 is provided with a rear-front lifting decoration unit 3310 and a rear-rear lifting decoration 3410 as movable bodies that can appear in front of the display screen of the performance display device 1600. Under normal conditions, the rear-front lifting decoration unit 3310 and the rear-rear lifting decoration 3410 wait in a standby position located at the top of the display screen of the performance display device 1600, but at a predetermined timing during the variable display of special patterns, each movable body can perform a performance operation between its standby position and a performance position located in front of the display screen of the performance display device 1600.

First, we will explain the operation of the movable body when the game does not transition to a stop state during the variable display of special symbols. Figure 144 is a time chart showing the operation of the movable body when the game does not transition to a stop state during the variable display of special symbols.

When the main control board 1310 detects balls entering various starting holes and starts the variable display of special symbols based on the balls entering the various starting holes, it determines one of several variation patterns based on the lottery results, and executes the variable display of special symbols based on that variation pattern on the first special symbol display device or the second special symbol display device in the function display unit 1400. Furthermore, when a variation pattern is determined, it is sent as a variation pattern command from the main control board 1310 to the peripheral control board 1510, and the peripheral control board 1510 determines a presentation pattern corresponding to the variation pattern. The presentation pattern determines the content of the variable presentation to be executed during the variable display of special symbols, and the variable presentation may include the variable display of decorative symbols using the presentation display device 1600, presentations such as reach presentations, lighting using lamps, and audio output from speakers. In addition, the movement of movable bodies such as the rear-front lifting decorative body unit 3310 and the rear-rear lifting decorative body 3410 can also be performed as a variable effect, and an operation schedule is instructed to be executed, which sets the operation timing and operation content of the movable bodies. Regarding this operation schedule, when the operation timing of the movable body arrives, the peripheral control board 1510 executes a movement process to operate the movable body, and initiates the specified operation content. The operation schedules include an operation schedule X, which sets the operation timing and operation content of the rear-front lifting decorative body unit 3310 (movable body X), and an operation schedule Y, which sets the operation timing and operation content of the rear-rear lifting decorative body 3410 (movable body Y). Furthermore, the change pattern, effect pattern, and operation schedule are determined when the special symbol change display begins, and after the special symbol change display begins, they are executed according to the change pattern, effect pattern, and operation schedule. In addition, the rear front lifting decoration unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear rear lifting decoration 3410 (movable body Y) are operable when the variation pattern (presentation pattern) that is selected when the lottery result for the special symbol is a win and the variation pattern (presentation pattern) that is selected as part of the lottery result for the special symbol is a loss have been determined, and this operation can give the player a sense of anticipation about winning.

As shown in Figure 144, if variation pattern 1 is determined at the start of the display of the special symbol variations, the display of the special symbol variations is executed based on variation pattern 1. Furthermore, at the start of the display of the special symbol variations, the peripheral control board 1510 determines presentation pattern 1 corresponding to variation pattern 1, and executes the presentation of the variations based on presentation pattern 1 while the special symbol variations are being displayed. Furthermore, when presentation pattern 1 is determined, the rear-front lifting and descending decorative body unit 3310 (movable body X) is instructed to execute operation schedule X1, and the rear-rear lifting and descending decorative body 3410 (movable body Y) is instructed to execute operation schedule Y1; however, these operation schedules are not set to operate the rear-front lifting and descending decorative body unit 3310 (movable body X) or the rear-rear lifting and descending decorative body 3410 (movable body Y), and while the special symbol variations are being displayed, the rear-front lifting and descending decorative body unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear-rear lifting and descending decorative body 3410 (movable body Y) are in standby for operation.

Then, at timing t1, the variable display of the special pattern ends, and if variable pattern 2 is determined at the start of the variable display of the next special pattern, the variable display of the special pattern is executed based on variable pattern 2. Also, at timing t1, the peripheral control board 1510 determines presentation pattern 2 corresponding to variable pattern 2, and executes the variable presentation based on presentation pattern 2 while the variable display of the special pattern is in progress. Also, if presentation pattern 2 is determined at timing t1, the rear-front lifting decorative body unit 3310 (movable body X) is instructed to execute operation schedule X2, and the rear-rear lifting decorative body 3410 (movable body Y) is instructed to execute operation schedule Y2. Of these operation schedules, operation schedule X2 is set so that the rear-front rising and falling decorative body unit 3310 (movable body X) performs a performance action at timing tx, a predetermined period (e.g., 20 seconds) after the start of the variable display, while operation schedule Y2 is set so that the rear-rear rising and falling decorative body 3410 (movable body Y) performs a performance action at timing ty, a predetermined period (e.g., 25 seconds) after the start of the variable display. Note that timing ty is later than timing tx and occurs after the performance action of the rear-front rising and falling decorative body unit 3310 (movable body X) is completed. Furthermore, if the game does not transition to a dead-end state during the variable display of the special pattern, the rear-front rising and falling decorative body unit 3310 (movable body X) performs a performance action at timing tx, and the rear-rear rising and falling decorative body 3410 (movable body Y) performs a performance action at timing ty.

Next, we will explain the case where the game transitions to a stop state before the timing of the movable body's movement during the variable display of special symbols, and the movable body is not subsequently operated. Figure 145 is a time chart showing the case where the game transitions to a stop state before the timing of the movable body's movement during the variable display of special symbols, and the movable body is not subsequently operated.

As shown in Figure 145, if variation pattern 2 is determined at timing t1 when the variable display of the special symbol begins, the variable display of the special symbol is executed based on that variation pattern 2. Also, at timing t1, the peripheral control board 1510 determines presentation pattern 2 corresponding to variation pattern 2, and executes the variable display based on presentation pattern 2 while the variable display of the special symbol is in progress. Also, if presentation pattern 2 is determined at timing t1, it instructs the rear-front lifting decorative body unit 3310 (movable body X) to execute operation schedule X2, and the rear-rear lifting decorative body 3410 (movable body Y) to execute operation schedule Y2.

Then, at timing t2, before timing tx, if a game ball enters the general winning slot 2001 while the special symbol is being displayed, causing a transition to a stop state, the stop state flag is turned ON, and the display of the special symbol being displayed based on change pattern 2 is forcibly stopped. Also, at timing t2, the peripheral control board 1510 forcibly stops the variable effect being displayed based on effect pattern 2. At this time, the effect display device 1600 forcibly changes the image corresponding to the variable effect to an image corresponding to the stop state. Also, the operation schedule X2 being executed for the rear-front lifting decoration unit 3310 (movable body X) and the operation schedule Y2 being executed for the rear-rear lifting decoration unit 3410 (movable body Y) are forcibly stopped, and the rear-front lifting decoration unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear-rear lifting decoration unit 3410 (movable body Y) are prohibited from operating. Therefore, after transitioning to a stop state at timing t2, even if timing tx arrives, the predetermined performance action will not be performed for the rear-front rising and falling decorative body unit 3310 (movable body X), and even if timing ty arrives, the predetermined performance action will not be performed for the rear-rear rising and falling decorative body 3410 (movable body Y).

In this way, at the start of the variable display of the special pattern, the timing tx for executing the performance operation of the rear-front rising and lowering decorative body unit 3310 (movable body X) and the timing ty for executing the performance operation of the rear-rear rising and lowering decorative body 3410 (movable body Y) are determined, but if the game transitions to a stop state at timing t2 before timing tx arrives, the performance operation that was predetermined for the rear-front rising and lowering decorative body unit 3310 (movable body X) will not be executed when timing tx arrives, and the performance operation that was predetermined for the rear-rear rising and lowering decorative body 3410 (movable body Y) will not be executed when timing ty arrives. As a result, when the game enters a limit state, the effect display device 1600 displays the message "Play Restrictions" as an image corresponding to the limit state, but the display content (image corresponding to the limit state) displayed on the effect display device 1600 is not obscured by the effect movement of the rear front lifting decoration unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear rear lifting decoration 3410 (movable body Y), preventing the player from becoming unaware that a limit on play is being imposed.

In the above-described embodiment, at time t2 when the state transitions to the stopped state, the operation schedule X2 being executed for the rear-front ascent/descent decorative body unit 3310 (movable body X) and the operation schedule Y2 being executed for the rear-rear ascent/descent decorative body 3410 (movable body Y) are forcibly stopped. However, as another example, the operation schedules themselves may be allowed to continue without being forcibly stopped, while the operation of movable bodies X and Y is stopped by control independent of the operation schedules. For example, at time t2 when the state transitions to the stopped state, in order to forcibly prohibit the rear-front ascent/descent decorative body unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear-rear ascent/descent decorative body 3410 (movable body Y), an operation prohibition flag may be turned on, and whether or not to operate movable bodies X and Y may be determined depending on the state of this operation prohibition flag. In such a case, even if timing tx arrives in the operation schedule that continues even after the transition to the dead-end state, the execution of a predetermined performance action for the rear-front rising and falling decorative body unit 3310 (movable body X) can be prohibited based on the operation prohibition flag being on, and even if timing ty arrives, the execution of a predetermined performance action for the rear-rear rising and falling decorative body 3410 (movable body Y) can be prohibited based on the operation prohibition flag being on, eliminating the need to change the operation schedule when the transition to the dead-end state and making it possible to avoid complicating the game design.

In addition, in the above-described embodiment, the image corresponding to the variable effect is forcibly changed to the image corresponding to the stopped state at time t2 when the state transitions to the stopped state. However, it is also possible to continue the image corresponding to the variable effect without forcibly stopping it, and display the image corresponding to the stopped state on a higher layer in the effect display device 1600 (a layer higher than the layer displaying the image corresponding to the variable effect), so that only the image corresponding to the stopped state is visible on the effect display device 1600.

In addition, in the above-described embodiment, due to concerns that the player may not be able to grasp that game restrictions are being implemented, all variable effects currently being executed based on effect pattern 2 are forcibly stopped at time t2 when the game enters the stopped state. However, as another example, it is possible to continue some of the variable effects currently being executed based on effect pattern 2 without forcibly stopping all of them. In other words, it is possible to execute normal control for only some of the effect elements that make up the variable effects, which are made up of "sound, light, image, movable body." For example, taking the example of a case where only "sound, light, image" of the "sound, light, image, movable body" effect elements that make up the variable effects are forcibly stopped, at time t2 when the game enters the stopped state, the effect using movable body X and Y in the variable effects based on the effect pattern is continued, but the image corresponding to that variable effect is forcibly changed to an image corresponding to the stopped state, so that only the image corresponding to the stopped state can be viewed on the effect display device 1600. In this case, as mentioned above, there is a possibility that the fact that a game restriction is being implemented may become unclear due to the effects of movable bodies X and Y. However, in this example, preliminary notification that a game restriction is being implemented is provided using effects such as "sound" or "light" that are not obstructed by the effects of movable bodies X and Y. Specifically, at time t2 when the game transitions to the stopped state, control may be changed to output a warning sound different from the sound corresponding to the variable effects, thereby providing a "sound" warning, or control may be changed to emit a warning light different from the light corresponding to the variable effects, thereby providing a "light" warning. This makes it possible to avoid losing track of the fact that a game restriction is being implemented, even if all variable effects currently being implemented are not forcibly stopped.

In addition, in the above-mentioned example, a case is explained in which the game transitions to a stop state before the timing of the operation of the movable body during the changing display of the special pattern, and the movable body does not operate thereafter.However, if an operable first performance button 251 is provided as a movable body separate from the back-front rising and falling decorative body unit 3310 (movable body X) and the back-rear rising and falling decorative body 3410 (movable body Y), the following configuration may be adopted. That is, if a vibrator device (such as a vibration motor) provided inside or outside the first effect button 251 is used to enable vibration of the first effect button 251, the peripheral control board 1510, when determining the variation pattern (effect pattern) to be selected when the special symbol lottery result is a win and the variation pattern to be selected in some cases when the special symbol lottery result is a loss, executes an operation schedule corresponding to the first effect button 251 (movable body) according to the variation pattern set corresponding to the variation pattern, and vibrates the first effect button 251 (movable body) at a predetermined vibration timing during the variable display of the special symbol during a win and a part of a loss, giving the player a sense of anticipation of a win. With this configuration, if the game transitions to a stop state before the vibration timing of the first effect button 251 during the variable display of the special symbol, the first effect button 251 is not vibrated, regardless of whether the variation pattern or operation schedule continues to be executed thereafter. This prevents the vibrator device (vibration motor, etc.) from activating while an image corresponding to the end-of-game state is being displayed on the effect display device 1600 after the game has transitioned to the end-of-game state, which can cause discomfort to the player.

In addition, in the above-described embodiment, a transition to the stop state occurs before the operation timing of the movable body during the variable display of the special symbol, and the movable body does not operate thereafter. However, even if a transition to the stop state occurs before the operation timing of the movable body during a jackpot game, etc., the movable body may not operate thereafter. Specifically, the operation schedule of the movable body is executed according to the presentation pattern during a jackpot game, and the movable body is operated at a predetermined operation timing during a jackpot game. With this configuration, if a transition to the stop state occurs before the operation timing of the movable body during a jackpot game, the movable body will not operate regardless of whether the presentation pattern or operation schedule is continued thereafter. This prevents the movable body from operating while an image corresponding to the stop state is displayed on the presentation display device 1600 after a transition to the stop state, giving the player a sense of discomfort.

Next, we will explain what happens when the power is turned off at timing t3 while the machine is in a stalled state, and then turned back on at timing t4. Here, we will explain the case where, when the power is turned back on after being shut off, limited clear pattern table 4 is used as the limited clear pattern table, and power-on patterns 1 and 4 are selected as the power-on patterns, which clear the amount of balls dispensed but maintain the stalled state.

If power-on pattern 1 or 4 is selected when the power is turned back on at timing t4, the amount of balls dispensed is cleared, but the stop state is maintained. Furthermore, while the stop state is maintained, the forced stop is maintained for the variable display of special symbols based on the variable pattern. Furthermore, while the stop state is maintained, the peripheral control board 1510 maintains the forced stop for variable presentations based on presentation patterns, and also maintains the forced stop for the operation schedules for the rear front lifting decorative body unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear rear lifting decorative body 3410 (movable body Y). However, when the power is turned back on at timing t4, the rear front lifting decorative body unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear rear lifting decorative body 3410 (movable body Y) are instructed to execute operation schedule Z, which is not related to the fluctuation of special symbols, so that these movable bodies execute their initial operations at least at timing t4 when the power is turned back on.

In addition, the initial operation of the back-front lifting decoration unit 3310 (movable body X) and the back-rear lifting decoration 3410 (movable body Y) involves performing operations to determine whether each movable body moves normally from its standby position to its performance position and whether it returns normally to its standby position. Specifically, operation schedule Z is set so that the back-front lifting decoration unit 3310 (movable body X) performs its initial operation when a predetermined period (e.g., 5 seconds) has elapsed since the power was turned back on, while the back-rear lifting decoration 3410 (movable body Y) is set to perform its initial operation when a predetermined period (e.g., 10 seconds) has elapsed since the power was turned back on. The initial operation of the back-rear lifting decoration 3410 (movable body Y) is set to be performed after the initial operation of the back-front lifting decoration unit 3310 (movable body X) has been completed.

In this way, even if the game-stop state is maintained when the power is turned back on and the forced stop of the rear-front lifting decorative body unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear-rear lifting decorative body 3410 (movable body Y) is maintained, the initial operation of these movable bodies is allowed to be performed. As a result, even if a malfunction occurs in which the rear-front lifting decorative body unit 3310 (movable body X) or the rear-rear lifting decorative body 3410 (movable body Y) are not in the standby position before or after the game-stop state before the power is turned back on, these movable bodies will return to their standby positions through their initial operation, preventing the display content (image corresponding to the game-stop state) displayed on the performance display device 1600 from remaining hidden due to a malfunction in which the movable bodies are not in the standby position, and preventing players from noticing that game restrictions are being implemented.

On the other hand, if power-on patterns 2 and 3 are selected when the power is turned back on at timing t4, the ball output amount and the stop state are cleared. Even in such a case, when the power is turned back on, the rear-front lifting and descending decorative body unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear-rear lifting and descending decorative body 3410 (movable body Y) are instructed to execute operation schedule Z, and these movable bodies perform their initial operations. Then, after the initial operations of the rear-front lifting and descending decorative body unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear-rear lifting and descending decorative body 3410 (movable body Y) are completed, the forced stop is released for the variable display of special patterns based on the variable pattern and they are put on standby for execution. Furthermore, the peripheral control board 1510 releases the forced stop for the variable performance based on the performance pattern and they are put on standby for execution, and the forced stop is released for the operation schedules for the rear-front lifting and descending decorative body unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear-rear lifting and descending decorative body 3410 (movable body Y) and they are put on standby for operation.

In the above-described embodiment, if the stopped state is maintained when the power is turned back on and the forced stop of the back-front lifting decoration unit 3310 (movable body X) and the back-rear lifting decoration 3410 (movable body Y) is maintained, the initial operation of those movable bodies is executed. However, if the movable body is in the standby position, the initial operation of the movable body may be restricted from being executed in order to emphasize the control load. Also, even if the movable body is not in the standby position, the initial operation of the movable body may be restricted from being executed for the following reason. In other words, if the initial operation of the movable body is not executed even though the movable body is not in the standby position, if a malfunction occurs in which the back-front lifting decoration unit 3310 (movable body X) or the back-rear lifting decoration 3410 (movable body Y) is not in the standby position before the power is turned back on, the movable body can be maintained in a state where it is not in the standby position after the power is turned back on, and the hall manager can be made aware that a malfunction has occurred with those movable bodies. However, in this case, there is a concern that the display content (image corresponding to the stalled state) displayed on the performance display device 1600 may remain hidden due to a malfunction in which the movable body is not in the standby position. Therefore, it is desirable to display the image corresponding to the stalled state in a display area of the performance display device 1600 that is not obstructed by the movable body, or to use a device other than the performance display device 1600 to issue a notification corresponding to the stalled state.

Next, we will explain the case where the moving body transitions to a stop state during its operation while the special symbol is being displayed in a changing state, and the moving body is not subsequently operated. Figure 146 is a time chart showing the case where the moving body transitions to a stop state during its operation while the special symbol is being displayed in a changing state, and the moving body is not subsequently operated.

As shown in Figure 146, if variation pattern 2 is determined at timing t1 when the variable display of the special symbol begins, the variable display of the special symbol is executed based on that variation pattern 2. Also, at timing t1, the peripheral control board 1510 determines presentation pattern 2 corresponding to variation pattern 2, and executes the variable display based on presentation pattern 2 while the variable display of the special symbol is in progress. Also, if presentation pattern 2 is determined at timing t1, it instructs the rear-front lifting decorative body unit 3310 (movable body X) to execute operation schedule X2, and the rear-rear lifting decorative body 3410 (movable body Y) to execute operation schedule Y2.

Furthermore, when timing tx arrives during the variable display of the special pattern, a predetermined performance operation is performed on the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) based on the operation schedule X2 currently being executed for the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X). Then, during the execution of the performance operation for the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X), if a game ball enters the general winning slot 2001 during the variable display of the special pattern at timing t2, causing a transition to a dead state, the dead state flag is turned ON, and the variable display of the special pattern being executed based on variable pattern 2 is forcibly stopped. Also, at timing t2, the peripheral control board 1510 forcibly stops the variable performance being executed based on variable pattern 2. At this time, the performance display device 1600 forcibly changes the image corresponding to the variable performance to an image corresponding to the dead state. In addition, the operation schedule X2 currently being executed for the rear-front lifting decorative body unit 3310 (movable body X) and the operation schedule Y2 currently being executed for the rear-rear lifting decorative body 3410 (movable body Y) are also forcibly stopped. However, the performance operation currently being executed for the rear-front lifting decorative body unit 3310 (movable body X) does not end in the middle of the predetermined performance operation at timing t2, but continues to be executed until the predetermined performance operation is completed. Then, the operation is prohibited until the predetermined performance operation for the rear-front lifting decorative body unit 3310 (movable body X) is completed and the rear-front lifting decorative body unit 3310 (movable body X) is returned to the standby position.

On the other hand, at the time of timing t2 when the transition to the stop state occurs, the predetermined performance action for the rear-rear rising and falling decorative body 3410 (movable body Y) has not begun, and the rear-rear rising and falling decorative body 3410 (movable body Y) is in a state where operation is prohibited. Even if timing ty arrives thereafter, the predetermined performance action for the rear-rear rising and falling decorative body 3410 (movable body Y) will not be executed, as shown in Figure 145.

In this way, after starting a predetermined performance action for the rear-front lifting decorative body unit 3310 (movable body X) at timing tx, if a transition to a play-stop state occurs at timing t2 while that performance action is in progress, the predetermined performance action does not end midway, but continues to run until the predetermined performance action is completed. As a result, when a transition to a play-stop state occurs, the performance display device 1600 displays the message "Play Restricted" as an image corresponding to the play-stop state, but the rear-front lifting decorative body unit 3310 (movable body X) is not forcibly stopped at a position other than the standby position, and the display content (the image corresponding to the play-stop state) displayed on the performance display device 1600 is not continuously hidden, preventing the player from failing to understand that a play restriction is being implemented. Furthermore, when the variable display of the special symbol begins, the timing ty for executing the performance operation of the rear rear rising and falling decorative body 3410 (movable body Y) is determined, but if timing ty has not arrived at timing t2 when the game transitions to the dead-end state, the performance operation that was previously determined for the rear rear rising and falling decorative body 3410 (movable body Y) will not be executed when timing ty arrives. This prevents the display content (image corresponding to the dead-end state) displayed on the performance display device 1600 from being obscured by the performance operation of the rear rear rising and falling decorative body 3410 (movable body Y), preventing the player from failing to understand that a game restriction is being implemented.

The behavior when power is turned off at timing t3 and then turned back on at timing t4 while the power is being stopped is as described above.

In the above-described embodiment, at the time t2 when the state transitions to the stopped state, the performance operation currently being performed on the rear-front lifting decorative body unit 3310 (movable body X) is not terminated midway, but continues until the predetermined performance operation is completed, thereby causing the rear-front lifting decorative body unit 3310 (movable body X) to return to the standby position; however, the method of returning to the standby position is not limited to this. For example, as another example, at the time t2 when the state transitions to the stopped state, the performance operation currently being performed on the rear-front lifting decorative body unit 3310 (movable body X) may be forcibly terminated midway through the operation in progress, rather than being continued until it is completed, and in a situation where the rear-front lifting decorative body unit 3310 (movable body X) is not in the standby position after the forcible termination, a dedicated operation schedule for returning to the standby position may be separately executed, causing the rear-front lifting decorative body unit 3310 (movable body X) to return to the standby position.

In addition, in the above-described embodiment, at time t2 when the state transitions to the stopped state, the operation schedule X2 being executed for the rear-front ascent/descent decorative body unit 3310 (movable body X) and the operation schedule Y2 being executed for the rear-rear ascent/descent decorative body 3410 (movable body Y) are forcibly stopped. However, as another example, these operation schedules themselves may be allowed to continue without being forcibly stopped, while the operation of movable bodies X and Y is stopped by control independent of the operation schedules. For example, at time t2 when the state transitions to the stopped state, in order to forcibly prohibit the rear-front ascent/descent decorative body unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear-rear ascent/descent decorative body 3410 (movable body Y), an operation prohibition flag may be turned on, and it may be determined whether or not to operate movable bodies X and Y, except for the performance operation being executed for movable body X, depending on the state of this operation prohibition flag. In such a case, even if timing ty arrives in the operation schedule that continues even after the transition to the dead-end state, the operation prohibition flag is on, so it is possible to prohibit the execution of a predetermined performance operation for the rear rising and falling decorative body 3410 (movable body Y), eliminating the need to change the operation schedule when the transition to the dead-end state and avoiding complicating the game design.

In addition, in the above-described embodiment, the image corresponding to the variable effect is forcibly changed to the image corresponding to the stopped state at time t2 when the state transitions to the stopped state. However, it is also possible to continue the image corresponding to the variable effect without forcibly stopping it, and display the image corresponding to the stopped state on a higher layer in the effect display device 1600 (a layer higher than the layer displaying the image corresponding to the variable effect), so that only the image corresponding to the stopped state is visible on the effect display device 1600.

In addition, in the above-described embodiment, due to concerns that the player may not be able to grasp that a game restriction is being implemented, at time t2 when the game enters the stopped state, the variable effect being executed based on effect pattern 2 is forcibly stopped, except for the effect action being executed on movable body X. In other words, of the effect elements that make up the variable effect (sound, light, image, movable body), only the "sound, light, and image" elements are forcibly stopped. Therefore, at time t2 when the game enters the stopped state, the variable effect being executed on movable body X based on the effect pattern continues, but the image corresponding to that variable effect is forcibly changed to an image corresponding to the stopped state, so that only the image corresponding to the stopped state is visible on the effect display device 1600. In this case, as mentioned above, there is a possibility that the player may not be able to grasp that a game restriction is being implemented due to the effect action being executed on movable body X. However, in this example, a preliminary notification that a game restriction is being implemented is provided using effect elements such as "sound" or "light" that are not obstructed by the effect action being executed on movable body X. Specifically, at time t2 when the game transitions to the limit state, the control can be changed to output a warning sound different from the sound corresponding to the variable effect, thereby warning by sound, or the control can be changed to emit a warning light different from the light corresponding to the variable effect, thereby warning by light. This makes it possible to avoid the player not being able to grasp that a game restriction is being imposed, even if the performance action being performed on movable body X continues until completion.

In addition, in the above-mentioned example, a transition to a stop state occurs during the operation of a movable body during the variable display of a special pattern, and the movable body in operation continues to execute until the operation is completed, and the movable body is not operated thereafter.However, if an operable first performance button 251 is provided as a movable body separate from the back-front rising and falling decorative body unit 3310 (movable body X) and the back-back rising and falling decorative body 3410 (movable body Y), the following configuration may be adopted. That is, if a vibrator device (such as a vibration motor) provided inside or outside the first effect button 251 is used to enable vibration of the first effect button 251, the peripheral control board 1510, when determining the variation pattern (effect pattern) selected when the special symbol lottery result is a win and the variation pattern selected in some cases when the special symbol lottery result is a loss, executes an operation schedule corresponding to the first effect button 251 (movable body) according to the variation pattern set corresponding to the variation pattern, and vibrates the first effect button 251 (movable body) at a predetermined vibration timing during the variable display of the special symbol during a win and a part of a loss, giving the player a sense of anticipation of a win. With this configuration, if the game transitions to a stop state while the first effect button 251 is vibrating during the variable display of the special symbol, the vibrating first effect button 251 continues to execute its operation until completion, regardless of whether the subsequent execution of the variation pattern or operation schedule is continued, and the first effect button 251 is not vibrated again. This prevents the vibrator device (vibration motor, etc.) from continuing to operate while an image corresponding to the stop state is displayed on the effect display device 1600 after the game has transitioned to the stop state, which can cause the player to feel uncomfortable.

In addition, in the above-described embodiment, a transition to the stop state occurs while a moving body is operating during the variable display of a special symbol, and the moving body continues to operate until the operation is completed, and the moving body is not operated thereafter. However, even when a transition to the stop state occurs while a moving body is operating during a jackpot game, etc., the moving body may continue to operate until the operation is completed, and the moving body may not operate thereafter. Specifically, the operation schedule of the moving body is executed according to the presentation pattern during the jackpot game, and the moving body is operated at a predetermined operation timing during the jackpot game. With this configuration, when a transition to the stop state occurs while a moving body is operating during a jackpot game, the moving body continues to operate until it continues, regardless of whether the presentation pattern or operation schedule is continued thereafter, and no new moving body is operated. This prevents the moving body from continuing to operate while an image corresponding to the stop state is displayed on the presentation display device 1600 after the transition to the stop state, giving the player a sense of discomfort.

Next, we will explain the case where the game stops before the timing of the moving body's movement during the variable display of special symbols, and the moving body is then operated. As described above, if the game stops before the timing of the moving body's movement during the variable display of special symbols, the variable performance based on the performance pattern is forcibly stopped, and even if the timing of the moving body's movement arrives, the predetermined performance action for the moving body is not executed. However, in such a case, the variable performance that is being executed ends midway, which has the disadvantage of greatly disappointing players who have been eagerly awaiting the performance action of the moving body. Figure 147 is a time chart showing the case where the game stops before the timing of the moving body's movement during the variable display of special symbols, and the moving body is then operated.

As shown in Figure 147, if variation pattern 2 is determined at timing t1 when the variable display of the special symbol begins, the variable display of the special symbol is executed based on that variation pattern 2. Also, at timing t1, the peripheral control board 1510 determines presentation pattern 2 corresponding to variation pattern 2, and executes the variable display based on presentation pattern 2 while the variable display of the special symbol is in progress. Also, if presentation pattern 2 is determined at timing t1, it instructs the rear-front lifting decorative body unit 3310 (movable body X) to execute operation schedule X2, and the rear-rear lifting decorative body 3410 (movable body Y) to execute operation schedule Y2.

Then, at time t2, before the arrival of time tx, if a game ball enters the general winning slot 2001 while the special symbol is being displayed, causing a transition to a stop state, the stop state flag is turned ON, and the display of the special symbol being displayed based on change pattern 2 is forcibly stopped. However, at time t2, the peripheral control board 1510 does not forcibly stop the variable effect being executed based on change pattern 2, but continues to execute it until the variable effect is completed. In other words, the effect display device 1600 does not change to an image corresponding to the stop state, but continues to display an image corresponding to the variable effect. Furthermore, the operation schedule X2 being executed for the rear-front lifting decoration unit 3310 (movable body X) and the operation schedule Y2 being executed for the rear-rear lifting decoration 3410 (movable body Y) are not forcibly stopped, but continue to execute until these operation schedules are completed. Therefore, after transitioning to a stop state at timing t2, when timing tx arrives, a predetermined performance action is executed for the rear-front rising and falling decorative body unit 3310 (movable body X), and when timing ty arrives, a predetermined performance action is executed for the rear-rear rising and falling decorative body 3410 (movable body Y).

Then, at timing t2, after transitioning to the stalled state, when the variable performance currently being executed based on performance pattern 2 is completed, a forced stop is performed and no new variable performances are executed. At this time, the performance display device 1600 begins displaying an image corresponding to the stalled state. Also, when the operation schedule X2 currently being executed for the rear-front lifting decoration unit 3310 (movable body X) or the operation schedule Y2 currently being executed for the rear-rear lifting decoration 3410 (movable body Y) is completed, a forced stop is performed and the movable bodies are placed in an operation-prohibited state so that they cannot operate.

In this way, if the timing tx for executing the performance action of the rear-front lifting decoration unit 3310 (movable body X) and the timing ty for executing the performance action of the rear-rear lifting decoration unit 3410 (movable body Y) are determined at the start of the variable display of the special pattern, even if the game transitions to a dead state at timing t2, which occurs before timing tx, the predetermined performance action is executed for the rear-front lifting decoration unit 3310 (movable body X) when timing tx arrives, and the predetermined performance action is executed for the rear-rear lifting decoration unit 3410 (movable body Y) when timing ty arrives. This means that for players who have been eagerly awaiting the performance action of the movable body after the start of the variable performance, even if the game transitions to a dead state during the execution of the variable performance, they can at least enjoy the performance action of the movable body to the end, preventing player disappointment.

The behavior when power is turned off at timing t3 and then turned back on at timing t4 while the power is in a stalled state is as described above.

In the above-described embodiment, after the transition to the stopped state at timing t2, when the operation schedule X2 currently being executed for the rear-front lifting decorative body unit 3310 (movable body X) is completed, it is forcibly stopped and the movable body is placed in an operation-prohibited state so that it cannot operate.However, it is also possible to forcibly stop the operation schedule X2 and place the movable body in an operation-prohibited state so that it cannot operate when the execution of a predetermined performance operation for the rear-front lifting decorative body unit 3310 (movable body X) is completed before the operation schedule X2 currently being executed for the rear-front lifting decorative body unit 3310 (movable body X) is completed. Similarly, at timing t2, after transitioning to the stopped state, when the operation schedule Y2 currently being executed for the rear-rear rising and lowering decorative body 3410 (movable body Y) is completed, it is forcibly stopped and the movable body is placed in an operation-prohibited state so that it cannot operate. However, before the operation schedule Y2 currently being executed for the rear-rear rising and lowering decorative body 3410 (movable body Y) is completed, when the execution of a predetermined performance operation for the rear-rear rising and lowering decorative body 3410 (movable body Y) is completed, the operation schedule Y2 may be forcibly stopped and the movable body placed in an operation-prohibited state so that it cannot operate.

In addition, in the above-mentioned example, a transition to a stop state is made before the timing of the movable body's operation during the changing display of the special pattern, and the movable body is then operated. However, if an operable first performance button 251 is provided as a movable body separate from the back-front rising and falling decorative body unit 3310 (movable body X) and the back-rear rising and falling decorative body 3410 (movable body Y), the following configuration may be adopted. That is, if a vibrator device (such as a vibration motor) provided inside or outside the first effect button 251 is enabled to vibrate the first effect button 251, the peripheral control board 1510, when determining the variation pattern (effect pattern) to be selected when the special symbol lottery result is a win and the variation pattern to be selected in some cases when the special symbol lottery result is a loss, executes an operation schedule corresponding to the first effect button 251 (movable body) according to the variation pattern set corresponding to the variation pattern, and vibrates the first effect button 251 (movable body) at a predetermined vibration timing during the variable display of the special symbol during a win and a part of a loss, giving the player a sense of anticipation of a win. With this configuration, if the game transitions to a stop state before the vibration timing of the first effect button 251 during the variable display of the special symbol, the effect pattern and operation schedule continue thereafter, and the first effect button 251 vibrates at a predetermined vibration timing. As a result, after the game has transitioned to the no-win state, an image corresponding to the no-win state is displayed on the effect display device 1600, and the player can continue to enjoy the operation of the vibrator device (vibration motor, etc.) until the very end, preventing disappointment for the player.

In addition, in the above-described embodiment, a transition to the stop state occurs before the operation timing of the movable body during the variable display of the special symbol, and the movable body is then operated. However, even if a transition to the stop state occurs before the operation timing of the movable body during a jackpot game, etc., the movable body may be operated thereafter. Specifically, the operation schedule of the movable body is executed according to the presentation pattern during a jackpot game, and the movable body is operated at a predetermined operation timing during the jackpot game. With this configuration, if a transition to the stop state occurs before the operation timing of the movable body during a jackpot game, the presentation pattern and operation schedule are continued thereafter, and the movable body is operated at a predetermined operation timing. As a result, after a transition to the stop state, while an image corresponding to the stop state is displayed on the presentation display device 1600, the player can enjoy the operation of the movable body to the end, reducing disappointment for the player.

Next, we have explained above the case where a moving body transitions to a stop state during its operation while a special symbol is being displayed in a changing state, and the moving body is not subsequently operated. Here, we will explain the relationship between the display screen of the effect display device 1600 and the operation of the moving body in such a case. Figure 148 is a specific example of an effect where a moving body transitions to a stop state during its operation while a special symbol is being displayed in a changing state, and the moving body is not subsequently operated.

As shown in Figure 148 (A), when a variable display of a special symbol is executed, a variable display is executed based on the display pattern, and a variable display of a decorative symbol is displayed in the central area of the display device 1600. Furthermore, a variable display of a second decorative symbol is displayed in the upper right area of the display device 1600. Furthermore, in the lower left area of the display device 1600, a pending display is displayed for the period when a game ball has entered the first starting hole 2003 or the second starting hole 2004 but the variable display of a special symbol is pending, but it is possible to change the appearance of a pending display that has a high probability of winning. In this case, the game is in a "consecutive win mode," in which a high probability state continues depending on the results of the special symbol lottery or the receipt of game ball B into first V winning slot 2007 or second V winning slot 2008. The lower right area of effect display device 1600 displays a "consecutive win mode" message indicating that the game is in "consecutive win mode." The display also displays a "right hit" arrow instructing the player to aim for the game ball to enter second starting slot 2004, located in game area 5a to the right of effect display device 1600, during "consecutive win mode." While the decorative symbol variations are being displayed, the volume and light intensity can be adjusted by operating setting adjustment button 204. While the volume and light intensity are being adjusted, an image corresponding to the volume and light intensity being adjusted can be displayed in the left area of effect display device 1600. The image corresponding to the volume and light intensity being adjusted is displayed by operating setting adjustment button 204 and disappears after a certain period of time has elapsed.

In addition, while the decorative symbol variation display is in "Continuous Play Mode," a pre-notification display stating "+10 shots remaining until play limit" is displayed. The effect display device 1600 displays the decorative symbol variation display in the central area, the second decorative symbol variation display in the upper right area, the "Continuous Play Mode" message and "Hit Right" arrow in the lower right area, and a hold display in the lower left area. While the pre-notification display "+10 shots remaining until play limit" is displayed so that it overlaps the background image, it is displayed so that it does not overlap important information displays related to the variable play currently being performed. Specifically, in this example, the "decorative symbol variation display," "second decorative symbol variation display," "'Continuous Play Mode' message," "'Hit Right' arrow," "Hold display," and "Images corresponding to volume and light intensity" are important information displays that should be recognized by the player, and therefore the pre-notification display is displayed in a position that does not overlap these information displays. Furthermore, as long as the information displays do not overlap completely and become invisible to the player, but are still recognizable, the advance notice display may overlap at least a portion of the information display. This allows players to play smoothly during variable play without missing the information display regarding the variable play currently in progress.

As shown in Figure 148 (B), when a predetermined performance action is performed on the rear-front rising and falling decorative body unit 3310 (movable body X) while the special pattern is being displayed, the movable body moves from the standby position to the performance position and is positioned in front of the display screen of the performance display device 1600. Furthermore, the performance display device 1600 is configured to display effects in an area that does not overlap with the rear-front rising and falling decorative body unit 3310 (movable body X), effectively highlighting that the movable body is performing a performance action. Furthermore, advance notice displays such as "+10 balls remaining until play limit" and the display of the second decorative pattern change are displayed in an area that does not overlap with the rear-front rising and falling decorative body unit 3310 (movable body X), making it easy to see whether the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value and transitions to a limit state while the performance action is being performed on that movable body. Furthermore, the advance notice display may be overlapped by the rear-front rising decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) at least in part, as long as the contents of the advance notice display can be recognized and not so completely overlapped that it becomes invisible to the player.

As shown in Figure 148 (C), during the execution of the performance operation for the rear-front lift-up decorative unit 3310 (movable body X), when the number of balls remaining to reach a specific value reaches "+0" due to the payout of prize balls based on game balls entering the general winning slot 2001, the game transitions to a stop state, and in the upper area of the performance display device 1600, a pre-notification display "+0 balls remaining until game limit" is displayed for a predetermined period of time (5 seconds in this example) as a pre-notification operation, indicating the number of balls remaining to reach a specific value. Here, just before the number of balls remaining to reach a specific value reaches "+0," the decorative pattern change display and the second decorative pattern change display are displayed. However, when the number of balls remaining to reach a specific value reaches "+0," the decorative pattern change display is forcibly stopped at a predetermined stopping pattern (in this example, "767"), and the second decorative pattern change display is forcibly stopped at a predetermined stopping pattern (in this example, "X"). However, the display of the changing decorative patterns and the changing second decorative patterns may not be forcibly stopped.

After the game has entered the limit state, it is preferable to make the "hit right" arrow that encourages the player to fire the game ball invisible to the player, so that the player does not accidentally fire the game ball; in this example, it is erased. Then, once a predetermined time (5 seconds in this example) has passed since the advance notice display "0 shots remaining until game limit" was displayed, an image corresponding to the limit state shown in Figure 148 (D) is displayed.

As shown in Figure 148 (D), when the game enters the limit state, the performance action being executed on the rear-front lifting decorative body unit 3310 (movable body X) does not end midway through the predetermined performance action, but continues to execute until the predetermined performance action is completed. However, when the game enters the limit state, the light emitters provided on the rear-front lifting decorative body unit 3310 (movable body X) are controlled to end midway through the light emission corresponding to the variable performance and either turn off or emit light corresponding to the limit state. As a result, when the game enters the limit state, the rear-front lifting decorative body unit 3310 (movable body X) is positioned in front of the display screen of the performance display device 1600, so only a portion of the image corresponding to the limit state can be seen, but the change in the light emission of the rear-front lifting decorative body unit 3310 (movable body X) prevents the player from noticing that a game restriction is being implemented. In this example, when the game transitions to the dead-end state, the light emitters attached to the rear-front rising decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) stop emitting light corresponding to the variable effects midway through, but it is also possible to continue emitting light corresponding to the variable effects until the predetermined performance operation is completed. In such a case, it is not necessary to change the light emission pattern when the game transitions to the dead-end state, making it possible to avoid complicating the game design.

As shown in Figure 148 (E), when the predetermined presentation operation is completed, the movable body returns to its standby position and is no longer positioned in front of the display screen of the presentation display device 1600, allowing the entire image corresponding to the play limit state to be viewed. Here, the image corresponding to the play limit state displays the message "Play Limit," along with messages such as "Play has been limited because the daily payout limit of 80,000 balls has been reached," "Please call an attendant," and "The Settlement Button is Valid." The settlement button here refers to the counting button switch 180 used to execute the settlement process. Furthermore, when the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value, the presentation display device 1600 displays the stopping symbol of the decorative symbol, the stopping symbol of the second decorative symbol, a hold indicator, and a pre-notification indicator. However, such information regarding the play is hidden (made invisible) when the message "Play Limit" is displayed after the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value, and the message is displayed on a darkened screen. This allows the player to know that the number of balls dispensed has reached a certain value and that a play restriction has been implemented, and that the play restriction cannot be lifted without the hall manager's operation. It also allows the player to know that the number of balls the player has can be settled by operating the counting button switch 180.

Furthermore, after the transition to the play limit state, while the performance operation is being performed on the rear-front lifting decorative body unit 3310 (movable body X), the message "Play Limit" is displayed in an area that does not overlap with the rear-front lifting decorative body unit 3310 (movable body X), so that the player can at least recognize that the play limit state has been reached while the performance operation is being performed on that movable body. Note that the rear-front lifting decorative body unit 3310 (movable body X) may overlap at least a portion of the message "Play Limit", as long as the message is not completely overlapped and becomes invisible to the player, but is sufficient to allow the player to recognize that the play limit state has been reached.

In addition, in the above example, when a performance operation is being performed on the rear-front lifting decorative body unit 3310 (movable body X) before the transition to the dead-end state, effects are displayed in the area of the performance display device 1600 that does not overlap with the rear-front lifting decorative body unit 3310 (movable body X). However, when a performance operation is being performed on the rear-front lifting decorative body unit 3310 (movable body X) after the transition to the dead-end state, effects are not displayed in the area of the performance display device 1600 that does not overlap with the rear-front lifting decorative body unit 3310 (movable body X). As a result, even if the image corresponding to the dead-end state cannot be seen when a performance operation is being performed on the rear-front lifting decorative body unit 3310 (movable body X), it is possible to determine whether the performance operation is before the transition to the dead-end state or after the transition to the dead-end state by whether or not an effect is displayed.

In addition, as described above, while the decorative pattern is being displayed in a variable manner, the volume and light intensity can be adjusted by operating the setting adjustment button 204. However, even after the transition to a stop state during the display of a special pattern's variable manner, the volume and light intensity can be adjusted by operating the setting adjustment button 204, and while the volume and light intensity are being adjusted, the performance display device 1600 can display an image corresponding to the volume or light intensity being adjusted. However, after the transition to the stop state, while the volume and light intensity can be adjusted by operating the setting adjustment button 204, the image corresponding to the volume or light intensity being adjusted may not be displayed. This makes it possible to prevent the image corresponding to the stop state from becoming difficult to see after the transition to the stop state. Furthermore, after the transition to the stop state, the volume and light intensity may not be adjusted by operating the setting adjustment button 204, and the image corresponding to the volume and light intensity may not be displayed. This makes it possible to prevent the volume and light intensity from changing after the transition to the stop state, making it possible to prevent the image corresponding to the stop state from becoming difficult to see and the sound corresponding to the stop state from becoming difficult to recognize.

In addition, even if it has been decided to perform a performance action on the rear-rear lifting decoration 3410 (movable body Y) before transitioning to the limit state, if the performance action has not been started on the rear-rear lifting decoration 3410 (movable body Y) at the time of transition to the limit state, the performance action that has been predetermined for the rear-rear lifting decoration 3410 (movable body Y) will not be performed after transitioning to the limit state. This prevents the display content (image corresponding to the limit state) displayed on the performance display device 1600 from being obscured by the performance action of the rear-rear lifting decoration 3410 (movable body Y), preventing players from noticing that a game restriction has been implemented.

Next, the case where a stop state is entered before the timing of the movable body's operation during the variable display of a special pattern, and the movable body is then operated, has been explained above. Here, the relationship between the display screen of the effect display device 1600 and the operation of the movable body in such a case will be explained. Figure 149 is a specific example of an effect where a stop state is entered before the timing of the movable body's operation during the variable display of a special pattern, and the movable body is then operated.

As shown in Figure 149 (A), when a special symbol variable display is executed, a variable display is executed based on the display pattern, and a decorative symbol variable display is displayed in the central area of the display device 1600. Furthermore, a second decorative symbol variable display is displayed in the upper right area of the display device 1600. Furthermore, a hold display is displayed in the lower left area of the display device 1600 for the period when a game ball has entered the first starting hole 2003 or the second starting hole 2004 but the special symbol variable display is on hold, but it is possible to change the appearance of hold displays that have a high probability of winning. In this case, the game is in a "consecutive win mode," in which a high probability state continues depending on the results of the special symbol lottery or the receipt of game ball B into first V winning slot 2007 or second V winning slot 2008. The lower right area of effect display device 1600 displays a "consecutive win mode" message indicating that the game is in "consecutive win mode." The display also displays a "right hit" arrow instructing the player to aim for the game ball to enter second starting slot 2004, located in game area 5a to the right of effect display device 1600, during "consecutive win mode." While the decorative symbol variations are being displayed, the volume and light intensity can be adjusted by operating setting adjustment button 204. While the volume and light intensity are being adjusted, an image corresponding to the volume and light intensity being adjusted can be displayed in the left area of effect display device 1600. The image corresponding to the volume and light intensity being adjusted is displayed by operating setting adjustment button 204 and disappears after a certain period of time has elapsed.

In addition, while the decorative symbol variation display is in "Continuous Play Mode," a pre-notification display stating "+10 shots remaining until play limit" is displayed. The effect display device 1600 displays the decorative symbol variation display in the central area, the second decorative symbol variation display in the upper right area, the "Continuous Play Mode" message and "Hit Right" arrow in the lower right area, and a hold display in the lower left area. While the pre-notification display "+10 shots remaining until play limit" is displayed so that it overlaps the background image, it is displayed so that it does not overlap important information displays related to the variable play currently being performed. Specifically, in this example, the "decorative symbol variation display," "second decorative symbol variation display," "'Continuous Play Mode' message," "'Hit Right' arrow," "Hold display," and "Images corresponding to volume and light intensity" are important information displays that should be recognized by the player, and therefore the pre-notification display is displayed in a position that does not overlap these information displays. Furthermore, as long as the information displays do not overlap completely and become invisible to the player, but are still recognizable, the advance notice display may overlap at least a portion of the information display. This allows players to play smoothly during variable play without missing the information display regarding the variable play currently in progress.

As shown in Figure 149 (B), during the display of the special symbol variation, when the number of balls remaining to reach a specific value reaches "+0" due to the payout of prize balls based on game balls entering the general winning slot 2001, the game transitions to a stop state, and the upper area of the display device 1600 displays a pre-notification message indicating the number of balls remaining until the game limit is reached, indicating the number of balls remaining until the game limit is reached. Here, just before the number of balls remaining until the game limit is reached reaches "+0," the display of the decorative symbol variation and the second decorative symbol variation are displayed. However, when the number of balls remaining until the game limit is reached reaches "+0," the display of the second decorative symbol variation is forcibly stopped at a predetermined stopping symbol (in this example, "X"). Meanwhile, when the number of balls remaining until the game limit is reached reaches "+0," the variation display based on the presentation pattern continues, and the display of the decorative symbol variation continues without being forcibly stopped. However, the variable display of the second decorative pattern may also continue without being forcibly stopped. In such cases, the variable display of the second decorative pattern will stop when the variable display of the decorative pattern stops.

In addition, after the game has transitioned to the shot stop state, it is preferable to make the "hit right" arrow, which encourages the player to shoot the game ball, invisible to the player, so that the player does not accidentally shoot the game ball; in this example, it is erased.

As shown in Figure 149 (C), after the game has entered the max-out state, when a predetermined performance action is performed on the rear-front lifting decorative body unit 3310 (movable body X), the movable body moves from the standby position to the performance position and is positioned in front of the display screen of the performance display device 1600. Furthermore, the performance display device 1600 is configured to display effects in an area that does not overlap with the rear-front lifting decorative body unit 3310 (movable body X), effectively highlighting that the movable body is performing a performance action. Furthermore, the advance notification display of "+0 shots remaining until play limit" and the display of the changing second decorative pattern are displayed in an area that does not overlap with the rear-front lifting decorative body unit 3310 (movable body X), allowing the player to know that the game has already entered the max-out state. Note that the advance notification display may be overlapped by the rear-front lifting decorative body unit 3310 (movable body X) at least in part, as long as the content of the advance notification display can be recognized and not so completely overlapped that it becomes invisible to the player.

As shown in Figure 149 (D), when a predetermined performance action is performed on the rear-rear rising and lowering decorative body 3410 (movable body Y) following the rear-rear rising and lowering decorative body unit 3310 (movable body X), the movable body moves from the standby position to the performance position and is positioned in front of the display screen of the performance display device 1600. Furthermore, the performance display device 1600 is configured to display effects in an area that does not overlap with the rear-rear rising and lowering decorative body 3410 (movable body Y), effectively highlighting that the movable body is performing a performance action. Furthermore, advance notice displays such as "+0 shots remaining until play limit" and the display of the changing second decorative pattern are displayed in an area that does not overlap with the rear-rear rising and lowering decorative body 3410 (movable body Y), allowing the player to understand that the game has already reached the limit. Furthermore, the advance notice display may be overlapped by the rear rising and falling decorative body 3410 (movable body Y) at least in part, as long as the contents of the advance notice display can be recognized and not so completely overlapped that it becomes invisible to the player.

As shown in Figure 149 (E), when the execution of the variable effect based on the effect pattern is completed, the variable display of the decorative pattern stops at a predetermined stopping pattern (in this example, "767"). Then, when a predetermined time (in this example, 5 seconds) has passed since the variable display of the decorative pattern stopped, an image corresponding to the play-stop state shown in Figure 149 (F) is displayed. The image corresponding to the play-stop state is as described above. In this example, when the play-stop state is entered, the variable effect based on the effect pattern continues, and the image corresponding to the play-stop state is not immediately displayed. However, during this period, a prior notice display such as "0 shots remaining until play limit" and a variable display of the second decorative pattern that was forcibly stopped are displayed, so it is possible to understand that the play-stop state has already been entered.

As described above, in this example, when the game enters the limit state, the variable effect based on the effect pattern continues, and the effect display device 1600 does not display an image corresponding to the limit state. Instead, it notifies the player that a game limit has been imposed by displaying a preliminary notice such as "0 shots remaining until game limit" or by displaying a variable second decorative symbol that has been forcibly stopped. In this case, since it is possible that the fact that a game limit has been imposed may be obscured by the effect action of movable bodies X and Y, it is also possible to provide a preliminary notification that a game limit has been imposed using effect elements such as "sound" or "light" that are not obstructed by the effect action of movable bodies X and Y. Specifically, when the game enters the limit state, the control may be changed to output a warning sound different from the sound corresponding to the variable effect, thereby providing a "sound" warning, or the control may be changed to emit a warning light different from the light corresponding to the variable effect, thereby providing a "light" warning. This prevents the player from noticing that a game limit has been imposed, even if a predetermined effect action is executed for movable bodies X and Y after the game enters the limit state.

Next, in the above, when the game transitions to the dead state, the variable presentation based on the presentation pattern continues, and when the execution of the variable presentation based on the presentation pattern is completed, an image corresponding to the dead state is displayed. However, as another example, when the game transitions to the dead state, the variable presentation based on the presentation pattern may continue, but an image corresponding to the dead state may be displayed in a higher layer than the image corresponding to the variable presentation. Figure 150 is another example of a specific presentation when the game transitions to the dead state before the timing of the movable body's movement during the variable display of the special pattern, and the movable body is then operated.

As shown in Figure 150 (A), when a variable display of a special symbol is executed, a variable display is executed based on the display pattern, and a variable display of a decorative symbol is displayed in the central area of the display device 1600. Furthermore, a variable display of a second decorative symbol is displayed in the upper right area of the display device 1600. Furthermore, in the lower left area of the display device 1600, a pending display is displayed for the period when a game ball has entered the first starting hole 2003 or the second starting hole 2004 but the variable display of a special symbol is on hold, but it is possible to change the appearance of a pending display that has a high probability of winning. In this case, the game is in a "consecutive win mode," in which a high probability state continues depending on the results of the special symbol lottery or the receipt of game ball B into first V winning slot 2007 or second V winning slot 2008. The lower right area of effect display device 1600 displays a "consecutive win mode" message indicating that the game is in "consecutive win mode." The display also displays a "right hit" arrow instructing the player to aim for the game ball to enter second starting slot 2004, located in game area 5a to the right of effect display device 1600, during "consecutive win mode." While the decorative symbol variations are being displayed, the volume and light intensity can be adjusted by operating setting adjustment button 204. While the volume and light intensity are being adjusted, an image corresponding to the volume and light intensity being adjusted can be displayed in the left area of effect display device 1600. The image corresponding to the volume and light intensity being adjusted is displayed by operating setting adjustment button 204 and disappears after a certain period of time has elapsed.

In addition, while the decorative symbol variation display is in "Continuous Play Mode," a pre-notification display stating "+10 shots remaining until play limit" is displayed. The effect display device 1600 displays the decorative symbol variation display in the central area, the second decorative symbol variation display in the upper right area, the "Continuous Play Mode" message and "Hit Right" arrow in the lower right area, and a hold display in the lower left area. While the pre-notification display "+10 shots remaining until play limit" is displayed so that it overlaps the background image, it is displayed so that it does not overlap important information displays related to the variable play currently being performed. Specifically, in this example, the "decorative symbol variation display," "second decorative symbol variation display," "'Continuous Play Mode' message," "'Hit Right' arrow," "Hold display," and "Images corresponding to volume and light intensity" are important information displays that should be recognized by the player, and therefore the pre-notification display is displayed in a position that does not overlap these information displays. Furthermore, as long as the information displays do not overlap completely and become invisible to the player, but are still recognizable, the advance notice display may overlap at least a portion of the information display. This allows players to play smoothly during variable play without missing the information display regarding the variable play currently in progress.

As shown in Figure 150 (B), during the display of the special symbol variation, when the number of balls remaining to reach a specific value reaches "+0" due to the payout of prize balls based on game balls entering the general winning slot 2001, the game transitions to a stop state, and the upper area of the display device 1600 displays a pre-notification message indicating the number of balls remaining until the game limit is reached, indicating the number of balls remaining until the game limit is reached. Here, just before the number of balls remaining until the game limit is reached reaches "+0," the display of the decorative symbol variation and the second decorative symbol variation are displayed. However, when the number of balls remaining until the game limit is reached reaches "+0," the display of the second decorative symbol variation is forcibly stopped at a predetermined stopping symbol (in this example, "X"). Meanwhile, when the number of balls remaining until the game limit is reached reaches "+0," the variation display based on the presentation pattern continues, and the display of the decorative symbol variation continues without being forcibly stopped. However, the variable display of the second decorative pattern may also continue without being forcibly stopped. In such cases, the variable display of the second decorative pattern will stop when the variable display of the decorative pattern stops.

After the transition to the dead-end state occurs, it is preferable to make the "right hit" arrow that encourages the player to fire the game ball invisible to the player, so that the player does not accidentally fire the game ball; in this example, it is erased. Then, when a predetermined time (5 seconds in this example) has passed since the advance notice display "+0 shots remaining until game limit" was displayed, an image corresponding to the dead-end state shown in Figure 150 (C) is displayed in a layer above the image corresponding to the variable presentation. The image corresponding to the dead-end state is as described above.

As shown in Figure 150 (D), after the game has entered the limit state, when a predetermined performance action is performed on the rear-front lifting decorative body unit 3310 (movable body X), the movable body moves from the standby position to the performance position and is positioned in front of the display screen of the performance display device 1600. Furthermore, while the performance action is being performed on the rear-front lifting decorative body unit 3310 (movable body X), the message "Play Limit" is displayed in an area that does not overlap with the rear-front lifting decorative body unit 3310 (movable body X), so that the player can at least recognize that the game has entered the limit state while the performance action is being performed on that movable body. Note that the rear-front lifting decorative body unit 3310 (movable body X) may overlap at least a portion of the message "Play Limit", as long as the message is not completely overlapped and becomes invisible to the player, but is sufficient to recognize that the game has entered the limit state.

As shown in Figure 150 (E), when a predetermined performance action is performed on the rear-rear lifting decoration 3410 (movable body Y) following the rear-front lifting decoration unit 3310 (movable body X), the movable body moves from the standby position to the performance position and is positioned in front of the display screen of the performance display device 1600. Furthermore, while the performance action is being performed on the rear-rear lifting decoration 3410 (movable body Y), the message "Play Limit" is displayed in an area that does not overlap with the rear-rear lifting decoration 3410 (movable body Y), so that the player can at least recognize that they have entered a play limit state while the performance action is being performed on that movable body. Note that the rear-rear lifting decoration 3410 (movable body Y) may overlap at least a portion of the message "Play Limit", as long as the message is not completely overlapped and becomes invisible to the player, but is sufficient to recognize that they have entered a play limit state.

Furthermore, after the transition to the limit state, the light emitters provided on the rear front lift-up decorative body unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear rear lift-up decorative body 3410 (movable body Y) are controlled to either end the light emission corresponding to the variable performance midway and turn off, or to emit light corresponding to the limit state. As a result, after the transition to the limit state, when the rear front lift-up decorative body unit 3310 (movable body X) or the rear rear lift-up decorative body 3410 (movable body Y) is positioned in front of the display screen of the performance display device 1600, only a portion of the image corresponding to the limit state can be seen, but the change in the light emission of the rear front lift-up decorative body unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear rear lift-up decorative body 3410 (movable body Y) prevents the player from failing to understand that a game restriction is being implemented. In this example, after the transition to the dead-end state, the light emitters provided on the rear-front rising/falling decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear-back rising/falling decorative body 3410 (movable body Y) stop emitting light corresponding to the variable effects midway through, but it is also possible to continue emitting light corresponding to the variable effects until the predetermined performance operation is completed. In such a case, it is no longer necessary to change the light emission pattern when the transition to the dead-end state, making it possible to avoid complicating the game design.

In addition, in this example, when the game enters the limit state, the variable effect based on the effect pattern continues, but the effect display device 1600 displays an image corresponding to the limit state in a layer higher than the image corresponding to the variable effect, notifying the player that a game restriction has been imposed. In this case, since it may be possible to make it impossible to grasp that a game restriction has been imposed due to the effect action of movable bodies X and Y, it is also possible to provide a preliminary notification that a game restriction has been imposed using effect elements such as "sound" or "light" that are not obstructed by the effect action of movable bodies X and Y. Specifically, when the game enters the limit state, the control may be changed to output a warning sound different from the sound corresponding to the variable effect, thereby providing a "sound" warning, or the control may be changed to emit a warning light different from the light corresponding to the variable effect, thereby providing a "light" warning. This makes it possible to avoid the player being unable to grasp that a game restriction has been imposed, even when a predetermined effect action is executed for movable bodies X and Y after the game enters the limit state.

As shown in Figure 150 (F), when the execution of the variable effect based on the effect pattern is completed, the variable display of the decorative pattern stops at a specified stopping pattern (in this example, "767"). However, because an image corresponding to the stop state is displayed in a layer above the image corresponding to the variable effect, the player does not realize that the variable display of the decorative pattern has stopped.

In addition, when a performance operation is being performed on the back-front lifting decorative body unit 3310 (movable body X) or the back-rear lifting decorative body 3410 (movable body Y) before transitioning to the dead-end state, effects are displayed in areas of the performance display device 1600 that do not overlap with the back-front lifting decorative body unit 3310 (movable body X) or the back-rear lifting decorative body 3410 (movable body Y).However, when a performance operation is being performed on the back-front lifting decorative body unit 3310 (movable body X) or the back-rear lifting decorative body 3410 (movable body Y) after transitioning to the dead-end state, effects are not displayed in areas of the performance display device 1600 that do not overlap with the back-front lifting decorative body unit 3310 (movable body X) or the back-rear lifting decorative body 3410 (movable body Y). As a result, even if the image corresponding to the deadlock state cannot be seen when a performance action is being performed on the rear-front lifting decorative body unit 3310 (movable body X) or the rear-back lifting decorative body 3410 (movable body Y), it is possible to determine whether the performance action is before the transition to the deadlock state or after the transition to the deadlock state by whether or not the effect is displayed.

(Regarding energy saving mode after transition to the stop state)
In this example, if a predetermined time (e.g., 30 seconds) has elapsed since the special symbol was confirmed and stopped without the start of a new variable special symbol display, a predetermined demonstration effect (e.g., display of a demonstration explanation or promotional image) is initiated. However, after a certain amount of time has elapsed since the start of the demonstration effect (e.g., after the demonstration effect has been repeated twice), the machine can transition to an energy-saving mode to conserve standby power. In this energy-saving mode, not only is the demonstration effect not executed, but also audio output is stopped and some lamps are turned off, and the effect display device 1600 notifies the user that the energy-saving mode is in effect. However, if the energy-saving mode were to be executed in the same manner not only in the normal standby state (a standby state that is not in the play limit state) but also after the payout amount reaches a specific value and the machine transitions to the play limit state, it would be difficult to tell whether the state in the energy-saving mode is in the play limit state, making it difficult to understand that game play restrictions are being implemented. Therefore, in this example, a configuration will be described below that allows transition to energy saving mode during normal standby state and during stopped state, while also differing the behavior during energy saving mode depending on whether the state is normal standby state or stopped state.

First, let's discuss the energy-saving mode. In this example, whether or not to enter energy-saving mode while special symbols are not being displayed (when no game is being played) can be set by the administrator at will, depending on the type of business the amusement hall operates. Specifically, when the energy-saving mode setting switch on the peripheral control board 1510 is turned ON, energy-saving mode can be initiated while special symbols are not being displayed, and when the energy-saving mode setting switch is turned OFF, energy-saving mode cannot be initiated while special symbols are not being displayed. Note that in this example, as will be described later, the energy-saving mode is switched to after a demonstration effect is executed with the energy-saving mode setting switch turned ON, but this is not limited to this. As another example, the energy-saving mode may always be switched to after a demonstration effect is executed without providing an energy-saving mode setting switch.

Next, the relationship between the demonstration effect and the energy-saving mode in this example will be explained. In this example, when the energy-saving mode setting switch is turned ON and the special symbol is not being displayed in a variable manner, the energy-saving mode is entered after passing through the normal standby state. Here, the "normal standby state" in this example is a standby state that is not in a full-play state, and includes a period during which the display device 1600 displays a static decorative symbol, and a period during which the display device 1600 and other devices perform operations corresponding to a specified demonstration effect (for example, displaying or emitting light for explanations or promotional images). Details of the demonstration effect will be described later. In this example, when the energy-saving mode setting switch is turned ON, the system transitions to energy-saving mode upon the completion of a predetermined number of demonstration effects. Note that in energy-saving mode, the demonstration effect is not executed, and the display device 1600 and other devices are controlled by operations corresponding to the energy-saving mode.

Furthermore, as the game progresses, if the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value, the device transitions to a stop state in which game progress is disabled. In this stop state, operations corresponding to the stop state are executed in preference to operations corresponding to the demonstration effects, ensuring that the device is notified that the stop state is in effect. Furthermore, when the energy-saving mode setting switch is turned ON, energy-saving mode can be initiated even during the stop state, but the energy-saving mode is initiated at a different time than when the energy-saving mode is initiated when the device is not in the stop state. In other words, when energy-saving mode is initiated during the stop state, the device transitions to energy-saving mode a predetermined time (e.g., five minutes) after the stop state notification mode, described below, transitions to notification mode B. Furthermore, when the device transitions to energy-saving mode during the stop state, the device executes operations corresponding to the energy-saving mode on the effect display device 1600 and other devices in a manner different from when the device transitions to energy-saving mode via a normal standby state.

Figure 151 is a table comparing the notification modes for light emission and sound in normal standby mode, energy saving mode, and stalled state. In this example, it is possible to transition to energy saving mode during stalled state, and before transitioning to energy saving mode, energy saving mode does not occur during stalled state, but after transitioning to energy saving mode, energy saving mode occurs during stalled state.

First, the normal standby state includes a state when the demonstration effect is not being executed (when standby effect 1 is being executed) and a state when the demonstration effect is being executed (when standby effect 2 is being executed). Specifically, in the normal standby state, standby effect 1 is executed, in which the stopped decorative symbols remain displayed without executing the demonstration effect, until a predetermined time (e.g., 30 seconds) has elapsed since the special symbol was confirmed and stopped. When the predetermined time (e.g., 30 seconds) has elapsed since the special symbol was confirmed and stopped, the stopped decorative symbols are erased and the first demonstration effect (standby effect 2) is initiated. Then, after the first demonstration effect ends, standby effect 1 is executed, in which the stopped decorative symbols remain displayed without executing the demonstration effect, until a predetermined time (e.g., 30 seconds) has elapsed. When the predetermined time (e.g., 30 seconds) has elapsed, the second demonstration effect (standby effect 2) is initiated. If the energy saving mode setting switch is turned ON, the device will switch to energy saving mode after the second demonstration performance has ended. If the energy saving mode setting switch is turned OFF, the device will go through standby performance 1 again after the second demonstration performance has ended, and then the third demonstration performance will be performed, with standby performance 1 and the demonstration performance being repeated thereafter.

As mentioned above, when the demonstration performance is not being performed, a stopped decorative pattern is displayed as standby display 1 (standby performance 1), and standby display 1 is displayed on a lower layer of the performance display device 1600. Here, the performance display device 1600 in this example is capable of displaying multiple layers, including at least an upper layer, a middle layer, and a lower layer, in an overlapping manner, with the display items on higher layers being displayed closer to the front in the relationship of "upper layer > middle layer > lower layer," allowing them to be viewed preferentially.

On the other hand, when a demonstration effect is being executed, the following demonstration image is displayed as standby display 2 (standby effect 2). Specifically, first, the effect display device 1600 is used to explain the effects of pachinko machine 1 and display promotional images (movies), and at the end of this, the logo of the model title of pachinko machine 1 is displayed. Then, after the model title logo display has finished, the effect display device 1600 displays the logo of the manufacturer of pachinko machine 1, and then displays a warning message regarding "preventing addiction" to prevent players from becoming overly addicted to the game (for example, a text display saying "Pachinko should be enjoyed in moderation. Be careful not to get addicted"). Displaying such a warning message can prevent players from becoming overly addicted to the game during subsequent games. Note that standby display 2 is displayed on a lower layer of the effect display device 1600.

In addition, during the normal standby state, when standby display 1 (standby effect 1) is being displayed, a specified sound is output from the speaker, but after standby display 1 (standby effect 1) ends, the sound is not output from the speaker and is muted. In other words, while standby display 1 (standby effect 1) is being displayed, sound such as background music corresponding to standby display 1 (standby effect 1) is being output, but when standby display 1 (standby effect 1) ends and standby display 2 (standby effect 2) is displayed, no sound is output.

In addition, in the normal standby state, the LEDs of Lamp A (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the frame decoration members) and Lamp B (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the game board 5) are configured to light up or flash in a normal notification mode. Specifically, when a demonstration effect is not being executed, the LEDs flash or light up in a notification mode corresponding to standby effect 1 as the normal notification mode, whereas when a demonstration effect is being executed, the LEDs flash or light up in a notification mode corresponding to demonstration effect (standby effect 2) as the normal notification mode. Furthermore, Lamp C is configured to emit light in a reference brightness confirmation mode, which allows the reference brightness to be confirmed by emitting light at a predetermined specific brightness in comparison with the brightness of Lamps A and B. In other words, while the brightness of Lamps A and B changes depending on the setting status set by operating the setting adjustment button 204, the brightness of Lamp C does not change regardless of the setting status set by operating the setting adjustment button 204, making it easy to determine whether the brightness of Lamps A and B has changed. Furthermore, for Lamp C, the LED may be configured to emit light in the reference brightness confirmation mode even when a demonstration performance is not being performed. However, taking into consideration the load caused by constantly emitting light, it may be configured to start emitting light in the reference brightness confirmation mode when a specific light emission start operation is performed. For example, when a specific light emission start condition is met (for example, when the setting adjustment button 204 is operated or another operation is received), the light emission in the reference brightness confirmation mode may be started, and after a predetermined time has passed, the light emission in the reference brightness confirmation mode may be terminated and the lamp may be turned off. Furthermore, by providing multiple LEDs that make up Lamp C, even if one of the LEDs that make up Lamp C fails, the other LEDs that make up Lamp C may still be able to determine whether the brightness of Lamps A and B has changed.

Next, in energy saving mode, an energy saving display is displayed as an image corresponding to the energy saving mode, but the energy saving display is displayed on a higher layer of the performance display device 1600. At this time, sound is not output from the speaker and the sound is muted. Also, the LEDs for Lamp A (LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards of the frame decoration members) and Lamp B (LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards of the game board 5) are turned off. Note that the LED for Lamp C is enabled to emit light in a mode for confirming the reference brightness, the same as in the normal standby state.

Next, if the energy saving mode does not occur during the game-stop state, an image corresponding to the game-stop state, indicating that progress is impossible, is displayed on a higher layer of the performance display device 1600. Furthermore, upon transition to the game-stop state, Lamp A (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the frame decoration member), Lamp B (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the game board 5), and the speaker issue an alert in an emphasized mode consisting of a predetermined specific light intensity (e.g., maximum light intensity) and a predetermined specific volume (e.g., maximum volume) as alert mode A, but after a predetermined period (e.g., 15 seconds) has elapsed, the alert transitions to an alert in a suppressed mode in which the light intensity and volume are suppressed as alert mode B. Specifically, after a predetermined period (e.g., 15 seconds) has elapsed, the speaker stops outputting sound and mutes the sound. As for lamp C, the LED may be set to emit light in a manner for confirming the reference brightness, as in the normal standby state; however, given the nature of the stop state, and the fact that the setting adjustment button 204 will not be operated, lamp C may be set to remain off regardless of whether specific emission start conditions are met.

Next, if the energy saving mode occurs during the game-stop state, in addition to the image corresponding to the game-stop state, which indicates that progress is impossible, an energy saving display is also displayed as an image corresponding to the energy saving mode. However, both the progress impossible display and the energy saving display are displayed on a higher layer of the effect display device 1600, and both displays are visible. At this time, sound is not output from the speaker and the sound is muted. Furthermore, the LEDs for Lamp A (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the frame decoration members) and Lamp B (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the game board 5) are turned off. Note that, as with the normal standby state, the LED for Lamp C may be enabled to emit light in a manner for confirming the reference brightness. However, considering that the setting adjustment button 204 is not operated due to the nature of the game-stop state, Lamp C may remain off regardless of whether a specific light-emitting start condition is met.

Figure 152 is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when it transitions to energy-saving mode during a play-stop state. The following explanation assumes that the energy-saving mode setting switch is turned ON.

First, once the remaining number of balls to be dispensed reaches a specific value (e.g., 5,000), a pre-warning display is displayed. This pre-warning display continues to be displayed not only while the special symbol is changing, but also while the special symbol is not changing, until the number of balls to be dispensed reaches the specific value. Furthermore, while the special symbol is not changing, the display continues to be displayed not only during the normal standby state, but also during energy-saving mode. Furthermore, as described above in detail, the effect display device 1600 displays the message "+xx balls remaining until play limit" in specific display area 1 as a pre-warning display. This specific display area 1 is set as part of the display area of the effect display device 1600 and is a display area used when the number of balls to be dispensed approaches a specific value. It is a fixed area that remains unchanged regardless of the play state so that the hall manager does not overlook it.

In addition, advance notice displays and progress impossibility displays are displayed on the upper layer of the performance display device 1600. Here, the performance display device 1600 in this example is capable of displaying multiple layers, including at least an upper layer, a middle layer, and a lower layer, on top of each other, and in the relationship of "upper layer > middle layer > lower layer," the higher the layer display, the closer it is to the front, allowing it to be viewed with priority. This means that the visibility of advance notice displays and progress impossibility displays displayed on the upper layer is not obstructed by displays displayed on the middle and lower layers.

In addition, advance notice displays and progress impossibility displays are not subject to image conversion processing (mosaic processing, grayscale processing, enlargement/reduction processing, etc.) performed by the peripheral control board 1510. In other words, performance images other than advance notice displays and progress impossibility displays are subject to image conversion processing performed by the peripheral control board 1510, and the appearance of the performance images is allowed to change as the performance progresses, but advance notice displays and progress impossibility displays are not subject to image conversion processing performed by the peripheral control board 1510, and the appearance of the performance images is not allowed to change even if the performance progresses. As a result, the visibility of advance notice displays and progress impossibility displays does not change while they are displayed, making it possible to avoid overlooking information regarding the amount of balls dispensed, etc.

Next, after the special symbol is confirmed and stopped, the machine enters a normal standby state. However, at timing t1, if a predetermined time (e.g., 30 seconds) has passed since the special symbol was confirmed and no new special symbol was displayed, a demonstration period (demonstration effect execution period) is initiated, during which demonstration images (e.g., effect explanations or promotional images) are displayed as standby display 2 (standby effect 2). During this demonstration period, when the display of the special symbol begins to change (when a win occurs in the first start slot 2003, second start slot 2004, or large prize slot 2005), the demonstration period ends and the change effect or winning effect begins. On the other hand, the demonstration period also ends and the machine transitions to standby display 1 (standby effect 1) when the player operates the operation unit (e.g., handle 160 or effect operation unit 250). Furthermore, even after the transition to the demonstration period, the advance notice display continues to be displayed. This prevents new players from starting play without being aware of information about the number of balls dispensed, etc., before starting play.

In this example, the standby display 2 is displayed on a lower layer of the effect display device 1600. For example, the predetermined area in which the warning message is displayed is located outside the specific display area 1 in which the advance notice display is displayed, and is positioned so that it does not overlap with the specific display area 1 in the front-to-back direction. This ensures that the warning message is visible even while the advance notice display is displayed, and reliably prevents players from becoming overly absorbed in the game. The predetermined area in which the warning message is displayed may be positioned so that a portion of the predetermined area overlaps with the specific display area 1 in the front-to-back direction. For example, even if the predetermined area overlaps with the specific display area 1, the warning message may be displayed shifted vertically or horizontally from the advance notice display to such an extent that the content of the warning message can be confirmed.

During the demonstration period, no sound is output from the speaker and the display is silent. During the demonstration period, the LEDs of Lamp A (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the frame decoration members) and Lamp B (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the gaming board 5) are set to light up or flash in a notification mode corresponding to standby display 2 (standby effect 2) as the normal notification mode. During the demonstration period, the LED of Lamp C is set to emit light at a specific brightness as a standard brightness confirmation mode, regardless of standby display 2 (standby effect 2).

Next, at timing t2, when the demonstration period (second demonstration effect) ends, the system switches to energy-saving mode, which strengthens power saving for audio and lamps. The effect display device 1600 displays an energy-saving display as an image corresponding to the energy-saving mode. The energy-saving display displays the message "Energy-saving mode in progress." In this energy-saving mode, the system terminates the energy-saving mode and starts the variable effect when the variable special symbol display begins. Alternatively, the system can also terminate the energy-saving mode and switch to a normal standby state by the player operating the control unit (e.g., handle 160 or effect operation unit 250). If a win occurs in a general winning slot 2001, which does not display variable special symbols, during energy-saving mode, prize balls are awarded, but the system does not switch to a normal standby state. Furthermore, even after switching to energy-saving mode, the advance notification display continues to be displayed. This prevents new players from starting play without being aware of information such as the number of balls dispensed.

In this example, the energy saving display is displayed on the upper layer of the performance display device 1600, just like the advance notice display. However, the specific area 2 in which the energy saving display is displayed is located outside the specific display area 1 in which the advance notice display is displayed, and in a different position from the specific display area 1. This ensures that the energy saving display is visible even while the advance notice display is displayed on the upper layer of the performance display device 1600, and ensures that the user is notified that energy saving mode is being executed.

In addition, in this example, standby display 2, which was running during the demonstration period, is terminated when the system transitions to energy saving mode. Because standby display 2 is displayed on a lower layer of the performance display device 1600, even if it continues to be displayed after the system transitions to energy saving mode, the energy saving display displayed on a higher layer will not become invisible. However, by terminating standby display 2 when the system transitions to energy saving mode, the control burden on the peripheral control board 1510 can be reduced.

In addition, during energy saving mode, the speaker is muted and no sound is output. In other words, the speaker is in a silent state (inaudible state) where no sound can be heard. Furthermore, the LEDs for Lamp A (LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards of the frame decoration members) and Lamp B (LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards of the gaming board 5) are turned off. This prevents excessive power consumption by gaming machines that have not been played for a specified period of time. Furthermore, the LED for Lamp C is enabled to emit light in a standard brightness confirmation mode, just like in the normal standby state. This allows you to know that the LED for Lamp C is not turned off like Lamps A and B, and that the gaming machine is operating normally.

In addition, in this example, if a player operates the operation unit (such as the handle 160 or the presentation operation unit 250) before the energy saving mode is initiated (the period from timing t1 to t2), it is possible to restrict the execution of the energy saving mode. Specifically, the conditions for starting the energy saving mode are met when the second demonstration ends, resulting in a transition to energy saving mode. However, if a player operates the operation unit during the demonstration period before the energy saving mode is initiated, the demonstration period is forcibly ended, preventing the conditions for starting the energy saving mode from being met and the game from transitioning to energy saving mode. As a result, if a player does not want to transition to energy saving mode during normal standby mode, they can simply operate the operation unit before the energy saving mode is initiated, preventing the energy saving mode from being unintentionally initiated.

Next, at timing t3 during the energy saving mode, if a win is made at the first start gate 2003 or the second start gate 2004 and the variable display of the special symbol begins, the energy saving mode ends and a variable display (a display based on a variable pattern) corresponding to the variable display of the special symbol is executed. In this variable display, a variable display of the decorative symbol is displayed, but the variable display of the decorative symbol is displayed on a lower layer of the display device 1600. In addition, even after the variable display begins, the advance notice display continues to be displayed. This allows the player to know that play will be restricted in the near future.

In addition, while the special symbols are being displayed, a sound corresponding to the changing effects is output from the speaker as specified background music. Also, while the special symbols are being displayed, the LEDs of Lamp A (LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards of the frame decoration member) and Lamp B (LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards of the gaming board 5) light up or blink in a normal notification mode corresponding to the changing effects. Also, while the special symbols are being displayed, the LED of Lamp C is able to emit light at a specific brightness as a mode for confirming the reference brightness, regardless of the changing effects.

Next, at timing t4 while the special symbol is being displayed, if the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value due to winning balls entering a winning slot such as the first starting slot 2003 or the second starting slot 2004, and game play is restricted, the display and presentation of the special symbol changes will end, and the game will transition to a halt state in which game play cannot proceed. As described above, when the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value calculated based on the winning balls obtained by winning balls entering each winning slot, the game will be halted and game play will be restricted, but in this example, these game restrictions are controlled while the special symbol is being displayed.

Then, at timing t4, if the game transitions to a stopped state, the effect display device 1600 displays an image corresponding to the stopped state, indicating that progress is not possible. The message "Play Restrictions" is displayed as the stopped state, along with messages such as "Play has been restricted as the daily ball output limit of XXX balls has been reached," "Please call an attendant," and "The settlement button is enabled." Furthermore, as described above, the stopped progress indication is displayed on a higher layer of the effect display device 1600. This allows the player to understand that the amount of balls output has reached a specific value and that game restrictions are being implemented, without impeding the visibility of the stopped progress indication.

In addition, in this example, the progress impossibility display is displayed on a screen consisting of an opaque blackout display (for example, a black background image) in an upper layer of the effect display device 1600. This blackout display is displayed across almost the entire surface of the effect display device 1600. As a result, screens displayed on layers lower than the upper layer are made invisible due to the blackout display in the upper layer. Specifically, even after the transition to the play-stop state at timing t4, a demonstration image as standby display 2 can be displayed on the lower layer of the effect display device 1600, but the progress impossibility display is displayed on the upper layer of the effect display device 1600 using almost the entire surface of the effect display device 1600, making the demonstration image invisible. As a result, after the transition to the play-stop state, the player will not be aware that the demonstration period is in progress while the progress impossibility display is being displayed, and can reliably understand that the number of balls dispensed has reached a specific value and play restrictions are being implemented. Furthermore, after transitioning to the dead-end state, regardless of whether a predetermined period (e.g., 30 seconds) of normal standby state in which no special symbols are displayed in a variable manner has elapsed, a restriction may be placed on the lower layer of the effect display device 1600 so that the demonstration image is not displayed at all.

Furthermore, after transitioning to the play-stop state, the effect display device 1600 displays an "unplayable" message on almost the entire surface of the effect display device 1600 as an image corresponding to the play-stop state. At this time, as Lamp A (LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards of the frame decoration members), Lamp B (LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards of the game board 5), and the speaker perform the action required for unplayable state, they forcibly issue a notification in an emphasized mode consisting of a predetermined specific light intensity (e.g., maximum light intensity) and a predetermined specific volume (e.g., maximum volume) as notification mode A, regardless of the setting status set by operating the setting adjustment button 204. Specifically, Lamp A (LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards of the frame decoration members) and Lamp B (LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards of the game board 5) emit a monochromatic white light, and the LEDs flash or light up at a specific light intensity (e.g., maximum light intensity), and the speaker outputs a voice message at a specific volume (e.g., maximum volume) stating, "Play is being restricted because the daily ball payout limit has been reached." This allows the hall manager to be clearly informed that a transition to a play-stop state has occurred. It is preferable that the highlighted notification related to the play-stop state be different from the notification used in the event of other errors, such as abnormalities.

Then, at time t5, after a predetermined period (e.g., 15 seconds) has elapsed since the start of the highlighted notification as notification mode A, the effect display device 1600 maintains the progress-impossible display using substantially the entire surface of the effect display device 1600, but the lamps A (LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards of the frame decoration member) and B (LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards of the gaming board 5) transition to a suppressed notification mode with reduced light output as notification mode B. Specifically, while the LEDs of lamps A (LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards of the frame decoration member) and B (LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards of the gaming board 5) continue to emit monochromatic white light, they are not flashed or lit at a specific light intensity (e.g., maximum light intensity) (they are flashed or lit at an intensity less than the specific light intensity). Furthermore, the speaker does not output the audio message "Play is being restricted because the daily ball payout limit has been reached," resulting in a silent (inaudible) state in which no sound can be heard. This allows the highlighted notification to end even during a stoppage, preventing the notification from interfering with the play of surrounding players.

The suppression mode in this example only needs to suppress the amount of light more than the highlight mode. For example, for Lamp A (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the frame decoration members) and Lamp B (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the gaming board 5), the light color pattern may be changed from the highlight mode so that the LEDs flash or light up in multiple colors. This allows the decorative effect to be maintained even on gaming machines that have reached a dead state and are no longer being played, and can play a role in livening up the entire gaming hall.

Furthermore, after transitioning to the stop state, for lamp C, the LED can be made to emit light at a specific brightness as a reference brightness confirmation mode, regardless of whether lamps A and B are in the emphasis mode as notification mode A or the suppression mode as notification mode B. This makes it easier to determine whether lamps A and B are in the emphasis mode as notification mode A or the suppression mode as notification mode B, compared to lamp C, which has a specific brightness.

Next, at timing t6, when a predetermined time (e.g., 5 minutes) has elapsed since lamps A and B transitioned to the suppressed mode as notification mode B, an energy-saving mode that intensifies the power saving of the sound and lamps is activated during the game-stop state, and the effect display device 1600 displays an energy-saving display as an image corresponding to the energy-saving mode. The energy-saving display displays the message "Energy-saving mode in progress." After the energy-saving mode is activated during the game-stop state, the display of variable special symbols cannot begin due to the game-stop state, and the energy-saving mode cannot be terminated even if a starting win occurs. However, the energy-saving mode cannot be terminated by the player operating the operation unit (e.g., handle 160 or effect operation unit 250). However, by continuing to display the progress-impossible display even after the game has transitioned to energy-saving mode, it is possible to prevent new players from starting play without recognizing that the game has reached the end of the game, even if the energy-saving mode has been activated.

In this example, the energy saving display, like the progress impossibility display, is displayed on a higher layer of the performance display device 1600. However, the specific area 2 in which the energy saving display is displayed is located outside of the specific display area 1 in which the progress impossibility display is displayed, and is in a different position from the specific display area 1. This ensures that the energy saving display is visible even while the progress impossibility display is displayed on a higher layer of the performance display device 1600, and ensures that the user is aware that energy saving mode is being executed.

In this example, the energy saving display, like the progress impossibility display, is displayed on the upper layer of the performance display device 1600, but it may also be displayed on the middle layer in a relationship of "upper layer > middle layer > lower layer." In such a case, the progress impossibility display in this example is displayed as a message on a screen consisting of an opaque darkened display (for example, a black background image) on the upper layer of the performance display device 1600, so the energy saving display displayed on the middle layer cannot be seen due to the darkened display on the upper layer.

In addition, the energy-saving display in this example, like the progress-impossible display, is displayed on the upper layer of the effect display device 1600. However, while the energy-saving display is displayed on the upper layer of the effect display device 1600, the progress-impossible display may be displayed on the middle layer in a relationship of "upper layer > middle layer > lower layer." This ensures the visibility of the energy-saving display even while the progress-impossible display is displayed on the middle layer of the effect display device 1600, ensuring reliable notification that energy-saving mode is in effect. It is preferable that the specific display area 1 in which the progress-impossible display is displayed on the middle layer of the effect display device 1600 is located outside the specific display area 2 in which the energy-saving display is displayed on the upper layer of the effect display device 1600, and is positioned so that it does not overlap with the specific display area 2 in the front-to-back direction. This ensures the visibility of the progress-impossible display even while the energy-saving display is displayed on the upper layer of the effect display device 1600, ensuring reliable notification that gameplay is restricted. Furthermore, the specific display area 1 in which the progress impossibility display is displayed on the middle layer of the performance display device 1600 may be positioned so that a portion of that specific display area 1 overlaps with specific display area 2 in the front-to-back direction; for example, even if specific display area 1 and specific display area 2 overlap, the progress impossibility display may be displayed shifted vertically or horizontally from the energy-saving display to an extent that the content of the progress impossibility display can be confirmed.

In addition, in this example, standby display 2, which was running during the demonstration period, is terminated when the system transitions to energy saving mode. Because standby display 2 is displayed on a lower layer of the performance display device 1600, even if it continues to be displayed after the system transitions to energy saving mode, the energy saving display displayed on a higher layer will not become invisible. However, by terminating standby display 2 when the system transitions to energy saving mode, the control burden on the peripheral control board 1510 can be reduced.

In addition, in this example, the progress impossibility display is displayed on a screen consisting of an opaque blackout display (for example, a black background image) in an upper layer of the effect display device 1600. This blackout display is displayed across almost the entire surface of the effect display device 1600. As a result, screens displayed on layers lower than the upper layer are made invisible due to the blackout display in the upper layer. Specifically, even after the transition to the play-stop state at timing t4, the lower layer of the effect display device 1600 continues to display a demonstration image as standby display 2, but the upper layer of the effect display device 1600 displays a progress impossibility display using almost the entire surface of the effect display device 1600, making the demonstration image invisible. As a result, after the transition to the play-stop state, the player does not realize that the demonstration period is in progress while the progress impossibility display is being displayed, and can reliably understand that the number of balls dispensed has reached a specific value and game restrictions are being implemented. Furthermore, after transitioning to the stop state, regardless of whether a predetermined period (e.g., 30 seconds) has elapsed in the normal standby state in which the special symbol is not displayed in a variable manner, the lower layer of the effect display device 1600 may be forced to terminate so that the demonstration image does not continue to be displayed.

In addition, during energy saving mode, the speaker is muted and no sound is output. In other words, the speaker is in a silent state (inaudible state) where no sound can be heard. Furthermore, the LEDs for Lamp A (LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards of the frame decoration members) and Lamp B (LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards of the gaming board 5) are turned off. This prevents excessive power consumption by gaming machines that are in a stalled state and unable to play. Furthermore, the LED for Lamp C is enabled to emit light in a standard brightness confirmation mode, just like in the normal standby state. This allows the user to know that the LED for Lamp C is not turned off like Lamps A and B, and that the gaming machine is operating normally.

In this way, when the game enters energy saving mode during a game-stopping state, just as when the game enters energy saving mode during normal standby mode, the speaker mutes audio output, and the LEDs A (LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards of the frame decoration members) and B (LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards of the game board 5) are turned off to conserve power. Meanwhile, when the game enters energy saving mode during normal standby mode, an energy saving display is displayed on the effect display device 1600. However, when the game enters energy saving mode during a game-stopping state, not only is the energy saving display displayed on the effect display device 1600, but a progress-impossible display is also displayed in an area (specific display area 1) separate from the energy saving display. This makes it possible to determine during energy saving mode whether gameplay can begin in normal standby mode or whether gameplay is restricted during a game-stopping state, preventing new players from starting gameplay without realizing that the game is stopped.

In addition, in this example, during the game-stop state, Lamp A (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the frame decoration members) and Lamp B (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the gaming board 5) transition from notification mode A (emphasis mode) to notification mode B (suppression mode), and the LEDs are turned off after an energy-saving mode is activated during the game-stop state. Also, during the game-stop state, the speaker is muted from notification mode A (emphasis mode), and after an energy-saving mode is activated during the game-stop state, the muting continues. In this way, by gradually reducing the power consumption of various presentation components during the game-stop state, it is possible to prevent the player from mistaking the power-saving mode for the end of the game-stop state while also avoiding excessive power consumption by gaming machines that are unable to play during the game-stop state.

In addition, in this example, once the energy saving mode is initiated during a play-stop state, the display of variable special symbols cannot begin due to the play-stop state, and the energy saving mode cannot be terminated even if a starting win occurs. The energy saving mode cannot be terminated by the player operating the control unit (handle 160, presentation operation unit 250, etc.). In other words, once the energy saving mode (power saving state) is initiated during a play-stop state and power is saved, it is not possible to return to the non-power saving state before the energy saving mode was initiated. This prevents the player from thinking that the play-stop state has ended by returning to a non-power saving state, and prevents the player from having difficulty understanding whether or not the play-stop state is in progress.

Furthermore, in this example, even if a player operates the control unit (e.g., handle 160, presentation operation unit 250, etc.) before the energy-saving mode is initiated during the game-stop state (between timings t4 and t6), the execution of the energy-saving mode cannot be restricted. Specifically, the conditions for starting the energy-saving mode are met during the game-stop state when a predetermined time (e.g., five minutes) has elapsed since lamps A and B transitioned to the suppression mode (notification mode B), and the game enters the energy-saving mode during the game-stop state. However, even if a player operates the control unit before the energy-saving mode is initiated during the game-stop state, this does not affect the establishment of the conditions for starting the energy-saving mode during the game-stop state, and the game enters the energy-saving mode during the game-stop state. As described in detail above, during the normal standby state, the execution of the energy-saving mode can be restricted if a player operates the control unit (e.g., handle 160, presentation operation unit 250, etc.) before the energy-saving mode is initiated (between timings t1 and t2). In this way, by always running the energy saving mode without restricting it during a game-stopping state, it is possible to prevent excessive power consumption by gaming machines that are in a game-stopping state and cannot be played.

In addition, in the above example, after the energy saving mode is initiated during a stalled state, the display of variable special symbols cannot be started due to the stalled state, and the energy saving mode cannot be terminated even if a starting win is won. The energy saving mode cannot be terminated even by the player operating the operation unit (e.g., handle 160 or presentation operation unit 250). In other words, after the energy saving mode (power-saving state) is initiated during a stalled state and power is saved, it is not possible to return to the non-power saving state before the energy saving mode was initiated. Alternatively, it is possible to prevent a return to the non-power saving state before the energy saving mode was initiated, as described below. In other words, after the energy saving mode is initiated during a stalled state, the display of variable special symbols cannot be started due to the stalled state, and the energy saving mode cannot be terminated even if a starting win is won. However, it is also possible to terminate only the energy saving mode in response to the player operating the operation unit (e.g., handle 160 or presentation operation unit 250). Here, if the energy-saving mode that was occurring during the play-stop state is ended in response to the player operating the operation unit (such as the handle 160 or the presentation operation unit 250), notification mode A for the play-stop state may be executed again, thereby ensuring that new players are aware that the play-stop state has been reached. Furthermore, because the progress-impossible display continues to be displayed even after the energy-saving mode that was occurring during the play-stop state has been ended, it is possible to prevent new players from starting play without being aware that the play-stop state has been reached, even after the energy-saving mode has ended.

In the example described above, when the energy saving mode setting switch is turned ON, the device switches to energy saving mode during the power limit state, thereby enhancing standby power savings. However, as another example, even when the energy saving mode setting switch is turned ON, the device may not switch to energy saving mode during the power limit state, and instead, a separate control may be used to enhance power savings for the sound and lamp, thereby achieving standby power savings. Such an example is described below.

Figure 153 is a table comparing the notification modes related to light emission and sound when transitioning to notification mode C during a stop state. In another example, the energy saving mode does not occur during a stop state, but the notification mode changes to a mode similar to the energy saving mode during a stop state. Note that the normal standby state and energy saving mode are the same as when transitioning to energy saving mode during a stop state, so explanations are omitted.

In another example of a stopped state, an image corresponding to the stopped state, indicating that progress is impossible, is displayed on a higher layer of the effect display device 1600. Furthermore, upon transition to the stopped state, Lamp A (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the frame decoration member), Lamp B (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the game board 5), and the speaker issue an alert in an emphasized mode consisting of a predetermined specific light intensity (e.g., maximum light intensity) and a predetermined specific volume (e.g., maximum volume) as alert mode A, but once a predetermined period (e.g., 15 seconds) has elapsed, the alert transitions to an alert in a suppressed mode in which the light intensity and volume are suppressed as alert mode B. Specifically, once a predetermined period (e.g., 15 seconds) has elapsed, the speaker stops outputting sound and mutes the sound.

For Lamp A (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the frame decoration members) and Lamp B (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the game board 5), after a predetermined time (e.g., 5 minutes) has elapsed since switching to Notification Mode B, the system switches to Notification Mode C, which has even less light output than Notification Mode B, and the LEDs are turned off. At this time, no sound is output from the speaker, and the mute state continues. Note that, as in the normal standby state, Lamp C may be enabled to emit light in the reference brightness confirmation mode, but given the nature of the stop state, in which the setting adjustment button 204 is not operated, Lamp C may remain turned off regardless of whether a specific light emission start condition is met.

Figure 154 is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when it transitions to notification mode C during a game-stop state. The following explanation assumes that the energy-saving mode setting switch has been turned ON. Note that the behavior until the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value at timing t4 and game play restrictions are implemented is the same as when transitioning to energy-saving mode during a game-stop state, so explanation is omitted here.

First, at timing t4, after the transition to the no-play state, regardless of whether a predetermined period (e.g., 30 seconds) has elapsed since the normal standby state in which no special symbols are displayed in a variable manner, a restriction is placed on the lower layer of the performance display device 1600 so that the demonstration image is not displayed in the first place. The demonstration image (standby display 1) is displayed on the lower layer of the performance display device 1600, so even if it is made displayable after the transition to the no-play state, for example, the no-progress display displayed on the upper layer will not become invisible. However, by placing a restriction at the time of transition to the no-play state, the control burden on the peripheral control board 1510 can be reduced.

Furthermore, after transitioning to the play-stop state, the effect display device 1600 displays an "unplayable" message on almost the entire surface of the effect display device 1600 as an image corresponding to the play-stop state. At this time, as Lamp A (LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards of the frame decoration members), Lamp B (LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards of the game board 5), and the speaker perform the action required for unplayable state, they forcibly issue a notification in an emphasized mode consisting of a predetermined specific light intensity (e.g., maximum light intensity) and a predetermined specific volume (e.g., maximum volume) as notification mode A, regardless of the setting status set by operating the setting adjustment button 204. Specifically, Lamp A (LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards of the frame decoration members) and Lamp B (LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards of the game board 5) emit a monochromatic white light, and the LEDs flash or light up at a specific light intensity (e.g., maximum light intensity), and the speaker outputs a voice message at a specific volume (e.g., maximum volume) stating, "Play is being restricted because the daily ball payout limit has been reached." This allows the hall manager to be clearly informed that a transition to a play-stop state has occurred. It is preferable that the highlighted notification related to the play-stop state be different from the notification used in the event of other errors, such as abnormalities.

Then, at time t5, after a predetermined period (e.g., 15 seconds) has elapsed since the start of the highlighted notification as notification mode A, the effect display device 1600 maintains the progress-impossible display using substantially the entire surface of the effect display device 1600, but the lamps A (LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards of the frame decoration members) and B (LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards of the gaming board 5) transition to a suppressed notification mode with reduced light output as notification mode B. Specifically, while the LEDs of lamps A (LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards of the frame decoration members) and B (LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards of the gaming board 5) continue to emit monochromatic white light, they are not flashed or lit at a specific light intensity (e.g., maximum light intensity) (they are flashed or lit at an intensity lower than the specific light intensity). Furthermore, the speaker does not output the audio message "Play is being restricted because the daily ball output limit has been reached," resulting in a silent (inaudible) state in which no sound can be heard. This allows the highlighted notification to end even during a stoppage, preventing the notification from interfering with the play of surrounding players.

The suppression mode in this example only needs to suppress the amount of light more than the highlight mode. For example, for Lamp A (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the frame decoration members) and Lamp B (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the gaming board 5), the light color pattern may be changed from the highlight mode so that the LEDs flash or light up in multiple colors. This allows the decorative effect to be maintained even on gaming machines that have reached a dead end and are no longer being played, and can play a role in livening up the entire gaming hall.

Furthermore, after transitioning to the stop state, for lamp C, the LED can be made to emit light at a specific brightness as a reference brightness confirmation mode, regardless of whether lamps A and B are in the emphasis mode as notification mode A or the suppression mode as notification mode B. This makes it easier to determine whether lamps A and B are in the emphasis mode as notification mode A or the suppression mode as notification mode B, compared to lamp C, which has a specific brightness.

Next, at timing t6, when a predetermined time (e.g., 5 minutes) has elapsed since Lamps A and B transitioned to the suppressed mode as Notification Mode B, the effect display device 1600 maintains the progress-impossible display using almost the entire surface of the effect display device 1600. However, for Lamp A (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the frame decoration member) and Lamp B (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the game board 5), the light output is further suppressed than in Notification Mode B, as Notification Mode C, and the LEDs are turned off. This prevents excessive power consumption by gaming machines that are in a stalled state and cannot be played. Furthermore, the speaker does not output the audio message "Play has been restricted because the daily payout limit has been reached," maintaining a silent (inaudible) state in which no sound can be heard. Note that Lamp C, like in the normal standby state, is enabled to emit an LED at a specific brightness as a reference brightness confirmation mode. This allows the user to determine that the LED of Lamp C is not turned off like Lamps A and B, and that the gaming machine is operating normally.

In this way, when the game transitions to notification mode C during a game-stopped state, just as when the game transitions to energy-saving mode during normal standby mode, the speaker mutes audio output and lamps A (LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards of the frame decoration member) and B (LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards of the game board 5) are turned off, thereby saving power. On the other hand, when the game transitions to energy-saving mode during normal standby mode, an energy-saving display is displayed on the effect display device 1600, but when the game transitions to notification mode C during a game-stopped state, an indication that progress is not possible is displayed on the effect display device 1600. This makes it possible to determine whether game play can be started in normal standby mode or whether game play is restricted during a game-stopped state during periods when audio output is stopped or lamps are turned off, preventing new players from starting gameplay without realizing that the game is in a game-stopped state.

In addition, in this example, during the game-stop state, Lamp A (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the frame decoration members) and Lamp B (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the gaming board 5) transition from notification mode A (highlighted mode) to notification mode B (suppressed mode), and then to notification mode C (off). Also, during the game-stop state, the speaker mutes from notification mode A (highlighted mode). In this way, by gradually reducing the power consumption of various presentation components during the game-stop state, it is possible to prevent the player from mistaking power saving for the end of the game-stop state, while also avoiding excessive power consumption by gaming machines that are unable to play during the game-stop state.

Furthermore, in this example, after transitioning to notification mode C during a play-stop state, the display of special symbols cannot begin due to the play-stop state, and notification mode C cannot be ended even if a starting win occurs. Notification mode C cannot be ended by the player operating the operation unit (handle 160, presentation operation unit 250, etc.). In other words, after transitioning to notification mode C (power-saving state) during a play-stop state and saving power, it is not possible to return to the non-power-saving state (notification mode A or notification mode B) prior to transitioning to notification mode C. This prevents the player from thinking that the play-stop state has ended by returning to a non-power-saving state, and prevents the player from having difficulty understanding whether or not they are in a play-stop state.

Furthermore, in this example, even if the player operates the operation unit (such as the handle 160 or the presentation operation unit 250) before the transition to notification mode C during the game-stop state (the period between timings t4 and t6), it is not possible to restrict the transition to notification mode C. Specifically, the conditions for starting notification mode C during the game-stop state are met when a predetermined time (e.g., five minutes) has passed since lamps A and B transitioned to the suppression mode for notification mode B, and the game transitions to notification mode C during the game-stop state. However, even if the player operates the operation unit before the transition to notification mode C during the game-stop state, this has no bearing on the fulfillment of the conditions for starting notification mode C during the game-stop state, and the game transitions to notification mode C during the game-stop state. As described in detail above, in the normal standby state, it is possible to restrict the execution of the energy-saving mode if the player operates the operation unit (such as the handle 160 or the presentation operation unit 250) before the energy-saving mode is initiated (the period between timings t1 and t2). In this way, by always executing the transition to notification mode C without restricting it during a game-stopping state, it is possible to prevent excessive power consumption by gaming machines that are in a game-stopping state and cannot be played.

In addition, in the above example, after transitioning to notification mode C during a stop-play state, the display of special symbols cannot be initiated due to the stop-play state, and notification mode C cannot be terminated even if a starting win occurs. Notification mode C cannot be terminated even by the player operating the operation unit (such as the handle 160 or the presentation operation unit 250). In other words, after notification mode C (power-saving state) occurs during a stop-play state and power is saved, it is not possible to return to the non-power-saving state (such as notification mode A or notification mode B) prior to transitioning to notification mode C. However, instead, it is possible to prevent a return to the non-power-saving state prior to transitioning to notification mode C as described below. In other words, after transitioning to notification mode C during a stop-play state, the display of special symbols cannot be initiated due to the stop-play state, and notification mode C cannot be terminated even if a starting win occurs. However, it is also possible to terminate only notification mode C in response to the player operating the operation unit (such as the handle 160 or the presentation operation unit 250). Here, if the player ends notification mode C while in the stopped state in response to operation of the operation unit (handle 160, presentation operation unit 250, etc.), notification mode A for the stopped state may be executed again, thereby ensuring that new players are aware that the game has reached a stopped state. Furthermore, even after notification mode C ends while the game is in the stopped state, the progress impossibility display continues to be displayed, so that even if notification mode C ends, it is possible to prevent new players from starting play without recognizing that the game has reached a stopped state.

(Regarding the forced transition to a halted state)
As mentioned above, when the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value calculated based on the winning balls that enter each winning slot, the machine enters a stop state and play is restricted, but for gaming machines that are just about to reach a specific value (for example, when the number of balls remaining until the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value is less than the number of balls dispensed in one win game (1,500 balls, etc.)), there is a possibility that the machine will enter a stop state early when a new player begins playing. For this reason, it is conceivable that the administrator could intentionally enter a stop state for gaming machines that are just about to reach a specific value, in order to prevent new players from entering a stop state early in their play. However, for the administrator to intentionally transition to a dead-end state, it is necessary to allow a game ball to enter a winning slot and have the payout amount reach a specific value. However, if a winning ball enters each winning slot, causing a special symbol to change or a winning game to occur, various effects (such as a change effect or an effect associated with a winning game during a winning game) may be noticeable and may cause other players to feel suspicious. Furthermore, such work places a heavy burden on the administrator. Therefore, in this example, a configuration is described below that makes it possible to easily trigger a dead-end state when the payout amount is about to reach a specific value, in a manner that prevents other players from feeling suspicious and reduces the administrator's burden.

In this example, as described above, two types of administrator tasks are provided to easily trigger a dead-end state: a first administrator task of operating a prize ball addition switch provided on the gaming board 5, and a second administrator task of depositing game balls into a prize ball addition port provided on the gaming board 5. Both tasks can be performed at any time as long as the gaming machine is powered on. Each task is explained below.

First, we will explain the first administrator task. In this example, a depressible prize ball addition switch (not shown) is implemented on the main control board 1310 of the game board 5, and can be operated by opening the main frame 4. When this prize ball addition switch is pressed and held for a predetermined period of time (3 seconds in this example) with the main frame 4 open, a predetermined number of prize balls are forcibly awarded under control of the main control board 1310, without going through control on the frame control board 740 (or payout control board), and are reflected in the calculation of the ball payout amount. The number of prize balls is set to 100. In other words, when a game ball is received in the first starting port 2003 or the second starting port 2004, the number of prize balls is 1, and when a game ball is received in the large prize port 2005 during a winning game, the number of prize balls is 10 or 13, whereas when the prize ball addition switch is operated, the number of prize balls is 100, which is a larger number of prize balls than those set in the first starting port 2003, the second starting port 2004, and the large prize port 2005. As a result, when the amount of balls dispensed is about to reach a specific value, the administrator can increase the amount of balls dispensed all at once by operating the prize ball addition switch once, and by operating the number of times required corresponding to the difference until the amount of balls dispensed reaches the specific value, the amount of balls dispensed can be quickly shifted to a stop state when the specific value is reached. The prize ball addition switch does not have to be mounted on the main control board 1310 of the game board 5, but may also be mounted on the frame control board 740 (or payout control board). In that case, operation information and information regarding the provision of a predetermined number of prize balls can be transmitted from the frame control board 740 (or payout control board) to the main control board 1310, and reflected in the calculation of the amount of balls dispensed.

Next, the second administrator's work will be explained. The gaming board 5 described above is equipped with various prize openings (such as the first start opening 2003, the second start opening 2004, and the large prize opening 2005) that can award prize balls when they receive a game ball shot into the gaming area 5a. However, in this example, a prize ball addition opening (not shown) is provided in addition to these prize openings to facilitate the occurrence of a stalled state. This prize ball addition opening, like the other prize openings, is located within the gaming area 5a and is always open, rather than being variable like the large prize opening 2005, and is configured to allow balls to enter from an upper entrance (a so-called pocket type). However, the entrance to the prize ball addition opening is configured to be closed by a predetermined member (for example, a blocking nail or resin wall is placed to prevent ball entry), making it impossible or difficult for game balls shot into the gaming area 5a during normal play involving a player's firing operation to be accepted by the prize ball addition opening. In other words, the possibility of a ball entering the prize ball addition port is lower than that of other winning ports, and during normal play involving the player's firing operation, the likelihood of a game ball entering the prize ball addition port is extremely low, preventing game balls from entering the prize ball addition port during normal play. As mentioned above, while the entrance to the prize ball addition port is closed off by a specified component (such as a blocking nail or resin wall), this specified component is positioned above the entrance to the prize ball addition port, leaving a space large enough for 1.5 game balls to be positioned. This prevents game balls from entering in the downstream direction, but does not prevent balls from entering from the front of the prize ball addition port. This allows balls to be entered into the prize ball addition port by an administrator with the door frame 3 open.

As a second administrator task, when the door frame 3 is open and the administrator places one game ball into the prize ball addition port, a predetermined number (100) of prize balls are awarded, as with the first administrator task. When a ball enters the prize ball addition port, information regarding the awarding of a predetermined number of prize balls is transmitted from the frame control board 740 (or payout control board) to the main control board 1310, as with normal prize ball processing, and is reflected in the calculation of the amount of balls dispensed. Also, as in the first administrator operation described above, when a game ball is received into the first start port 2003 or the second start port 2004, the number of prize balls is 1; when a game ball is received into the large prize port 2005 during a winning game, the number of prize balls is 10 or 13; whereas when a game ball is received into the prize ball addition port, the number of prize balls is 100, which is a larger number of prize balls than those set for the first start port 2003, the second start port 2004, and the large prize port 2005. As a result, when the amount of balls dispensed is about to reach a specific value, the administrator can increase the amount of balls dispensed all at once by inserting one game ball into the prize ball addition port; and by inserting the required number of balls corresponding to the difference until the amount of balls dispensed reaches the specific value, the amount of balls dispensed can be quickly shifted to a capped state once the specific value is reached.

In this example, the special prize balls awarded in response to the first administrator operation (operation of the prize ball addition switch) and the second administrator operation (entering the prize ball addition port) are controlled as much as possible within the normal prize ball processing to avoid complex control such as program changes. In other words, in this example, because these special prize balls are controlled within the normal prize ball processing, they are also directly reflected in the calculation of the base value using the main control board 1310 and the frame control board 740 described above. Therefore, the number of special prize balls (predetermined number) awarded in response to the first administrator operation (operation of the prize ball addition switch) and the second administrator operation (entering the prize ball addition port) is not limited to the aforementioned 100 balls, but can be 1,000 or 10,000 balls. However, considering the impact of awarding more prize balls than necessary to reach a specific ball payout value, which could cause the base value to become abnormal, the aforementioned "100" is used in this example, thereby minimizing the impact of the base value becoming abnormal as much as possible. Furthermore, if the effect of the base value becoming an abnormal value is to be suppressed, the number of special prize balls may be reduced to fewer than 100; however, taking into consideration the ease of operation (number of operations) when awarding special prize balls, it is preferable to set the number at least greater than the number of prize balls awarded when game balls are received in the first starting port 2003 or the second starting port 2004.

In addition, the transition to the stop state using the first administrator operation (operation of the prize ball addition switch) or the second administrator operation (entering a ball into the prize ball addition port) is controlled not only during the display of special symbols or during a winning game, but also during a game standby state (normal standby state or energy-saving mode) when the special symbol changing display is not being performed. This allows the administrator to operate the prize ball addition switch or enter a game ball into the prize ball addition port during normal standby state or energy-saving mode when the number of balls dispensed is about to reach a specific value, thereby increasing the number of balls dispensed by the special prize balls and reaching the specific value. In such cases, it becomes possible to transition directly from the normal standby state or energy-saving mode to the stop state and implement game restrictions without triggering the display of special symbols or a winning game. In this way, by performing a first administrator operation (operating the prize ball addition switch) or a second administrator operation (putting a ball into the prize ball addition port) during normal standby mode or energy-saving mode, it is possible to increase the number of balls dispensed with special prize balls and transition to a limit state. This eliminates the need to display special symbols or trigger winning games when transitioning to a limit state, thereby reducing the workload on the administrator. Furthermore, for gaming machines that are on the verge of reaching a specific number of balls dispensed, transitioning to a limit state through such administrator operation can prevent a situation in which a new player plays and the machine transitions to a limit state too early.

In addition, when a ball enters the prize ball additional port, the winning is not announced. For example, when a ball enters the first starting port 2003, the second starting port 2004, or the large winning port 2005, a ball entry sound is output from the speaker to announce the winning, but when a ball enters the prize ball additional port, no ball entry sound is output from the speaker to announce the winning. In addition, when a ball enters the prize ball additional port, no effects are generated other than the awarding of prize balls. For example, when a ball enters the first starting port 2003 or the second starting port 2004, a variable effect related to the variable display of decorative patterns is generated using the effect display device 1600, lamps, speakers, etc., and when a ball enters the large winning port 2005, a winning effect is generated using the effect display device 1600, lamps, speakers, etc., but when a ball enters the prize ball additional port, no variable effect, winning effect, etc. is generated, and no effects are generated. This means that if the number of balls dispensed is about to reach a specific value, even if the administrator places a game ball into the prize ball addition port, the administrator can perform work related to the end of the game without attracting attention from those around them.

In addition, in this example, if a winning ball is entered into the first start slot 2003, second start slot 2004, or large winning slot 2005 while the previously described standby effect 2 (demonstration period) or energy saving mode is being executed, standby effect 2 or energy saving mode is terminated, and a variable effect or a winning effect, etc., is initiated. However, if a winning ball is entered into the prize ball addition slot while standby effect 2 (demonstration period) or energy saving mode is being executed, standby effect 2 or energy saving mode is not terminated, and each control continues without issuing the notification associated with a winning ball entered into the prize ball addition slot, as described above. As a result, even if the administrator enters a game ball into the prize ball addition slot while standby effect 2 or energy saving mode is being executed, if the number of balls dispensed does not reach a specific value, standby effect 2 or energy saving mode will not be terminated and the operation of standby effect 2 or energy saving mode will continue. This also allows the administrator to perform tasks related to the occurrence of a game stop state without attracting attention from those around them.

As mentioned above, both tasks can be performed at any time while the gaming machine is powered on. However, in anticipation of the possibility of unauthorized execution of the first or second administrator task, a predetermined state (task-disabled state) can be established in which both the first and second administrator tasks are disabled. The task-disabled state can be established when the power is turned on in a predetermined manner. In this example, a task-disabled switch that can be pressed separately from the prize ball addition switch is implemented on the main control board 1310 of the gaming board 5. The task-disabled state can be established by setting the power on in a predetermined manner, i.e., with the task-disabled switch pressed. After the task-disabled state is established, unless a predetermined release operation (in this example, pressing the task-disabled switch again) is performed while the power is on, or unless the power is turned on again, the first or second administrator task can be disabled without being enabled. By creating a work invalid state in this way, it is possible to prevent prize balls from being added even if the first or second administrator work action is performed fraudulently, and to curb fraudulent actions that fraudulently increase the number of prize balls.

Furthermore, if an illegal entry into the prize ball addition port is suspected, an error alert is issued. Specifically, in this example, no special effects are issued when a prize ball is entered into the prize ball addition port, as described above. However, if a large number of game balls (15 balls within one minute in this example) are detected to have entered the prize ball addition port in a short period of time under certain circumstances that clearly suggest illegal activity (e.g., when there are 1,500 or more balls remaining until the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value), the system considers the entry of additional prize balls equivalent to the amount of balls dispensed in a single winning game to be abnormal, and issues an error alert using the effect display device 1600, lamps, speakers, etc., to notify of the illegal addition of prize balls. As described above, the prize ball addition port is unable or difficult to accept game balls inserted into the play area 5a. Therefore, in normal play, a large number of game balls would not enter the prize ball addition port in a short period of time. In this regard, if the amount of balls dispensed is on the verge of reaching a specific value and the administrator simply places 5 to 10 game balls into the prize ball addition port, an error notification will not be issued to notify players of an illegal increase in prize balls. However, in normal play, if a large number of game balls are placed into the prize ball addition port in a short period of time, an error notification will be issued to notify players of an illegal increase in prize balls, preventing attempts to gain profits through illegal entry. Furthermore, if fraudulent operation of the prize ball addition switch is suspected, an error notification may be issued in the same manner as above to notify players of an illegal increase in prize balls.

In addition, in this example, the transition to the stop state is controlled not only when the main frame 4 or door frame 3 is closed, but also when the main frame 4 or door frame 3 is open. For example, in normal play, while the main frame 4 is closed, game balls can be placed in the first start opening 2003, the second start opening 2004, or the large prize opening 2005, and the amount of balls dispensed can reach a specific value through these winnings, whereas in the first administrator operation of this example, when the amount of balls dispensed is about to reach a specific value, the main frame 4 can be opened and the administrator can operate the prize ball addition switch, and the amount of balls dispensed can reach a specific value through the addition of prize balls related to this operation. Furthermore, during normal gameplay, while door frame 3 is closed, game balls can be placed into first start opening 2003, second start opening 2004, or large prize opening 2005, causing the number of balls dispensed to reach a specific value. However, in the second administrator's operation in this example, when the number of balls dispensed is about to reach a specific value, door frame 3 can be opened and the administrator can place game balls into the prize ball addition opening, causing the number of balls dispensed to reach a specific value through the addition of prize balls associated with the placement. In such cases, it is possible to transition to a stop state and implement game restrictions without closing main frame 4 or door frame 3. By transitioning to a stop state even while main frame 4 or door frame 3 is open in this way, it is possible to make the transition to a stop state easier for the administrator performing the first or second administrator operation to understand, thereby reducing the administrator's workload.

During normal gameplay, when the main frame 4 or door frame 3 is opened (a specific state), a notification (specific notification in the normal notification mode) regarding the opening of the main frame 4 or door frame 3 is issued using sound, light, and video, and communicated to the outside. However, as described above, considering that the administrator can perform tasks related to the occurrence of a game-ending state (first administrator task and second administrator task) without attracting attention, this example implements special processing to suppress notifications regarding the opening of the main frame 4 or door frame 3 compared to normal gameplay when the first administrator task or second administrator task is performed, at least while the aforementioned standby effect 2 (demonstration period) or energy-saving mode is being executed. Specifically, even if the main frame 4 or door frame 3 is opened during standby effect 2 (demonstration period) or energy-saving mode, standby effect 2 or energy-saving mode is not terminated, and all notifications (all using sound, light, and video; specific notifications in the normal notification mode) regarding the opening of the main frame 4 or door frame 3 that are issued during normal gameplay are not issued, and each control continues. As a result, even if the manager performs the first or second manager task while standby effect 2 or energy saving mode is running, if the amount of balls dispensed does not reach a specific value, standby effect 2 or energy saving mode will not end and will continue to operate, allowing the manager to perform tasks related to the occurrence of a limit state without attracting attention from those around them. Furthermore, even if the manager performs the first or second manager task while standby effect 2 or energy saving mode is running, no notification will be sent regarding the opening of main frame 4 or door frame 3, allowing the manager to perform tasks related to the occurrence of a limit state without attracting attention from those around them.

Furthermore, if a game enters a stop state during normal play, even if the main frame 4 or door frame 3 is in an open state (specific state) after the transition to the stop state, special processing is performed to suppress notifications regarding the opening of the main frame 4 or door frame 3 compared to normal play. Specifically, if the main frame 4 or door frame 3 is opened during normal play and the game enters a stop state, variable effects related to normal play end and a notification regarding the stop state is made, but after the transition to the stop state, no notifications (all using sound, light, and video; specific notifications in normal notification mode) regarding the opening of the main frame 4 or door frame 3 that are made during normal play are made. As a result, even if the main frame 4 or door frame 3 is opened during normal play and the administrator performs the first or second administrator task, no notifications regarding the opening of the main frame 4 or door frame 3 are made after the transition to the stop state, allowing the administrator to perform the tasks related to the occurrence of the stop state without attracting attention from others.

Similarly, when transitioning from Standby Effect 2 or Energy Saving Mode to a game-stopping state, even if the main frame 4 or door frame 3 is in an open state (specific state) after the transition to the game-stopping state, special processing is performed to suppress notifications regarding the opening of the main frame 4 or door frame 3 more than during normal play. Specifically, if the main frame 4 or door frame 3 is in an open state and the game-stopping state is transitioned to while Standby Effect 2 (demonstration period) or Energy Saving Mode is being executed, Standby Effect 2 or Energy Saving Mode will end and a notification regarding the game-stopping state will be issued, but during the period before and after the transition to the game-stopping state, no notifications (all using sound, light, or video; specific notifications in normal notification mode) regarding the opening of the main frame 4 or door frame 3 that are issued during normal play will be issued. As a result, even if the manager performs the first or second manager task during the transition from standby effect 2 or energy saving mode to the stop state, no notification will be sent regarding the opening of the main frame 4 or door frame 3, allowing the manager to perform tasks related to the occurrence of the stop state without drawing attention to those around them.

Furthermore, after the game enters a stop state while the main frame 4 or door frame 3 is closed, a notification (post-suppression notification) regarding the stop state is issued using sound, light, and video. However, if the game enters a stop state while the main frame 4 or door frame 3 is open, or if the closed main frame 4 or door frame 3 is opened during a stop state, no notification (all using sound, light, and video; specific notification in the normal notification mode) regarding the opening of the main frame 4 or door frame 3 that is issued during normal play is issued. However, a notification (post-suppression notification) regarding the stop state is issued, just as when the main frame 4 or door frame 3 is closed. In this way, if the main frame 4 or door frame 3 is open even during a stop state, only a notification regarding the stop state is issued. This makes it easier for the manager performing the first or second manager task while the main frame 4 or door frame 3 is open to understand the transition to a stop state, thereby reducing the manager's workload.

While the above example illustrates a system in which no notification regarding the opening of the main frame 4 or door frame 3 is given during standby effect 2 (demonstration period), energy saving mode, or the game-stopped state, notifications regarding the opening of the main frame 4 or door frame 3 may alternatively be given in a manner that is not conspicuous to those around. For example, in another example, when the manager performs the first or second manager task, operations related to the opening of the main frame 4 or door frame 3 (notification regarding the opening of the main frame 4 or door frame 3) may be executed even during operations related to standby effect 2 (demonstration period), energy saving mode, or the game-stopped state. Furthermore, during normal play, operations related to the game-stopped state are executed using sound, light, and video after the game-stopped state is entered. However, if the main frame 4 or door frame 3 is open during the game-stopped state, some of the above-mentioned elements may be used in parallel with the operations related to the opening of the main frame 4 or door frame 3. For example, if the main frame 4 or door frame 3 is open while the game is in a stalled state, the performance display device 1600 (image), which is one of the performance elements with the least visibility from the outside, may display an image corresponding to the stalled state (progression impossible display) while also displaying an image corresponding to the main frame 4 or door frame 3 being open (open notification display) in an area different from the area where the progress impossible display is displayed. Then, when the open main frame 4 or door frame 3 is closed, the open notification display on the performance display device 1600 may be terminated, and only the operation related to the stalled state (progression impossible display) may be performed. In such a case, the performance display device 1600 may be configured to execute image control corresponding to the main frame 4 or door frame 3 being open in parallel with the operation schedule related to the stalled state, and only the operation related to the stalled state will be performed once the door frame 3 is closed. In this way, even if a notification is issued regarding the opening of the main frame 4 or door frame 3, the manager may perform work related to the stalled state without attracting attention from those around them.

In addition, the above example shows a system in which no notification is given regarding the opening of the main frame 4 or door frame 3 during standby effect 2 (demonstration period), energy saving mode, or the game-stop state. However, from the perspective of preventing fraud, such as using magnets or applying vibrations to cause game balls to enter various winning slots, or preventing malfunctions such as hitting the gaming machine to cause impact and causing malfunctions in certain components, notifications regarding specific states in which fraudulent magnetism, vibration, etc. is detected are given in a conspicuous manner during standby effect 2 (demonstration period), energy saving mode, and the game-stop state, just as with normal play. In this example, the notification priority is "notification regarding the opening of the main frame 4 or door frame 3 > notification regarding a specific state." Therefore, if notification priority were to be followed, if a notification regarding the opening of the main frame 4 or door frame 3 were not made, the notification regarding the specific state would not be made either. However, during standby effect 2 (demonstration period), energy saving mode, or the game-stopping state, control is performed that does not follow notification priority, so that although a notification regarding the opening of the main frame 4 or door frame 3 is not made, the notification regarding the specific state is made as in normal gameplay. By doing this, even during standby effect 2 (demonstration period), energy saving mode, or the game-stopping state, fraud or malfunctions can be notified to the outside, thereby preventing behavior that could lead to fraud or malfunctions.

In addition, the above example shows a system in which no notifications regarding the opening of the main frame 4 or door frame 3 are issued during standby effect 2 (demonstration period), energy-saving mode, or the game-stopping state. However, notifications that may occur due to the first or second administrator's work, not just notifications regarding opening, may also be suppressed during standby effect 2 (demonstration period), energy-saving mode, or the game-stopping state, similar to notifications regarding opening, in order to avoid attracting attention from those around you. For example, in the case of a system in which error notifications related to the payout of game balls (such as a tray full error) are issued during normal play, error notifications related to the payout of game balls that occur due to the addition of prize balls by the first or second administrator's work (such as a tray full error) may be suppressed or suppressed during standby effect 2 (demonstration period), energy-saving mode, or the game-stopping state, similar to the notifications related to opening described above.

Figure 155 is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when a first administrator operation or a second administrator operation is performed during energy-saving mode, causing the machine to transition to a stop-play state. The following explanation assumes that the energy-saving mode setting switch is turned ON. Note that, except for the fact that the stop-play state occurs at times t2 to t3 when the prize ball addition switch is operated or a prize ball is entered into the prize ball addition slot during energy-saving mode, the situation is the same as when a prize is entered into each prize slot during the variable display of special symbols as shown in Figure 152, causing the machine to transition to a stop-play state, and therefore further explanation is omitted.

First, even if the prize ball addition switch is operated or a ball is placed in the prize ball addition port at timing t3 during energy saving mode, if the amount of balls dispensed does not reach a specific value, no special effects are produced and operation related to energy saving mode continues. In this way, by not producing any special effects other than the awarding of prize balls when the prize ball addition switch is operated or a ball is placed in the prize ball addition port, the amount of balls dispensed can be increased without attracting attention from those around.

Also, although not shown, the same applies if the energy saving mode has not been activated at time t3 and the machine is in normal standby mode. In other words, even if the prize ball addition switch is operated or a ball is placed in the prize ball addition port during normal standby mode, if the amount of balls dispensed does not reach a specific value, no special effects are produced and operation related to normal standby mode continues. In this way, by not producing any special effects other than the awarding of prize balls when the prize ball addition switch is operated or a ball is placed in the prize ball addition port, the amount of balls dispensed can be increased without attracting attention from those around.

As described above in detail, during energy-saving mode, the effect display device 1600 displays an energy-saving display in specific area 2 of the upper layer, and when the remaining number of balls until the specific value has been reached has reached a predetermined value (e.g., 5,000 balls), it displays a pre-notification display in specific area 1 of the upper layer. Also, during energy-saving mode, the speaker is muted and no sound is output. In other words, the speaker is in a silent state (inaudible state) where no sound can be heard. Furthermore, the LEDs of Lamp A (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the frame decoration member) and Lamp B (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the gaming board 5) are turned off. As for Lamp C, the LED is enabled to emit light in a mode for confirming the reference brightness, as in the normal standby state. This allows the user to know that the LED of Lamp C is not turned off like Lamps A and B, and that the gaming machine is operating normally.

Next, at timing t4 during energy-saving mode, if the prize ball addition switch is operated or a prize ball is placed in the prize ball addition slot, and the payout amount reaches a specific value, game restrictions will be implemented. In this case, energy-saving mode operations are terminated, and the game transitions to a stop state, disabling gameplay. As described above, when the payout amount reaches a specific value calculated based on the prize balls placed in each slot, the game is stopped and gameplay is restricted. In this example, these game restrictions are controlled not only during the display of special symbols or during winning games, but also during energy-saving mode. As a result, for example, if the payout amount is about to reach a specific value, the prize ball addition switch, which is not a condition for terminating energy-saving mode, can be operated or a prize ball can be placed in the prize ball addition slot, causing the payout amount to reach a specific value. In such cases, game restrictions can be implemented directly from energy-saving mode without triggering the display of special symbols. By directly transitioning from energy saving mode to the stop mode in this way, it is possible to prevent situations in advance where a player plays on a gaming machine that is on the verge of reaching a specific ball output value, causing the machine to transition to the stop mode too early.

Also, although not shown, the same applies if the energy saving mode has not been activated at time t4 and the machine is in normal standby mode. In other words, even if the prize ball addition switch is operated or a prize ball is placed in an additional prize ball slot during normal standby mode, if the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value, game restrictions will be implemented. In this case, operations related to the normal standby mode are terminated, and the machine transitions to a stop state in which game progress is disabled. As mentioned above, when the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value as calculated based on the prize balls generated by the entry into each prize slot, the machine enters a stop state and game play is restricted. In this example, these game restrictions are controlled not only during the variable display of special symbols or during winning gameplay, but also during normal standby mode. This means that, for example, if the number of balls dispensed is about to reach a specific value, the prize ball addition switch can be operated or a prize ball can be placed in the prize ball addition port, which are not required to end the normal standby state, and the number of balls dispensed can be increased to the specific value. In such cases, it is possible to restrict play directly from the normal standby state without triggering various effects such as the display of changing special symbols. By transitioning directly from the normal standby state to the no-play state in this way, it is possible to prevent a situation in which a player plays a gaming machine that is about to reach a specific value in terms of the number of balls dispensed and the machine prematurely transitions to the no-play state.

Furthermore, the process after the game has entered the limit state is the same as when a prize is won at each winning slot during the variable display of special symbols as shown in Figure 152, and the game enters the limit state, so a description thereof will be omitted. Note that, after the game has entered the limit state, as in the case of a prize being won at each winning slot during the variable display of special symbols as shown in Figure 154, the game may not enter energy-saving mode during the limit state, but may instead increase power saving for sounds and lamps through separate control. Furthermore, after the game has entered the limit state, no prize balls will be awarded even if the prize ball addition switch is operated or a prize is won at a prize ball addition slot.

Also, the door frame 3 may remain closed relative to the main frame 4, allowing the administrator to place game balls in the prize ball addition port. Specifically, the door frame 3 is provided with an opening that allows access to the prize ball addition port. Under normal circumstances, the opening is closed by a predetermined closing member (in this example, a transparent, flat plate member) in a state that is visible from the outside. During the second administrator's work, the closing member is opened to open the opening, allowing the administrator to place game balls in the prize ball addition port through the opening. Furthermore, when opening the closing member to open the opening, a key owned by the administrator is required. By inserting the key into the keyhole and rotating it, the closing member can be released from the opening portion. This eliminates the need to open the door frame 3 during the second administrator's work, allowing the administrator to perform their work without attracting attention from those around them.

In addition, given that the prize ball addition port is the target of administrator work, it is preferable to locate it in a location on the gaming board 5 that is visible from the outside, but from the perspective of fraud prevention, it is preferable to locate it in a location that is difficult to see from the outside. Therefore, for example, the location of the prize ball addition port should be integrated into the component where the other ball entry ports are located, and special notation such as a predetermined symbol or marking (for example, characters indicating that a ball can be entered, such as "IN") should be written only on the front side of the other ball entry ports, while no special notation should be written on the front side of the prize ball addition port. This makes it possible to locate the prize ball addition port in a location that is difficult to see from the outside, while still being visible from the outside, which is effective in terms of both administrator work and fraud prevention. Furthermore, when locating the prize ball addition port in a location that is difficult to see from the outside (especially by players), it is preferable to use a non-luminous decorative component that does not have an LED or other light-emitting element and is not subject to luminous decoration.

In addition, while the above example shows a configuration in which one prize ball addition port is provided on the gaming board 5, in consideration of making it faster (smoother) for the administrator to add game balls, the gaming board 5 may be configured to have multiple prize ball addition ports. Furthermore, when the gaming board 5 is configured to have multiple prize ball addition ports, the above-mentioned special notation need not be written on any of the multiple prize ball addition ports. Furthermore, when the gaming board 5 is configured to have multiple prize ball addition ports, the multiple prize ball addition ports can be united and placed together in a single component, and positioned relatively close to each other, for example by arranging them adjacent to each other, thereby further enhancing the convenience of the administrator's work.

[Other Modifications of the Side Unit]
Next, a side unit 2800H having yet another configuration different from that described above will be described mainly with reference to Figures 156 to 158, etc. Figure 156 is a schematic perspective view showing the back side of side unit 2800H having yet another configuration different from that described above. Figure 157 is an enlarged side view showing the vicinity of magnetic sensor 1030H shown in Figure 156. Figure 158 is an enlarged plan view showing the vicinity of ball sensor 2815H shown in Figure 156. Here, the same components as those in side unit 2800 and side units 2800B to 2800G described above are designated by the same reference numerals, and description thereof will be omitted.

The side unit 2800H extends along the inner rail 1002 to the left of the starting hole unit 2100 within the game area 5a, where the game ball B is shot in by the player operating the handle 160. The side unit 2800H also has multiple (three in this embodiment) general winning holes 2001 that are open so that they can always receive the game ball B.

The side unit 2800H of this embodiment further comprises a unit body 2810A attached from the front to the flat panel board 1110 on which the obstacle nails are planted in the gaming panel 1100, a unit cover 2820 attached to the rear side of the unit body 2810A, an LED board provided between the unit body 2810A and the unit cover 2820, a magnetic sensor 1030H that detects unauthorized magnetism (magnetic field lines) near the general winning opening 2001, and a ball sensor 2815H that detects a gaming ball B received by the general winning opening 2001 and discharged from the passage exit 2812b.

In addition to the LED board, a magnetic sensor 1030H and a spherical sensor 2815H are provided between the unit main body 2810A and the unit cover 2820 (omitted in Figure 156). The unit main body 2810A and the unit cover 2820 are made of transparent synthetic resin, so that the LED board, magnetic sensor 1030H, spherical sensor 2815H, etc. can be seen from outside the unit.

The LED board of the side unit 2800H has multiple LEDs on its front mounting surface facing the player, and a connector socket on its rear mounting surface, opposite the front mounting surface. A connector pin on one end of the sub-wiring 2805a is inserted into the connector socket, and the other end of the sub-wiring 2805a is connected to the peripheral control board 1510. In other words, the LED board of the side unit 2800H is connected to the peripheral control board 1510 via the sub-wiring 2805a.

The sub-wiring 2805a is, for example, an electrical wire covered with an insulator and a protective coating. In this embodiment, the LED board and the peripheral control board 1510 are connected via three sub-wirings 2805a. More specifically, the three sub-wirings 2805a extending from the LED board extend to the outside of the side unit 2800H through an opening (not shown) formed in the rear of the unit cover 2820 and are connected to the peripheral control board 1510. Furthermore, the three sub-wirings 2805a extending to the outside of the side unit 2800H are pulled out to the rear of the side unit 2800H, bypassing the rear of the ball sensor 2815H and magnetic sensor 1030H, and are then routed toward the center of the gaming machine 1 (to the left in the illustration) toward the starting port unit 2100.

As shown in Figure 77(f) above, the magnetic sensor 1030H comprises a sensor body 1031 for detecting magnetism, a white sensor board 1032 on which the sensor body 1031 is mounted, and a sensor case 1033 that covers the sensor board 1032 and sensor body 1031. In addition to the sensor body 1031, the sensor board 1032 is also equipped with an IC, transistors, resistors, diodes, a socket for a connecting connector 1032H, and other components. A pin of the connecting connector 1032H provided at one end of the main wiring 2805b is inserted into the socket of the connecting connector 1032H, and the other end of the main wiring 2805b is connected to the main control board 1310. In other words, the sensor board 1032 is connected to the main control board 1310 via the main wiring 2805b.

The main wiring 2805b is, for example, an electrical wire covered with an insulator and a protective coating. In this embodiment, the magnetic sensor 1030H and the main control board 1310 are connected via two main wirings 2805b. Specifically, the pins of the connector 1032H provided at one end of the two main wirings 2805b extending from the main control board 1310 are inserted into the sockets of the connector 1032H mounted on the sensor board 1032 through openings (not shown) formed in the rear of the unit cover 2820. In addition, the two main wirings 2805b extending rearward from the magnetic sensor 1030H are folded back to bypass the magnetic sensor 1030H, extend forward beside the magnetic sensor 1030H, and are routed toward the center of the gaming machine 1 (to the left in the figure) toward the starting port unit 2100. Note that a portion of the pins of the connecting connector 1032H inserted into the socket of the connecting connector 1032H protrudes rearward beyond the rear surface of the unit cover 2820 through the opening in the unit cover 2820.

The ball sensor 2815H may be any of the following sensors: a photosensor having a light-emitting element and a light-receiving element; a dielectric sensor that detects changes in induced current; a contact sensor that detects contact with a gaming ball; a magnetic sensor that detects changes in magnetism; and a capacitance sensor that detects changes in electrostatic capacitance. The ball sensor 2815H also has a sensor board on which a socket for the connection connector 2815Ha is mounted. A pin of the connection connector 2815Ha, which is provided at one end of the main wiring 2805c, is inserted into the socket of the connection connector 2815Ha, and the other end of the main wiring 2805c is connected to the main control board 1310. In other words, the ball sensor 2815H is connected to the main control board 1310 via the main wiring 2805c.

The main wiring 2805c is, for example, an electrical wire covered with an insulator and a protective coating. In this embodiment, the ball sensor 2815H and the main control board 1310 are connected via two main wirings 2805c. Specifically, the pins of the connection connector 2815Ha provided at one end of the two main wirings 2805b are inserted into the sockets of the connection connector 2815Ha provided on the ball sensor 2815. Furthermore, the two main wirings 2805c are pulled out to the side of the ball sensor 2815H (to the right in the illustration) through an opening formed in the side of the unit cover 2820, then folded back toward the starting port unit 2100, bypassing the rear of the ball sensor 2815H and the magnetic sensor 1030H, and routed toward the center of the gaming machine 1 (to the left in the illustration). Unlike the pins of the connecting connector 1032H described above, the pins of the connecting connector 2815Ha inserted into the socket of the connecting connector 2815Ha are located inside the unit cover 2820 and do not protrude outside the unit cover 2820 through the opening in the unit cover 2820.

In the side unit 2800H of this embodiment, a game ball B received in the general winning opening 2001 is guided by the ball receiving portion 2811b that forms the general winning opening 2001 to the ball passage 2812a behind the front surface of the panel board 1110, and flows down along the surface of the panel board 1110 within the thickness of the panel board 1110 via the ball passage 2812a. After being discharged from the passage exit 2812b that opens toward the rear, the game ball B is detected by the ball sensor 2815H. Furthermore, in the side unit 2800H of this embodiment, for example, when a magnet is brought close to the side unit 2800H for the purpose of committing fraud against the general winning opening 2001, the magnet is detected by the magnetic sensor 1030H.

Furthermore, the main wiring 2805b, 2805c and sub-wiring 2805a described above may be bundled together by bundling members 2820g such as cable ties after merging along the paths along which the wiring extends, and may be fixed to the unit cover 2820 through openings 2820f formed in the unit cover 2820. This can prevent the pins of the connecting connector from coming out of the sockets of the connecting connector due to, for example, an external force acting directly on the wiring. Furthermore, by extending the wiring in a plane along the back or side of the unit cover 2820 and then bundling them together by bundling members 2820g, it is possible to further prevent the pins of the connecting connector from coming out of the sockets of the connecting connector due to an external force acting directly on the wiring.

Here, electronic components such as the magnetic sensor 1030H and ball sensor 2815H mentioned above may be replaced with functioning electronic components when they are damaged or otherwise malfunction. During this process, the pins of the connector attached to the wiring may be repeatedly inserted and removed from the sockets of the connector attached to the electronic components. In such cases, the fit between the sockets of the connector on the electronic components and the pins of the connector on the wiring may weaken, and external forces such as vibrations applied to the gaming machine may cause the pins of the connector for the wiring to come out of the sockets of the connector for the electronic components. Furthermore, if the pins of the connector for the wiring come out of the sockets of the connector for the electronic components, this may cause malfunctions in the presentation or gameplay, which may ultimately reduce the player's interest in the game.

[Aspects in which wiring contacts pins of connector]
157 , in the side unit 2800H, the two main wires 2805c extending from the ball sensor 2815H are arranged to abut against the pins of the connecting connector 1032H inserted into the socket of the connecting connector 1032H of the magnetic sensor 1030H. More specifically, when the connecting connector 1032H is inserted into the socket of the connecting connector 1032H, at least a portion of the pins of the connecting connector 1032H protrudes outside the unit cover 2820 that houses the magnetic sensor 1030H. Meanwhile, the two main wires 2805c extending from the ball sensor 2815H and arranged outside the unit cover 2820 are arranged to abut against the outer apexes of the pins of the connecting connector 1032H, sandwiching the two main wires 2805b extending from the magnetic sensor 1030H.

In the side unit 2800H of this embodiment, the main wiring 2805c extending from the ball sensor 2815H is arranged to abut against the pin of the connecting connector 1032H inserted into the magnetic sensor 1030H. Therefore, even if an external force is applied to the pin of the connecting connector 1032H such that the pin of the connecting connector 1032H is pulled out of the socket of the connecting connector 1032H, the two main wirings 2805c abutting against the pin of the connecting connector 1032H can prevent the pin of the connecting connector 1032H from pulling out of the socket of the connecting connector 1032H, thereby preventing malfunctions in the presentation or gameplay and a decrease in interest in the game.

In the side unit 2800H of this embodiment, two main wires 2805c extend from the ball sensor 2815H, the same number as the number of main wires 2805b provided with pins of the connector 1032 inserted into the magnetic sensor 1030H. However, it is preferable that the number of main wires 2805c extending from the ball sensor 2815H be greater than the number of main wires 2805b provided with pins of the connector 1032 inserted into the magnetic sensor 1030H. Since the multiple main wires 2805c extending from the ball sensor 2815H are arranged to abut against the pins of the connector 1032H inserted into the magnetic sensor 1030H, it is possible to further prevent the pins of the connector 1032H from coming out of the socket of the connector 1032H.

In addition, in this embodiment, the two main wires 2805c extending from the ball sensor 2815H are arranged so as to sandwich the two main wires 2805b extending from the magnetic sensor 1030H, but the two main wires 2805c extending from the ball sensor 2815H may also be arranged so as to abut the pins of the connecting connector 1032H on either side of the two main wires 2805b extending from the magnetic sensor 1030H, thereby preventing the pins of the connecting connector 1032H from coming out of the socket of the connecting connector 1032H.

In addition, in this embodiment, the side unit 2800H has a configuration in which the socket of the connecting connector 1032 is provided on the magnetic sensor 1030H and the pin of the connecting connector 1032 is provided on the main wiring 2805b. However, it may also have a configuration in which the pin of the connecting connector 1032 is provided on the magnetic sensor 1030H and the socket of the connecting connector 1032 is provided on the main wiring 2805b. In this configuration, the two main wirings 2805c extending from the ball sensor 2815H are arranged to abut against the socket of the connecting connector 1032H, thereby preventing the pin of the connecting connector 1032H from coming out of the socket of the connecting connector 1032H.

Furthermore, it is desirable that the main wiring 2805c connecting the ball sensor 2815H and the main control board 1310 have a different surface color from the main wiring 2805b connecting the magnetic sensor 1030H and the main control board 1310. In this embodiment, the main wiring 2805c connected to the ball sensor 2815H has a light surface color such as white, yellow, pink, or light blue, while the main wiring 2805b connected to the magnetic sensor 1030H has a dark surface color such as black, brown, or navy blue. By having the surface colors of the main wiring 2805b and the main wiring 2805c different from each other, it is easy to visually determine whether any given main wiring is the main wiring 2805b connected to the magnetic sensor 1030H or the main wiring 2805c connected to the ball sensor 2815H, particularly in a position where the main wiring 2805b and the main wiring 2805c are arranged side by side. This makes it easier to replace the magnetic sensor 1030H and the ball sensor 2815H, for example. Alternatively, the main wiring 2805c connected to the ball sensor 2815H may have a dark surface color, and the main wiring 2805b connected to the magnetic sensor 1030H may have a light surface color.

In addition, in this embodiment, in the side unit 2800H, the wiring that abuts the pins of the connecting connector 1032H inserted into the socket of the connecting connector 1032H of the magnetic sensor 1030H is the main wiring 2805c that connects the ball sensor 2815H and the main control board 1310. However, the wiring that abuts the pins of the connecting connector 1032H inserted into the socket of the connecting connector 1032H of the magnetic sensor 1030H may be, for example, three sub-wirings 2805a extending from the LED board of the side unit 2800H. By arranging the three sub-wirings 2805a so as to abut the pins of the connecting connector 1032H, it is possible to prevent the pins of the connecting connector 1032H from coming out of the socket of the connecting connector 1032H.

In addition, in this embodiment, an aspect has been shown in which, in the side unit 2800H, the main wiring 2805c of the bulb sensor 2815H abuts against the pin of the connection connector 1032H that is inserted into the socket of the connection connector 1032H of the magnetic sensor 1030H that is connected to the main control board 1310. However, instead of the magnetic sensor 1030H being connected to the main control board 1310, an LED board of the side unit 2800 that is connected to the peripheral control board 1510 via the sub-wiring 2805a may also be used, and by having the main wiring 2805c abut against the pin of the connection connector inserted into the socket of the connection connector provided on the LED board, it is possible to prevent the pin of the connection connector from coming out of the socket of the connection connector provided on the LED board. Additionally, other sub-wiring connecting other electronic components to the peripheral control board 1510 may abut against the pins of the connector inserted into the socket of the connector provided on the LED board, and by having the other sub-wiring abut against the pins of the connector inserted into the socket of the connector provided on the LED board, it is possible to prevent the pins of the connector from coming loose from the socket of the connector provided on the LED board.

[Mode in which another wire abuts on a wire extending from a pin of a connector]
As shown mainly in Figure 158, in the side unit 2800H, the three sub-wirings 2805a extending from the LED board of the side unit 2800H are arranged so as to abut against the two main wirings 2805c extending from the pins of the connection connector 2815Ha inserted into the socket of the connection connector 2815Ha of the bulb sensor 2815H, thereby preventing the pins of the connection connector 2815Ha from coming out of the socket of the connection connector 2815Ha of the bulb sensor 2815H.

More specifically, when the pins of the connecting connector 2815Ha are inserted into the sockets of the connecting connector 2815Ha, they are located inside the unit cover 2820 that houses the ball sensor 2815H, and the two main wires 2805c extending from the pins of the connecting connector 2815Ha extend from the opening in the unit cover 2820 to the outside of the side unit 2800H. These two main wires 2805c extend from the pins of the connecting connector 2815Ha to the outside of the unit cover 2820 in the insertion/removal direction of the pins of the connecting connector 2815Ha, and then bend along the surface of the unit cover 2820 and extend in the direction of connection with the main control board 1310.

On the other hand, the three sub-wirings 2805a are arranged so as to abut the two main wirings 2805c that bend along the surface of the unit cover 2820 outside the unit cover 2820 from the outside of the bending arc. After the three sub-wirings 2805a abut the two main wirings 2805c, the three sub-wirings 2805a and the two main wirings 2805c may be bundled together with a bundling member 2820g such as a cable tie and fixed to the unit cover 2820 via an opening 2820f formed in the unit cover 2820. This can prevent, for example, the pins of the connecting connector from coming out of the sockets of the connecting connector due to an external force acting directly on the wiring.

In the side unit 2800H of this embodiment, the three sub-wirings 2805a extending from the LED board are arranged to abut against the two main wirings 2805c extending from the pins of the connection connector 2815Ha inserted into the ball sensor 2815H. Therefore, even if an external force is applied to the pins of the connection connector 2815Ha such that the pins of the connection connector 2815Ha are pulled out of their sockets, the three sub-wirings 2805a abutting against the two main wirings 2805c extending from the pins of the connection connector 2815Ha can prevent the pins of the connection connector 2815Ha from pulling out of the sockets of the connection connector 2815Ha, thereby preventing malfunctions in the presentation or gameplay and reducing a decline in interest in the game.

In the side unit 2800H of this embodiment, three sub-wirings 2805a extend from the LED board of the side unit 2800H, which is greater than the number of main wirings 2805c on which pins of the connection connector 2815Ha inserted into the bulb sensor 2815H are provided. However, the number of sub-wirings 2805a extending from the LED board of the side unit 2800H may be the same as or less than the number of main wirings 2805c on which pins of the connection connector 2815Ha inserted into the bulb sensor 2815H are provided, which can prevent the pins of the connection connector 2805Ha from coming out of the socket of the connection connector 2805Ha.

In addition, in this embodiment, the side unit 2800H has a configuration in which the socket of the connecting connector 2805Ha is provided on the ball sensor 2815H and the pin of the connecting connector 2805Ha is provided on the main wiring 2805c. However, it may also have a configuration in which the pin of the connecting connector 2805Ha is provided on the ball sensor 2815H and the socket of the connecting connector 2805Ha is provided on the main wiring 2805c, which can prevent the pin of the connecting connector 2805Ha from coming out of the socket of the connecting connector 2805Ha.

Furthermore, it is desirable that the main wiring 2805c connecting the bulb sensor 2815H and the main control board 1310 have a different surface color from the sub-wiring 2805a connecting the LED board of the side unit 2800 and the peripheral control board 1510. In this embodiment, the main wiring 2805c has a light surface color such as white, yellow, pink, or light blue, and the sub-wiring 2805a has a dark surface color such as black, brown, or navy blue. By having the surface colors of the main wiring 2805c and the sub-wiring 2805a be different, it is easy to visually determine whether any main wiring is the main wiring 2805c or the sub-wiring 2805a, especially in positions where the main wiring 2805b and the sub-wiring 2805a are arranged side by side. This makes it easier to, for example, replace the LED boards of the bulb sensor 2815H and the side unit 2800. The main wiring 2805c may have a dark surface color, and the sub-wiring 2805a may have a light surface color. Furthermore, the main wiring 2805c and the sub-wiring 2805a may have different diameters, so that it is easy to visually determine whether any given main wiring is the main wiring 2805c or the sub-wiring 2805a. In terms of the importance of each wiring, it is desirable that the diameter of the main wiring 2805c be larger than the diameter of the sub-wiring 2805a.

In addition, in this embodiment, the side unit 2800H has been shown to have the sub-wiring 2805a extending from the LED board of the side unit 2800H abutting against the two main wiring 2805c extending from the bulb sensor 2815H. However, the wiring abutting against the two main wiring 2805c extending from the bulb sensor 2815H may be, for example, the two main wiring 2805b connecting the magnetic sensor 1030H and the main control board 1310. By arranging the two main wirings 2805b to abut against the two main wirings 2805c, it is possible to prevent the pins of the connecting connector 2805Ha from coming out of the socket of the connecting connector 2805Ha.

In addition, in this embodiment, the side unit 2800H has a configuration in which the sub-wiring 2805a extending from the LED board of the side unit 2800H abuts against the two main wiring 2805c connecting the bulb sensor 2815H to the main control board 1310. However, instead of the bulb sensor 2815H, another LED board of the side unit 2800 connected to the peripheral control board 1510 via the sub-wiring may be used. By having the sub-wiring 2805a extending from the LED board abut against the sub-wiring extending from the other LED board, it is possible to prevent the pins of the connector from coming out of the sockets of the connector provided on the other LED board. Furthermore, it is also possible to abut the two main wirings extending from the magnetic sensor 1030H and the bulb sensor 2815H against the sub-wiring extending from the other LED board, it is possible to prevent the pins of the connector from coming out of the sockets of the connector provided on the other LED board.

In addition, in this embodiment, the configuration of the side unit 2800H has been described in which a wire abuts against a pin of the connecting connector, and in which another wire abuts against a wire extending from the pin of the connecting connector. However, these configurations can also be implemented in other units that have multiple electronic components connected by wiring, such as the starting port unit 2100 that has a ball sensor or a magnetic sensor. Furthermore, in units that have only one electronic component connected by wiring, or in units that have multiple electronic components but where routing each wire is difficult, it is possible to implement a configuration in which a wire abuts against a pin of the connecting connector, or a configuration in which a wire abuts against a wire extending from a pin of the connecting connector, for example, by using a wire extending from another unit.

In the above-mentioned configurations in which wiring abuts against the pins of the connector, and in which other wiring abuts against the wiring extending from the pins of the connector, it is desirable that the type of signal transmitted via the wiring extending from the pins of the connector and the type of signal transmitted via the wiring that prevents the pins of the connector from coming loose are different types of signals.

In more detail, in this embodiment, the two main wirings 2805c extending from the ball sensor 2815H are arranged so as to abut the pins of the connecting connector 1032H inserted into the socket of the connecting connector 1032H of the magnetic sensor 1030H. However, the signal generated when the ball sensor 2815H detects the game ball B changes instantly as the game ball B passes, whereas the signal generated when the magnetic sensor 1030H detects a magnetism maintains its changed state while the magnetism is being detected. When using wiring that transmits different types of signals in this way, and the wiring is arranged in parallel and transmits large current signals, consideration must be given to noise that may affect each other. However, conventionally, to prevent fraud, magnetic sensor 1030H has been placed close to spherical sensor 2815H, and the wiring extending from magnetic sensor 1030H and the wiring extending from spherical sensor 2815H transmit relatively small current signals. Therefore, in the configuration in which the wiring abuts the pins of the connecting connector described above, it is possible to prevent the pins of connecting connector 1032H inserted into the socket of connecting connector 1032H from coming loose, without using special wiring that takes the effects of noise into consideration, or without providing a new component to prevent the pins of connecting connector 1032H from coming loose, and it is also possible to prevent a decrease in productivity.

Similarly, even in cases where other wiring abuts against wiring extending from the pins of the connecting connector, it is possible to prevent the pins of the connecting connector 1032H inserted into the socket of the connecting connector 1032H from coming loose, without using special wiring that takes into account the effects of noise, or without providing a new component to prevent the pins of the connecting connector 1032H from coming loose, and it is also possible to prevent a decrease in productivity.

Furthermore, in the above-mentioned configurations in which wiring abuts against the pins of the connecting connector, and in which other wiring abuts against the wiring extending from the pins of the connecting connector, examples include the pin connected to the magnetic sensor 1030H, the wiring extending from the ball sensor 2815H, and the wiring extending from the LED board. However, in the configurations in which wiring abuts against the pins of the connecting connector, and in which other wiring abuts against the wiring extending from the pins of the connecting connector, it is also possible to use pins or wiring connected to a mechanical sensor (contact type) that detects the operation of the performance button on the performance operation unit 250, pins or wiring connected to a distance sensor (infrared sensor) that detects the movement of the player non-contactly, or pins or wiring connected to a photosensor that detects the position of the origin of the movable decorative body, as long as they do not transmit high-current signals such as pins connected to the drive motor that moves the movable decorative body or wiring extending from the drive motor.

[Modification of the starting port unit]
Next, a start port unit 2100A having a different configuration from the above will be described mainly with reference to Figures 159 to 161. Figure 159 is a schematic perspective view showing the back side of a start port unit 2100A having a different configuration. Figure 160 is an enlarged rear view showing the vicinity of the second start port sensor 2401A shown in Figure 159. Figure 161 is a schematic rear view showing another aspect of the main wiring. Here, the same components as those in the start port unit 2100 described above will be assigned the same symbols and will not be described again.

The starting port unit 2100A is attached to the lower center of the playing area 5a and to the right of the side unit 2800H within the playing area 5a, where the player operates the handle 160 to shoot in the game ball B. The starting port unit 2100A has a single starting port 2003A that is always open facing upward and wide enough to receive only one game ball B, a branching section 2111 that branches the game ball B received in the starting port 2003A in order to the left and right, and a unit main body 2115 that houses the branching section 2111 and forms a passage for the game ball B received in the starting port 2003A.

In addition to the branching section 2111, the unit body 2115 houses the first start port sensor 2112, the second start port sensor 2113, and the magnetic sensor 2114, which will be described later. The unit body 2115 is formed from a transparent synthetic resin, and the first start port sensor 2112, the second start port sensor 2113, the magnetic sensor 2114, etc. can be seen from the outside of the unit body 2115. Additionally, inside the unit body 2115, there is formed a passage that guides the game ball B received in the starting port 2003A to the branching section 2111, a passage on the left side (right side in the illustration) that guides the game ball B branched by the branching section 2111 to the left when viewed from the front (right side in the illustration) to the first starting port sensor 2112 and then discharges it outside the unit body 2115, and a passage on the right side (left side in the illustration) that guides the game ball B branched by the branching section 2111 to the right when viewed from the front (left side in the illustration) to the second starting port sensor 2113 and then discharges it outside the unit body 2115.

The start port unit 2100A further includes a first start port sensor 2112 that detects game ball B branched to the right by branching section 2111, a second start port sensor 2113 that detects game ball B branched to the left by branching section 2111, and a magnetic sensor 2114 that can detect magnetism in the vicinity of start port 2003A.

When the first start opening sensor 2112 detects game ball B, a bonus is awarded in which a predetermined number of game balls B are added to the player's possession, and a lottery is held for a first special symbol that can create an advantageous game state for the player when predetermined conditions are met (for example, when the number of reserved first special symbols is less than four). Similarly, when the second start opening sensor 2113 detects game ball B, a bonus is awarded in which a predetermined number of game balls B are added to the player's possession, and a lottery is held for a second special symbol that can create an advantageous game state for the player when predetermined conditions are met (for example, when the number of reserved second special symbols is less than four). In addition, the magnetic sensor 2114 detects any unauthorized magnetism (magnetic field lines) near the start opening 2003A.

The start port unit 2100A has connection means 2116 that connects each of the first start port sensor 2112, second start port sensor 2113, and magnetic sensor 2114 to the main control board 1310. The detection signals from the first start port sensor 2112 and second start port sensor 2113 are input directly to the main control board 1310 without passing through other boards such as relay boards, and are input to the input terminal of a specified input port of the main control MPU via the main control input circuit.

The connection means 2116 includes two main wires 2116a arranged between the first start opening sensor 2112 and the main control board 1310, a pin of a connection connector 2116b attached to the end of the main wire 2116a, and a socket of the connection connector 2116b attached to the first start opening sensor 2112. The connection means 2116 also includes two main wires 2116c arranged between the second start opening sensor 2113 and the main control board 1310, a pin of a connection connector attached to the end of the main wire 2116c, a socket of a connection connector attached to the second start opening sensor 2112, two main wires 2116d arranged between the magnetic sensor 2114 and the main control board 1310, a pin of a connection connector 2116e attached to the end of the main wire 2116d, and a socket of the connection connector 2116e attached to the magnetic sensor 2114.

Each of the main wirings 2116a, 2116c, and 2116d is, for example, an electric wire covered with an insulator and a protective coating, and is routed along a roughly groove-shaped wiring path 2115a formed on the back surface of the unit main body 2115. After the main wirings 2116a, 2116c, and 2116d join together in the wiring path 2115a, the main wirings 2116a, 2116c, and 2116d are bundled together with a bundling member such as a cable tie and fixed to the unit main body 2115. This prevents the pins of the connecting connector from coming out of the sockets of the connecting connector due to, for example, an external force acting directly on the main wirings 2116a, 2116c, and 2116d.

The wiring path 2115a of the unit body 2115 is formed on the back surface of the passage unit body 2115 so as to bypass the first start opening sensor 2112, the second start opening sensor 2113, the magnetic sensor 2114, the passage that guides game ball B to the branch portion 2111, the passage that guides game ball B to the first start opening sensor 2112, and the passage that guides game ball B to the second start opening sensor 2113. The wiring path 2115a is formed in a roughly groove-like shape on the back surface of the unit body 2115, and each main wiring 2116a, 2116c, 2116d is routed along the wiring path 2115a inside the back surface of the unit body 2115. The unit body 2115 further has a wall-shaped contact member 2115b near the first start opening sensor 2112, which forms part of the side wall of the roughly groove-shaped wiring path 2115a.

[Contact member acting on bent portion of wiring]
As shown in Figure 160, the main wiring 2116a extends from the pin of the connection connector 2116e inserted into the socket of the connection connector 2116e of the first start port sensor 2112 toward the main control board 1310 via the wiring path 2115a of the unit body 2115. In detail, the main wiring 2116a has a bent portion 2116a1 near the first start port sensor 2112 that bends in a direction different from the insertion/removal direction of the connection connector 2116e, and the bent portion 2116a1 is formed from the pin of the connection connector 2116e provided at the end of the main wiring 2116a toward the wiring path 2115a.

The contact member 2115b formed on the unit body 2115 acts on the bent portion 2116a1 of the main wiring 2116a, preventing the pin of the connection connector 2116e provided on the main wiring 2116a from coming out of the socket of the connection connector 2116e provided on the first start port sensor 2112, thereby preventing malfunctions in the presentation or gameplay and a decrease in interest in the game. Specifically, the contact member 2115b formed on the unit body 2115 abuts against the bent portion 2116a1 of the main wiring 2116a extending along the wiring path 2116a from the radial outside of the bent portion 22116a1. Even if an external force is applied to the pin of the connecting connector 2116e such that the pin of the connecting connector 2116e is pulled out of the socket of the connecting connector 2116e, the contact member 2115b abuts against the bent portion 2116a1 of the main wiring 2116a. Therefore, even if an external force is applied to the pin of the connecting connector 2116e such that the pin of the connecting connector 2116e is pulled out of the socket of the connecting connector 2116e, the external force applied to the pin of the connecting connector 2116e is absorbed by the bending of the bent portion 2116a1 of the main wiring 2116a, and the pin of the connecting connector 2116e can be prevented from pulling out of the socket of the connecting connector 2116e.

Furthermore, it is more preferable that the bent portion 21126a1 be pressed against the contact member 2115b, and the deformation of the bent portion 2116a1 increases the contact area with the contact member 2115b, and the external force applied to the pin of the connecting connector 2116e is further absorbed by the bending of the bent portion 2116a1 of the main wiring 2116a, thereby preventing the pin of the connecting connector 2116e from coming out of the socket of the connecting connector 2116e.

In this embodiment, the contact member 2115b formed on the unit body 2115 abuts against the bent portion 2116a1 of the main wiring 2116a extending along the wiring path 2116a from the radial outside of the bent portion 2116a1. However, the contact member 2115b formed on the unit body 2115 may be in proximity to the bent portion 2116a1 of the main wiring 2116a extending along the wiring path 2116a from the radial outside of the bent portion 2116a1, and the pin of the connecting connector 2116e may be in proximity to the socket of the connecting connector 2116e. Even if an external force that would cause the pin of the connecting connector 2116e to come loose from the socket is applied, the contact member 2115b is close to the bent portion 2116a1 of the main wiring 2116a, and therefore the external force applied to the pin of the connecting connector 2116e causes the bent portion 2116a1 of the main wiring 2116a to come into contact with the contact member 2115b, and the external force applied to the pin of the connecting connector 2116e is absorbed by the bending of the bent portion 2116a1 of the main wiring 2116a, preventing the pin of the connecting connector 2116e from coming loose from the socket of the connecting connector 2116e.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, the contact member 2115b formed on the unit body 2115 is not positioned in the insertion/removal direction of the pin of the connection connector 2116e for the main wiring 2116a. Therefore, when inserting or removing the pin of the connection connector 2116e for the main wiring 2116a into or from the socket of the connection connector 2116e for the first starting port sensor 2112, contact between the pin of the connection connector 2116e and the contact member 2115b can be prevented, and the pin of the connection connector 2116e for the main wiring 2116a can be easily inserted or removed from the socket of the connection connector 2116e for the first starting port sensor 2112.

In addition, in this embodiment, after the main wirings 2116a, 2116c, and 2116d join in the wiring path 2115a, the main wirings 2116a, 2116c, and 2116d are bundled together using a bundling member such as a cable tie and fixed to the unit main body 2115. However, if multiple main wirings 2116a, 2116c, and 2116d are provided, the main wirings 2116a, 2116c, and 2116d may be bundled together using a bundling member such as a cable tie and fixed to the unit main body 2115 after at least a portion of the main wirings 2116a, 2116c, and 2116d join together, or the main wirings 2116a, 2116c, and 2116d may be bundled together using a bundling member such as a cable tie and fixed to the unit main body 2115 separately.

In addition, while this embodiment shows a configuration in which the contact member 2115b is formed on the unit main body 2115, the contact member 2115b may also be provided on the gaming board 5 so as to act on the bent portion 2116a1 of the main wiring 2116a when the starting port unit 2100A is attached to the gaming board 5 (more specifically, the panel plate 1110 of the gaming panel 1100 on the gaming board 5).

Specifically, a contact portion equivalent to contact member 2115b acting on bent portion 2116a1 of main wiring 2116a may be formed on the right end of side unit 2800H adjacent to the left of starting port unit 2100A, or a contact portion equivalent to contact member 2215b acting on bent portion 2116a1 of main wiring 2116a may be provided on panel board 1110 of gaming panel 1100, or a contact portion equivalent to contact member 2215b acting on bent portion 2116a1 of main wiring 2116a may be provided on rear unit 3000 attached to the rear surface of gaming panel 1100, thereby preventing the pin of connection connector 2116e provided on main wiring 2116a from coming out of the socket of connection connector 2116e provided on first starting port sensor 2112, thereby preventing malfunctions in the presentation or gameplay and reducing a decrease in interest in the game. In addition, in the embodiment in which the contact member 2115b is formed on the unit main body 2115, the area in which the contact member 2115b can be formed is wider, and the ease of design when forming the contact member 2115b is superior, compared to the embodiment in which the contact member 2115b is formed outside the starting port unit 2100A. On the other hand, in the embodiment in which the contact member 2115b is formed outside the starting port unit 2100A, there is no need to form a new contact member 2115b, and the ease of formation when forming the contact member 2115b is superior, compared to the embodiment in which the contact member 2115b is formed on the unit main body 2115.

Furthermore, while this embodiment shows a configuration in which the contact member 211 acts on the bent portion 2116a1 of the main wiring 2116a of the starting port unit 2100A, this configuration may also be used in other units, such as the side unit 2800H having an LED board, magnetic sensor 1030H, and ball sensor 2815H, in which the contact member acts on the bent portion of the main wiring or sub-wiring. This can prevent the pin of the connector provided on the main wiring or sub-wiring from coming out of the socket of the connector provided on the electronic component, thereby preventing malfunctions in the presentation or gameplay and reducing a decrease in interest in the game.

[Contact member acting on detour portion of wiring]
As shown in FIG. 161, the main wiring 2116a in this embodiment has a detour section 2116a2 in the vicinity of the pin of the connection connector 2116e inserted into the socket of the connection connector 2116e provided on the first starting port sensor 2112, which is detoured in a direction other than the direction toward the main control board 1310 (in this embodiment, the opposite direction) and then redirected to the direction of connection with the main control board 1310.

The contact member 2115c formed on the unit body 2115 acts on the bypass portion 2116a2 of the main wiring 2116a, preventing the pin of the connection connector 2116e provided on the main wiring 2116a from coming out of the socket of the connection connector 2116e provided on the first starting port sensor 2112, thereby preventing malfunctions in the presentation or gameplay and a decrease in interest in the game. Specifically, the contact member 2115c formed on the unit body 2115 abuts against the detour portion 2116a2 of the main wiring 2116a from the radial outside of the detour portion 22116a2, and even if an external force is applied to the pin of the connecting connector 2116e such that the pin of the connecting connector 2116e is pulled out of the socket of the connecting connector 2116e, the contact member 2115c abuts against the detour portion 2116a2 of the main wiring 2116a, and therefore the external force applied to the pin of the connecting connector 2116e is absorbed by the bending of the detour portion 2116a2 of the main wiring 2116a, preventing the pin of the connecting connector 2116e from pulling out of the socket of the connecting connector 2116e.

Moreover, it is more preferable that the detour portion 21126a2 be pressed against the contact member 2115c, and the deformation of the detour portion 2116a2 increases the contact area with the contact member 2115c, and the external force applied to the pin of the connecting connector 2116e is further absorbed by the bending of the detour portion 2116a2 of the main wiring 2116a, thereby preventing the pin of the connecting connector 2116e from coming out of the socket of the connecting connector 2116e.

In this embodiment, the contact member 2115c formed on the unit body 2115 abuts against the detour portion 2116a2 of the main wiring 2116a extending along the wiring path 2116a from the radial outside of the detour portion 2116a2. However, the contact member 2115c formed on the unit body 2115 may be in proximity to the detour portion 2116a2 of the main wiring 2116a from the radial outside of the detour portion 2116a2. In this case, the contact member 2115c may be in proximity to the detour portion 2116a2 of the main wiring 2116a from the radial outside of the detour portion 2116a2. Even if an external force is applied to the pin of the connecting connector 2116e, the contact member 2115c is close to the detour portion 2116a2 of the main wiring 2116a, and therefore the external force applied to the pin of the connecting connector 2116e causes the detour portion 2116a2 of the main wiring 2116a to abut against the contact member 2115c, and the external force applied to the pin of the connecting connector 2116e is absorbed by the bending of the detour portion 2116a2 of the main wiring 2116a, preventing the pin of the connecting connector 2116e from coming out of the socket of the connecting connector 2116e.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, the contact member 2115c formed on the unit body 2115 is not positioned in the insertion/removal direction of the pin of the connection connector 2116e for the main wiring 2116a. Therefore, when inserting or removing the pin of the connection connector 2116e for the main wiring 2116a into or from the socket of the connection connector 2116e for the first starting port sensor 2112, contact between the pin of the connection connector 2116e and the contact member 2115c can be prevented, and the pin of the connection connector 2116e for the main wiring 2116a can be easily inserted or removed from the socket of the connection connector 2116e for the first starting port sensor 2112.

In addition, in this embodiment, after the main wirings 2116a, 2116c, and 2116d join in the wiring path 2115a, the main wirings 2116a, 2116c, and 2116d are bundled together using a bundling member such as a cable tie and fixed to the unit main body 2115. However, if multiple main wirings 2116a, 2116c, and 2116d are provided, the main wirings 2116a, 2116c, and 2116d may be bundled together using a bundling member such as a cable tie and fixed to the unit main body 2115 after at least a portion of the main wirings 2116a, 2116c, and 2116d join together, or the main wirings 2116a, 2116c, and 2116d may be bundled together using a bundling member such as a cable tie and fixed to the unit main body 2115 separately.

In addition, while this embodiment shows a configuration in which the contact member 2115c is formed on the unit main body 2115, the contact member 2115c may also be provided on the gaming board 5 so as to act on the detour portion 2116a2 of the main wiring 2116a when the starting port unit 2100A is attached to the gaming board 5 (more specifically, the panel plate 1110 of the gaming panel 1100 on the gaming board 5).

Specifically, a contact portion equivalent to contact member 2215c acting on the detour portion 2116a2 of the main wiring 2116a may be formed on the right end of the side unit 2800H adjacent to the left of the starting port unit 2100A, or a contact portion equivalent to contact member 2115c acting on the detour portion 2116a2 of the main wiring 2116a may be provided on the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100, or a contact portion equivalent to contact member 2115c acting on the detour portion 2116a2 of the main wiring 2116a may be provided on the back unit 3000 attached to the rear surface of the gaming panel 1100, thereby preventing the pin of the connection connector 2116e provided on the main wiring 2116a from coming out of the socket of the connection connector 2116e provided on the first starting port sensor 2112, thereby preventing malfunctions in the presentation or gameplay and reducing a decrease in interest in the game. In addition, in the embodiment in which the contact member 2115c is formed on the unit main body 2115, the area in which the contact member 2115c can be formed is wider, and the ease of design when forming the contact member 2115c is superior, compared to the embodiment in which the contact member 2115c is formed outside the starting port unit 2100A. On the other hand, in the embodiment in which the contact member 2115c is formed outside the starting port unit 2100A, there is no need to form a new contact member 2115c, and the ease of formation when forming the contact member 2115c is superior, compared to the embodiment in which the contact member 2115c is formed on the unit main body 2115.

In the above-mentioned configuration in which the wiring extending from a connecting member inserted into a connected member of one electronic component acts on the connecting member inserted into the connected member of the other electronic component or the wiring extending from the connecting member, it is difficult to prevent the connection member inserted into the connected member of an electronic component located at the end of the wiring path from coming loose, for example, in a unit such as starting port unit 2100A. However, in the above-mentioned configuration in which the contact member acts on the bent or detoured portion of the wiring, it is possible to effectively prevent the connection member from coming loose, even if the connection member is inserted into the connected member of an electronic component located at the end of the wiring path, for example, in a unit such as starting port unit 2100A.

[Handling of base values in base monitor]
Next, the base monitor of the pachinko machine 1 of the fifth embodiment will be described. In the other embodiments described above, the base monitor (four 7-segment LEDs) was described as being arranged on the main control board 1310, but in the fifth embodiment, the base monitor is arranged on the frame control board 740. The basic configuration of the base monitor, such as having four 7-segment LEDs, is the same as in the other embodiments.

In this example, the frame control board 740, rather than the main control board 1310, manages (calculates and stores) the base value displayed on the base monitor. First, the frame control board 740 counts the number of game balls B that have entered the ball entry ports (winning port, out port) provided in the game area 5a defined on the game board 5 (number of entering balls), i.e., the number of game balls B that are discharged from the game area 5a. Specifically, the number of game balls B that have entered the winning port, from which prize balls are paid out, detected by the safe ball sensor 606 is counted as the number of game balls B that have entered the winning port, and the number of game balls B that have entered the out port, which collects game balls B that did not enter the winning port, is counted as the total number of entering balls. The safe ball sensor 606 and out ball sensor 605 are connected to the frame control board 740.

Furthermore, when a detection sensor corresponding to a prize slot that will pay out (award) prize balls upon entry detects a predetermined number of game balls B, the main control board 1310 transmits the predetermined number of game balls B as a prize ball command to the frame control board 740. For example, it is predetermined that when a game ball B enters the general prize slot 2001, 10 game balls B will be paid out; when a game ball B enters the normal prize slot 2002, 1 game ball B will be paid out; when a game ball B enters the first start slot 2003 or the second start slot 2004, 3 game balls B will be paid out; and when a game ball B enters the large prize slot 2005 or the special prize slot 2006, 10 game balls B will be paid out. Then, based on receiving the prize ball command, the frame control board 740 counts the number of game balls B (hereinafter referred to as the payout number) that are paid out (awarded) as prize balls when the balls enter the prize slot. Note that in this example of the pachinko machine 1, actual balls are not paid out, so based on receiving the prize ball command, the frame control board 740 adds the number of game balls B that are paid out (awarded) as prize balls to the player's ball count.

The frame control board 740 then calculates the ratio of the number of payouts to the number of balls that enter the machine, stores the calculation result as a base value in a specific area of the built-in RAM, and displays it on the base monitor located on the frame control board 740. The formula for calculating the ratio of the number of payouts to the number of balls that enter the machine is: base value = (number of payouts ÷ number of balls that enter the machine) × 100. For example, if the ratio of the number of payouts to the number of balls that enter the machine is too high, it is possible that the balls are only entering the winning slots that are the target of paying out prize balls when they enter the machine. By monitoring the information displayed on the base monitor, it is possible to determine whether balls are being entered into the winning slots through fraudulent activity.

Furthermore, with regard to the base value, a new ratio of the number of payouts to the number of balls that have entered the entry port (winning port, outgoing port) is calculated each time the number of game balls (entering balls) reaches 60,000, and the results of calculations of the ratio of the number of payouts to the number of balls that have entered are saved as history up to a predetermined number of times. Specifically, in addition to the current base value BL until the number of game balls B (entering balls) that have entered the entry port (winning port, outgoing port) reaches 60,000, three intervals are saved as history: the previous base value B1, the base value before last B2, and the base value before last B3. Regarding the base value, whenever the number of game balls B (entering balls) entering the ball entrance (winning entrance, outgoing entrance) reaches 60,000, the current base value BL, the previous base value B1, and the base value B2 from the previous time point are changed to the previous base value B1, the previous base value B2, and the previous base value B3 from the previous time point, and the original base value B3 is discarded. The base monitor alternately displays the current base value BL, the previous base value B1, the previous base value B2, and the previous base value B3 at regular intervals (e.g., every 3 seconds). The base monitor uses two of the four 7-segment LEDs to indicate which section the base value is for, and the other two 7-segment LEDs to display the base value (the calculated ratio of the number of payouts to the number of entering balls) corresponding to the section currently being displayed. The base monitor is a 7-segment LED with a decimal point (so-called dot), and a dot is lit between the 7-segment LED indicating the base value interval and the 7-segment LED indicating the base value corresponding to the currently displayed interval. For example, when displaying the current base value BL, the previous base value B1, the base value before last B2, and the base value before last B3, the four 7-segment LEDs are switched to display information such as "BL.21," "B1.19," "B2.17," and "B3.20" at regular intervals (e.g., 3 seconds). In this embodiment, the control for managing the base values is provided on the main frame 4 (frame control board 740) rather than on the game board 5 (main control board 1310), thereby reducing the processing load on the main control board 1310 of the game board 5. Furthermore, by providing the base monitor (four 7-segment LEDs) on the main frame 4 side (frame control board 740) rather than on the game board 5 side (main control board 1310), the base monitor on the main frame 4 side can be reused when replacing the game board 5 with the main frame 4, thereby reducing the cost of the game board 5.

In the past, when a base monitor was provided on the main control board 1310 mounted on the gaming board 5 and the base values displayed on the base monitor were managed by the main control board 1310, if the gaming board 5 was replaced with respect to the main frame 4, the base values were managed anew from the initial state on the main control board 1310 of the replaced gaming board 5. However, in the present embodiment, when a base monitor is provided on the frame control board 740 mounted on the main frame 4 and the base values displayed on the base monitor are managed by the frame control board 740, even if the gaming board 5 is replaced with respect to the main frame 4, the frame control board 740 mounted on the main frame 4 is not replaced. This means that even if the gaming board 5 is replaced, some of the base value information of the previous gaming board 5 may be reflected in the replaced gaming board 5, resulting in a problem of reduced reliability and convenience when replacing the gaming board 5. For example, if the base values of the previous gaming board 5, such as past base values B1 to B3 managed by the frame control board 740, were transmitted to the replaced gaming board 5, the reliability of the base values on the replaced gaming board 5 would be compromised. In this example, a method for avoiding a decrease in reliability and convenience when replacing a gaming board 5 when the base values displayed on the base monitor are managed by the frame control board 740 is described below.

In this example, a unique CPU number (unique information) is pre-stored in the main control board 1310 for the CPU (main control MPU). This CPU number is assigned to each main control board 1310, even for game boards 5 of the same series, and cannot be rewritten even using an external device. In addition, the frame control board 740 receives the CPU number from the main control board 1310 and stores it in RAM built into the frame control board 740. The CPU number stored in this frame control board 740 is not cleared (initialized) but is retained even when the power is turned on/off or the RAM clear switch 741 is operated when the power is turned on. Similarly, the base value stored in the frame control board 740 is not cleared (initialized) but is retained even when the power is turned on/off or the RAM clear switch 741 is operated when the power is turned on. When the frame control board 740 receives a CPU number from the main control board 1310, it determines whether that CPU number matches the CPU number stored in the frame control board 740, and based on the results of this determination, it decides whether to clear (initialize) the base value stored in the frame control board 740.

Specifically, if the frame control board 740 determines that the CPU number received from the main control board 1310 matches the CPU number stored in the frame control board 740, it determines that the game board 5 has not been replaced with the main frame 4, and the base value stored in the frame control board 740 is maintained without being cleared. More specifically, the current base value BL, the previous base value B1, the base value before last B2, and the base value before last B3 stored as base values are all maintained. As a result, in situations where the game board has not been replaced with another game board between the last power-on and the current power-on, such as when the power is turned on with the same game board 5 attached, or when game board A attached to the main frame 4 as the game board 5 is removed while the power is off and then reattached and the power is turned on, the base value continues to be counted from its maintained state, and the base value is not unintentionally cleared, allowing the base value to be continuously transmitted.

On the other hand, if the frame control board 740 determines that the CPU number received from the main control board 1310 does not match the CPU number stored in the frame control board 740, it determines that the game board 5 has been replaced with the main frame 4, and clears the base value stored in the frame control board 740 (resets it to its initial state). For example, if game board A, which is attached to the main frame 4 as the game board 5, is removed and then game board B, which has a different CPU number, is installed, the base value stored in the frame control board 740 is cleared. More specifically, the current base value BL, the previous base value B1, the base value before last B2, and the base value before last B3, all of which are stored as base values, are cleared. As a result, after the game board 5 is replaced, the base value of the game board 5 before the replacement is not transmitted, and a new base value is calculated from the initialized state, allowing the base value of the replaced game board 5 to be correctly transmitted. In other words, even if the game board 5 is replaced, there is no chance that some of the base value information from the previous game board 5 will be reflected in the replaced game board 5, preventing a decrease in reliability and convenience when replacing the game board 5.

When replacing the gaming board 5, whether it is replaced with a gaming board 5 corresponding to the same model series or a gaming board 5 corresponding to a different model series, the main control board 1310 installed on the gaming board 5 is changed, and therefore the frame control board 740 will determine that the CPU number received from the main control board 1310 does not match the CPU number stored in the frame control board 740.

Furthermore, if the frame control board 740 determines that the CPU number received from the main control board 1310 does not match the CPU number stored in the frame control board 740, in addition to clearing the base value stored in the frame control board 740, the received CPU number is newly stored in the RAM built into the frame control board 740. In this example, the number of CPU numbers that can be stored in the RAM of the frame control board 740 is set to "1", and if it determines that the CPU number received from the main control board 1310 does not match the CPU number stored in the frame control board 740, in addition to clearing the base value stored in the frame control board 740, the received CPU number is newly stored by overwriting it in the RAM built into the frame control board 740. This eliminates the need for the process of clearing the CPU number, simplifying control. As an alternative to this example, the number of CPU numbers that can be stored in the RAM of the frame control board 740 may be "multiple (for example, two)". In such a case, it is possible to ensure that the base value is not cleared even if a game board 5 removed for maintenance or the like is mistakenly attached to another main body frame 4, thereby improving convenience. However, if the number of CPU numbers that can be stored in the RAM of the frame control board 740 is "multiple (for example, two)", it is desirable to provide a separate process that optionally clears some or all of the multiple stored CPU numbers when a RAM clear or the like is triggered.

In addition, in this example, the following control is performed in the event that the game board 5 attached to the main frame 4 is removed while the power is on. That is, when the game board 5 attached to the main frame 4 is removed while the power is on, the frame control board 740 does not receive the CPU number, and at this time, a determination is not made as to whether the CPU number matches the CPU number stored in the frame control board 740. The CPU number and base value stored in the frame control board 740 are maintained without being cleared. Therefore, for example, even if game board A attached to the main frame 4 as the game board 5 is removed from the main frame 4 while the power is on for some reason (such as when power to the game board 5 is cut off while power to the main frame 4 continues), the frame control board 740 does not receive the CPU number, and the CPU number and base value stored in the frame control board 740 can be maintained without being cleared. As a result, even if the game board 5 is unintentionally removed, the base value can continue to be counted from the state in which the base value is maintained.

In addition, if game board A, which is attached to the main frame 4 as the game board 5, is removed from the main frame 4 while the power is on for some reason and then reattached to the main frame 4 (for example, when power to the game board 5 is resumed while the main frame 4 is still powered on), the main control board 1310 will again transmit the CPU number. However, when the frame control board 740 receives the CPU number transmitted again from the main control board 1310 (from the frame control board 740's perspective, this is the second time the CPU number has been received after power is turned on), the frame control board 740 will not re-determine whether the CPU number it received matches the CPU number stored in the frame control board 740. As a result, if the game board 5 is unintentionally removed and then reattached to the same game board 5, the CPU number and base value stored in the frame control board 740 can be maintained without being cleared, and the base value can continue to be counted from the state in which the base value was maintained. As another example, when the frame control board 740 receives the CPU number transmitted again from the main control board 1310 (from the frame control board 740's perspective, this is the second time the CPU number has been received since power was turned on), the frame control board 740 may re-determine whether the CPU number received by the frame control board 740 matches the CPU number stored in the frame control board 740. Even when the determination is re-determined in this way, if the re-determined determination results in a "match," the CPU number and base value stored in the frame control board 740 may be maintained without being cleared, allowing the base value to continue being counted from the maintained state.

In addition, in this example, the number of CPU numbers that can be stored in the RAM of the frame control board 740 is set to "1." Therefore, for example, if, while the power is on, game board A, which is attached to the main frame 4 as game board 5, is removed, and then game board B is attached and removed, and then game board A is attached again, at the time game board B is attached, it will be determined that the CPU number received from the main control board 1310 does not match the CPU number stored in the frame control board 740, and the base value stored in the frame control board 740 will be cleared. In other words, if the frame control board 740 receives multiple different CPU numbers while the power is on, an obvious abnormality or fraud can be foreseen. Therefore, even if game board A is removed and then attached again, if game board A was not attached immediately before, the base value at the time game board A was first attached will not be maintained.

(When changing from game board A1 to game board A2)
162 is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when the game board A1 is replaced with the game board A2 after the power is turned off. Here, the game board A1 is attached to the main frame 4 before the power is turned off at time t1. After the power is turned off at time t1, the game board A1 is replaced with the game board A2. When the power is turned on at time t2, the frame control board 740 determines that the CPU number received from the main control board 1310 does not match the CPU number stored in the frame control board 740. Note that this example describes a case where the game board 5 is replaced with a game board A2 corresponding to the same model series as the game board A1. However, the same behavior is also observed when the game board A1 is replaced with a game board B corresponding to a different model series, because the frame control board 740 determines that the CPU number received from the main control board 1310 does not match the CPU number stored in the frame control board 740.

As shown in Figure 162, before the power is shut off at timing t1, the game board A1 is attached to the main frame 4, and this is the period during which the game (main game) can proceed on the main control board 1310 side. In other words, when the game board A1 is attached to the main frame 4, the variable display of special symbols can begin when a starting win occurs, and when the variable display of special symbols stops and displays a winning symbol, the jackpot game can begin, allowing for normal gameplay.

In addition, the detection sensors corresponding to the various winning ports are enabled, making it possible to pay out (award) prize balls when a ball enters one of them. When a game ball B that has entered one of the various winning ports is collected, it is detected by the safe ball sensor 606, and when a game ball B that has entered the out port instead of entering one of the various winning ports is collected, it is detected by the out ball sensor 605. These safe ball sensor 606 and out ball sensor 605 are enabled. As explained in detail above, the information detected by these detection sensors is used to calculate the base value displayed on the base monitor.

Furthermore, as for the performance display device 1600, in its normal operation, when the variable display of special symbols is not being executed, it executes an operation corresponding to a standby performance (for example, a demo performance) while waiting for the variable display of special symbols to begin, and when the variable display of special symbols is being executed, it executes an operation corresponding to a variable performance (a performance based on a variable pattern) based on the peripheral control board 1510 receiving a variable pattern command. For example, when the peripheral control board 1510 receives a variable pattern command, the performance display device 1600 executes a performance display (for example, a reach performance) that includes the variable display of decorative symbols.

In addition, the external terminal board (game ball lending device connection terminal board 765) can output predetermined signals to the hall computer, and by receiving these signals the hall computer can also understand the behavior of the pachinko machine 1 on the hall side. For example, signals are output when a starting win occurs, when the special symbol variable display stops at a winning symbol and a jackpot game is being played, or when an abnormality is detected.

In addition, before timing t1, when the player operates the handle 195, it is possible to launch a game ball into the game area 5a.

In addition, before timing t1, the frame control board 740 receives the CPU number from the main control board 1310 of the game board A1 and stores it in RAM built into the frame control board 740. The CPU number stored in this frame control board 740 is retained without being cleared by a specified backup power supply (not shown) even after the power is cut off at timing t1, and is retained without being cleared even when the game board A1 is replaced with the game board A2 and the power is turned on at timing t2, which will be described later.

Furthermore, prior to timing t1, the frame control board 740 calculates the ratio of the number of payouts to the number of balls that enter the machine, stores the calculation result as a base value in a specific area of the built-in RAM, and displays it on the base monitor provided on the frame control board 740. In other words, before the power is cut off at timing t1, the number of game balls B that enter the ball entrance (winning entrance, out entrance) (number of balls entered) and the number of game balls B that are paid out as prize balls (number of payouts) are counted, making it possible to calculate the ratio of the number of payouts to the number of balls that enter the machine and reflect this in the base value displayed on the base monitor. This base value is retained without being cleared even after the power is cut off at timing t1, and is retained without being cleared even when game board A1 is replaced with game board A2 and the power is turned on at timing t2, described below.

Furthermore, prior to timing t1, the frame control board 740 makes it possible to pay out a predetermined number of game balls as prize balls when it detects a ball entering the winning slot, and to add the number of game balls paid out as prize balls to the player's number of balls in hand or number of balls in hand X. These number of balls in hand and number of balls in hand X are maintained without being cleared by a predetermined backup power supply (not shown) even after the power is turned off at timing t1, and are maintained without being cleared even when game board A1 is replaced with game board A2 and the power is turned on at timing t2, which will be described later. Furthermore, after the power is turned on at timing t2, the frame control board 740 makes it possible to settle the number of balls in hand by operating the counting button switch 180.

Next, after the power is turned off at timing t1, the game board A1 is replaced with game board A2. Then, with game board A2 attached to the main body frame 4, the power is turned on at timing t2.

First, at time t2, when the power is turned on, the main control board 1310 transmits the CPU number to the frame control board 740, and the frame control board 740 determines whether the received CPU number matches the CPU number stored in the frame control board 740. In this case, because the game board A1 was replaced with game board A2 before the power was turned on at time t2, the frame control board 740 determines that the CPU number received from the main control board 1310 does not match the CPU number stored in the frame control board 740, and based on this determination, clears the base value stored in the frame control board 740.

Here, the timing for transmitting the CPU number from the main control board 1310 to the frame control board 740 is a predetermined specific timing t2 immediately after power-on. In other words, when specific timing t2 immediately after power-on arrives, the frame control board 740 receives the CPU number and determines whether that CPU number matches the CPU number stored in the frame control board 740. Furthermore, specific timing t2 is the same regardless of the power-on pattern described below. For example, specific timing t2 may be transmitted before the start of RAM clearing if RAM clearing is performed by operating the RAM clear switch 741 at power-on, which involves RAM clearing; before the start of ball count clearing if the ball count is cleared by operating the ball count memory/display clear switch 743 at power-on; before the start of ball removal mode if ball removal mode is initiated by operating the ball removal switch 742 at power-on; or before the start of change permission mode if the setting change permission state is initiated by operating the RAM clear switch 741 and setting key switch at power-on. This prevents control from becoming complicated.

As another example, the timing for transmitting the CPU number from the main control board 1310 to the frame control board 740 may be a predetermined specific timing t2 immediately after power-on, or the main control board 1310 may transmit the CPU number again to the frame control board 740 after the specific timing t2 in order to confirm the CPU number on the frame control board 740 side. Then, when the frame control board 740 receives the CPU number transmitted again from the main control board 1310 (from the frame control board 740's perspective, when it receives the CPU number for the second time after power-on), the frame control board 740 may re-determine whether the CPU number received by the frame control board 740 matches the CPU number stored in the frame control board 740. Even when the determination is re-determined in this way, if the result of the re-determination is a "match," the CPU number and base value stored in the frame control board 740 are not cleared but maintained. On the other hand, if the re-executed judgment result is "mismatch," this indicates an obvious abnormality or fraud, so the CPU number and base value stored in the frame control board 740 are cleared.

Furthermore, after the power is turned on at timing t2, the game board A2 is attached to the main frame 4, and the game (main game) can proceed on the main control board 1310 side. In other words, when the game board A2 is attached to the main frame 4, the variable display of special symbols can begin when a starting win occurs, and when the variable display of special symbols stops and displays a winning symbol, the jackpot game can begin, allowing normal gameplay to be played.

In addition, the detection sensors corresponding to the various winning ports are enabled, making it possible to pay out (award) prize balls when a ball enters one of them. When a game ball B that has entered one of the various winning ports is collected, it is detected by the safe ball sensor 606, and when a game ball B that has entered the out port instead of entering one of the various winning ports is collected, it is detected by the out ball sensor 605. These safe ball sensor 606 and out ball sensor 605 are enabled. As explained in detail above, the information detected by these detection sensors is used to calculate the base value displayed on the base monitor.

Furthermore, the effect display device 1600 is configured to execute a display corresponding to the clearing of the base value stored in the frame control board 740 at timing t2. This display is executed for a predetermined period of time, and after the predetermined period has elapsed, normal operation is executed, for example, when the peripheral control board 1510 receives a variation pattern command, to execute an effect display including a variation display of decorative symbols (e.g., a reach effect). However, until the predetermined period has elapsed, the display corresponding to the clearing of the base value stored in the frame control board 740 and normal operation, such as an effect display including a variation display of decorative symbols (e.g., a reach effect), may be executed simultaneously.

In addition, at timing t2, the external terminal board outputs a security signal in response to the clearing of the base value stored in the frame control board 740. This security signal is output when an abnormality is detected, a setting value is changed, or a setting value confirmation display is in progress, and the same security signal is output when the base value is cleared. In other words, when the base value is cleared, a forced output state is entered in which a security signal is forcibly output, even if an abnormality is not detected, a setting value is not changed, or a setting value confirmation display is not in progress. As a result, when the base value is cleared, a security signal is output to the hall computer, allowing the hall to know that the base value has been cleared. Furthermore, the security signal output is stopped when the number of game balls B (entry balls) entering the ball entrance (winning hole, out hole) reaches 300 at timing t3 (described later). However, as another example, the output may be stopped at a predetermined time before or after timing t3, regardless of whether the number of game balls B (entry balls) entering the ball entrance (winning hole, out hole) reaches 300. If the security signal is stopped before the number of game balls B (entry balls) entering the ball entrance (winning hole, out hole) reaches 300, the security signal may be output again after the security signal has been stopped if another condition for outputting a security signal (such as detection of an abnormality) is met. This can improve the accuracy of monitoring new fraudulent acts (for example, fraudulent acts such as illegally entering game balls B into the ball entrance (winning hole, out hole) before the number of game balls B (entry balls) entering the ball entrance (winning hole, out hole) reaches 300).

In this example, in addition to the security signal, the external terminal board outputs various signals to the hall computer to inform them of the game status, balls entering the winning slot, and the payout of prize balls. These signals can be output not only after the output of the security signal has stopped at time t3, but also during the period from time t2 to time t3.

Furthermore, after the power is turned on at timing t2, the game ball can be launched into the game area 5a when the player operates the handle 195.

Furthermore, at timing t2, the frame control board 740 receives the CPU number from the main control board 1310 of the replaced gaming board A2, and upon determining that the received CPU number of the gaming board A2 does not match the CPU number of the gaming board A1 stored in the frame control board 740, the frame control board 740 newly stores the received CPU number of the gaming board A2 in the RAM built into the frame control board 740.

Furthermore, at timing t2, the frame control board 740 receives the CPU number from the main control board 1310 of the replaced gaming board A2. If it determines that the received CPU number of the gaming board A2 does not match the CPU number of the gaming board A1 stored in the frame control board 740, it clears the base value stored in the frame control board 740. More specifically, the current base value BL, the previous base value B1, the base value before last B2, and the base value before last B3 stored as base values are all cleared. As a result, after the gaming board A2 is replaced, the base value of the previous gaming board A1 is not transmitted, and a new base value is calculated from the initialized state, allowing the base value of the replaced gaming board A2 to be correctly transmitted.

Also, at timing t2, the frame control board 740 clears the base value stored in the frame control board 740, but after timing t2, the frame control board 740 counts at least the number of game balls B (number of balls entering) that have entered the ball entrances (winning entrances, outgoing entrances), and monitors whether the number of game balls B (number of balls entering) that have entered the ball entrances (winning entrances, outgoing entrances) reaches 300. Then, from the time the power is turned on at time t2 until the number of game balls B (number of balls entering) that enter the ball entrance (winning entrance, outgoing entrance) reaches 300 at time t3, the number of game balls B (number of balls entering) that enter the ball entrance (winning entrance, outgoing entrance) and the number of game balls B paid out as prize balls (number of paid out) are counted, but are not included in the calculation of the ratio of the number of paid out to the number of balls entering, and are not reflected in the base value displayed on the base monitor. More details about this will be given later.

Then, after the number of game balls B (number of balls entering) entering the ball entrance (winning entrance, outgoing entrance) at timing t3 reaches 300, the number of game balls B (number of balls entering) entering the ball entrance (winning entrance, outgoing entrance) and the number of game balls B paid out as prize balls (number of paid out) are counted, making it possible to calculate the ratio of the number of paid out balls to the number of balls entering, and to reflect this in the base value displayed on the base monitor.

In addition, during the period from timing t1 to t2, game board A1 is replaced with game board A2, but at timing t2, the number of balls held and number of balls held X are retained and not cleared. After power is turned on at timing t2, the frame control board 740 makes it possible to pay out a predetermined number of game balls as prize balls when it detects a ball entering the winning slot, and to add the number of game balls paid out as prize balls to the player's number of balls held and number of balls held X by the number of game balls paid out. Also, after power is turned on at timing t2, the frame control board 740 makes it possible to settle the number of balls held by operating the counting button switch 180.

(When removing and installing the game board A1)
Figure 163 is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when the game board A1 is detached when the power is cut off. Here, the game board A1 is attached to the main frame 4 before the power is cut off at time t1, and after the power is cut off at time t1, the game board A1 is temporarily removed for inspection, etc., and then reattached. When the power is turned on at time t2, the frame control board 740 determines that the CPU number received from the main control board 1310 matches the CPU number stored in the frame control board 740. In this example, the behavior before the power is cut off at time t1 is the same as that shown in Figure 162, so its description is omitted.

As shown in Figure 163, after the power is cut off at timing t1, the game board A1 is temporarily removed for inspection, etc., and then reattached. Then, with the game board A1 attached to the main frame 4, the power is turned on at timing t2.

First, at time t2, when the power is turned on, the main control board 1310 transmits the CPU number to the frame control board 740, and the frame control board 740 determines whether the received CPU number matches the CPU number stored in the frame control board 740. In this case, because the game board A1 was reattached before the power was turned on at time t2, the frame control board 740 determines that the CPU number received from the main control board 1310 matches the CPU number stored in the frame control board 740, and based on this determination, the base value stored in the frame control board 740 is maintained.

Furthermore, after the power is turned on at timing t2, the game board A1 is attached to the main frame 4, and this is the period during which the game (main game) can proceed on the main control board 1310 side. In other words, with the game board A1 attached to the main frame 4, when a starting win occurs, the display of the changing special symbols can begin, and when the changing special symbols stop and display as a winning symbol, the jackpot game can begin, allowing for normal gameplay.

In addition, the detection sensors corresponding to the various winning ports are enabled, making it possible to pay out (award) prize balls when a ball enters one of them. When a game ball B that has entered one of the various winning ports is collected, it is detected by the safe ball sensor 606, and when a game ball B that has entered the out port instead of entering one of the various winning ports is collected, it is detected by the out ball sensor 605. These safe ball sensor 606 and out ball sensor 605 are enabled. As explained in detail above, the information detected by these detection sensors is used to calculate the base value displayed on the base monitor.

Furthermore, the effect display device 1600 is configured to execute a display corresponding to the maintenance of the base value stored in the frame control board 740 at timing t2. This display is executed for a predetermined period of time, and after the predetermined period has elapsed, normal operation is executed, for example, when the peripheral control board 1510 receives a variation pattern command, to execute an effect display including a variation display of decorative symbols (e.g., a reach effect). However, until the predetermined period has elapsed, the display corresponding to the maintenance of the base value stored in the frame control board 740 and normal operation, such as an effect display including a variation display of decorative symbols (e.g., a reach effect), may be executed simultaneously.

Furthermore, at time t2, the external terminal board does not output a security signal because the base value stored in the frame control board 740 has not been cleared. After the power is turned on at time t2, it becomes possible to output various signals indicating the game status, balls entering the winning slot, and the payout of prize balls.

As another example, the external terminal board may output a security signal at timing t2 in response to the maintenance of the base value stored in the frame control board 740. This security signal is output when an abnormality is detected, a setting value is changed, or a setting value confirmation display is in progress; the same security signal is also output when the base value is maintained. In other words, when the base value is maintained, a forced output state is entered in which a security signal is forcibly output, even when an abnormality is not detected, a setting value is not changed, or a setting value confirmation display is not in progress. As a result, when the base value is maintained, a security signal is output to the hall computer, allowing the hall to know that the base value has been maintained. Furthermore, the security signal output may be stopped when the number of game balls B (entering balls) entering the ball entrance (winning entrance, outgoing entrance) reaches 300 at timing t3 (described below), or it may be stopped before timing t3.

Furthermore, after the power is turned on at timing t2, the game ball can be launched into the game area 5a when the player operates the handle 195.

Furthermore, at timing t2, the frame control board 740 receives the CPU number from the main control board 1310 of the reinstalled gaming board A1, and determines that the received CPU number of the gaming board A1 matches the CPU number of the gaming board A1 stored in the frame control board 740, thereby maintaining the CPU number of the gaming board A1 stored in the frame control board 740.

Furthermore, at timing t2, the frame control board 740 receives the CPU number from the main control board 1310 of the reinstalled gaming board A1, and by determining that the received CPU number of the gaming board A1 matches the CPU number of the gaming board A1 stored in the frame control board 740, the base value stored in the frame control board 740 is maintained. More specifically, the current base value BL, the previous base value B1, the base value before last B2, and the base value before last B3 stored as base values are all maintained. As a result, for the reinstalled gaming board A1, the base value continues to be counted from the state in which the base value was maintained, allowing the base value to be transmitted correctly.

Also, at timing t2, the frame control board 740 maintains the base value stored in the frame control board 740, but after timing t2, the frame control board 740 counts at least the number of game balls B (number of entering balls) that have entered the ball entrances (winning entrances, outgoing entrances), and monitors whether the number of game balls B (number of entering balls) that have entered the ball entrances (winning entrances, outgoing entrances) reaches 300. Then, from the time the power is turned on at timing t2 until the number of game balls B (number of balls entering) that enter the ball entrance (winning entrance, outgoing entrance) reaches 300 at timing t3, the number of game balls B (number of balls entering) that enter the ball entrance (winning entrance, outgoing entrance) and the number of game balls B paid out as prize balls (number of paid out) are counted, but are not included in the calculation of the ratio of the number of paid out to the number of balls entering, and are not reflected in the base value displayed on the base monitor.

Then, at timing t3, after the number of game balls B (number of balls entering) entering the ball entrance (winning entrance, outgoing entrance) reaches 300, the number of game balls B (number of balls entering) entering the ball entrance (winning entrance, outgoing entrance) and the number of game balls B paid out as prize balls (number of balls paid out) are counted, making it possible to calculate the ratio of the number of balls paid out to the number of balls entering, and to reflect this in the base value displayed on the base monitor.

Furthermore, between timings t1 and t2, game board A1 is temporarily removed for inspection, etc., and then reattached, but at timing t2, the number of balls held and number of balls held X are retained and not cleared. After power is turned on at timing t2, the frame control board 740 makes it possible to pay out a predetermined number of game balls as prize balls when it detects a ball entering the winning slot, and to add the number of game balls paid out as prize balls to the player's number of balls held and number of balls held X by the number of game balls paid out. After power is turned on at timing t2, the frame control board 740 makes it possible to settle the number of balls held by operating the counting button switch 180.

[Regarding the permitted time for refilling enclosed balls]
In this example, the number of game balls B (number of balls entering) that enter the ball entrance (winning entrance, outgoing entrance) is not included in the calculation of the ratio of the number of payouts to the number of balls entering from the time the power is turned on at timing t2 until the number of game balls B (number of balls entering) that enter the ball entrance (winning entrance, outgoing entrance) reaches 300 at timing t3, and is not reflected in the base value displayed on the base monitor; the reason for this is explained below.

As explained in detail above, in this example, a large number of game balls B (e.g., 40 to 60 balls) are stored in a line within the circulation path R in the main frame 4, and are allowed to circulate internally. The three seals in the gauge section 620 and the enclosed ball quantity detection process make it possible to confirm whether the quantity (number of balls) of enclosed game balls B is appropriate. Specifically, if the rearmost part of the lined-up game balls B in the ball storage passage 604 of the circulation ball path unit 600 is located between the under-circulating ball sensor 621 and the over-circulating ball sensor 622, the under-circulating ball sensor 621 turns ON and the over-circulating ball sensor 622 turns OFF, indicating that the quantity of game balls B is appropriate. Furthermore, if the rearmost portion of the game balls B lined up in a row in the ball storage passage 604 is located downstream of the under-circulating ball sensor 621, the under-circulating ball sensor 621 will be OFF and the over-circulating ball sensor 622 will be OFF, and it is determined that there are too few game balls B. Furthermore, if the rearmost portion of the game balls B lined up in a row in the ball storage passage 604 is located upstream of the under-circulating ball sensor 621 and the over-circulating ball sensor 622, the under-circulating ball sensor 621 will be ON and the over-circulating ball sensor 622 will be ON, and it is determined that there are too many game balls B.

If there are no game balls B or the amount of game balls B is insufficient within the circulation path R in the main frame 4, it will be necessary to replenish the game balls B. In this example, game balls B can be replenished through the outlet 1008 or the winning ports (general winning port 2001, first starting port 2003, second starting port 2004, and large winning port 2005). Furthermore, when the game board 5 is removed from the main frame 4, the out ball receiving port 600a and safe ball receiving port 600b are exposed, and game balls B can be replenished through these outlet ball receiving port 600a and safe ball receiving port 600b.

On the other hand, if there is an excessive amount of game balls B within the circulation path R in the main body frame 4, and you wish to discharge the game balls B to the outside, you can pull the ball removal shutter 615 toward you to open the ball removal opening 613p, and turn on the power with the ball removal switch 742 on the frame control board 740 turned ON, allowing the game balls B to be removed into the ball receiving tray 720.

By the way, the frame control board 740 counts the number of game balls B (entry ball count) that enter the ball entrance (winning entrance, exit entrance) and the number of game balls B that are paid out as prize balls (payment count). However, if the hall manager were to reflect this in the base value when replenishing game balls B via the exit entrance 1008 or winning entrance as the basis for calculating the ratio of the payment count to the number of game balls entered, the base value would end up including ball entry information that is not related to the game.

In this example, from the time the power is turned on at timing t2 in Figures 162 and 163 until the number of game balls B (number of entering balls) entering the ball entrances (winning entrance, out entrance) at timing t3 reaches 300, the number of game balls B (number of entering balls) entering the ball entrances (winning entrance, out entrance) is not included in the calculation of the ratio of the number of payouts to the number of entering balls, and is not reflected in the base value. In other words, even if game balls B are replenished via the out entrance 1008 or the winning entrance at timing t3 until the number of game balls B (number of entering balls) entering the ball entrances (winning entrance, out entrance) at timing t3 reaches 300, they are not included in the calculation of the ratio of the number of payouts to the number of entering balls, and are not reflected in the base value. This prevents the base value from being calculated based on ball entry information unrelated to the game, even when game balls B are replenished via the outlet 1008 or a prize entry port, and maintains an appropriate base value that does not include ball entry information unrelated to the game. The above-mentioned "300 balls" are managed by the frame control board 740. Game balls B replenished via the outlet 1008 are detected (counted) by the out ball sensor 605 provided on the main frame 4 side, and game balls B replenished via prize entries such as the general prize entry port 2001, normal prize entry port 2002, first start port 2003, second start port 2004, big prize entry port 2005, and special prize entry port 2006 are detected (counted) by the safe ball sensor 606 provided on the main frame 4 side.

In the above, the period during which the base value is not reflected is set to be the period from when the power is turned on at time t2 until the number of game balls B (entry balls) entering the entry ports (winning port, out port) reaches 300 at time t3. However, this number of game balls B (entry balls) is set to be greater than the number of balls (40 to 60) that can be stored within the circulation path R in the main body frame 4, i.e., the number of game balls B that can be replenished via the out port 1008 or the winning port. This means that even if there are no game balls B within the circulation path R in the main body frame 4 and game balls B are replenished via the out port 1008 or the winning port, the base value does not include entry ball information that is not related to that game.

In this example, of the outlet 1008 and the winning hole, the outlet 1008 has a larger opening, making it easier for game ball B to enter. Furthermore, from the time the power is turned on at timing t2 until the number of game balls B (entry balls) entering the ball entry holes (winning hole, out hole) reaches 300 at timing t3, this is the period during which the game (main game) can proceed on the main control board 1310 side, and when game ball B enters the winning hole, the display of variable special symbols begins, and prize balls are paid out (awarded). For this reason, when the hall manager replenishes game balls B, it is preferable to replenish game balls B via the outlet 1008 of the outlet 1008 and the winning hole.

In addition, in this example, the period during which the base value is not reflected is the period from when the power is turned on at timing t2 until the number of game balls B (number of balls entering) that have entered the entry port (winning port, out port) reaches 300 at timing t3, and game balls B are replenished via the out port 1008 or the winning port immediately after the hall manager turns on the power. However, as another example, a refill permission switch could be provided on the back side of the pachinko machine 1 as an operation control unit that cannot be touched by the player (such as a button that can switch between ON and OFF states, or a key switch that can switch between ON and OFF states by inserting a key), and when the refill permission switch is operated after powering on, even if game balls B are replenished via the outlet 1008 or the winning port until the number of game balls B (number of balls entering) that have subsequently entered the ball entrances (winning port, out entrance) reaches 300, this would not be included in the calculation of the ratio of the number of payouts to the number of balls entering, and would not be reflected in the base value. This allows the hall manager to replenish game balls B via the outlet 1008 or the winning port as needed, even if the power is not turned on.

In addition, in this example, from the time the power is turned on at timing t2 until the number of game balls B (entry balls) entering the entry ports (winning port, out port) reaches 300 at timing t3, the base monitor does not display the base value, and instead displays a special display in response to the base value stored in the frame control board 740 being cleared. As described above in detail, during the period from timing t2 to t3, for example, when game ball B is detected by the out ball sensor 605 or safe ball sensor 606, one of the four 7-segment LEDs on the base monitor may display "8." for a predetermined period of time (e.g., 0.5 seconds). This allows the hall manager to monitor the display on the base monitor from the back of the pachinko machine 1 to determine whether game balls B are being illegally entered into the out port 1008 or winning port during the period from timing t2 to t3.

In addition, in this example, game balls B collected at the outlet 1008 are detected (counted) by the out ball sensor 605 provided on the main frame 4 side, and game balls B that enter prize ports such as the general prize port 2001, normal prize port 2002, first start port 2003, second start port 2004, large prize port 2005, and special prize port 2006 are detected (counted) by the safe ball sensor 606 provided on the main frame 4 side, but these sensors may also be provided on the game board 5 side. Also, a path may be formed so that the game balls B collected at the outlet 1008 and the game balls B that enter the various prize ports converge, and a single sensor may be provided on that path, and the number of game balls B that enter the prize ports (prize port, out port) (number of entering balls) may be counted based on the detection of that single sensor.

In addition, in this example, the base value is not displayed on the base monitor from the time the power is turned on at timing t2 until the number of game balls B (number of balls entering) that have entered the ball entry port (winning port, out port) at timing t3 reaches 300. In addition, as described above in detail, "each time the number of game balls B (entry balls) entering the ball entrance (winning entrance, out entrance) reaches 60,000, a new ratio of the number of payouts to the number of entering balls is calculated. For example, from the time when the new ratio of the number of payouts to the number of entering balls is calculated until the number of game balls B (entry balls) entering the ball entrance (winning entrance, out entrance) reaches at least 1,000, the display of the ratio of the number of payouts to the new number of entering balls may be restricted." However, during such a period, the base value is not displayed on the base monitor, but the number of game balls B (entry balls) entering the ball entrance (winning entrance, out entrance) is still included in the calculation of the ratio of the number of payouts to the number of entering balls. Therefore, if game balls B are replenished during such a period via the out entrance 1008 or the winning entrance, the base value will include ball entry information that is not related to the game, making this an unsuitable period for replenishing game balls B. For this reason, a notification may be issued to inform the manager that it is an inappropriate period to replenish game balls B from the time when the ratio of the number of payouts to the number of balls entered is newly calculated until the number of game balls B (entry balls) that have entered the ball entrance (winning entrance, out entrance) reaches at least 1,000. For example, the base monitor may not display the base value, but may instead display a special display to indicate that it is an inappropriate period to replenish game balls B.

In the above, when the base value stored in the frame control board 740 is cleared when the power is turned on, calculation of a new base value for every 60,000 balls begins; however, from when the power is turned on until the number of game balls B (entry balls) entering the ball entrance (winning entrance, out entrance) reaches 300, they are not included in the calculation of the ratio of the number of payouts to the number of entering balls; once the number exceeds 300, they are included in the calculation of the ratio of the number of payouts to the number of entering balls. Specifically, from when the power is turned on until the number of game balls B (entry balls) entering the ball entrance (winning entrance, out entrance) reaches 300, they are not included in the calculation of the ratio of the number of payouts to the number of entering balls, and the base value is not displayed on the base monitor; and from when the number exceeds 300 until the number reaches 1,000, they are included in the calculation of the ratio of the number of payouts to the number of entering balls, and the base value is not displayed on the base monitor. By changing the display format on the base monitor depending on these conditions, the hall manager can determine which condition is occurring.

In addition, this example employs a pachinko machine 1 in which game balls B circulate within a circulation path R in the main body frame 4, but in the case of a pachinko machine in which game balls B are supplied from an external source such as an amusement park, the number of game balls B (number of entering balls) that enter the ball entrance (winning entrance, outgoing entrance) from the time the power is turned on at time t2 until the number of game balls B (number of entering balls) that enter the ball entrance (winning entrance, outgoing entrance) reaches 300 at time t3 may be used to calculate the ratio of the number of payouts to the number of entering balls, and may be reflected in the base value.

[About the operation of the ball count memory/display clear switch]
Next, we will explain how the number of balls held is handled by operating the ball count storage/display clear switch 743. First, the door frame 3 is provided with a counting button switch 180 that can be operated by the player. As explained in detail above, by pressing the counting button switch 180 when there are balls held (number of balls held > 0), information regarding the number of balls held can be sent to the game ball lending device 8 for settlement. The number of balls held is stored in RAM built into the frame control board 740.

When checking the operation of the pachinko machine 1, for example, the hall manager deposits game ball B into the winning slot and checks whether the game is proceeding normally. When game ball B is paid out (granted), it is added to the player's ball count. However, since this number of balls is not granted to the player, it is desirable to allow the hall manager to clear the number of balls by a method other than adjusting the number of balls by operating the counting button switch 180. In this regard, in this example, the frame control board 740 is provided with a ball count memory/display clear switch 743 that can be operated by the hall manager. Operating this ball count memory/display clear switch 743 when the power is turned on clears the number of balls stored in the frame control board 740. In other words, by allowing the player to select whether to maintain or clear the number of balls stored in the frame control board 740 by operating the ball count memory/display clear switch 743 when the power is turned on after being turned off, convenience can be improved.

Figure 164 is an enlarged view of the frame control board.

As shown in Figure 164, the frame control board 740 is provided with, from left to right, a RAM clear switch 741 for erasing information stored in RAM (RAM clear), a ball count memory/display clear switch 743 for clearing the number of balls the player has stored in RAM etc. and clearing the display on the ball count display unit 140 on the door frame 3, and a ball removal switch 742 used to remove the enclosed game ball B from the ball removal opening 613p of the circulating ball path unit 600 to the outside (ball receiving tray 720). These switches are provided on the back side of the pachinko machine 1 and can be operated by the hall manager.

The RAM clear switch 741, ball count memory/display clear switch 743, and ball removal switch 742 are located close enough together that multiple switches can be operated with one hand. The power switch 751 is located on the power supply board 750, but this power switch 751 is also located close to the RAM clear switch 741, ball count memory/display clear switch 743, and ball removal switch 742, which are located on the frame control board 740. Therefore, when the power is turned on, it is easy to operate the desired switch among the RAM clear switch 741, ball count memory/display clear switch 743, and ball removal switch 742.

Figure 165 is a table showing the conditions for clearing the number of balls held. In this example, the mode of operation when the power is turned on can be changed by changing the combination of switches that are turned on among the RAM clear switch 741, ball count memory/display clear switch 743, and ball removal switch 742, and the following eight power-on patterns are provided. Of these, if the ball count memory/display clear switch 743 is turned on when the power is turned on, the number of balls held will be cleared.

Here, the frame control board 740 stores the number of balls held in RAM, and maintains (backs up) this number when the power is cut off. Furthermore, if the frame control board 740 detects a RAM error, such as an abnormal value in the RAM, it stores this as error information A in the RAM. If it detects an error other than a RAM error, such as "out of balls fired," "out of balls at the lifting entrance," "lifting ball jam error," "too few game balls," or "too many game balls," it stores this as error information B in the RAM. Of these, error information A is maintained (backed up) when the power is cut off, but error information B is not. Furthermore, when the frame control board 740 detects various errors, it stores error signals related to error information A and error information B in the RAM. Of these, the error signal related to error information A is maintained (backed up) when the power is cut off, but the error signal related to error information B is not maintained (backed up). The error signal stored in the frame control board 740 is output to the game ball lending device 8 via the game ball lending device connection terminal board 765, and is further output via the game ball lending device 8 to an external device such as the game hall's hall computer.

Power-on pattern A occurs when none of the RAM clear switch 741, ball count memory/display clear switch 743, or ball removal switch 742 are turned ON when the power is turned on (when the power switch 751 is operated), and the number of balls stored in the frame control board 740 is maintained. Furthermore, error information A and the error signal related to error information A are maintained, while error information B and the error signal related to error information B are cleared. In other words, when a RAM error is detected, error information A is maintained even after the power is turned off and then on again, so that it is known that the RAM error continues, and an error signal related to error information A is output to an external device. Furthermore, as a notification method for external notification, from the time the power is turned on, the LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards on the game board 5 and door frame 3 are made to emit blue light, a sound is output from the speaker stating, "The number of balls held is being maintained," and an image message stating, "The number of balls held is being maintained," is also displayed on the performance display device 1600. In this way, the LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards on the game board 5 and door frame 3 emit blue light, which corresponds to normal power-on when no switches are turned on.

Power-on pattern B occurs when the RAM clear switch 741, ball count memory/display clear switch 743, and ball removal switch 742 are turned ON when the power is turned on, maintaining the number of balls stored in the frame control board 740. Error information A and the error signal related to error information A are also cleared, and error information B and the error signal related to error information B are also cleared. In other words, even if a RAM error is detected, turning the RAM clear switch 741 ON after turning the power on after a power cut will resolve the RAM error and clear error information A and the error signal related to error information A. Furthermore, as a notification method for external notification, from the time the power is turned on, the LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards on the game board 5 and door frame 3 are made to emit yellow light, a sound is output from the speaker stating "The number of balls held is being maintained," and an image message stating "The number of balls held is being maintained" is also displayed on the performance display device 1600. In this way, the LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards on the game board 5 and door frame 3 emit yellow light, which is the color that corresponds to turning on the RAM clear switch 741.

Power-on pattern C occurs when the ball count memory/display clear switch 743 is turned ON out of the RAM clear switch 741, ball count memory/display clear switch 743, and ball removal switch 742 when the power is turned on, clearing the number of balls stored in the frame control board 740. Furthermore, error information A and the error signal related to error information A are maintained, while error information B and the error signal related to error information B are cleared. In other words, when a RAM error is detected, error information A is maintained even after the power is turned off and then on again, so that it is known that the RAM error continues, and an error signal related to error information A is output to an external device. Furthermore, as a notification method for external notification, from the time the power is turned on, the LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards on the game board 5 and door frame 3 are made to emit red light, a sound saying "The number of balls held has been cleared" is output from the speaker, and a message image saying "The number of balls held has been cleared" is also displayed on the performance display device 1600. In this way, the LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards of the game board 5 and door frame 3 emit red light, which is the color that corresponds to turning on the ball count memory/display clear switch 743. If the power is cut off when the number of balls held is not stored in the frame control board 740, and the ball count memory/display clear switch 743 is turned on the next time the power is turned on, the same processing as when the number of balls held is stored is carried out, thereby avoiding complicating the control.

Power-on pattern D occurs when the RAM clear switch 741 and the ball count memory/display clear switch 743 are turned ON when the power is turned on, clearing the ball count stored in the frame control board 740. Error information A and the error signal related to error information A are also cleared, and error information B and the error signal related to error information B are also cleared. In other words, even if a RAM error is detected, turning the RAM clear switch 741 ON after turning the power on after a power cut resolves the RAM error and clears error information A and the error signal related to error information A. Furthermore, as a notification method for external notification, from the time the power is turned on, the LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards on the game board 5 and door frame 3 alternately flash red and yellow, a sound is output from the speaker stating "Your ball count has been cleared," and an image message stating "Your ball count has been cleared" is also displayed on the performance display device 1600. In this way, by making the LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards on the game board 5 and door frame 3 flash alternately in red and yellow, it is possible to notify the player that the RAM clear switch 741 and ball count memory/display clear switch 743 have been turned ON.

Power-on pattern E occurs when the ball removal switch 742 is turned ON out of the RAM clear switch 741, ball count memory/display clear switch 743, and ball removal switch 742 when the power is turned on, maintaining the number of balls stored in the frame control board 740. Furthermore, error information A and the error signal related to error information A are maintained, while error information B and the error signal related to error information B are cleared. In other words, when a RAM error is detected, error information A is maintained even after the power is turned off and then on again, so that it is known that the RAM error continues, and an error signal related to error information A is output to an external device. Furthermore, as a notification method for external notification, from the time the power is turned on, the LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards on the game board 5 and door frame 3 are made to emit green light, a sound stating "The number of balls held is being maintained" is output from the speaker, and a message image stating "The number of balls held is being maintained" is also displayed on the performance display device 1600. Thus, the LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards of the game board 5 and door frame 3 emit green light, which is the color corresponding to turning on the ball removal switch 742. When the ball removal switch 742 is turned on, the above-described ball removal process is executed, allowing the enclosed game ball B to be removed from the ball removal opening 613p of the circulating ball path unit 600 to the outside (ball receiving tray 720). The ball removal process, which is performed by turning on the ball removal switch 742, is not executed when the number of balls held is stored in the frame control board 740, but is executed only when the number of balls held is not stored in the frame control board 740 (number of balls held: 0). Therefore, the above-described "Number of balls held is maintained" notification essentially indicates that the number of balls held is 0 when the ball removal process is executed, and essentially indicates that the number of balls held is 1 or more when the ball removal process is not executed. In such a case, an external notification may be provided by outputting a voice message from the speaker saying "Ball removal has been disabled," and the performance display device 1600 may also display an image message saying "Ball removal has been disabled."

Power-on pattern F occurs when the ball removal switch 742 and RAM clear switch 741 are turned ON out of the RAM clear switch 741, ball count memory/display clear switch 743, and ball removal switch 742 when the power is turned on. This maintains the number of balls stored in the frame control board 740. Error information A and the error signal related to error information A are also cleared, as are error information B and the error signal related to error information B. In other words, even if a RAM error is detected, turning the RAM clear switch 741 ON after powering on after a power cut clears the RAM error and clears error information A and the error signal related to error information A. Furthermore, as a notification method for external notification, from the time the power is turned on, the LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards on the game board 5 and door frame 3 alternately flash green and yellow, a sound message stating "The number of balls held is being maintained" is output from the speaker, and the effect display device 1600 also displays a message image stating "The number of balls held is being maintained." In this way, the LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards of the game board 5 and door frame 3 flash alternately in green and yellow to indicate that the ball removal switch 742 and RAM clear switch 741 have been turned ON. When the ball removal switch 742 and RAM clear switch 741 are turned ON, RAM clearing is performed, followed by the ball removal process described above, allowing the enclosed game balls B to be removed from the ball removal opening 613p of the circulating ball path unit 600 to the outside (ball receiving tray 720). The ball removal process may be performed simultaneously with RAM clearing. As described above, the ball removal process performed by turning ON the ball removal switch 742 is not performed when the number of balls held is stored in the frame control board 740, but is performed only when the number of balls held is not stored in the frame control board 740 (number of balls held: 0). For this reason, in the case of power-on pattern F, when the number of balls held is stored in the frame control board 740, the ball removal process will not be executed (the ON operation of the ball removal switch 742 will be disabled), and only RAM clearing will be executed by turning the RAM clear switch 741 ON. In such a case, as a notification method to the outside, a sound saying "Ball removal has been disabled" can be output from the speaker, and an image message saying "Ball removal has been disabled" can also be displayed on the performance display device 1600.

Power-on pattern G occurs when the RAM clear switch 741, ball count memory/display clear switch 743, and ball removal switch 742 are turned ON, clearing the ball count stored in the frame control board 740. Furthermore, error information A and the error signal related to error information A are maintained, while error information B and the error signal related to error information B are cleared. In other words, when a RAM error is detected, error information A is maintained even after the power is turned off and then on again, thereby indicating that the RAM error continues, and an error signal related to error information A is output to an external device. Furthermore, as a notification method for external notification, from the time the power is turned on, the LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards on the game board 5 and door frame 3 are made to emit red light, a sound stating "Your ball count has been cleared" is output from the speaker, and a message image stating "Your ball count has been cleared" is also displayed on the performance display device 1600. As such, the LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards of the game board 5 and door frame 3 emit red light, which is the color corresponding to turning on the ball count memory/display clear switch 743. When the ball removal switch 742 and ball count memory/display clear switch 743 are turned on, priority is given to clearing the number of balls held, regardless of whether there are balls in the player's possession, and the ball removal process described above is not performed. In other words, when the ball count memory/display clear switch 743 is turned on, the ball removal switch 742 is disabled, and the LEDs do not emit green light, which is the color corresponding to turning on the ball removal switch 742. In such a case, as a notification to the outside, a sound saying "Ball removal has been disabled" can be output from the speaker, and an image message saying "Ball removal has been disabled" can also be displayed on the performance display device 1600.

Power-on pattern H occurs when the RAM clear switch 741, ball count memory/display clear switch 743, and ball removal switch 742 are all turned ON when the power is turned on, clearing the ball count stored in the frame control board 740. Error information A and the error signal related to error information A are also cleared, and error information B and the error signal related to error information B are also cleared. In other words, even if a RAM error is detected, turning the RAM clear switch 741 ON after turning the power on after a power cut will resolve the RAM error and clear error information A and the error signal related to error information A. Furthermore, as a notification method for external notification, from the time the power is turned on, the LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards on the game board 5 and door frame 3 will alternately flash red and yellow, a sound will be output from the speaker stating "Your ball count has been cleared," and an image message stating "Your ball count has been cleared" will also be displayed on the performance display device 1600. In this way, the LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards of the game board 5 and door frame 3 can be made to flash alternately red and yellow to indicate that the RAM clear switch 741 and ball count memory/display clear switch 743 have been turned ON. When the ball removal switch 742 and ball count memory/display clear switch 743 are turned ON, priority is given to clearing the number of balls held, regardless of whether or not there are balls in the player's possession, and the ball removal process described above is not performed. In other words, when the ball count memory/display clear switch 743 is turned ON, the ON operation of the ball removal switch 742 is disabled, and the green light corresponding to the ON operation of the ball removal switch 742 is not emitted. In such a case, a sound message stating "Ball removal has been disabled" can be output from the speaker, and an image message stating "Ball removal has been disabled" can also be displayed on the performance display device 1600.

For the above-mentioned power-on patterns G and H, the ball removal switch 742 and ball count memory/display clear switch 743 are turned ON, but regardless of whether there are balls in the player's possession, priority is given to clearing the number of balls in the player's possession, and the ball removal process described above is not performed. This is because if the ball removal process is performed and the enclosed game ball B is removed from the ball removal port 613p of the circulating ball path unit 600 to the outside (ball receiving tray 720), the game ball B cannot be launched and played, even if there are balls in the player's possession, so priority is given to clearing the number of balls in the player's possession.

In the above example, when the ball removal switch 742 and ball count memory/display clear switch 743 are turned ON, priority is given to clearing the number of balls held, regardless of whether there are balls in the player's possession or not, and the ball removal process described above is not performed. However, the ball removal process may be performed. Such alternative examples are described below as power-on patterns G' and H'.

Power-on pattern G' occurs when the RAM clear switch 741, ball count memory/display clear switch 743, and ball removal switch 742 are turned ON at power-on, clearing the ball count stored in the frame control board 740. Furthermore, error information A and the error signal related to error information A are maintained, while error information B and the error signal related to error information B are cleared. In other words, when a RAM error is detected, error information A is maintained even after the power is turned off and then on again, thereby indicating that the RAM error continues, and an error signal related to error information A is output to an external device. Furthermore, as a notification method for external notification, from power-on, the LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards on the game board 5 and door frame 3 alternately flash green and red, a sound stating "Your ball count has been cleared" is output from the speaker, and the message image stating "Your ball count has been cleared" is also displayed on the performance display device 1600. In this way, the LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards of the game board 5 and door frame 3 flash alternately in green and red to indicate that the ball removal switch 742 and ball count memory/display clear switch 743 have been turned ON. When the ball removal switch 742 and ball count memory/display clear switch 743 are turned ON, the number of balls held is cleared, regardless of whether there are balls in the player's possession, and then the ball removal process described above is executed, allowing the enclosed game ball B to be removed from the ball removal port 613p of the circulating ball path unit 600 to the outside (ball receiving tray 720).

Power-on pattern H' occurs when the RAM clear switch 741, ball count memory/display clear switch 743, and ball removal switch 742 are all turned ON when the power is turned on, clearing the ball count stored in the frame control board 740. Error information A and the error signal related to error information A are also cleared, as are error information B and the error signal related to error information B. In other words, even if a RAM error is detected, turning the RAM clear switch 741 ON after turning the power on after a power cut resolves the RAM error and clears error information A and the error signal related to error information A. Furthermore, as a notification method for external notification, from the time the power is turned on, the LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards on the game board 5 and door frame 3 alternately flash red, green, and yellow, a sound stating "Your ball count has been cleared" is output from the speaker, and an image message stating "Your ball count has been cleared" is also displayed on the performance display device 1600. In this way, by alternately flashing red and yellow LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards of the game board 5 and door frame 3, it is possible to notify that the RAM clear switch 741, ball count memory/display clear switch 743, and ball removal switch 742 have all been turned ON. When the ball removal switch 742 and ball count memory/display clear switch 743 are turned ON, the number of balls held is cleared, regardless of whether there are balls in the player's possession, and then the ball removal process described above is executed, allowing the enclosed game ball B to be removed from the ball removal port 613p of the circulating ball path unit 600 to the outside (ball receiving tray 720).

For the above-mentioned power-on patterns G' and H', when the ball removal switch 742 and ball count memory/display clear switch 743 are turned ON, the number of balls held is cleared, regardless of whether there are balls in the player's possession, and then the ball removal process described above is carried out. As a result, when the ball removal process is carried out and the enclosed game ball B is removed from the ball removal port 613p of the circulating ball path unit 600 to the outside (ball receiving tray 720), there are no balls in the player's possession, making it impossible to forcibly release game ball B.

[Operation of the counting button switch]
Next, we will explain how to calculate the number of balls held by operating the counting button switch 180. First, the door frame 3 is provided with a counting button switch 180 that can be operated by the player. Then, by pressing the counting button switch 180 when there are balls held (number of balls held > 0), information regarding the number of balls held can be sent to the game ball lending device 8 and the calculation can be made. The number of balls held is stored in RAM built into the frame control board 740.

In this example, the pachinko machine 1 detects the player's contact with the handle 160 via the handle touch sensor 162. When the handle 160 is rotated while the handle touch sensor 162 detects the player's contact, the handle rotation sensor 163 receives a signal, controlling the drive of the launch solenoid 553 with a strength corresponding to the angle of rotation of the handle 160, allowing the game ball B to be shot in. When the game ball B is launched from the ball launch pad 552b, the launch subtraction sensor 554 detects that the game ball B has been launched from the ball launch pad 552b, and subtracts one ball from the player's total number of balls. However, if the counting button switch 180 is operated and all balls held are calculated between the time the drive of the launch solenoid 553 is controlled and the time the launch subtraction sensor 554 detects that game ball B has been launched from the ball launch pad 552b, the number of balls held will become zero, and at the time the launch subtraction sensor 554 detects this, the number of balls held cannot be subtracted by one, resulting in a malfunction.

In addition, game ball B that is launched from ball launching unit 550 (ball launch pad 552b) but does not land in game area 5a on game board 5 is collected by foul unit 570 as a foul ball and then detected by foul ball sensor 607, and the player's number of balls is increased by one. However, if counting button switch 180 is operated and all balls are settled between the time game ball B is launched from ball launch pad 552b and the time it is detected as a foul ball by foul ball sensor 607, the number of balls will be reduced to one after settlement, making the player's settlement operation cumbersome. In this example, the counting prohibition state prohibits the adjustment of the number of balls held, not only while the handle touch sensor 162 detects contact with the handle 160, but also during the period from when contact with the handle 160 is no longer detected until a predetermined time (e.g., 1200 ms) has elapsed, and also during the period from when the launch subtraction sensor 554 detects that game ball B has been launched from the ball launch pad 552b until a predetermined time (e.g., 1200 ms) has elapsed. After the counting prohibition state is released, the counting prohibition state is restored, allowing the number of balls held to be adjusted. As a result, the counting prohibition state is maintained from the time when the drive of the launch solenoid 553 is controlled until the launch subtraction sensor 554 detects that game ball B has been launched from the ball launch pad 552b. Therefore, even if the counting button switch 180 is operated, the number of balls held will not be adjusted, preventing problems with the counting of the number of balls held. Additionally, in this example, the predetermined time (1200 ms) is set to be longer than the "longest time from ball launch pad 552b to detection by foul ball sensor 607" when a foul ball occurs after game ball B is launched from ball launch pad 552b. Therefore, even if a foul ball occurs after game ball B is launched from ball launch pad 552b, the counting is prohibited at the time the foul ball occurs, so even if count button switch 180 is operated, the number of balls held will not be calculated, and it is possible to prevent the number of balls held from increasing by one after the calculation of the number of balls held. This improves the reliability of the calculation of the number of balls held.

Figure 166 is a time chart showing the conditions for the occurrence of a counting permission state in which the number of balls held can be settled. First, with reference to Figure 166 (A), we will explain the case where the conditions for the occurrence of a counting permission state are met when the launch subtraction sensor 554 detects that game ball B has been launched from the ball launch pad 552b, the handle touch sensor 162 no longer detects contact with the handle 160, and a predetermined time (e.g., 1200 ms) has then passed.

First, the handle touch sensor 162 turns ON when it detects the player's contact (touch) with the handle 160. Then, when the handle 160 is rotated while the handle touch sensor 162 detects the player's contact, the detection is accepted by the handle rotation sensor 163, and the launch solenoid 553 turns ON at timing t1 so that the game ball B is shot with a strength corresponding to the rotation angle of the handle 160. Then, when the launch solenoid 553 turns ON at timing t1, the game ball B is launched from the ball launch pad 552b, and when the launch subtraction sensor 554 detects that the game ball B has been launched from the ball launch pad 552b, the launch subtraction sensor 554 turns OFF at timing t2. At timing t2 when this launch subtraction sensor 554 turns OFF, the number of balls the player has is subtracted by one. Then, when the launch subtraction sensor 554 turns OFF at timing t2, game ball B is supplied to the ball launch pad 552b, and the launch subtraction sensor 554 turns ON again.

Here, the frame control board 740 controls the counting state to a counting-prohibited state, which prohibits the settlement of the number of balls held, while the handle touch sensor 162 is ON, and until 1200 ms have passed since the handle touch sensor 162 turned OFF and remains OFF. On the other hand, once 1200 ms have passed since the handle touch sensor 162 turned OFF, the frame control board 740 controls the counting state to a counting-permitted state, which allows the settlement of the number of balls held. In other words, if the handle touch sensor 162 turns ON less than 1200 ms after turning OFF, the counting-prohibited state will continue. However, in order to start the counting-permitted state, the condition is that the launch subtraction sensor 554 does not change from ON to OFF (the launch subtraction sensor 554 does not detect that game ball B has been launched from the ball launch pad 552b) until 1200 ms have passed since the handle touch sensor 162 turned OFF and remains OFF.

Furthermore, the frame control board 740 controls the counting state to a counting prohibited state, which prohibits the adjustment of the number of balls held, until 1200 ms have elapsed since the firing subtraction sensor 554 turned OFF. On the other hand, once 1200 ms have elapsed since the firing subtraction sensor 554 turned OFF, the frame control board 740 controls the counting state to a counting permitted state, which allows the adjustment of the number of balls held. In other words, if the firing subtraction sensor 554 changes from ON to OFF again less than 1200 ms after turning OFF, the counting prohibited state will continue. However, in order to start the counting permitted state, the handle touch sensor 162 must not turn ON (do not detect contact with the handle 160) until 1200 ms have elapsed since the firing subtraction sensor 554 turned OFF.

Furthermore, if the handle 160 continues to be turned while the handle touch sensor 162 detects contact by the player, game ball B will be launched at 600 ms intervals. In contrast, in this example, the counting is prohibited during the period from when the handle touch sensor 162 turns OFF until 1200 ms has elapsed while it remains OFF, and from when the launch subtraction sensor 554 turns OFF until 1200 ms has elapsed. This 1200 ms period is set to be longer than the 600 ms between launches of game ball B. In other words, during the period from when the handle touch sensor 162 turns OFF until 1200 ms has elapsed while it remains OFF, and from when the launch subtraction sensor 554 turns OFF until 1200 ms has elapsed, the system monitors whether the launch of game ball B has completely stopped, and waits until it is determined that the launch of game ball B has completely stopped before transitioning to the counting permitted state.

When launch solenoid 553 turns ON at timing t3, game ball B is launched from ball launch pad 552b, but when launch subtraction sensor 554 detects that game ball B has been launched from ball launch pad 552b, launch subtraction sensor 554 turns OFF at timing t4. At timing t4, when this launch subtraction sensor 554 turns OFF, one ball is subtracted from the player's possession. When launch subtraction sensor 554 turns OFF at timing t4, game ball B is supplied to ball launch pad 552b, and launch subtraction sensor 554 turns ON again, but after launch subtraction sensor 554 turns OFF at timing t4, contact with handle 160 is stopped, and handle touch sensor 162 turns OFF at timing t5. Then, after the handle touch sensor 162 turns OFF at timing t5 and remains OFF for 1200 ms, the count permission flag is turned ON at timing t6, and the count permission state is established, allowing the number of balls held to be calculated. However, after the handle touch sensor 162 turns OFF at timing t5, the launch subtraction sensor 554 does not change from ON to OFF (the launch subtraction sensor 554 does not detect that game ball B has been launched from the ball launch pad 552b).

Then, when the handle touch sensor 162 is turned ON upon detecting contact with the handle 160 in the counting permitted state, the counting permitted flag is turned OFF, and the counting prohibited state is resumed.

In the above example, the counting is prohibited from the time when the drive of the launch solenoid 553 is controlled until the launch subtraction sensor 554 detects that game ball B has been launched from ball launch pad 552b. Therefore, even if the counting button switch 180 is operated, the number of balls held will not be calculated, preventing problems with the counting of the number of balls held. In addition, in this example, the above-mentioned predetermined time is set to 1200 ms so that it is longer than the "longest time from ball launch pad 552b to detection by foul ball sensor 607" when a foul ball occurs after game ball B is launched from ball launch pad 552b. Therefore, even if a foul ball occurs after game ball B is launched from ball launch pad 552b, the counting is prohibited at the time the foul ball occurs. Therefore, even if the counting button switch 180 is operated, the number of balls held will not be calculated, preventing the number of balls held from increasing by one after the calculation.

As mentioned above, the handle 160 is provided with a firing stop switch 161 that stops the operation of the firing solenoid 553 when pressed by the player. In this example, even if the firing stop switch 161 is operated while the handle touch sensor 162 detects contact by the player, the ON detection of the handle touch sensor 162 continues, and the period is treated as the period when the handle touch sensor 162 is ON. This allows the count prohibition state to be established, including the period when the firing stop switch 161 is operated during a series of firing operations, achieving the same effect as described above. Furthermore, if the firing stop switch 161 is operated alone when the handle touch sensor 162 does not detect contact by the player, it is assumed that the player has no intention of firing (the firing stop switch 161 was touched unintentionally), and the period is treated as the period when the handle touch sensor 162 is OFF. This allows the count permitting state to be established, including the period when only the firing stop switch 161 is operated without a series of firing operations, achieving the same effect as described above. As another example, if the firing stop switch 161 is operated while the handle touch sensor 162 detects contact by the player, the handle touch sensor 162 may be turned from ON to OFF, and this may be treated as a period in which the handle touch sensor 162 is OFF. This allows the player to transition to the counting permitted state described above even if they wish to temporarily settle the number of balls they have while continuing to operate the handle 160 (without changing the amount of rotation of the handle 160), thereby improving convenience to meet the needs of the player.

In this example, the counting prohibition state prohibits the adjustment of the number of balls held while the handle touch sensor 162 is ON and while the handle touch sensor 162 remains OFF for 1200 ms after it turns OFF. However, instead of the handle touch sensor 162, the counting prohibition state may be controlled while the handle rotation sensor 163, which detects the rotation of the handle 160, is ON and while the handle rotation sensor 163 remains OFF for 1200 ms after it turns OFF. In such cases, the same effect can be achieved.

Next, with reference to Figure 166 (B), we will explain a case where the handle touch sensor 162 does not detect contact with the handle 160 before the launch subtraction sensor 554 detects that game ball B has been launched from the ball launch pad 552b, and the condition for generating the counting permission state is met when a predetermined time (e.g., 1200 ms) has passed after detection by the launch subtraction sensor 554.

First, the handle touch sensor 162 turns ON when it detects the player's contact with the handle 160. Then, when the handle 160 is rotated while the handle touch sensor 162 detects the player's contact, the handle rotation sensor 163 detects this, and the launch solenoid 553 turns ON at timing t1 so that game ball B is shot with a strength corresponding to the angle of rotation of the handle 160. Then, when the launch solenoid 553 turns ON at timing t1, game ball B is launched from ball launch pad 552b. When the launch subtraction sensor 554 detects that game ball B has been launched from ball launch pad 552b, the launch subtraction sensor 554 turns OFF at timing t3. At timing t3 when this launch subtraction sensor 554 turns OFF, the number of balls the player has is subtracted by one.

Then, by ceasing contact with the handle 160 between the time the firing solenoid 553 turns ON at timing t1 and the time the firing subtraction sensor 554 turns OFF at timing t3, the handle touch sensor 162 turns OFF at timing t2. Then, after the firing subtraction sensor 554 turns OFF at timing t3, if 1200 ms pass without the firing subtraction sensor 554 switching from ON to OFF again, the count permission flag is turned ON at timing t4, and the balls held are controlled to a count permission state in which they can be calculated. However, after the firing subtraction sensor 554 turns OFF at timing t3, the handle touch sensor 162 is not turned ON (it does not detect contact with the handle 160).

Note that after the firing subtraction sensor 554 turns OFF at timing t3, the handle touch sensor 162 is not turned ON. However, if the handle touch sensor 162 turns ON before 1200 ms have elapsed at timing t4, counting of the 1200 ms is terminated. In this case, control is not performed to the counting enabled state at timing t4. However, if contact with the handle 160 lasts less than 4 ms and the handle touch sensor 162 is ON for less than 4 ms, counting of 1200 ms continues, and control is performed to the counting enabled state at timing t4. Furthermore, even if the handle touch sensor 162 turns ON upon detecting contact with the handle 160 in the counting enabled state, if the handle touch sensor 162 is ON for less than 4 ms, the counting enabled flag remains ON, and the counting enabled state continues. In this way, short-term contact with the handle 160 may indicate that the player has unintentionally contacted the handle 160, and such short-term contact is excluded.

In this example, the counting prohibition state is set to prohibit the settlement of the number of balls held from the time the launch subtraction sensor 554 turns OFF until 1200 ms has elapsed. However, it is also possible to supply game ball B to the ball launch pad 552b after the launch subtraction sensor 554 turns OFF, and then control the counting prohibition state to the time 1200 ms has elapsed since the launch subtraction sensor 554 turns ON again. In such a case, the same effect can be achieved.

Next, regarding the number of balls in possession, when counting is permitted and there are balls in possession (number of balls in possession > 0), by pressing the counting button switch 180, information regarding the number of balls in possession can be sent to the game ball lending device 8 and settled. At this time, the number of balls settled varies depending on whether the counting button switch 180 is pressed shortly or long. Specifically, if the counting button switch 180 is pressed for less than 500 ms, it is determined to be a short press, and control is exercised to settle one of the balls in possession. On the other hand, if the counting button switch 180 is pressed for 500 ms or more, it is determined to be a long press, and control is exercised to settle 250 of the balls in possession. However, if the counting button switch 180 is pressed for 500 ms or more when there are fewer than 250 balls in possession, control is exercised to settle all of the balls in possession. This allows settlement of the number of balls in possession to be completed as quickly as possible, improving convenience.

Figure 167 is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when the counting button switch is operated. First, we will explain what happens when the counting button switch 180 is pressed briefly, with reference to Figure 167 (A).

First, when the counting button switch 180 is operated in the counting permitted state, the counting button switch 180 turns ON. If the counting button switch 180 is pressed for less than 500 ms, it is determined to be a short press, and after the counting button switch 180 stops being pressed, one of the owned balls is settled. Furthermore, from the time the counting button switch 180 starts to be pressed until the settlement of one owned ball is completed, the launch of game ball B by operating the handle 160 is disabled. In this way, by disabling the launch of game ball B while the owned balls are being settled, the launch subtraction sensor 554 does not detect that game ball B has been launched from the ball launch pad 552b and therefore does not subtract from the owned balls, preventing problems with the count of the owned balls.

Furthermore, if the counting button switch 180 is pressed twice in succession for less than 500 ms, the system is controlled so that two of the player's balls are settled after the first press is stopped. In this case, the second press occurs after the first press is stopped and before the settlement of one of the player's balls is completed, and the settlement of the second ball is carried out continuing from the settlement of the first ball. Furthermore, from the time the counting button switch 180 is pressed for the first time until the settlement of two of the player's balls is completed, the launch of game ball B by operating the handle 160 is disabled.

Next, we will explain what happens when the counting button switch 180 is pressed and held down, with reference to Figure 167 (B).

First, when the counting button switch 180 is operated in the counting permitted state, the counting button switch 180 turns ON. If the counting button switch 180 is pressed for 500 ms or more, it is determined to have been pressed for a long time at 500 ms, and 250 of the owned balls are calculated at that point. Furthermore, from the time the counting button switch 180 is pressed until the calculation of the 250 owned balls is completed, the launch of game ball B by operating the handle 160 is disabled. By disabling the launch of game ball B while the owned balls are being calculated, the launch subtraction sensor 554 does not detect that game ball B has been launched from the ball launch pad 552b and therefore does not subtract from the owned balls, preventing problems with the count of the owned balls.

Furthermore, if the counting button switch 180 is pressed for 500 ms or more, it is determined to be a long press at 500 ms, and 250 of the balls held at that time are settled. After that, every 300 ms of continuous pressing is determined to be a long press, and settlement of 250 balls is continued from the initial 250 balls. In this way, by determining whether a long press has occurred from the second time onwards, which is 300 ms, shorter than the first long press, settlement can be made so that the number of balls held approaches zero in a short period of time. Furthermore, from the time the counting button switch 180 is first pressed until settlement of 250 of the balls held is completed for each long press, the launch of game balls B by operating the handle 160 is disabled.

In this example, game ball B cannot be launched by operating the handle 160 from the time the counting button switch 180 is pressed until the calculation of the number of balls held corresponding to the time the counting button switch 180 is pressed is completed. However, game ball B can also be launched by operating the handle 160 only from the time the calculation of the number of balls held corresponding to the time the counting button switch 180 is pressed until the calculation is completed. In such a case, the same effect can be achieved.

If the counting button switch 180 is pressed for less than 500 ms, it is determined to be a short press, and after the counting button switch 180 is stopped being pressed, a beep is output from the speaker. If the counting button switch 180 is pressed for 500 ms or more, it is determined to be a long press at 500 ms, and the speaker outputs a sound saying, "Reserved balls are being settled." If the button continues to be pressed after being determined to be a long press at 500 ms, the speaker repeats the sound, "Reserved balls are being settled," until the settlement of the retained balls is complete. In this way, by outputting different sounds from the speaker depending on whether the counting button switch 180 is pressed for a short press or a long press, it is possible to clearly determine whether 1 or 250 retained balls will be settled.

In addition, as will be described in more detail below, in this example, even when the game board 5 is detached from the main frame 4, it is possible to settle the number of balls held by operating the counting button switch 180. On the other hand, the sound output when the above-mentioned counting button switch 180 is pressed briefly or for a long time is controlled by the peripheral control board 1510 based on the transmission of operation information from the frame control board 740 to the peripheral control board 1510. For this reason, when the game board 5 is detached from the main frame 4, the peripheral control board 1510 is in an inoperative state, and it is therefore impossible to output sound when the counting button switch 180 is pressed briefly or for a long time. Therefore, in this example, when the counting button switch 180 is pressed briefly or for a long time, a notification is also made on the frame control board 740 in addition to a notification on the peripheral control board 1510.

In other words, the counting button switch 180 in this example has a built-in LED, and the frame control board 740 controls the illumination of the LED of the counting button switch 180. The color of the light emitted by the counting button switch 180 indicates whether the ball count can be settled and the settlement status. Specifically, the counting button switch 180 illuminates blue when the ball count is zero, illuminates red when the counting button switch 180 is turned ON while there are balls in the player's possession (number of balls > 0), and illuminates green when the counting button switch 180 has not been turned ON while there are balls in the player's possession (number of balls > 0). This allows you to intuitively know whether there are balls available for settlement or whether the ball count is currently being settled. Furthermore, if the count button switch 180 is not turned on while there are balls in hand (number of balls in hand > 0), a short press of the count button switch 180 causes a single green light to be emitted (e.g., a light-emitting pattern in which the light turns on and off for one second), whereas a long press of the count button switch 180 causes multiple green light emissions (e.g., a light-emitting pattern in which the light turns on and off for one second repeatedly). Therefore, even if the game board 5 is removed from the main frame 4, it is possible to clearly determine from the count button switch 180 whether one ball or 250 balls will be settled using the count button switch 180 itself. As explained in detail above, even if the count button switch 180 is turned on during the counting prohibited state, the number of balls in hand will not be settled. However, even in such a case, the count button switch 180 is determined to have been turned on, and the count button switch 180 is caused to illuminate red.

The light emitted by the counting button switch 180 is designed so that the color of the light is reflected by the surrounding components. Specifically, the wall behind the counting button switch 180 is made white so that the color of the light is reflected. This allows the hall manager to check the color of the light emitted by the counting button switch 180 even from a distance, and to monitor whether or not there is any fraudulent activity regarding the settlement of balls. In this example, an LED is built into the counting button switch 180, but an LED can also be installed near the counting button switch 180, and the color of the light emitted by that LED can indicate whether or not the number of balls can be settled.

The door frame 3 is also provided with a ball count display unit 140 that displays the number of balls the player has. When the player presses the count button switch 180 to calculate the number of balls they have, the number of balls displayed on the ball count display unit 140 is subtracted and displayed. The ball count display unit 140 is made up of a 6-digit 7-segment LED. In other words, the ball count display unit 140 is capable of displaying up to 6 digits of balls as the number of balls they have.

Furthermore, if the ball removal switch 742 is turned ON when the power is turned on, the ball removal process described above is executed, allowing the enclosed game ball B to be removed from the ball removal port 613p of the circulating ball path unit 600 to the outside (ball receiving tray 720). However, during this ball removal process, the number of balls held is not displayed on the ball count display unit 140, and a special display of "-" is displayed. Note that while the release of game balls B is not stopped during the ball removal process, game play is stopped, and even if a start win occurs, no game balls are paid out, and no lottery or variable display for special symbols is performed, making it impossible to play normal games. Furthermore, the ball removal process is started on the condition that the number of balls held is zero when the ball removal switch 742 is turned ON to turn on the power. Therefore, during the ball removal process, there are no adverse effects caused by the number of balls held being zero and not displaying the number of balls held on the ball count display unit 140.

Furthermore, if an error occurs, the ball count display unit 140 continues to display the number of balls in possession and does not display an error. This allows the player to check the number of balls in possession even while an error is occurring. However, if an error that stops play occurs, the ball count display unit 140 may not display the number of balls in possession and may instead display an error. When such an error occurs, not only does play stop, but the ON operation of the counting button switch 180 is invalidated, making it impossible to settle the number of balls in possession. In other words, if an error that stops play occurs, because the ON operation of the counting button switch 180 is invalid, there is no need to check the number of balls in possession, and no adverse effects arise from not displaying the number of balls in possession on the ball count display unit 140.

Specifically, if fraudulent activity is detected by a magnetic sensor, radio wave sensor, vibration sensor, etc., or if a RAM error such as the RAM containing an abnormal value is detected, it is determined that an error has occurred that halts play, and the ball count display unit 140 displays an error and disables the ON operation of the counting button switch 180. However, if fraudulent activity is detected, the ball count display unit 140 does not display an error and the counting button switch 180 is enabled to be turned ON, whereas if a RAM error is detected, the ball count display unit 140 displays an error and disables the ON operation of the counting button switch 180. In this way, when the ball count display unit 140 displays an error, it is possible to know that a RAM error has been detected. Furthermore, if a RAM error is detected, the ball count display unit 140 does not display an error and the ON operation of the count button switch 180 is enabled, whereas if fraudulent activity is detected, the ball count display unit 140 may display an error and the ON operation of the count button switch 180 may be disabled. This makes it possible to prevent the settlement of balls that may have been awarded as a result of fraudulent activity when fraudulent activity is detected.

In addition, when the counting button switch 180 is turned ON, the frame control board 740 sends information regarding the number of balls held to the game ball lending device 8 for settlement. However, if the connection with the game ball lending device 8 is not established, the ON operation of the counting button switch 180 is disabled. If such a disconnection error with the game ball lending device 8 occurs, error information is sent from the frame control board 740 to the main control board 1310, and game play is stopped. In addition, the frame control board 740 disables the ON operation of the counting button switch 180 if the connection with the main control board 1310 is not established. If such a disconnection error with the main control board 1310 occurs, game play is stopped and an error display is displayed on the base monitor. In addition, the base monitor is composed of four 7-segment LEDs, and if a disconnection error with the main control board 1310 occurs, the displayed base value is switched to an error display. The number of 7-segment LEDs on the base monitor may be increased so that, in the event of a disconnection error with the main control board 1310, the currently displayed base value and an error message can be displayed simultaneously. For example, if the number of 7-segment LEDs on the base monitor is increased, it is possible to use the same number of 6-digit 7-segment LEDs as the ball count display unit 140. This would allow the frame control board 740 to display the same information on the base monitor and the ball count display unit 140 (for example, the number of balls held, an error message, or a message indicating the ball removal process), making it possible to check the same information from both the front and back of the pachinko machine 1, and allowing it to be used as a replacement in the event of a malfunction on either unit.

[About the operation of the bulb removal switch]
Next, we will explain the ejection of game balls B to the outside by operating the ball ejection switch 742. First, the ball ejection switch 742 is provided on the frame control board 740. When the ball ejection switch 742 is turned ON upon power-on, the ball ejection process described above is executed. The ball ejection process is initiated only if the player has zero balls when the ball ejection switch 742 is turned ON to turn on the power. During this ball ejection process, game balls B enclosed within the circulation path R of the main frame 4 can be ejected to the outside (ball receiving tray 720) through the ball ejection opening 613p of the circulation ball path unit 600. Furthermore, during the ball ejection process, although the launch of game balls B is not stopped, game play is stopped. For example, even if a start win occurs, game balls are not paid out, and no lottery or variable display related to special symbols is performed, making it impossible to play normal games.

Specifically, during the ball removal process, the system is controlled to a special mode that allows game ball B to be launched even when the number of balls held is zero. In this special mode, game ball B can be launched from ball launch pad 552b, and because door frame 3 is open and foul shutter 571 is in the closed position, game ball B launched from ball launch pad 552b is sent to circulating ball path unit 600 as a foul ball without being shot out from foul unit 570. This makes it possible to have no game ball B on ball launch pad 552b even when the number of balls held is zero. Furthermore, although game ball B can be launched during the ball removal process, because play is stopped, the hall manager's ball removal work is not hindered during the ball removal process, improving convenience.

Figure 168 is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when it transitions to the ball removal state when the power is turned on. Here, we explain the case where the power is turned off at timing t1, and then the ball removal switch 742 is turned ON when the power is turned on at timing t2 without turning ON the RAM clear switch 743, thereby transitioning to the ball removal state.

The frame control board 740 is also capable of detecting circulation system errors and errors other than those related to circulation. Circulation system errors include error A, which includes lifting-related errors such as "lifted ball jam error" and door opening errors, and error B, which includes errors related to the amount of balls inserted, such as "out of balls at the lifting entrance," "out of balls fired," "too few game balls," and "too many game balls." Furthermore, non-circulation errors include error C, which includes communication errors with the main control board 1310.

As shown in Figure 168, before the power is shut off at timing t1, there is a period during which game play (main game) can proceed on the main control board 1310 side. In other words, under normal conditions, when a starting win occurs, the variable display of special symbols can begin, and when the variable display of special symbols stops and displays a winning symbol, the jackpot game can begin, allowing for normal gameplay.

In addition, the detection sensors corresponding to the various winning slots are enabled, making it possible to start the display of changing special patterns and pay out (award) prize balls when a ball enters the slot.

Furthermore, before timing t1, the frame control board 740 is capable of determining whether circulation system errors A and B, or non-circulation error C, have been detected. If it is determined that circulation system errors A and B, or non-circulation error C, have been detected, an abnormality alert is issued using the performance display device 1600, lamps A and B, speaker, etc. Of these, if it is determined that circulation system error A has been detected, information related to circulation system error A is cleared when power is cut off at timing t1 or when power is turned on at timing t2, which will be described later. On the other hand, if it is determined that circulation system error B or non-circulation error C has been detected, the determination result is stored in the RAM of the frame control board 740, and is retained without being cleared even after power is cut off at timing t1. However, when power is turned on at timing t2, which will be described later, the decision as to whether to retain or clear the information is made depending on whether the RAM clear switch 743 has been operated.

Furthermore, the effect display device 1600, Lamp A (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the frame decoration members), Lamp B (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the game board 5), Lamp C (LEDs mounted on the light-emitting board of the function display unit 1400), speaker, and movable body are configured to perform their normal operations before timing t1. Note that Lamp C is controlled by the main control board 1310, while the other components are controlled by the peripheral control board 1510. Here, for Lamp C, multiple LEDs on the function display unit 1400 light up or flash as the game progresses. On the other hand, for the components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510, when the special symbol variable display is not being executed, they are configured to perform an operation corresponding to a standby effect (e.g., a demo effect) while waiting for the special symbol variable display to begin. When the special symbol variable display is being executed, they are configured to perform an operation corresponding to a variable effect (an effect based on a variable pattern) based on the variable pattern command received by the peripheral control board 1510. For example, when the peripheral control board 1510 receives a variation pattern command, the performance display device 1600 executes a performance display (for example, a reach performance) that includes a variation display of the decorative pattern, the LEDs of lamps A and B light up or blink in conjunction with the performance display executed by the performance display device 1600, the speaker outputs sound in conjunction with the performance display executed by the performance display device 1600, and the movable body performs a predetermined operation in conjunction with the performance display executed by the performance display device 1600.

The external terminal board can also output predetermined signals to the hall computer, and by receiving these signals the hall computer can understand the behavior of the pachinko machine 1 on the hall side. For example, signals are output when a starting win occurs, when the special symbol variable display stops at a winning symbol and a jackpot game is being played, or when an abnormality is detected.

In addition, before timing t1, when the player operates the handle 195, it is possible to launch a game ball into the game area 5a.

The base monitor also counts the number of game balls B that enter the ball entrances (winning entrances, outgoing entrances) (number of entering balls) and the number of game balls B that are paid out as prize balls (number of paid out), calculates the ratio of the number of paid out balls to the number of entering balls, and displays the calculation result as a base value; however, such calculations can be performed before timing t1. This base value is retained without being cleared even after the power is turned off at timing t1, and is retained without being cleared even when the power is turned on at timing t2, which will be described later.

Also, before timing t1, the frame control board 740 makes it possible to pay out a predetermined number of game balls as prize balls when it detects a ball entering the winning slot, and to add the number of game balls paid out as prize balls to the player's number of balls in hand or number of balls in hand X. These number of balls in hand and number of balls in hand X are retained without being cleared even after the power is turned off at timing t1, and are retained without being cleared even when the power is turned on at timing t2, which will be described later. Also, before timing t1, the frame control board 740 makes it possible to settle the number of balls in hand by operating the counting button switch 180.

Next, after the power is cut off at timing t1, the ball removal switch 742 is turned ON when the power is turned on at timing t2, turning the ball removal flag ON and transitioning to the ball removal state. Here, at timing t2 when the ball removal switch 742 is turned ON and the power is turned on, a determination is made as to whether the number of balls held is zero, and only if the number of balls held is zero does the game transition to the ball removal state. Then, in the ball removal state, the ball removal process described above is executed, making it possible to remove the game ball B sealed within the circulation path R of the main body frame 4 from the ball removal port 613p of the circulation ball path unit 600 to the outside (ball receiving tray 720). Also, at timing t2, the RAM clear switch 743 is not turned ON, and the RAM clear flag is OFF.

First, after transitioning to the ball removal state at timing t2, a play restriction period is entered during which game ball B can be released, but game (main game) cannot proceed on the main control board 1310 side. In other words, after power is cut off at timing t1, the special symbol variable display and jackpot game will not be executed, and even if a start win occurs, the special symbol variable display will not be newly initiated.

In addition, the detection sensors corresponding to the various winning slots are disabled, making it impossible to start the variable display of special symbols or pay out (award) prize balls when a ball enters. As a result, when the ball is removed, game play is stopped, and even if there is an initial winning, no game balls are paid out, and no lottery or variable display for special symbols is held, making it impossible to play as normal, and preventing the number of balls held from increasing or decreasing.

Furthermore, after transitioning to the ball removal state at timing t2, the frame control board 740 is able to determine whether or not it has detected circulation system error A, among the determinations of whether or not it has detected circulation system errors A and B, and non-circulation error C. On the other hand, it is unable to determine whether or not it has detected circulation system error B and non-circulation error C. Here, for circulation system error A, lift-related errors such as a "lifted ball jam error" cause the lift motor 664 to operate when a ball removal state occurs. However, if the lift motor 664 continues to operate while an abnormality related to the operation of the lift motor 664 remains, there is a possibility that the lift motor 664 and other components may be damaged. By making such a determination possible, damage to the lift motor 664 and other components can be prevented. Furthermore, for circulation system error A, door open errors, there is a possibility that the door frame 3 may be opened when a ball removal occurs, allowing fraud to be committed against the game board 5 and other components. By making such a determination possible, fraud can be prevented. Furthermore, for circulation system error B, which is an error related to the amount of game balls contained, such as "out of balls at the lifting entrance," "out of balls to be fired," "too few game balls," and "too many game balls," if a game ball B is removed to the outside (ball receiving tray 720) when a ball removal state occurs, the number of game balls B contained will decrease, and by disabling such judgment, it is possible to smoothly remove game balls B. Furthermore, for error C other than circulation, which is a communication error with the main control board 1310, by disabling such judgment, it is possible for a ball removal state to occur even if the game board 5 is not connected to the main control board 1310.

If it is determined that error A in the circulation system has been detected, an abnormality alert is issued using the performance display device 1600, lamps A and B, a speaker, etc. If it is determined that error A in the circulation system has been detected, information regarding error A in the circulation system is cleared when the power is turned off at timing t3, which will be described later, or when the power is turned on at timing t4, which will be described later.

If it is determined that circulation system error A has been detected before timing t1, information related to circulation system error A is cleared when the power is turned off at timing t1 or when the power is turned on at timing t2. However, if circulation system error A has not been resolved at timing t2, it will again be determined that circulation system error A has been detected, and an abnormality alert will be issued. Furthermore, if it is determined that circulation system error B or non-circulation error C has been detected before timing t1, the determination result is stored in the RAM of the frame control board 740, and if the RAM clear switch 743 is not operated when the power is turned on at timing t2, information related to circulation system error B and non-circulation error C is retained without being cleared. However, in the ball removal state, an abnormality alert is not issued based on the stored determination result.

Furthermore, the effect display device 1600, lamp A (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the frame decoration members), lamp B (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the game board 5), lamp C (LEDs mounted on the light-emitting board of the function display unit 1400), speaker, and movable body are configured to perform operations for the ball removal state at timing t2. Specifically, the effect display device 1600 displays the message "Ball removal state is occurring" as a ball removal state indication. Furthermore, lamps A and B emit green light as a light emission for the ball removal state (see power-on pattern F in Figure 164). Furthermore, for lamp C, all LEDs of the function display unit 1400 are lit, including the pattern LEDs that display the special pattern changes and the change results, and the status LED that indicates the game status. Furthermore, the speaker outputs a sound for the ball removal state saying "Ball removal state is occurring."

In the above, the volume and light intensity of the performance display device 1600, Lamp A (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the frame decoration member), Lamp B (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the game board 5), and speaker are kept constant at maximum output when operating in the ball-out state, and the volume and light intensity do not change even when the setting adjustment button 204 is operated. By setting the volume and light intensity to maximum output in this way, it becomes easier to notice when a ball-out state has occurred and it is possible to prevent attempts to illegally cause a ball-out state. Furthermore, when the setting adjustment button 204 is operated, the operation is accepted and the volume and light intensity can be adjusted internally, but this is not reflected in the volume and light intensity during execution. When normal operation is restored, such internally adjusted volume and light intensity will be reflected in the volume and light intensity during execution based on the internally adjusted volume and light intensity. Note that when the setting adjustment button 204 is operated during operation in the ball-out state, the operation itself may not be accepted. Additionally, the performance display device 1600 may be configured so that the light intensity changes when the setting adjustment button 204 is operated.

In addition, after transitioning to the ball removal state at timing t2, the movable body is prevented from moving. Normally, when the power is turned on, the movable body undergoes an initial operation to check whether it is operating normally and to align it with its initial position. However, in this example, since the movable body does not operate while the ball removal state is occurring, no initial operation of the movable body is performed when transitioning to the ball removal state. In other words, if the movable body is not in its initial position when transitioning to the ball removal state, it remains stopped in that position while the ball removal state is occurring.

Furthermore, after the transition to the ball removal state at timing t2, the external terminal board enters a forced output state in which a security signal is forcibly output. As a result, in the ball removal state, a security signal is output to the hall computer, allowing the hall to know that a ball removal state has occurred.

Furthermore, after transitioning to the ball removal state at timing t2, game ball B can be launched when the hall manager operates the handle 195. Note that while game ball B can be launched in the ball removal state, the foul shutter 571 is in the closed position because the door frame 3 is open, and when game ball B is launched from ball launch pad 552b, it is sent to the circulating ball path unit 600 as a foul ball without being shot out from the foul unit 570. This makes it possible to clear game ball B from ball launch pad 552b. Furthermore, in this example, in order to clear game ball B from ball launch pad 552b in the ball removal state, the hall manager must operate the handle 195 to launch game ball B, but game ball B may also be launched automatically without operating the handle 195.

Furthermore, after transitioning to the ball removal state at timing t2, the number of game balls B that enter the ball entrance (winning entrance, out entrance) (number of balls entering) and the number of game balls B that are paid out as prize balls (number of paid out) are not counted. In other words, calculations regarding the ratio of the number of paid out balls to the number of entered balls cannot be performed, and this is not reflected in the base value. However, after transitioning to the ball removal state at timing t2, the base value prior to timing t1 is not cleared but is maintained. Furthermore, while the ball removal state is occurring, the base value is not displayed on the base monitor, and a special "-" is displayed to indicate that the ball removal state is occurring.

Furthermore, after transitioning to the ball-removed state at timing t2, because no balls are detected entering the prize slot, the specified number of game balls are not paid out as prize balls, and they are not added to the player's ball count or ball count X. However, after transitioning to the ball-removed state at timing t2, the ball count and ball count X prior to timing t1 are not cleared but are retained. Furthermore, while the ball-removed state is occurring, the ball count display unit 140 does not display the ball count, and a special display of "-" is displayed to indicate that the ball-removed state is occurring. Furthermore, while the ball-removed state is occurring, the frame control board 740 makes it impossible to settle the ball count by operating the counting button switch 180. Therefore, while the ball-removed state is occurring, the ball count does not increase or decrease, and no adverse effects arise from not displaying the ball count on the ball count display unit 140.

Next, after the power is cut off at timing t3, the ball removal switch 742 is not turned ON when the power is turned on at timing t4, so the ball removal flag is turned OFF, and the RAM clear switch 743 is not turned ON, so the RAM clear flag is turned OFF. As a result, after the power is turned on at timing t4, the device is in a normal state, just like before the power was cut off at timing t1.

In the ball removal state, game balls B are removed from the circulation path R to the ball receiving tray 720. If there are no game balls B or only a few game balls B in the circulation path R, game balls B must be replenished via the out ball receiving port 600a or the safe ball receiving port 600b after the power is turned on at timing t4.

If it is determined that circulatory system error A has been detected before timing t3, information related to circulatory system error A is cleared when power is turned off at timing t3 or when power is turned on at timing t4. However, if circulatory system error A has not been resolved at timing t4, it is again determined that circulatory system error A has been detected, and an abnormality alert is issued. If it is determined that circulatory system error B or non-circulation error C has been detected before timing t1, the determination result is stored in the RAM of the frame control board 740. If the RAM clear switch 743 is not operated when power is turned on at timing t2, information related to circulatory system error B and non-circulation error C is retained without being cleared. If the RAM clear switch 743 is not operated when power is turned on at timing t4 after power is turned off at timing t3, information related to circulatory system error B and non-circulation error C is retained without being cleared. After power is turned on at timing t4, an abnormality alert is issued based on the stored determination result.

Furthermore, after power is turned on at timing t4, the movable body undergoes an initial operation to check whether it is operating normally and to align it with its initial position.

Figure 169 is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when it transitions to the ball removal state when the power is turned on. Here, we explain the case where the power is turned off at timing t1, and then the RAM clear switch 743 is turned ON when the power is turned on at timing t2, and the ball removal switch 742 is turned ON, transitioning to the ball removal state. Note that the situation before the power is turned off at timing t1 is the same as Figure 168, so its explanation is omitted.

As shown in Figure 169, after the power is cut off at timing t1, the ball removal switch 742 is turned ON when the power is turned on at timing t2, turning the ball removal flag ON and transitioning to the ball removal state. In this ball removal state, the ball removal process described above is executed, making it possible to remove the game ball B sealed within the circulation path R of the main body frame 4 from the ball removal port 613p of the circulation ball path unit 600 to the outside (ball receiving tray 720). Also, at timing t2, the RAM clear switch 743 is turned ON, turning the RAM clear flag ON.

First, after transitioning to the ball removal state at timing t2, a play restriction period is entered during which game ball B can be released, but game (main game) cannot proceed on the main control board 1310 side. In other words, after power is cut off at timing t1, the special symbol variable display and jackpot game will not be executed, and even if a start win occurs, the special symbol variable display will not be newly initiated.

In addition, the detection sensors corresponding to the various winning slots are disabled, making it impossible to start the variable display of special symbols or pay out (award) prize balls when a ball enters. As a result, when the ball is removed, game play is stopped, and even if there is an initial winning, no game balls are paid out, and no lottery or variable display for special symbols is held, making it impossible to play as normal, and preventing the number of balls held from increasing or decreasing.

Furthermore, after transitioning to the ball removal state at timing t2, the frame control board 740 is able to determine whether or not it has detected circulation system error A, among the determinations of whether or not it has detected circulation system errors A and B, and non-circulation error C. On the other hand, it is unable to determine whether or not it has detected circulation system error B and non-circulation error C. Here, for circulation system error A, lift-related errors such as a "lifted ball jam error" cause the lift motor 664 to operate when a ball removal state occurs. However, if the lift motor 664 continues to operate while an abnormality related to the operation of the lift motor 664 remains, there is a possibility that the lift motor 664 and other components may be damaged. By making such a determination possible, damage to the lift motor 664 and other components can be prevented. Furthermore, for circulation system error A, door open errors, there is a possibility that the door frame 3 may be opened when a ball removal occurs, allowing fraud to be committed against the game board 5 and other components. By making such a determination possible, fraud can be prevented. Furthermore, for circulation system error B, which is an error related to the amount of game balls contained, such as "out of balls at the lifting entrance," "out of balls to be fired," "too few game balls," and "too many game balls," if a game ball B is removed to the outside (ball receiving tray 720) when a ball removal state occurs, the number of game balls B contained will decrease, and by disabling such judgment, it is possible to smoothly remove game balls B. Furthermore, for error C other than circulation, which is a communication error with the main control board 1310, by disabling such judgment, it is possible for a ball removal state to occur even if the game board 5 is not connected to the main control board 1310.

If it is determined that error A in the circulation system has been detected, an abnormality alert is issued using the performance display device 1600, lamps A and B, a speaker, etc. If it is determined that error A in the circulation system has been detected, information regarding error A in the circulation system is cleared when the power is turned off at timing t3, which will be described later, or when the power is turned on at timing t4, which will be described later.

If it is determined that circulatory system error A has been detected before timing t1, information related to circulatory system error A is cleared when the power is turned off at timing t1 or when the power is turned on at timing t2. However, if circulatory system error A has not been resolved at timing t2, it will again be determined that circulatory system error A has been detected, and an abnormality alert will be issued. Furthermore, if it is determined that circulatory system error B or non-circulation error C has been detected before timing t1, the determination result is stored in the RAM of the frame control board 740, but if the RAM clear switch 743 is operated when the power is turned on at timing t2, information related to circulatory system error B and non-circulation error C is cleared.

In addition, the performance display device 1600, Lamp A (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the frame decoration members), Lamp B (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the game board 5), Lamp C (LEDs mounted on the light-emitting board of the function display unit 1400), speaker, and movable body are configured to simultaneously perform operations for the ball removal state and the RAM clear state at timing t2. Specifically, the performance display device 1600 displays the messages "Ball removal state occurring" and "RAM cleared" as ball removal state and RAM clear state indications. In addition, Lamp A and Lamp B are configured to alternately flash green and yellow as illumination for the ball removal state and RAM clear state (see power-on pattern G in Figure 164). In addition, for Lamp C, all LEDs in the function display unit 1400 are lit, including the pattern LEDs that display the special pattern changes and the change results, and the status LED that indicates the game status. Additionally, the speaker outputs sounds for the ball removal state and the RAM clear state, such as "Ball removal state occurring" and "RAM cleared."

In the above, the volume and light intensity of the performance display device 1600, Lamp A (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the frame decoration member), Lamp B (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the gaming board 5), and speaker are kept constant at maximum output when operating in the ball-out state and RAM-clear state, and the volume and light intensity do not change even when the setting adjustment button 204 is operated. By setting the volume and light intensity to maximum output in this way, it is easier to notice the occurrence of a ball-out state or RAM-clear, and attempts to illegally cause a ball-out state or RAM-clear can be prevented. Furthermore, when the setting adjustment button 204 is operated, the operation can be accepted and the volume and light intensity can be adjusted internally, but the operation is not reflected in the volume and light intensity during execution. When normal operation is restored, such internally adjusted volume and light intensity will be reflected in the volume and light intensity during execution based on the internally adjusted volume and light intensity. Note that when the setting adjustment button 204 is operated during the ball-out state, the operation itself may not be accepted. Additionally, the performance display device 1600 may be configured so that the light intensity changes when the setting adjustment button 204 is operated.

In addition, after transitioning to the ball removal state at timing t2, the movable body is prevented from moving. Normally, when the power is turned on, the movable body undergoes an initial operation to check whether it is operating normally and to align it with its initial position. However, in this example, since the movable body does not operate while the ball removal state is occurring, no initial operation of the movable body is performed when transitioning to the ball removal state. In other words, if the movable body is not in its initial position when transitioning to the ball removal state, it remains stopped in that position while the ball removal state is occurring.

Furthermore, after the transition to the ball removal state at timing t2, the external terminal board enters a forced output state in which a security signal is forcibly output. As a result, in the ball removal state, a security signal is output to the hall computer, allowing the hall to know that a ball removal state has occurred.

Furthermore, after transitioning to the ball removal state at timing t2, game ball B can be launched when the hall manager operates the handle 195. Note that while game ball B can be launched in the ball removal state, the foul shutter 571 is in the closed position because the door frame 3 is open, and when game ball B is launched from ball launch pad 552b, it is sent to the circulating ball path unit 600 as a foul ball without being shot out from the foul unit 570. This makes it possible to clear game ball B from ball launch pad 552b. Furthermore, in this example, in order to clear game ball B from ball launch pad 552b in the ball removal state, the hall manager must operate the handle 195 to launch game ball B, but game ball B may also be launched automatically without operating the handle 195.

Furthermore, after transitioning to the ball removal state at timing t2, the number of game balls B that enter the ball entrance (winning entrance, out entrance) (number of balls entered) and the number of game balls B that are paid out as prize balls (number of paid out) are not counted. In other words, calculations regarding the ratio of the number of paid out balls to the number of entered balls cannot be performed, and this is not reflected in the base value. However, after transitioning to the ball removal state at timing t2, the base value prior to timing t1 is not cleared but is maintained. Furthermore, while the ball removal state is occurring, the base value is not displayed on the base monitor, and a special "-" is displayed to indicate that the ball removal state is occurring.

Furthermore, after transitioning to the ball-removed state at timing t2, because no balls are detected entering the prize slot, the specified number of game balls are not paid out as prize balls, and they are not added to the player's ball count or ball count X. However, after transitioning to the ball-removed state at timing t2, the ball count and ball count X prior to timing t1 are not cleared but are retained. Furthermore, while the ball-removed state is occurring, the ball count display unit 140 does not display the ball count, and a special display of "-" is displayed to indicate that the ball-removed state is occurring. Furthermore, while the ball-removed state is occurring, the frame control board 740 makes it impossible to settle the ball count by operating the counting button switch 180. Therefore, while the ball-removed state is occurring, the ball count does not increase or decrease, and no adverse effects arise from not displaying the ball count on the ball count display unit 140.

Next, after the power is cut off at timing t3, the ball removal switch 742 is not turned ON when the power is turned on at timing t4, so the ball removal flag is turned OFF, and the RAM clear switch 743 is not turned ON, so the RAM clear flag is turned OFF. As a result, after the power is turned on at timing 4, the device is in a normal state, just like before the power was cut off at timing t1.

In the ball removal state, game balls B are removed from the circulation path R to the ball receiving tray 720. If there are no game balls B or only a few game balls B in the circulation path R, game balls B must be replenished via the out ball receiving port 600a or the safe ball receiving port 600b after the power is turned on at timing t4.

Furthermore, if it is determined that circulatory system error A has been detected before timing t3, information related to circulatory system error A is cleared when the power is turned off at timing t3 or when the power is turned on at timing t4. However, if circulatory system error A has not been resolved at timing t4, it will again be determined that circulatory system error A has been detected, and an abnormality alert will be issued. Furthermore, if it is determined that circulatory system error B or non-circulation error C has been detected before timing t1, the determination result is stored in the RAM of the frame control board 740, but if the RAM clear switch 743 is operated when the power is turned on at timing t2, information related to circulatory system error B and non-circulation error C is cleared. Therefore, after the power is turned on at timing t4, information related to circulatory system error B and non-circulation error C from before timing t1 is not retained.

Furthermore, after power is turned on at timing t4, the movable body undergoes an initial operation to check whether it is operating normally and to align it with its initial position.

In this example, when the ball removal switch 742 is turned ON to turn on the power, the machine transitions to the ball removal state on the condition that the number of balls held is zero. While the ball removal state is occurring, it is not possible to calculate the number of balls held by operating the counting button switch 180. However, because the number of balls held is set to zero before the transition to the ball removal state, problems caused by not being able to calculate the number of balls held while the ball removal state is occurring can be prevented.

In addition, in this example, the above-mentioned ball removal process is executed from the time the ball removal switch 742 is turned ON when the power is turned ON until the power is turned OFF, and the lift motor 664 remains activated to remove game balls B from the circulation path R to the ball receiving tray 720. In this regard, the operation of the lift motor 664 may be stopped, ending the ball removal state, for example, when 300 game balls B (a specific number) have circulated or when 10 minutes (a specific time) have elapsed after the ball removal switch 742 is turned ON when the power is turned ON. For this specific number or specific time, the motor is configured to allow all of the game balls B (40 to 60) stored in the circulation path R to be removed from the circulation path R to the ball receiving tray 720. This prevents the lift motor 664 from remaining activated after the ball removal state begins, preventing malfunctions due to prolonged operation. Furthermore, even after the operation of the lift motor 664 is stopped, the game cannot be started, just like in the ball removal state, and in order to start playing, it is necessary to turn the power off and then on again. This makes it possible to know that a ball removal state has occurred, even after the operation of the lift motor 664 has been stopped. However, after the operation of the lift motor 664 is stopped, the game may be started without turning the power off and then on again.

In addition, in this example, the ball removal state is entered by turning on the ball removal switch 742, but if the ball removal switch 742 is turned on during normal operation, the number of balls held is displayed on the base monitor. This allows the number of balls held to be checked from the back side of the pachinko machine 1 by the number of balls displayed on the base monitor, without having to check the number of balls held displayed on the ball number display unit 140. Note that while the base monitor in this example is made up of four 7-segment LEDs, it is preferable that, like the ball number display unit 140, it be made up of a 6-digit 7-segment LED so that the number of balls held can be displayed using the same number of digits (6 digits).

In this example, in addition to displaying the base value on the base monitor, when the ball removal switch 742 is turned ON during normal operation, the number of balls remaining is displayed on the base monitor. Additionally, when a ball removal state occurs, the base monitor does not display the base value, and instead displays a special "-" sign to indicate that a ball removal state is occurring. Furthermore, when the frame control board 740 detects a circulation system error A or B, or a non-circulation error C during an abnormality determination, the base monitor does not display the base value, but instead displays an error code indicating the type of abnormality. The priority of these displays is as follows: display during a ball removal state > display of the number of balls remaining > display of the error code > base value. Therefore, in this example, for example, while a ball removal state occurs, it is possible to determine whether a circulation system error A has been detected. However, even if such an abnormality occurs, the base monitor does not display an error code, and instead displays the fact that a ball removal state is occurring. As another example, if a circulation system error A occurs during a ball removal state, an error code may be displayed on the base monitor, informing the player that a circulation system error A has occurred during a ball removal state. In this case, for example, the display can alternate between a message indicating that a ball has been removed and a message indicating an error code. Even if the ball removal switch 742 is turned on while a ball has been removed, the number of balls held will not be displayed on the base monitor, and a message indicating that a ball has been removed will be displayed. This ensures that the player is notified that a ball has been removed.

[Magnetic sensor covering the foul ball sensor]
In the above embodiment, the game ball B used in the pachinko machine 1 is not limited to a stainless steel ball, but may be an iron ball SB, as in the past. When an iron ball SB is used as the game ball B, it becomes possible to commit fraud using a magnet M (so-called "magnet cheating"), so a conventional magnetic sensor (magnetic sensor 1030)/radio wave sensor is required to detect fraud on the game board 5. Furthermore, since there is a possibility of fraudulent activity on the circulation path of the game ball B on the main frame 4 side, a magnetic sensor (magnetic sensor 1030) is required to cover the periphery of the circulation path, especially the periphery of sensors related to the addition/subtraction of the player's ball count (such as the shot subtraction sensor 554, foul ball sensor 607, and shot front sensor 704).

In this example, multiple magnetic sensors 1030 are provided on the pachinko machine 1, and the magnetic sensors 1030 are described as including magnetic sensor 1030a provided on the game board 5 side and magnetic sensor 1030b provided on the main body frame 4 side. Here, magnetic sensors 1030a and 1030b have the same configuration as the magnetic sensor 1030 described above. For example, magnetic sensors 1030a and 1030b are rectangular in plan view, formed as a cuboid with a height shorter than the length of the short side of the rectangle, and have a gourd-shaped detection area DA formed by combining two spheres with a diameter of approximately 10 cm, which is the same configuration as the magnetic sensor 1030 described above.

First, the magnetic sensor 1030a provided on the gaming board 5 side is installed to cover various winning holes. For example, by installing it near the first starting hole 2003, it is possible to detect unauthorized magnetic fields directed at the first starting hole 2003. This magnetic sensor 1030a is connected to the main control board 1310 on the gaming board 5 side, and the main control board 1310 determines whether or not magnetic fields have been detected by the magnetic sensor 1030a.

Figure 170 shows a magnetic sensor installed around the foul ball sensor. As shown in Figure 170, the magnetic sensor 1030b installed on the main frame 4 side is installed to cover at least the area around the foul ball sensor 607, making it possible to detect any unauthorized magnetic fields acting on the foul ball sensor 607. Such magnetic sensor 1030b is connected to the frame control board 740 on the main frame 4 side, and the frame control board 740 determines whether or not the magnetic field has been detected by the magnetic sensor 1030b.

In the case of a pachinko machine 1 having a circulation path R in the main frame 4 (game machine frame), the area around the foul ball sensor 607 in the circulation ball path unit 600 is particularly vulnerable to fraud. First, when the launch subtraction sensor 554 detects that game ball B has been launched from the ball launch pad 552b, one ball is subtracted from the player's ball count. On the other hand, when the foul ball sensor 607 detects that the game ball has been sent to the circulation ball path unit 600 as a foul ball without being launched from the foul unit 570, one ball is added to the player's ball count. For this reason, it is conceivable that a fraudulent act could be committed by, for example, attracting game ball B launched from ball launch pad 552b with a magnet M, guiding it to the foul ball sensor 607, and having it detected multiple times, thereby adding multiple balls to the player's ball count. Furthermore, if a game ball B dropped (supplied) from the ball sending unit 700 is attracted to a magnet M before being detected by the launched subtraction sensor 554 and sent into the foul ball sensor 607, it is possible to commit fraud by adding to the number of balls held without subtracting from them. In this regard, in this example, the magnetic sensor 1030b is installed to cover the area around the foul ball sensor 607, thereby detecting fraudulent magnetism toward the foul ball sensor 607 and preventing attempts to fraudulently add to the number of balls held. This improves the reliability of the number of balls held.

Figure 171 is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when magnetism is detected by a magnetic sensor. First, we will explain the case where magnetism is detected by the magnetic sensor 1030a installed on the game board 5 side, with reference to Figure 171 (A).

As shown in Figure 171 (A), when the magnetic sensor 1030a installed on the gaming board 5 detects magnetism at timing t1, the main control board 1310 allows the game to be played, while a magnetic abnormality notification A is executed to notify the player that the magnetic sensor 1030a has detected magnetism. It also makes it possible to add to the number of balls held and to settle the number of balls held on the frame control board 740.

Specifically, when the magnetic sensor 1030a detects magnetism at timing t1, the main control board 1310 determines that this is a period during which the game (main game) can proceed. In other words, even if a magnetic abnormality occurs in a winning slot, normal gameplay can be played, in which the display of variable special symbols can begin when a starting winning occurs, and the jackpot game can begin when the display of variable special symbols stops and displays a winning symbol. In addition, the detection sensors corresponding to the various winning slots are enabled, making it possible to start the display of variable special symbols and pay out (award) prize balls when a ball enters.

Furthermore, when the magnetic sensor 1030a detects magnetism at timing t1, the peripheral control board 1510 executes magnetic abnormality notification A, which uses the performance display device 1600, lamps, speakers, etc. to notify the user that the magnetic sensor 1030a has detected magnetism. This allows the user to know that the magnetic sensor 1030a has detected magnetism and to check whether any fraudulent activity is occurring.

Furthermore, when magnetic sensor 1030a detects magnetism at timing t1, a security signal is output from the external terminal board. As a result, when magnetic sensor 1030a detects magnetism, a security signal is output to the hall computer, allowing the hall to know that magnetic sensor 1030a has detected magnetism.

Furthermore, when the magnetic sensor 1030a detects magnetism at timing t1, the frame control board 740 enables game balls to be launched into the game area 5a when the player operates the handle 195. Furthermore, when the frame control board 740 detects a ball entering a prize slot, it enables a predetermined number of game balls to be paid out as prize balls, and makes it possible to add the number of game balls paid out as prize balls to the player's ball possession number or ball possession number X. Furthermore, the frame control board 740 makes it possible to settle the number of balls possessed by operating the counting button switch 180.

In this example, magnetic anomaly notification A is set to end when a predetermined time (e.g., 3 minutes) has elapsed since magnetic sensor 1030a detected a magnetic field at timing t1. However, as another example, magnetic anomaly notification A may be set to end when power is turned back on after being turned off. This allows the user to be sure that magnetic sensor 1030a has detected a magnetic field.

In addition, in this example, when the magnetic sensor 1030a detects magnetism at timing t1, the main control board 1310 determines that this is a period during which the game (main game) can proceed, but it may also be a period during which the game (main game) cannot proceed. At this time, the detection sensors corresponding to the various winning slots are disabled, making it impossible to start the display of changing special patterns or pay out (award) prize balls when a ball enters. This makes it possible to prevent fraudulent play from occurring after the magnetic sensor 1030a detects magnetism until it is confirmed whether fraudulent activity is occurring.

Next, we will explain what happens when magnetism is detected by the magnetic sensor 1030b provided on the main body frame 4, with reference to Figure 171 (B).

As shown in Figure 171 (B), when the magnetic sensor 1030b provided on the main frame 4 side detects magnetism at timing t1, the main control board 1310 allows the game to be played, while a magnetic anomaly notification B is executed to notify the user that the magnetic sensor 1030b has detected magnetism. On the other hand, the frame control board 740 allows the game ball B to be released and added to the number of balls held, but does not allow the number of balls to be settled.

Specifically, when magnetic sensor 1030b detects magnetism at timing t1, main control board 1310 determines that this is a period during which the game (main game) can proceed. In other words, even if a magnetic anomaly occurs with foul ball sensor 607, normal gameplay can be played, in which the display of special symbols can begin to change when a starting winning occurs, and the jackpot game can begin when the display of special symbols stops and displays a winning symbol. In addition, the detection sensors corresponding to the various winning slots are enabled, making it possible to start the display of special symbols and pay out (award) prize balls when a ball enters.

Furthermore, when magnetic sensor 1030b detects magnetism at timing t1, the peripheral control board 1510 executes magnetic anomaly notification B, which uses the performance display device 1600, lamps, speakers, etc. to communicate that magnetic sensor 1030a has detected magnetism. This allows the player to know that magnetic sensor 1030b has detected magnetism and to check whether fraudulent activity is occurring. Furthermore, by varying the magnetic anomaly notification depending on whether magnetic sensor 1030a or magnetic sensor 1030b detected magnetism, it is possible to know in which area magnetism was detected.

Furthermore, when magnetic sensor 1030b detects magnetism at timing t1, a security signal is output from the external terminal board. As a result, when magnetic sensor 1030b detects magnetism, a security signal is output to the hall computer, allowing the hall to know that magnetic sensor 1030b has detected magnetism.

Furthermore, when the magnetic sensor 1030b detects magnetism at timing t1, the frame control board 740 enables game balls to be launched into the game area 5a when the player operates the handle 195. Furthermore, when the frame control board 740 detects a ball entering a prize slot, it enables a predetermined number of game balls to be paid out as prize balls, and makes it possible to add the number of game balls paid out as prize balls to the player's ball possession number or ball possession number X.

Furthermore, when magnetic sensor 1030b detects magnetism at timing t1, frame control board 740 prevents the player from calculating the number of balls held by operating counting button switch 180. In this way, when magnetism is detected from foul ball sensor 607, the player can increase or decrease the number of balls held, but since the number of balls held cannot be calculated, it is possible to prevent attempts to calculate the number of balls held improperly until it is confirmed whether the number of balls held has been improperly added.

In this example, magnetic anomaly notification B is set to end when a predetermined time (e.g., 3 minutes) has elapsed since magnetic sensor 1030b detected a magnetic field at timing t1. However, as another example, magnetic anomaly notification B may be set to end when power is turned back on after being cut off. This allows the user to be sure that magnetic sensor 1030b has detected a magnetic field. Furthermore, different components may be used for the notification when magnetic anomaly notification A is executed and when magnetic anomaly notification B is executed, and different conditions may also be used to end the notification.

In addition, in this example, when the magnetic sensor 1030b detects magnetism at timing t1, the main control board 1310 determines that this is a period during which the game (main game) can proceed, but it may also be a period during which the game (main game) cannot proceed. At this time, the detection sensors corresponding to the various winning slots are disabled, making it impossible to start the display of changing special patterns or pay out (award) prize balls when a ball enters. This makes it possible to prevent fraudulent play from occurring after the magnetic sensor 1030b detects magnetism until it is confirmed whether fraudulent activity is occurring.

As described above, when the magnetic sensor 1030a on the gaming board 5 detects magnetism, magnetic anomaly notification A is executed. While magnetic anomaly notification A is being executed, it is possible to execute restrictions corresponding to the magnetic sensor 1030a on the gaming board 5, such as creating a period during which the game (main game) cannot proceed, as in another example. On the other hand, when the magnetic sensor 1030b on the main frame 4 detects magnetism, magnetic anomaly notification B is executed. While magnetic anomaly notification B is being executed, it is possible to execute restrictions corresponding to the magnetic sensor 1030b on the main frame 4, such as making it impossible to settle the number of balls held. Furthermore, if the magnetic sensor 1030b on the main frame 4 detects magnetism while magnetic anomaly notification A is being executed, in addition to the restrictions corresponding to the magnetic sensor 1030a on the gaming board 5, the restrictions corresponding to the magnetic sensor 1030b on the main frame 4 are executed. On the other hand, if magnetic sensor 1030a on the gaming board 5 detects magnetism while magnetic abnormality notification B is being executed, the restriction corresponding to magnetic sensor 1030a on the gaming board 5 is enforced in addition to the restriction corresponding to magnetic sensor 1030b on the main frame 4. In this way, even if one magnetic sensor detects magnetism after the other magnetic sensor detects magnetism, the restriction already in effect is not relaxed, thereby providing a deterrent against fraud.

The restriction corresponding to the magnetic sensor 1030b on the main frame 4 side may be configured to take priority over the restriction corresponding to the magnetic sensor 1030a on the game board 5 side. That is, if the magnetic sensor 1030b on the main frame 4 side detects a magnetism while magnetic abnormality notification A is being executed, the restriction corresponding to the magnetic sensor 1030a on the game board 5 side is terminated and switched to the restriction corresponding to the magnetic sensor 1030b on the main frame 4 side. On the other hand, if the magnetic sensor 1030a on the game board 5 detects a magnetism while magnetic abnormality notification B is being executed, the restriction corresponding to the magnetic sensor 1030b on the main frame 4 side continues to be executed, and the restriction corresponding to the magnetic sensor 1030a on the game board 5 side is not newly executed. In this way, even if one magnetic sensor detects a magnetism after the other, the restriction corresponding to the magnetic sensor 1030b on the main frame 4 side takes priority, thereby reliably preventing fraudulent behavior such as using a magnet M around the foul ball sensor 607.

[About the behavior of various switches when the game board is not installed]
Next, we will explain what happens when the RAM clear switch 741, ball count memory/display clear switch 743, and ball removal switch 742 provided on the frame control board 740 of the main frame 4 are operated when the game board 5 is not attached to the main frame 4. As described above in detail, the frame control board 740 is provided with the RAM clear switch 741 for erasing information stored in RAM (RAM clear), the ball count memory/display clear switch 743 for clearing the player's ball count stored in RAM and clearing the display on the ball count display unit 140 of the door frame 3, and the ball removal switch 742 used to remove the enclosed game ball B from the ball removal opening 613p of the circulating ball path unit 600 to the outside (ball receiving tray 720). These switches are provided on the back side of the pachinko machine 1 and can be operated by the hall manager.

The RAM clear switch 741, ball count memory/display clear switch 743, and ball removal switch 742 must be turned ON when the power is turned on, assuming that the game board 5 is attached to the main body frame 4 when the power is turned on. However, when the game board 5 is attached, it may be difficult to perform maintenance on the main body frame 4. If the ON operation of these switches is disabled when the game board 5 is not attached, maintenance on the main body frame 4 cannot be performed adequately, which may reduce the reliability and convenience of the pachinko machine 1. For example, if the ON operation of the ball removal switch 742 is disabled when the game board 5 is not attached, the game balls B sealed within the circulation path R cannot be removed to the outside (ball receiving tray 720), which may make inspection of the circulation path R difficult. Furthermore, if for some reason the power supply to the game board 5 is cut off while the main frame 4 remains energized, the situation becomes the same as if the game board 5 were not installed. Disabling the ON operation of these switches under such circumstances could prevent adequate maintenance of the main frame 4, potentially reducing the reliability and convenience of the pachinko machine 1. In this regard, in this example, by enabling the ON operation of the RAM clear switch 741, ball count memory/display clear switch 743, and ball removal switch 742 when the game board 5 is not installed or when the power supply to the main frame 4 is still energized and the power supply to the game board 5 is cut off, sufficient maintenance of the main frame 4 can be performed, improving reliability and convenience. For example, when the game board 5 is not installed and the ball removal switch 742 is turned ON when the power is turned on, the game balls B contained within the circulation path R can be removed to the outside (ball receiving tray 720), facilitating inspection of the circulation path R.

Figure 172 is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when various switches are operated when the power is turned on with no game board installed.

Figure 172 (A) shows the case where the RAM clear switch 741 is turned ON at timing t1 when the power is turned on and the game board 5 is not installed. When the RAM clear switch 741 is turned ON at timing t1 when the power is turned on, the ON operation of the RAM clear switch 741 is enabled, and the information stored in the RAM of the frame control board 740 is cleared. In other words, the RAM clear switch 741 is enabled regardless of whether the game board 5 is installed or not when the power is turned on. This makes it possible to clear the information stored in the RAM of the frame control board 740 even when the game board 5 is not installed or when power is not being applied to the game board 5 when the power is turned on, preventing fraudulent play based on information before the game board 5 is installed after it has been installed.

Furthermore, among the information stored in the RAM of the frame control board 740, the number of balls held is retained and not cleared even if the RAM clear switch 741 is turned ON when the power is turned on at timing t1. This number of balls held can be displayed on the number of balls held display unit 140 regardless of whether the game board 5 is installed when the power is turned on. Note that the number of balls held can be cleared by turning ON the ball number memory/display clear switch 743 at the same time as the RAM clear switch 741 when the power is turned on at timing t1.

Figure 172 (B) shows the case where the ball count memory/display clear switch 743 is turned ON at timing t1 when the power is turned on without the game board 5 installed. When the ball count memory/display clear switch 743 is turned ON at timing t1 when the power is turned on, the ON operation of the ball count memory/display clear switch 743 is enabled, and the number of balls stored in the RAM of the frame control board 740 is cleared. In other words, the ball count memory/display clear switch 743 is enabled regardless of whether the game board 5 is installed or not when the power is turned on. This allows the administrator to clear the number of balls even when the game board 5 is not installed or not powered when the power is turned on. This prevents fraudulent ball settlement when the game board 5 is not installed or not powered when the power is turned on, and allows the administrator to clear balls whose ownership is unknown (for example, the only remaining ball).

Figure 172 (C) shows the case where the ball removal switch 742 is turned ON at timing t1 when the power is turned on without the game board 5 installed. When the ball removal switch 742 is turned ON at timing t1 when the power is turned on, the ON operation of the ball removal switch 742 is enabled, the system transitions to the ball removal state, and the game ball B sealed within the circulation path R can be removed to the outside (ball receiving tray 720) through the ball removal port 613p of the circulation ball path unit 600. In other words, the ball removal switch 742 is enabled when turned ON regardless of whether the game board 5 is installed when the power is turned on. As a result, even if the game board 5 is not installed when the power is turned on or the game board 5 is not energized when the power is turned on, the system transitions to the ball removal state and the game ball B sealed within the circulation path R can be removed to the outside (ball receiving tray 720), making it easy to inspect the circulation path R.

In addition, during the ball removal state, game ball B can be launched when the game board 5 is installed, but game ball B can also be launched when the game board 5 is not installed or when power is not applied to the game board 5 when the power is turned on. Specifically, during the ball removal state, the door frame 3 is open, which keeps the foul shutter 571 in the closed position, and when game ball B is launched from the ball launch pad 552b, it is sent to the circulating ball path unit 600 as a foul ball without being shot out from the foul unit 570. This makes it possible to ensure that no game ball B is on the ball launch pad 552b even when the game board 5 is not installed.

In this example, the handle 160 is configured with a launch control unit that detects the handle touch sensor 162 and the handle rotation sensor 163 and controls the operation of the launch solenoid 553, and this launch control unit is connected to the frame control board 740. Furthermore, when the handle touch sensor 162 detects the player's contact (touch) with the handle 160, the launch control unit outputs a detection signal to the main control board 1310 and the frame control board 740. When the main control board 1310 receives a detection signal, it outputs a launch permission signal to the launch control unit. Similarly, when the frame control board 740 receives a detection signal, it outputs a launch permission signal to the launch control unit. When the handle rotation sensor 163 detects the rotation of the handle 160 during the period when both the launch permission signal from the main control board 1310 and the launch permission signal from the frame control board 740 are received, the launch control unit controls the operation of the launch solenoid 553 to launch the game ball B. Furthermore, if an error such as stopping play occurs on the main control board 1310, the launch permission signal is not output to the launch control unit, and launch of game ball B is not permitted. Similarly, if an error related to frame control occurs on the frame control board 740, the launch permission signal is not output to the launch control unit, and launch of game ball B is not permitted.

In the above configuration, when the gaming board 5 is not installed or when power is not applied to the gaming board 5 when power is turned on, the main control board 1310 is not connected, and a launch permission signal cannot be output from the main control board 1310. However, since a launch permission signal can be output from the frame control board 740, in this example, when the gaming board 5 is not installed and the ball removal switch 742 is turned ON at timing t1 when power is turned on, the launch of gaming ball B is permitted simply by outputting a launch permission signal from the frame control board 740. This allows gaming ball B to be launched even when the gaming board 5 is not installed or when power is not applied to the gaming board 5 when power is turned on, and it is possible to ensure that there is no gaming ball B on the ball launch pad 552b. As another example, when the gaming board 5 is not installed, a launch permission signal for the ball removal state may be output from the frame control board 740 instead of a launch permission signal from the main control board 1310. In this alternative example, when the handle rotation sensor 163 detects the rotation of the handle 160 while both the launch permission signal from the frame control board 740 and the launch permission signal for the ball removal state from the frame control board 740 are being input, the launch control unit controls the operation of the launch solenoid 553 to launch the game ball B. As a result, similar to the above, even when the game board 5 is not installed or when power is not applied to the game board 5 when the power is turned on, it is possible to make it possible to eliminate the game ball B on the ball launch pad 552b.

Figure 172 (D) shows the case where the counting button switch 180 is operated ON at timing t1 when the gaming board 5 is not installed or when the gaming board 5 is not energized after power-on. When the counting button switch 180 is operated ON at timing t1, the ON operation of the counting button switch 180 is enabled, and the counting is permitted so that the number of balls held can be settled. In other words, the ON operation of the counting button switch 180 is enabled when the gaming board 5 is not installed or when the gaming board 5 is not energized after power-on. This allows the number of balls held to be settled even when the gaming board 5 is not installed or when the gaming board 5 is not energized after power-on, preventing any disadvantage to the player.

As an alternative, the counting button switch 180 may be configured as follows, depending on the situation when performing maintenance on the main body frame 4.

In other words, Figure 172 (D') shows the case where the counting button switch 180 is operated ON after the power is turned on at timing t1 when the gaming board 5 is not installed. When the counting button switch 180 is operated ON after the power is turned on at timing t1, the ON operation of the counting button switch 180 is invalidated, and the counting is prohibited, prohibiting the settlement of the number of balls held. In other words, if the gaming board 5 is installed when the power is turned on, subsequent ON operation of the counting button switch 180 is valid, whereas if the gaming board 5 is not installed when the power is turned on, subsequent ON operation of the counting button switch 180 is invalidated. This prevents the number of balls held from being fraudulently settled while the hall manager is inspecting the machine when the gaming board 5 is not installed.

Figure 172 (E) shows a situation where, with the game board 5 installed, the power is turned on at timing t1, the game board 5 is removed from the main frame 4, and the counting button switch 180 is operated ON at timing t2 when the game board 5 is not installed. When the counting button switch 180 is operated ON at timing t2, the ON operation of the counting button switch 180 is enabled, and the counting is permitted and the number of balls held can be calculated. In other words, if the game board 5 is not installed when the power is turned on, subsequent ON operations of the counting button switch 180 are disabled, whereas if the game board 5 is installed when the power is turned on but then removed, the ON operation of the counting button switch 180 is enabled when the game board 5 is not installed. This means that even if the hall manager removes the game board 5 for inspection while the player is playing while it is installed, the number of balls held can still be settled, preventing the player from being disadvantaged.

When the gaming board 5 is installed, if the RAM clear switch 741, ball count memory/display clear switch 743, or ball removal switch 742 is turned ON when the power is turned on, or if the counting button switch 180 is turned ON after the power is turned on, the peripheral control board 1510 on the gaming board 5 uses components instructed to operate to issue notifications that the RAM has been cleared, the number of balls held has been cleared, a ball removal state has occurred, or the number of balls held has been settled, respectively. Examples of components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510 include the effect display device 1600, and LEDs and speakers mounted on the various decorative boards of the gaming board 5 and door frame 3. However, when the gaming board 5 is not installed, even if various switches are turned ON, notifications cannot be issued using the components instructed to operate by the peripheral control board 1510, resulting in the problem of not knowing which state has occurred.

In this regard, in this example, when the RAM clear switch 741, ball count memory/display clear switch 743, or ball removal switch 742 is turned ON when the power is turned on, or when the counting button switch 180 is turned ON after the power is turned on, components instructed by the frame control board 740 on the main frame 4, in addition to components instructed by the peripheral control board 1510 on the gaming board 5, are used to notify the player that the RAM has been cleared, the ball count has been cleared, a ball removal state has occurred, or the ball count has been settled, respectively. Here, components instructed by the frame control board 740 include the base monitor, the ball count display unit 140, and an LED built into the counting button switch 180. For example, when the RAM clear switch 741, ball count memory/display clear switch 743, or ball removal switch 742 is turned ON when the power is turned on, the corresponding display is executed in the ball count display unit 140. Furthermore, if the ball removal switch 742 is turned ON when the power is turned on, the base monitor also displays that a ball removal state is occurring. The LED on the counting button switch 180 also indicates whether the number of balls held can be settled and the settlement status based on the operation of the counting button switch 180. Therefore, even when the game board 5 is not installed, when various switches are turned ON, notifications can be issued using components that are instructed to operate by the frame control board 740, making it clear which state has occurred and preventing confusion for the hall manager.

[Example of modification of the center prop]
In the above-described embodiment, the center role 2500 is attached to the panel plate 1110 as a single component. However, in the past, when creating a new gaming board 5, it was necessary to create a new center role 2500 corresponding to the shape of the opening 1112 formed in the new panel plate 1110, which complicated the gaming machine design. Furthermore, if the shape of the opening 1112 formed in the new panel plate 1110 were made the same as the shape of the opening 1112 formed in the previous panel plate 1110 when creating a new gaming board 5, the previous center role 2500 could be reused for the new gaming board 5. However, the gaming area 5a into which the game balls flow would remain unchanged, which could lead to a decrease in the player's interest in the game. Below, we will explain an embodiment in which the center role 2500 is modified in order to solve these problems.

The pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment is similar in configuration to the pachinko machine 1 of the above embodiment except for the center device 2550. Therefore, the following will explain in detail the configuration of the center device 2500, and will omit explanations of the other components of the pachinko machine 1.

Figure 173 is a front view showing the center role device 2500. As shown in Figure 173, the center role device 2500 of this embodiment, when viewed from the front, comprises a first center role device 2500a that forms the upper part of the center role device 2500, a second center role device 2500b that forms the right part of the center role device 2500, a third center role device 2500c that forms the left part of the center role device 2500, and a fourth center role device 2500d that forms the lower part of the center role device 2500. In other words, the center role device 2500 of this embodiment is formed from the first center role device 2500a to the fourth center role device 2500d that are divided into four parts. The center role 2500 is arranged in a frame shape that corresponds to the shape of the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110, with the first center role 2500a, second center role 2500b, third center role 2500c, and fourth center role 2500d being positioned along the edge of the opening 1112 formed in the panel board 1110, and the first center role 2500a, second center role 2500b, third center role 2500c, and fourth center role 2500d being attached to the panel board 1110.

Figure 174 is a perspective view showing a portion of the first center device 2500a and the third center device 2500c. As shown in Figure 173 or 174, the first center device 2500a is formed in a roughly arc shape with its right end positioned higher than its left end when viewed from the front, and can be attached along the upper edge of the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110 to form the upper part of the center device 2500. The first center device 2500a branches the route along which a game ball shot into the play area 5a flows down into a route that passes through the left side of the center device 2500 and a route that passes through the right side of the center device 2500.

The first center feature 2500a has a first peripheral wall portion 2501a extending in the form of a vertical wall along the upper edge of the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110, a first flange portion 2502a protruding from the outer periphery of the first peripheral wall portion 2501a and extending in the form of a flat plate along the front surface of the panel plate 1110, and a first support portion 2503a protruding from the inner periphery of the first peripheral wall portion 2501a. The first center device 2500a may further have a decorative wall extending from the rear end of the first peripheral wall 2501a or the rear surface of the first flange 2502a into the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110 in the form of a vertical wall along the upper edge of the opening 1112. The decorative wall, for example, makes it difficult for a player to see inside the back unit 3000 from between the first center device 2500a and the performance display device 1600, thereby preventing a decrease in interest in the game.

The first peripheral wall portion 2501a constitutes part of the peripheral wall portion 2501 of the center role device 2500. More specifically, the first peripheral wall portion 2501a extends along the upper edge of the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110 and is formed as a vertical wall having a width that protrudes forward from the front surface of the panel board 1110, thereby constituting part of the peripheral wall portion 2501 of the center role device 2500. By colliding with game balls flowing down the play area 5a, the first peripheral wall portion 2501a can prevent game balls flowing down the play area 5a from flowing into the frame-shaped peripheral wall portion 2501 via the first center role device 2500a, and ultimately prevent game balls flowing down the play area 5a from flowing into the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110.

The first peripheral wall portion 2500a has a first adjustment wall portion 2504a extending in the form of a vertical wall at each end of the first peripheral wall portion 2501a. The first adjustment wall portion 2504a extends from each end of the first peripheral wall portion 2501a toward the second center role element 2500b or the third center role element 2500c. The first adjustment wall portion 2504a is formed with a front-to-back width that is approximately the same as the front-to-back width of the first peripheral wall portion 2501a. Note that the first adjustment wall portion 2504a may be configured to extend from the end of the first peripheral wall portion 2501a toward the second center role element 2500b or the third center role element 2500c. Specifically, the first adjustment wall portion 2504a on the left side in a front view may be configured to extend, for example, from below toward the second center role element 2500b in a clockwise direction to the left. Furthermore, the first adjustment wall portion 2504a on the right side when viewed from the front may be configured to extend clockwise downward from the right toward the third center role piece 2500c, for example.

The first flange portion 2502a has a positioning pin formed on its back surface that protrudes toward the panel plate 1110. The first center feature 2500a is positioned relative to the panel plate 1110 so as to correspond to the edge of the opening 1112 in the panel plate 1110 by fitting the positioning pin of the first flange portion 2502a into the mounting hole of the panel plate 1110. The first flange portion 2502a may be configured so as to have a mounting hole instead of a positioning pin, or may be configured so as to have both a positioning pin and a mounting hole. In either case, the first center feature 2500a is positioned relative to the panel plate 1110 so as to correspond to the edge of the opening 1112 in the panel plate 1110 by the positioning pin or mounting hole of the first flange portion 2502a and the positioning pin or mounting hole of the panel plate 1110. Furthermore, the positioning pins and mounting holes may be formed on the back surface of the first center feature 2500a, and may be formed on the back surface of the first peripheral wall portion 2501a, for example.

After the first center role device 2500a has been positioned relative to the panel plate 1110, the first flange portion 2502a is fixed to the panel plate 1110 with a fixing member such as a screw. As a result, the first center role device 2500a is attached to the gaming board 5. Note that after the first center role device 2500a has been positioned relative to the panel plate 1110, the first flange portion 2502a may be fixed to a specified member with a fixing member such as a screw so as to sandwich the panel plate 1110 between the panel plate 1110 and a specified member abutting the rear surface of the panel plate 1110, and the first center role device 2500a is attached to the gaming board 5.

The first flange portion 2502a has a plate-like portion parallel to the panel plate 1110 and an obstacle device formed to protrude forward from the plate-like portion. When a gaming ball collides with this obstacle device as it flows down the play area 5a, it can change the direction of travel of the gaming ball, preventing a decrease in the player's interest in the game.

In order to reduce the weight of the first central feature 2500a, it is desirable that the plate-shaped portion of the first flange 2502a and the first support portion 2503a be formed thinner than the panel plate 1110. Specifically, it is desirable that the plate-shaped portion of the first flange 2502a and the first support portion 2503a be 1/4 to 1/5 the thickness of the panel plate 1110, which can sufficiently increase the strength of the first central feature 2500a and prevent the first central feature 2500a from becoming excessively heavy.

The first support portion 2503a is partially provided on the inner periphery of the first peripheral wall portion 2501a, increasing the strength of the first peripheral wall portion 2501a. Furthermore, when viewed from the front, the shape of the first support portion 2503a protruding from the first peripheral wall portion 2501a is formed in a shape that imitates the front shape of the first peripheral wall portion 2501a or in a linear shape, making the first support portion 2503a less noticeable to players and preventing a decrease in the player's interest in the game when they see the first support portion 2503a. Furthermore, it is desirable that the amount by which the first support portion 2503a protrudes from the first peripheral wall portion 2501a be in the range from the thickness of the first support portion 2503a to the thickness of the panel board 1110; specifically, within the range of 1.0 mm to 10.0 mm, which is effective in increasing the strength of the first peripheral wall portion 2501a while making the first support portion 2503a less noticeable to players.

In this embodiment, the first center role device 2500a further includes a first linear member 2505a that can be connected to the back side of the first center role device 2500a. One end of the first linear member 2505a is detachably connected to the back side of the first center role device 2500a, and the other end is detachably connected to the gaming board 5. The first linear member 2505a is, for example, a metal wire, and the other end is detachably connected to a connecting portion provided at a predetermined position on the gaming board 5 that is difficult for the player to see, and one end is detachably connected to a connecting portion provided at a predetermined position on the first center role device 2500a that is difficult for the player to see. Specifically, the first center role device 2500a has a first connecting portion (not shown) provided at the rear of the first flange portion 2502a, and one end of the first linear member 2505a is detachably connected to the first connecting portion. The gaming board 5 also has a second connecting section (not shown) provided on the rear unit 3000, for example, and the other end of the first linear member 2505a is connected to the second connecting section, avoiding the performance display device 1600. Therefore, the first linear member 2505a is positioned in a position that is difficult for the player to see after the first center role device 2500a is attached to the gaming board 5. Note that if the first center role device 2500a is transparent, the first linear member 2505a can also be positioned so that it can be seen from the front of the pachinko machine 1 through the first center role device 2500a.

The first connecting portion of the first center device 2500a and the second connecting portion of the gaming board 5 may have a locking mechanism that locks one end or the other of the first linear member 2505a. The locking mechanism can prevent the first linear member 2505a from easily detaching from the first connecting portion of the first center device 2500a and the second connecting portion of the gaming board 5. The locking mechanism can also be operated by, for example, a worker assembling the gaming board 5 or an amusement hall manager who manages the pachinko machine 1, to easily detach the first linear member 2505a from the first connecting portion of the first center device 2500a and the second connecting portion of the gaming board 5. From the perspective of ease of operation when separating the gaming board 5, it is preferable that the first linear member 2505a be detached from the first connecting portion of the first center device 2500a before the second connecting portion of the gaming board 5.

The first linear member 2505a is connected to the first connecting portion of the first central device 2500a and the second connecting portion of the game board 5 before the first central device 2500a is positioned relative to the panel board 1110. As a result, even if the first central device 2500a falls from the operator's hand when positioning the first central device 2500a relative to the panel board 1110, the first central device 2500a and the game board 5 are connected by the first linear member 2505a, preventing the first central device 2500a from colliding with the floor or the like.

In order to prevent the first center feature 2500a from colliding with the floor or the like, the first linear member 2505a is formed to be shorter than the length from the bottom end of the pachinko machine 1 to the position where the first center feature 2500a is positioned relative to the panel board 1110. In order to increase the strength of the first linear member 2505a against the impact of a fall, the first center feature 2500a may be provided with a first linear member 2505a having a large wire diameter, or with multiple first linear members 2505a bundled together. Furthermore, compared to the second to fourth center features 2500b to 2500d, the first center feature 2500a does not have any components that may be damaged by the impact of a fall, and therefore protection from the impact of a fall is less important. Therefore, for example, from the perspective of improving workability when positioning the first center feature 2500a relative to the panel board 1110 and attaching the first center feature 2500a to the game board 5, the first center feature 2500a may not have the first linear member 2505a.

The second center device 2500b is equipped with a second starting opening 2005 and a second large winning opening 2007 that opens and closes to accept game balls depending on the results of the lottery for the second special symbol drawn when game ball B is accepted into the second starting opening 2005. When viewed from the front, the second center device 2500b is formed in a roughly arc shape with its lower end positioned to the left of its upper end, and can be attached along the right edge of the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110 to form the right part of the center device 2500. The second center device 2500b forms a route for game balls that are shot into the play area 5a and flow down the right side of the center device 2500.

The second center device 2500b has a second peripheral wall portion 2501b extending like a vertical wall along the right edge of the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110, a flat second flange portion 2502b protruding from the outer periphery of the second peripheral wall portion 2501b and abutting the front surface of the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100, a second support portion 2503b protruding from the inner periphery of the second peripheral wall portion 2501b, and a second linear member 2505b that can be connected to the back side of the second center device 2500b. The second center device 2500b may further have a decorative wall extending from the rear end of the second peripheral wall 2501b or the rear surface of the second flange 2502b into the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110 along the right edge of the opening 1112 in the form of a standing wall. The decorative wall makes it difficult for players to see inside the back unit 3000 from between the second center device 2500b and the performance display device 1600, thereby preventing a decrease in interest in the game.

The second peripheral wall portion 2501b constitutes part of the peripheral wall portion 2501 of the center role device 2500. More specifically, the second peripheral wall portion 2501b extends along the right edge of the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110 and is formed as a vertical wall having a width that protrudes forward from the front surface of the panel board 1110, thereby constituting part of the peripheral wall portion 2501 of the center role device 2500. By colliding with game balls flowing down the play area 5a, the second peripheral wall portion 2501b can prevent game balls flowing down the play area 5a from flowing into the frame-shaped peripheral wall portion 2501 via the second center role device 2500b, and ultimately can prevent game balls flowing down the play area 5a from flowing into the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110.

The second flange portion 2502b has a positioning pin formed on its back surface that protrudes toward the panel plate 1110. The second center feature 2500b is positioned relative to the panel plate 1110 so that it corresponds to the edge of the opening 1112 in the panel plate 1110 when the positioning pin of the second flange portion 2502b is fitted into the mounting hole of the panel plate 1110. The second flange portion 2502b may be configured to have a mounting hole instead of a positioning pin, or may be configured to have both a positioning pin and a mounting hole. In either case, the second center feature 2500b is positioned relative to the panel plate 1110 so that it corresponds to the edge of the opening 1112 in the panel plate 1110 by the positioning pin or mounting hole of the second flange portion 2502b and the positioning pin or mounting hole of the panel plate 1110. Furthermore, the positioning pins and mounting holes may be formed on the back surface of the second center feature 2500b, and may be formed on the back surface of the second peripheral wall portion 2501b, for example.

After the second center feature 2500b has been positioned relative to the panel board 1110, the second flange portion 2502b is fixed to the panel board 1110 with a fixing member such as a screw. As a result, the second center feature 2500b is attached to the gaming board 5. Note that after the second center feature 2500b has been positioned relative to the panel board 1110, the second flange portion 2502b may be fixed to a specified member with a fixing member such as a screw so as to sandwich the panel board 1110 between the panel board 1110 and a specified member abutting the rear surface of the panel board 1110, and the second center feature 2500b is attached to the gaming board 5.

The second flange portion 2502b has a plate-like portion extending parallel to the panel plate 1110 and a storage portion for storing multiple obstacle nails provided on the panel plate 1110 between the plate-like portion. The multiple obstacle nails can change the direction of a gaming ball when it collides with a gaming ball flowing down the route on the right side of the center device 2500, thereby preventing a decrease in the player's interest in the game.

In order to reduce the weight of the second center feature 2500b, it is desirable that the plate-shaped portion of the second flange portion 2502b and the second support portion 2503b be formed thinner than the panel plate 1110. Specifically, it is desirable that the plate-shaped portion of the second flange portion 2502b and the second support portion 2503b be 1/4 to 1/5 the thickness of the panel plate 1110, which can sufficiently increase the strength of the second center feature 2500b and prevent the second center feature 2500b from becoming excessively heavy.

The second support portion 2503b is partially provided on the inner periphery of the second peripheral wall portion 2501b, increasing the strength of the second peripheral wall portion 2501b. Furthermore, when viewed from the front, the shape of the second support portion 2503b protruding from the second peripheral wall portion 2501b is formed in a shape that imitates the front shape of the second peripheral wall portion 2501b or in a linear shape, making the second support portion 2503b less noticeable to players and preventing a decrease in the player's interest in the game when they see the second support portion 2503b. Furthermore, it is desirable that the amount by which the second support portion 2503b protrudes from the second peripheral wall portion 2501b be in the range from the thickness of the second support portion 2503b to the thickness of the panel board 1110; specifically, within the range of 1.0 mm to 10.0 mm, which is effective in increasing the strength of the second peripheral wall portion 2501b while making the second support portion 2503b less noticeable to players.

One end of the second linear member 2505b is detachably connected to the back side of the second center role device 2500b, and the other end is detachably connected to the gaming board 5. The second linear member 2505b is, for example, a metal wire, and one end is detachably connected to a connecting portion provided at a predetermined position on the gaming board 5 that is difficult for the player to see, and the other end is detachably connected to a connecting portion provided at a predetermined position on the second center role device 2500b that is difficult for the player to see. Specifically, the second center role device 2500b has a first connecting portion (not shown) provided at the rear of the second flange portion 2502b, and one end of the second linear member 2505b is detachably connected to the first connecting portion. The gaming board 5 also has a second connecting part (not shown) provided on the rear unit 3000, for example, and the other end of the second linear member 2505b is connected to the second connecting part, avoiding the performance display device 1600. Therefore, the first linear member 2505a is positioned in a position that is difficult for the player to see after the first center role device 2500a is attached to the gaming board 5. Note that if the second center role device 2500b is transparent, the second linear member 2505b can also be positioned so that it can be seen from the front of the pachinko machine 1 through the second center role device 2500b.

The first connecting portion of the second center device 2500b and the second connecting portion of the gaming board 5 may have a locking mechanism that locks one end or the other end of the second linear member 2505b. The locking mechanism can prevent the second linear member 2505b from easily detaching from the first connecting portion of the second center device 2500b and the second connecting portion of the gaming board 5. The locking mechanism can also be operated by, for example, a worker assembling the gaming board 5 or an amusement hall manager who manages the pachinko machine 1, to easily remove the second linear member 2505b from the first connecting portion of the second center device 2500b and the second connecting portion of the gaming board 5. From the perspective of ease of operation when separating the gaming board 5, it is preferable that the second linear member 2505b be removed from the first connecting portion of the second center device 2500b before the second connecting portion of the gaming board 5.

The second linear member 2505b is connected to the first connecting portion of the second center device 2500b and the second connecting portion of the game board 5 before the second center device 2500b is positioned relative to the panel board 1110. As a result, even if the second center device 2500b falls from the operator's hand when positioning the second center device 2500b relative to the panel board 1110, the second center device 2500b is connected to the game board 5 by the second linear member 2505b, preventing the second center device 2500b from colliding with the floor or the like.

In order to prevent the second center feature 2500b from colliding with the floor or the like, the second linear member 2505b is formed to be shorter than the length from the bottom end of the pachinko machine 1 to the position where the second center feature 2500b is positioned relative to the panel board 1110. In order to increase the strength of the second linear member 2505b against the impact of a fall, the second center feature 2500b may be provided with a second linear member 2505b having a larger wire diameter, or with multiple second linear members 2505b bundled together.

In addition, if the second linear member 2505b is not removed from the game board 5 and the second center device 2500b after the pachinko machine 1 is assembled, for example, when the pachinko machine 1 is powered on, it may be determined whether the second linear member 2505b is connected to the game board 5 and the second center device 2500b, and if it is determined that the second linear member 2505b is not connected to the game board 5 and the second center device 2500b, an error notification may be sent to the outside of the pachinko machine 1 indicating that the second linear member 2505b is not connected. As described above, the first center device 2500a does not have any components that may be damaged by the impact of a fall, compared to the second center device 2500b. Therefore, if the first linear member 2505a is not removed from the game board 5 and the first center device 2500a after the pachinko machine 1 is assembled, for example, when the power to the pachinko machine 1 is turned on, it is desirable that the first linear member 2505a be determined to be connected to the game board 5 and the first center device 2500a, and even if it is determined that the first linear member 2505a is not connected to the game board 5 and the first center device 2500a, an error notification that the first linear member 2505a is not connected to the outside of the pachinko machine 1 is not issued. From a similar perspective, it is desirable that the second center reel 2500b be better protected from the impact of a fall than the first center reel 2500a; for example, it is desirable that the second linear member 2505b have a larger wire diameter than the first linear member 2505a, and it is also desirable that the number of second linear members 2505b bundled together be greater than the number of first linear members 2505a bundled together.

The following describes how, when creating a new game board 5, the first center role device 2500a and the second center role device 2500b of the same shape can be reused even if the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110 is modified. Figures 175(a) to (c) are schematic front views showing the first center role device 2500a and the second center role device 2500b. Figures 175(a) to (c) are figures showing an embodiment in which the first center role device 2500a and the second center role device 2500b are attached to respective panel boards having different openings. In detail, Figure 175(a) is a figure showing the first center role device 2500a and the second center role device 2500b attached to a panel board 1110 having an opening 1112 of the same shape as the panel board 1110 of the embodiment shown in Figure 173 described above. Also, Figure 175(b) is a diagram showing a first center role element 2500a and a second center role element 2500b attached to a panel board having a different shape (for example, a shape in which the width of the opening in the left-right direction is shorter) than the panel board 1110 in Figure 173 described above. Also, Figure 175(c) is a diagram showing a first center role element 2500a and a second center role element 2500b attached to a panel board having a different shape (for example, a shape in which the width of the opening in the left-right direction is longer) than the panel board 1110 in Figure 173 described above.

As shown in Figure 175 (a), in the center reel 2500 of this embodiment, when the first center reel 2500a and the second center reel 2500b are positioned adjacent to each other on the panel board 1110, the first center reel 2500a and the second center reel 2500b are attached to the panel board 1110 so that the tip of the first adjustment wall portion 2504a on the right side of the first center reel 2500a and the upper end portion of the second peripheral wall portion 2501b of the second center reel 2500b abut without any gaps. As a result, in the configuration of the first center device 2500a and second center device 2500b shown in FIG. 175(a), game balls flowing down the play area 5a can be prevented from flowing into the frame-shaped peripheral wall portion 2501 via the first center device 2500a and the second center device 2500b, and ultimately game balls flowing down the play area 5a can be prevented from flowing into the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110.

Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 175(b), in the center role 2500 of this embodiment, when the first center role 2500a and the second center role 2500b are positioned relative to a panel board having a different shape from the above-mentioned panel board 1110 (for example, a shape in which the width of the opening in the left-right direction is shortened), even if the first center role 2500a and the second center role 2500b overlap in the left-right direction, the first adjustment wall portion 2504a does not have a portion that protrudes toward the outer periphery like the first flange portion 2502a, so the first center role 2500a and the second center role 2500b can be attached to the panel board so that the upper end portions of the first adjustment wall portion 2504a and the second peripheral wall portion 2501b overlap in the left-right direction. Even with the configuration of the first center device 2500a and second center device 2500b shown in Figure 175 (b), game balls flowing down the play area 5a can be prevented from flowing into the frame-shaped peripheral wall portion 2501 via the first center device 2500a and second center device 2500b, and ultimately game balls flowing down the play area 5a can be prevented from flowing into the opening in the panel board.

Furthermore, as shown in Figure 175 (c), in the center role 2500 of this embodiment, when the first center role 2500a and the second center role 2500b are positioned relative to a panel board having a different shape from the above-mentioned panel board 1110 (for example, a shape in which the width of the opening in the left-right direction is longer), even if the first center role 2500a and the second center role 2500b are spaced apart, the first center role 2500a and the second center role 2500b can be attached to the panel board so that the upper ends of the first adjustment wall portion 2504a and the second peripheral wall portion 2501b are spaced apart within a predetermined distance. In the configuration of the first center device 2500a and second center device 2500b shown in Figure 175 (c), the maximum value of the specified distance between the first adjustment wall portion 2504a and the upper end of the second peripheral wall portion 2501b needs only to be smaller than the diameter of the game ball, which is 11.0 mm, and game balls flowing down the game area 5a can be prevented from flowing into the frame-shaped peripheral wall portion 2501 via the first center device 2500a and second center device 2500b, and ultimately game balls flowing down the game area 5a can be prevented from flowing into the opening in the panel board.

In the center role 2500 of this embodiment, the first center role 2500a and the second center role 2500b are positioned on the panel board 1110 so that the first adjustment wall portion 2504a of the first center role 2500a and the second center role 2500b overlap, or so that the first adjustment portion 2504a of the first center role 2500a and the second center role 2500b are spaced apart within a predetermined range, depending on the shape of the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110. Even if the shape of the opening of 2 changes, the center role 2500 can be reused, and therefore there is no need to create a new center role that corresponds to the shape of the opening formed in the new panel, which makes it easier to design the pachinko machine 1 and improves convenience, and by positioning the first center role 2500a and the second center role 2500b to correspond to the new panel with a different opening shape, the game area 5a into which the game balls flow down changes, which can also prevent a decrease in interest in the game. Note that even if a new first center role is created without reusing the first center role 2500a, the second center role 2500b can be reused if at least the first adjustment wall portion of the new first center role is made to have a common aspect that corresponds to the upper end of the second peripheral wall portion 2501b of the second center role 2500b. Furthermore, even when creating a new second center device without reusing second center device 2500b, if at least the upper end of the second peripheral wall of the new second center device is a common configuration corresponding to first adjustment wall 2504a of first center device 2500a, it is possible to reuse first center device 2500a. Even in these configurations, the gaming machine design of pachinko machine 1 can be simplified and convenience can be improved, and since the gaming area 5a into which the gaming balls flow changes depending on whether first center device 2500a or second center device 2500b is different, a decrease in interest in the game can be suppressed.

The third center device 2500c is equipped with a variable winning opening 2003 that opens and closes to accept game ball B depending on the result of the lottery for a normal symbol drawn when game ball B passes through gate 2002, and a first large winning opening 2006 that opens and closes to accept game ball B depending on the result of the lottery for a first special symbol drawn when game ball B is received at first starting opening 2004. When viewed from the front, the third center device 2500c is formed in a roughly arc shape extending vertically, and can be attached along the left edge of opening 1112 of panel board 1110 to form the left part of the center device 2500. The third center device 2500c forms a route for game balls that are shot into play area 5a and flow down the left side of the center device 2500.

The third center feature 2500c has a third peripheral wall portion 2501c extending in the form of a vertical wall along the left edge of the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110, a third flange portion 2502c protruding from the outer periphery of the third peripheral wall portion 2501c and extending in the form of a flat plate along the front surface of the panel plate 1110, and a third linear member 2505c that can be connected to the back side of the third center feature 2500c. The third center device 2500c may further have a decorative wall extending from the rear end of the third peripheral wall 2501c or the rear surface of the third flange 2502c into the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110 in the form of a standing wall along the left edge of the opening 1112. The decorative wall, for example, makes it difficult for a player to see inside the back unit 3000 from between the third center device 2500c and the performance display device 1600, thereby preventing a decrease in interest in the game.

The third peripheral wall portion 2501c constitutes part of the peripheral wall portion 2501 of the center role device 2500. More specifically, the third peripheral wall portion 2501c extends along the left edge of the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110 and is formed as a vertical wall having a width that protrudes forward from the front surface of the panel board 1110, thereby constituting part of the peripheral wall portion 2501 of the center role device 2500. By colliding with game balls flowing down the play area 5a, the third peripheral wall portion 2501c can prevent game balls flowing down the play area 5a from flowing into the frame-shaped peripheral wall portion 2501 via the third center role device 2500c, and ultimately prevent game balls flowing down the play area 5a from flowing into the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110.

The third peripheral wall portion 2500c has a third adjustment wall portion 2504c extending in the form of a vertical wall at each end of the third peripheral wall portion 2501c. The third adjustment wall portion 2504c extends from each end of the third peripheral wall portion 2501c toward the first center role element 2500a or the fourth center role element 2500d. The third adjustment wall portion 2504c is formed with a front-to-back width that is approximately the same as the front-to-back width of the third peripheral wall portion 2501c. Note that the third adjustment wall portion 2504c may be configured to extend from the end of the third peripheral wall portion 2501c toward the first center role element 2500a or the fourth center role element 2500d. Specifically, the upper third adjustment wall portion 2504c in a front view may be configured to extend, for example, from above to the right in a clockwise direction toward the first center role element 2500a. Furthermore, when viewed from the front, the lower third adjustment wall portion 2504c may be configured to extend clockwise from the right downwards toward the fourth center role piece 2500d, for example.

The third flange portion 2502c has a positioning pin formed on its back surface that protrudes toward the panel plate 1110. The third center feature 2500c is positioned relative to the panel plate 1110 so as to correspond to the edge of the opening 1112 in the panel plate 1110 by fitting the positioning pin of the third flange portion 2502c into the mounting hole of the panel plate 1110. The third flange portion 2502c may be configured so as to have a mounting hole instead of a positioning pin, or may be configured so as to have both a positioning pin and a mounting hole. In either case, the third center feature 2500c is positioned relative to the panel plate 1110 so as to correspond to the edge of the opening 1112 in the panel plate 1110 by the positioning pin or mounting hole of the third flange portion 2502c and the positioning pin or mounting hole of the panel plate 1110. Furthermore, the positioning pin and mounting hole may be formed on the back surface of the third center feature 2500c, for example, on the back side of the third peripheral wall portion 2501c.

After the third center feature 2500c has been positioned relative to the panel board 1110, the third flange portion 2502c is fixed to the panel board 1110 with a fixing member such as a screw. As a result, the third center feature 2500c is attached to the gaming board 5. Note that the third flange portion 2502c may also be fixed to a specified member with a fixing member such as a screw so as to sandwich the panel board 1110 between the panel board 1110 and a specified member abutting the rear surface of the panel board 1110 after the third center feature 2500c has been positioned relative to the panel board 1110, and the third center feature 2500c is attached to the gaming board 5.

The third flange portion 2502c is preferably formed thinner than the panel plate 1110, for example, from the perspective of reducing the weight of the third center feature 2500c. Specifically, the third flange portion 2502c is preferably 1/4 to 1/5 the thickness of the panel plate 1110, which can sufficiently increase the strength of the third center feature 2500c and prevent the third center feature 2500c from becoming excessively heavy.

One end of the third linear member 2505c is detachably connected to the third center device 2500c, and the other end is detachably connected to the gaming board 5. The third linear member 2505c is, for example, a metal wire, and one end is detachably connected to a connecting portion provided at a predetermined position on the third center device 2500c that is difficult for the player to see, and the other end is detachably connected to a connecting portion provided at a predetermined position on the gaming board 5 that is difficult for the player to see. Specifically, the third center device 2500c has a first connecting portion (not shown) provided at the rear of the third flange portion 2502c, and one end of the third linear member 2505c is detachably connected to the first connecting portion. Furthermore, the gaming board 5 has a second connecting part (not shown) provided on the rear unit 3000, for example, and the other end of the third linear member 2505c is connected to the second connecting part, avoiding the performance display device 1600. Therefore, the third linear member 2505c is positioned in a position that is difficult for the player to see after the third center role device 2500c is attached to the gaming board 5. Note that if the third center role device 2500c is transparent, the third linear member 2505c can also be positioned so that it can be seen from the front of the pachinko machine 1 through the third center role device 2500c.

The first connecting portion of the third center device 2500c and the second connecting portion of the gaming board 5 may have a locking mechanism that locks one end or the other end of the third linear member 2505c. The locking mechanism can prevent the third linear member 2505c from easily detaching from the first connecting portion of the third center device 2500c and the second connecting portion of the gaming board 5. The locking mechanism can also be operated by, for example, a worker assembling the gaming board 5 or an amusement hall manager who manages the pachinko machine 1, to easily remove the third linear member 2505c from the first connecting portion of the third center device 2500c and the second connecting portion of the gaming board 5. From the perspective of ease of operation when separating the gaming board 5, it is preferable that the third linear member 2505c be removed from the first connecting portion of the third center device 2500c before the second connecting portion of the gaming board 5.

The third linear member 2505c is connected to the first connecting portion of the third central feature 2500c and the second connecting portion of the game board 5 before the third central feature 2500c is positioned relative to the panel board 1110. As a result, even if the third central feature 2500c falls from the operator's hand when positioning the third central feature 2500c relative to the panel board 1110, the third central feature 2500c is connected to the game board 5 by the third linear member 2505c, preventing the third central feature 2500c from colliding with the floor or the like.

In order to prevent the third center feature 2500c from colliding with the floor or the like, the third linear member 2505c is formed to be shorter than the length from the bottom end of the pachinko machine 1 to the position where the third center feature 2500c is attached to the panel board 1110. In order to increase the strength of the third center feature 2500c against the impact of a fall, the third linear member 2505c may be provided with a third linear member 2505c having a large wire diameter, or with multiple third linear members 2505c bundled together.

Furthermore, if the third linear member 2505c is not removed from the game board 5 and the third center device 2500c after the pachinko machine 1 is assembled, for example, when the pachinko machine 1 is powered on, it may be determined whether the third linear member 2505c is connected to the game board 5 and the third center device 2500c, and if it is determined that the third linear member 2505c is not connected to the game board 5 and the third center device 2500c, an error notification may be issued to the outside of the pachinko machine 1 indicating that the third linear member 2505c is not connected. Furthermore, as mentioned above, the third central feature 2500c has components that are more likely to be damaged by the impact of a fall than the first central feature 2500a. Therefore, it is desirable that the third central feature 2500c be better protected from the impact of a fall than the first central feature 2500a. For example, it is desirable that the third linear member 2505c has a larger wire diameter than the first linear member 2505a, and it is also desirable that the number of third linear members 2505c bundled together is greater than the number of first linear members 2505a bundled together.

The following describes how, when creating a new game board 5, the first center role device 2500a and the third center role device 2500c of the same shape can be reused even if the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110 is modified. Figures 176(a) to 176(c) are schematic front views showing the first center role device 2500a and the third center role device 2500c. Figures 176(a) to 176(c) are diagrams showing the first center role device 2500a and the third center role device 2500c attached to respective panel boards with different openings. In detail, Figure 176(a) is a diagram showing the first center role device 2500a and the third center role device 2500c attached to a panel board 1110 having openings 1112 of the same shape as the panel board 1110 of the embodiment shown in Figure 173 described above. Also, Figure 176(b) is a diagram showing a first center role element 2500a and a third center role element 2500c attached to a panel board having a different shape (for example, a shape in which the vertical width of the opening is shorter) from the panel board 1110 of Figure 173 described above. Also, Figure 176(c) is a diagram showing a first center role element 2500a and a third center role element 2500c attached to a panel board having a different shape (for example, a shape in which the vertical width of the opening is longer) from the panel board 1110 of Figure 173 described above.

As shown in FIG. 176(a), in the center role device 2500 of this embodiment, when the first center role device 2500a and the third center role device 2500c are positioned adjacent to each other on the panel board 1110, the first center role device 2500a and the third center role device 2500c can be attached to the panel board 1110 so that the tip of the first adjustment wall portion 2504a of the first center role device 2500a and the tip of the third adjustment wall portion 2504c of the third center role device 2500c abut without any gaps. As a result, game balls flowing down the play area 5a can be prevented from flowing into the frame-shaped peripheral wall portion 2501 via the first center role device 2500a and the third center role device 2500c, and ultimately game balls flowing down the play area 5a can be prevented from flowing into the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110.

Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 176(b), in the center role 2500 of this embodiment, when the first center role 2500a and the third center role 2500c are positioned relative to a panel board having a different shape from the above-mentioned panel board 1110 (for example, a shape in which the vertical width of the opening is shortened), even if the first center role 2500a and the third center role 2500c overlap in the left-right direction, since the first adjustment wall portion 2504a does not have a portion that protrudes toward the outer periphery and the third adjustment wall portion 2504c does not have a portion that protrudes toward the inner periphery, the first center role 2500a and the third center role 2500c can be attached to the panel board 1110 so that the first adjustment wall portion 2504a and the third adjustment wall portion 2504c overlap in the left-right direction. Even in the configuration of the first center device 2500a and the third center device 2500c shown in Figure 176 (b), game balls flowing down the game area 5a can be prevented from flowing into the frame-shaped peripheral wall portion 2501 via the first center device 2500a and the third center device 2500c, and ultimately game balls flowing down the game area 5a can be prevented from flowing into the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110. In addition, when the first adjustment wall 2504a extends leftward from the first center role element 2500a and the third adjustment wall 2504c extends rightward from the third center role element 2500c, and the first center role element 2500a and the third center role element 2500c are positioned relative to a panel board having a different shape from the above-described panel board 1110 (for example, a shape in which the width of the opening in the left-right direction is shortened), even if the first center role element 2500a and the third center role element 2500c overlap in the vertical direction, as long as the first adjustment wall 2504a does not have a portion that protrudes toward the inner periphery and the third adjustment wall 2504c does not have a portion that protrudes toward the outer periphery, the first center role element 2500a and the second center role element 2500b can be attached to the panel board so that the first adjustment wall element 2504a and the third adjustment wall element 2504c overlap in the vertical direction.

Furthermore, as shown in Figure 176 (c), in the center role 2500 of this embodiment, when the first center role 2500a and the third center role 2500c are positioned relative to a panel board having a different shape from the above-mentioned panel board 1110 (for example, a shape in which the vertical width of the opening is longer), even if the first center role 2500a and the third center role 2500c are spaced apart, the first center role 2500a and the third center role 2500c can be attached to the panel board 1110 so that the first adjustment wall portion 2504a and the third adjustment wall portion 2504c are spaced apart within a predetermined distance. In the configuration of the first center device 2500a and third center device 2500c shown in FIG. 176(c), the maximum value of the specified distance between the first adjustment wall portion 2504a and the third adjustment wall portion 2504c need only be smaller than the diameter of the game ball, which is 11.0 mm, and game balls flowing down the game area 5a can be prevented from flowing into the frame-shaped peripheral wall portion 2501 via the first center device 2500a and the third center device 2500c, and ultimately game balls flowing down the game area 5a can be prevented from flowing into the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110.

In the center role 2500 of this embodiment, the first center role 2500a and the third center role 2500c are positioned on the panel board 1110 so that the first adjustment wall portion 2504a of the first center role 2500a and the third adjustment wall portion 2504c of the third center role 2500c overlap, or so that the first adjustment portion 2504a of the first center role 2500a and the third adjustment wall portion 2504c of the third center role 2500c are spaced apart within a predetermined range, depending on the shape of the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110. Even if the shape of the opening 1112 of the panel 1110 changes, the center role 2500 can be reused, and therefore there is no need to create a new center role corresponding to the shape of the opening formed in the new panel, which facilitates the design of the pachinko machine 1 and improves convenience. Furthermore, by positioning the first center role 2500a and the third center role 2500c to correspond to the new panel having a different opening shape, the game area 5a into which the game balls flow changes, which can also prevent a decline in interest in the game. Even if a new first center role is created without reusing the first center role 2500a, the third center role 2500c can be reused as long as at least the first adjustment wall portion of the new first center role is a common aspect corresponding to the third adjustment wall portion 2504c of the third center role 2500c. Furthermore, even when a new third center device is created without reusing the third center device 2500c, the first center device 2500a can be reused if the third adjustment wall portion of the new third center device is a common configuration corresponding to the first adjustment wall portion 2504a of the first center device 2500a. Even in these configurations, the gaming machine design of the pachinko machine 1 can be simplified and convenience can be improved, and since the gaming area 5a into which the gaming balls flow changes depending on whether the first center device 2500a or the third center device 2500c is different, a decrease in interest in the game can be suppressed.

The fourth center device 2500d is formed in a roughly arc-like shape with its left end positioned higher than its right end when viewed from the front, and can be attached along the lower edge of the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110 to form the lower part of the center device 2500. The fourth center device 2500d has a warp entrance that opens to allow the entry of game balls that are shot into the play area 5a and flow down a route that passes through the left side of the center device 2500, a warp exit that can release game ball B that has entered the warp entrance, a stage that can release game balls released from the warp exit into the play area 5a after rolling them left and right, and a stage cover that is provided to cover the top of the stage. The stage of the fourth center device 2500d is curved and recessed toward the center in the left-right direction. It is shaped like a wave (W) so that the approximate center in the left-right direction, which corresponds to the position directly above the first starting hole 2004 of the starting hole unit 2100 when the fourth center device 2500d is positioned on the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100, is slightly higher than either of the two sides. The stage is also inclined so that the portion slightly higher than the center on either side and the lowest portion on either side become lower toward the front, allowing game balls to be released into the game area 5a from these portions. Therefore, when a game ball is released from the center of the stage, there is an extremely high probability that it will be received by the first starting hole 2004.

The fourth center feature 2500d has a fourth peripheral wall portion 2501d extending in the form of a vertical wall along the lower edge of the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110, a fourth flange portion 2502d protruding from the outer periphery of the fourth peripheral wall portion 2501d and extending in the form of a flat plate along the front surface of the panel plate 1110, and a fourth support portion 2503d protruding from the inner periphery of the fourth peripheral wall portion 2501d. The fourth center role device 2500d may further have a decorative wall extending in the form of a vertical wall from the rear end of the fourth peripheral wall portion 2501d or the rear surface of the fourth flange portion 2502d into the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110 along the lower edge of the opening 1112. The decorative wall portion, for example, makes it difficult for a player to see inside the back unit 3000 from between the fourth center role device 2500ad performance display device 1600, thereby preventing a decrease in interest in the game.

The fourth peripheral wall portion 2501d constitutes part of the peripheral wall portion 2501 of the center role device 2500. Specifically, the fourth peripheral wall portion 2501d extends along the lower edge of the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110 and is formed as a vertical wall with a width that protrudes forward from the front surface of the panel board 1110, and constitutes part of the peripheral wall portion 2501 of the center role device 2500. By colliding with game balls flowing down the play area 5a, the fourth peripheral wall portion 2501d can prevent game balls flowing down the play area 5a from flowing into the frame-shaped peripheral wall portion 2501 via the fourth center role device 2500d, and ultimately can prevent game balls flowing down the play area 5a from flowing into the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110.

The fourth peripheral wall portion 2500a has a fourth adjustment wall portion 2504d extending in the form of a vertical wall at each end of the fourth peripheral wall portion 2501d. The fourth adjustment wall portion 2504d extends from each end of the fourth peripheral wall portion 2501d toward the second center role element 2500b or the third center role element 2500c. The fourth adjustment wall portion 2504d is formed with a front-to-back width that is approximately the same as the front-to-back width of the fourth peripheral wall portion 2501d. Note that the fourth adjustment wall portion 2504d may be configured to extend from the end of the fourth peripheral wall portion 2501a toward the second center role element 2500b or the third center role element 2500c. Specifically, the fourth adjustment wall portion 2504d on the left side in a front view may be configured to extend, for example, from above to the right in a clockwise direction toward the third center role element 2500c. Additionally, the fourth adjustment wall portion 2504d on the right side when viewed from the front may be configured to extend clockwise from above to the right toward the second center device 2500c. Here, the stage cover of the fourth center device 2500d forms part of the fourth circumferential wall portion 2501d, and can bounce game balls that bounce on the stage of the fourth center device 2500d back toward the stage, preventing game balls from flowing into the frame of the fourth center device 2500d from outside.

The fourth flange portion 2502d has a positioning pin formed on its back surface that protrudes toward the panel plate 1110. The fourth center feature 2500d is positioned relative to the panel plate 1110 so as to correspond to the edge of the opening 1112 in the panel plate 1110 by fitting the positioning pin of the fourth flange portion 2502d into the mounting hole of the panel plate 1110. The fourth flange portion 2502d may be configured so as to have a mounting hole instead of a positioning pin, or may be configured so as to have both a positioning pin and a mounting hole. In either case, the fourth center feature 2500d is positioned relative to the panel plate 1110 so as to correspond to the edge of the opening 1112 in the panel plate 1110 by the positioning pin or mounting hole of the fourth flange portion 2502d and the positioning pin or mounting hole of the panel plate 1110. Furthermore, the positioning pin and mounting hole may be formed on the back surface of the fourth center feature 2500d, and may be formed on the back side of the fourth peripheral wall portion 2501d, for example.

After the fourth center feature 2500d has been positioned relative to the panel board 1110, the fourth flange portion 2502d is fixed to the panel board 1110 with a fixing member such as a screw. As a result, the fourth center feature 2500d is attached to the gaming board 5. Note that after the fourth center feature 2500d has been positioned relative to the panel board 1110, the fourth flange portion 2502d may be fixed to a specified member with a fixing member such as a screw so as to sandwich the panel board 1110 between the panel board 1110 and a specified member abutting the rear surface of the panel board 1110, and the fourth center feature 2500d is attached to the gaming board 5.

For example, from the perspective of reducing the weight of the fourth center feature 2500d, it is desirable that the fourth flange portion 2502d and the fourth support portion 2503d be formed thinner than the panel plate 1110. Specifically, it is desirable that the fourth flange portion 2502d and the fourth support portion 2503d be 1/4 to 1/5 the thickness of the panel plate 1110, which can sufficiently increase the strength of the fourth center feature 2500d and prevent the fourth center feature 2500d from becoming excessively heavy.

The fourth support portion 2503d is partially provided on the inner periphery of the fourth peripheral wall portion 2501d, increasing the strength of the fourth peripheral wall portion 2501d. Furthermore, when viewed from the front, the shape of the fourth support portion 2503d protruding from the fourth peripheral wall portion 2501d is formed in a shape that imitates the front shape of the fourth peripheral wall portion 2501d or in a linear shape, making the fourth support portion 2503d less noticeable to players and preventing a decrease in a player's interest in the game when they see the fourth support portion 2503d. Furthermore, it is desirable that the amount by which the fourth support portion 2503d protrudes from the fourth peripheral wall portion 2501d be in the range from the thickness of the fourth support portion 2503a to the thickness of the panel board 1110; specifically, within the range of 1.0 mm to 10.0 mm, which is effective in increasing the strength of the fourth peripheral wall portion 2501d while making the fourth support portion 2503d less noticeable to players.

One end of the fourth linear member 2505d is detachably connected to the fourth center device 2500d, and the other end is detachably connected to the gaming board 5. The fourth linear member 2505d is, for example, a metal wire, and one end is detachably connected to a connecting portion provided at a predetermined position on the fourth center device 2500d that is difficult for the player to see, and the other end is detachably connected to a connecting portion provided at a predetermined position on the gaming board 5 that is difficult for the player to see. Specifically, the fourth center device 2500d has a first connecting portion (not shown) provided at the rear of the fourth flange portion 2502d, and one end of the fourth linear member 2505d is detachably connected to the first connecting portion. Furthermore, the gaming board 5 has a second connecting part (not shown) provided on the rear unit 3000, for example, and the other end of the fourth linear member 2505d is connected to the second connecting part, avoiding the effect display device 1600. Therefore, the fourth linear member 2505d is positioned in a position that is difficult for the player to see after the fourth center role device 2500d is attached to the gaming board 5. Note that if the fourth center role device 2500d is transparent, the fourth linear member 2505d can also be positioned so that it can be seen from the front of the pachinko machine 1 through the fourth center role device 2500d.

The first connecting portion of the fourth center device 2500d and the second connecting portion of the gaming board 5 may have a locking mechanism that locks one end or the other end of the fourth linear member 2505d. The locking mechanism can prevent the fourth linear member 2505d from easily detaching from the first connecting portion of the fourth center device 2500d and the second connecting portion of the gaming board 5. The locking mechanism can also be operated by, for example, a worker assembling the gaming board 5 or an amusement hall manager who manages the pachinko machine 1, to easily remove the fourth linear member 2505d from the first connecting portion of the fourth center device 2500d and the second connecting portion of the gaming board 5. From the perspective of ease of operation when separating the gaming board 5, it is preferable that the fourth linear member 2505d be removed from the first connecting portion of the fourth center device 2500d before the second connecting portion of the gaming board 5.

The fourth linear member 2505d is connected to the first connecting portion of the fourth central feature 2500d and the second connecting portion of the game board 5 before the fourth central feature 2500d is positioned relative to the panel board 1110. As a result, even if the fourth central feature 2500d falls from the operator's hand when positioning the fourth central feature 2500d relative to the panel board 1110, the fourth linear member 2505d will connect the fourth central feature 2500d to the game board 5, preventing the fourth central feature 2500d from colliding with the floor or the like.

In order to prevent the fourth center feature 2500d from colliding with the floor or the like, the fourth linear member 2505d is formed to be shorter than the length from the bottom end of the pachinko machine 1 to the position where the fourth center feature 2500d is attached to the panel board 1110. In order to increase the strength of the fourth linear member 2505d against the impact of a fall, the fourth center feature 2500d may be provided with a fourth linear member 2505d having a large wire diameter, or with multiple fourth linear members 2505d bundled together.

Furthermore, if the fourth linear member 2505d is not removed from the game board 5 and the fourth center device 2500d after the pachinko machine 1 has been assembled, for example, when the pachinko machine 1 is powered on, it may be determined whether the fourth linear member 2505d is connected to the game board 5 and the fourth center device 2500d, and if it is determined that the fourth linear member 2505d is not connected to the game board 5 and the fourth center device 2500d, an error notification may be sent to the outside of the pachinko machine 1 indicating that the fourth linear member 2505d is not connected. Furthermore, as mentioned above, the fourth central feature 2500d has components that are more likely to be damaged by the impact of a fall than the first central feature 2500a. Therefore, it is desirable that the fourth central feature 2500d be better protected from the impact of a fall than the first central feature 2500a. For example, it is desirable that the fourth linear member 2505d has a larger wire diameter than the first linear member 2505a, and it is also desirable that the number of fourth linear members 2505d bundled together is greater than the number of first linear members 2505a bundled together.

The following explains how, when creating a new game board 5, even if the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110 is modified, the second center role device 2500b, third center role device 2500c, and fourth center role device 2500d of the same shape can be reused.

In the center role device 2500 of this embodiment, when the third center role device 2500c and the fourth center role device 2500d are positioned adjacent to each other on a panel board 1110 having an opening 1112 of the same shape as the panel board 1110 of the embodiment shown in FIG. 173, the third center role device 2500c and the fourth center role device 2500d can be attached to the panel board 1110 so that the third adjustment wall portion 2504c of the third center role device 2500c and the fourth adjustment wall 2504c of the fourth center role device 2500d face each other. As a result, game balls flowing down the play area 5a can be prevented from flowing into the frame-shaped peripheral wall portion 2501 via the third center role device 2500c and the fourth center role device 2500d, and ultimately game balls flowing down the play area 5a can be prevented from flowing into the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110.

In addition, in the center role 2500 of this embodiment, when the third center role 2500c and the fourth center role 2500d are positioned relative to a panel board 1110 having a different shape from the above-mentioned panel board 1110 (for example, a shape in which the width of the opening in the left-right direction is shortened), even if the third center role 2500c and the fourth center role 2500d overlap in the vertical direction, since the third adjustment wall portion 2504c and the fourth adjustment wall portion 2504d do not have parts that protrude toward the outer periphery, the third center role 2500c and the fourth center role 2500d can be attached to the panel board 1110 so that the third adjustment wall portion 2504c and the fourth adjustment wall portion 2504d overlap in the vertical direction. Even with such a configuration of the third center device 2500c and the fourth center device 2500d, it is possible to prevent game balls flowing down the play area 5a from flowing into the frame-shaped peripheral wall portion 2501 via the third center device 2500c and the fourth center device 2500d, and ultimately to prevent game balls flowing down the play area 5a from flowing into the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110. Furthermore, even if the third adjustment wall portion 2504a extends downward from the third center role element 2500c and the fourth adjustment wall portion 2504d extends upward from the fourth center role element 2500d, and the third center role element 2500c and the fourth center role element 2500d are positioned relative to a panel plate having a different shape from the above-mentioned panel plate 1110 (for example, a shape in which the width of the opening in the left-right direction is shortened), and the third center role element 2500c and the fourth center role element 2500d overlap in the left-right direction, as long as the third adjustment wall portion 2504c does not have a portion that protrudes toward the inner periphery and the fourth adjustment wall portion 2504d does not have a portion that protrudes toward the outer periphery, the third center role element 2500c and the fourth center role element 2500d can be attached to the panel plate so that the third adjustment wall portion 2504c and the fourth adjustment wall portion 2504d overlap in the left-right direction.

In addition, in the center role 2500 of this embodiment, when the third center role 2500c and the fourth center role 2500d are positioned relative to a panel board 1110 having a shape different from the above-mentioned panel board 1110 (for example, a shape in which the width of the opening in the left-right direction is longer), even if the third center role 2500c and the fourth center role 2500d are spaced apart, the third center role 2500c and the fourth center role 2500d can be attached to the panel board 1110 so that the third adjustment wall portion 2504c and the fourth adjustment wall portion 2504d are spaced apart within a predetermined distance. In this configuration of the third center device 2500c and the fourth center device 2500d, the maximum value of the specified distance between the third adjustment wall portion 2504c and the fourth adjustment wall portion 2504d only needs to be smaller than the diameter of the game ball, which is 11.0 mm, and game balls flowing down the game area 5a can be prevented from flowing into the frame-shaped peripheral wall portion 2501 via the third center device 2500c and the fourth center device 2500d, and ultimately game balls flowing down the game area 5a can be prevented from flowing into the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110.

In the center role 2500 of this embodiment, the third center role 2500c and the fourth center role 2500d are positioned on the panel board 1110 so that the third adjustment wall portion 2504c of the third center role 2500c and the fourth adjustment wall portion 2504d of the fourth center role 2500d overlap, or so that the third adjustment portion 2504c of the third center role 2500c and the fourth adjustment wall portion 2504d of the fourth center role 2500d are spaced apart within a predetermined range, depending on the shape of the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110. Even if the shape of the opening 1112 of the board 1110 changes, the center role 2500 can be reused, and therefore there is no need to create a new center role that corresponds to the shape of the opening 1112 formed in the new panel board 1110, which facilitates the design of the pachinko machine 1 and improves convenience, and also prevents a decline in interest in the game because the third center role 2500c and the fourth center role 2500d are positioned to correspond to the new panel board 1110, changing the game area 5a into which the game balls flow down. Note that even if a new third center role is created without reusing the third center role 2500c, the fourth center role 2500d can be reused as long as at least the third adjustment wall portion of the new third center role is a common aspect corresponding to the fourth adjustment wall portion 2504d of the fourth center role 2500c. Furthermore, even if a new fourth center device is created without reusing the fourth center device 2500d, the third center device 2500c can be reused if the fourth adjustment wall portion of the new fourth center device is a common configuration corresponding to the third adjustment wall portion 2504c of the third center device 2500c. Even in these configurations, the gaming machine design of the pachinko machine 1 can be simplified and convenience can be improved, and since the gaming area 5a into which the gaming balls flow changes depending on whether the third center device 2500c or the fourth center device 2500d is different, a decrease in interest in the game can be suppressed.

In addition, in the center reel 2500 of this embodiment, when the second center reel 2500b and the fourth center reel 2500c are positioned adjacent to each other on a panel plate 1110 having an opening 1112 of the same shape as the panel plate 1110 of the above-mentioned embodiment shown in Figure 173, the second center reel 2500b and the fourth center reel 2500d can be attached to the panel plate 1110 so that the second peripheral wall portion 2501b of the second center reel 2500b and the fourth adjustment wall portion 2504d of the fourth center reel 2500d face each other. With this configuration of the second center device 2500b and the fourth center device 2500d, game balls flowing down the play area 5a can be prevented from flowing into the frame-shaped peripheral wall portion 2501 via the second center device 2500b and the fourth center device 2500d, and ultimately game balls flowing down the play area 5a can be prevented from flowing into the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110.

In addition, in the center role 2500 of this embodiment, when the second center role 2500b and the fourth center role 2500d are positioned relative to a panel board 1110 having a different shape from the above-mentioned panel board 1110 (for example, a shape in which the vertical width of the opening is shortened), even if the second center role 2500a and the fourth center role 2500d overlap, since the fourth adjustment wall portion 2504d does not have a portion that protrudes toward the outer periphery, the second center role 2500b and the fourth center role 2500d can be attached to the panel board 1110 so that the second peripheral wall portion 2501b and the fourth adjustment wall portion 2504d overlap in the left-right direction. Even with this configuration of the second center device 2500b and the fourth center device 2500d, it is possible to prevent game balls flowing down the play area 5a from flowing into the frame-shaped peripheral wall portion 2501 via the second center device 2500b and the fourth center device 2500d, and ultimately to prevent game balls flowing down the play area 5a from flowing into the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110.

In addition, in the center role 2500 of this embodiment, when the second center role 2500b and the fourth center role 2500d are positioned relative to a panel board 1110 having a shape different from the above-mentioned panel board 1110 (for example, a shape in which the vertical width of the opening is longer), even if the second center role 2500b and the fourth center role 2500d are spaced apart, the second center role 2500b and the fourth center role 2500d can be attached to the panel board 1110 so that the second peripheral wall portion 2501b and the fourth adjustment wall portion 2504d are spaced apart within a predetermined distance. In this configuration of the second center device 2500b and the fourth center device 2500d, the maximum value of the specified distance between the second peripheral wall portion 2501b and the fourth adjustment wall portion 2504d only needs to be smaller than the diameter of the game ball, which is 11.0 mm, and game balls flowing down the game area 5a can be prevented from flowing into the frame-shaped peripheral wall portion 2501 via the second center device 2500b and the fourth center device 2500d, and ultimately game balls flowing down the game area 5a can be prevented from flowing into the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110.

In the center role 2500 of this embodiment, the second center role 2500b and the fourth center role 2500d are positioned on the panel board 1110 so that the second center role 2500b and the fourth adjustment wall portion 2504d of the fourth center role 2500c overlap, or so that the second center role 2500b and the fourth center role 2500d are spaced apart within a predetermined range, according to the shape of the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110. Even if the shape of the opening 1112 of the second center device 2500b is changed, the center device 2500 can be reused, and therefore there is no need to create a new center device that corresponds to the shape of the opening 1112 formed in the new panel board 1110, which facilitates the design of the pachinko machine 1 and improves convenience, and also prevents a decline in interest in the game because the second center device 2500b and the fourth center device 2500d are positioned to correspond to the new panel board 1110, which changes the game area 5a into which the game balls flow down. Note that even if a new second center device is created without reusing the second center device 2500b, the fourth center device 2500d can be reused if at least the lower end of the second peripheral wall portion of the new second center device is made to have a common shape that corresponds to the fourth adjustment wall portion 2504d of the fourth center device 2500c. Furthermore, even if a new fourth center device is created without reusing the fourth center device 2500d, the second center device 2500b can be reused if the fourth adjustment wall portion of the new fourth center device is a common configuration that corresponds to the lower end of the second peripheral wall portion 2501b of the second center device 2500b. Even in these configurations, the gaming machine design of the pachinko machine 1 can be simplified and convenience can be improved, and since the gaming area 5a into which the gaming balls flow changes depending on whether the second center device 2500b or the fourth center device 2500d is different, a decrease in interest in the game can be suppressed.

As explained above, when creating a new gaming board 5, even if the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110 is modified, the first center role device 2500a, second center role device 2500b, third center role device 2500c, and fourth center role device 2500d of the same shape can be reused. However, even if there is a design change in the first center role device 2500a other than the first adjustment wall portion 2504a, a design change in the second center role device 2500b other than the second adjustment wall portion 2504b, or a design change in the fourth center role device 2500d other than the fourth adjustment wall portion 2504d, the center role device 2500 can be reused. Therefore, there is no need to create a new center role device that corresponds to the shape of the opening 1112 formed in the new panel board 1110, which simplifies the design of the pachinko machine 1 and improves convenience.

Figure 177 is a front view showing another aspect of the center feature 2500. In this embodiment, the center feature 2500 is divided into four parts: a first center feature 2500a, a second center feature 2500b, a third center feature 2500c, and a fourth center feature 2500d. However, the center feature 2500 may be divided into two, three, five, or more parts, as shown in FIG. 177. As with the four-part center feature 2500 of this embodiment, the center feature 2500 can be reused when creating a new game board 5. This eliminates the need to create a new center feature that corresponds to the shape of the opening 1112 formed in the new panel 1110, facilitating the design of the pachinko machine 1 and improving convenience. Furthermore, by positioning each of the center features 2500a-2500d to correspond to the shape of the opening 1112 formed in the new panel 1110, the game area 5a into which the game balls flow changes, which can also prevent a decline in interest in the game.

In addition, in this embodiment, the embodiment of the center role 2500 has been described as having a frame-shaped peripheral wall portion 2501 along the edge of the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110. However, the center role 2500 may also be in an embodiment in which, for example, an inlet through which game balls can enter is formed in a part of the first peripheral wall portion 2501a of the first center role 2500a, and an outlet through which game balls can exit is formed in a part of the fourth peripheral wall portion 2501d of the fourth center role 2500d, and which includes a fifth center role that connects these inlet and outlet ports and forms a route for game balls entering through the inlet and exiting through the outlet port. By forming an adjustment wall portion at the end of the peripheral wall portion of the fifth center role, the adjustment wall portion of the fifth center role and other center roles can overlap depending on the shape of the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110. As such, the fifth center feature and the other center feature 2500 are positioned on the panel 1110 so that the adjustment section of the fifth center feature and the other center feature are separated within a predetermined range. Therefore, when a new game board 5 is created, even if the shape of the opening 1112 in the panel 1110 changes, the center feature 2500 can be reused. Therefore, there is no need to create a new center feature that corresponds to the shape of the opening 1112 formed in the new panel 1110, which simplifies the design of the pachinko machine 1 and improves convenience. Furthermore, by positioning the fifth center feature and the other center feature to correspond to the new panel 1110, the game area 5a into which the game balls flow changes, which can also prevent a decline in interest in the game.

In addition, in this embodiment, the end portions including the adjustment wall portions of the first center reel 2500a, the second center reel 2500b, the third center reel 2500c, and the fourth center reel 2500d are described as overlapping in the left-right and up-down directions. However, the end portions including the adjustment wall portions of the first center reel 2500a, the second center reel 2500b, the third center reel 2500c, and the fourth center reel 2500d may be configured to reduce the width in the front-to-back direction. In this way, the ends of the first center reel 2500a, the second center reel 2500b, the third center reel 2500c, and the fourth center reel 2500d may be overlapped in the front-to-back direction, depending on the shape of the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110, or the ends of the first center reel 2500a, the second center reel 2500b, the third center reel 2500c, and the fourth center reel 2500d may be overlapped in the front-to-back direction. Because the first center device 2500a, the second center device 2500b, the third center device 2500c, and the fourth center device 2500d are positioned on the panel 1110 so that they are spaced apart in the front-to-back direction within a certain range, when a new game board 5 is created, the center device 2500 can be reused even if the shape of the opening 1112 in the panel 1110 changes. As a result, there is no need to create a new center device that corresponds to the shape of the opening 1112 formed in the new panel 1110, which simplifies the design of the pachinko machine 1 and improves convenience. Furthermore, by positioning the first center device 2500a, the second center device 2500b, the third center device 2500c, and the fourth center device 2500d to correspond to the new panel 1110, the game area 5a into which the game balls flow changes, which also helps prevent a decline in interest in the game.

In addition, in this embodiment, the central device 2500 having the peripheral wall portion 2501 as the inflow restriction portion is described as being divided into multiple portions. However, for example, the above-mentioned adjustment wall portion may be provided at the end of the peripheral wall portions of the outer rail 1001, inner rail 1002, out guide portion 1003, part of the lower right rail 1004, and right rail 1005, etc., which constitute the outflow restriction portion that restricts game balls from flowing out of the play area 5a on the outer periphery of the play area 5a. In accordance with a design change of the panel board 1110, the outer rail 1001, the inner rail 1002, the out-guiding section 1003, a part of the lower right rail 1004, and the right rail 1005 are arranged so that they overlap, or so that the outer rail 1001, the inner rail 1002, the out-guiding section 1003, a part of the lower right rail 1004, and the right rail 1005 are spaced apart within a predetermined range. Because the outer rail 1001, inner rail 1002, out guide section 1003, part of the lower right rail 1004, and right rail 1005 are positioned on the panel board 1110, when creating a new game board 5, even if the design of the panel board 1110 is changed, the outer rail 1001, inner rail 1002, out guide section 1003, part of the lower right rail 1004, and right rail 1005 can be reused. Therefore, there is no need to create a new outer rail 1001, inner rail 1002, out guide section 1003, part of the lower right rail 1004, and right rail 1005 to correspond to the new panel board 1110, which simplifies the design of the pachinko machine 1 and improves convenience. Furthermore, by positioning the outer rail 1001, inner rail 1002, out guide section 1003, part of the lower right rail 1004, and right rail 1005 to correspond to the new panel board 1110, the game area 5a into which the game balls flow changes, which can also prevent a decline in interest in the game.

[Center accessory installation process]
Regarding the center role 2500, for example, any one of the first center role 2500a, the second center role 2500b, the third center role 2500c, and the fourth center role 2500d is positioned relative to the edge of the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110 of the game board 5, and then the first center role 2500a, the second center role 2500b, the third center role 2500c, and the fourth center role 2500d are attached to the panel board 1110 in any order. Also, the first center role 2500a, the second center role 2500b, the third center role 2500c, and the fourth center role 2500d are all attached to the panel board 1110 from the front of the panel board 1110. In addition, if at least one set of the first center reel 2500a, the second center reel 2500b, the third center reel 2500c, and the fourth center reel 2500d overlaps in the front-to-back direction, they are attached to the panel board 1110 in order from the center reel located further rearward.

The following describes the process by which the first center device 2500a, second center device 2500b, third center device 2500c, and fourth center device 2500d are attached to the panel board 1110 in this order. First, one end of the first linear member 2505a is connected to the connecting portion of the gaming board 5, and the other end of this first linear member 2505a is connected to the connecting portion of the first center device 2500a. As a result, even if the first center device 2500a falls from the operator's hand before being positioned relative to the gaming board 1110 and attached to the gaming board 1110, the first center device 2500a will be prevented from falling to the floor or the like.

Then, a positioning pin formed on the back surface of the first flange portion 2502a is fitted into a mounting hole formed on the front surface of the panel plate 1110, thereby positioning the first center role element 2500a so that it corresponds to the upper edge of the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110. The first flange portion 2502a of the first center role element 2500a is then fixed to the panel plate 1110 via a fixing member such as a screw, thereby attaching the first center role element 2500a to the panel plate 1110. After the first center role element 2500a is attached to the panel plate 1110, the first linear member 2505a may be disconnected from the connecting portion of the first center role element 2500a. After this connection is released, the connection from the connecting portion of the game board 5 may also be released and the first center role element 2500a may be removed from the game board 5. Furthermore, in an embodiment in which the first center feature 2500a does not have the first linear member 2505a, when positioning the first center feature 2500a relative to the panel board 1110, it is possible to prevent problems such as the first center feature 2500a being misaligned relative to the panel board 1110 due to the worker's hand coming into contact with the first linear member 2505a, thereby improving work efficiency when installing the first center feature 2500 and improving the convenience of the pachinko machine 1 when replacing the game board 5 with a new game board.

Next, one end of the second linear member 2505b is connected to the connecting portion of the gaming board 5, and the other end of this second linear member 2505b is connected to the connecting portion of the second center device 2500b. As a result, even if the second center device 2500b falls from the operator's hand before it is positioned relative to the gaming board 1110 and attached to the gaming board 1110, the second center device 2500b is prevented from falling to the floor or the like.

Then, the positioning pin formed on the back surface of the second flange portion 2502a is fitted into the mounting hole formed on the front surface of the panel plate 1110, thereby positioning the second center role element 2500b so that it corresponds to the upper edge of the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110. The second flange portion 2502b of the second center role element 2500b is then fixed to the panel plate 1110 via a fixing member such as a screw, thereby attaching the second center role element 2500b to the panel plate 1110. After the second center role element 2500b is attached to the panel plate 1110, the second linear member 2505b may be disconnected from the connecting portion of the second center role element 2500b. After this connection is released, the connection from the connecting portion of the game board 5 may also be released and the second linear member 2505b may be removed from the game board 5.

In the center role device 2500 of this embodiment, when the first center role device 2500a and the second center role device 2500b are positioned adjacent to each other relative to the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110, the first center role device 2500a and the second center role device 2500b can be attached to the panel board 1110 so that the first adjustment wall portion 2504a of the first center role device 2500a and the second peripheral wall portion 2501b of the second center role device 2500b are spaced apart within a predetermined distance from an overlapping state. This prevents game balls flowing down the play area 5a from flowing into the frame-shaped peripheral wall portion 2501 via the first center role device 2500a and the second center role device 2500b, and ultimately prevents game balls flowing down the play area 5a from flowing into the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110.

Next, one end of the third linear member 2505c is connected to the connecting portion of the gaming board 5, and the other end of this third linear member 2505c is connected to the connecting portion of the third center device 2500c. As a result, even if the third center device 2500c falls from the operator's hand before it is positioned relative to the gaming board 1110 and attached to the gaming board 1110, the third center device 2500c is prevented from falling to the floor or the like.

Then, a positioning pin formed on the back surface of the third flange portion 2502c is fitted into a mounting hole formed on the front surface of the panel plate 1110, thereby positioning the third center role element 2500c so that it corresponds to the upper edge of the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110. The third flange portion 2502c of the third center role element 2500c is then fixed to the panel plate 1110 via a fixing member such as a screw, thereby attaching the third center role element 2500c to the panel plate 1110. After the third center role element 2500c is attached to the panel plate 1110, the third linear member 2505c may be disconnected from the connecting portion of the third center role element 2500c. After this connection is released, the connection from the connecting portion of the game board 5 may also be released and the third linear member 2505c may be removed from the game board 5.

In the center role device 2500 of this embodiment, when the first center role device 2500a and the third center role device 2500c are positioned adjacent to each other relative to the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110, the first center role device 2500a and the third center role device 2500c can be attached to the panel board 1110 so that the first adjustment wall portion 2504a of the first center role device 2500a and the third adjustment wall portion 2504c of the third center role device 2500c are spaced apart within a predetermined distance rather than overlapping, thereby preventing game balls flowing down the play area 5a from flowing into the frame-shaped peripheral wall portion 2501 via the first center role device 2500a and the third center role device 2500c, and ultimately preventing game balls flowing down the play area 5a from flowing into the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110.

Next, one end of the fourth linear member 2505d is connected to the connecting portion of the gaming board 5, and the other end of this fourth linear member 2505d is connected to the connecting portion of the fourth center device 2500d. As a result, even if the fourth center device 2500d falls from the operator's hand before it is positioned relative to the gaming board 1110 and attached to the gaming board 1110, the fourth center device 2500d is prevented from falling to the floor or the like.

Then, a positioning pin formed on the back surface of the fourth flange portion 2502a is fitted into a mounting hole formed on the front surface of the panel plate 1110, thereby positioning the fourth center role element 2500d so that it corresponds to the upper edge of the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110. The fourth flange portion 2502d of the fourth center role element 2500d is then fixed to the panel plate 1110 via a fixing member such as a screw, thereby attaching the fourth center role element 2500d to the panel plate 1110. After the fourth center role element 2500d is attached to the panel plate 1110, the fourth linear member 2505d may be disconnected from the connecting portion of the fourth center role element 2500d. After this connection is released, the connection from the connecting portion of the game board 5 may also be released and the fourth linear member 2505d may be removed from the game board 5.

In the center role device 2500 of this embodiment, when the third center role device 2500c and the fourth center role device 2500d are positioned adjacent to each other relative to the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110, the third center role device 2500c and the fourth center role device 2500d can be attached to the panel board 1110 so that the third adjustment wall portion 2504c of the third center role device 2500c and the fourth adjustment wall portion 2504c of the fourth center role device 2500d are spaced apart within a predetermined range rather than overlapping, thereby preventing game balls flowing down the play area 5a from flowing into the frame-shaped peripheral wall portion 2501 via the third center role device 2500c and the fourth center role device 2500d, and ultimately preventing game balls flowing down the play area 5a from flowing into the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110.

Furthermore, in the center role device 2500 of this embodiment, when the second center role device 2500b and the fourth center role device 2500c are positioned adjacent to each other with respect to the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110, the second center role device 2500b and the fourth center role device 2500d can be attached to the panel board 1110 in such a way that the second peripheral wall portion 2501b of the second center role device 2500b and the fourth adjustment wall portion 2504d of the fourth center role device 2500d are spaced apart within a predetermined range from an overlapping state, thereby preventing game balls flowing down the play area 5a from flowing into the frame-shaped peripheral wall portion 2501 via the second center role device 2500b and the fourth center role device 2500d, and ultimately preventing game balls flowing down the play area 5a from flowing into the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110.

In addition, in this embodiment, the first center reel 2500a, the second center reel 2500b, the third center reel 2500c, and the fourth center reel 2500d are attached to the panel plate 1110 from the front side of the panel plate 1110. However, each of the first center reel 2500a, the second center reel 2500b, the third center reel 2500c, and the fourth center reel 2500d may have a rear fixing member that fixes the first center reel 2500a, the second center reel 2500b, the third center reel 2500c, and the fourth center reel 2500d to the panel plate 1110 by sandwiching the panel plate 1110 between the first flange portion 2502a, the second flange portion 2502b, the third flange portion 2502c, or the fourth flange portion 2502d.

In this embodiment, as a modified example of the center feature 2500, an embodiment has been described in which the center feature 2500 is divided into multiple parts that work together to restrict game balls from flowing into the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110. However, the configuration of the center feature 2500 divided into multiple parts can be implemented in combination with each of the configurations of the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment described above, and in that case the pachinko machine 1 can also achieve the functions and effects of the center feature 2500 divided into multiple parts described above.

[Modification example 1 of the game board]
In the above-described embodiment, the basic configuration of the game board 5 of the pachinko machine 1 was described. However, conventionally, the edges of the game board 5 are formed in a sharp, angular shape. When carrying the game board 5, the hand of the operator holding the game board 5 comes into contact with the edge of the game board 5, which may cause discomfort to the operator (e.g., pain or injury to the hand due to contact with the sharp, angular edge). Furthermore, when an operator who is unaware of the grip position of the game board 5 carries the game board 5, the operator's hand may come into contact with the obstacle pins N or the center gimmick 2500 in the play area 5a, which may cause deformation of the obstacle pins N (e.g., bending to the extent that it interferes with play), rust on the obstacle pins N (e.g., skin oils adhering to the obstacle pins N, making them more susceptible to rust), or damage to the center gimmick 2500. Below, we will describe a modified game board mode 1 in which the game board 5 is modified in order to solve these problems.

The pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment has the same configuration as the pachinko machine 1 described above except for the game board 5. Therefore, the following will provide a detailed explanation of the configuration of the game board 5, and will omit a description of the other components of the pachinko machine 1.

As shown in Figures 137 to 147, the gaming board 5 comprises a gaming area 5a through which gaming balls can flow, a front component 1000 that is roughly rectangular in front view and defines the outer periphery of the gaming area 5a, a plate-shaped gaming panel 1100 that defines the rear end of the gaming area 5a, a front unit 2000 that is attached to the front of the gaming panel 1100, and a rear unit 3000 that is attached to the rear of the gaming panel 1100.

Within the game area 5a are multiple obstacle nails N planted on the front of the game panel 1100, the general winning opening 2001, first starting opening 2004, gate 2002, second starting opening 2005, and first large winning opening 2006 of the front unit 2000, and the peripheral wall 2501 of the center device 2500, which prevents game balls flowing down within the game area 5a from entering the opening 1112 of the game panel 1100.

Figure 178 is a schematic perspective view of the gaming board 5 as seen from the front right, and Figure 179 is a schematic perspective view of the gaming board 5 as seen from the rear right. Note that in Figure 178, the rear unit 3000 within the opening 1112 of the gaming panel 1100 has been omitted to facilitate understanding of the gaming board 5. As shown in Figure 178 or 179, when the gaming area 5a is formed and the gaming board 5 is assembled to the pachinko machine 1, the gaming board 5 has a front surface 5x facing the player, a rear surface 5z facing away from the player, a side surface 5y extending between the front surface 5x and the rear surface 5z, an edge portion 5b extending from the front surface 5x via the side surface 5y to the rear surface 5z, and a specific portion 5c formed on at least a portion of the edge portion 5b.

The edge 5b of the gaming board 5 includes, for example, an outer edge 5b1 formed at the outer edge of the gaming board 5 and an inner edge 5b2 formed at the inner edge of the gaming board 5. The outer edge 5b1 is formed by, arranged from front to back, the front component 1000, the gaming panel 1100, and the back unit 3000 (more specifically, the front surface of the front component 1000, the side surface of the front component 1000, the side surface of the gaming panel 1100, the side surface of the back unit 3000, and the back surface of the back unit 3000), while the inner edge 5b2 is formed by the front unit 2000 (e.g., the center role device 2500, etc.) and the gaming panel 1100 (more specifically, the front surface of the front unit 2000, the side surface of the front unit 2000, the back surface of the front unit 2000, the side surface of the gaming panel 1100, and the back surface of the gaming panel 1100).

[Configuration 1 of the identification unit]
The specific portion 5c is formed on the edge 5b of the game board 5, and can guide the hand of a worker attempting to grip the game board 5 so that the worker's hand comes into contact with the specific portion 5c when the worker carries the game board 5. In more detail, the specific portion 5c has a visual guidance effect that suggests to the worker the position to grip the game board 5 by making the edge 5b of the game board 5 resemble a human handprint when the edge 5b of the game board 5 is visually inspected, and a tactile guidance effect that suggests to the worker the position to grip the game board 5 by providing a tactile sensation that may or may not cause discomfort to the worker's hand when gripping the game board 5, thereby contributing to the safe transportation of the game board 5.

Specifically, the specific portion 5c has a gentle surface portion 5c1, a recessed surface portion 5c2, a recessed back surface portion 5c3, and an outer sharp portion 5c4 formed at predetermined positions on the outer edge portion 5b1, and an inner sharp portion 5c5 and a gentle back surface portion 5c6 formed at predetermined positions on the inner edge portion 5b2. The visual and tactile guidance effects provided by these components contribute to the safe transportation of the game board 5.

Figure 180(a) is an end view showing the A-A' end face of Figure 178, and Figure 180(b) is an end view showing another aspect of the gaming board 5 shown in Figure 180(a). As shown in Figures 178 to 180(a), the gentle surface portion 5c1 is formed as an inclined surface at the outer edge 5b1 of the gaming board 5, with the depth in the front-to-back direction gradually increasing from the inside to the outside, and linearly connects the front surface 5x and the side surface 5y. In this way, the gentle surface portion 5c1, which smoothly connects the front surface 5x and the side surface 5y in a chamfered manner, can remove the sharp corner formed where the front surface 5x and the side surface 5y intersect from part of the outer edge 5b1. In other words, by forming the gentle surface portion 5c1 between the front surface 5x and the side surface 5y, instead of the sharp corner formed by the intersection of the front surface 5x and the side surface 5y, two obtuse corners are formed by the intersection of the front surface 5x and the gentle surface portion 5c1 and the side surface 5y and the gentle surface portion 5c1.

Here, a worker attempting to grip the game board 5 tends to avoid contact with the sharp corners formed by the intersection of the front surface 5x and the side surface 5y, for example, so as not to feel pain or other discomfort in the hand gripping the game board 5. The gentle surface portion 5c1, when visible to the worker attempting to grip the game board 5, can visually guide the worker so that their hand will come into contact with two obtuse corners rather than one sharp corner, and by coming into contact with the hand of the worker attempting to grip the game board 5, can also tactilely guide the worker so that their hand will come into contact with two obtuse corners rather than one sharp corner. Therefore, with the game board 5 of this embodiment, when the game board 5 is transported by an operator, the discomfort felt by the operator's hands coming into contact with the outer edge 5b1 can be reduced, and the operator who is unfamiliar with the gripping position of the game board 5 can be shown the gripping position of the game board 5. This also reduces the risk of the operator's hands coming into contact with the obstructing nails N or the center device 2500 in the play area 5a, which could cause deformation of the obstructing nails N, rust on the obstructing nails N, or damage to the center device 2500, etc., and allows the game board 5 to be transported safely.

In this embodiment, the smoothed surface portions 5c1 are formed in pairs on the left and right outer edges 5b1 of the gaming board 5, facing each other at the top of the gaming board 5. When an operator grips the gaming board 5, these smoothed surface portions 5c1 allow the operator to guide both hands toward the smoothed surface portions 5c1 of the left and right outer edges 5b1, making it safer to transport the gaming board 5. The left smoothed surface portion 5c1 formed on the left edge of the gaming panel 1100 is longer in the vertical direction than the right smoothed surface portion 5c1 formed on the right edge of the gaming panel 1100. Furthermore, the gentle surface portions 5c1 are not limited to being formed on the left and right outer edge portions 5b1, but may be formed on, for example, either the left or right outer edge portion 5b1, either the top or bottom outer edge portion 5b1, or both the top and bottom outer edge portions 5b1. Even if multiple gentle surface portions 5c1 are formed, they do not have to face each other (for example, they may be formed on adjacent sides).

The smooth surface portion 5c1 may be formed only on the component 1000 so as to smoothly connect the front surface and side surface of the component 1000, or may be formed so as to be continuous with the component 1000 and the gaming panel 1100 so as to smoothly connect the front surface of the component 1000 and the side surface of the gaming panel 1100. Furthermore, the smooth surface portion 5c1 may be formed on the component 1000 so as to smoothly connect the front surface of the component 1000 and the front end of the outer edge of the gaming panel 1100 when the component 1000 is assembled to the gaming panel 1100.

When the game board 5 is assembled to the pachinko machine 1 and the door frame 3 is closed, the smooth surface portion 5c1 is located behind the door frame base unit 100 of the door frame 3, making it difficult for the player to see through the door window 101a. This prevents a decrease in interest in the game due to the player being able to see the smooth surface portion 5c1, which is unrelated to the game. Note that when the game board 5 is assembled to the pachinko machine 1 and the door frame 3 is closed, a portion of the smooth surface portion 5c1 may extend beyond the rear of the door frame base unit 100 of the door frame 3 and be visible to the player through the door window 101a. Even if only a portion of the smooth surface portion 5c1 is visible, the player will not realize that the smooth surface portion 5c1 represents a handprint, or in other words, that it is unrelated to the game and related to the transportation of the game board 5, preventing a decrease in interest in the game.

The smoothed surface portion 5c1 preferably has a width of, for example, 1.0 cm to 5.0 cm in the left-to-right direction when viewed from the front, and a width of, for example, 3.0 cm or more in the up-to-down direction, from the viewpoint of, for example, allowing an operator's hand to contact the smoothed surface portion 5c1 at the outer edge 5b1 without coming into contact with sharp corners, and preventing the smoothed surface portion 5c1 from protruding from the door frame 3 and being visible to players after the game board 5 is assembled to the pachinko machine 1, thereby reducing the player's interest in the game. Furthermore, the front-to-back depth of the smoothed surface portion 5c1 is preferably, for example, 0.5 cm or more at its greatest point, which can effectively remove sharp corners formed where the front surface 5x and side surface 5y intersect from part of the outer edge 5b1. The vertical width of the smoothed surface portion 5c1 may be such that the smoothed surface portion 5c1 is formed over the entire area of the outer edge 5b1 on which the smoothed surface portion 5c1 is formed, i.e., the entire vertical width of the outer edge 5b1.

While the present embodiment describes the gentle surface portion 5c1 formed by a linear plane that smoothly connects the front surface 5x and the side surface 5y, the gentle surface portion 5c1 may also be formed by an arc-shaped curved surface that smoothly connects the front surface 5x and the side surface 5y, as shown in FIG. 180(b). The gentle surface portion 5c1 formed by an arc-shaped curved surface that smoothly connects the front surface 5x and the side surface 5y achieves the same effects as the gentle surface portion 5c1 formed by a linear plane that smoothly connects the front surface 5x and the side surface 5y described above. In addition, because the gentle surface portion 5c1 formed by a curved surface does not have corners, it is possible to more effectively reduce discomfort to workers whose hands come into contact with the outer edge portion 5b1, making transportation of the game board 5 even safer.

The surface of the smooth surface portion 5c1 may also be subjected to surface treatment such as embossing to form a wrinkled pattern (for example, a rough, pear-skin pattern (pear-skin-like pattern) or a geometric pattern consisting of fine irregularities). The wrinkled pattern formed on the surface of the smooth surface portion 5c1 acts as an anti-slip surface when it comes into contact with the hands of an operator transporting the game board 5, without causing pain or other discomfort to the operator, making the game board 5 even safer to transport.

The surface recess 5c2 is formed in a concave shape in the front component 1000 that forms the outer edge 5b1 on the front surface 5x side of the game board 5. The surface recess 5c2 is designed to resemble the thumb of a human hand, so when the game board 5 is being transported, the visual guidance effect allows the operator's thumb to rest on the surface recess 5c2. Therefore, when the game board 5 is being transported by an operator, the operator who is unfamiliar with the gripping position of the game board 5 can be informed of the gripping position of the game board 5. This also reduces the risk of the operator's hand coming into contact with the obstacle pins N or the center gimmick 2500 in the play area 5a, which could result in deformation of the obstacle pins N, rust on the obstacle pins N, or damage to the center gimmick 2500, thereby allowing the game board 5 to be transported safely.

In this embodiment, the surface recess 5c2 is formed adjacent to the smooth surface portion 5c1. Together with the smooth surface portion 5c1, this surface recess 5c2 forms a schematic hand shape including the thumb and part of the palm of a human hand on the front surface 5x of the gaming board 5. When the gaming board 5 is transported, the edge 5b of the gaming board 5 is visually observed, suggesting a gripping position reminiscent of a human hand on the outer edge 5b1 of the gaming board 5, providing a visual guidance effect, guiding the operator's palm toward the smooth surface portion 5c1 and guiding the operator's thumb toward the surface recess 5c2. Therefore, with the game board 5 of this embodiment, when the game board 5 is transported by an operator, the discomfort felt by the operator when their hands come into contact with the outer edge 5b1 can be reduced, and the gripping position of the game board 5 can be more clearly indicated to an operator who is unfamiliar with the gripping position of the game board 5. This also reduces the risk of the operator's hands coming into contact with the obstructing nails N or the center device 2500 within the play area 5a, which could cause deformation of the obstructing nails N, rust on the obstructing nails N, or damage to the center device 2500, etc., and allows the game board 5 to be transported safely.

The surface recessed portion 5c2 is formed by recessing the component 1000 so that, when viewed from the front, it has, for example, a polygonal shape such as a triangle or a rectangle, an oval shape, or a vertically elongated shape resembling a human thumb. Together with the gentle surface portion 5c1 that continues vertically, the surface recessed portion 5c2 of this shape can, for example, show an operator a handprint on the front surface 5x of the gaming board 5 as if it were a gripping position for holding the gaming board 5, and can suggest the gripping position for the gaming board 5 to an operator who is unfamiliar with it.

In this embodiment, the surface recesses 5c2 are formed in pairs on the left and right outer edges 5b1 of the gaming board 5, facing each other at the top of the gaming board 5. When a worker grips the gaming board 5, these surface recesses 5c2 allow the worker to guide both hands toward the surface recesses 5c2 on the left and right outer edges 5b1, making it safer to transport the gaming board 5. The surface recesses 5c2 are not limited to being formed on the left and right outer edges 5b1. For example, they may be formed on either the left or right outer edge 5b1, either the top or bottom outer edge 5b1, or both the top and bottom outer edges 5b1. Even if multiple surface recesses 5c2 are formed, they do not have to face each other (for example, they may be formed on adjacent sides).

When the game board 5 is assembled to the pachinko machine 1 and the door frame 3 is closed, the surface recessed portion 5c2 is located behind the door frame base unit 100 of the door frame 3, making it difficult for the player to see through the door window 101a. This prevents a decrease in interest in the game due to the player being able to see the surface recessed portion 5c2, which is unrelated to the game. Note that the surface recessed portion 5c2 may be configured so that, when the game board 5 is assembled to the pachinko machine 1 and the door frame 3 is closed, a portion of it protrudes from the rear of the door frame base unit 100 of the door frame 3 and is visible to the player through the door window 101a. Even if only a portion of the surface recessed portion 5c2 is visible, the player will not realize that the surface recessed portion 5c2 represents a handprint, or in other words, that it is unrelated to the game and related to the transportation of the game board 5, preventing a decrease in interest in the game.

From the perspective of, for example, providing a visual guiding effect that encourages workers to place their hands on the surface recessed portion 5c2, and from the perspective of preventing the surface recessed portion 5c2 from protruding from the door frame 3 and becoming visible to players after the game board 5 is assembled to the pachinko machine 1, and preventing a decrease in interest in the game due to the surface recessed portion 5c2 protruding from the door frame 3 and becoming visible to players, it is desirable that the width in the left-right direction when viewed from the front be between 1.0 cm and 5.0 cm, and the width in the up-down direction be between 2.0 cm and 10.0 cm, for example. Furthermore, it is desirable that the depth in the front-to-back direction of the surface recessed portion 5c2 be, for example, 1.0 cm or less, so as to prevent a decrease in interest in the game due to players becoming visible to the smooth surface portion 5c1 after the game board 5 is assembled to the pachinko machine 1. The edges of the surface recess 5c2 may be chamfered with a straight flat surface or an arc-shaped curved surface, which can reduce the discomfort caused by the worker's hand resting on the surface recess 5c2 coming into contact with the corners formed on the edges of the surface recess 5c2.

In addition, the surface of the opening of the surface recess 5c2 may be formed with a wrinkled pattern (for example, a rough pear-skin pattern (pear-skin pattern) or a geometric pattern consisting of fine irregularities) by surface treatment such as embossing. The wrinkled pattern formed on the surface of the surface recess 5c2 acts as an anti-slip surface when it comes into contact with the hands of an operator transporting the game board 5, without causing pain or other discomfort to the operator, making the game board 5 even safer to transport.

The back recesses 5c3 are formed on a flange portion extending outward from the front end of the rear unit 3000, which is formed in a box-like shape with a front opening. The back recesses 5c3 are formed on the flange portion of the rear unit 3000, for example, in a circular concave shape when viewed from the front. In this embodiment, four back recesses 5c3 are formed in the flange portion of the rear unit 3000, arranged side by side in the vertical direction. These back recesses 5c3 form depressions on the outer edge 5b1 of the gaming board 5 that resemble a schematic hand shape including four fingers, from the index finger to the little finger, of a human hand. When the gaming board 5 is transported, the operator's index finger through little finger are placed in the corresponding back recesses 5c3. Therefore, with the game board 5 of this embodiment, when the game board 5 is transported by an operator, the discomfort felt by the operator when their hands come into contact with the outer edge 5b1 can be reduced, and the gripping position of the game board 5 can be more clearly indicated to an operator who is unfamiliar with the gripping position of the game board 5. This also reduces the risk of the operator's hands coming into contact with the obstructing nails N or the center device 2500 within the play area 5a, which could cause deformation of the obstructing nails N, rust on the obstructing nails N, or damage to the center device 2500, etc., and allows the game board 5 to be transported safely.

In this embodiment, the back surface recessed portion 5c3 is formed on the flange portion of the back unit 3000 so as to correspond to the front surface recessed portion 5c1 or the front surface recessed portion 5c2, and so as to correspond to the four fingers (index finger through little finger) of an operator gripping the gaming board 5. Together with the front surface recessed portion 5c1 and the front surface recessed portion 5c2, this back surface recessed portion 5c3 forms a recess on the outer edge portion 5b1 of the gaming board 5 that resembles a schematic hand shape including part of a human palm and five fingers (thumb through little finger). When the gaming board 5 is transported, the operator's palm is guided into the front surface recessed portion 5c1, and the operator's thumb is guided into the front surface recessed portion 5c2, while the operator's index finger through little finger are placed against the corresponding back surface recessed portion 5c3. Therefore, with the game board 5 of this embodiment, when the game board 5 is transported by an operator, the discomfort felt by the operator when their hands come into contact with the outer edge 5b1 can be reduced, and the gripping position of the game board 5 can be more clearly indicated to an operator who is unfamiliar with the gripping position of the game board 5. This also reduces the risk of the operator's hands coming into contact with the obstructing nails N or the center device 2500 within the play area 5a, which could cause deformation of the obstructing nails N, rust on the obstructing nails N, or damage to the center device 2500, etc., and allows the game board 5 to be transported safely.

In this embodiment, the specific portion 5c has four rear recesses 5c3 arranged in a vertical direction on the flange portion of the rear unit 3000, and is described as guiding the index finger through little finger of the operator into the rear recesses 5c3. However, the specific portion 5c may also have at least one rear recess 5c3, and can guide at least one of the index finger through little finger of the operator holding the game board 5 toward the flange portion of the rear unit 3000.

The shape of the rear surface recess 5c3 in a front view is not limited to a circular shape, and may be any shape that can guide the worker's fingers into the rear surface recess 5c3. It may also be triangular, rectangular, or polygonal, and provide the same effect as a circular shape. The rear surface recess 5c3 may be elongated in the vertical direction, allowing two, three, or four of the worker's fingers to rest in one rear surface recess 5c3. The rear surface recess 5c3 may also be recessed by recessing the rear surface of the panel plate 1110, leaving the outer edge (periphery) of the panel plate 1110 (for example, by recessing all or part of the inner side, leaving about 1 cm of the peripheral edge of the panel plate 1110), allowing the worker's fingers to engage with the outer edge of the panel plate 1110.

In addition, the edges of the back-surface recess 5c3 may be chamfered with a linear plane or an arc-shaped curved surface, which can reduce the discomfort caused by the fingers of an operator who places their fingers on the back-surface recess 5c3 coming into contact with the corners formed on the edges of the back-surface recess 5c3.

In this embodiment, the back-surface recesses 5c3 are formed in pairs on the left and right outer edges 5b1 of the gaming board 5, facing each other at the top of the gaming board 5. When a worker grips the gaming board 5, these back-surface recesses 5c3 allow the worker to guide both hands toward the back-surface recesses 5c3 on the left and right outer edges 5b1, making it safer to transport the gaming board 5. The back-surface recesses 5c3 are not limited to being formed on the left and right outer edges 5b1. For example, they may be formed on either the left or right outer edge 5b1, either the top or bottom outer edge 5b1, or both the top and bottom outer edges 5b1. Even if multiple back-surface recesses 5c3 are formed, they do not have to face each other (for example, they may be formed on adjacent sides).

The outer diameter of the rear recess 5c3 is preferably 2.0 cm or less, for example, allowing the rear recess 5c3 to be formed on the flange of the rear unit 3000 without excessively increasing the left-right width of the flange. Furthermore, the rear recess 5c3 is not used in assembling the pachinko machine 1, and has an outer diameter greater than the thickness of screws and the like used in assembling the pachinko machine 1. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 180(a), the front-to-rear depth of the rear recess 5c3 is preferably 1.0 mm or more, for example, allowing the operator's index finger through little finger to be guided into the rear recess 5c3. Note that the rear recess 5c3 may have a depth that penetrates the flange of the rear unit 3000 and reaches the gaming panel 1100, as shown in FIG. 180(b), allowing the operator to engage their index finger through little finger in the rear recess 5c3 and more securely grip the gaming board 5.

In addition, the surface of the opening of the back recess 5c3 may be formed with a wrinkled pattern (for example, a rough pear-skin pattern (pear-skin pattern) or a geometric pattern consisting of fine irregularities) by surface treatment such as embossing. The wrinkled pattern formed on the surface of the back recess 5c3 acts as an anti-slip surface when it comes into contact with the hands of an operator transporting the game board 5, without causing pain or other discomfort to the operator, making the game board 5 even safer to transport.

The outer sharp portion 5c4 is formed on the inner edge of the component 1000, which forms the outer periphery of the play area 5a where game balls can flow down. Specifically, the outer sharp portion 5c4 is formed, for example, at the inner and front end of the main body supporting the arc-shaped metal rail of the outer rail 1001, and is formed into a sharp corner such that the angle between the surface and side of the outer rail 1001 is, for example, 90 degrees or less. Such an outer sharp portion 5c4 may be formed on the entire inner end of the component 1000 or on part of the inner end of the component 1000. However, in this embodiment, the outer sharp portion 5c4 is formed on part of the inner end of the component 1000, specifically, at a position that connects to the inside of the gentle surface portion 5c1 when viewed from the front of the game board 5.

When a worker carrying the gaming board 5 attempts to grasp the gaming board 5 from the outside of the gaming board 5, i.e., when the worker attempts to grasp the outer edge 5b1 of the gaming board 5, the outer sharp portion 5c4 comes into contact with the worker's hand before the worker's hand comes into contact with the obstructing nail N or the center device 2500 within the playing area 5a, thereby alerting the worker that their hand is in contact with a sharp portion of the gaming board 5 and preventing the worker from advancing their hand beyond the outer sharp portion 5c4 into the playing area 5a. Furthermore, because the outer sharp portion 5c4 in this embodiment is formed at a position adjacent to the inside of the gentle surface portion 5c1, it is also possible to prevent the worker's hand, guided by the gentle surface portion 5c1, from advancing beyond the outer sharp portion 5c4 into the playing area 5a. Therefore, with the game board 5 of this embodiment, when the game board 5 is transported by an operator, the operator's hands can be prevented from coming into contact with the obstructing nails N or the center device 2500 in the play area 5a, which can cause discomfort. The operator who is unfamiliar with the gripping position of the game board 5 can be more clearly shown the gripping position of the game board 5. This also reduces the risk of the obstructing nails N being deformed or rusting when the operator's hands come into contact with the obstructing nails N or the center device 2500 in the play area 5a, or of the center device 2500 being damaged, allowing the game board 5 to be transported safely.

As shown in FIG. 180(a), the angle of the outer sharp portion 5c4 formed by the front surface 5x of the game board 5 (the front surface of the previous component 1000) and the side surface of the previous component 1000 supporting the rail need only be a right angle. This allows the outer sharp portion 5c4 to come into contact with the operator's hand before it comes into contact with the obstructing nails N or the center device 2500 in the play area 5a, thereby alerting the operator that their hand is in contact with a sharp portion of the game board 5. This reduces the discomfort caused to the operator when their hand comes into contact with the obstructing nails N or the center device 2500 in the play area 5a, and more clearly indicates the gripping position of the game board 5 to operators who are unfamiliar with the gripping position of the game board 5. This reduces the risk of the obstructing nails N being deformed, rusting on the obstructing nails N, or damage to the center device 2500 when the operator's hand comes into contact with the obstructing nails N or the center device 2500 in the play area 5a, thereby allowing the game board 5 to be transported safely.

Also, as shown in Figure 180 (b), a recess is formed on the front surface 5x of the game board 5 (front surface of the previous component 1000), and the angle of the outer sharp portion 5c4 formed by the front surface 5x of the game board 5 (front surface of the previous component 1000) and the side surface of the previous component 1000 that supports the rail may be an acute angle, and the recess may come into contact with the worker's hand before the worker's hand comes into contact with the obstacle nail N or the center gimmick 2500 within the play area 5a, thereby informing the worker that the worker's hand is in contact with the sharp portion of the game board 5. This makes it possible to know the location of the obstacles N or the center device 2500 in the play area 5a, thereby reducing discomfort to the worker caused by their hands coming into contact with the obstacles N or the center device 2500 in the play area 5a, and also more clearly indicates the gripping position of the game board 5 to workers who are unfamiliar with the gripping position of the game board 5. This also reduces the risk of the obstacles N being deformed or rusting when the worker's hands come into contact with the obstacles N or the center device 2500 in the play area 5a, or of the center device 2500 being damaged, allowing the game board 5 to be transported safely.

The inner sharp portion 5c5 is part of the edge of the opening 1112 of the gaming panel 1110 within the gaming area 5a through which gaming balls can flow, and is formed on part of the inner edge 5b2 on the front surface 5x side of the gaming board 5. In more detail, the inner sharp portion 5c5 is formed on part of the front end side of the peripheral wall portion 2501 of the center role device 2500 provided along the edge of the opening 1112 of the gaming panel 1100, and is formed into a sharp corner with an angle of 90 degrees or less between the front end surface of the peripheral wall portion 2501 and the side surface connected to the front end surface. Such an inner sharp portion 5c5 may be formed on the entire front end of the peripheral wall 2501 of the center role device 2500 or on a portion of the front end of the peripheral wall 2501 of the center role device 2500, but in this embodiment the inner sharp portion 5c5 is formed on a portion of the peripheral wall 2501 of the center role device 2500, and specifically, is formed at a position that connects to the inside of the gentle surface portion 5c1 when viewed from the front of the game board 5.

When a worker carrying the gaming board 5 reaches into the opening 1112 of the gaming panel 1110 to grasp the gaming board 5, i.e., when the worker attempts to grasp the inner edge 5b2 of the gaming board 5, the inner sharp portion 5c5 comes into contact with the worker's hand before the worker's hand comes into contact with the obstructing nail N or center device 2500 within the gaming area 5a, thereby alerting the worker that his or her hand is in contact with a sharp portion of the gaming board 5 and preventing the worker from advancing his or her hand into the gaming area 5a beyond the inner sharp portion 5c5. Therefore, with the game board 5 of this embodiment, when the game board 5 is transported by an operator, the discomfort caused by the operator's hands coming into contact with the obstructing nails N, etc. in the play area 5a can be reduced, and the gripping position of the game board 5 can be more clearly indicated to an operator who is unfamiliar with the gripping position of the game board 5. This also reduces the risk of the obstructing nails N, etc. in the play area 5a coming into contact with the operator's hands, causing deformation or rusting of the obstructing nails N, allowing the game board 5 to be transported safely.

As shown in Figure 180 (a), the front end of the peripheral wall portion 2501 of the center device 2500, which is the inner sharp portion 5c5, only needs to be a right-angled corner, and it will come into contact with the worker's hand before the worker's hand comes into contact with the obstructing nails N, etc. in the playing area 5a, alerting the worker that their hand is in contact with a sharp portion of the playing board 5. This reduces the discomfort caused to the worker when their hand comes into contact with the obstructing nails N, etc. in the playing area 5a, and more clearly indicates the gripping position of the playing board 5 to workers who are unfamiliar with the gripping position of the playing board 5. This also reduces the risk of the obstructing nails N, etc. in the playing area 5a being deformed or rusting due to the worker's hand coming into contact with the obstructing nails N, etc., and allows the playing board 5 to be transported safely.

Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 180(b), the front end of the peripheral wall portion 2501 of the center device 2500, which is the inner sharp portion 5c5, may be sharply angular, so that it comes into contact with the worker's hand before the worker's hand comes into contact with the obstructing nails N, etc. in the playing area 5a, alerting the worker that their hand is in contact with a sharp portion of the playing board 5. This reduces the discomfort felt by the worker when their hand comes into contact with the obstructing nails N, etc. in the playing area 5a, and more clearly indicates the gripping position of the playing board 5 to workers who are unfamiliar with the gripping position of the playing board 5. This also reduces the risk of the obstructing nails N, etc. in the playing area 5a coming into contact with the worker's hand, causing deformation or rust on the obstructing nails N, allowing the playing board 5 to be transported safely.

As shown in FIG. 180(a), the gentle back surface portion 5c6 is formed as an inclined surface that smoothly connects the side and back surface of the stage cover 2515 of the center role device 2500, which is arranged at the inner edge 5b2 on the rear surface 5z side of the gaming board 5 so as to cover the right-angle corner where the side and back surface of the gaming panel 1110 join. In this way, the gentle back surface portion 5c6 that smoothly connects the side and back surface of the center role device 2500 can remove the sharp corner formed by the intersection of the side and back surface of the center role device 2500 from part of the inner edge 5b2. In other words, by forming the gentle back surface portion 5c6 between the side and back surface of the center role device 2500, two obtuse corners are formed where the side of the center role device 2500 and the gentle back surface portion 5c6 and the back surface of the center role device 2500 and the gentle back surface portion 5c6 intersect, instead of the sharp corner formed by the intersection of the side and back surface of the center role device 2500.

As mentioned above, a worker attempting to grip the game board 5 tends to avoid contact with the sharp corners formed where the side and back surfaces of the center device 2500 intersect, for example, so as to avoid causing pain to the hand gripping the game board 5. The smooth back surface portion 5c6, at the inner edge 5b2, is visible to a worker attempting to grip the game board 5, thereby visually guiding the worker so that their hand will come into contact with two obtuse corners rather than one sharp corner, and by coming into contact with the hand of a worker attempting to grip the game board 5, it can also tactilely guide the worker so that their hand will come into contact with two obtuse corners rather than one sharp corner. Therefore, with the game board 5 of this embodiment, when the game board 5 is transported by an operator, the discomfort felt by the operator when their hands come into contact with the inner edge 5b2 can be reduced, and the operator who is unfamiliar with the gripping position of the game board 5 can be shown where to grip the game board 5. This also reduces the risk of the operator's hands coming into contact with the obstructing nails N in the play area 5a, which could cause the obstructing nails N to deform or rust, allowing the game board 5 to be transported safely.

The backside gentle surface portion 5c6 may be formed on the entire rear end of the peripheral wall portion 2501 of the center role device 2500 or on part of the rear end of the peripheral wall portion 2501 of the center role device 2500. In this embodiment, however, the backside gentle surface portions 5c6 are formed in opposing positions on the rear end of the peripheral wall portion 2501 of the center role device 2500. Specifically, when viewed from the front of the game board 5, they are formed as a pair at positions connected to the inside of the frontside gentle surface portion 5c1.

The smoothed back surface portion 5c6 preferably has a width in the left-right direction of, for example, 0.5 cm to 2.0 cm when viewed from the front, and a width along the peripheral wall portion 2501 of, for example, 3.0 cm or greater, from the standpoint of allowing an operator's hand to come into contact with the smoothed back surface portion 5c6 at the inner edge 5b2 without coming into contact with sharp corners, and from the standpoint of preventing a decrease in interest in the game due to the smoothed back surface portion 5c6 being visible to a player after the game board 5 is assembled to the pachinko machine 1. The smoothed back surface portion 5c6 may have a width of, for example, 0.5 cm to 2.0 cm when viewed from the front, and a width along the peripheral wall portion 2501 of, for example, 3.0 cm or greater. The width of the smoothed back surface portion 5c6 along the peripheral wall portion 2501 may be, for example, the entire peripheral wall portion 2501, or may be formed in multiple locations along the peripheral wall portion 2501.

In this embodiment, the smooth back surface portion 5c6 is formed by a straight plane that smoothly connects the side and back surface of the center role device 2500. However, as shown in FIG. 180(b), the smooth back surface portion 5c6 may be formed by an arc-shaped curved surface that smoothly connects the side and back surface of the center role device 2500. The smooth back surface portion 5c6 formed by an arc-shaped curved surface that smoothly connects the side and back surface of the center role device 2500 achieves the same effect as the smooth back surface portion 5c6 formed by a straight plane that smoothly connects the side and back surface of the center role device 2500 described above. In addition, because the smooth back surface portion 5c6 formed by a curved surface does not have corners, it is possible to more effectively reduce discomfort to workers whose hands come into contact with the inner edge portion 5b2, making transportation of the game board 5 even safer.

In this embodiment, the inner sharp portion 5c5 and the backside gentle surface portion 5c6 are formed on the center device 2500. However, the inner sharp portion 5c5 and the backside gentle surface portion 5c6 may be formed on a removable cover body attached to the center device 2500 that covers at least a portion of the inner edge portion 5b2 of the game board 5, and the inner sharp portion 5c5 and the backside gentle surface portion 5c6 may be formed on the cover body. This can achieve the same effects and advantages as the inner sharp portion 5c5 and the backside gentle surface portion 5c6 described above. The cover body is detachably attached to the backside of the game panel 1100 from the rear with screws or the like. It may be removed when the game board 5 is assembled to the pachinko machine 1, or it may remain attached if it does not interfere with gameplay. Because the cover body is attached to the backside of the game panel 1100 from the rear with screws or the like, even if the screws or the like loosen, it does not affect the game balls flowing down within the game area 5a, thereby preventing a decrease in game interest.

In addition, in this embodiment, the gentle surface portion 5c1 and the surface recessed portion 5c2 are formed on the surface of the component 1000. However, if the gaming board 5 does not have the component 1000, the gentle surface portion 5c1 and the surface recessed portion 5c2 may be formed on the surface of the panel holder 1120 of the gaming panel 1100. Furthermore, if the gaming panel 1100 does not have the panel holder 1120, the gentle surface portion 5c1 and the surface recessed portion 5c2 may be formed on the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100, and the same functions and effects as the gentle surface portion 5c1 and the surface recessed portion 5c2 described above can be achieved.

In addition, in this embodiment, the specific portion 5c has been described as having a front surface gentle portion 5c1, a front surface depression 5c2, a back surface depression 5c3, an outer sharp portion 5c4, an inner sharp portion 5c5, and a back surface gentle portion 5c6. However, the specific portion 5c may have at least one of the front surface gentle portion 5c1, the front surface depression 5c2, the back surface depression 5c3, the outer sharp portion 5c4, the inner sharp portion 5c5, and the back surface gentle portion 5c6, and can achieve the above-described functions and effects corresponding to each configuration of the specific portion 5c.

In addition, in this embodiment, the specific portion 5c has a surface gentler portion 5c1, a surface recessed portion 5c2, a back recessed portion 5c3, an outer sharp portion 5c4, an inner sharp portion 5c5, and a back gentler portion 5c6. The surface gentler portion 5c1, the surface recessed portion 5c2, the back recessed portion 5c3, the outer sharp portion 5c4, the inner sharp portion 5c5, and the back gentler portion 5c6 are described as being formed in close proximity to each other in a straight line from the inside to the outside of the gaming board 5 to form a shape resembling a human hand. However, the surface gentler portion 5c1, the surface recessed portion 5c2, the back recessed portion 5c3, the outer sharp portion 5c4, the inner sharp portion 5c5, and the back gentler portion 5c6 may also be formed at predetermined positions on the gaming board 5 with some distance between them. While this reduces the visual guiding effect when the gaming board 5 is transported, the tactile guiding effect allows the gaming board 5 to be transported safely.

In addition, in this embodiment, the specific portion 5c may have a surface opening in addition to or instead of the surface recess 5c2. The surface opening is an opening formed in the component 1000 that forms the outer edge 5b1 on the front surface 5x side of the game board 5. The surface opening is designed to resemble the thumb of a human hand, so that when the game board 5 is being transported, the operator's thumb engages with the surface opening due to the visual guidance effect. Therefore, when the game board 5 is being transported by an operator, the operator who is unfamiliar with the gripping position of the game board 5 can be informed of the gripping position of the game board 5. This also reduces the risk of the operator's hand coming into contact with the obstacle pegs N or the center gimmick 2500 in the game area 5a, which could result in deformation of the obstacle pegs N, rust on the obstacle pegs N, or damage to the center gimmick 2500, thereby allowing the game board 5 to be transported safely. The surface opening may also be configured to penetrate the component 1000 and the gaming panel 1100, similarly allowing the gaming board 5 to be transported safely.

The surface opening is formed adjacent to the smooth surface portion 5c1. Together with the smooth surface portion 5c1, this surface opening forms a schematic hand shape including the thumb and part of the palm of a human hand on the front surface 5x of the gaming board 5. When the gaming board 5 is transported, the edge 5b of the gaming board 5 can be seen, suggesting a gripping position reminiscent of a human hand on the outer edge 5b1 of the gaming board 5, providing a visual guidance effect. This guides the palm of the operator's hand toward the smooth surface portion 5c1, and allows the operator's thumb to engage with the surface opening. Therefore, with the game board 5 of this embodiment, when the game board 5 is transported by an operator, the discomfort felt by the operator when their hands come into contact with the outer edge 5b1 can be reduced, and the gripping position of the game board 5 can be more clearly indicated to an operator who is unfamiliar with the gripping position of the game board 5. This also reduces the risk of the operator's hands coming into contact with the obstructing nails N or the center device 2500 within the play area 5a, which could cause deformation of the obstructing nails N, rust on the obstructing nails N, or damage to the center device 2500, etc., and allows the game board 5 to be transported safely.

When viewed from the front, the surface opening has, for example, a polygonal shape such as a triangle or a rectangle, an oval shape, or an elongated shape in the vertical direction resembling a human thumb. A surface opening of this shape, together with the gentle surface portion 5c1 that continues in the vertical direction, can show the operator, for example, a hand shape on the front surface 5x of the gaming board 5 as if it were a gripping position when holding the gaming board 5, and can suggest the gripping position of the gaming board 5 to an operator who is unfamiliar with it.

The surface openings are formed in pairs on the left and right outer edges 5b1 of the gaming board 5, facing each other at the top of the gaming board 5. When a worker grasps the gaming board 5, these surface openings allow the worker to guide both hands toward the surface openings on the left and right outer edges 5b1, making it safer to transport the gaming board 5. Note that the surface openings are not limited to being formed on the left and right outer edges 5b1; for example, they may be formed on either the left or right outer edge 5b1, either the top or bottom outer edge 5b1, or both the top and bottom outer edges 5b1. Even if multiple surface openings are formed, they do not have to face each other (for example, they may be formed on adjacent sides).

When the game board 5 is assembled to the pachinko machine 1 and the door frame 3 is closed, the surface opening is located behind the door frame base unit 100 of the door frame 3, making it difficult for the player to see through the door window 101a. This prevents a decrease in interest in the game due to the player being able to see the surface opening, which is unrelated to the game. The surface opening may also be configured so that, when the game board 5 is assembled to the pachinko machine 1 and the door frame 3 is closed, a portion of it extends beyond the rear of the door frame base unit 100 of the door frame 3 and is visible to the player through the door window 101a. Even if only a portion of the surface opening is visible, the player will not realize that the surface opening represents a handprint, in other words, that it is unrelated to the game and related to the transportation of the game board 5, preventing a decrease in interest in the game.

From the perspective of, for example, providing a visual guiding effect so that an operator's hand is placed near the surface opening, and from the perspective of preventing the surface opening from protruding from the door frame 3 and being visible to players after the game board 5 is assembled to the pachinko machine 1, resulting in a loss of interest in the game, the surface opening desirably has a width in the left-right direction of, for example, 1.0 cm to 5.0 cm, and a width in the up-down direction of, for example, 2.0 cm to 10.0 cm, when viewed from the front. The surface opening may have edges that are chamfered with a linear plane or a circular curve, which can prevent an operator's hand from resting on the surface opening from coming into contact with the corners formed on the edges of the surface opening.

The surface of the surface opening may also be subjected to a surface treatment such as embossing to form a wrinkled pattern (for example, a rough, pear-skin pattern (a pear-skin pattern) or a geometric pattern consisting of fine irregularities). The wrinkled pattern formed on the surface of the surface opening acts as a non-slip surface when it comes into contact with the hands of an operator transporting the game board 5, without causing pain or other discomfort to the operator, making the game board 5 even safer to transport.

[Modification example 1 of the game board]
In the above-described embodiment, the basic configuration of the game panel 1100 of the pachinko machine 1 has been described. However, conventionally, the edges of the game panel 1100 have been formed in a sharp, angular shape, and when carrying the game panel 1100, the hands of an operator holding the game panel 1100 come into contact with the edges of the game panel 1100, which can cause discomfort to the operator (such as pain in the hands due to contact with the sharp, angular edges or anxiety that the hands may be injured). Furthermore, when an operator who is unaware of the gripping position of the game panel 1100 carries the game panel 1100, the operator's hands may come into contact with the obstructing nails N or the center gimmick 2500 in the play area 5a, which can cause deformation of the obstructing nails N, rust on the obstructing nails N, or damage to the center gimmick 2500. Below, a modified game panel 1100, in which the game panel 1100 has been modified to solve these problems, will be described.

The pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment has the same configuration as the pachinko machine 1 described above except for the gaming panel 1100. Therefore, the following will provide a detailed explanation of the configuration of the gaming panel 1100, and will omit a description of the other components of the pachinko machine 1.

As shown in Figures 137 to 147, the gaming panel 1100 includes a gaming area 5a into which gaming balls can flow, a number of obstacle nails N planted on the front surface, and a center gadget 2500 provided along the edge of the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110.

181 is a schematic perspective view of the gaming panel 1100 as viewed from the front right, and FIG. 182 is a schematic perspective view of the gaming panel 1100 as viewed from the rear right. As shown in FIG. 181 or 182, the gaming panel 1100 of this embodiment further includes a cover body 2516 that covers at least a portion of the peripheral wall portion 2501 of the center role device 2500. More specifically, the gaming panel 1100 includes a cover body 2516 that is provided to cover the stage cover 2515 of the center role device 2500 from above and behind. The cover body 2516 is detachable from the stage cover 2515 from the rear, for example, with screws or the like, and may be removed when the gaming panel 1100 is assembled to the gaming board 5. However, if it does not interfere with gameplay, even if a screw or the like loosens, it does not have any effect on the game balls flowing down within the game area 5a and does not need to be removed from the stage cover 2515.

The gaming panel 1100 has a front surface 1100x on the side where the gaming area 5a is formed, a rear surface 1100z on the opposite side to the side where the gaming area 5a is formed, a side surface 1100y extending between the front surface 1100x and the rear surface 1100z, an edge portion 1100b extending from the front surface 1100x via the side surface 1100y to the rear surface 1100z, and a specific portion 1100c formed on at least a part of the edge portion 1100b.

The edge 1100b of the gaming panel 1100 includes, for example, an outer edge 1100b1 on the outside of the gaming panel 1100 and an inner edge 1100b2 on the inside of the gaming panel 1100. The outer edge 1100b1 is formed from the outer end of the front surface 1100x, via the side surface 1100y, to the outer edge of the rear surface 1100z. The inner edge 1100b2 is formed from the inner end of the front surface 1100x, via the side surface 1100y, to the inner end of the rear surface 1100z.

The center device 2500 has a peripheral wall portion 2501 that protrudes forward from the front surface 1100x of the gaming panel 1100 to prevent gaming balls flowing down within the gaming area 5a from entering the opening 1112 of the gaming panel 1100, a first attacker portion 2520 that can accept gaming balls depending on the result of a lottery for a normal symbol, and a second attacker portion 2560 that can accept gaming balls depending on the result of a lottery for a first special symbol or a second special symbol. The first attacker portion 2520 and the second attacker portion 2560 have multiple rear protrusions 2510 that protrude rearward from the rear surface 1100z of the gaming panel 1100, such as a cover body that contains a board on which light-emitting elements are arranged, wiring, etc., and a socket to which wiring used for power supply and information transmission is connected. When the gaming panel 1100 is assembled to the gaming board 5, the rear protrusion 2510 is stored inside a front-open, box-shaped rear unit 3000 that is attached to the rear surface 1100z of the gaming panel 1100.

[Configuration 2 of the identification unit]
The specific portion 1100c is formed on the edge portion 1100b of the gaming panel 1100, and can guide a worker attempting to grasp the gaming panel 1100 so that the worker's hand comes into contact with the specific portion 1100c when the worker carries the gaming panel 1100. Specifically, the specific portion 1100c has a visual guidance effect that suggests to the worker where to grasp the gaming panel 1100 by making the edge portion 1100b of the gaming panel 1100 resemble a human handprint when the edge portion 1100b of the gaming panel 1100 is visually inspected, and a tactile guidance effect that suggests to the worker where to grasp the gaming panel 1100 by providing a tactile sensation that may or may not cause discomfort to the worker's hand when grasping the gaming panel 1100, thereby contributing to safe transportation of the gaming panel 1100.

Specifically, the specific portion 1100c has a front surface gentler portion 1100c1, a back surface gentler portion 1100c2, and a back surface recessed portion 1100c3 formed at predetermined positions on the outer edge portion 1100b1, and an inner surface gentler portion 1100c4 and an outer surface gentler portion 1100c5 formed at predetermined positions on the inner edge portion 1100b2.

Figure 183 is a cross-sectional view showing the A-A' cross section of Figure 181. As shown in Figures 181 to 183, the smoothed surface portion 1100c1 is formed on the front surface 1100x of the gaming panel 1100, more specifically, on the surface of the panel holder 1120 of the gaming panel 1100. The smoothed surface portion 1100c1 is formed on the front surface 1100x side of the outer edge portion 1100b1 of the gaming panel 1100 in an inclined plane such that the depth in the front-to-back direction gradually increases from the inside to the outside in the vertical direction, and linearly connects the front surface 1100x and the side surface 1100y. In this way, the smoothed surface portion 1100c1, which smoothly connects the front surface 1100x and the side surface 1100y in a chamfered manner, can remove the sharp corner formed where the front surface 1100x and the side surface 1100y intersect from a portion of the outer edge portion 1100b1. In other words, by forming the surface roughness portion 1100c1 between the front surface 1100x and the side surface 1100y, instead of the sharp corner formed by the intersection of the front surface 1100x and the side surface 1100y, two obtuse corners are formed by the intersection of the front surface 1100x and the surface roughness portion 1100c1 and the side surface 1100y and the surface roughness portion 1100c1.

Here, a worker attempting to grasp the gaming panel 1100 tends to avoid contact with the sharp corners formed by the intersection of the front surface 1100x and the side surface 1100y, for example, so as not to feel pain or other discomfort in the hand grasping the gaming panel 1100. The gentle surface portion 1100c1, when visible to the worker attempting to grasp the gaming panel 1100, can visually guide the worker so that their hand will come into contact with two obtuse corners rather than one sharp corner, and can also tactilely guide the worker so that their hand will come into contact with two obtuse corners rather than one sharp corner, by coming into contact with the hand of the worker attempting to grasp the gaming panel 1100. Therefore, with the game panel 1100 of this embodiment, when the game panel 1100 is transported by an operator, the discomfort felt by the operator when their hands come into contact with the outer edge 1100b1 can be reduced, and the operator who is unfamiliar with the gripping position of the game panel 1100 can be suggested. This also reduces the risk of the operator's hands coming into contact with the obstructing nails N or the center device 2500 in the game area 5a, which could cause deformation of the obstructing nails N, rust on the obstructing nails N, or damage to the center device 2500, etc., and allows the game panel 1100 to be transported safely.

In this embodiment, the smoothed surface portions 1100c1 are formed in pairs on the upper and lower outer edge portions 1100b1 of the outer edge portion 1100b1 of the gaming panel 1100, and face each other in the center of the gaming panel 1100. When a worker grasps the gaming panel 1100, these smoothed surface portions 1100c1 can guide both hands of the worker to the smoothed surface portions 1100c1 of the upper and lower outer edge portions 1100b1, making it safer to transport the gaming panel 1100. The upper smoothed surface portion 1100c1 is formed on the entire left-right direction of the top edge of the gaming panel 1100, and the lower smoothed surface portion 1100c1 is formed on a portion of the left-right direction of the bottom edge. Furthermore, the surface smoothed portions 1100c1 are not limited to being formed on the upper and lower outer edge portions 1100b1, but may be formed on either the upper or lower outer edge portion 1100b1, either the left or right outer edge portion 1100b1, or both the left and right outer edge portions 1100b1. Even if multiple surface smoothed portions 1100c1 are formed, they do not have to face each other (for example, they may be formed on adjacent sides).

When the game panel 1100 is assembled to the pachinko machine 1 and the door frame 3 is closed, the smooth surface portion 1100c1 is located behind the front component 1000 and the door frame base unit 100 in the door frame 3, making it difficult for players to see through the door window 101a, thereby preventing a decrease in interest in the game due to players being able to see the smooth surface portion 5c1, which is unrelated to the game. Furthermore, when the game board 5 is assembled to the pachinko machine 1 and the door frame 3 is closed, part of the smooth surface portion 1100c1 may protrude from the rear of the door frame base unit 100 in the door frame 3 and be visible to the player through the door window 101a. Even if only part of the smooth surface portion 1100c1 is visible, the player will not be able to recognize that the smooth surface portion 1100c1 represents a handprint, in other words, that it is unrelated to the game and is related to the transportation of the game panel 1100, which prevents a decrease in interest in the game.

The smoothed surface portion 1100c1 preferably has a vertical width of, for example, 0.5 cm to 2.0 cm and a horizontal width of, for example, 3.0 cm or greater when viewed from the front. This is to allow an operator's hand to come into contact with the smoothed surface portion 1100c1 at the outer edge 1100b1 without coming into contact with sharp corners, and to prevent the smoothed surface portion 1100c1 from protruding from the door frame 3 and being visible to players after the gaming panel 1100 is assembled to the pachinko machine 1 if the component 1000 is transparent, thereby preventing a decrease in interest in the game. Furthermore, the front-to-back depth of the smoothed surface portion 1100c1 is preferably, for example, 0.5 cm or greater at its greatest point, which can effectively remove sharp corners formed where the front surface 1100x and side surface 1100y intersect from part of the outer edge 1100b1. The width of the roughened surface portion 1100c1 in the left-right direction may be, for example, the entire area of the outer edge 5b1 on which the roughened surface portion 1100c1 is formed, i.e., the entire width of the outer edge 5b1 in the left-right direction.

In this embodiment, the gentle surface portion 1100c1 is formed by a straight plane that smoothly connects the front surface 1100x and the side surface 1100y. However, the gentle surface portion 1100c1 may also be formed by an arc-shaped curved surface that smoothly connects the front surface 1100x and the side surface 1100y. The gentle surface portion 1100c1 formed by an arc-shaped curved surface that smoothly connects the front surface 1100x and the side surface 1100y achieves the same effects as the gentle surface portion 1100c1 formed by a straight plane that smoothly connects the front surface 1100x and the side surface 1100y described above. In addition, because the gentle surface portion 1100c1 formed by a curved surface does not have corners, it is possible to more effectively reduce discomfort to workers whose hands come into contact with the outer edge portion 1100b1, making transportation of the gaming panel 1100 even safer.

The surface of the smooth surface portion 1100c1 may also be subjected to a surface treatment such as embossing to form a wrinkled pattern (for example, a rough, pear-skin pattern (a pear-skin pattern) or a geometric pattern consisting of fine irregularities). The wrinkled pattern formed on the surface of the smooth surface portion 1100c1 acts as an anti-slip surface when it comes into contact with the hands of an operator transporting the gaming panel 1100, without causing pain or other discomfort to the operator, thereby making the transportation of the gaming panel 1100 even safer.

The smoothed back surface portion 1100c2 is formed on the rear surface 1100z of the gaming panel 1100, specifically on the rear surface of the panel holder 1120 of the gaming panel 1100. The smoothed back surface portion 1100c2 is formed on the outer edge portion 1100b1 on the rear surface 1100z side of the gaming panel 1100, as an inclined surface whose depth in the front-to-rear direction gradually increases from the inside to the outside in the vertical direction, and linearly connects the rear surface 1100z and the side surface 1100y. In this way, the smoothed back surface portion 1100c2, which smoothly connects the rear surface 1100z and the side surface 1100y in a chamfered manner, can remove the sharp corner formed where the rear surface 1100z and the side surface 1100y intersect from part of the outer edge portion 1100b1. That is, by forming the backside gentle surface portion 1100c2 between the rear surface 1100z and the side surface 1100y, instead of the sharp corner formed by the intersection of the rear surface 1100z and the side surface 1100y, two obtuse corners are formed by the intersection of the rear surface 1100z and the backside gentle surface portion 1100c2 and the side surface 1100y and the backside gentle surface portion 1100c2.

Therefore, the backside smooth surface portion 1100c2, at the outer edge portion 1100b1, can be visually seen by an operator attempting to grasp the gaming panel 1100, thereby visually guiding the operator so that their hand will come into contact with two obtuse corners rather than one sharp corner, and can also tactilely guide the operator, by coming into contact with the hand of an operator attempting to grasp the gaming panel 1100, so that their hand will come into contact with two obtuse corners rather than one sharp corner. Furthermore, with the game panel 1100 of this embodiment, when the game panel 1100 is transported by a worker, the discomfort felt by the worker's hands coming into contact with the outer edge 1100b1 can be reduced, and the gripping position of the game panel 1100 can be suggested to a worker who is unfamiliar with it. This also reduces the risk of the worker's hands coming into contact with the obstructing nails N or the center device 2500 in the game area 5a, which could cause deformation of the obstructing nails N, rust on the obstructing nails N, or damage to the center device 2500, etc., and allows the game panel 1100 to be transported safely.

Furthermore, the backside smoothed portion 1100c2 is formed so as to connect to the frontside smoothed portion 1100c1 at the outer edge 1100b1. This allows the worker who is trying to grasp the gaming panel 1100 to see it, thereby further visually guiding the worker. Furthermore, by coming into contact with the worker's hand as he or she grasps the gaming panel 1100, the smoothed portion 1100c2 can further tactilely guide the worker. This reduces the discomfort felt by the worker when their hand comes into contact with the outer edge 1100b1 as the gaming panel 1100 is being transported, and also allows the worker who is unfamiliar with the position of the gaming panel 1100 to know where to hold the gaming panel 1100. This also reduces the risk of the obstructing nails N or the center device 2500, etc. in the gaming area 5a, causing deformation or rust on the obstructing nails N, or damage to the center device 2500, etc., due to the worker's hand coming into contact with these, making the transportation of the gaming panel 1100 even safer.

In this embodiment, the backside smoothed portions 1100c2 are formed in pairs on the upper and lower outer edge portions 1100b1 of the outer edge portion 1100b1 of the gaming panel 1100, and face each other in the center of the gaming panel 1100. When a worker grasps the gaming panel 1100, such backside smoothed portions 1100c2 can guide both hands of the worker to the backside smoothed portions 1100c2 of the upper and lower outer edge portions 1100b1, making it possible to transport the gaming panel 1100 more safely. The backside gentle surface portions 1100c2 are not limited to being formed on the upper and lower outer edge portions 1100b1, but may be formed on either the upper or lower outer edge portion 1100b1, either the left or right outer edge portion 1100b1, or both the left and right outer edge portions 1100b1. Even if multiple backside gentle surface portions 1100c2 are formed, they do not have to face each other (for example, they may be formed on adjacent sides).

The smoothed back surface portion 1100c2 preferably has a vertical width of, for example, 0.5 cm to 2.0 cm and a horizontal width of, for example, 3.0 cm or greater when viewed from the front. This allows a worker's hand to contact the smoothed back surface portion 1100c2 without coming into contact with sharp corners at the outer edge 1100b1, and prevents a player's interest in the game from being diminished by the smoothed back surface portion 1100c2 being visible to the player if the component 1000 is transparent after the gaming panel 1100 is assembled to the pachinko machine 1. Furthermore, the front-to-back depth of the smoothed back surface portion 1100c2 is preferably, for example, 0.5 cm or greater at its greatest point, which effectively removes sharp corners formed where the back surface 1100z and side surface 1100y intersect from part of the outer edge 1100b1. The width of the back surface smoothed portion 1100c2 in the left-right direction may be, for example, the entire area of the outer edge 5b1 on which the back surface smoothed portion 1100c2 is formed, i.e., the entire width of the outer edge 5b1 in the left-right direction.

In this embodiment, the smooth back surface portion 1100c2 is formed by a straight plane that smoothly connects the rear surface 1100z and the side surface 1100y. However, the smooth back surface portion 1100c2 may also be formed by an arc-shaped curved surface that smoothly connects the rear surface 1100z and the side surface 1100y. The smooth back surface portion 1100c2 formed by an arc-shaped curved surface that smoothly connects the rear surface 1100z and the side surface 1100y achieves the same effects as the smooth back surface portion 1100c2 formed by a straight plane that smoothly connects the rear surface 1100z and the side surface 1100y described above. In addition, because the smooth back surface portion 1100c2 formed by a curved surface does not have corners, it is possible to more effectively reduce discomfort to workers whose hands come into contact with the outer edge portion 1100b1, making transportation of the gaming panel 1100 even safer.

The surface of the backside smooth portion 1100c2 may also be formed with a wrinkled pattern (for example, a rough pear-skin pattern (pear-skin pattern) or a geometric pattern consisting of fine irregularities) by surface treatment such as embossing. The wrinkled pattern formed on the surface of the backside smooth portion 1100c2 acts as an anti-slip surface when it comes into contact with the hands of an operator transporting the gaming panel 1100, without causing pain or other discomfort to the operator, thereby making the transportation of the gaming panel 1100 even safer.

The back surface recessed portion 1100c3 is formed on the rear surface 1100z of the gaming panel 1100, more specifically, on the back surface of the panel holder 1120 of the gaming panel 1100. The back surface recessed portion 1100c3 is formed on the outer edge portion 1100b1 of the gaming panel 1100, and is formed, for example, in a circular concave shape when viewed from the front. In this embodiment, four back surface recessed portions 1100c3 are arranged side by side in the left-right direction to correspond to the front surface smooth portion 1100c1 or the back surface smooth portion 1100c2, and to correspond to the four fingers (index finger through little finger) of the operator holding the gaming panel 1100. Such back surface recess 1100c3, together with front surface smooth portion 1100c1 and back surface smooth portion 1100c2, forms a recess in the outer edge 1100b1 of the gaming panel 1100 that represents a schematic hand shape including part of a person's palm and four fingers from the index finger to the little finger, and when the gaming panel 1100 is transported, the palm of the operator's hand is guided to front surface smooth portion 1100c1 and back surface smooth portion 1100c2, and the operator's index finger to little finger are placed in the corresponding back surface recess 1100c3. Therefore, with the game panel 1100 of this embodiment, when the game panel 1100 is transported by an operator, the discomfort felt by the operator when their hands come into contact with the outer edge 1100b1 can be reduced, and the gripping position of the game panel 1100 can be more clearly indicated to an operator who is unfamiliar with the gripping position of the game panel 1100. This also reduces the risk of the operator's hands coming into contact with the obstructing nails N or the center device 2500 within the game area 5a, which could cause deformation of the obstructing nails N, rust on the obstructing nails N, or damage to the center device 2500, etc., and allows the game panel 1100 to be transported safely.

In this embodiment, four rear recesses 1100c3 are arranged side by side in the left-right direction on the outer edge 1100b1 of the gaming panel 1100 to correspond to the four fingers of the operator, from the index finger to the little finger. However, at least one rear recess 1100c3 may be formed on the outer edge 1100b1 of the gaming panel 1100, and one of the index finger to the little finger of the operator holding the gaming panel 1100 can be guided into the outer edge 1100b1 of the gaming panel 1100.

The shape of the rear surface recess 1100c3 in a front view is not limited to a circular shape, and any shape that can guide the worker's fingers into the rear surface recess 1100c3 may be used, such as a triangular, rectangular, or polygonal shape, and can achieve the same effect as a circular shape. The rear surface recess 1100c3 may be elongated in the vertical direction so that two, three, or four of the worker's fingers can be placed in one rear surface recess 1100c3. The rear surface recess 5c3 may also be recessed in the rear surface of the panel plate 1110, leaving the outer edge of the panel plate 1110, so that the worker's fingers can engage with the outer edge of the panel plate 1110. Furthermore, the edges of the rear surface recess 1100c3 may be chamfered with a linear plane or an arc-shaped curved surface, which can reduce discomfort caused by the fingers of an operator resting on the rear surface recess 1100c3 coming into contact with the corners formed on the edges of the rear surface recess 1100c3.

In this embodiment, the back surface recess 1100c3 is formed on the lower outer edge 1100b1 of the outer edge 1100b1 of the gaming panel 1100. However, the back surface recess 1100c3 is not limited to being formed on the lower outer edge 1100b1. For example, the back surface recess 1100c3 may be formed on either the left or right outer edge 1100b1, the left or right outer edge 1100b1, either the top or bottom outer edge 1100b1, or the top or bottom outer edge 1100b1. If multiple back surface recesses 1100c3 are formed, they may face each other. When a worker grips the gaming panel 1100, such back surface recesses 1100c3 can guide both hands of the worker toward the pair of back surface recesses 1100c3 on the outer edge 1100b1, making the gaming panel 1100 safer to transport.

The outer diameter of the rear recess 1100c3 is preferably 2.0 cm or less, for example, and can be formed on the outer edge 1100b1 of the gaming panel 1100 without excessively increasing the vertical width of the rear recess 1100c3. Furthermore, the rear recess 5c3 is not used in assembling the pachinko machine 1, and has an outer diameter greater than the thickness of screws or the like used in assembling the pachinko machine 1. The front-to-rear depth of the rear recess 1100c3 is preferably 1.0 mm or more, for example, so that the operator's index finger through little finger can be guided into the rear recess 1100c3. The rear recess 1100c3 may also be configured to penetrate the gaming panel 1100, for example, allowing the operator to engage their index finger through little finger in the rear recess 1100c3 and more securely grip the gaming panel 1100.

In addition, the surface of the opening of the back recessed portion 1100c3 may be formed with a wrinkled pattern (for example, a rough pear-skin pattern (pear-skin pattern) or a geometric pattern consisting of fine irregularities) by surface treatment such as embossing. The wrinkled pattern formed on the surface of the back recessed portion 1100c3 acts as an anti-slip surface when it comes into contact with the hands of an operator transporting the gaming panel 1100, without causing pain or other discomfort to the operator, making the transportation of the gaming panel 1100 even safer.

In this embodiment, the front surface smoothed portion 1100c1, the back surface smoothed portion 1100c2, and the back surface recessed portion 1100c3 are formed on the panel holder 1120 of the gaming panel 1100. However, if the gaming panel 1100 does not have a panel holder 1120, the front surface smoothed portion 1100c1, the back surface smoothed portion 1100c2, and the back surface recessed portion 1100c3 may be formed on the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100, and the same effects and advantages as the front surface smoothed portion 1100c1, the back surface smoothed portion 1100c2, and the back surface recessed portion 1100c3 described above can be achieved.

The inner gentle surface portion 1100c4 is formed on the inner edge portion 1100b2 of the gaming panel 1100, more specifically, on the rear end portion of the cover body 2516. The inner gentle surface portion 1100c4 is formed on the inner edge portion 1100b2 on the rear surface 1100z side of the gaming panel 1100 as an arc-shaped curved surface that smoothly connects the side surface 1100y and rear surface 1100z of the gaming panel 1100. In this way, the inner gentle surface portion 1100c4 that smoothly connects the side surface 1100y and rear surface 1100z of the gaming panel 1100 can remove the sharp corner formed by the intersection of the side surface 1100y and rear surface 1100z of the gaming panel 1100 from part of the inner edge portion 1100b2. In other words, by forming an inner gentle surface portion 1100c4 between the side surface 1100y and the rear surface 1100z of the gaming panel 1100, the sharp corner formed where the side surface 1100y and the rear surface 1100z of the gaming panel 1100 intersect is removed.

A worker attempting to grasp the gaming panel 1100 may, for example, place their hand on the opening 1112 of the gaming panel 1100. In such cases, the worker will tend to avoid contact with the sharp corner formed by the intersection of the side surface 1100y and rear surface 1100z of the gaming panel 1100, so as to avoid causing pain to the hand grasping the gaming panel 1100. The inner gentle surface portion 1100c4, at the inner edge portion 1100b2, is visible to the worker attempting to grasp the gaming panel 1100, visually guiding the worker so that their hand will come into contact with the arc-shaped curved surface rather than a sharp corner. Furthermore, by coming into contact with the hand of the worker attempting to grasp the gaming panel 1100, the inner gentle surface portion 1100c4 can tactilely guide the worker so that their hand will come into contact with the arc-shaped curved surface rather than a single sharp corner. Therefore, with the game panel 1100 of this embodiment, when the game panel 1100 is transported by a worker, the discomfort felt by the worker's hands coming into contact with the inner edge 1100b2 can be reduced, and the gripping position of the game panel 1100 can be suggested to a worker who is unfamiliar with it. This also reduces the risk of the worker's hands coming into contact with obstructing nails N in the game area 5a, which could cause the obstructing nails N to deform or rust, allowing the game panel 1100 to be transported safely.

From the standpoint of enabling the operator's hand to make contact with the inner gentle surface portion 1100c4 without coming into contact with sharp corners at the inner edge portion 1100b2, it is desirable that the vertical width of the inner gentle surface portion 1100c4 be, for example, 0.5 cm or more when viewed from the front, and that the width formed along the peripheral wall portion 2501 be, for example, 3.0 cm or more. Note that the inner gentle surface portion 1100c4 may be formed over the entire area of a cover body 2516 formed over the entire area of the peripheral wall portion 2501, for example, along the peripheral wall portion 2501, or the cover body 2516 may be provided in multiple locations along the peripheral wall portion 2501 and formed on multiple cover bodies 2516.

In this embodiment, the inner gentle surface portion 1100c4 is formed by an arc-shaped curved surface that smoothly connects the side and back surface of the center role device 2500. However, the inner gentle surface portion 1100c4 may also be formed by a linear plane that smoothly connects the side and back surface of the cover body 2516. The inner gentle surface portion 1100c4 formed by a linear plane that smoothly connects the side and back surface of the cover body 2516 forms two obtuse angles instead of one sharp corner, which reduces discomfort to workers whose hands come into contact with the inner edge portion 5b2 and makes transporting the gaming panel 1100 even safer.

In this embodiment, the inner gentle surface portion 1100c4 is formed on the cover body 2516, but the inner gentle surface portion 1100c4 may also be formed on the stage cover 2515 of the center role piece 2500, and can achieve the same effects and advantages as the inner gentle surface portion 1100c4 described above.

The outer gentle surface portion 1100c5 is formed at the rear end of the rear protrusion 2510 of the center role device 2500. The outer gentle surface portion 1100c5 is formed as an inclined surface that smoothly connects the inner side surface and back surface of the rear protrusion 2510 of the center role device 2500. In this way, the outer gentle surface portion 1100c5 that smoothly connects the inner side surface and back surface of the rear protrusion 2510 of the center role device 2500 can eliminate the sharp corner formed where the inner side surface and back surface of the rear protrusion 2510 of the center role device 2500 intersect. In other words, by forming the outer gentle surface portion 1100c5 between the inner side surface and back surface of the rear protrusion 2510 of the center role device 2500, instead of the sharp corner formed by the intersection of the inner side surface and back surface of the rear protrusion 2510 of the center role device 2500, two obtuse corners are formed by the intersection of the inner side surface of the rear protrusion 2510 of the center role device 2500 and the outer gentle surface portion 1100c5, and the back surface of the rear protrusion 2510 of the center role device 2500 and the outer gentle surface portion 1100c6.

As mentioned above, a worker attempting to grasp the game panel 1100 may, for example, place their hand from the side surface 1100y to the rear surface 1100z of the game panel 1100. In such cases, in order to avoid causing pain to the hand grasping the game panel 1100, the worker will tend to avoid contact with the sharp corner formed by the intersection of the inner side surface and rear surface of the rear protrusion 2510 of the center device 2500. The outer gentle surface portion 1100c5 is visible to the worker attempting to grasp the game panel 1100, and can visually guide the worker so that their hand will come into contact with two obtuse corners rather than one sharp corner. Furthermore, by coming into contact with the hand of the worker attempting to grasp the game panel 1100, the outer gentle surface portion 1100c5 can tactilely guide the worker so that their hand will come into contact with two obtuse corners rather than one sharp corner. Therefore, with the game panel 1100 of this embodiment, when the game panel 1100 is transported by an operator, the discomfort felt by the operator when their hands come into contact with the rear protrusion 2510 of the center device 2500 can be reduced, and the operator who is unfamiliar with the gripping position of the game panel 1100 can be shown where to grip the game panel 1100. This also reduces the risk of the operator's hands coming into contact with obstructing nails N in the game area 5a, which could cause the obstructing nails N to deform or rust, allowing the game panel 1100 to be transported safely.

From the standpoint of enabling an operator's hand to make contact with the outer gentle surface portion 1100c5 without coming into contact with sharp corners, the vertical width of the outer gentle surface portion 1100c5 in a front view is desirably at least 2.0 cm, and the horizontal width is desirably at least 0.5 cm and no more than 3.0 cm. The vertical width of the outer gentle surface portion 1100c5 may be formed over the entire inner side surface of the rear protrusion 2510 of the center role element 2500, or at multiple locations on the inner side surface of the rear protrusion 2510 of the center role element 2500.

In this embodiment, the outer gentle surface portion 1100c5 is described as being formed by a straight plane that smoothly connects the inner side and back surface of the rear protrusion 2510 of the center role 2500, but the outer gentle surface portion 1100c5 may also be formed by an arc-shaped curved surface that smoothly connects the inner side and back surface of the rear protrusion 2510 of the center role 2500. The outer gentle surface portion 1100c5, which is formed by an arc-shaped curved surface that smoothly connects the inner side and back surface of the rear protrusion 2510 of the center role 2500, has the same effect as the outer gentle surface portion 1100c5, which is formed by a straight plane that smoothly connects the inner side and back surface of the rear protrusion 2510 of the center role 2500 described above. In addition, because the outer gentle surface portion 1100c5, which is formed by a curved surface, has no corners, it is possible to enhance the effect of reducing discomfort caused to workers whose hands come into contact with the rear protrusion 2510 of the center role 2500, making transportation of the game panel 1100 even safer.

In addition, in this embodiment, the outer gentle surface portion 1100c5 that connects the inner side surface and back surface of the rear protrusion 2510 of the center role device 2500 has been described, but the outer gentle surface portion 1100c5 may also be configured to connect the outer side surface and back surface of the rear protrusion 2510 of the center role device 2500, and can achieve the same effect as the outer gentle surface portion 1100c5 that connects the inner side surface and back surface of the rear protrusion 2510 of the center role device 2500 described above. Furthermore, the outer gentle surface portion 1100c5 may also be configured to be formed on both the inner side surface and back surface of the rear protrusion 2510 of the center role device 2500, and on both the outer side surface and back surface of the rear protrusion 2510 of the center role device 2500.

In addition, in this embodiment, the outer gentle surface portion 1100c5 that connects the inner side and back surface of the rear protrusion 2510 of the center role device 2500 has been described, but the outer gentle surface portion 1100c5 may be formed on the rear protrusion 2510 of the first attacca portion 2520, on the rear protrusion 2510 of the second attacca portion 2560, on the rear protrusions 2510 of both the first attacca portion 2520 and the second attacca portion 2560, or on the rear protrusion 2510 of a configuration other than the first attacca portion 2520 and the second attacca portion 2560 of the center role device 2500.

In addition, in this embodiment, the specific portion 1100c has been described as having a front surface gentler portion 1100c1, a back surface gentler portion 1100c2, and a back surface recessed portion 1100c3 formed at predetermined positions on the outer edge portion 1100b1, and an inner surface gentler portion 1100c4 and an outer surface gentler portion 1100c5 formed at predetermined positions on the inner edge portion 1100b2. However, the specific portion 1100c may have at least one of the front surface gentler portion 1100c1, the back surface gentler portion 1100c2, the back surface recessed portion 1100c3, the inner surface gentler portion 1100c4, and the outer surface gentler portion 1100c5, and the above-mentioned functions and effects of each of the components of the specific portion 1100c can be achieved.

In addition, in this embodiment, the specific portion 1100c has a front surface gentler portion 1100c1, a back surface gentler portion 1100c2, and a back surface recessed portion 1100c3 formed at predetermined positions on the outer edge portion 1100b1, an inner surface gentler portion 1100c4 formed at predetermined positions on the inner edge portion 1100b2, and an outer surface gentler portion 1100c5, and these front surface gentler portion 1100c1, back surface gentler portion 1100c2, and back surface recessed portion 1100c3, and inner surface gentler portion 1100c4 and outer surface gentler portion 1100c5 are arranged to form a shape that resembles the shape of a human hand. Although the embodiment has been described in which the front surface smoothed portion 1100c1, the back surface smoothed portion 1100c2, and the back surface recessed portion 1100c3, and the inner surface smoothed portion 1100c4 and the outer surface smoothed portion 1100c5 are formed close to each other between the inside and outside of the gaming panel 1100, they may also be formed at predetermined positions on the gaming panel 1100 with some distance between them. When the gaming panel 1100 is transported, although the visual guiding effect is reduced, the tactile guiding effect allows the gaming panel 1100 to be transported safely.

While the above examples show specific portions 5c formed on a portion of the edge 5b of the gaming board 5 and specific portions 1100c formed on at least a portion of the edge 1100b of the gaming panel 1100, at least the gentle surface portion 5c1 of the specific portion 5c may be formed on the entire edge 5b of the gaming board 5, or at least the gentle surface portion 1100c1 of the specific portion 1100c may be formed on the entire edge 1100b of the gaming panel 1100. Furthermore, when a gentle surface portion 5c1 is formed on a portion of the edge 5b of the gaming board 5, some or all of the edge 5b on which the gentle surface portion 5c1 is not formed may also have an inclined surface shape that gradually increases in depth in the front-to-rear direction from the inside to the outside, with a steeper inclination angle (closer to 90°) than the gentle surface portion 5c1, or the edge 5b on which the gentle surface portion 5c1 is not formed may be configured without an inclined surface. Similarly, if a gentle surface portion 1100c1 is formed on part of the edge 1100b of the gaming panel 1100, part or all of the edge 1100b on which the gentle surface portion 1100c1 is not formed may also have an inclined surface shape that gradually increases in depth from the inside to the outside, with a steeper inclination angle (closer to 90°) than the gentle surface portion 1100c1, or the edge 1100b on which the gentle surface portion 1100c1 is not formed may be configured without an inclined surface. In this case, if a player's hand accidentally comes into contact with an edge 5b, 1100b on which the specified portion 5c, 1100c is not formed, it will feel strange, but injury can be reduced and the player's hand can be safely guided to the specified portion 5c, 1100c.

[Modification example 2 of the game board]
In the above-described embodiment, the basic configuration of the game board 5 of the pachinko machine 1 and modified example 1 of the game board have been described, but conventionally, the edges of the game board 5 have been formed in a sharp, angular shape, and when the game board 5 is transported, the hand of the worker holding the game board 5 comes into contact with the edge of the game board 5, which may cause discomfort to the worker (such as pain in the hand due to contact with the sharp, angular edge, or the hand may be injured due to contact with the sharp, angular edge). Furthermore, when a worker who is unaware of the gripping position of the game board 5 carries the game board 5, the worker's hands may come into contact with the obstructing nails N or the center device 2500, etc., within the game area 5a, which may cause the obstructing nails N to deform (for example, bend to the point where play is hindered), cause rust on the obstructing nails N (for example, skin oils may adhere to the obstructing nails N, making them more susceptible to rust), or damage the center device 2500, etc. Below, we will explain modified example 2 of the game board, in which modifications have been made to the game board 5 with the aim of further solving these problems.

The pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment has the same configuration as the pachinko machine 1 described above except for the game board 5. Therefore, the following will describe in detail the configuration of the game board 5, and will omit a description of the other components of the pachinko machine 1. Furthermore, with regard to the configuration of the game board 5, a description of the same configuration as the modified example 1 of the game board described above will be omitted.

As shown in Figures 137 to 147, the gaming board 5 comprises a gaming area 5a through which gaming balls can flow, a front component 1000 that is roughly rectangular in front view and defines the outer periphery of the gaming area 5a, a plate-shaped gaming panel 1100 that defines the rear end of the gaming area 5a, a front unit 2000 having a center device 2500 attached to the front side of the gaming panel 1100, and a box-shaped rear unit 3000 that is open to the front and attached to the rear side of the gaming panel 1100.

Within the game area 5a are multiple obstacle nails N planted on the front of the game panel 1100, the general winning opening 2001, first starting opening 2004, gate 2002, second starting opening 2005, and first large winning opening 2006 of the front unit 2000, and the peripheral wall 2501 of the center device 2500, which prevents game balls flowing down within the game area 5a from entering the opening 1112 of the game panel 1100.

Figure 184 is a schematic perspective view of the gaming board 5 as seen from the front right, Figure 185 is a schematic perspective view of the gaming board 5 as seen from the rear right, and Figure 186 is a schematic end view showing the A-A' cross section of Figure 184. Note that in Figure 184, the rear unit 3000 within the opening 1112 of the gaming panel 1100 has been omitted from the illustration to facilitate understanding of the gaming board 5. As shown in Figures 184 to 186, when the gaming area 5a is formed and the gaming board 5 is assembled to the pachinko machine 1, the gaming board 5 has a front surface 5x facing the player, a side surface 5y extending rearward from the front surface 5x, a rear surface 5z extending from the side surface 5y parallel to the front surface 5x, an edge portion 5b connecting from the front surface 5x via the side surface 5y to the rear surface 5z, and a specific portion 5c formed on at least a portion of the edge portion 5b.

The edge 5b of the gaming board 5 includes, for example, an outer edge 5b1 formed at the outer end of the gaming board 5 and an inner edge 5b2 formed at the inner end of the gaming board 5. The outer edge 5b1 is formed by the front component 1000, gaming panel 1100, and rear unit 3000, which are arranged in this order from front to rear, while the inner edge 5b2 is formed by the center gimmick 2500 and gaming panel 1100.

[Configuration 3 of the identification unit]
The specific portion 5c is formed on the edge 5b of the game board 5, and can guide the hand of a worker attempting to grip the game board 5 when the worker transports the game board 5. In detail, the specific portion 5c has a visual guidance effect that suggests to the worker the position to grip the game board 5, for example, by making the edge 5b of the game board 5 resemble a human handprint when viewed, and a tactile guidance effect that suggests to the worker the position to grip the game board 5 by differences in touch, such as whether or not it causes discomfort to the hand of the worker gripping the game board 5, and can contribute to the safe transportation of the game board 5.

Specifically, the specific portion 5c includes a surface gentle portion 5c1, a surface recessed portion 5c2, a back recessed portion 5c3, and an outer sharp portion 5c4 formed at a predetermined position on the outer edge portion 5b1, an inner sharp portion 5c5 and a back gentle portion 5c6 formed at a predetermined position on the inner edge portion 5b2, an uneven surface 5p1 formed on the surface of the preceding component 1000 with a plurality of continuous uneven portions, a front step portion 5p2 formed on the front surface of the preceding component 1000, and a surface that is not suitable for playing games when the preceding component 1000 is not placed and the gaming panel 1100 is not used for playing games. The game board 5 has a front exposed portion 5p3 exposed on the front surface 5x of the board 5, a side metal plate 5p4 provided along the side surface of the game panel 1100, and a rear stepped portion 5p5 formed in a stepped pattern from front to rear and from outside to inside on the side surface of the box-shaped rear unit 3000.The visual and tactile guidance effect provided by these components can reduce contact between the hands of an operator transporting the game board 5 and the obstructing nails N or the center device 2500, thereby contributing to the safe transportation of the game board 5. The configurations of the surface gentle portion 5c1, surface recessed portion 5c2, back recessed portion 5c3, outer sharp portion 5c4, inner sharp portion 5c5, and back gentle portion 5c6 of the specific portion 5c are the same as those of the modified example 1 of the gaming board described above. Therefore, the following will explain in detail the other configurations of the specific portion 5c, and will omit explanations of the configurations of the surface gentle portion 5c1, surface recessed portion 5c2, back recessed portion 5c3, outer sharp portion 5c4, inner sharp portion 5c5, and back gentle portion 5c6.

The uneven surface 5p1 is formed on the surface of the smooth surface portion 5c1. The uneven surface 5p1 is a surface that has been formed, for example, by surface treatment such as embossing, with a wrinkled pattern consisting of a series of fine irregularities that can scatter light. The wrinkled pattern is formed by a number of short, linear ridges extending in random directions, and may have, for example, a rough, pear-skin pattern or a fine geometric pattern. When the uneven surface 5p1 comes into contact with a worker's hand, it acts as an anti-slip surface to prevent the worker's hand from slipping off the smooth surface portion 5c1 without causing pain or other discomfort to the worker. This prevents the game board 5 from slipping off the worker's hand, thereby preventing damage caused by the game board 5 falling. This also prevents the game board 5 from slipping off the worker's hand, which could cause the worker's hand to come into contact with the guide nail N or the center device 2500 or fall on the worker's foot, allowing the game board 5 to be transported safely.

Furthermore, the uneven surface 5p1, with its wrinkled pattern, visually guides the hands of workers carrying the game board 5 toward the smooth surface portion 5c1, thereby reducing contact between the workers' hands and the obstacle nails N or the center device 2500. Furthermore, compared to a flat surface without the uneven surface 5p1, stains such as dirt and scratches left by the workers' hands after contact are less noticeable, preventing a decrease in interest in the game due to the players' visually noticing stains. Furthermore, the uneven surface 5p1 diffuses light irradiated from multiple points on the game board 5 by the smooth surface portion 5c1, creating a matte finish. This prevents the light reflected by the smooth surface portion 5c1 from being too noticeable and distracting the player from the main effects, further reducing a decrease in interest in the game. The uneven surface 5p1 is sufficient as long as it is formed with multiple, continuous, fine unevennesses (not limited to those formed so that all are connected, but may be formed so that only a portion is connected, or may be formed by dividing into predetermined units (which may be one unit)), and the shapes of the unevennesses (size (surface area), degree of unevenness (amount of protrusion), surface shape, etc.) may all be the same, or multiple different shapes may be mixed.

The component 1000 has a front surface 1000x facing the player and a side surface 1000y extending rearward perpendicular to the front surface 1000x. The surface smoothed portion 5c1 may be formed to connect the front surface 1000x and the side surface 1000y of the component 1000, or in a configuration in which the surface smoothed portion 5c1 is formed so that the side surface 1000y is not formed on the component 1000, and the surface smoothed portion 5c1 is formed to connect the front surface 1000x of the component 1000 and the back surface ... Even when the uneven surface 5p1 is formed so as to be continuous with the previous component 1000 and the gaming panel 1100 so as to connect the front surface 1000x of the component 1000 and the side surface 1100y of the gaming panel 1100, it is desirable that the uneven surface 5p1 be formed on the gentle surface portion 5c1, which can prevent damage to the gaming board 5 caused by it falling when the gaming board 5 is being transported, and can prevent the gaming board 5 from slipping out of the worker's hands and coming into contact with the guide nail N or the center device 2500, or falling on the worker's feet, thereby allowing the gaming board 5 to be transported safely.

Furthermore, the uneven surface 5p1 may be formed over the entire surface of the gentle-surface portion 5c1, or may be formed only on a portion of the gentle-surface portion 5c1, or may be formed partially in multiple locations on the gentle-surface portion 5c1. This prevents damage to the game board 5 caused by it falling when the game board 5 is being transported, and prevents the game board 5 from slipping out of the worker's hands and coming into contact with the guide nails N or the center device 2500, or falling on the worker's feet, allowing the game board 5 to be transported safely.

The uneven surface 5p1 may also be formed not only on the gentle surface portion 5c1, but also on the front surface 1000x (flat portion with no slope) of the preceding component 1000 that is continuous with the gentle surface portion 5c1. Similar to the gentle surface portion 5c1, the uneven surface 5p1 formed on the front surface 1000x of the preceding component 1000 acts as an anti-slip surface to prevent the worker's hands from slipping from the front surface 1000x of the preceding component 1000, preventing the worker from accidentally coming into contact with the guide nail N or the center role 2500, making the transportation of the game board 5 even safer.

In addition, when the uneven surface 5p1 is formed on the side surface 5y of the gaming board 5 (the side surface 1000y of the component 1000 and the side surface of the gaming panel 1100), the uneven surface 5p1 acts as an anti-slip surface between the hand of an operator holding the gaming board 5 and the side surface 5y of the gaming board 5. Therefore, for example, when an operator holding the gaming board 5 removes his or her hand from the outer edge of the gaming board 5, the operator's hand may get caught on the side surface 5y of the gaming board 5, causing a force to be applied that causes the component 1000 to be removed forward from the gaming panel 1100, potentially damaging the outer edge of the component 1000. From this perspective, it is desirable that the side surface 5y of the gaming board 5 (the side surface 1000y of the component 1000 and the side surface of the gaming panel 1100) be flat and free of fine irregularities such as the uneven surface 5p1. Here, in a configuration in which the smooth surface portion 5c1 is formed so as to connect the front surface 1000x and side surface 1000y of the component 1000, the side surface 5y of the gaming board 5 is made up of the side surface 1000y of the component 1000 and the side surface of the gaming panel 1100; in a configuration in which the smooth surface portion 5c1 does not result in the side surface 1000y being formed on the component 1000 (in a configuration in which the smooth surface portion 5c1 is formed so as to connect the front surface 1000x of the component 1000 and the back surface of the component 1000, and in a configuration in which the smooth surface portion 5c1 is formed so as to be continuous with the component 1000 and the gaming panel 1100 so as to connect the front surface 1000x of the component 1000 and the side surface 1100y of the gaming panel 1100), the side surface 5y is made up of the side surface of the gaming panel 1100.

In this embodiment, the front component 1000 is preferably formed in an opaque dark color, such as black, navy blue, or gray. The front component 1000 may be formed, for example, from a dark resin, or may have a dark sticker, sheet, or film attached to its surface, or may be colored with dark paint. A dark-colored front component 1000 has a lower reflectivity than a light-colored component such as white or yellow. This reduces the reflection of light irradiated from multiple points on the gaming board 5 on the surface of the front component 1000, thereby preventing a decrease in the player's interest in the game, and also improves the visibility of the uneven surface 5p1 formed on the smooth surface portion 5c1 to workers transporting the gaming board 5. This increases the likelihood that the worker's hand will be guided to the smooth surface portion 5c1 of the component 1000 on which the uneven surface 5p1 is formed when transporting the game board 5, further preventing the worker from accidentally contacting the guide nail N or the center role 2500, allowing the game board 5 to be transported safely. Note that the component 1000 is not limited to having the uneven surface 5p1 formed on its surface; it may also be a sticker, sheet, film, etc. that has multiple fine irregularities formed on its surface, similar to the uneven surface 5p1, attached to it. In this case, the dark color of the component 1000 may be visible through the sticker, sheet, film, etc., or the sticker, sheet, film, etc. may be formed in a dark color.

The front surface 1000x of the component 1000 is further formed with a stamp attachment section 1012 to which a stamp is attached, a function display forming section 1013 which has an opening that exposes the light-emitting section of the function display unit 1400 and to which a status label indicating the light-emitting state of the light-emitting section of the function display unit 1400 is attached, and a label attachment section 1014 to which a display label displaying model information of the pachinko machine 1 such as the jackpot probability and probability rate is attached. The display label is formed by printing model information of the pachinko machine 1 such as the jackpot probability and probability rate on a sticker, sheet, film, etc.

The stamp attachment section 1012 is formed on the lower left of the component 1000. More specifically, the outer periphery of the front surface 1000x of the component 1000 is defined by a step 1012a, which is formed into a concave shape with a greater degree of unevenness than the uneven surface 5p1. Furthermore, the angular shape of the step 1012a of the stamp attachment section 1012 notifies the worker that the stamp attachment section 1012 is an area that should not be touched when it comes into contact with the hand of the worker carrying the game board 5, thereby preventing damage to the stamp. Furthermore, the surface of the certificate stamp pasting section 1012 is formed flat and not surface-treated like the uneven surface 5p1, and even if an operator does not notice the step 1012a of the certificate stamp pasting section 1012, the difference in feel between the surface-treated front surface 1000x of the component 1000 and the flat surface of the certificate stamp pasting section 1012 will alert the operator when transporting the gaming board 5 that the certificate stamp pasting section 1012 is an area that should not be touched, thereby preventing damage to the certificate stamp. Furthermore, the flat surface of the certificate stamp pasting section 1012 makes it easy to paste the certificate stamp and also has the effect of making the pasted certificate stamp less likely to peel off.

The certificate stamp pasting portion 1012 may be formed on the front surface 1000x of the component 1000 in a protruding shape whose outer periphery is defined by a step portion 1012a and whose unevenness is greater than that of the uneven surface 5p1. When the protruding certificate stamp pasting portion 1012 comes into contact with the hand of an operator carrying the gaming board 5, the operator is notified that the certificate stamp pasting portion 1012 is an area that should not be touched, thereby preventing damage to the certificate stamp. Also, when the certificate stamp pasting portion 1012 has a flat surface, it may be formed without unevenness, i.e., flush with the front surface 1000x of the component 1000. When the flat certificate stamp pasting portion 1012 comes into contact with the hand of an operator carrying the gaming board 5, the operator is notified that the certificate stamp pasting portion 1012 is an area that should not be touched, thereby preventing damage to the certificate stamp. Furthermore, the certificate stamp attachment portion 1012 may be formed in a different color from the front surface 1000x of the previous component 1000 (for example, a light color such as white, yellow or pink when the previous component 1000 is dark) (including an embodiment in which only the step portion 1012a is colored, an embodiment in which the certificate stamp is covered with a translucent light-colored sticker or sheet that allows it to be seen, and an embodiment in which the certificate stamp is formed in a light color), and when transporting the game board 5, an operator can visually confirm that the certificate stamp attachment portion 1012 is an area that should not be touched, thereby preventing damage to the certificate stamp.

The function display forming portion 1013 is formed in the upper left of the component 1000, and like the certificate stamp attachment portion 1012, its outer periphery is defined by a step portion 1013a on the front surface 1000x of the component 1000, and is formed in a concave shape that is greater than the degree of unevenness of the uneven surface 5p1. Furthermore, the angular shape of the step portion 1013a of the function display forming portion 1013 notifies the worker that the function display forming portion 1013 is an area that should not be touched when it comes into contact with the hand of a worker carrying the gaming board 5, thereby preventing damage to the status label and the light-emitting portion of the function display unit 1400. Furthermore, the surface of the function indicator forming portion 1013 is flat and not surface-treated like the uneven surface 5p1. Even if a worker does not notice the stepped portion 1013a of the function indicator forming portion 1013, the difference in tactile feel between the surface-treated front surface 1000x of the component 1000 and the flat surface of the function indicator forming portion 1013 alerts the worker when transporting the game board 5 that the function indicator forming portion 1013 is an area that should not be touched, thereby reducing damage to the status label and the light-emitting portion of the function indicator unit 1400. The function indicator forming portion 1013 also facilitates the attachment of status labels and can prevent the attached status labels from peeling off. The status label is attached so as to cover the opening through which the light-emitting portion of the function indicator unit 1400 is exposed, and at least the portion corresponding to the light-emitting portion of the function indicator unit 1400 is transparent.

The function indication forming portion 1013 may be formed on the front surface 1000x of the component 1000 in a convex shape with a step 1013a defining its outer periphery and greater than the degree of unevenness of the uneven surface 5p1. When the convex function indication forming portion 1013 comes into contact with the hand of an operator carrying the game board 5, the operator can be notified that the function indication forming portion 1013 is an area that should not be touched, thereby preventing damage to the status label and the light-emitting portion of the function indication unit 1400. When the function indication forming portion 1013 has a flat surface, it may be formed without any unevenness, i.e., flush with the front surface 1000x of the component 1000. When the flat function indication forming portion 1013 comes into contact with the hand of an operator carrying the game board 5, the operator can be notified that the function indication forming portion 1013 is an area that should not be touched, thereby preventing damage to the status label and the light-emitting portion of the function indication unit 1400. Furthermore, the function indicator forming portion 1013 may be formed in a color different from the front surface 1000x of the previous component 1000 (for example, a light color such as white, yellow, or pink when the previous component 1000 is dark) (including an embodiment in which only the step portion 1013a is colored, an embodiment in which the status label and light-emitting portion are covered with a translucent light-colored sticker or sheet that allows them to be seen, and an embodiment in which the status label is formed in a light color). This allows workers to visually confirm that the function indicator forming portion 1013 is an area that should not be touched when transporting the game board 5, and prevents damage to the status label and the light-emitting portion of the function indicator unit 1400.

The label attachment section 1014 is formed in the upper right corner of the component 1000, and like the stamp attachment section 1012 and the function display forming section 1013, its outer periphery is defined by a step section 1014a on the front surface 1000x of the component 1000, and is formed in a concave shape with a greater degree of unevenness than the uneven surface 5p1. Furthermore, when the step section 1014a of the label attachment section 1014 comes into contact with the hand of a worker carrying the gaming board 5, it can notify the worker that the label attachment section 1014 is an area that should not be touched, thereby preventing damage to the display label. Furthermore, the surface of the label affixing portion 1014 is formed flat and not surface-treated like the uneven surface 5p1. Even if a worker does not notice the stepped portion 1014a of the label affixing portion 1014, the difference in feel between the surface-treated front surface 1000x of the component 1000 and the flat surface of the label affixing portion 1014 will alert the worker when transporting the gaming board 5 that the label affixing portion 1014 is an area that should not be touched, thereby preventing damage to the display label. Furthermore, the label affixing portion 1014 makes it easy to affix the display label and also makes it difficult for the affixed label to peel off.

The label affixing portion 1014 may be formed on the front surface 1000x of the component 1000 in a protruding shape with a step 1014a defining its outer periphery and greater unevenness than the uneven surface 5p1. When the protruding label affixing portion 1014 comes into contact with the hand of a worker carrying the game board 5, the worker can be notified that the label affixing portion 1014 is an area that should not be touched, thereby preventing damage to the display label. Furthermore, when the label affixing portion 1014 has a flat surface, it may be formed without any unevenness, i.e., flush with the front surface 1000x of the component 1000. When the flat label affixing portion 1014 comes into contact with the hand of a worker carrying the game board 5, the worker can be notified that the label affixing portion 1014 is an area that should not be touched, thereby preventing damage to the display label. Furthermore, the label attachment portion 1014 may be formed in a color different from the front surface 1000x of the preceding component 1000 (for example, a light color such as white, yellow, or pink when the preceding component 1000 is dark) (including an embodiment in which only the step portion 1014a is colored, an embodiment in which the display label is covered with a translucent light-colored sticker or sheet that allows it to be seen, or an embodiment in which the display label is formed in a light color), and when transporting the game board 5, an operator can visually confirm that the label attachment portion 1014 is an area that should not be touched, thereby preventing damage to the display label.

The component 1000 has a protruding protrusion 1015 that protrudes forward from the front surface 1000x of the component 1000 in a region outside the play area 5a but close to the play area 5a. The protrusion 1015 abuts when an operator moves their hand along the front surface 1000x of the component 1000 while transporting the game board 5, notifying the operator that there is a play area 5a inside the protrusion 1015 that should not be touched, and preventing the operator's hand from coming into contact with the obstructing nails N, the center role device 2500, etc. Note that the protrusion 1015 of the component 1000 may be formed in any manner as long as it is formed in a region outside the play area 5a but close to the play area 5a. For example, it may be formed in the shape of a long wall along the periphery of the play area 5a, or may be formed in multiple portions along the periphery of the play area 5a.

The front step portion 5p2 is a step formed on the front surface 1000x (flat surface with no incline) of the component 1000, and in this embodiment, is composed of a stamp pasting portion 1012, a function display forming portion 1013, a label pasting portion 1014, and a protrusion 1015 adjacent to the play area 5a. In the front step portion 5p2, the stamp pasting portion 1012, the function display forming portion 1013, and the label pasting portion 1014 are located on the outside of a portion of the uneven surface 5p1 with a small amount of protrusion (degree of unevenness) from the front surface 1000x of the component 1000, and on the inside of that portion is located a protrusion 1015 with a large amount of protrusion (degree of unevenness). Because the amount of protrusion (degree of unevenness) increases from the outside to the inside of the play board 5 on the front surface 1000x (flat surface with no incline) of the component 1000, When transporting the game board 5, if a worker moves their hand along the front surface 1000x of the component 1000, the uneven surface 5p1, the stamp attachment portion 1012, the function display forming portion 1013, the label attachment portion 1014, and the protrusion 1015 come into contact in that order, further restricting movement. This notifies the worker that there are areas on the inside of the game board 5 that should not be touched, preventing the worker's hand from coming into contact with the guide nail N or the center gimmick 2500, allowing the game board 5 to be transported safely. It is preferable that the protrusion 1015 be formed on the inside of the gentle surface portion 5c1 so as to correspond to the gentle surface portion 5c1.

The front exposed portion 5p3 is a portion of the front surface 5x of the gaming board 5 where the previous component 1000 is not positioned and the gaming panel 1100 is exposed on the front surface 5x, and in this embodiment, it is formed on the outer edge portion on the lower right of the gaming board 5. By forming the front exposed portion 5p3, the thickness of the outer edge of the gaming board 5 in the front-to-back direction is reduced by the thickness of the previous component 1000 in the front-to-back direction, making it easier for workers to grip the gaming board 5 when transporting it. This prevents the worker's hands from accidentally coming into contact with the guide nail N or the center gimmick 2500, making the transportation of the gaming board 5 even safer. In this example, the front exposed portion 5p3 is provided on the edge 5b of a side of the game board 5 different from the side on which the specific portion 5c is formed (in FIG. 185, the front exposed portion 5p3 is formed on the bottom side adjacent to the side on which the specific portion 5c is formed, but the front exposed portion 5p3 may be formed on the side opposite the side on which the specific portion 5c is formed). This allows the specific portion 5c to be held with one hand and the front exposed portion 5p3 to be held with the other hand. This allows the game board 5 to be firmly held, prevents the game board 5 from slipping off, and allows for safe transport. Note that the front exposed portion 5p3 is not limited to being formed on the outer edge on the lower right of the game board 5, but may be formed on at least a portion of the game board 5 (for example, at least one outer edge on the top, bottom, left, or right of the game board 5), making it easier for workers to grip the game board 5 when transporting it. Furthermore, it is desirable that the front exposed portions 5p3 be formed in pairs at opposing positions on the top, bottom, left, and right of the gaming board 5, which makes it easier for an operator to grip the gaming board 5 with both hands when transporting the gaming board 5, making it even safer to transport the gaming board 5. The above-mentioned protrusions 1015 may also be formed on the inside of the front exposed portion 5p3 to correspond to the front exposed portion 5p3, which prevents the operator's hands gripping the front exposed portion 5p3 from coming into contact with the guide nail N or the center role device 2500, allowing the gaming board 5 to be transported safely.

The side metal plate 5p4 is formed as a long plate and is provided along the side of the gaming panel 1100. In this embodiment, the side metal plate 5p4 is provided on the left-right side of the gaming panel 1100 so that its longitudinal direction is along the up-down direction of the gaming panel 1100. Such side metal plate 5p4 can increase the strength of the left-right outer edge of the gaming board 5, and can prevent damage to the left-right outer edge of the gaming board 5 due to the weight of the gaming board 5 or the force with which the worker grips the gaming board 5 when the left-right outer edge of the gaming board 5 is grasped by a worker to transport the gaming board 5, making transportation of the gaming board 5 even safer. The side metal plate P4 may be provided on the vertical side of the gaming panel 1100 so that its longitudinal direction follows the left-right direction of the gaming panel 1100, which increases the strength of the vertical outer edge of the gaming board 5 and prevents damage to the vertical outer edge of the gaming board 5, making it even safer to transport the gaming board 5. The side metal plate 5p4 may also have the function of neutralizing the gaming board 5 (electronic components, etc. provided on the gaming board 5) by connecting an earth wire to it.

The side metal plate 5p4 is not limited to a long, plate-like shape, as long as it can increase the strength of the outer edge of the gaming panel 1100. For example, it may be configured such that multiple metal plates are arranged side by side at a predetermined interval on the side of the gaming panel 1100. When multiple side metal plates 5p4 are provided in a partial area, it is preferable that the side metal plates 5p4 are not provided outside the gentle surface portion 5c1 and the exposed front portion 5p3, and that a predetermined interval formed by the multiple side metal plates 5p4 is located outside the gentle surface portion 5c1 and the exposed front portion 5p3. This prevents contact between the side metal plate 5p4 and the worker's hand, which is guided by the gentle surface portion 5c1 and the exposed front portion 5p3. This prevents injury to the worker's hand that comes into contact with the edge of the side metal plate 5p4, and also prevents rust and other damage caused by sebum and other substances adhering to the side metal plate 5p4. Furthermore, the side metal plate 5p4 may be attached to the side of the gaming panel 1100 by adhesive, by being fixed to the side of the gaming panel 1100 by fixing members such as screws, or by being embedded within the side of the gaming panel 1100. However, from the perspective of reducing the number of parts required when assembling the gaming board 5, for example, it is desirable for the side metal plate 5p4 to be embedded within the side of the gaming panel 1100.

The rear step portion 5p5 is formed in a stepped shape from the outside to the inside, from the front to the rear, on the side of the box-shaped rear unit 3000. This rear step portion 5p5 allows a worker transporting the game board 5 to hook their fingers when grasping the outer edge of the game board 5, preventing the worker's hand from accidentally coming into contact with the guide nail N or the center role device 2500, making the game board 5 even safer to transport. Furthermore, by forming the rear step portion 5p5, the front-to-rear thickness of the outer edge of the game board 5 is reduced by the front-to-rear thickness from the rear step portion 5p5 to the rearmost surface of the rear unit 3000, making it easier for the worker to grip the game board 5 when transporting it. This prevents the worker's hand from accidentally coming into contact with the guide nail N or the center role device 2500, making the game board 5 even safer to transport. The rear step portions 5p5 are preferably formed in pairs on the top, bottom, left, and right side surfaces of the rear unit 3000 to allow an operator to easily grip the gaming board 5 with both hands when transporting the gaming board 5. However, they may be formed on at least one of the top, bottom, left, and right side surfaces. The side surfaces of the rear unit 3000 are preferably sloped so that the outer diameter decreases toward the rear, to allow an operator to easily hook their fingers on the rear step portions 5p5. The rear step portions 5p5 may be formed in multiple locations on the side surfaces of the rear unit 3000. In this case, it is desirable that at least one of the rear step portions 5p5 is formed to correspond to the front-to-rear exposed portion 5p3. Together with the front exposed portion 5p3, these rear step portions 5p5 further reduce the front-to-rear thickness of the outer edge of the gaming board 5, making it easier for an operator to grip the gaming board 5 when transporting it.

Figure 187 is a schematic oblique view of a portion of the gaming board 5 as viewed from the front right, and Figure 188 is a schematic oblique view of a portion of the gaming board 5 as viewed from the rear right. In detail, Figure 187 shows a portion of the gaming board 5 from which the front component 1000 and back unit 3000 have been removed, and Figure 188 shows a portion of the gaming board 5 from which the front component 1000, center gimmick 2500, and back unit 3000 have been removed. As shown in Figures 186 to 188, the specific portion 5c has, in addition to the uneven surface 5p1, the front step portion 5p2, the front exposed portion 5p3, the side metal plate 5p4, and the back step portion 5p5, an outer edge wall portion 5p6 that protrudes rearward from the outer end portion 1100b1 of the game panel 1100, a rear inclined portion 5p7 that is formed to be continuous with the top of the outer edge wall portion 5p6, and a back step portion 5p8 that is formed more inward than the rear inclined portion 5p7 so as to protrude from the back surface 1100z of the game panel 1100, and the visual or tactile guidance effect produced by these components can further reduce contact between the hands of the worker carrying the game board 5 and the obstacle nails N or the center device 2500, contributing to the safe transportation of the game board 5. Furthermore, because the thickness of the game board 5 in the front-to-rear direction decreases when the back unit 3000 is removed, the strength of the game board 5 against external forces acting on the game board 5 when it is being transported tends to decrease. For example, if the opposing outer edges of the game panel 1100 are grasped by an operator when the game board 5 is being transported and a force is applied to the game panel 1100 in a direction that twists the game panel 1100, the game panel 1100 may bend, which could damage the obstructing nail N, the center gimmick 2500, etc.

The outer edge wall portion 5p6 is formed in a wall shape along the outer edge portion 1100b1 of the gaming panel 1100, protruding rearward from the outer edge portion 1100b1. The outer edge wall portion 5p6 makes it easy for a worker to hook their fingers around the rear side of the gaming board 5 when transporting the gaming board 5, contributing to safe transportation of the gaming board 5. Furthermore, when transporting a gaming board 5 with the back unit 3000 removed, the worker can hook their fingers on the outer edge wall portion 5p6, allowing the worker to firmly hold the gaming board 5 and further contributing to safe transportation of the gaming board 5.

The outer edge wall portion 5p6 is not limited to being formed in a wall shape along the entire periphery of the outer edge 1100b1 of the gaming panel 1100, but may be formed on a portion of the outer edge 1100b1 of the gaming panel 1100, which, like a wall shape along the entire periphery of the outer edge 1100b1, can contribute to the safe transportation of the gaming board 5. Furthermore, by providing the outer edge wall portion 5p6, the thickness of the outer edge 1100b1 is increased, thereby increasing the strength of the gaming panel 1100. Even if a force that twists the gaming panel 1100 is applied to the gaming panel 1100 during transportation of the gaming board 5, this reduces deflection of the gaming panel 1100, thereby preventing the obstacle pins N, center gimmick 2500, etc. from falling off the gaming panel 1110, or preventing the obstacle pins N, center gimmick 2500, etc. from being damaged by force applied to them. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the gaming panel 1100 is described as being formed by assembling the panel plate 1110 and the panel holder 1120, but the gaming panel 1100 may also be formed in such a way that the panel plate 1110 and the panel holder 1120 are integrally formed (the gaming panel 1100 is formed only by the panel plate 1110), and the same functions and effects can be achieved.

From the perspective of making it easier for an operator to hook their fingers around the rear side of the gaming board 5, the width of the rearmost peak of the outer edge wall portion 5p6 (the width from the outside to the inside of the gaming panel 1100) is preferably 3.0 mm or more, and from the perspective of preventing the shape of the gaming board 5 from becoming excessively large, the width is preferably 10.0 mm or less. Furthermore, from the perspective of making it easier for an operator to hook their fingers around the rear side of the gaming board 5 and preventing the shape of the gaming board 5 from becoming excessively large, the protrusion amount of the outer edge wall portion 5p6 (the distance from the back surface of the gaming panel 1100 to the rearmost peak of the outer edge wall portion 5p6) is preferably 5.0 mm or more and 20.0 mm or less.

Furthermore, when the outer edge wall portion 5p6 is partially formed on the outer edge end portion 1100b1 of the gaming panel 1100, it is desirable that it be formed at a position corresponding to the smooth surface portion 5c1 in the front-to-rear direction, allowing the worker to firmly hold the smooth surface portion 5c1 and the outer edge wall portion 5p6, preventing the worker's hands from coming into contact with the guide nails N or the center device 2500, and allowing the gaming board 5 to be transported safely. The peak of the rear end of the outer edge wall portion 5p6 may be formed as a flat surface parallel to the front surface 5x of the gaming board 5, a sloped surface inclined relative to the front surface 5x of the gaming board 5, or a curved surface with an arc extending inward and outward from the gaming board 5. However, from the perspective of reducing pain and other discomfort when a worker catches their finger on the outer edge wall portion 5p6, it is desirable that it be formed as a flat or curved surface without any sharp edges.

The rear sloped portion 5p7 is formed to be continuous with the peak of the rear end of the outer edge wall portion 5p6, and in this embodiment, the rear sloped portion 5p7 is formed to be connected to the inside of the outer edge wall portion 5p6. When transporting a game board 5 from which the back unit 3000 has been removed, the rear sloped portion 5p7 supports the fingers of the worker that are hooked onto the outer edge wall portion 5p6, reducing pain and other discomfort felt by the worker's fingers that are hooked onto the outer edge wall portion 5p6. This allows the worker to more securely hold the game board 5 and further contributes to the safe transport of the game board 5. Furthermore, the rear slope 5p7 can increase the strength of the gaming panel 1100, and even if a force is applied to the gaming panel 1100 in a twisting direction when the gaming board 5 is transported, it can suppress deflection of the gaming panel 1100 and prevent damage to the obstructing nails N, the center role device 2500, etc.

The rear sloped portion 5p7 is sloped from rear to front, moving from the outside to the inside of the gaming panel 1100. Therefore, the rear sloped portion 5p7 makes it easier for an operator's fingers around the rear side of the gaming board 5 to rest on without colliding with the rear sloped portion 5p7. Note that, for example, if the width of the top of the outer edge wall portion 5p6 is sufficiently large, the rear sloped portion 5p7 may be formed so as to be continuous with the top of the rear end of the outer edge wall portion 5p6 or to be connected to the rear side of the outer edge wall portion 5p6 (so as to protrude rearward from the top of the outer edge wall portion 5p6), further contributing to the safe transportation of the gaming board 5. The rear sloped portion 5p7 may be formed along the entire circumference of the outer edge wall portion 5p6, or may be formed on a portion of the outer edge wall portion 5p6.

From the perspective of making it easy for an operator to place their fingers on the rear side of the gaming board 5 and ensuring space for forming the rear sloped portion 5p7, it is desirable that the width along the outer edge wall portion 5p6 be 30.0 mm or more and 100.0 mm or less. Furthermore, from the perspective of making it easy for an operator to place their fingers on the rear side of the gaming board 5, it is desirable that the rear sloped portion 5p7 be formed with an inclination such that its height in the front-to-rear direction decreases from the outside to the inside of the gaming board 5.

The rear slope portion 5p7 may be formed as a linear plane connecting the inner end of the top of the outer edge wall portion 5p6 to the back surface of the gaming panel 1100, or as an arc-shaped curved surface connecting the inner end of the top of the outer edge wall portion 5p6 to the back surface of the gaming panel 1100. The curved rear slope portion 5p7 has no corners, which can effectively reduce discomfort to workers whose hands come into contact with the rear slope portion 5p7, thereby making it safer to transport the gaming board 5. The rear slope portion 5p7 may be formed as a single surface, or as multiple surfaces, such as a first rear slope extending from the inner end of the top of the outer edge wall portion 5p6 toward the back surface of the gaming panel 1100 and a second rear slope connecting the back surface of the gaming panel 1100 to the first rear slope. When the rear sloped portion 5p7 is formed by multiple surfaces, if the surface extending from the inner end of the top of the outer edge wall portion 5p6 is inclined toward the back surface of the gaming panel 1100, the surface extending from the back surface of the gaming panel 1100 may be in a direction perpendicular to the back surface of the gaming panel 1100 (front-to-back direction).

The back surface step portion 5p8 is formed on the back surface of the gaming panel 1100, inward from the rear slope portion 5p7 and outward from the opening 1112 of the gaming panel 1100, so as to protrude from the back surface 1100z of the gaming panel 1100. If the back surface step portion 5p8 comes into contact with the hand of an operator attempting to engage the outer edge wall portion 5p6 when transporting a gaming board 5 from which the back unit 3000 has been removed, the operator can be notified via the opening 1112 of the gaming panel 1100 that there are areas inside the back surface step portion 5p8 that should not be touched, such as the obstacle nail N and the center gimmick 2500. This further reduces contact between the hand of the operator transporting the gaming board 5 and the obstacle nail N and the center gimmick 2500, allowing the gaming board 5 to be transported safely. Furthermore, the back surface step 5p8 can increase the strength of the gaming panel 1100, and even if a force is applied to the gaming panel 1100 in a twisting direction when the gaming board 5 is transported, it can suppress deflection of the gaming panel 1100 and prevent damage to the obstructing nails N, the center role device 2500, etc.

From the perspective of enhancing the tactile guidance effect, the rear step portion 5p8 is preferably formed continuously along the opening 1112 of the gaming panel 1100. However, from a design perspective taking into account the rear unit 3000 attached to the rear of the gaming panel 1100, it may also be formed partially along the opening 1112 of the gaming panel 1100. Furthermore, it is desirable for the rear step portion 5p8 to be formed at least partially along the periphery of the playing area 5a. In this embodiment, the rear step portion 5p8 is formed partially along the opening 1112 of the playing area 5a, inside at least one rear slope portion 5p7 where the operator's hand is likely to be guided. This enhances the tactile guidance effect of the rear step portion 5p8 and also improves the ease of design of the gaming panel 1100. From the perspective of tactile guidance effect and ease of design, the height of the rear step portion 5p8 from the rear surface of the gaming panel 1100 is preferably between 1.0 mm and 15.0 mm.

The rear step portion 5p8 may be formed in a concave shape on the rear surface 1100z of the gaming panel 1100, at a position inside the rear slope portion 5p7 and outside the opening 1112 of the gaming panel 1100, so that it comes into contact with the worker's hand when transporting the gaming board 5 and alerts the worker through the opening 1112 of the gaming panel 1100 that there are areas inside the rear step portion 5p8 that should not be touched, such as the obstacle nails N and the center gimmick 2500. The rear step portion 5p8 may also be colored a different color from the gaming panel 1100, in which case the worker can be visually alerted through the opening 1112 of the gaming panel 1100 that there are areas inside the rear step portion 5p8 that should not be touched, such as the obstacle nails N and the center gimmick 2500. Furthermore, when the back step 5p8 is formed partially as described above, it is desirable that it be formed at a position inside and outside the gaming board 5 that corresponds to the outer edge wall 5p6, so that when it comes into contact with the worker's hand attempting to engage the outer edge wall 5p6, the worker can be notified through the opening 1112 of the gaming panel 1100 that there are areas inside the back step 5p8 that should not be touched, such as the obstacle nail N and center gimmick 2500.

The configuration of the specific portion 5c formed on the edge portion 5b of the gaming board 5 described above can also be applied to the specific portion 1100c formed on the edge portion 1100b of the gaming panel 1100. That is, the uneven surface 5p1 may be formed on the gentle surface portion 1100c1 of the gaming panel 1100 and the front surface of the gaming panel 1100, or the front step portion 5p2 may be formed on the front surface of the gaming panel 1100.

[Modification example 3 of the game board]
In the above-described embodiment, the basic configuration of the game board 5 of the pachinko machine 1 and modified example 1 of the game board and modified example 2 of the game board have been described. However, conventionally, when an operator who does not know the gripping position of the game board 5 carries the game board 5, the operator's hands may come into contact with the obstructing nails N or the center device 2500 in the play area 5a, which may cause the obstructing nails N to deform (for example, bend to the extent that it interferes with play), cause rust on the obstructing nails N (for example, skin oils may adhere to the obstructing nails N, making them more susceptible to rust), or damage the center device 2500, etc. In order to further solve these problems, modified example 3 of the game board, in which modifications have been made to the game board 5, will be described below.

The pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment has the same configuration as the pachinko machine 1 described above except for the game board 5. Therefore, the following will describe in detail the configuration of the game board 5, and will omit a description of the other components of the pachinko machine 1. Furthermore, with regard to the configuration of the game board 5, descriptions of the same configuration as in the above-described game board modification example 1 and game board modification example 2 will be omitted.

As shown in Figures 137 to 147, the gaming board 5 comprises a gaming area 5a through which gaming balls can flow, a front component 1000 that is roughly rectangular in front view and defines the outer periphery of the gaming area 5a, a plate-shaped gaming panel 1100 that defines the rear end of the gaming area 5a, a front unit 2000 having a center device 2500 attached to the front side of the gaming panel 1100, and a box-shaped rear unit 3000 that is open to the front and attached to the rear side of the gaming panel 1100.

Within the game area 5a are multiple obstacle nails N planted on the front of the game panel 1100, the general winning opening 2001, first starting opening 2004, gate 2002, second starting opening 2005, and first large winning opening 2006 of the front unit 2000, and the peripheral wall 2501 of the center device 2500, which prevents game balls flowing down within the game area 5a from entering the opening 1112 of the game panel 1100.

Figure 189 is a schematic perspective view of the gaming board 5 as seen from the front right, and Figure 190 is a schematic end view showing the A-A' cross section of Figure 189. Note that in Figure 189, the rear unit 3000 within the opening 1112 of the gaming panel 1100 has been omitted from the illustration to facilitate understanding of the gaming board 5. As shown in Figures 189 and 190, when the gaming area 5a is formed and the gaming board 5 is assembled to the pachinko machine 1, the gaming board 5 has a front surface 5x facing the player, a side surface 5y extending rearward from the front surface 5x, a rear surface 5z extending from the side surface 5y parallel to the front surface 5x, an edge portion 5b connecting from the front surface 5x via the side surface 5y to the rear surface 5z, and a specific portion 5c formed on at least a portion of the edge portion 5b.

The edge 5b of the gaming board 5 includes, for example, an outer edge 5b1 formed at the outer end of the gaming board 5 and an inner edge 5b2 formed at the inner end of the gaming board 5. The outer edge 5b1 is formed by the front component 1000, gaming panel 1100, and rear unit 3000, which are arranged in this order from front to rear, while the inner edge 5b2 is formed by the center gimmick 2500 and gaming panel 1100.

[Configuration 4 of the Identification Unit]
The specific portion 5c is formed on the edge 5b of the game board 5, and can guide the hand of a worker attempting to grip the game board 5 when the worker transports the game board 5. In detail, the specific portion 5c has a visual guidance effect that suggests to the worker the position to grip the game board 5, for example, by making the edge 5b of the game board 5 resemble a human handprint when viewed, and a tactile guidance effect that suggests to the worker the position to grip the game board 5 by differences in touch, such as whether or not it causes discomfort to the hand of the worker gripping the game board 5, and can contribute to the safe transportation of the game board 5.

Specifically, the specific portion 5c has a surface gentle portion 5c1, a surface recessed portion 5c2, a back recessed portion 5c3, and an outer sharp portion 5c4, an inner sharp portion 5c5 formed at a predetermined position on the inner edge portion 5b2, a back gentle portion 5c6, an uneven surface 5p1, a front stepped portion 5p2, a front exposed portion 5p3, a side metal plate 5p4, a back stepped portion 5p5, an outer edge wall portion 5p6, a rear sloped portion 5p7, and a back stepped portion 5p8. The visual and tactile guidance effects provided by these components can reduce contact between the hands of an operator transporting the game board 5 and the obstructing nails N or the center device 2500, contributing to the safe transportation of the game board 5. Note that the rest of the configuration, excluding the front step portion 5p2, is the same as the configuration of the gaming board modification example 1 and gaming board modification example 2 described above. Therefore, the following will explain in detail the configuration of the front step portion 5p2 of the specific portion 5c, and will omit explanations of the rest of the configuration, excluding the front step portion 5p2.

In addition, in this example, the component 1000 has a convex protrusion 1013b that protrudes from the front surface 1000x around the functional indication forming portion 1013. The protrusion 1013b of the component 1000 is designed to come into contact when an operator moves their hand along the front surface 1000x of the component 1000 when transporting the game board 5, thereby notifying the operator that there is a functional indication forming portion 1013 inside the protrusion 1013b that should not be touched, and preventing the operator's hand from coming into contact with the functional indication forming portion 1013. In addition, the stamp attachment portion 1012 and the label attachment portion 1014 may also have convex protrusions that protrude from the front surface 1000x of the component 1000 around them. Furthermore, as with modified example 2 of the gaming board, even if no protrusions are formed around the stamp pasting section 1012, the function display forming section 1013, and the label pasting section 1014, it is possible to notify the player of the presence of the stamp pasting section 1012, the function display forming section 1013, and the label pasting section 1014.

The front step portion 5p2 is a step formed on the front surface 1000x (flat surface with no inclination) of the component 1000. In this embodiment, it is composed of a step portion 1012a of the stamp attachment portion 1012, a step portion 1013a of the function display forming portion 1013, and a step portion 1014a of the label attachment portion 1014, as well as a protrusion 1015 located inside the gaming board 5 relative to the function display forming portion 1013 and outside the gaming area 5a.

The protrusion 1015 is formed as a long protrusion extending along the outer periphery of the play area 5a between the function display forming portion 1013 and the play area 5a. When transporting the game board 5, the protrusion 1015 restricts movement by contacting the protrusion 1015 when the worker moves their hand along the front surface 1000x of the component 1000. This notifies the worker that there is a portion of the inside of the game board 5 that should not be touched (the play area 5a) and prevents the worker's hand from coming into contact with the guide nail N or the center gimmick 2500, thereby ensuring safe transport of the game board 5. The protrusion 1015 may also be formed along the outer edge of the play area 5a (the inner end of the component 1000) (integrally formed with the outer sharp portion 5c4), thereby notifying the worker that there is a portion of the inside of the protrusion 1015 that should not be touched (the play area 5a). Furthermore, it is desirable that the protrusions 1015 be formed on the inside of the gaming board 5 relative to the gentle surface portion 5c1, so that when the gaming board 5 is being transported, the protrusions come into contact with the worker's hands as they are guided by the gentle surface portion 5c1 and move along the front surface 5x of the gaming board 5, alerting the worker that there are areas on the inside of the gaming board 5 that should not be touched. This prevents the worker's hands from coming into contact with the guide nails N or the center device 2500, allowing the gaming board 5 to be transported safely.

In the front component 1000 of this embodiment, the amount of protrusion (degree of unevenness) of the protrusion 1015 from the front surface 1000x of the front component 1000 is greater than the amount of protrusion (degree of unevenness) of the uneven surface 5p1, and at least a portion of the uneven surface 5p1 is formed on the outside of the protrusion 1015. In other words, at a predetermined location on the front surface 5x of the gaming board 5 (for example, the area extending from the front surface 5x where the specific portion 5c is formed to the playing area 5), the amount of protrusion (degree of unevenness) increases from the outside to the inside of the gaming board 5. This notifies workers transporting the gaming board 5 that there are areas on the inside of the gaming board 5 that should not be touched, preventing the worker's hands from coming into contact with the guide nails N or the center role 2500, allowing the gaming board 5 to be transported safely.

The configuration of the specific portion 5c formed on the edge portion 5b of the gaming board 5 described above can also be applied to the specific portion 1100c formed on the edge portion 1100b of the gaming panel 1100. That is, the uneven surface 5p1 may be formed on the gentle surface portion 1100c1 of the gaming panel 1100 and the front surface of the gaming panel 1100, or the front step portion 5p2 may be formed on the front surface of the gaming panel 1100.

[Summary A]
A1: The gaming machine comprises an outer frame, a main frame attached to the outer frame so as to be able to open and close, and a gaming board attached to and detachable from the main frame, the gaming board having a plate-shaped gaming board on the front side of which is formed a gaming area into which gaming balls can flow down, a box-shaped rear component attached to the rear surface of the gaming board, and a gaming board outer edge wall portion protruding rearward from the outer edge of the gaming board, the rear component being attached to the inside of the gaming board outer edge wall portion.

Specifically, the pachinko machine 1, which is an amusement machine, comprises an outer frame 2 formed in a rectangular frame shape, a main frame 4 attached to the outer frame 2 in an openable and closable manner, and a game board 5 attached to the main frame 4 in an attachable and detachable manner. The gaming board 5 comprises a gaming panel 1100, which is a plate-shaped gaming board with a gaming area 5a formed on the front side where gaming balls can flow down; a rear unit 3000, which is a box-shaped rear component attached to the rear surface of the gaming panel 1100; and an outer edge wall portion 5p6, which is the gaming board's outer edge wall portion that protrudes rearward from the outer edge of the gaming panel 1100. Because the outer edge wall portion 5p6 is located on the outside of the rear unit 3000 attached to the gaming panel 1100, when an operator transports the gaming board 5, they can easily hook their fingers around the outer edge wall portion 5p6 when wrapped around the rear side of the gaming board 5, allowing for safe transportation of the gaming board 5. Even when the rear unit 3000 is removed, the operator can hook their fingers around the outer edge wall portion 5p6 when transporting the gaming board 5, allowing the operator to firmly hold the gaming board 5 and further contributing to safe transportation of the gaming board 5.

A2: The gaming board further has a sloped portion that continues from the rear peak of the outer edge wall portion of the gaming board. Specifically, the gaming board 5 further has a rear sloped portion 5p7 that is a sloped portion that continues from the rear peak of the outer edge wall portion 5p6. Therefore, when transporting the gaming board 5 from which the back unit 3000 has been removed, the worker's fingers that are hooked on the outer edge wall portion 5p6 are placed on the rear sloped portion 5p7, reducing discomfort such as pain felt by the worker's fingers that are hooked on the outer edge wall portion 5p6. This allows the worker to hold the gaming board 5 more securely, further contributing to the safe transportation of the gaming board 5. Furthermore, the rear slope 5p7 can increase the strength of the gaming panel 1100, and even if a force is applied to the gaming panel 1100 in a twisting direction when the gaming board 5 is transported, it can suppress deflection of the gaming panel 1100 and prevent damage to the obstructing nails N, the center role device 2500, etc.

A3: The sloped portion has a slope that slopes from rear to front from the outside to the inside of the gaming board. Specifically, the rear sloped portion 5p7 slopes from rear to front from the outside to the inside of the gaming board, making it easier for the operator's fingers that have been turned to the rear side of the gaming board 5 to be placed on it without colliding with the fingers when placed on it.

A4: The gaming board 5 further has a protrusion protruding from the back surface of the gaming board inside the inclined portion. Specifically, the gaming board 5 further has a back surface step portion 5p8, which is a protrusion protruding from the back surface of the gaming panel 1100 inside the rear inclined portion. Therefore, when transporting the gaming board 5 from which the rear unit 3000 has been removed, if an operator's hand comes into contact with the back surface step portion 5p8 while attempting to engage the outer edge wall portion 5p6, the operator can be notified through the opening 1112 of the gaming panel 1100 that there are areas inside the back surface step portion 5p8 that should not be touched, such as the obstacle nail N and the center device 2500. This further reduces contact between the operator's hand transporting the gaming board 5 and the obstacle nail N or the center device 2500, allowing the gaming board 5 to be transported safely.

A5: The gaming board further has an exposed portion that is not covered by the previous component and where part of the gaming board is exposed on the front surface of the gaming board. Specifically, the gaming board 5 further has a front exposed portion 5p3 that is not covered by the previous component 1000 and where part of the gaming panel 1100 is exposed on the front surface 5x of the gaming board 5. This reduces the front-to-rear thickness of the outer edge of the gaming board 5 by the front-to-rear thickness of the previous component 1000, making it easier for workers to grip the gaming board 5 when transporting it. This prevents the worker's hands from accidentally coming into contact with the guide nail N or the center gimmick 2500, making the transportation of the gaming board 5 even safer.

A6: The exposed portions are formed in pairs on opposing edges on either the top, bottom, left, or right of the gaming board. Specifically, the front exposed portions 5p3 are formed in pairs on opposing outer edges on the top and bottom of the gaming board 5, for example, making it easier for workers to hold the gaming board 5 with both hands when transporting it. This prevents the worker's hands from accidentally coming into contact with the guide nails N or the center gimmick 2500, making it even safer to transport the gaming board 5.

A7: The gaming board further has metal members provided along the side of the gaming board. Specifically, the gaming board 5 further has side metal plates 5p4, which are metal members provided along the side of the gaming panel 1100. This increases the strength of the outer edges of the gaming board 5 in the left-right direction. When the outer edges of the gaming board 5 are gripped by an operator to transport the gaming board 5, damage to the outer edges of the gaming board 5 in the left-right direction due to the weight of the gaming board 5 or the force with which the operator grips the gaming board 5 can be prevented, making transportation of the gaming board 5 even safer.

A8: The gaming board further has a gentle surface that smoothly connects the front and side of the gaming board. Specifically, the gaming board 5 further has a gentle surface portion 1100c1 that is a gentle surface that smoothly connects the surface and side of the gaming panel 1100. Therefore, when carrying the gaming board 5 from which the previous component 1000 has been removed, the worker can be visually guided so that their hand comes into contact with two obtuse corners rather than one sharp corner. Furthermore, when the worker attempts to grasp the gaming panel 1100, the worker's hand comes into contact with two obtuse corners rather than one sharp corner. It is also possible to guide the trader by touch, reducing the discomfort felt by workers whose hands come into contact with the outer edge of the gaming panel 1100, and it is possible to suggest the gripping position to workers who are unfamiliar with the gripping position of the gaming board 5 from which the previous component 1000 has been removed. It also reduces the risk of the obstructing nails N in the playing area 5a coming into contact with the obstructing nails N or the center device 2500, etc., which could cause deformation or rust on the obstructing nails N or damage to the center device 2500, allowing the gaming board 5 to be transported safely.

A9: The gaming board 5 further has a stepped portion formed on the side of the rear component, extending from the outside to the inside from the front to the rear of the gaming board. Specifically, the gaming board 5 further has a rear stepped portion 5p5, which is formed on the side of the rear unit 3000 and extends from the outside to the inside from the front to the rear of the gaming board 5. This allows a worker transporting the gaming board 5 to hook their fingers on the rear stepped portion 5p5 when grasping the outer edge of the gaming board 5, preventing the worker's hands from accidentally coming into contact with the guide nail N or the center device 2500, making the transportation of the gaming board 5 even safer. Furthermore, by forming the rear step portion 5p5, the front-to-rear thickness of the outer edge of the game board 5 is reduced by the front-to-rear thickness from the rear step portion 5p5 to the rearmost surface of the rear unit 3000, making it easier for workers to grip the game board 5 when transporting it. This prevents workers' hands from accidentally coming into contact with the guide nails N or the center device 2500, making the game board 5 even safer to transport.

[Summary B]
B1: The gaming machine comprises an outer frame, a main frame attached to the outer frame so as to be able to open and close, and a gaming board attached to and detached from the main frame, the gaming board having a plate-shaped gaming board on the front side of which is formed a gaming area into which gaming balls can flow, a front component attached to the front of the gaming board and defining the outer periphery of the gaming area, and a plurality of uneven portions formed on the front of the front component, the plurality of uneven portions having a specific uneven portion formed with a predetermined degree of unevenness, and a special uneven portion located on the front of the front component more inward than the specific uneven portion and formed with a greater degree of unevenness than the specific uneven portion.

Specifically, the pachinko machine 1, which is a gaming machine, comprises an outer frame 2 formed in a rectangular frame shape, a main frame 4 attached to the outer frame 2 in an openable and closable manner, and a gaming board 5 attached to and detachable from the main frame 4. The gaming board 5 comprises a gaming panel 1100, which is a flat gaming board with a gaming area 5a formed on the front side into which gaming balls can flow, a front component 1000, which is a front component attached to the front of the gaming panel 1100 and defines the periphery of the gaming area 5a, and a plurality of uneven portions formed on the front surface 1000x of the front component 1000. The multiple uneven portions include an uneven surface 5p1, which is a specific uneven portion formed with a predetermined degree of unevenness, and a front step portion 5p2, which is located on the front surface of the front component and is located inside the uneven surface 5p1 and is formed with a greater degree of unevenness than the uneven surface 5p1. This notifies workers when transporting the game board 5 that there are areas on the inside of the game board 5 that they should not touch, prevents workers' hands from coming into contact with the guide nails N or the center role 2500, and allows the game board 5 to be transported safely.

B2: The gaming board further has a smooth surface that smoothly connects the front and side surfaces of the gaming board, and the specific uneven portion is also formed on the smooth surface. Specifically, the gaming board 5 further has a smooth surface portion 5c1 that is a smooth surface that smoothly connects the front surface 5x and side surface 5y of the gaming board 5. The uneven surface 5p1 is also formed on the smooth surface portion 5c1. Therefore, when a worker's hand, guided along the smooth surface portion 5c1, comes into contact with the uneven surface 5p1, the worker does not feel any pain or discomfort. The uneven surface 5p1 also acts as a non-slip surface to prevent the worker's hand from slipping off the smooth surface portion 5c1, preventing the gaming board 5 from slipping off the worker's hand and preventing damage caused by the gaming board 5 falling. Furthermore, the gaming board 5 is prevented from slipping off the worker's hand, preventing the worker's hand from coming into contact with the guide nail N or the center device 2500 or falling on the worker's foot, allowing the gaming board 5 to be transported safely.

The smooth surface is formed on one of the top, bottom, left, or right edges of the gaming board. Specifically, the smooth surface portion 5c1 is formed on one of the top, bottom, left, or right outer edge portions 5b1 of the gaming board 5, thereby reducing the space required for the smooth surface portion 5c1 to be formed and improving the ease of designing the gaming board 5.

B3: The front component 1000 is an opaque, dark color. Specifically, the front component 1000 may be formed from, for example, a dark resin, or may have a dark sticker, sheet, or film attached to its surface, or may be colored with dark paint. A dark-colored front component 1000 has a lower reflectivity than light-colored components such as white or yellow. This reduces the reflection of light irradiated from multiple points on the gaming board 5 on the surface of the front component 1000, thereby preventing a decrease in the player's interest in the game. It also increases the visibility of the uneven surface 5p1 to workers transporting the gaming board 5, increasing the likelihood that workers can guide their hands to the smooth surface portion 5c1 of the front component 1000 on which the uneven surface 5p1 is formed. This further reduces the likelihood that workers will accidentally come into contact with the guide nail N or the center device 2500, allowing the gaming board 5 to be transported safely.

B4: The gaming board further has a recess on the surface of the preceding component having a larger surface area than the specified unevenness of the specific unevenness portion, and the recess has at least one label attached to the front surface of the recess. The gaming board also has a light-emitting unit that emits light through an opening formed in the recess. Specifically, the gaming board 5 further has a function display forming unit 1013 on the front surface 1000x of the preceding component 1000, which is a recess having a larger surface area than the specified unevenness of the uneven surface 5p1, and the function display forming unit 1013 has at least one label, a status label, attached to the front surface of the function display forming unit 1013. The gaming board 5 also has a light-emitting unit that emits light through an opening formed in the function display forming unit 1013. Therefore, the angular shape of the step portion 1013a of the function display forming portion 1013 notifies the worker that the function display forming portion 1013 is an area that should not be touched when it comes into contact with the hand of the worker carrying the game board 5, thereby preventing damage to the status label and the light-emitting portion of the function display unit 1400.

B5: The side of the gaming board is formed flat and free of any specific uneven portions. Specifically, the side of the gaming board 5 is formed flat and free of any uneven surface 5p1. When the uneven surface 5p1 is formed on the side 5y of the gaming board 5 (side 1000y of the component 1000 and the side of the gaming panel 1100), the uneven surface 5p1 acts as a non-slip surface between the hand of an operator holding the gaming board 5 and the side 5y of the gaming board 5. For example, when an operator holding the gaming board 5 removes their hand from the outer edge of the gaming board 5, the operator's hand may get caught on the side 5y of the gaming board 5, causing a force to be applied that would remove the component 1000 forward from the gaming panel 1100, eliminating the risk of damage to the outer edge of the component 1000.

[Modification 1 of the preceding component]
In the above-described embodiment, the basic configuration of the component 1000 of the pachinko machine 1 has been described. However, the component 1000 is a component that is assembled (hereinafter, sometimes referred to as "attached") to the gaming panel 1100, and the rear surface of the component 1000 has multiple positioning pins formed thereon for positioning the component 1000 relative to the gaming panel. Conventionally, during the assembly work (hereinafter, sometimes referred to as "mounting work") of the component 1000, the worker's hands holding the component 1000 may come into contact with the positioning pins, causing discomfort to the worker. Furthermore, before being assembled to the gaming panel 1100, the component 1000 may be placed on a flat surface, such as a workbench or floor, and the rear surface of the component 1000 may come into contact with the workbench or floor, resulting in damage. Below, we will describe modifications to the component 1000 to address these issues.

The pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment has the same configuration as the pachinko machine 1 described above except for the configuration of the preceding component 1000 and the gaming panel 1100. Therefore, the following will describe in detail the configuration of the preceding component 1000 and the gaming panel 1100, and will not describe the other components of the pachinko machine 1. Figure 191 is a front perspective view showing a portion of the gaming board 5, specifically a front perspective view showing the gaming panel 1100 and a portion of the preceding component 1000 prior to being assembled to the gaming panel 1100. Figure 192 is a rear perspective view showing a portion of the gaming board 5, specifically a rear perspective view showing the gaming panel 1100 and a portion of the preceding component 1000 prior to being assembled to the gaming panel 1100.

As shown in Figures 191 and 192, the gaming board 5 comprises a plate-shaped gaming panel 1100 that has a gaming area 5a formed on the front side and defines the rear end of the gaming area 5a, and a plate-shaped front component 1000 that is attached to the front portion of the gaming panel 1100 and defines the outer periphery of the gaming area 5a. The front component 1000 and the gaming panel 1100 each have an external shape that is roughly rectangular when viewed from the front.

As described above, the front component 1000 has, when viewed from the front, an outer rail 1001 that extends in an arc shape from the lower left end in a clockwise circumferential direction, passing through the upper central end and extending diagonally to the upper right; a lower right rail 1004 that slopes linearly from the right end of the out-guiding portion 1003 to near the right edge of the front component 1000 so that the right end is slightly higher; and a right rail 1005 that extends from the right end of the lower right rail 1004 along the right edge of the front component 1000 to below the upper end of the outer rail 1001, with the upper part curved inward of the front component 1000. Furthermore, the front component 1000 has a plate-shaped panel decorative portion 1020 provided on the outside of the outer rail 1001, right rail 1005, and lower right rail 1004. The panel decoration section 1020 is composed of a lower left panel decoration section 1021 located at the lower left when viewed from the front, an upper left panel decoration section 1022 located at the upper left when viewed from the front, an upper right panel decoration section 1023 located at the upper right when viewed from the front, and a lower right panel decoration section 1024 located at the lower right when viewed from the front.

The lower left panel decorative portion 1021 is formed into a roughly triangular shape in front view by the bottom and left sides of the previous component 1000 and the arc of the outer rail 1001. The lower left panel decorative portion 1021 is formed with a stamp attachment portion 1012 that has a flat surface that makes it easy to attach stamps, and a protrusion 1015 that comes into contact with the operator when moving their hand along the previous component 1000 while transporting the game board 5, thereby notifying them that there is a play area 5a inside that should not be touched.

The upper left panel decorative portion 1022 is formed in a roughly triangular shape in front view by the left and top edges of the previous component 1000 and the arc of the outer rail 1001. The upper left panel decorative portion 1022 is formed with a function display unit mounting portion 1011 to which the function display unit 1400 is attached, and a function display forming portion 1013 to which a status label indicating the light-emitting status of the light-emitting portion of the function display unit 1400 is affixed.

The upper right panel decorative portion 1023 is formed in a roughly triangular shape in front view by the upper and right sides of the previous component 1000 and the arcs of the outer rail 1001 and right rail 1005. The upper right panel decorative portion 1023 is formed with a label attachment portion 1014 to which a display label displaying model information of the pachinko machine 1, such as the jackpot probability and probability rate, can be attached. The display label is formed by printing model information of the pachinko machine 1, such as the jackpot probability and probability rate, on a sticker, sheet, film, etc.

The lower right panel decorative portion 1024 is formed in a generally rectangular shape in front view by the right edge of the previous component 1000, the bottom edge of the previous component 1000, the straight line of the lower right rail 1004, and a straight line connecting the straight line of the lower right rail 1004 and the bottom edge of the previous component 1000. The lower right panel decorative portion 1024 is formed with, for example, an inspection-completed label attachment portion 1014a to which an inspection-completed label indicating that the pachinko machine 1 has been inspected can be affixed.

The panel decorative portion 1020 of the component 1000 has a plurality of positioning pins 1017, 1018 formed on its back surface that protrude toward the gaming panel 1100. The component 1000 is positioned relative to the gaming panel 1100 so that it corresponds to a preset position by fitting the plurality of positioning pins 1017, 1018 of the panel decorative portion 1020 into a plurality of mounting holes 1127, 1128 of the gaming panel 1100. Note that the panel decorative portion 1020 may have mounting holes formed in place of some of the positioning pins 1017, 1018, and the component 1000 may be positioned relative to the gaming panel 1100 so that it corresponds to a preset position by the positioning pins or mounting holes of the panel decorative portion 1020 and the positioning pins or mounting holes of the gaming panel 1100.

Figure 193 is an enlarged perspective view showing a portion of the front component 1000 shown in Figure 192. Figure 194 is a side view showing a portion of the front component placed on a flat surface. As shown in Figures 193 and 194, the multiple positioning pins 1017, 1018 formed on the rear surface of the panel decorative portion 1020 consist of multiple first positioning pins 1017 and at least one second positioning pin 1018 that is shorter than the first positioning pin 1017.

Even if the panel decorative part 1020 is placed on a flat surface, such as a workbench or floor, before being assembled to the gaming panel 1100, the multiple first positioning pins 1017 extending rearward from the rear surface of the panel decorative part 1020 abut against the flat surface, preventing the rear of the component 1000 from coming into contact with the flat surface. In other words, the component 1000 can be placed on a flat surface, such as a workbench or floor, using the first positioning pins 1017 as a fulcrum, preventing the rear surface of the component 1000 from coming into contact with the flat surface and being damaged, improving the ease of assembly of the component 1000.

In this embodiment, one first positioning pin 1017 is formed on the rear surface of each of the lower left panel decorative portion 1021, upper left panel decorative portion 1022, upper right panel decorative portion 1023, and lower right panel decorative portion 1024, and is formed so that the lengths from the rear surface of the component 1000 to its tip are equal. This first positioning pin 1017 allows the component 1000 to be supported in a balanced manner when the component 1000 is placed on a flat surface such as a workbench or floor, further preventing the rear surface of the component 1000 from coming into contact with the flat surface and being damaged, improving the ease of assembly of the component 1000.

The positions of the first positioning pins 1017 formed on the panel decorative portion 1020 need only be such that the first positioning pins 1017 can support the component 1000 in a balanced manner when the component 1000 is placed on a flat surface. It is preferable that the first positioning pins 1017 be formed on at least two of the lower left panel decorative portion 1021, upper left panel decorative portion 1022, upper right panel decorative portion 1023, and lower right panel decorative portion 1024, and it is more preferable that they be formed on each end of the panel decorative portion 1020, which is generally rectangular in front view. The number of first positioning pins 1017 formed on the panel decorative portion 1020 need only be such that the first positioning pins 1017 can support the component 1000 in a balanced manner when the component 1000 is placed on a flat surface. It is sufficient that at least two first positioning pins 1017 are formed.

Figure 195(a) is a perspective view showing the first positioning pin 1017. As shown in Figure 195(a), the first positioning pin 1017 has a cylindrical axial portion extending rearward from the rear surface of the panel decorative portion 1020, a tip portion on the tip side of the axial portion, and plate-like ribs extending radially outward from the axial portion. The first positioning pin 1017 of this embodiment has four ribs so that the cross section of the base of the first positioning pin 1017 is approximately cross-shaped. Such ribs can increase the strength of the axial portion and prevent damage to the first positioning pin 1017 even if an external force in a bending direction acts on the first positioning pin 1017 when the component 1000 is placed on a flat surface such as a workbench or floor.

The tip of the first positioning pin 1017 is formed in a flat plane parallel to the rear surface of the panel decorative portion 1020. When the component 1000 is placed on a flat surface such as a workbench or floor, this first positioning pin 1017 increases the installation area of the first positioning pin 1017 relative to the flat surface, such as a workbench or floor, thereby providing balanced support for the component 1000 and further preventing the rear surface of the component 1000 from coming into contact with the flat surface and being damaged. Furthermore, when the component 1000 is grasped by an operator, the first positioning pin 1017, having a flat tip, can reduce the discomfort felt by the operator when the operator's hand comes into contact with the first positioning pin 1017 compared to a sharp positioning pin, thereby further improving the ease of assembly of the component 1000. The tip of the first positioning pin 1017 may be formed into a rounded hemispherical shape, which can further reduce the discomfort felt by the worker when their hand comes into contact with the first positioning pin 1017.

Figure 195(b) is an oblique view showing a modified first positioning pin 1017a. As shown in Figure 195(b), the tip of the first positioning pin 1017a, which is a modified version of the first positioning pin 1017, is formed into a substantially cross-shaped plane by a cylindrical axial portion and a rib extending from the axial portion. When the component 1000 is placed on a flat surface such as a workbench or floor, this type of first positioning pin 1017a further increases the installation area of the first positioning pin 1017a relative to the flat surface such as a workbench or floor, thereby enabling balanced support of the component 1000. In this embodiment, the first positioning pin 1017 has four ribs and at least the cross section of the base is generally cross-shaped, but the first positioning pin 1017 may have at least one rib. For example, having one rib improves the ease of forming the first positioning pin 1017, while having six ribs can further increase the installation area of the first positioning pin 1017 relative to a flat surface such as a workbench or floor.

The first positioning pin 1017 may be formed in a so-called boss shape. This first positioning pin 1017 passes through a mounting hole in the gaming panel 1100 when the component 1000 is positioned on the gaming panel 1100, and can be used as a mounting hole for a component attached to the back surface of the gaming panel 1100. More specifically, the component attached to the back surface of the gaming panel 1100 is fixed to the first positioning pin 1017 with a fixing member such as a screw so that the component 1000 and the component attached to the back surface of the gaming panel 1100 sandwich the gaming panel 1100 from the front and rear.

The length of the first positioning pin 1017 is longer than the length of the second positioning pin 1018 (described below). This prevents the second positioning pin 1018 from coming into contact with the flat surface when the component 1000 is placed on the surface, such as a workbench or floor, and prevents the second positioning pin 1018 from coming into contact with the flat surface and being damaged. This also reduces the amount of resin material used to form the second positioning pin 1018 and improves the ease of forming the second positioning pin 1018. Specifically, the length of the first positioning pin 1017 is preferably approximately 10.0 mm, and should not exceed the 10.0 mm thickness of the gaming panel 1100. It is sufficient for an operator to easily grasp the component 1000 placed on a flat surface, such as a workbench or floor. In other words, it is sufficient for an operator's fingertips to easily fit between the component 1000 placed on a flat surface, such as a workbench or floor, and the flat surface. The first positioning pin 1017 is formed to the same length as the thickness of the gaming panel 1100.

The diameter of the base of the first positioning pin 1017 is larger than the diameter of the base of the second positioning pin 1018 (described below). This prevents damage to the first positioning pin 1017 even if a bending external force acts on the first positioning pin 1017 when the component 1000 is placed on a flat surface such as a workbench or floor. This also reduces the amount of resin material used to form the second positioning pin 1018 and improves the ease of forming the second positioning pin 1018. Specifically, the diameter of the base of the first positioning pin 1017 is preferably approximately 6.0 mm. This ensures the stability of the component 1000 when placed on a flat surface such as a workbench or floor, and prevents damage to the first positioning pin 1017 even if a bending external force acts on the first positioning pin 1017. The first positioning pin 1017 may be formed, for example, in a tapered shape with the diameter of the tip being smaller than the diameter of the base, or in a columnar shape with the diameters of the base and tip being approximately the same.

Furthermore, after the component 1000 is assembled to the gaming panel 1100, when the gaming board 5 is transported, the upper side of the component 1000 tends to be easily grasped by workers. Therefore, it is preferable that the diameter of the base of the first positioning pin 1017 formed on the upper left panel decorative portion 1022 and the upper right panel decorative portion 1023 be larger than the diameter of the base of the first positioning pin 1017 formed on the lower left panel decorative portion 1021 and the lower right panel decorative portion 1024. This increases the strength of the first positioning pin 1017 formed on the upper left panel decorative portion 1022 and the upper right panel decorative portion 1023, and prevents damage to the component 1000 when the gaming board 5 is transported.

In this embodiment, one second positioning pin 1018 is formed on the lower left panel decorative portion 1021 and two on the lower right panel decorative portion 1024, and are formed so that the lengths from the rear surface of the panel decorative portion 1020 to the tip are equal. By using such second positioning pins 1018, when the preceding component 1000 is positioned on the gaming panel 1100, it is possible to prevent the position of the panel decorative portion 1020 relative to the gaming panel 1100 from shifting due to, for example, deflection caused by the weight of the preceding component 1000. The position of the second positioning pin 1018 formed on the panel decorative portion 1020 need only be such that it is possible to prevent the position of the previous component 1000 relative to the gaming panel 1100 from shifting when the previous component 1000 is positioned on the gaming panel 1100. It is preferable that the second positioning pin 1018 be formed on at least one or more of the lower left panel decorative portion 1021, upper left panel decorative portion 1022, upper right panel decorative portion 1023, and lower right panel decorative portion 1024, and it is even more preferable that it be formed on each end of the panel decorative portion 1020, which is generally rectangular in shape when viewed from the front.

The second positioning pin 1018 may be formed near the first positioning pin 1017, thereby improving the positioning accuracy of the first positioning pin 1017. The second positioning pin 1018 may be formed at approximately equal intervals between the two first positioning pins 1017 formed on the panel decorative portion 1020, thereby preventing misalignment of the component 1000 relative to the gaming panel 1100 in a balanced manner when the component 1000 is positioned on the gaming panel 1100. The second positioning pins 1018 may be formed in multiple locations at approximately equal intervals between the two first positioning pins 1017 formed on the panel decorative portion 1020, thereby preventing misalignment of the component 1000 relative to the gaming panel 1100 in an even more balanced manner when the component 1000 is positioned on the gaming panel 1100.

The second positioning pin 1018 has a cylindrical axial portion extending rearward from the rear surface of the panel decorative portion 1020, and a tip portion on the tip side of the axial portion. Because the second positioning pin 1018 does not have a rib like the first positioning pin 1017, it can be easily fitted into the mounting hole of the gaming panel 1100 when the component 1000 is positioned on the gaming panel 1100, improving the ease of assembly of the component 1000 to the gaming panel 1100.

The tip of the second positioning pin 1018 is formed in a rounded hemispherical shape, which reduces the discomfort felt by the worker when their hand comes into contact with the second positioning pin 1018. The tip of the second positioning pin 1018 may also be formed in a sharp or flat shape, which allows the component 1000 to be easily fitted into the mounting hole of the gaming panel 1100 when the component 1000 is positioned on the gaming panel 1100, further improving the ease of assembly of the component 1000 to the gaming panel 1100.

The length of the second positioning pin 1018 is shorter than the length of the first positioning pin 1017. This prevents the second positioning pin 1018 from coming into contact with the flat surface when the component 1000 is placed on a workbench, floor, or other flat surface, thereby preventing the second positioning pin 1018 from coming into contact with the flat surface and being damaged. This also reduces the amount of resin material used to form the second positioning pin 1018 and improves the ease of forming the second positioning pin 1018. Specifically, the length of the second positioning pin 1018 is preferably no more than half the length of the first positioning pin 1017, and more preferably no more than one-third the length of the first positioning pin 1017. This type of second positioning pin 1018 can further prevent the second positioning pin 1018 from coming into contact with a flat surface such as a workbench or floor when the component 1000 is placed on the surface, and can also further reduce the amount of resin material used to form the second positioning pin 1018. More specifically, the length of the second positioning pin 1017 is preferably approximately 5.0 mm.

The diameter of the base of the second positioning pin 1018 is smaller than the diameter of the base of the first positioning pin 1017, which reduces the amount of resin material used to form the second positioning pin 1018 and improves ease of formation of the second positioning pin 1018. Specifically, the diameter of the base of the second positioning pin 1018 is preferably 1/2 or less the diameter of the base of the first positioning pin 1017, and more preferably 1/3 or less the diameter of the base of the first positioning pin 1017. Such a second positioning pin 1018 can be easily fitted into the mounting hole of the gaming panel 1100 when positioning the component 1000 relative to the gaming panel 1100, and also reduces the amount of resin material used to form the second positioning pin 1018. More specifically, the diameter of the base of the second positioning pin 1017 is preferably approximately 2.0 mm.

The gaming panel 1100 has multiple mounting holes formed therein that correspond to the first positioning pin 1017 and the second positioning pin 1018 of the component 1000. The mounting hole that corresponds to the first positioning pin 1017 may be, for example, a cylindrical hole that corresponds to the diameter of the base of the first positioning pin 1017, or a hole with a cross-section that corresponds to the shape of the rib. Specifically, if the rib of the first positioning pin 1017 has a substantially cross-shaped cross-section, the mounting hole of the gaming panel 1100 that corresponds to the first positioning pin 1017 may be a hole with a substantially cross-shaped cross-section that corresponds to this. This strengthens the fit with the first positioning pin 1017 and improves the positioning accuracy of the component 1000 relative to the gaming panel 1100.

As described above, the gaming panel 1100 has a panel plate 1110 and a panel holder 1120 attached to the periphery of the panel plate 1110. However, the gaming panel 1100 may also be an embodiment in which the panel plate 1110 and the panel holder 1120 are integrally formed as a plate-like member. In an embodiment in which the gaming panel 1100 is a plate-like member, the strength of the gaming panel 1100 is increased, whereas in an embodiment in which the gaming panel 1100 is constructed by attaching the panel holder 1120 to the panel plate 1110, the resin material used to form the gaming panel 1100 can be reduced.

[Modification 2 of the previous component]
In the above-described embodiment, the configuration of the component 1000 has been described as having a panel decorative portion 1020 in which the lower left panel decorative portion 1021, the upper left panel decorative portion 1022, the upper right panel decorative portion 1023, and the lower right panel decorative portion 1024 are integrally formed. However, the component 1000 may also have a panel decorative portion 1020 that is formed by dividing it into multiple pieces and assembled and integrated into the game panel 1100. Below, such configuration of the component 1000 will be described in detail.

Whereas the panel decorative portion 1020 in the above-described embodiment has a lower left panel decorative portion 1021, an upper left panel decorative portion 1022, an upper right panel decorative portion 1023, and a lower right panel decorative portion 1024 formed integrally in a roughly rectangular shape when viewed from the front, the panel decorative portion 1020 in this embodiment has decorative portions divided into at least two portions at any position, and after each decorative portion is assembled to the game panel 1100, they are integrated into a roughly rectangular shape when viewed from the front. In this embodiment, the configuration of the panel decoration section 1020 is described in detail, which is divided between the lower left panel decoration section 1021 and the upper left panel decoration section 1022, and between the upper right panel decoration section 1023 and the lower right panel decoration section 1024, and is divided into three sections: the lower left panel decoration section 1021, the lower right panel decoration section 1024, and the upper left panel decoration section 1022 and the upper right panel decoration section 1023 (hereinafter sometimes referred to as the upper panel decoration section).

At least one first positioning pin 1017 is formed on each of the lower-left panel decorative portion 1021 and the lower-right panel decorative portion 1024. When one first positioning pin 1017 is formed, it is desirable to form the first positioning pin 1017 near the center of gravity of the lower-left panel decorative portion 1021 or the lower-right panel decorative portion 1024. The lower-left panel decorative portion 1021 and the lower-right panel decorative portion 1024 can be placed on a flat surface such as a workbench or floor using the first positioning pin 1017 as a fulcrum, preventing damage to the rear surfaces of the lower-left panel decorative portion 1021 and the lower-right panel decorative portion 1024 due to contact with the flat surface.

In addition, when two first positioning pins 1017 are formed, it is desirable that the first positioning pins 1017 are formed on a line passing through the center of gravity of the lower left panel decorative part 1021 or the lower right panel decorative part 1024, with the center of gravity on either side.This allows the lower left panel decorative part 1021 and the lower right panel decorative part 1024 to be stably placed on a flat surface such as a workbench or floor, using the two first positioning pins 1017 as fulcrums, and further prevents the rear surfaces of the lower left panel decorative part 1021 and the lower right panel decorative part 1024 from coming into contact with the flat surface, thereby further preventing damage to the rear surfaces of the lower left panel decorative part 1021 and the lower right panel decorative part 1024. Furthermore, when three or more first positioning pins 1017 are formed, it is desirable that the first positioning pins 1017 be formed at approximately equal intervals around the center of gravity of the lower left panel decorative part 1021 or the lower right panel decorative part 1024. This allows the lower left panel decorative part 1021 and the lower right panel decorative part 1024 to be placed more stably on a flat surface such as a workbench or floor, using the three or more first positioning pins 1017 as fulcrums, and prevents the rear surfaces of the lower left panel decorative part 1021 and the lower right panel decorative part 1024 from coming into contact with the flat surface and damaging the rear surfaces of the lower left panel decorative part 1021 and the lower right panel decorative part 1024.

At least one second positioning pin 1018 is formed on each of the lower left panel decorative portion 1021 and the lower right panel decorative portion 1024. It is desirable that at least one second positioning pin 1018 be formed near the first positioning pin 1017, which can improve the positioning accuracy achieved by the first positioning pin 1027 when the lower left panel decorative portion 1021 or the lower right panel decorative portion 1024 is positioned on the gaming panel 1100.

At least one first positioning pin 1017 is formed on the upper panel decorative part of the panel decorative part 1020. If one first positioning pin 1017 is formed, it is desirable that the first positioning pin 1017 be formed near the center of gravity of the upper panel decorative part. This allows the upper panel decorative part to be placed on a flat surface such as a workbench or floor using the first positioning pin 1017 as a fulcrum, preventing damage to the rear surface of the upper panel decorative part due to contact with the flat surface.

Furthermore, when two first positioning pins 1017 are formed, it is desirable that the first positioning pins 1017 are formed on either side of the center of gravity on a line passing through the center of gravity of the upper panel decorative part. This allows the upper panel decorative part to be stably placed on a flat surface such as a workbench or floor using the two first positioning pins 1017 as fulcrums, further preventing damage to the rear surface of the upper panel decorative part due to contact with the flat surface. Furthermore, when three or more first positioning pins 1017 are formed, it is desirable that the first positioning pins 1017 be formed at approximately equal intervals around the center of gravity of the upper panel decorative part. This allows the upper panel decorative part to be stably placed on a flat surface such as a workbench or floor using the three or more first positioning pins 1017 as fulcrums, further preventing damage to the rear surface of the upper panel decorative part due to contact with the flat surface.

At least one second positioning pin 1018 is formed on the upper panel decorative portion of the panel decorative portion 1020. It is desirable that at least one second positioning pin 1018 be formed near the first positioning pin 1017, which can improve the positioning accuracy of the first positioning pin 1017 when the upper panel decorative portion is positioned on the gaming panel 1100. The second positioning pin 1018 may be formed between two first positioning pins 1017, or two second positioning pins 1018 may be formed so that they sandwich the first positioning pin 1017, which can improve positioning accuracy in a balanced manner when the upper panel decorative portion is positioned on the gaming panel 1100.

In the above-described embodiment, the configuration of the first positioning pin 1017 and second positioning pin 1018 formed on the panel decorative portion 1020 of the component 1000 having a panel decorative portion 1020 formed integrally in a generally rectangular shape when viewed from the front, and the component 1000 having a panel decorative portion 1020 divided into multiple pieces was described. However, the configuration of the front portion of the component 1000 having the panel decorative portion 1020 on which the first positioning pin 1017 is formed will be described in detail below.

Conventionally, during the assembly process of a pachinko machine 1, multiple panel decorative parts 1020 may be stacked vertically on a flat surface such as a workbench or floor before being assembled to the gaming panel 1100. When one panel decorative part 1020 is placed on top of the other, the front surface of one panel decorative part 1020 comes into contact with the rear surface of the other panel decorative part 1020, potentially damaging both panel decorative parts 1020. In particular, when the multiple positioning pins 1017, 1018 formed on the other panel decorative part 1020 slide on the front surface of one panel decorative part 1020, there is a risk of damaging the front surface of one panel decorative part 1020.

In this embodiment, the front surface of the component 1000 (panel decorative portion 1020) has, in addition to the gentle surface portion 5c1 and surface recess 5c2 described above, a mating recess 1019 into which the first positioning pin 1017 can fit. The mating recess 1019 is formed in a position facing the first positioning pin 1017 on the front surface of the panel decorative portion 1020 (a position where the axis of the first positioning pin 1017 and the center of the mating recess 1019 coincide), and may be a cylindrical recess corresponding to the diameter of the tip of the first positioning pin 1017, or a recess having a cross section corresponding to the shape of the rib of the first positioning pin 1017.

The fitting recess 1019 of the panel decorative part 1020 allows, when multiple panel decorative parts 1020 are stacked on a flat surface such as a workbench or floor before being assembled to the gaming panel 1100, one panel decorative part 1020 to be placed on top of the other panel decorative part 1020 supported on a flat surface by the first positioning pin 1017, so that the first positioning pin 1017 of the other panel decorative part 1020 fits into the fitting recess 1019 of the other panel decorative part 1020. This prevents the first positioning pin 1017 of the other panel decorative part 1020 from sliding on the front surface of the one panel decorative part 1020, preventing damage to the front surface of the one panel decorative part 1020 and allowing the other panel decorative part 1020 to be placed stably on top of the other panel decorative part 1020.

The diameter of the mating recess 1019 of the panel decorative portion 1020 is preferably larger than the diameter of the tip of the first positioning pin 1027, from the standpoint of facilitating the mating of the first positioning pin 1017 and preventing sliding of the mated first positioning pin 1017. Furthermore, the depth of the mating recess 1019 of the panel decorative portion 1020 is preferably shallower than the length of the first positioning pin 1017, from the standpoint of preventing contact between the front and rear surfaces of the stacked components 1000.

It is desirable that the mating recesses 1019 of the panel decorative portion 1020 are formed to correspond to all of the first positioning pins 1017 formed on the panel decorative portion 1020, regardless of whether the panel decorative portion 1020 is divided or not. This prevents damage to the front surface of the panel decorative portion 1020 when multiple panel decorative portions 1020 are stacked on top of each other on a flat surface such as a workbench or floor.

[Modification 3 of the preceding component]
In the above-described embodiment, the configuration of the component 1000 having the panel decorative portion 1020 on which the plurality of positioning pins 1017, 1018 are formed has been described. However, in the installation work of attaching the component 1000 to the gaming panel 1100, the component 1000 is lifted by an operator from a state in which it is placed in a storage location such as a workbench or storage box, positioned relative to the gaming panel 1100, and grasped by the operator. Conventionally, from the viewpoint of preventing damage to the component 1000, it has been difficult for an operator to easily grasp the component 1000, which may reduce the workability of the installation work, such as lifting the component 1000 placed in a storage location such as a workbench or storage box, and positioning the component 1000 relative to the gaming panel 1100. Below, an embodiment in which the component 1000 has been modified to solve this problem will be described.

The pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment has the same configuration as the pachinko machine 1 described above except for the preceding component 1000 and the gaming panel 1100. Therefore, the following will describe in detail the configuration of the preceding component 1000 and the gaming panel 1100, and will omit a description of the other components of the pachinko machine 1. Figure 196 is a perspective view showing a portion of the gaming panel 1100 to which the preceding component 1000 is attached.

The gaming board 5 comprises a plate-shaped gaming panel 1100, which has a gaming area 5a formed on its front side and defines the rear end of the gaming area 5a, and a plate-shaped front component 1000, which is attached to the front of the gaming panel 1100 and defines the outer periphery of the gaming area 5a. The front component 1000 and the gaming panel 1100 each have an external shape that is roughly rectangular when viewed from the front.

As shown in Figure 196, the component 1000 has an outer wall portion that forms a space partially open to the outside between it and the front surface of the gaming panel 1100, and the outer wall portion has at least a plate-like portion that is parallel to the front surface of the gaming panel 1100. Below, this configuration will be described in detail, focusing on the lower right panel decorative portion 1024 of the component 1000.

The lower right panel decorative portion 1024 of the component 1000 has an outer wall portion 1024a that forms a space 1024b between it and the front surface of the gaming panel 1100, with a portion of the space 1024b open to the outside. The outer wall portion 1024a has a plate-like portion 1024c that is parallel to at least the front surface of the gaming panel 1100. In this embodiment, the outer wall portion 1024a has an arc-shaped portion that is arc-shaped when viewed from the front and is formed to stand upright forward from the front surface of the gaming panel 1100, and a plate-like portion 1024c that extends from the front end of the arc-shaped portion parallel to the front surface of the gaming panel 1100.

In accordance with the lower right panel decorative portion 1024 of the component 1000 of this embodiment, during the installation work of attaching the component 1000 to the gaming panel 1100, for example, when a worker lifts the component 1000 placed in a storage location such as a workbench or storage box, the worker can hook their fingers onto the plate-shaped portion 1024c through the space 1024b, allowing the worker to easily lift the component 1000. Furthermore, during the installation work of attaching the component 1000 to the gaming panel 1100, for example, when positioning the component 1000 on the gaming panel 1100, the worker can hook their fingers onto the plate-shaped portion 1024c through the space 1024b, allowing the component 1000 to be easily attached and detached to and from the gaming panel 1100. This improves the workability of the installation work of attaching the component 1000 to the gaming panel 1100.

A space 1024b is formed on the gaming panel 1100 to which the lower right panel decorative portion 1024 is attached, with the outer wall portion 1024a having an arc portion and a plate-shaped portion 1024c and the front surface of the gaming panel 1100 forming an open space 1024b on the side of the corner from the bottom edge to the right edge of the lower right panel decorative portion 1024. When a worker grasps the component 1000, the worker can hook their fingers onto the plate-shaped portion 1024c from below or from the right through the space 1024b, making it even easier for the worker to lift the component 1000. The space 1024b may be, for example, a space in which the outer wall portion 1024a has a plate-shaped portion 1024c and a U-shaped portion that is U-shaped in front view and is formed to rise forward from the front surface of the gaming panel 1100, and the side of the right edge of the lower right panel decorative portion 1024 is open, or the side of the bottom edge of the lower right panel decorative portion 1024 is open. This increases the strength of the outer wall portion 1024a and allows an operator to hook their fingers onto the plate-shaped portion 1024c from below or the right through the space 1024b, making it easy for the operator to lift the component 1000.

In this embodiment, the space 1024b is formed in the lower right corner of the lower right panel decorative portion 1024, but it may also be formed in the center of the lower end of the lower right panel decorative portion 1024 or the center of the right end of the lower right panel decorative portion 1024 when viewed from the front. This allows the worker to hook their fingers onto the plate-shaped portion 1024c from below or from the right through each space 1024b, allowing the worker to easily lift the front component 1000.

The lower right panel decorative portion 1024 of the front component 1000 further has an attachment hole 1024d formed near the plate-shaped portion 1024c. The attachment hole 1024d is a hole into which a fixing member such as a screw is attached to fix the positioned front component 1000 to the gaming panel 1100. It has a tubular portion into which the fixing member is inserted and a bottom portion formed at the rear end of the tubular portion into which the head of the fixing member engages, with a hole formed in the center of the bottom portion through which the shaft of the fixing member is inserted. In this embodiment, the front component 1000, which has been positioned relative to the gaming panel 1100, is fixed to the front portion of the gaming panel 1100 by a fixing member such as a screw inserted into the attachment hole 1024d.

The component 1000 is attached to the gaming panel 1100 by being positioned on the gaming panel 1100 and then fixed with a fixing member or the like. However, if an external force acts forward on the component 1000 attached to the gaming panel 1100 at a position away from the fixing member, for example, the component 1000 may bend significantly, which could result in the component 1000 becoming misaligned relative to the gaming panel 1100. The lower right panel decorative portion 1024 of the component 1000 has a plate-shaped portion 1024c, so that, for example, when opening or closing the main frame 4, an operator's fingers or the like may get caught on the plate-shaped portion 1024c, and a forward external force may act on the component 1000 via the plate-shaped portion 1024c. In the front component 1000 of this embodiment, the mounting hole 1024d of the lower right panel decorative portion 1024 is formed near the plate-shaped portion 1024c. Therefore, even if an external force acts forward on the front component 1000 via the plate-shaped portion 1024c, deflection of the front component 1000 due to the external force can be suppressed, and displacement of the front component 1000 relative to the gaming panel 1100 can be suppressed.

The plate-shaped portion 1024c of the lower right panel decorative portion 1024 may be formed in a box shape with an open back. When a worker lifts the component 1000 during the installation work of attaching the component 1000 to the gaming panel 1100, the plate-shaped portion 1024c formed in a box shape with an open back allows the worker to firmly hook their fingers onto the plate-shaped portion 1024c through the space 1024b and the space within the plate-shaped portion 1024c, allowing the worker to lift the component 1000 even more easily and improving the workability of the installation work of attaching the component 1000 to the gaming panel 1100.

Furthermore, the plate-shaped portion 1024c, which is formed in a box shape with an open rear, may have at least one rib connecting opposing surfaces. The strength of such a plate-shaped portion 1024c is increased by the rib, so that even if, for example, an operator's finger is firmly hooked onto the plate-shaped portion 1024c through the space within the plate-shaped portion 1024c, damage to the plate-shaped portion 1024c can be prevented.

Furthermore, the component 1000 may have an uneven surface with multiple continuous fine irregularities formed on at least the front surface of the plate-shaped portion 1024c of the lower right panel decorative portion 1024. The uneven surface is, for example, a surface that has a wrinkled pattern formed by a surface treatment such as embossing, with multiple continuous fine irregularities that can scatter light. The wrinkled pattern is formed by multiple short, linear ridges extending in random directions, and may be, for example, a rough, pear-skin pattern (pear-skin pattern) or a fine geometric pattern. Such an uneven surface acts as an anti-slip surface to prevent the worker's hand from slipping off the front surface of the plate-shaped portion 1024c when it comes into contact with the worker's hand, without causing pain or other discomfort to the worker. This prevents the component 1000 from slipping off the worker's hand, improving the workability of the installation work of attaching the component 1000 to the gaming panel 1100. Furthermore, the uneven surface formed on the front surface of the component 1000, which is a series of multiple fine irregularities, makes the dirt on the front surface of the component 1000 less noticeable even if it becomes soiled with oil or grease when, for example, an operator touches the front surface of the component 1000 with their bare hands, and even if the dirt is visually observed by a player, it can prevent the player's interest in the game from decreasing.

In the above description, the lower right panel decorative portion 1024 of the component 1000 has an outer wall portion 1024a, a space 1024b, a plate-shaped portion 1024c, and a mounting hole 1024d. However, for example, the upper right panel decorative portion 1023 may have an outer wall portion 1023a, a space 1023b, a plate-shaped portion 1023c, and a mounting hole 1023d similar to the outer wall portion 1024a, a space 1024b, a plate-shaped portion 1024c, and a mounting hole 1024d, or the lower left panel decorative portion 1021 and the upper left panel decorative portion 1022 may have an outer wall portion, a space, a plate-shaped portion, and a mounting hole similar to the outer wall portion 1024a, a space 1024b, a plate-shaped portion 1024c, and a mounting hole 1024d.

Furthermore, in the preceding component 1000 of this embodiment, the plate-shaped portion 1023c of the upper right panel decorative portion 1023 is formed to cover the upper right edge of the gaming panel 1100, making the upper right edge of the gaming panel 1100 invisible when viewed from the front, whereas the plate-shaped portion 1024c of the lower right panel decorative portion 1024 is formed to expose the lower right edge of the gaming panel 1100, making the lower right edge of the gaming panel 1100 visible when viewed from the front. The plate-shaped portion formed to cover the gaming panel 1100 makes the gaming panel 1100 invisible when viewed from the front, and can make it unclear to a person committing fraud against the pachinko machine 1, for example, where to grasp the preceding component 1000 when removing it, thereby improving the security of the pachinko machine 1. Furthermore, the plate-like portion formed to expose the gaming panel 1100 makes the gaming panel 1100 visible when viewed from the front, and can, for example, notify an operator removing the component 1000 from the gaming panel 1100 of the gripping position when removing the component 1000. In addition, when the above-mentioned certificate stamp pasting portion 1012 is formed, the certificate stamp pasting portion 1012 becomes visible to the operator, which can prevent the certificate stamp pasted on the certificate stamp pasting portion 1012 from being soiled by the operator.

[Modification 4 of the preceding component]
In the above-described embodiment, the configuration of the preceding component 1000 and the game panel 1100 of the pachinko machine 1 has been described, but the preceding component 1000 is a component that is assembled to the game panel 1100 (hereinafter, this may be referred to as being attached), and conventionally, when an operator carries a game board 5 that is constructed by attaching the preceding component 1000 to the game panel 1100, the operator's hands may slip on the front surface 1000x of the preceding component 1000 and come into contact with obstacle nails or accessories within the game area 5a, which may cause the obstacle nails to deform, rust to form on the obstacle nails, or damage to the accessories. Furthermore, when transporting the game board 5, when an operator holding the game board 5 removes his or her hand from the game board 5, the operator's hand may get caught on the side surface 1000y of the component 1000, and a force may be applied to the component 1000 such that the component 1000 is removed forward from the game panel 1100, which may cause damage such as cracks to the component 1000. Below, we will explain an embodiment in which the component 1000 has been further modified in order to solve these problems.

The pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment has the same configuration as the pachinko machine 1 described above except for the preceding component 1000 and the gaming panel 1100. Therefore, the following will describe in detail the configuration of the preceding component 1000 and the gaming panel 1100, and will not describe the other components of the pachinko machine 1. Figure 197 is a front perspective view of the gaming board 5, specifically a front perspective view showing the gaming panel 1100 and the preceding component 1000 attached to the gaming panel 1100. Figure 198 is an exploded front perspective view of the gaming board 5, specifically an exploded front perspective view showing the gaming panel 1100 and the preceding component 1000 prior to attachment to the gaming panel 1100.

As shown in Figures 197 and 198, the gaming board 5 has a gaming panel 1100 in which a gaming area 5a is formed, through which gaming balls can flow, and a front component 1000 provided on the front side of the gaming panel 1100. As described above, the gaming panel 1100 has a panel plate 1110 and a panel holder 1120 assembled around the periphery of the panel plate 1110, and is formed as a plate with an outline that is approximately rectangular when viewed from the front. In this manner, when the gaming panel 1100 is constructed by assembling the panel holder 1120 to the panel plate 1110, the amount of resin material used to form the gaming panel 1100 can be reduced. Note that the gaming panel 1100 may be a plate-shaped component in which the panel plate 1110 and the panel holder 1120 are integrally formed, which can increase the strength of the gaming panel 1100.

The gaming panel 1100 may also have a front surface smoothed portion 1100c1, a back surface smoothed portion 1100c2, a back surface recessed portion 1100c3, and an inner surface smoothed portion 1100c4 as shown in Figures 181 to 183 above. Below, with reference to Figures 181 to 183, the configuration of a gaming panel 1100 having a front surface smoothed portion 1100c1, a back surface smoothed portion 1100c2, a back surface recessed portion 1100c3, and an inner surface smoothed portion 1100c4 will be described in detail.

The gentle surface portion 1100c1 may be formed on the outer edge of the gaming panel 1100, and for example, on the front surface 1100x of the gaming panel 1100, it is formed as an inclined surface whose depth in the front-to-back direction gradually increases from the inside to the outside, connecting the front surface 1100x and the side surface 1100y. A worker attempting to grasp the game panel 1100 tends to avoid contact between his/her hand and the sharp corner formed by the intersection of the front surface 1100x and the side surface 1100y, for example, so as not to feel pain or other discomfort in his/her hand grasping the game panel 1100. The gentle surface portion 1100c1 can be seen by the worker attempting to grasp the game panel 1100, thereby visually guiding the worker so that his/her hand will come into contact with two obtuse corners rather than one sharp corner, and can also tactilely guide the worker so that his/her hand will come into contact with two obtuse corners rather than one sharp corner, by coming into contact with the hand of the worker attempting to grasp the game panel 1100. This reduces discomfort to the worker when the gaming panel 1100 is being transported, and also makes it possible to suggest the gripping position of the gaming panel 1100 to a worker who is unfamiliar with it. It also reduces the risk of the worker's hands coming into contact with the obstructing nails N or the center device 2500 in the gaming area 5a, which could cause deformation of the obstructing nails N, rust on the obstructing nails N, or damage to the center device 2500, etc., and allows the gaming panel 1100 to be transported safely.

In addition, the surface of the smooth surface portion 1100c1 may be formed with a wrinkled pattern (for example, a rough pear-skin pattern (pear-skin pattern) or a geometric pattern consisting of fine irregularities) by surface treatment such as embossing. The wrinkled pattern formed on the surface of the smooth surface portion 1100c1 acts as an anti-slip surface when it comes into contact with the hands of an operator transporting the gaming panel 1100, without causing any pain or discomfort to the operator, thereby allowing the gaming panel 1100 to be transported safely. Furthermore, if a wrinkle pattern is formed on the side surface 1100y of the game panel 1100, the wrinkle pattern acts as an anti-slip barrier between the hand of an operator holding the game board 5 and the side surface 5y of the game board 5, and for example, when an operator holding the game board 5 moves his or her hand away from the outer edge of the game board 5, the operator's hand may get caught on the side surface 1100y of the game panel 1100, causing a force to be applied that causes the component 1000 to be removed forward from the game panel 1100, which may damage the outer edge of the component 1000. From this perspective, it is desirable that the side surface 1100y of the game panel 1100 be flat and not have a wrinkle pattern. On the other hand, a wrinkled pattern (for example, a rough pear-skin pattern (pear-skin-like pattern) or a geometric pattern consisting of fine irregularities) is formed on the surface of the smooth surface portion 1100c1 by surface treatment such as embossing, and the side surface 1100y of the game panel 1100 is made flat without forming a wrinkled pattern, so that when a worker holds it, the feeling felt in the palm of the hand is different from the feeling felt by the fingertips, and the worker can firmly readjust the grip to a position and way that feels most comfortable to the worker, and the game board 5 can be carried safely. Furthermore, although the side surface 1000y of the component 1000 depends on its positional relationship with the side surface 1100y of the gaming panel 1100, due to the shape of the step (specific step portion) formed between the side surface 1000y of the component 1000 and the front surface 1100x (front surface of the gaming board) of the gaming panel 1100 (the side surface of the partition member), if the side surface 1000y of the component 1000 is close to or flush with the side surface 1100y of the gaming panel 1100, the feeling felt by the palm of the hand when the worker grasps it will be different from the feeling felt by the fingertips, so it is desirable that the side surface 1000y of the component 1000 be flat and free from wrinkles. Note that, as mentioned above, in an embodiment in which the gaming panel 1100 is configured by assembling the panel holder 1120 to the panel board 1110, it can be said that it is desirable that the side surface of the panel holder 1120 (the portion covering the side surface of the panel board 1110) be flat and free from wrinkles.

The backside smoothed portion 1100c2 may be formed on the outer edge of the gaming panel 1100, and may be formed, for example, as an inclined surface on the rear surface 1100z of the gaming panel 1100, with the depth in the front-to-rear direction gradually increasing from the inside to the outside, connecting the rear surface 1100z with the side surface 1100y. The backside smoothed portion 1100c2 is visible to an operator attempting to grasp the gaming panel 1100, thereby visually guiding the operator's hand, and by coming into contact with the operator's hand attempting to grasp the gaming panel 1100, it can also tactilely guide the operator so that the operator's hand comes into contact with two obtuse corners rather than one sharp corner. Furthermore, with the gaming panel 1100 of this embodiment, when the gaming panel 1100 is transported by an operator, the discomfort felt by the operator's hands coming into contact with the outer edge 1100b1 can be reduced, and the operator who is unfamiliar with the gripping position of the gaming panel 1100 can be shown where to grip the gaming panel 1100. This also reduces the risk of the operator's hands coming into contact with the obstructing nails N or the center device 2500 in the gaming area 5a, which could cause deformation of the obstructing nails N, rust on the obstructing nails N, or damage to the center device 2500, thereby allowing the gaming panel 1100 to be transported safely. It is desirable that the back surface smooth portion 1100c2 be formed so as to correspond to the front surface smooth portion 1100c1 in the front-to-rear direction, which increases the guidance effect on the operator and makes the gaming panel 1100 even safer to transport.

The surface of the backside smooth portion 1100c2 may also be formed with a wrinkled pattern (for example, a rough pear-skin pattern (pear-skin pattern) or a geometric pattern consisting of fine irregularities) by surface treatment such as embossing. The wrinkled pattern formed on the surface of the backside smooth portion 1100c2 acts as an anti-slip surface when it comes into contact with the hands of an operator transporting the gaming panel 1100, without causing pain or other discomfort to the operator, allowing the gaming panel 1100 to be transported safely.

The back surface recess 1100c3 may be formed on the outer edge of the gaming panel 1100, for example, in a circular recess on the rear surface 1100z of the gaming panel 1100. The back surface recess 1100c3 is formed to correspond to the front surface smoothed portion 1100c1 and the back surface smoothed portion 1100c2 in the front-to-rear direction, and corresponds to the four fingers (index finger through little finger) of an operator who grasps the front surface smoothed portion 1100c1 or the back surface smoothed portion 1100c2. Such a back surface recess 1100c3, together with the front surface smoothed portion 1100c1 and the back surface smoothed portion 1100c2, can contribute to the safe transportation of the gaming panel 1100. The surface of the opening of the rear recessed portion 1100c3 may be formed with a wrinkled pattern (for example, a rough pear-skin pattern or a geometric pattern consisting of fine irregularities) by surface treatment such as embossing. The wrinkled pattern formed on the surface of the rear recessed portion 1100c3 acts as an anti-slip surface when it comes into contact with the hands of an operator transporting the gaming panel 1100, without causing pain or other discomfort to the operator, thereby contributing to even safer transportation of the gaming panel 1100.

The inner gentle surface portion 1100c4 may be formed on the inner side of the gaming panel 1100, and for example, on the rear surface 1100z of the gaming panel 1100, it is formed as an arc-shaped curved surface that smoothly connects the side surface 1100y and the rear surface 1100z. A worker attempting to grasp the game panel 1100 may, for example, place his or her hand on the opening 1112 of the game panel 1100, and in order to avoid causing pain to the hand grasping the game panel 1100, the worker tends to avoid contact with the sharp corner formed by the intersection of the side surface 1100y and the rear surface 1100z. The inner gentle surface portion 1100c4 is visible to the worker attempting to grasp the game panel 1100, and can visually guide the worker so that the worker's hand comes into contact with the arc-shaped curved surface rather than a sharp corner, and by coming into contact with the hand of the worker attempting to grasp the game panel 1100, can also tactilely guide the worker so that the worker's hand comes into contact with the arc-shaped curved surface rather than a single sharp corner. Therefore, with the game panel 1100 of this embodiment, when the game panel 1100 is transported by a worker, the discomfort felt by the worker's hands coming into contact with the inner edge 1100b2 can be reduced, and the gripping position of the game panel 1100 can be suggested to a worker who is unfamiliar with it. This also reduces the risk of the worker's hands coming into contact with obstructing nails N in the game area 5a, which could cause the obstructing nails N to deform or rust, allowing the game panel 1100 to be transported safely.

Furthermore, as shown in Figures 187 and 188 above, the gaming panel 1100 may further have an outer edge wall portion 5p6, a rear slope portion 5p7, and a back step portion 5p8, which can further reduce contact between the hands of the worker transporting the gaming board 5 and the obstructing nails N or the center gimmick 2500, contributing to safe transportation of the gaming board 5. Below, with reference to Figures 187 and 188, a gaming panel 1100 further having an outer edge wall portion 5p6, a rear slope portion 5p7, and a back step portion 5p8 will be described in detail.

The outer edge wall portion 5p6 may be formed on the outer edge of the gaming panel 1100, and may be formed, for example, as a wall that protrudes rearward from the rear end of the gaming panel 1100 and extends along the outer edge. The outer edge wall portion 5p6 makes it easy for a worker to hook their fingers around the rear side of the gaming board 5 when transporting the gaming board 5, contributing to safe transportation of the gaming board 5. Furthermore, when transporting a gaming board 5 with the back unit 3000 removed, the worker can hook their fingers on the outer edge wall portion 5p6, allowing the worker to firmly hold the gaming board 5 and further contributing to safe transportation of the gaming board 5. The outer edge wall portion 5p6 may be formed as a wall that extends along the entire outer edge of the gaming panel 1100, or may be formed on only a portion of the outer edge of the gaming panel 1100. Additionally, it is desirable for the outer edge wall portion 5p6 to be formed in a position corresponding to the gentle surface portion 5c1, etc. in the front-to-rear direction, which further contributes to the safe transportation of the game board 5.

The rear sloped portion 5p7 may be formed so as to be continuous with the peak of the rear end of the outer edge wall portion 5p6, and may be formed, for example, so as to be contiguous with the inside of the outer edge wall portion 5p6. When transporting the game board 5 from which the back unit 3000 has been removed, the rear sloped portion 5p7 supports the fingers of the worker who hooks onto the outer edge wall portion 5p6, reducing pain and other discomfort felt by the worker's fingers hooked onto the outer edge wall portion 5p6. This allows the worker to more securely hold the game board 5 and further contributes to the safe transport of the game board 5.

The rear step portion 5p8 is formed on the rear surface of the gaming panel 1100, protruding from the rear surface 1100z of the gaming panel 1100, at a position inward from the rear slope portion 5p7 and outward from the opening 1112 of the gaming panel 1100. When the rear step portion 5p8 comes into contact with the hand of an operator attempting to engage the outer edge wall portion 5p6 while transporting the gaming board 5 from which the rear unit 3000 has been removed, the rear step portion 5p8 alerts the operator through the opening 1112 of the gaming panel 1100 that there are areas inside the rear step portion 5p8 that should not be touched, such as the obstructing nails N and the center gimmick 2500. This further reduces contact between the operator's hand transporting the gaming board 5 and the obstructing nails N and the center gimmick 2500, allowing the gaming board 5 to be transported safely. From the perspective of enhancing the tactile guidance effect, it is desirable for the rear step portion 5p8 to be formed continuously along the opening 1112 of the gaming panel 1100.

As shown in Figures 197 and 198, the component 1000 is positioned outside the outer periphery of the play area 5a, and defines the periphery of the play area 5a. As described above, the component 1000 has a panel decoration portion 1020, which is divided into multiple portions outside the outer periphery of the play area 5a. In this embodiment, the panel decoration portion 1020 is composed of a lower-left panel decoration portion 1021 located at the lower left, an upper panel decoration portion 1022 located at the upper side, and a lower-right panel decoration portion 1023 located at the lower right when viewed from the front of the play board 5. Note that the panel decoration portion 1020 is not limited to being divided into three portions: the lower-left panel decoration portion 1021, the upper panel decoration portion 1022, and the lower-right panel decoration portion 1023, but may be divided into two or four or more portions.

The lower left panel decorative portion 1021 is formed by the bottom and left sides of the component 1000 and the playing area 5a, forming a roughly triangular shape when viewed from the front. The lower left panel decorative portion 1021 is formed with, for example, a stamp attachment portion 1012 with a flat surface that makes it easy to attach stamps, and a protrusion 1015 that comes into contact with the hand of a worker moving their hand along the component 1000 when transporting the gaming board 5, thereby notifying them that there is a playing area 5a inside that must not be touched. The upper end of the lower left panel decorative portion 1021 is formed with a joint that butts against the lower left end of the upper panel decorative portion 1022, allowing the lower left panel decorative portion 1021 and the upper panel decorative portion 1022 to be easily attached to the gaming panel 1100.

The upper panel decorative portion 1022 is formed into a roughly U-shape in front view by the left, right, and top edges of the component 1000 and the game area 5a. The upper panel decorative portion 1022 includes, for example, a function display unit mounting portion 1011 to which the above-mentioned function display unit 1400 is attached, a function display forming portion 1013 to which a status label indicating the illumination state of the light-emitting portion of the function display unit 1400 is attached, and a label attachment portion 1014 to which a display label displaying model information of the pachinko machine 1, such as the jackpot probability and probability rate, is attached. The display label is formed by printing model information of the pachinko machine 1, such as the jackpot probability and probability rate, on a sticker, sheet, film, etc. The lower left edge of the upper panel decorative portion 1022 has a joint that abuts against the upper edge of the lower left panel decorative portion 1021, allowing the lower left panel decorative portion 1021 and the upper panel decorative portion 1022 to be easily attached to the game panel 1100. Additionally, an engagement portion is formed at the lower right end of the upper panel decorative portion 1022 to engage with the upper end of the lower right panel decorative portion 1023, allowing the upper panel decorative portion 1022 and the lower right panel decorative portion 1023 to be easily attached to the gaming panel 1100.

The lower right panel decorative portion 1023 is formed into a roughly rectangular shape in front view by the right and bottom edges of the component 1000 and the game area 5a. The lower right panel decorative portion 1023 is formed with, for example, an inspection label attachment portion 1014a to which an inspection label indicating that the pachinko machine 1 has been inspected is affixed. Furthermore, an engagement portion is formed at the upper end of the lower right panel decorative portion 1023 that engages with the lower right end of the upper panel decorative portion 1022, allowing the lower right panel decorative portion 1023 and upper panel decorative portion 1022 to be easily attached to the game panel 1100.

The lower left panel decorative portion 1021, the upper panel decorative portion 1022, and the lower right panel decorative portion 1023 are positioned relative to the gaming panel 1100 using positioning pins or the like formed on each portion, and then secured to the gaming panel 1100 using fixing members 1020a such as screws or bolts, and attached to the gaming panel 1100.

In addition, at least one of the lower left panel decorative portion 1021, upper panel decorative portion 1022, and lower right panel decorative portion 102 (in this embodiment, the lower left panel decorative portion 1021 and the lower right panel decorative portion 1023) has a wrinkled pattern (for example, a rough pear-skin pattern (pear-skin pattern) or a geometric pattern consisting of fine irregularities) formed on the front surface 1021x, 1023x by surface treatment such as embossing. Furthermore, no wrinkled pattern is formed on the side surface 1021y of the lower left panel decorative portion 1021 or the side surface 1023y of the lower right panel decorative portion 1023.

In this embodiment, a wrinkled pattern is formed on the front surface 1021x of the lower left panel decorative portion 1021 and the front surface 1023x of the lower right panel decorative portion 1023.This wrinkled pattern is visible to an operator attempting to grasp the game board 5, and visually guides the operator's hand to the lower left panel decorative portion 1021 and the lower right panel decorative portion 1023.When the wrinkled pattern comes into contact with the operator's hand while transporting the game board 5, it acts as an anti-slip surface without causing pain or other discomfort to the operator.This also reduces the risk of the operator's hand coming into contact with obstacle nails or center gimmicks within the game area 5a, which could cause the obstacle nails to deform, rust on the obstacle nails, or damage to the center gimmicks, allowing the game board 5 to be transported safely. Furthermore, because there are no wrinkles on the side surface 1021y of the lower left panel decorative portion 1021 and the side surface 1023y of the lower right panel decorative portion 1023, when an operator holding the gaming board 5 removes their hands from the outer edge of the gaming board 5, the operator's hands are prevented from getting caught on the side surface 1000y of the preceding component 1000 (the side surface 1021y of the lower left panel decorative portion 1021 and the side surface 1023y of the lower right panel decorative portion 1023), thereby preventing damage such as cracks from occurring to the preceding component 1000 (the lower left panel decorative portion 1021 and the lower right panel decorative portion 1023).

Furthermore, in this embodiment, even if damage such as a crack occurs in the panel decorative portion 1020 (lower left panel decorative portion 1021 and lower right panel decorative portion 1023) of the preceding component 1000 that is held by the worker when the gaming board 5 is being transported by the worker, it is only necessary to replace the damaged portion of the lower left panel decorative portion 1021 and lower right panel decorative portion 1023, without having to replace the entire panel decorative portion 1020 of the preceding component 1000. This makes it easy to repair the gaming board 5 and contributes to the safe transportation of the gaming board 5.

In this embodiment, a wrinkle pattern is formed on the front surface 1021x of the lower left panel decorative portion 1021 and the front surface 1023x of the lower right panel decorative portion 1023 of the panel decorative portion 1020 of the component 1000. However, a wrinkle pattern may also be formed on the front surface 1022x of the upper panel decorative portion 1022, or a wrinkle pattern may be formed only on the front surface 1022x of the upper panel decorative portion 1022 instead of the front surface 1021x of the lower left panel decorative portion 1021 and the front surface 1023x of the lower right panel decorative portion 1023. The decorative upper panel portion 1022 is visible to a worker attempting to grasp the game board 5, thereby visually guiding the worker's hand to the decorative upper panel portion 1022, and when it comes into contact with the worker's hand while transporting the game board 5, it acts as a non-slip surface without causing pain or other discomfort to the worker. This also reduces the risk of the worker's hand coming into contact with obstacle nails or center gimmicks within the game area 5a, which could cause the obstacle nails to deform, rust on the obstacle nails, or damage to the center gimmicks, thereby allowing safe transportation of the game board 5. In this embodiment, it is desirable that the side surface 1022y of the decorative upper panel portion 1022 is free from wrinkles, which prevents the worker's hand from getting caught on the side surface 1000y of the component 1000 (the side surface 1022y of the decorative upper panel portion 1022) when the worker grasping the game board 5 removes his or her hand from the outer edge of the game board 5, thereby preventing damage such as cracks from occurring in the decorative upper panel portion 1022. Furthermore, even if damage such as a crack occurs in the panel decorative portion 1020 (upper panel decorative portion 1022) of the component 1000 that is held by the worker when the game board 5 is being transported by the worker, only the upper panel decorative portion 1022 can be replaced without having to replace the entire panel decorative portion 1020 of the component 1000, making it easy to repair the game board 5 and contributing to the safe transportation of the game board 5.

The upper panel decorative portion 1022 is also provided with a function display unit mounting portion 1011 formed to penetrate the main body of the upper panel decorative portion 1022 in the front-to-rear direction on the side of the opening/closing axis when the game board 5 is opened and closed in the pachinko machine 1, and the main body 1401 of the function display unit 1400 is attached to the function display unit mounting portion 1011 from the rear of the upper panel decorative portion 1022 so that it fits in before the upper panel decorative portion 1022 is attached to the game panel 1100. Note that fixing members such as screws or bolts may be used to attach the function display unit 1400 to the upper panel decorative portion 1022. In such an upper panel decorative part 1022, the wiring 1402 extends rearward from the function display unit 1400, and when carrying the upper panel decorative part 1022 or the game panel 1100 to which the upper panel decorative part 1022 is attached, the worker's hands may come into contact with the front surface of the function display unit 1400 or the wiring 1402, which may damage the function display unit 1400 or the wiring 1402. However, in the upper panel decorative part 1022 of this embodiment, as described above, a wrinkled pattern is formed on the front surface of the upper panel decorative part 1022, so that the worker can easily This prevents a user's hand from slipping on the front of the upper panel decorative portion 1022 and coming into contact with the front of the function display unit 1400. Even if the function display unit 1400 is damaged, because the component 1000 is made up of multiple pieces, it is possible to replace only the upper panel decorative portion 1022, or remove only the upper panel decorative portion 1022 and replace the function display unit 1400, without having to remove the entire component 1000 from the gaming panel 1100, which contributes to safe transportation of the gaming board 5.

Figure 199 is a perspective view showing another embodiment of the lower right panel decorative portion 1023. As shown in Figure 199, the function display unit 1400 may be attached to the lower right panel decorative portion 1023. In this embodiment, the lower right panel decorative portion 1023 has a function display unit mounting portion 1011 formed on the pivot side opposite the opening/closing axis side when the game board 5 is opened and closed in the pachinko machine 1. For example, the function display unit mounting portion 1011 is formed in place of the above-mentioned inspection-certified label attachment portion 1014a. Furthermore, the main body 1401 of the function display unit 1400 is provided with an LED board equipped with a connector to which wiring 1402 electrically connects the LEDs and the panel relay board can be connected. Electrical disconnection is easily achieved by removing this connector. Therefore, the lower right panel decorative portion 1023, along with the function display unit 1400, can be easily removed from the game board while still secured with screws. In this configuration of the lower right panel decorative portion 1023, a wrinkled pattern is formed on the front surface of the lower right panel decorative portion 1023, which prevents a worker's hand from slipping on the front surface of the lower right panel decorative portion 1023 and coming into contact with the front surface of the function display unit 1400. Even if the function display unit 1400 is damaged, because the component 1000 is made up of multiple pieces, it is possible to replace only the lower right panel decorative portion 1023 or only the upper panel decorative portion 1022 and replace the function display unit 1400 without removing the entire component 1000 from the gaming panel 1100, which contributes to safe transportation of the gaming board 5. The function display unit 1400 may also be provided on the lower left panel decorative portion 1021, similar to the configuration of the upper panel decorative portion 1023 and lower right panel decorative portion 1023 described above.

Furthermore, because the component 1000 is divided into separate panel decorative sections, each section can be easily removed. When attached to the gaming panel 1100, an information area for recording manufacturer information (e.g., lot number) may be provided where the two overlap. When providing such an information area, it is preferable that at least the panel decorative section covering the information area be formed from black resin, so that the manufacturer information recorded in the information area is not visible to players. When players wish to view the manufacturer information recorded in the information area, the corresponding panel decorative section can be easily removed for easy viewing. For example, in the event of a malfunction, a tracking investigation can be performed using the example lot number. Furthermore, when the panel decorative section is formed from transparent resin, a wrinkled pattern may be formed on the panel decorative section using a surface treatment such as embossing. In addition to providing a non-slip effect, the wrinkled pattern can also make the manufacturer information recorded in the information area less visible. The decorative panel portion may be made of a dark, translucent resin such as black. In such cases, it is desirable that the information written in the information area be a dark color such as black or gray, in order to make the information difficult to see. It is even more effective to create a wrinkled pattern on the front of the decorative panel portion using a surface treatment such as embossing.

Furthermore, the lower left panel decorative portion 1021, upper panel decorative portion 1022, or lower right panel decorative portion 1023 constituting the component 1000 may be formed with a gentle surface portion 5c1, a surface recessed portion 5c2, or an outer sharp portion 5c4 as shown in Figures 178 to 180 above, and the visual or tactile guidance effect provided by these components can contribute to the safe transportation of the game board 5.

The gentle surface portion 5c1 is formed on the outer edge of the lower left panel decorative portion 1021, upper panel decorative portion 1022, or lower right panel decorative portion 1023 as an inclined surface whose depth in the front-to-back direction gradually increases from the inside to the outside, connecting the front and side surfaces in a straight line. The gentle surface portion 5c1 is visible to an operator attempting to grasp the game board 5, and visually and tactilely guides the operator's hand toward the gentle surface portion 5c1. This reduces discomfort to the operator when the game board 5 is being transported, and suggests a gripping position. It also reduces the risk of the operator's hand coming into contact with the obstacle pins N or the center device 2500 in the game area 5a, which could cause the obstacle pins N to deform, rust on the obstacle pins N, or damage to the center device 2500, thereby contributing to the safe transport of the game board 5.

The surface of the smooth surface portion 5c1 may also be subjected to surface treatment such as embossing to form a wrinkled pattern (for example, a rough, pear-skin pattern (pear-skin-like pattern) or a geometric pattern consisting of fine irregularities). The wrinkled pattern formed on the surface of the smooth surface portion 5c1 acts as an anti-slip surface when it comes into contact with the hands of an operator transporting the game board 5, without causing pain or other discomfort to the operator, making the game board 5 even safer to transport.

The surface recess 5c2 is formed in a concave or hole-like shape on the front surface of the lower left panel decorative portion 1021, the upper panel decorative portion 1022, or the lower right panel decorative portion 1023. The surface recess 5c2 is designed to resemble the thumb of a human hand, providing a visual guide for the operator's thumb to rest against the surface recess 5c2 when the game board 5 is being transported. This allows the operator, who may be unfamiliar with the grip position of the game board 5, to be guided to the grip position. This also reduces the risk of the operator's hand coming into contact with the obstacle pins N or the center gimmick 2500 in the game area 5a, which could result in deformation of the obstacle pins N, rust on the obstacle pins N, or damage to the center gimmick 2500, thereby contributing to the safe transport of the game board 5. Preferably, the surface recess 5c2 is formed adjacent to the smooth surface portion 5c1.

In addition, the surface of the opening of the surface recess 5c2 may be formed with a wrinkled pattern (for example, a rough pear-skin pattern (pear-skin pattern) or a geometric pattern consisting of fine irregularities) by surface treatment such as embossing. The wrinkled pattern formed on the surface of the surface recess 5c2 acts as an anti-slip surface when it comes into contact with the hands of an operator transporting the game board 5, without causing pain or other discomfort to the operator, making the game board 5 even safer to transport.

The outer sharp portion 5c4 is formed on the inner edge of the lower left panel decorative portion 1021, the upper panel decorative portion 1022, or the lower right panel decorative portion 1023. In more detail, the outer sharp portion 5c4 is formed, for example, at the inner end and front end of the main body portion that supports the arc-shaped metal rail of the outer rail 1001, and is formed into a sharp corner such that the angle between the surface and side of the outer rail 1001 is, for example, 90 degrees or less. Such outer sharp portion 5c4 may be formed on all or part of the inner end of the component 1000, and when transporting the game board 5, it comes into contact with the worker's hand before the worker's hand comes into contact with the obstructing nails N or the center device 2500 in the game area 5a, preventing the worker from advancing their hand into the game area 5a beyond the outer sharp portion 5c4. This also reduces the risk of the obstructing nails N being deformed or rusting due to the worker's hand coming into contact with the obstructing nails N or the center device 2500 in the game area 5a, or of the center device 2500 being damaged, thereby contributing to the safe transportation of the game board 5.

Figure 200 is an oblique view showing another embodiment of the lower right panel decorative portion 1023. As shown in Figure 200, the lower right panel decorative portion 1023 may have an outer wall portion 1023a that forms a space 1023b, a portion of which is open to the outside, between it and the front surface of the gaming panel 1100. The outer wall portion 1023a has a plate-shaped portion 1023c that is parallel to at least the front surface of the gaming panel 1100. With this type of lower right panel decorative portion 1023, during the installation work of attaching the component 1000 to the gaming panel 1100, for example, when a worker lifts the component 1000 placed in a storage location such as a workbench or storage box, the worker can hook his or her fingers on the plate-shaped portion 1023c through the space 1023b, allowing the worker to easily lift the component 1000. Furthermore, during the installation work of attaching the component 1000 to the gaming panel 1100, for example, when positioning the component 1000 on the gaming panel 1100, an operator can hook his/her fingers on the plate-shaped portion 1023c through the space 1023b, thereby easily attaching and detaching the component 1000 to and from the gaming panel 1100. This improves the workability of the installation work of attaching the component 1000 to the gaming panel 1100. Note that the plate-shaped portion 1023c is also an important component in the installation and detachment work of the gaming board 5 to and from the main frame 4. In particular, during the work of removing the gaming board 5 from the main frame 4, a turnout (an L-shaped edge extending from the rear surface of the lower right panel decorative portion 1023 toward the front surface of the gaming panel 1100) may be provided on the edge to prevent the hooked fingers from coming off the plate-shaped portion 1023c. This allows for easier application of force with the fingertips, thereby enabling the game board 5 to be safely removed from the main frame 4. Furthermore, instead of the plate-like portion 1023c, the lower right panel decorative portion 1023 that abuts against the gaming panel 1100 may have a notch (not shown) cut out in at least a portion of the edge of the side wall that forms the base when viewed from the front, large enough for a fingertip to fit through. The notch is shaped similarly to a tab, allowing for easier application of force with the fingertips, enabling safe removal of the gaming board 5 from the main frame 4. Because stress is applied to the plate-like portion 1023c and the notch during attachment and removal, at least the lower right panel decorative portion 1023 is fixed to the gaming panel 1100 with mounting screws near the plate-like portion 1023c and the notch. Even if excessive stress is applied and damage occurs, even if an electrical component such as the functional display unit 1400 is attached to the component 1000 as described above, the entire functional display unit 1400 can be easily removed from the gaming panel 1100 and replaced with a new one.

Furthermore, the front surface of the plate-shaped portion 1023c of the lower right panel decorative portion 1023 may be formed with an uneven surface with multiple continuous fine irregularities. The uneven surface is, for example, a surface with a wrinkled pattern formed by a surface treatment such as embossing, which creates multiple continuous fine irregularities capable of scattering light. The wrinkled pattern is formed by multiple short, linear ridges extending in random directions, and may be, for example, a rough, pear-skin pattern (pear-skin pattern) or a fine geometric pattern. Such an uneven surface acts as an anti-slip surface to prevent the worker's hand from slipping off the front surface of the plate-shaped portion 1024c when it comes into contact with the worker's hand, without causing pain or other discomfort to the worker. This prevents the component 1000 from slipping off the worker's hand, improving the workability of the installation work of attaching the component 1000 to the gaming panel 1100. Furthermore, the uneven surface formed on the front portion of the component 1000, which is a series of multiple fine irregularities, makes the dirt on the front portion of the component 1000 less noticeable even if it becomes soiled with oil or grease when an operator touches the front portion of the component 1000 with their bare hands, and prevents the player from losing interest in the game even if the dirt is visually observed by the player. The same effect is achieved when attaching and detaching the game board 5 to the main frame 4.

[Modification 5 of the preceding component]
In the above-described embodiment, the configuration of the preceding component 1000 and the game panel 1100 of the pachinko machine 1 has been described, but the preceding component 1000 is a component that is assembled (hereinafter may be referred to as being attached) to the game panel 1100, and conventionally, when an operator carries a game board 5 with the preceding component 1000 attached to the game panel 1100, the operator's hands may slip on the front surface 1000x of the preceding component 1000 and come into contact with obstacle nails or accessories within the game area 5a, which may cause the obstacle nails to deform, rust to form on the obstacle nails, or damage to the accessories. Furthermore, when transporting the game board 5, when an operator holding the game board 5 removes his/her hand from the outer edge of the game board 5, the operator's hand may get caught on the side surface 1000y of the component 1000, and a force may be applied to the component 1000 such that the component 1000 is removed forward from the game panel 1100, which may cause damage such as cracks to the component 1000. Below, we will explain an embodiment in which the component 1000 has been further modified in order to solve these problems.

The pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment has the same configuration as the pachinko machine 1 described above except for the preceding component 1000 and the gaming panel 1100. Therefore, the following will describe in detail the configuration of the preceding component 1000 and the gaming panel 1100, and will omit a description of the other components of the pachinko machine 1. Figure 201 is a front perspective view showing the opening and closing axis side of the gaming board 5, and more specifically, a front perspective view showing the opening and closing axis side of the gaming panel 1100 and the opening and closing axis side of the preceding component 1000 attached to the gaming panel 1100.

As shown in FIG. 201, the gaming board 5 has a gaming panel 1100 in which a gaming area 5a is formed, through which gaming balls can flow, and a front component 1000 provided on the front side of the gaming panel 1100. As described above, the gaming panel 1100 has a panel plate 1110 and a panel holder 1120 assembled around the periphery of the panel plate 1110, and is formed as a plate with an outline that is approximately rectangular when viewed from the front. In this manner, when the gaming panel 1100 is constructed by assembling the panel holder 1120 to the panel plate 1110, the amount of resin material used to form the gaming panel 1100 can be reduced. Note that the gaming panel 1100 may be a plate-shaped component in which the panel plate 1110 and the panel holder 1120 are integrally formed, which can increase the strength of the gaming panel 1100.

The gaming panel 1100 may also have a front surface smoothed portion 1100c1, a back surface smoothed portion 1100c2, a back surface recessed portion 1100c3, and an inner surface smoothed portion 1100c4 as shown in Figures 181 to 183 above. Below, with reference to Figures 181 to 183, the configuration of a gaming panel 1100 having a front surface smoothed portion 1100c1, a back surface smoothed portion 1100c2, a back surface recessed portion 1100c3, and an inner surface smoothed portion 1100c4 will be described in detail.

The gentle surface portion 1100c1 may be formed on the outer edge of the gaming panel 1100, and for example, on the front surface 1100x of the gaming panel 1100, it is formed as an inclined surface whose depth in the front-to-back direction gradually increases from the inside to the outside, connecting the front surface 1100x and the side surface 1100y. A worker attempting to grasp the game panel 1100 tends to avoid contact between his/her hand and the sharp corner formed by the intersection of the front surface 1100x and the side surface 1100y, for example, so as not to feel pain or other discomfort in his/her hand grasping the game panel 1100. The gentle surface portion 1100c1 can be seen by the worker attempting to grasp the game panel 1100, thereby visually guiding the worker so that his/her hand will come into contact with two obtuse corners rather than one sharp corner, and can also tactilely guide the worker so that his/her hand will come into contact with two obtuse corners rather than one sharp corner, by coming into contact with the hand of the worker attempting to grasp the game panel 1100. This reduces discomfort to the worker when the gaming panel 1100 is being transported, and also makes it possible to suggest the gripping position of the gaming panel 1100 to a worker who is unfamiliar with it. It also reduces the risk of the worker's hands coming into contact with the obstructing nails N or the center device 2500 in the gaming area 5a, which could cause deformation of the obstructing nails N, rust on the obstructing nails N, or damage to the center device 2500, etc., and allows the gaming panel 1100 to be transported safely.

In addition, the surface of the smooth surface portion 1100c1 may be formed with a wrinkled pattern (for example, a rough pear-skin pattern (pear-skin pattern) or a geometric pattern consisting of fine irregularities) by surface treatment such as embossing. The wrinkled pattern formed on the surface of the smooth surface portion 1100c1 acts as an anti-slip surface when it comes into contact with the hands of an operator transporting the gaming panel 1100, without causing any pain or discomfort to the operator, thereby allowing the gaming panel 1100 to be transported safely. Furthermore, if a wrinkle pattern is formed on the side surface 1100y of the game panel 1100, the wrinkle pattern acts as an anti-slip barrier between the hand of an operator holding the game board 5 and the side surface 5y of the game board 5, and for example, when an operator holding the game board 5 moves his or her hand away from the outer edge of the game board 5, the operator's hand may get caught on the side surface 1100y of the game panel 1100, causing a force to be applied that causes the component 1000 to be removed forward from the game panel 1100, which may damage the outer edge of the component 1000. From this perspective, it is desirable that the side surface 1100y of the game panel 1100 be flat and not have a wrinkle pattern. On the other hand, a wrinkled pattern (for example, a rough pear-skin pattern (pear-skin-like pattern) or a geometric pattern consisting of fine irregularities) is formed on the surface of the smooth surface portion 1100c1 by surface treatment such as embossing, and the side surface 1100y of the game panel 1100 is made flat without forming a wrinkled pattern, so that when a worker holds it, the feeling felt in the palm of the hand is different from the feeling felt by the fingertips, and the worker can firmly readjust the grip to a position and way that feels most comfortable to the worker, and the game board 5 can be carried safely. Furthermore, although the side surface 1000y of the component 1000 depends on its positional relationship with the side surface 1100y of the gaming panel 1100, due to the shape of the step (specific step portion) formed between the side surface 1000y of the component 1000 and the front surface 1100x (front surface of the gaming board) of the gaming panel 1100 (the side surface of the partition member), if the side surface 1000y of the component 1000 is close to or flush with the side surface 1100y of the gaming panel 1100, the feeling felt by the palm of the hand when the worker grasps it will be different from the feeling felt by the fingertips, so it is desirable that the side surface 1000y of the component 1000 be flat and free from wrinkles. Note that, as mentioned above, in an embodiment in which the gaming panel 1100 is configured by assembling the panel holder 1120 to the panel board 1110, it can be said that it is desirable that the side surface of the panel holder 1120 (the portion covering the side surface of the panel board 1110) be flat and free from wrinkles.

The backside smoothed portion 1100c2 may be formed on the outer edge of the gaming panel 1100, and may be formed, for example, as an inclined surface on the rear surface 1100z of the gaming panel 1100, with the depth in the front-to-rear direction gradually increasing from the inside to the outside, connecting the rear surface 1100z with the side surface 1100y. The backside smoothed portion 1100c2 is visible to an operator attempting to grasp the gaming panel 1100, thereby visually guiding the operator's hand, and by coming into contact with the operator's hand attempting to grasp the gaming panel 1100, it can also tactilely guide the operator so that the operator's hand comes into contact with two obtuse corners rather than one sharp corner. Furthermore, with the gaming panel 1100 of this embodiment, when the gaming panel 1100 is transported by an operator, the discomfort felt by the operator's hands coming into contact with the outer edge 1100b1 can be reduced, and the operator who is unfamiliar with the gripping position of the gaming panel 1100 can be shown where to grip the gaming panel 1100. This also reduces the risk of the operator's hands coming into contact with the obstructing nails N or the center device 2500 in the gaming area 5a, which could cause deformation of the obstructing nails N, rust on the obstructing nails N, or damage to the center device 2500, thereby allowing the gaming panel 1100 to be transported safely. It is desirable that the back surface smooth portion 1100c2 be formed so as to correspond to the front surface smooth portion 1100c1 in the front-to-rear direction, which increases the guidance effect on the operator and makes the gaming panel 1100 even safer to transport.

The surface of the backside smooth portion 1100c2 may also be formed with a wrinkled pattern (for example, a rough pear-skin pattern (pear-skin pattern) or a geometric pattern consisting of fine irregularities) by surface treatment such as embossing. The wrinkled pattern formed on the surface of the backside smooth portion 1100c2 acts as an anti-slip surface when it comes into contact with the hands of an operator transporting the gaming panel 1100, without causing pain or other discomfort to the operator, allowing the gaming panel 1100 to be transported safely.

The back surface recess 1100c3 may be formed on the outer edge of the gaming panel 1100, for example, in a circular recess on the rear surface 1100z of the gaming panel 1100. The back surface recess 1100c3 is formed to correspond to the front surface smoothed portion 1100c1 and the back surface smoothed portion 1100c2 in the front-to-rear direction, and corresponds to the four fingers (index finger through little finger) of an operator who grasps the front surface smoothed portion 1100c1 or the back surface smoothed portion 1100c2. Such a back surface recess 1100c3, together with the front surface smoothed portion 1100c1 and the back surface smoothed portion 1100c2, can contribute to the safe transportation of the gaming panel 1100. The surface of the opening of the rear recessed portion 1100c3 may be formed with a wrinkled pattern (for example, a rough pear-skin pattern or a geometric pattern consisting of fine irregularities) by surface treatment such as embossing. The wrinkled pattern formed on the surface of the rear recessed portion 1100c3 acts as an anti-slip surface when it comes into contact with the hands of an operator transporting the gaming panel 1100, without causing pain or other discomfort to the operator, thereby contributing to even safer transportation of the gaming panel 1100.

The inner gentle surface portion 1100c4 may be formed on the inner side of the gaming panel 1100, and for example, on the rear surface 1100z of the gaming panel 1100, it is formed as an arc-shaped curved surface that smoothly connects the side surface 1100y and the rear surface 1100z. A worker attempting to grasp the game panel 1100 may, for example, place his or her hand on the opening 1112 of the game panel 1100, and in order to avoid causing pain to the hand grasping the game panel 1100, the worker tends to avoid contact with the sharp corner formed by the intersection of the side surface 1100y and the rear surface 1100z. The inner gentle surface portion 1100c4 is visible to the worker attempting to grasp the game panel 1100, and can visually guide the worker so that the worker's hand comes into contact with the arc-shaped curved surface rather than a sharp corner, and by coming into contact with the hand of the worker attempting to grasp the game panel 1100, can also tactilely guide the worker so that the worker's hand comes into contact with the arc-shaped curved surface rather than a single sharp corner. Therefore, with the game panel 1100 of this embodiment, when the game panel 1100 is transported by a worker, the discomfort felt by the worker's hands coming into contact with the inner edge 1100b2 can be reduced, and the gripping position of the game panel 1100 can be suggested to a worker who is unfamiliar with it. This also reduces the risk of the worker's hands coming into contact with obstructing nails N in the game area 5a, which could cause the obstructing nails N to deform or rust, allowing the game panel 1100 to be transported safely.

As shown in Figures 187 and 188 above, the gaming panel 1100 may further have an outer edge wall portion 5p6, a rear slope portion 5p7, and a back step portion 5p8, which can further reduce contact between the hands of an operator transporting the gaming board 5 and the obstructing nails N or the center gimmick 2500, contributing to safe transportation of the gaming board 5. Below, with reference to Figures 187 and 188, the configuration of a gaming panel 1100 further having an outer edge wall portion 5p6, a rear slope portion 5p7, and a back step portion 5p8 will be described in detail.

The outer edge wall portion 5p6 may be formed on the outer edge of the gaming panel 1100, and may be formed, for example, as a wall that protrudes rearward from the rear end of the gaming panel 1100 and extends along the outer edge. The outer edge wall portion 5p6 makes it easy for a worker to hook their fingers around the rear side of the gaming board 5 when transporting the gaming board 5, contributing to safe transportation of the gaming board 5. Furthermore, when transporting a gaming board 5 with the back unit 3000 removed, the worker can hook their fingers on the outer edge wall portion 5p6, allowing the worker to firmly hold the gaming board 5 and further contributing to safe transportation of the gaming board 5. The outer edge wall portion 5p6 may be formed as a wall that extends along the entire outer edge of the gaming panel 1100, or may be formed on only a portion of the outer edge of the gaming panel 1100. Additionally, it is desirable for the outer edge wall portion 5p6 to be formed in a position corresponding to the gentle surface portion 5c1, etc. in the front-to-rear direction, which further contributes to the safe transportation of the game board 5.

The rear sloped portion 5p7 may be formed so as to be continuous with the peak of the rear end of the outer edge wall portion 5p6, and may be formed, for example, so as to be contiguous with the inside of the outer edge wall portion 5p6. When transporting the game board 5 from which the back unit 3000 has been removed, the rear sloped portion 5p7 supports the fingers of the worker who hooks onto the outer edge wall portion 5p6, reducing pain and other discomfort felt by the worker's fingers hooked onto the outer edge wall portion 5p6. This allows the worker to more securely hold the game board 5 and further contributes to the safe transport of the game board 5.

The rear step portion 5p8 is formed on the rear surface of the gaming panel 1100, protruding from the rear surface 1100z of the gaming panel 1100, at a position inward from the rear slope portion 5p7 and outward from the opening 1112 of the gaming panel 1100. When the rear step portion 5p8 comes into contact with the hand of an operator attempting to engage the outer edge wall portion 5p6 while transporting the gaming board 5 from which the rear unit 3000 has been removed, the rear step portion 5p8 alerts the operator through the opening 1112 of the gaming panel 1100 that there are areas inside the rear step portion 5p8 that should not be touched, such as the obstructing nails N and the center gimmick 2500. This further reduces contact between the operator's hand transporting the gaming board 5 and the obstructing nails N and the center gimmick 2500, allowing the gaming board 5 to be transported safely. From the perspective of enhancing the tactile guidance effect, it is desirable for the rear step portion 5p8 to be formed continuously along the opening 1112 of the gaming panel 1100.

As shown in FIG. 201, the component 1000 is positioned outside the outer periphery of the play area 5a, defining the periphery of the play area 5a. The component 1000 has a gentle surface portion 5c1 formed on the outer edge of the component 1000, which is an inclined surface whose depth in the front-to-rear direction gradually increases from the inside to the outside. The gentle surface portion 5c1 is visible to an operator attempting to grasp the game board 5, and visually and tactilely guides the operator's hand to the gentle surface portion 5c1. This reduces discomfort to the operator when the game board 5 is being transported, and indicates the gripping position. It also reduces the risk of the operator's hand coming into contact with the obstacle pins N or the center device 2500 within the play area 5a, which could result in deformation of the obstacle pins N, rust on the obstacle pins N, or damage to the center device 2500, thereby contributing to the safe transportation of the game board 5.

The surface of the smooth surface portion 5c1 may also be subjected to surface treatment such as embossing to form a wrinkled pattern (for example, a rough, pear-skin pattern (pear-skin-like pattern) or a geometric pattern consisting of fine irregularities). The wrinkled pattern formed on the surface of the smooth surface portion 5c1 acts as an anti-slip surface when it comes into contact with the hands of an operator transporting the game board 5, without causing pain or other discomfort to the operator, further contributing to the safe transportation of the game board 5.

In addition, if a wrinkle pattern is formed on the side surface 1000y of the component 1000, the wrinkle pattern acts as a non-slip barrier between the hand of an operator holding the gaming board 5 and the side surface 5y of the gaming board 5. For example, when an operator holding the gaming board 5 removes his or her hand from the outer edge of the gaming board 5, the operator's hand may get caught on the side surface 1000y of the component 1000, exerting a force that causes the component 1000 to be removed forward from the gaming panel 1100, potentially damaging the outer edge of the component 1000. From this perspective, it is desirable that the side surface 1000y of the component 1000 be flat and free of wrinkles.

In addition, a step portion 5c7 is formed on the side surface 5y of the gaming board 5 (side surface 1000y of the component 1000 and side surface 1100y of the gaming panel 1100) connecting the side surface 1000y of the component 1000 and the front surface 1100x of the gaming panel 1100. When transporting the gaming board 5, even if the worker's hand gets caught on the side surface 1000y of the component 1000 when the worker gripping the gaming board 5 removes their hand from the outer edge of the gaming board 5, this step portion 5c7 prevents the worker's hand from coming into strong contact with the component 1000. This prevents a force from acting on the component 1000 that would cause it to be removed forward from the gaming panel 1100, thereby preventing damage such as cracks from occurring to the component 1000 and contributing to the safe transportation of the gaming board 5. The step portion 5c7 may be formed on at least a portion of the side surface 5y of the game board 5 (the side surface 1000y of the component 1000 and the side surface 1100y of the game panel 1100), for example, in a range corresponding to the gentle surface portion 5c1 in the front-to-rear direction, which can contribute to the safe transportation of the game board 5.

The step portion 5c7 may be formed on at least one of the opening/closing axis side where the game board 5 attached to the main frame 4 opens and closes together with the main frame 4, or the rotating side opposite the opening/closing axis side. In particular, if it is formed on the opening/closing axis side, when attaching the game board 5 to the main frame 4, the worker can easily remove their hand without getting caught on the side surface 5y of the game board 5 through the small gap between the main frame 4 and the game board 5, which also contributes to the safe installation of the game board 5.

Furthermore, it is desirable that the above-mentioned wrinkle patterns are not formed on the side surface 5y of the gaming board 5 (side surface 1000y of the component 1000 and side surface 1100y of the gaming panel 1100), and that wrinkle patterns are also not formed on the front surface 1100x of the gaming panel 1100 that constitutes the step portion 5c7. This prevents the hand of an operator from getting caught on the side surface 5 of the gaming board 5 when transporting the gaming board 5, preventing a force from being applied that would cause the component 1000 to be removed from the gaming panel 1100, further contributing to safe transportation of the gaming board 5.

Furthermore, as shown in Figures 197 to 199 above, the component 1000 has a panel decorative portion 1020, which may be divided into multiple portions outside the outer periphery of the play area 5a. In this embodiment, the panel decorative portion 1020 may be composed of a lower left panel decorative portion 1021 located at the lower left, an upper panel decorative portion 1022 located at the upper side, and a lower right panel decorative portion 1023 located at the lower right when viewed from the front of the play board 5. In this configuration, even if damage such as a crack occurs in the panel decorative portion 1020 of the component 1000 that is held by the worker when the game board 5 is transported by the worker, it is possible to replace only the damaged portion of the lower left panel decorative portion 1021, the upper panel decorative portion 1022, and the lower right panel decorative portion 1023 without having to replace the entire panel decorative portion 1020 of the component 1000, making it easy to repair the game board 5 and contributing to safe transportation of the game board 5. Note that the panel decorative portion 1020 is not limited to being divided into three portions: the lower left panel decorative portion 1021, the upper panel decorative portion 1022, and the lower right panel decorative portion 1023, but may be divided into two or four or more portions.

At least one of the lower left panel decorative portion 1021, upper panel decorative portion 1022 and lower right panel decorative portion 102 has a wrinkled pattern (for example, a rough pear-skin pattern or a geometric pattern consisting of fine bumps) formed on the front surface by surface treatment such as embossing. This is visible to an operator attempting to grasp the game board 5, and visually guides the operator's hand to the lower left panel decorative portion 1021 and the lower right panel decorative portion 1023. When the pattern comes into contact with the operator's hand while transporting the game board 5, it acts as an anti-slip surface without causing pain or discomfort to the operator. This also reduces the risk of the operator's hand coming into contact with obstacle nails or center features within the game area 5a, which could cause the obstacle nails to deform, rust on the obstacle nails or damage to the center features, thereby contributing to the safe transportation of the game board 5. Furthermore, the sides of the lower left panel decorative portion 1021, upper panel decorative portion 1022, and lower right panel decorative portion 102 are free of wrinkles, which prevents the worker's hand from getting caught on the side surface 1000y of the preceding component 1000 when the worker holding the game board 5 removes their hand from the outer edge of the game board 5, preventing damage such as cracks from occurring to the preceding component 1000 and contributing to the safe transportation of the game board 5.

The upper panel decorative portion 1022 is also provided with a function display unit mounting portion 1011 formed to penetrate the main body of the upper panel decorative portion 1022 in the front-to-rear direction on the side of the opening/closing axis when the game board 5 is opened and closed in the pachinko machine 1, and the main body 1401 of the function display unit 1400 is attached to the function display unit mounting portion 1011 from the rear of the upper panel decorative portion 1022 so that it fits in before the upper panel decorative portion 1022 is attached to the game panel 1100. Note that fixing members such as screws or bolts may be used to attach the function display unit 1400 to the upper panel decorative portion 1022. In such an upper panel decorative part 1022, the wiring 1402 extends rearward from the function display unit 1400, and when carrying the upper panel decorative part 1022 or the game panel 1100 to which the upper panel decorative part 1022 is attached, the worker's hands may come into contact with the front surface of the function display unit 1400 or the wiring 1402, which may damage the function display unit 1400 or the wiring 1402. However, in the upper panel decorative part 1022 of this embodiment, as described above, a wrinkled pattern is formed on the front surface of the upper panel decorative part 1022, so that the worker can easily This prevents a user's hand from slipping on the front of the upper panel decorative portion 1022 and coming into contact with the front of the function display unit 1400. Even if the function display unit 1400 is damaged, because the component 1000 is made up of multiple pieces, it is possible to replace only the upper panel decorative portion 1022, or remove only the upper panel decorative portion 1022 and replace the function display unit 1400, without having to remove the entire component 1000 from the gaming panel 1100, which contributes to safe transportation of the gaming board 5.

Also, as shown in Figure 199 above, the function display unit 1400 may be attached to the lower right panel decorative portion 1023. In this configuration, the lower right panel decorative portion 1023 has a function display unit mounting portion 1011 formed on the rotating side opposite the opening/closing axis side when the game board 5 is opened and closed in the pachinko machine 1. For example, the function display unit mounting portion 1011 is formed in place of the above-mentioned inspection-certified label attachment portion 1014a. Furthermore, an LED board equipped with a connector to which wiring 1402 electrically connects the LEDs and the panel relay board is mounted is provided within the main body 1401 of the function display unit 1400, and electrical disconnection can be easily achieved by removing this connector. Therefore, the lower right panel decorative portion 1023 together with the function display unit 1400 can be easily removed from the game panel 1100 while still fastened with screws. In this configuration of the lower right panel decorative portion 1023, a wrinkled pattern is formed on the front surface of the lower right panel decorative portion 1023, which prevents a worker's hand from slipping on the front surface of the lower right panel decorative portion 1023 and coming into contact with the front surface of the function display unit 1400. Even if the function display unit 1400 is damaged, because the component 1000 is made up of multiple pieces, it is possible to replace only the lower right panel decorative portion 1023 or only the upper panel decorative portion 1022 and replace the function display unit 1400 without removing the entire component 1000 from the gaming panel 1100, which contributes to safe transportation of the gaming board 5. The function display unit 1400 may also be provided on the lower left panel decorative portion 1021, similar to the configuration of the upper panel decorative portion 1023 and lower right panel decorative portion 1023 described above.

Furthermore, because the component 1000 is divided into separate panel decorative sections, each section can be easily removed. When attached to the gaming panel 1100, an information area for recording manufacturer information (e.g., lot number) may be provided where the two overlap. When providing such an information area, it is preferable that at least the panel decorative section covering the information area be formed from black resin, so that the manufacturer information recorded in the information area is not visible to players. When players wish to view the manufacturer information recorded in the information area, the corresponding panel decorative section can be easily removed for easy viewing. For example, in the event of a malfunction, a tracking investigation can be performed using the example lot number. Furthermore, when the panel decorative section is formed from transparent resin, a wrinkled pattern may be formed on the panel decorative section using a surface treatment such as embossing. In addition to providing a non-slip effect, the wrinkled pattern can also make the manufacturer information recorded in the information area less visible. The decorative panel portion may be made of a dark, translucent resin such as black. In such cases, it is desirable that the information written in the information area be a dark color such as black or gray, in order to make the information difficult to see. It is even more effective to create a wrinkled pattern on the front of the decorative panel portion using a surface treatment such as embossing.

Furthermore, as shown in Figure 200 above, the lower right panel decorative portion 1023 may have an outer wall portion 1023a that forms a space 1023b, part of which is open to the outside, between it and the front surface of the gaming panel 1100. The outer wall portion 1023a has a plate-shaped portion 1023c that is parallel to at least the front surface of the gaming panel 1100. With such a lower right panel decorative portion 1023, during the installation work of attaching the component 1000 to the gaming panel 1100, for example, when a worker lifts the component 1000 placed in a storage location such as a workbench or storage box, the worker can hook his or her fingers on the plate-shaped portion 1023c through the space 1023b, allowing the worker to easily lift the component 1000. Furthermore, during the installation work of attaching the component 1000 to the gaming panel 1100, for example, when positioning the component 1000 on the gaming panel 1100, an operator can hook his/her fingers on the plate-shaped portion 1023c through the space 1023b, thereby easily attaching and detaching the component 1000 to and from the gaming panel 1100. This improves the workability of the installation work of attaching the component 1000 to the gaming panel 1100. Note that the plate-shaped portion 1023c is also an important component in the installation and detachment work of the gaming board 5 to and from the main frame 4. In particular, during the work of removing the gaming board 5 from the main frame 4, a turnout (an L-shaped edge extending from the rear surface of the lower right panel decorative portion 1023 toward the front surface of the gaming panel 1100) may be provided on the edge to prevent the hooked fingers from coming off the plate-shaped portion 1023c. This allows for easier application of force with the fingertips, thereby enabling the game board 5 to be safely removed from the main frame 4. Furthermore, instead of the plate-like portion 1023c, the lower right panel decorative portion 1023 that abuts against the gaming panel 1100 may have a notch (not shown) cut out in at least a portion of the edge of the side wall that forms the base when viewed from the front, large enough for a fingertip to fit through. The notch is shaped similarly to a tab, allowing for easier application of force with the fingertips, enabling safe removal of the gaming board 5 from the main frame 4. Because stress is applied to the plate-like portion 1023c and the notch during attachment and removal, at least the lower right panel decorative portion 1023 is fixed to the gaming panel 1100 with mounting screws near the plate-like portion 1023c and the notch. Even if excessive stress is applied and damage occurs, even if an electrical component such as the functional display unit 1400 is attached to the component 1000 as described above, the entire functional display unit 1400 can be easily removed from the gaming panel 1100 and replaced with a new one.

Furthermore, the front surface of the plate-shaped portion 1023c of the lower right panel decorative portion 1023 may be formed with an uneven surface with multiple continuous fine irregularities. The uneven surface is, for example, a surface with a wrinkled pattern formed by a surface treatment such as embossing, which creates multiple continuous fine irregularities capable of scattering light. The wrinkled pattern is formed by multiple short, linear ridges extending in random directions, and may be, for example, a rough, pear-skin pattern (pear-skin pattern) or a fine geometric pattern. Such an uneven surface acts as an anti-slip surface to prevent the worker's hand from slipping off the front surface of the plate-shaped portion 1024c when it comes into contact with the worker's hand, without causing pain or other discomfort to the worker. This prevents the component 1000 from slipping off the worker's hand, improving the workability of the installation work of attaching the component 1000 to the gaming panel 1100. Furthermore, the uneven surface formed on the front portion of the component 1000, which is a series of multiple fine irregularities, can make the dirt on the front portion of the component 1000 less noticeable even if it becomes soiled with oil or grease when an operator touches the front portion of the component 1000 with their bare hands, and can prevent the player from losing interest in the game even if the dirt is visually observed by the player. The same effect is also achieved when attaching and detaching the game board 5 to the main frame 4.

[Examples of various notation modifications]
Next, as a further variation from the above, a configuration that facilitates the assembly of various components to the gaming board will be described. A side unit 2200A, which is a modification of the side unit 2200 described in Figures 78 to 80 and 84, will be described below with reference to Figure 202(a) and other figures. Components other than the side unit 2200A that are the same as those in the above embodiment having the side unit 2200 will be described with the same reference numerals.

Figure 202(a) is a front view showing the front of the side unit 2200A, Figure 202(b) is a rear view showing the rear of the side unit 2200A, and Figure 203 is an exploded view of the side unit 2200A with the film member 2203A (described later) removed. As shown in Figure 202(a) or 202(b), the side unit 2200A is equipped with a side unit main body 2202A that extends along the inner rail 1002 to the left of the starting port unit 2100 within the game area 5a, three general winning ports 2001A formed in the side unit main body 2202A and open to receive game balls B at all times, and one sub-out port 2021A formed in the side unit main body 2202A and open to receive game balls B at all times. Additionally, as shown in FIG. 203, a predetermined film member 2203A can be attached to the front surface of the side unit main body 2202A. The side unit 2200A guides game balls B received in the general winning opening 2001A or sub-out opening 2021A downward toward the rear side of the game panel 1100, where they can be handed over to the rear ball guide unit 3100 of the rear unit 3000.

The side unit main body 2202A is made of a transparent or translucent synthetic resin, and is formed with a sub-outlet 2021A, three general winning openings 2001A, and a shelf 2201A, in that order from left to right when viewed from the front. In front of the sub-outlet 2021A, three general winning openings 2001A, and shelf 2201A, is a flat front surface 2204A to which a sticker-like film member 2203A can be attached.

The film member 2203A is made of a sheet material made of translucent synthetic resin. On the front surface of the film member 2203A, as shown in Figure 203, for example, there are printed a background pattern 2207A (in this example, a red and pink cherry blossom pattern) that decorates almost the entire front surface of the side unit 2200A, a prize opening notation 2205A (in this example, the alphabetic notation of the string "IN" in solid black) that is formed in a position corresponding to the general prize opening 2001A (near the general prize opening 2001A, preferably in a position that overlaps at least a portion of the general prize opening 2001A in the front-to-back direction) and indicates that it is the general prize opening 2001A, and an outlet notation 2206A (in this example, the alphabetic notation of the string "OUT" in solid black) that is formed in a position corresponding to the sub-outlet 2021A (near the sub-outlet 2021A, preferably in a position that overlaps at least a portion of the sub-outlet 2021A in the front-to-back direction) and indicates that it is the sub-outlet 2021A. Note that the winning slot notation 2205A and the outlet notation 2206A may be positioned so as not to overlap the general winning slot 2001A or the sub-outlet slot 2021A in the front-to-back direction, as long as they are positioned so that the player can see that they correspond to the general winning slot 2001A or the sub-outlet slot 2021A.

Figure 204 shows the structural details of the film member 2203A of this example, and is an exploded view of the film member 2203A broken down into multiple film layers. As shown in Figure 204, the film member 2203A of this example has at least three layers: the first film layer 2203Aa, which is the frontmost layer; the second film layer 2203Ab, which is located below the first film layer 2203Aa; and the third film layer 2203Ac, which is located below the second film layer 2203Ab. The film layers are stacked and integrated to form a single seal-like member. Of these, the first film layer 2203Aa is a translucent synthetic resin sheet material on which the winning slot notation 2205A and the winning slot notation 2206A are printed. The second film layer 2203Ab is a translucent synthetic resin sheet on which the aforementioned background pattern 2207A (in this example, a red and pink cherry blossom pattern) is printed. The third film layer 2203Ac is a translucent synthetic resin sheet on which a white base is printed all over to make the aforementioned background pattern 2207A clearer, and its back surface is pasted with an adhesive that allows it to be attached to the front surface 2204A of the side unit main body 2202A. In other words, in this example, the film member 2203A is configured so that the background pattern 2207A of the second film layer 2203Ab and the winning slot notation 2205A and the exit notation 2206A of the first film layer 2203Aa are superimposed on the white background of the third film layer 2203Ac. Because all of these film layers are translucent, it is possible to provide a decorative substrate with light-emitting elements such as LEDs at the rear to illuminate the side unit 2200A. Note that the film member 2203A is not limited to the three film layers described above, and may be configured with three or more film layers, or with only two or one film layer. When configured with only two or one film layer, the winning slot notation 2205A and the exit notation 2206A may also be printed on the film layer printed with the background pattern 2207A.

Figure 205 shows modified examples of the notation style of the winning slot notation 2205A and the out slot notation 2206A of Figures 202 and 203. In the examples shown in Figures 202 and 203, the winning slot notation 2205A is formed in the alphabetical notation of the string "IN" in solid black, and the out slot notation 2206A is formed in the alphabetical notation of the string "OUT" in solid black. Each modified example shown in Figure 205 is similar to the examples shown in Figures 202 and 203 in that it uses alphabetical notation, but in particular, among the modified examples shown in Figure 205, the examples shown in Figures 205(a) to 205(f) differ in that they have inner notation portion 2206Aa and outer notation portion 2206Ab. Specifically, in the example shown in Figures 205(a) and 205(b), the winning slot notation 2205A and the winning slot notation 2206A consist of a black inner notation portion 2206Aa that imitates the target alphabet notation ("IN" or "OUT") and a white outer notation portion 2206Ab that imitates the target alphabet notation ("IN" or "OUT"), with the outer notation portion 2206Ab formed to surround the entire outer edge of the inner notation portion 2206Aa.

Here, with reference to Figures 205(a) and 205(b), the details of the winning slot notation 2205A, the out slot notation 2206A, and the background design 2207A will be explained. The winning slot notation 2205A and the out slot notation 2206A are located in front of the above-mentioned background design 2207A (in this example, a red and pink cherry blossom pattern), specifically, above the film layer on which the background design 2207A is provided. Therefore, depending on the color of each notation, there is a risk that the notation will blend into the background design 2207A, impairing its visibility from the outside. In this regard, in this example, the inner notation portion 2206Aa and the outer notation portion 2206Ab are formed in different colors, and at least the outer notation portion 2206Ab is formed in a color (white in this example) different from the color used for the background design 2207A. As a result, the outer marking portion 2206Ab (white in this example) that surrounds the entire periphery of the inner marking portion 2206Aa (black in this example) creates a buffer area where the background pattern 2207A and the inner marking portion 2206Aa are not continuous, making the boundary between the background pattern 2207A and the inner marking portion 2206Aa clear and ensuring sufficient visibility of the winning slot marking 2205A and the winning slot marking 2206A that are located in front of the background pattern 2207A.

The colors of the background design 2207A, inner marking portion 2206Aa, and outer marking portion 2206Ab are not limited to the color combinations described above, and other color combinations may be used as long as the visibility of the winning slot marking 2205A and the winning slot marking 2206A, which are located in front of the background design 2207A, can be ensured. Specifically, if the background design 2207A is a red or pink cherry blossom pattern, the outer marking portion 2206Ab may be black and the inner marking portion 2206Aa may be white, as shown in Figure 205(c), or the outer marking portion 2206Ab may be black and the inner marking portion 2206Aa may be the same color as the background, as shown in Figure 205(d). Furthermore, the winning slot representation 2205A and the outgoing slot representation 2206A may be composed of multiple representations in addition to the inner representation 2206Aa and the outer representation 2206Ab, as long as the visibility of the winning slot representation 2205A and the outgoing slot representation 2206A can be ensured. For example, at least one intermediate representation 2206Ac may be further provided between the inner representation 2206Aa and the outer representation 2206Ab. Specifically, if the background design 2207A is a red or pink cherry blossom pattern, the outer representation 2206Ab may be black, the inner representation 2206Aa may be blue, and the intermediate representation 2206Ac may be white, as shown in FIG. 205(e). Alternatively, the outer representation 2206Ab may be white, the inner representation 2206Aa may be blue, and the intermediate representation 2206Ac may be black, as shown in FIG. 205(f).

Furthermore, as long as the visibility of the winning slot notation 2205A and the out slot notation 2206A can be ensured, the winning slot notation 2205A and the out slot notation 2206A may be configured without the inner notation portion 2206Aa and the outer notation portion 2206Ab, as shown in Figures 205(g) and (h). They may be "OUT" in italics, as shown in Figure 205(g), or "OUT" in a diagonal string, as shown in Figure 205(h). Furthermore, although not shown, the winning slot notation 2205A may be written in katakana as "in," in hiragana as "in," in kanji as "toku," or a graphic notation such as a "circle," as long as it indicates to the player that the winning slot is the general winning slot 2001A. Additionally, the out port notation 2206A may be written in katakana as "out," in hiragana as "out," in kanji as "loss," or in a graphic notation such as "x," as long as it indicates to the player that the out port is the sub-out port 2021A.

In a pachinko machine 1 in which the above-mentioned side unit 2200A is assembled to the gaming board 5, a player can easily grasp the position of the general winning slot 2001A and the sub-out slot 2021A within the gaming area 5a by visually checking the winning slot notation 2205A and the outlet notation 2206A. However, in conventional gaming machines, the winning slot notation 2205A and the outlet notation 2206A were only visible when viewing the side unit 2200A from the front side. For this reason, for example, during the development and manufacturing processes of a gaming machine, when inspecting and confirming whether there are any abnormalities in the structure of the ball flow paths (inside the general winning opening 2001A and inside the sub-outlet 2021A) on the back of the side unit 2200A before assembling it to the gaming board 5, there is the problem that it is time-consuming (for example, having to turn the side unit 2200A over each time to check the markings) to identify which flow paths lead to the general winning opening 2001A or the sub-outlet 2021A from the back of the side unit 2200A, which reduces the work efficiency during the development and manufacturing processes of the gaming machine and makes it insufficient in terms of convenience. Below, we will explain modifications made to the side unit 2200A in order to solve these problems.

Conventionally, when the above-mentioned film member 2203A has a third film layer 2203Ac or the like, a base is provided on the entire surface, and the background pattern 2207A of the second film layer 2203Ab and the winning slot notation 2205A and the outlet notation 2206A of the first film layer 2203Aa are configured to overlap the front side of the base. Therefore, when the third film layer 2203Ac is viewed from the back side, even if the third film layer 2203Ac is translucent, the visibility of the winning slot notation 2205A and the outlet notation 2206A from the back side is obstructed by the color of the base, making them impossible or difficult to see. In contrast to this, in the side unit 2200A of this example, in order to improve the work efficiency when inspecting and checking from the back side of the side unit 2200A to which the above-mentioned film member 2203A is attached, and thereby increase convenience, a ``back winning opening notation 2205Aa'' and a ``back winning opening notation 2206Aa'' are provided on the back side of the third film layer 2203Ac of the above-mentioned film member 2203A. Specifically, the rear prize entry opening notation 2205Aa and the rear exit opening notation 2206Aa are printed lower than the white base of the third film layer 2203Ac (for example, on the back side of the white base), and are visible from the back side of the film member 2203A (the back side of the third film layer 2203Ac) without visibility being obstructed by the white base.Even when the film member 2203A is attached to the side unit 2200A, the rear prize entry opening notation 2205Aa and the rear exit opening notation 2206Aa can be seen from the back side of the side unit 2200A through the transparent side unit 2200A. The rear prize opening notation 2205Aa is positioned in a position corresponding to the general prize opening 2001A (near the general prize opening 2001A, preferably in a position where at least a portion overlaps the general prize opening 2001A in the front-to-back direction), making it possible to indicate from the rear side of the film member 2203A that this is the location of the general prize opening 2001A and that the prize opening notation 2205A is located on the front side. Furthermore, the rear outlet notation 2206Aa is positioned in a position corresponding to the sub-outlet 2021A (near the sub-outlet 2021A, preferably in a position where at least a portion overlaps the sub-outlet 2021A in the front-to-back direction), making it possible to indicate from the rear side of the film member 2203A that this is the location of the sub-outlet 2021A and that the outlet notation 22056A is located on the front side.

In addition, in this example, the rear prize opening notation 2205Aa and the rear outlet notation 2206Aa are formed with the alphabetical characters "IN" and "OUT" in a single black line, as shown in FIG. 202. The "IN" and "OUT" that make up the rear prize opening notation 2205Aa and the rear outlet notation 2206Aa are formed as characters that can be recognized correctly when viewed from the back side of the above-mentioned film member 2203A (or side unit 2200A). When viewed from the front side of the film member 2203A (or side unit 2200A), the characters that make up the prize opening notation 2205A and the outlet notation 2206A are reversed in the same font and color, making it easy to communicate to the operator that the prize opening notation 2205A and the rear prize opening notation 2205Aa, and the outlet notation 2206A and the rear outlet notation 2206Aa correspond to each other.

As another example, the winning slot notation 2205A and the outlet notation 2206A may be modified to any of the modified examples shown in Figures 205(a) to (f). In doing so, the back winning slot notation 2205Aa and the back outlet notation 2206Aa may be modified as follows. For example, when modifying the winning slot notation 2205A and the outlet notation 2206A to any of the modified examples shown in Figures 205(a) to (f), the back winning slot notation 2205Aa and the back outlet notation 2206Aa may be configured so that they do not have the relationship between the inner notation portion 2206Aa and the outer notation portion 2206Ab that make up the winning slot notation 2205A and the outlet notation 2206A, and may be configured in a single color (for example, only black) rather than multiple colors. Specifically, referring to the example above, the rear winning slot notation 2205Aa and the rear outlet notation 2206Aa are surrounded by only the background, so they may be constructed using only a color different from the background color without providing an outer notation portion 2206Ab. In this way, it is possible to avoid the printing format becoming more complicated than if the rear winning slot notation 2205Aa and the rear outlet notation 2206Aa were provided with an inner notation portion 2206Aa and an outer notation portion 2206Ab. Furthermore, by differentiating the visibility of the rear winning slot notation 2205Aa and rear outlet notation 2206Aa (visual visibility in only one color) from the visibility of the winning slot notation 2205A and outlet notation 2206A (visual visibility in two colors), it is possible to clearly distinguish between the front and back of the film member 2203A, and to achieve the unique effect of making it easier to check the front and back when attaching the film member 2203A to the side unit 2200A.

In this example, the rear prize entry slot notation 2205Aa and the rear exit slot notation 2206Aa are printed below the white base of the third film layer 2203Ac, but the form in which the rear prize entry slot notation 2205Aa and the rear exit slot notation 2206Aa are provided is not limited to this and may be in the following form. For example, the rear winning slot notation 2205Aa and the rear outlet slot notation 2206a may be printed above the white background of the third film layer 2203Ac, with only the areas where the rear winning slot notation 2205Aa and the rear outlet slot notation 2206a are located remaining unprinted and transparent. Alternatively, the rear winning slot notation 2205Aa and the rear outlet slot notation 2206a may be printed on the back side of the first film layer 2203Aa, on which the winning slot notation 2205A and the outlet slot notation 2206 are printed, with only the areas where the rear winning slot notation 2205Aa and the rear outlet slot notation 2206Aa are located remaining unprinted and transparent on the white background of the third film layer 2203Ac. The background color is not limited to white and may be other colors.

In addition, while the above example illustrates rear winning slot notation 2205Aa and rear outlet notation 2206Aa being formed in the same notation style (alphabetical notation) as winning slot notation 2205A and outlet notation 2206A, this is not limited to this, and they may be notated in a style different from winning slot notation 2205A and outlet notation 2206A. For example, while winning slot notation 2205A and outlet notation 2206A are notated in the alphabet, rear winning slot notation 2205Aa and rear outlet notation 2206Aa may be notated in katakana (e.g., "in" or "out"), hiragana (e.g., "in" or "out"), kanji (e.g., "gain" or "loss"), or graphics (e.g., "o" or "x"). This also clarifies the difference between the front and back of film member 2203A and makes it easier to check the front and back when attaching film member 2203A to side unit 2200A. When representing them graphically, in order to be able to communicate that there is a correspondence between the winning entrance notation 2205A and the back winning entrance notation 2205Aa, and that there is a correspondence between the exit notation 2206A and the back exit notation 2206Aa, it is preferable to make the notation style of at least the back winning entrance notation 2205Aa and the back exit notation 2206Aa different; for example, a "☆" could be used for the back winning entrance notation 2205Aa and a "★" for the back exit notation 2206Aa.

In addition, the display style of the rear winning entrance notation 2205Aa and the rear exit notation 2206Aa is not limited to the above, and may be similar to the winning entrance notation 2205A and the exit notation 2206A, but may use a different font. For example, even if the same character string "OUT" is used, the size, shape, boldness, etc. of the character string may be different from the winning entrance notation 2205A and the exit notation 2206A, making it different from the rear winning entrance notation 2205Aa and the rear exit notation 2206Aa.

Furthermore, because the rear prize entry slot notation 2205Aa and rear exit slot notation 2206Aa are intended for use by developers, manufacturers, or administrators, rather than players, it is preferable to make them as difficult to see as possible from the player's perspective, taking into consideration the aesthetics of the side unit 2200A. Therefore, in this example, when the film member 2203A is attached to the side unit 2200A, the rear prize entry slot notation 2205Aa and rear exit slot notation 2206Aa are made invisible or difficult to see when the side unit 2200A is viewed from a player's perspective (for example, looking down from above). This point is explained below.

Specifically, the side unit 2200A in this example has a plate-shaped protruding wall 2208A extending in the left-right direction on the back side of the side unit 2200A so as to protrude rearward, and this protruding wall 2208A is configured to be located above the rear prize entry opening marking 2205Aa and the rear outlet opening marking 2206Aa. It is preferable that the protruding wall 2208A be positioned so that it cannot be contacted by game balls that enter the general prize entry opening 2001A or the sub-outlet opening 2021A. However, if it is positioned so that it can be contacted, it should protrude to an extent that does not impede the flow of game balls, and it should have an inclined portion so that game balls that come into contact with it do not remain. By providing a protruding wall 2208A on the back side of the side unit 2200A in this way, even if a player looks into the inside of the general winning opening 2001A or the sub-outlet opening 2021A from the entrance, the protruding wall 2208A obstructs visibility inside, making the back winning opening notation 2205Aa and the back outlet opening notation 2206Aa invisible or difficult to see, thereby preventing the back winning opening notation 2205Aa and the back outlet opening notation 2206Aa from detracting from the aesthetic appeal of the side unit 2200A or the decorativeness of the entire gaming machine.

In addition, instead of positioning the protruding wall 2208A above the rear prize entry opening notation 2205Aa and the rear outlet opening notation 2206Aa, the protruding wall 2208A may be positioned so that it overlaps the rear prize entry opening notation 2205Aa and the rear outlet opening notation 2206Aa in the front-to-rear direction. Even in this case, the protruding wall 2208A may obstruct inward visibility, making the rear prize entry opening notation 2205Aa and the rear outlet opening notation 2206Aa invisible or difficult to see, thereby preventing the rear prize entry opening notation 2205Aa and the rear outlet opening notation 2206Aa from detracting from the aesthetic appeal of the side unit 2200A and the decorativeness of the entire gaming machine. However, when the protruding wall 2208A is made to overlap the rear prize entry opening notation 2205Aa and the rear outlet opening notation 2206Aa in the front-to-back direction, it is desirable to ensure that the protruding wall 2208A does not overlap at least a portion of the rear prize entry opening notation 2205Aa and the rear outlet opening notation 2206Aa in the front-to-back direction, in order to avoid the rear prize entry opening notation 2205Aa and the rear outlet opening notation 2206Aa becoming invisible from the back side of the side unit 2200A.

In addition, the side unit 2200A in this example also employs the following configuration to prevent the rear winning slot notation 2205Aa and rear outlet notation 2206Aa from detracting from the aesthetic appeal of the side unit 2200A and the decorative appeal of the entire gaming machine. Specifically, a side unit decorative board (not shown) mounted with multiple LEDs is provided at the rear of the side unit 2200A. The multiple LEDs mounted on this side unit decorative board can illuminate from behind the background image 2207A and winning slot notation 2205A printed on a film member 2203A attached to the front of the side unit main body 2202A, while preventing light from illuminating from behind the outlet notation 2206A printed on the film member 2203A. This makes the background image 2207A and winning slot notation 2205A stand out against the out slot notation 2206A within the gaming area 5a, preventing players from focusing on the undesirable sub-out slot 2021A. As a result, it is possible to prevent a decline in interest in the game.

As another example, the multiple LEDs mounted on the side unit decorative board may be able to illuminate the entire film member 2203A attached to the front of the side unit main body 2202A from behind. In this case, the rear outlet marking 2206Aa may be used to prevent the outlet marking 2206A from being illuminated. For example, at least the rear outlet marking 2206Aa may be printed with a non-translucent paint (such as a non-translucent plating), and the rear outlet marking 2206Aa and the outlet marking 2206A may be positioned so that they overlap in the front-to-back direction. With this configuration, even if the multiple LEDs mounted on the side unit decorative board illuminate the entire film member 2203A from behind, the non-translucent rear outlet marking 2206Aa itself can block light from passing forward, preventing the outlet marking 2206A from being illuminated.

As described above, in the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, the winning slot notation 2205A and the outlet notation 2206A can be seen from the front side of the side unit 2200A, and the rear winning slot notation 2205Aa and rear outlet notation 2206Aa can be seen from the rear side of the side unit 2200A. Therefore, during the development and manufacturing processes of the gaming machine, when inspecting and confirming whether there are any abnormalities in the structure of the ball flow paths (inside the general winning slot 2001A and inside the sub-outlet 2021A) on the rear side of the side unit 2200A before assembling it to the gaming board 5, it is easy to identify from the rear side of the side unit 2200A which flow paths lead to the general winning slot 2001A and the sub-outlet 2021A, improving work efficiency and convenience in the development and manufacturing processes of the gaming machine.

In the above embodiment, the side unit 2200A is provided with a general winning opening 2001A and a sub-outlet 2021A, and a back winning opening notation 2205Aa and a back outlet notation 2206Aa, but this is not limited to this. The side unit 2200A may be provided with a general winning opening 2001A and a sub-outlet 2021A, but may be configured to have only a back winning opening notation 2205Aa without a back outlet notation 2206Aa, or may be configured to have only a back outlet notation 2206Aa without a back winning opening notation 2205Aa. Furthermore, when multiple general winning openings 2001A or multiple sub-outlets 2021A are provided, it is not necessary to provide the rear winning opening notation 2205Aa or rear outlet notation 2206Aa on all of them, and it is possible to provide the rear winning opening notation 2205Aa or rear outlet notation 2206Aa only on some of the ball entry openings. In other words, among the locations where the structure of the ball flow path on the back of the side unit 2200A is inspected and confirmed for abnormalities before assembly to the gaming board 5, providing the rear winning opening notation 2205Aa or rear outlet notation 2206Aa only on particularly important flow path portions improves the work efficiency of the gaming machine development and manufacturing processes while preventing the structure of the film member 2203A from becoming too complicated.

In addition, in the above embodiment, the side unit 2200A was used as an example of the object on which the general winning opening 2001A and the sub-outlet 2021A are provided, but this is not limited to this. The winning opening and outlet may be provided on another component, and a film member having indicia corresponding to the rear winning opening notation 2205Aa and the rear outlet notation 2206Aa may be attached to the target component, while the indicia corresponding to the rear winning opening notation 2205Aa and the rear outlet notation 2206Aa may be visible from the back side of the target component. Furthermore, such a target component may be one in which both a winning opening and a sub-outlet are formed, or one in which only a winning opening or a sub-outlet is formed. Such a configuration can also achieve the same effect as the above.

In addition, in the above embodiment, it is desirable that the rear winning slot notation 2205Aa and the rear outlet notation 2206Aa are not visible from the front side of the side unit 2200A because, if they are visible to the player, they could detract from the aesthetic appearance of the gaming machine and, for example, reduce the player's interest in the game. In this embodiment, by using non-transparent paint (e.g., non-transparent plating) on the back side of the rear winning slot notation 2205Aa and the rear outlet notation 2206Aa, the back side of the base in the position corresponding to the rear winning slot notation 2205Aa and the rear outlet notation 2206Aa, the back side of the background image 2207A, and the back side of the winning slot notation 2205A or the outlet notation 2206A, the rear winning slot notation 2205Aa and the rear outlet notation 2206Aa are not visible from the front side of the side unit 2200A. At least a portion of the winning slot notation 2205A and the outlet notation 2206A may be visible from the rear of the side unit 2200A. For example, by printing the base, background image 2207A, rear winning slot notation 2205Aa, and rear outlet notation 2206A located behind the winning slot notation 2205A and the outlet notation 2206A with translucent paint, at least a portion of the winning slot notation 2205A and the outlet notation 2206A can be seen from the rear of the side unit 2200A, and together with the rear winning slot notation 2205Aa and the rear outlet notation 2206Aa, the location of the general winning slot 2001A and the sub-outlet 2021A can be indicated to the operator.

[Modification example 2 of various notations]
The above example has described a mode that can improve the workability of inspecting and confirming whether there is an abnormality in the structure of the ball flow path on the back side of the side unit 2200A before assembling it to the gaming board 5. On the other hand, in the development and manufacturing processes of gaming machines, there are cases where the gaming machine is actually operated on a trial basis to inspect and confirm whether there is a defect in the gaming machine to be introduced to the gaming hall, and in such cases, taking into consideration cost and the like, the gaming machine may be operated without the film member 2203A attached to the side unit 2200A. In such a case, even if the side unit 2200A is provided with a general winning slot 2001A and a sub-outlet slot 2021A, the location of the general winning slot 2001A or the sub-outlet slot 2021A cannot be determined using the winning slot notation 2205A or the outlet notation 2206A as a guide. Therefore, when a ball enters the general winning slot 2001A or the sub-outlet slot 2021A during a test operation of the gaming machine, it may be difficult to confirm whether the associated action is appropriate (for example, whether the ball enters the general winning slot 2001A or the sub-outlet slot 2021A and a payout is required). Therefore, the following describes a side unit 2200A described above that has been further modified to solve this problem and provide improved convenience. The side unit 2200B described below is a modified version of the side unit 2200A described above, and the same configuration as the side unit 2200A will not be described below.

Figure 206(a) is a front view showing the front of the side unit 2200B of this example, and Figure 206(b) is a rear view showing the rear of a side unit 2200B of another embodiment. In detail, Figures 206(a) and 206(b) show the side unit 2200B before the film member 2203B is attached to the front of the side unit main body 2202B (side unit 2200B in a state where the film member 2203B is not attached). Note that the film member 2203B before it is attached to the front of the side unit main body 2202B is shown below the side unit main body 2202B.

As shown in Figures 206(a) and 206(b), side unit 2200B, like side unit 2200A described above, is capable of affixing film member 2203B having winning slot notation 2205B, outlet notation 2206B, rear winning slot notation 2205Bb, and rear outlet notation 2206Bb. However, in side unit 2200B, these notations are not formed in alphabetical notation, but rather in the form of a "●" or "★" graphic. Specifically, winning slot notation 2205B is formed in the form of a "●" with a black inner notation portion and a white outer notation portion as described above, and rear winning slot notation 2205Bb is formed in the form of a "●" graphic made up of only black. Furthermore, the outlet marking 2205B is formed by a "★" graphic with a black inner marking and a white outer marking as described above, and the back outlet marking 2205Bb is formed by a "★" graphic made up of only one color, black.

Here, we will explain the side unit 2200B of this example. The side unit 2200B of this example can have a film member 2203B attached to its front surface 2204B, and has a rear prize entry slot identification portion 2205Bb and a rear outlet slot identification portion 2206Bb. The rear prize entry slot identification portion 2205Bb and the rear outlet slot identification portion 2206Bb are formed so that they are visible from the front and rear of the side unit 2200B when the film member 2203B is not attached. The rear prize entry slot identification portion 2205Bb and the rear outlet slot identification portion 2206Bb of this embodiment extend rearward from the rear surface of the side unit main body 2202B, and their shapes correspond to the prize entry slot notation 2205B, the outlet slot notation 2206B, the rear prize entry slot notation 2205Bb, and the rear outlet slot notation 2206Bb. Specifically, the rear prize opening identification portion 2205Bb is a protruding portion having a cross section shaped like a "●" and corresponds to the prize opening notation 2205B and the rear prize opening notation 2205Bb. The rear outlet notation portion 2206Bb is a protruding portion having a cross section shaped like a "★" and corresponds to the outlet notation 2206B and the rear outlet notation 2206Bb. The rear prize opening identification portion 2205Bb and the rear outlet notation 2206Bb are formed to extend from the rear surface of the side unit main body 2202B and are easily visible from the rear surface of the side unit 2200B. However, because the entire side unit 2200B, including the side unit main body 2202B, is formed of a transparent resin, the "●" or "★" shaped portion can be seen through the transparent side unit main body 2202B even when the side unit 2200B is viewed from the front. In other words, before the film member 2203B is attached to the front of the side unit main body 2202B, the rear entry slot identification portion 2205Bb and the rear exit slot identification portion 2206Bb are visible from both the rear side and the front side of the side unit 2200B, and can function as substitutes for the entry slot notation 2205B, the exit notation 2206B, the rear entry slot notation 2205Bb, and the rear exit slot notation 2206Bb on the film member 2203B. It is preferable that the rear entry slot identification portion 2205Bb and the rear exit slot identification portion 2206Bb are arranged so that they cannot be contacted by game balls that enter the general entry slot 2001B or the sub-exit slot 2021B. However, even if they do come into contact, it is desirable that they protrude to a degree that does not impede the flow of game balls, and that they have an inclined portion that prevents game balls from becoming trapped.

As described above, the side unit 2200B in this example is provided with a rear entry opening identification unit 2205Bb and a rear exit opening identification unit 2206Bb that correspond to the entry opening notation 2205B, the exit notation 2206B, the rear entry opening notation 2205Bb, and the rear exit opening notation 2206Bb. Even when the gaming machine is operated on a trial basis without the film member 2203B attached to the side unit 2200B, the rear entry opening identification unit 2205Bb and the rear exit opening identification unit 2206Bb can be used to identify the positions of the general entry opening 2001B and the sub-exit opening 2021B. This makes it easier to check whether the actions associated with various balls entering the gaming machine during trial operation are appropriate, thereby improving convenience.

In this embodiment, the rear prize opening identification portion 2205Bb is formed on the side unit main body 2202B so as to overlap the background pattern 2207B or the prize opening notation 2205A in the front-to-back direction after the film member 2203B is attached to the front surface 2204B of the side unit main body 2202B. This prevents the rear prize opening identification portion 2205Bb from damaging the aesthetic appearance of the pachinko gaming machine 1, and also prevents the rear prize opening identification portion 2205Bb from being visible to the player, reducing the player's interest in the game. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the rear outlet identification portion 2206Bb is formed on the side unit main body 2202B so as to overlap the background pattern 2207B or the prize opening notation 2205A in the front-to-back direction after the film member 2203B is attached to the front surface 2204B of the side unit main body 2202B. This prevents the rear outlet identification section 2206Bb from spoiling the aesthetic appearance of the pachinko gaming machine 1, and also prevents the rear outlet identification section 2206Bb from being visible to the player, reducing the player's interest in the game.

In the above example, the winning slot notation portion 2205B and the rear winning slot notation portion 2205Ba are represented by a circle, and the rear winning slot identification portion 2205Bb has a cross section shaped like a circle and protrudes rearward from the side unit main body 2202B. While they have the same shape, they may be configured to correspond to each other but have different shapes. Specifically, the winning slot notation portion 2205B and the rear winning slot notation portion 2205Ba may be represented by English letters such as "IN," katakana notation such as "In," hiragana notation such as "In," kanji notation such as "Toku," or figures other than a circle, such as a star or triangle. Furthermore, the rear winning slot identification portion 2205Bb may be formed to protrude rearward from the side unit main body 2202B with a cross section other than a circle, such as a star or triangle. Furthermore, in the above example, outlet notation portion 2206B and rear notation portion 2206Ba are represented by a star, and rear notation portion 2206Bb has a star-shaped cross section and protrudes rearward from side unit main body 2202B. While they have the same shape, they may be configured to correspond to each other but have different shapes. Specifically, outlet notation portion 2206B and rear notation portion 2206Ba may be represented by English letters such as "IN," katakana notation such as "in," hiragana notation such as "in," kanji notation such as "toku," or figures other than a star, such as a circle or triangle. Furthermore, rear notation portion 2206Bb may be formed to protrude rearward from side unit main body 2202B with a cross section other than a star, such as a circle or triangle.

In this embodiment, the rear prize opening identification section 2205Bb is formed to protrude rearward from the side unit main body 2202B, but the rear prize opening identification section 2205B is formed at a position corresponding to the general prize opening 2001B of the side unit 2200B (near the general prize opening 2001B, preferably at a position where at least a portion overlaps with the general prize opening 2001B in the front-to-back direction) so that it is visible from the front and rear sides of the side unit 2200B before the film member 2203B is attached, and it is sufficient that the rear prize opening identification section 2205Bb indicates the general prize opening 2001B when viewed; for example, it may be formed as a hole that passes through the side unit main body 2202B, or may be formed as a concave shape by recessing the rear surface of the side unit main body 2202, or may be formed as a concave shape by recessing the front surface 2204B of the side unit main body 2202. Furthermore, the rear outlet identification portion 2206Bb in this embodiment is formed so as to protrude rearward from the side unit main body 2202B, but the rear outlet identification portion 2206B is formed so as to be visible from the front and rear sides of the side unit 2200B before the film member 2203B is attached at a position corresponding to the sub-outlet 2021B of the side unit 2200B (near the sub-outlet 2021B, preferably at a position where at least a portion overlaps with the sub-outlet 2021B in the front-to-back direction), and it is sufficient that the rear outlet identification portion 2206Bb indicates the sub-outlet 2021B when viewed, and for example, it may be formed as a hole that penetrates the side unit main body 2202B, or may be formed as a concave shape by recessing the rear surface portion of the side unit main body 2202, or may be formed as a concave shape by recessing the front surface portion 2204B of the side unit main body 2202. Furthermore, even if the rear prize entry slot identification unit 2205Bb and the rear exit slot identification unit 2206Bb have different shapes, it is preferable to keep the shapes of the rear prize entry slot identification unit 2205Bb and the rear exit slot identification unit 2206Bb different to avoid confusion between them.

In addition, regardless of whether the rear prize entry slot identification portion 2205Bb and the rear exit slot identification portion 2206Bb are in the form of a hole penetrating the above-mentioned side unit main body 2202B, a concave recess in the rear surface of the side unit main body 2202, or a concave recess in the front surface 2204B of the side unit main body 2202, when the film member 2203B is attached to the front surface 2204B of the side unit main body 2202B, it is preferable that the rear prize entry slot identification portion 2205Bb and the rear exit slot identification portion 2206Bb in each form overlap in the front-to-back direction with the background pattern 2207B or the prize entry slot notation 2205A. By doing this, regardless of which alternative form is adopted, it is possible to prevent the rear prize slot identification unit 2205Bb from spoiling the aesthetic appearance of the pachinko gaming machine 1, and it is also possible to prevent the rear prize slot identification unit 2205Bb from being visible to the player, thereby reducing the player's interest in the game.

Furthermore, when an alternative form in which the rear entry slot identification portion 2205Bb and the rear exit slot identification portion 2206Bb are holes that penetrate the side unit main body 2202B is adopted, it is preferable to do so as follows. That is, a specific example of a detailed alternative form in which the holes penetrate the side unit main body 2202B is a specific form in which a through-hole of a predetermined shape (such as a "●" or "★") that penetrates from front to back is provided in the front surface portion 2204B of the side unit main body 2202. However, because the front surface portion 2204B serves as a base to which the film member 2203B is attached, it is preferable to form the opening area of the through-hole of the predetermined shape to be smaller than the adhesion area of the film member 2203B so as not to significantly reduce the adhesion strength of the film member 2203B to the front surface portion 2204B. In addition, it is desirable that the through-holes of a predetermined shape formed in the front surface 2204B be formed with a shape (for example, a circular, square, star-shaped or other irregular shape smaller than the gaming ball) or opening area (for example, an opening area smaller than the 11 mm diameter of the gaming ball) that prevents gaming balls that have entered the general winning opening 2001B or sub-out opening 2021B from entering, thereby preventing the gaming balls from adhering to the film member 2203B through the through-hole.

Furthermore, like the rear entry slot notation 2205Ba and rear exit slot notation 2206Ba described above, the rear entry slot identification section 2205Bb and rear exit slot identification section 2206Bb are intended for use by developers, manufacturers, or administrators, rather than players. Therefore, in consideration of the aesthetic appearance of the side unit 2200B, it is preferable to make them as difficult to see as possible from the player's perspective. Therefore, in this example, when the film member 2203B is attached to the side unit 2200B, the rear entry slot notation 2205Ba, rear exit slot notation 2206Ba, rear entry slot identification section 2205Bb, and rear exit slot identification section 2206Bb are made invisible or difficult to see when the side unit 2200B is viewed from the player's perspective. This point will be explained below.

Specifically, in this example, the side unit 2200B is formed with a plate-shaped protruding wall 2208B extending in the left-right direction on the back side of the side unit 2200B so as to protrude rearward, and the protruding wall 2208B is arranged to be located above at least a portion of the rear prize entry opening notation 2205Ba, rear outlet opening notation 2206Ba, rear prize entry opening identification portion 2205Bb, and rear outlet opening identification portion 2206Bb. It is preferable that the protruding wall 2208B be arranged so that it cannot be contacted by game balls that enter the general prize entry opening 2001B or sub-outlet opening 2021B. However, if it is arranged so that it can be contacted, it is desirable that the protruding amount be such that it does not impede the flow of game balls, and that a sloped portion be formed so that game balls that come into contact with it do not become retained. By providing a protruding wall 2208B on the back side of the side unit 2200B in this way, even if a player looks into the inside of the general winning opening 2001B or the sub-outlet opening 2021B from the entrance, the protruding wall 2208B obstructs visibility inside, making the rear winning opening notation 2205Ba, rear outlet opening notation 2206Ba, rear winning opening identification unit 2205Bb, and rear outlet opening identification unit 2206Bb invisible or difficult to see, thereby preventing the rear winning opening notation 2205Ba, rear outlet opening notation 2206Ba, rear winning opening identification unit 2205Bb, and rear outlet opening identification unit 2206Bb from reducing the aesthetic appeal of the side unit 2200A or the decorativeness of the entire gaming machine.

In addition, the side unit 2200B in this example also employs the following configuration to prevent the rear prize opening marking 2205Ba, rear outlet marking 2206Ba, rear prize opening identification unit 2205Bb, and rear outlet marking 2206Bb from detracting from the aesthetic appeal of the side unit 2200B and the decorativeness of the entire gaming machine. Specifically, a side unit decorative board (not shown) mounted with multiple LEDs is provided at the rear of the side unit 2200B. The multiple LEDs mounted on this side unit decorative board can irradiate light from behind onto the background image 2207B and prize opening marking 2205B printed on a film member 2203B attached to the front of the side unit main body 2202B, while preventing light from irradiating the outlet marking 2206B printed on the film member 2203B from behind. This makes the background image 2207B and winning slot notation 2205A stand out against the out slot notation 2206B within the gaming area 5a, preventing players from focusing on the undesirable sub-out slot 2021B. As a result, it is possible to prevent a decline in interest in the game.

As another example, the multiple LEDs mounted on the side unit decorative board may be able to illuminate the entire film member 2203B attached to the front of the side unit main body 2202B from behind. In this case, the rear outlet marking 2206Ba may be used to prevent the outlet marking 2206B from being illuminated. For example, at least the rear outlet marking 2206Ba may be printed with a non-transparent paint (such as a non-transparent plating), and the rear outlet marking 2206Ba and the outlet marking 2206B may be positioned so that they overlap in the front-to-back direction. With this configuration, even if the multiple LEDs mounted on the side unit decorative board illuminate the entire film member 2203B from behind, the non-transparent rear outlet marking 2206Ba itself can block light from passing forward, preventing the outlet marking 2206B from being illuminated.

As described above, in the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, the side unit 2200B is provided with a rear entry port identification unit 2205Bb and a rear exit port identification unit 2206Bb that correspond to the entry port notation 2205B, the exit port notation 2206B, the rear entry port notation 2205Bb, and the rear exit port notation 2206Bb.By doing so, even when the gaming machine is operated on a trial basis without the film member 2203B attached to the side unit 2200B, the rear entry port identification unit 2205Bb and the rear exit port identification unit 2206Bb can be used to determine the positions of the general entry port 2001B and the sub-exit port 2021B.This makes it easy to check whether the actions associated with various ball entries that occur during the trial operation of the gaming machine are appropriate, thereby improving the work efficiency of the gaming machine testing process. Furthermore, in the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, the winning opening notation 2205B and the outlet notation 2206B can be seen from the front side of the side unit 2200B, and the rear winning opening notation 2205Ba and rear outlet notation 2206Ba can be seen from the rear side of the side unit 2200B. Therefore, during the development and manufacturing processes of the gaming machine, when inspecting and confirming whether there are any abnormalities in the structure of the ball flow paths (inside the general winning opening 2001B and inside the sub-outlet 2021B) on the rear side of the side unit 2200B before assembling it to the gaming board 5, it is easy to identify from the rear side of the side unit 2200B which flow paths lead to the general winning opening 2001B and the sub-outlet 2021B, improving work efficiency and convenience in the development and manufacturing processes of the gaming machine.

In the above embodiment, the side unit 2200B is provided with a general winning opening 2001B and a sub-outlet 2021B, and is provided with a winning opening notation 2205B, an outlet notation 2206B, a rear winning opening notation 2205Ba, a rear outlet notation 2206Ba, a rear winning opening identification section 2205Bb, and a rear outlet identification section 2206Bb. However, this is not limited to this, and the side unit 2200B is provided with a general winning opening 2001B and a sub-outlet 2021B. While providing an outlet 2021B, it is also possible to provide only a rear prize winning outlet notation 2205Ba and a rear prize winning outlet identification unit 2205Bb without providing a rear prize winning outlet notation 2206Ba or a rear prize winning outlet identification unit 2206Bb, or to provide only an outlet notation 2206B, a rear prize winning outlet notation 2206Ba and a rear prize winning outlet identification unit 2206Ba without providing a prize winning outlet notation 2205B, a rear prize winning outlet notation 2205Ba or a rear prize winning outlet identification unit 2205Bb. Furthermore, when multiple general winning openings 2001B are provided or multiple sub-out openings 2021B are provided, not all of them are provided with winning opening notation 2205B, rear winning opening notation 2205Ba, rear winning opening identification section 2205Bb, rear out opening notation 2206Ba, and rear out opening identification section 2206Bb, but it is also possible to provide winning opening notation 2205B, rear winning opening notation 2205Ba, rear winning opening identification section 2205Bb, rear out opening notation 2206Ba, and rear out opening identification section 2206Bb only at some of the winning openings. In other words, among the areas where the structure of the ball flow path on the back side of the side unit 2200B is inspected and confirmed for any abnormalities before assembly to the gaming board 5, by providing the back entry opening marking 2205Ba and the back exit opening marking 2206Ba only in the flow path portions that are of particular importance, it is possible to improve the work efficiency of the gaming machine development and manufacturing processes while preventing the structure of the film member 2203B from becoming too complicated. Furthermore, when a gaming machine is operated on a trial basis without the film member 2203B attached to the side unit 2200B, by providing the back entry opening marking 2205Bb and the back exit opening marking 2206Bb only in the flow path portions that are of particular importance, it is possible to further improve the work efficiency of the gaming machine testing process and increase convenience.

In addition, in the above embodiment, the side unit 2200B was used as an example of the object on which the general winning opening 2001B and the sub-outlet 2021B are provided, but this is not limited to this. Winning openings and outlets can be provided in other components, and a film member having notations corresponding to the rear winning opening notation 2205Ba and the rear outlet notation 2206Ba can be attached to the target component, while the notations corresponding to the rear winning opening notation 2205Ba and the rear outlet notation 2206Ba can be visible from the back side of the target component.Furthermore, a rear winning opening identification section 2205Bb and a rear outlet identification section 2206Bb can be formed on the target component, making the rear winning opening identification section 2205Bb and the rear outlet identification section 2206Bb visible from the front and back sides of the target component before the film member is attached. Furthermore, such target components may be those in which both a winning slot and a sub-outlet slot are formed, or those in which only one of a winning slot or a sub-outlet slot is formed. Even with such a configuration, it is possible to achieve the same effect as above.

In addition, in the above embodiment, the rear winning slot notation 2205Ba, rear winning slot notation 2206Ba, rear winning slot identification unit 2205Bb, and rear winning slot identification unit 2206Bb are detrimental to the aesthetic appearance of the gaming machine if they are visible to the player, and may, for example, reduce the player's interest in the game, so it is desirable that they are not visible from the front side of the side unit 2200B. In this embodiment, non-translucent paint (such as non-translucent plating) is used on the backs of the rear prize opening notation 2205Ba and rear outlet notation 2206Ba, the backs of the base at positions corresponding to the rear prize opening notation 2205Ba, rear outlet notation 2206Ba, rear prize opening identification section 2205Bb, and rear outlet identification section 2206Bb, the backs of the background picture 2207B, and the backs of the prize opening notation 2205B or outlet notation 2206B, so that the rear prize opening notation 2205Ba, rear outlet notation 2206Ba, rear prize opening identification section 2205Bb, and rear outlet identification section 2206Bb are not visible from the front side of the side unit 2200B. Note that at least a portion of the prize opening notation 2205B and outlet notation 2206B may be visible from the rear side of the side unit 2200B. For example, by printing the base located behind the winning slot notation 2205B and the outlet notation 2206B, the background image 2207B, the rear winning slot notation 2205Ba, and the rear outlet notation 2206Ba with translucent paint, at least a portion of the winning slot notation 2205B and the outlet notation 2206B can be seen from the rear side of the side unit 2200B, and together with the rear winning slot notation 2205Ba, rear outlet notation 2206Ba, rear winning slot identification section 2205Bb, and rear outlet identification section 2206Bb, the position of the general winning slot 2001B and sub-outlet 2021B can be shown to the operator.

In the above embodiment, the side units 2200A and 2200B, in which the general winning openings 2001A and 2001B and the sub-outlets 2021A and 2021B are formed, were described in detail. However, the front unit 2000 of this embodiment has an attacca unit 2400, in which the large winning opening 2005 and one sub-outlet 2021 are formed. Similar to the side units 2200A and 2200B, the attacca unit 2400 is provided with an outlet marking, a rear outlet marking, and a rear outlet identifier (all not shown) for the sub-outlet 2021. It is also possible to form the general winning opening and the sub-outlet in other components that make up the front unit 2000, and provide the winning opening markings, rear winning opening markings, rear winning opening identifiers, out opening markings, rear outlet markings, and rear outlet identifiers for the general winning opening and the sub-outlet in these other components.

In addition, in the above-mentioned embodiment, the locations at which the winning entrance notation, rear winning entrance notation, rear winning entrance identification unit, outlet notation, rear outlet notation, and rear outlet identification unit are provided are described as being near the general winning entrance 2001 or sub-outlet 2021, and preferably at a location where at least a portion overlaps with the general winning entrance 2001 or sub-outlet 2021 in the front-to-back direction. However, the locations at which the winning entrance notation, rear winning entrance notation, rear winning entrance identification unit, outlet notation, rear outlet notation, and rear outlet identification unit are provided may be any location corresponding to the general winning entrance 2001 or sub-outlet 2021. For example, in the game area 5a, a guide path can be formed using multiple guide nails N, a portion of the front component 1000, or a portion of the front unit 2000 to reliably guide the game ball B to the general winning opening 2001 or the sub-outlet 2021, and a winning opening marking, a rear winning opening marking or a rear winning opening identifier, an outlet marking, a rear outlet marking or a rear outlet identifier can be provided near the guide path (particularly near the start of the guide path, preferably at a position where at least a portion overlaps the start of the guide path in the front-to-back direction).

The winning entry or exit notation formed near the above-mentioned guideway can inform the player that when the game ball B passes the beginning of the guideway (for example, between a pair of guide pins N), the game ball B passing through the beginning of the guideway will or will not result in a profit for the player. Furthermore, the back winning entry or exit notation formed near the guideway can indicate to the worker the position of the component corresponding to the guideway (the beginning of the guideway) when assembling the component bearing the back winning entry or exit notation to the game board 5, thereby improving the efficiency of the assembly work. Furthermore, the rear entry opening identification unit and rear exit opening identification unit formed near the guideway can identify the position of the guideway (the start of the guideway) even when the gaming machine is operated on a trial basis without a film member attached to the member on which the rear entry opening identification unit and rear exit opening identification unit are formed, making it easy to confirm whether the actions associated with various balls entering the game during the trial operation of the gaming machine are appropriate.

[Modification example 3 of various notations]
Next, as a further different embodiment from the above, a configuration will be described that prevents the multiple winning opening notations and the outlet notations from damaging the uniformity and aesthetics unique to the pachinko machine 1. Below, a front unit 2000C having multiple outlet notations that are modified from the outlet notations 2206A, 2206B described in Figures 202 to 205 etc. will be described with reference to Figure 206 etc. Note that the components other than the front unit 2000C will be described using the same reference numerals as in the above embodiment having the front unit 2000.

Figure 207 is a front view showing a gaming board 5 having a front unit 2000C. As shown in Figure 207, it has a side unit 2200C with three regular winning slots 2001C and one sub-out slot 2021C, and an attacker unit 2400C with a large winning slot 2005C and one sub-out slot 2021C.

The side unit 2200C has a film member 2203C attached to the front of the side unit main body 2202C. The film member 2203C is formed in a sheet shape using a translucent synthetic resin. The film member 2203C is printed with a background pattern 2207C that decorates almost the entire front of the side unit 2200C, and an outlet notation 2206C that is formed in a position corresponding to the sub-outlet 2021C (near the sub-outlet 2021C, preferably at a position that overlaps at least a portion of the sub-outlet 2021C in the front-to-back direction) and indicates that it is the sub-outlet 2021C. The film member 2203C may also be printed with a prize opening notation that is formed in a position corresponding to the general prize opening 2001C (near the general prize opening 2001C, preferably at a position that overlaps at least a portion of the general prize opening 2001C in the front-to-back direction) and indicates that it is the general prize opening 2001C.

Similar to the above-described film member 2203A, the film member 2203C has at least three layers: a first film layer on the front side, a second film layer located below the first film layer, and a third film layer located below the second film layer. The film layers are stacked and integrated to form a sticker-like member. The first film layer is made of a translucent synthetic resin sheet material on which the winning slot and exit slot designations 2206C are printed. The second film layer is made of a translucent synthetic resin sheet material on which the aforementioned background pattern 2207C (in this example, a red and pink cherry blossom pattern) is printed. The third film layer is made of a translucent synthetic resin sheet material on which a white background is printed to enhance the clarity of the aforementioned background pattern 2207C. The back side of the third film layer is coated with an adhesive that allows it to be attached to the front of the side unit main body 2202C. In other words, in this example, film member 2203C is configured so that background pattern 2207C of the second film layer and outlet marking 2206C of the first film layer are superimposed on the front surface of the white base of the third film layer. Because both are translucent film layers, it is possible to provide a decorative substrate with light-emitting elements such as LEDs at the rear to illuminate side unit 2200C. Film member 2203C is not limited to the three film layers described above, and may be configured with three or more film layers, or with only two or one film layer. When configured with only two or one film layer, outlet marking 2206C may also be printed on the film layer on which background pattern 2207C is printed.

The attacca unit 2400C has a film member 2403C attached to the front of the attacca unit main body 2402C. Similar to the above-mentioned film member 2203C, the film member 2403C is formed in a sheet shape using a translucent synthetic resin. The film member 2403C is printed with a background pattern 2407C that decorates almost the entire front of the attacca unit 2400C, and an outlet notation 2406C that is formed in a position corresponding to the sub-outlet 2021C (near the sub-outlet 2021C, preferably at a position that overlaps at least partially with the sub-outlet 2021C in the front-to-back direction) and indicates that it is the sub-outlet 2021C.

Like the above-described film member 2203C, the film member 2403C has at least three layers: a first film layer on the front side, a second film layer located below the first film layer, and a third film layer located below the second film layer. The film layers are stacked and integrated to form a sticker-like member. The first film layer is made of a translucent synthetic resin sheet material on which the winning slot and exit slot notations 2406C are printed. The second film layer is made of a translucent synthetic resin sheet material on which the aforementioned background pattern 2407C (in this example, a red and pink cherry blossom pattern) is printed. The third film layer is made of a translucent synthetic resin sheet material on which a white background is printed to enhance the aforementioned background pattern 2407C. The back side of the third film layer is coated with an adhesive that can be attached to the front of the attacca unit main body 2402C. In other words, the film member 2403C in this example is configured so that the background pattern 2407C of the second film layer and the outlet marking 2406C of the first film layer are superimposed on the front of the white base of the third film layer. Because both are translucent film layers, it is possible to provide a decorative substrate with light-emitting elements such as LEDs at the rear to illuminate and decorate the attacca unit 2400C. Note that the film member 2403C is not limited to the three film layers described above, and may be configured with three or more film layers, or with only two or one film layer. When configured with only two or one film layer, the outlet marking 2406C may also be printed on the film layer on which the background pattern 2407C is printed.

As described above, in the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, in the normal state of the pachinko machine 1, the player is required to perform a shooting operation of the game ball B aimed at the left side of the game area 5a so that the game ball B is accepted by the first starting port 2003C (hereinafter, this may be simply referred to as a "left hit"). However, in an advantageous game state in which the player is at an advantage, which occurs as a result of the game ball B being accepted by the first starting port 2003C and a "hit" (for example, a "small hit", "medium hit", "big hit", "gimmick hit", etc.) being drawn as the result of the lottery for the first special pattern, the player is required to perform a shooting operation of the game ball B aimed at the right side of the game area 5a (so-called a "right hit") so that the game ball B is accepted by the large prize port 2005C, etc. In conventional gaming machines, players can easily grasp the position of the sub-outlet 2021C within the gaming area 5a by visually checking the outlet markings 2206C and 2406C. However, if the visual aspects (character shape, character color, character size, character arrangement, etc.) of the outlet marking 2206C formed on the side unit 2200C and the outlet marking 2406C formed on the attacca unit 2400C are the same, there is a risk that the outlet marking 2206C will spoil the aesthetic appearance of the pachinko machine 1, even if various decorations are applied to each part of the gaming area, and there is a risk of reducing interest in the game. Furthermore, when the pachinko machine 1 is in a favorable gaming state with significant presentation effects such as decorative lamps, if the player is "hitting to the right" and concentrating on getting the game ball into the attacker unit 2400C on the right side of the gaming area 5a, and the player is not fully aware of the existence of the sub-outlet 2021C, there is a risk that the ball will enter a sub-outlet 2021C that the player is not aware of, thereby undermining the player's confidence in the pachinko machine 1 (for example, the difference between the predicted number of balls dispensed in the event of a jackpot and the actual number of balls dispensed will be excessive), and reducing the player's interest in the game. Below, we will explain an embodiment in which further modifications have been made to the front unit 2000C in order to solve these problems.

As shown enlarged in Figure 202, in the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, the out-port notation 2206C formed on the side unit 2200C located on the left side of the playing area 5a and the out-port notation 2406C formed on the attacca unit 2400C located on the right side of the playing area 5a have different visibility patterns. The out-port notation 2206C formed on the side unit 2200C is configured to have lower visibility, for example, in a less conspicuous manner than the out-port notation 2406C formed on the attacca unit 2400C. Specifically, the out-port notation 2206C formed on the side unit 2200C reads "OUT" in outlined letters that are outlined in the base or background pattern 2207C, and is formed so as to blend into the base or background pattern 2207C. In contrast, the outlet notation 2406C formed on the attacca unit 2400C is configured to be more visible than the outlet notation 2206C formed on the side unit 2200C, and is more noticeable. Specifically, the outlet notation 2406C formed on the attacca unit 2400C reads "OUT" in bold letters in a different color than the base and background pattern 2407C, and is formed so as not to blend in with the base and background pattern 2407C.

The outlet marking 2206C formed on the side unit 2200C may be configured to be less conspicuous and less visible than the outlet marking 2406C formed on the attacca unit 2400C. For example, "OUT" may be written in bold letters in an inconspicuous color such as the same color as the base or background pattern 2207C or a dark color, or "OUT" may be written in thin letters in a more conspicuous color such as a different color from the base or background pattern 2207C or a light color. Furthermore, even if both the outlet notation 2206C formed on the side unit 2200C and the outlet notation 2406C formed on the attacca unit 2400C are formed to blend into the background pattern 2207C, the outlet notation 2206C formed on the side unit 2200C may be in a form that is less noticeable (such as in thin letters) than the outlet notation 2406C formed on the attacca unit 2400C. Furthermore, although the outlet notation 2206C formed on the side unit 2200C is written in English as "OUT," it may be written in symbols such as "x" or "☆" instead of letters, for example, to make it less noticeable intuitively.

The outlet marking 2406C formed on the attacca unit 2400C may be configured to be more visible than the outlet marking 2206C formed on the side unit 2200C in a more conspicuous manner, for example, by writing "OUT" in bold letters in a color different from the base or background pattern 2207C, such as a bright color that is easy to notice, or a metallic color that reflects light easily, or by writing "OUT" in hollow letters that are hollowed out in a color different from the base or background pattern 2407C, or by writing "OUT" in bold letters that are further outlined in another color, and it is desirable that the design be such that it does not blend in with the base or background pattern 2207C of the film member 2203C. Additionally, the outlet marking 2406C formed on the attacca unit 2400C is written in English as "OUT", but it may also be written in katakana as "out" or in hiragana as "out", and it is desirable to make it intuitively noticeable.

In the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, the outlet notation 2206C formed on the side unit 2200C located on the left side of the playing area 5a and the outlet notation 2406C formed on the attacca unit 2400C located on the right side of the playing area 5a have different visual appearances, so even if the player visually sees the outlet notation 2206C and the outlet notation 2406C, the player can be given the illusion that the outlet notation 2206C and the outlet notation 2406C are not the same notation, and the notation appropriate for each unit and playing area prevents the decorations within the playing area from being damaged, thereby preventing a decrease in interest in the game. Furthermore, when the pachinko machine 1 is in its normal state, the outlet notation 2206C formed on the side unit 2200C located on the left side of the playing area 5a where the player makes a "left hit" and focuses their attention, and when the pachinko machine 1 is in a favorable playing state, the outlet notation 2406C formed on the attacca unit 2400C located on the right side of the playing area 5a where the player makes a "right hit" and focuses their attention, have different visual appearances. Therefore, when the state of the pachinko machine 1 transitions from the normal state to the favorable playing state, or when the state of the pachinko machine 1 transitions from the favorable playing state to the normal state, it is possible to give the player the impression that the board has changed, further preventing a decline in interest in the game.

The pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment has an outlet marking 2206C formed on a side unit 2200C located to the left of the playing area 5a and an outlet marking 2406C formed on an attacca unit 2400C located to the right of the playing area 5a. The outlet marking 2206C is written so as to blend into the base of the film member 2203C and the background pattern 2207C, making it less noticeable than the outlet marking 2406C. Therefore, in the normal state of the pachinko machine 1, where decorative lamps and other effects are minimal, even if a player hits left and focuses their attention on the left side of the playing area 5a, the outlet marking 2206C formed on the side unit 2200C is unlikely to be noticed, thereby preventing the player from damaging the uniformity and aesthetics of the pachinko machine 1 and reducing a decrease in interest in the game. Furthermore, when the pachinko machine 1 is in a favorable gaming state with significant presentation effects such as decorative lamps, even if the player hits to the right and focuses their attention on the right side of the gaming area 5a, the outlet marking 2406C formed on the attacca unit 2400C is easy to see, preventing the game ball from entering the sub-outlet 2021C that the player is not aware of, which could damage the player's trust in the pachinko machine 1 (for example, the difference between the predicted number of balls dispensed in the event of a jackpot and the actual number of balls dispensed becoming too large), and preventing a decline in interest in the game.

In the above embodiment, a configuration was exemplified in which a film member 2203C with an outlet notation 2206C printed thereon is attached to the front surface of the side unit 2200C, but the film member 2203C with an outlet notation 2206C printed thereon may also be attached to the front surface of the gaming panel 1100 that is visible through at least a transparent portion of the side unit 2200C, or the film member with an outlet notation 2206C printed thereon may be attached to the rear end surface that forms the rear end of the gaming area 5a. With these configurations, the outlet markings 2206C of the side unit 2200C are positioned further back than the outlet markings 2406C of the attacca unit 2400C. Therefore, in the normal state of the pachinko machine 1, where decorative lamps and the like have little effect, even if a player hits left and focuses their attention on the left side of the playing area 5a, the outlet markings 2206C formed on the side unit 2200C are unlikely to be focused on, preventing the player from damaging the uniformity and aesthetic appearance of the pachinko machine 1 and preventing a decrease in interest in the game.

Furthermore, the outlet notation 2206C of the side unit 2200C may be less noticeable than the outlet notation 2406C of the attacca unit 2400C. For example, the character size of the outlet notation 2406C of the attacca unit 2400C may be larger than the character size of the outlet notation 2206C of the side unit 2200C, the font of the outlet notation 2406C of the attacca unit 2400C may be written in a font that is more noticeable than the font of the outlet notation 2206C of the side unit 2200C, or the character string of the outlet notation 2406C of the attacca unit 2400C may be written vertically or diagonally.

In addition, the outlet notation 2206C of the side unit 2200C and the outlet notation 2406C of the attacca unit 2400C do not necessarily have to be in different fonts. The placement of each notation may be changed so that the outlet notation 2206C of the side unit 2200C is less noticeable than the outlet notation 2406C of the attacca unit 2400C. For example, the outlet notation 2206C of the side unit 2200C may be provided in a specified recess formed in the side unit 2200C, and the outlet notation 2206C of the side unit 2200C may be positioned further back in the front-to-back direction than the location of the outlet notation 2406C of the attacca unit 2400C, thereby making it less noticeable by moving it away from the player.

Furthermore, the side unit 2200C and the attacca unit 2400C of this embodiment may be further provided with a rear outlet marking or a rear outlet identifier (neither of which are shown) for the sub-outlet 2021, similar to the side units 2200A and 2200B described above, so that the position of the sub-outlet 2021C can be indicated to the person assembling the front unit 2000C or the person testing the pachinko machine 1. Further, the side unit 2200C and the attacca unit 2400C of this embodiment may be further provided with a prize opening marking, a rear prize opening marking or a rear prize opening identifier (neither of which are shown) for the general prize opening 2001, so that the position of the general prize opening 2001C can be indicated to the person assembling the front unit 2000C or the person testing the pachinko machine 1.

In addition, in the above embodiment, the side unit 2200C was exemplified as the object on which the sub-outlet 2021C located on the left side of the play area 5a is provided, and the attacca unit 2400C was exemplified as the object on which the sub-outlet 2021C located on the right side of the play area 5a is provided. However, this is not limited to this. It is also possible to achieve the same effect as described above by providing the sub-outlet 2021C on another component of the front unit 2000C and configuring a film member with an outlet marking corresponding to the left or right side of the play area 5a so that it can be attached to the target component, or by configuring one of multiple outlet markings to be less or more visible than the other.

[Example of door frame modification]
Next, as a further different embodiment from the above, a configuration will be described that prevents the multiple winning slot markings and outlet markings from damaging the uniformity and aesthetics unique to the pachinko machine 1. Below, a front unit 2000D having multiple outlet markings similar to the outlet markings 2206A, 2206B, and 2206C described in Figures 202 to 207, etc., and a door frame 3D supported so as to be openable and closable by a main body frame 4 to which a game board 5 to which the front unit 2000D is assembled is attached will be described with reference to Figure 208, etc. Note that components other than the door frame 3D and the front unit 2000D will be described using the same reference numerals as in the above embodiment having the door frame 3 and front unit 2000.

Figure 208 is a front view showing a pachinko machine 1 equipped with a game board 5 to which a front unit 2000D is assembled. As shown in Figure 208, the front unit 2000D has an attacca upper right unit 2600D that is similar to the attacca unit 2400 described above and is provided above the right end of the attacca unit 2400D. The attacca upper right unit 2600D has one sub-outlet 2021D and a film member 2603D on which an outlet notation 2606D is printed to indicate that it is the sub-outlet 2021D.

More specifically, the attacca upper right unit 2600D has a film member 2603D attached to the front surface 2604D of the attacca upper right unit main body 2602D, and the film member 2603D is formed in a sheet shape using a translucent synthetic resin. The film member 2603D is printed with a background pattern 2607D that decorates almost the entire front surface of the attacca upper right unit 2600D, and an outlet notation 2606D that is formed in a position corresponding to the sub-outlet 2021D (near the sub-outlet 2021D, preferably a position that at least partially overlaps the sub-outlet 2021D in the front-to-back direction) and indicates that this is the sub-outlet 2021D.

Similar to the above-described film member 2203A, the film member 2603D has at least three layers: a first film layer on the front side, a second film layer located below the first film layer, and a third film layer located below the second film layer. The film layers are stacked and integrated to form a seal-like member. The first film layer is made of a translucent synthetic resin sheet material and has an outlet designation 2606D printed on it. The second film layer is made of a translucent synthetic resin sheet material and has the aforementioned background pattern 2607D (in this example, a red and pink cherry blossom pattern) printed on it. The third film layer is made of a translucent synthetic resin sheet material and has a white background printed all over it to enhance the background pattern 2607D. The back side of the third film layer is coated with an adhesive that allows it to be attached to the front of the Attacka upper right unit body 2602D. In other words, the film member 2603D in this example is configured so that the background pattern 2607D of the second film layer and the outlet marking 2606D of the first film layer are superimposed on the front of the white base of the third film layer. Because both are translucent film layers, it is possible to provide a decorative substrate with an LED or other light source at the rear to illuminate and decorate the attacca upper right unit 2600D. Note that the film member 2603D is not limited to the three film layers described above, and may be configured with three or more film layers, or with only two or one film layer. When configured with only two or one film layer, the outlet marking 2606D may also be printed on the film layer printed with the background pattern 2607D.

The outlet notation 2606D formed on the attacca upper right unit 2600D reads "OUT" in bold letters in a color different from the base or background pattern 2607D, and is formed so as not to blend in with the base or background pattern 2607D. The outlet notation 2606D formed on the attacca upper right unit 2600D may, for example, read "OUT" in bold letters in a color different from the base or background pattern 2607D, such as a bright, eye-catching color or a metallic color that reflects light, or it may read "OUT" in outlined letters in a color different from the base or background pattern 2607D, or it may read "OUT" in bold letters outlined in another color, and is formed so as not to blend in with the base or background pattern 2607D of the film member 2603D. Additionally, the outlet marking 2606D formed on the attacker upper right unit 2600D is written in English as "OUT", but it may also be written in katakana as "out", in hiragana as "out", or with symbols such as "x" or "★".

The door frame 3D of this embodiment comprises the above-mentioned door frame main body 100, a door frame top unit 300 provided above the game window 101 on the front surface of the door frame main body 100, a door frame left side unit 320 provided to the left of the game window 101 on the front surface of the door frame main body 100, a door frame right side unit 340D provided to the right of the game window 101 on the front surface of the door frame main body 100, a door frame panel 190 extending from the bottom end of the front surface of the door frame main body 100 at a certain height across the entire width in the left-right direction, a shelf unit 200 protruding forward in a section between the game window 101 and the door frame panel 190 on the front surface of the door frame main body 100, and a performance operation unit 250 provided in the left-right center of the shelf unit 200 and operable by the player.

As described above, in the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, multiple sub-outlets 2021D are provided in the play area 5a, and an outlet notation 2606D indicating that it is a sub-outlet 2021 is printed on, for example, a film member 2603D attached to the front surface 2604D of the attacker upper right unit 2600D. Therefore, a player playing the pachinko machine 1 can visually check the outlet notation 2606D and understand that the ball inlet near the outlet notation 2606D is a sub-outlet 2021 that does not contain any winning balls. However, in conventional gaming machines, the outlet markings 2606D formed on the front of the gaming board are visible to players viewing the front of the gaming board from a distance, such as players viewing images of gaming machines in pamphlets or magazines, or players viewing gaming machines from an island aisle to select a gaming machine to play from among multiple gaming machines of different models. This means that the letters and symbols on the outlet markings 2606D could detract from the uniformity and aesthetic appeal of the pachinko machine 1, potentially reducing the player's interest in the game before they even begin playing. Below, we will explain an embodiment in which the door frame 3D has been further modified to address this issue.

The door frame 3D of this embodiment is configured so that the door frame right-side unit 340D can be attached and detached when the pachinko machine 1 is attached to the game island in the hall, allowing a predetermined set of game board 5 and door frame right-side unit 340D to be installed as a group for each model. Specifically, the door frame right-side unit 340D can be fitted from the front into a predetermined installation space (right side area) formed on the front side of the door frame 3D, and is configured so that once the door frame right-side unit 340D is fitted into the installation space, it can be fixed to the installation space from the back side of the door frame 3D by tightening multiple hand screws provided on the back side of the door frame 3D (not shown). In other words, when changing to a new model of gaming board, the pachinko machine 1 is attached to the gaming island in the hall, and the gaming board and door frame right side unit 340D corresponding to the previous model are removed without tools (by loosening the hand screws), and then the gaming board and door frame right side unit 340D corresponding to the new model are attached. With this configuration, if you want to completely update not only the gameplay but also the appearance of the gaming machine when changing models, costs can be reduced and the gameplay and appearance of the gaming machine can be updated efficiently.

In this embodiment, the door frame 3D has an extension 344D of the door frame right side unit 340D that is arranged to overlap in the front-to-back direction with at least a portion of the outlet marking 2606D of the attacca upper right unit 2600D. As described above, the door frame right side unit 340D is detachable from the door frame 3D, and when the door frame right side unit 340D is attached to the door frame 3D, the outlet marking 2606D of the attacca upper right unit 2600D is made difficult to see from the front of the pachinko machine 1 by the extension 344D, which will be described later, but is easily visible from the front of the pachinko machine 1 when the door frame right side unit 340D is detached from the door frame 3D. For this reason, the out exit markings 2606D formed on the front of the gaming board 5 are difficult to see for players viewing the front of the gaming board 5 from a distance, such as players viewing images of the pachinko machine 1 in pamphlets or magazines, or players viewing the pachinko machine 1 from an island aisle to select which pachinko machine 1 to play on from among multiple pachinko machines of different models. This prevents the letters and symbols of the out exit markings 2606D from interfering with the uniformity and aesthetic appearance of the pachinko machine 1 for players viewing the front of the gaming board 5 from a distance, and prevents a decline in the player's interest in the game before they start playing.

Specifically, extension portion 344D of door frame right side unit 340D extends in an arc shape from the front to the inside of the pachinko machine 1 from the lower part of translucent semi-tubular door frame right side decorative body 341D, and is positioned in front of outlet marking 2606D of attacca upper right unit 2600D so as to overlap at least a portion (in this embodiment, the entirety) of outlet marking 2606D in the front-to-back direction. While translucent, extension portion 344D has a surface decorated with a predetermined color or pattern, making it difficult to see behind it. For this reason, the out exit marking 2606D formed on the front of the gaming board 5 can be made difficult to see by players viewing the front of the gaming board 5 from a distance, such as players viewing images of the pachinko machine 1 published in pamphlets, magazines, etc., or players viewing the pachinko machine 1 from an island aisle to select a pachinko machine 1 to play on from among multiple pachinko machines of different models, and the letters and symbols of the out exit marking 2606D do not impair the uniformity or aesthetic appearance of the pachinko machine 1 to players viewing the front of the gaming board 5 from a distance, thereby preventing a decrease in the player's interest in the game before the start of play. In addition, the back surface of the extension portion 344D is formed so as to provide a predetermined gap (space) between it and the gaming window 101 without coming into contact with it. As a result, a player seated in front of the pachinko machine 1 can see the outlet marking 2606D of the attacka upper right unit 2600D through the gap (space) provided between the back surface of the extension 344D and the game window 101, preventing a game ball from entering a sub-outlet 2021D that the player is not aware of, which could damage the player's trust in the pachinko machine 1 (for example, the difference between the predicted number of balls dispensed in the event of a jackpot and the actual number of balls dispensed becoming too large), and preventing a decrease in interest in the game.

In this embodiment, the attacca upper right unit 2600D is formed with a sub-outlet 2021D and an outlet notation 2606D indicating that it is the sub-outlet 2021; however, in addition to or instead of the sub-outlet 2021D, the attacca upper right unit 2600D may be formed with a general winning opening (not shown) and a winning opening notation (not shown) indicating that it is a general winning opening, and the door frame 3D may have an extension portion 344D of the door frame right side unit 340D arranged so as to overlap in the front-to-back direction with at least a portion of the winning opening notation of the attacca upper right unit 2600D. With this type of pachinko machine 1, the winning slot markings formed on the front of the gaming board 5 are difficult to see for players viewing the front of the gaming board 5 from a distance, such as players viewing an image of the pachinko machine 1 in a pamphlet or magazine, or players viewing the pachinko machine 1 from an island aisle to select which pachinko machine 1 to play on from among several different models. This prevents the winning slot markings from interfering with the uniformity and aesthetic appearance of the pachinko machine 1 for players viewing the front of the gaming board 5 from a distance, and prevents a decline in the player's interest in the game before they even start playing.

In addition, the outlet notation 2606D is made difficult to see by the extension portion of the door frame right side unit 340D, but in order to make the outlet notation 2606D difficult to see by the extension portion of the door frame right side unit 340D, the notation style of the outlet notation 2606D may be made different from the notation style of the other outlet notations to match the shape of the extension portion of the door frame right side unit 340D. For example, if it is desired to keep the extension amount of the extension portion of the door frame right side unit 340D toward the playing area relatively small, the notation style of the outlet notation 2606D can be made vertically or diagonally written rather than horizontally, thereby making it possible to keep the extension amount of the extension portion of the door frame right side unit 340D toward the playing area relatively small. Additionally, the outlet marking 2606D at the rear of the door frame right side unit 340D may be written in a smaller font than the other outlet markings, ensuring that it is difficult to see due to the extension of the door frame right side unit 340D.

In addition, in this embodiment, the attacca upper right unit 2600D is used as an example of the object on which the sub-outlet 2021D and outlet notation 206D located on the right side of the gaming area 5a are provided. However, this is not limited to this. The above-mentioned general winning opening 2001D, sub-outlet 2021D, winning opening notation, and outlet notation may be provided on other components of the front unit 2000D, and the above-mentioned extension portion may be provided on other components of the door frame 3D. For example, if the general winning opening 2001D, sub-outlet 2021D, winning opening notation, and outlet notation are provided on the upper part of the attacca upper right unit 2600D, an arc-shaped extension portion extending downward from the front of the pachinko machine 1 may be provided on the door frame top unit 300, or an extension portion extending inward from the front of the pachinko machine 1 may be provided on the upper part of the door frame right side unit 340D. Furthermore, when the general winning opening 2001D, the sub-outlet 2021D, and the winning opening and outlet notations are provided at the top of the upper left side unit, an arc-shaped extension extending downward from the front of the pachinko machine 1 may be provided in the door frame top unit 300, or an extension extending inward from the front of the pachinko machine 1 may be provided in the upper part of the left side unit 320. Furthermore, when the general winning opening 2001D, the sub-outlet 2021D, and the winning opening and outlet notations are provided in the side units, an extension extending inward from the front of the pachinko machine 1 may be provided in the lower part of the left side unit 320, or the winning opening and outlet notations may be provided so as to overlap at least partially in the front-to-rear direction with the performance operation unit 250D. Furthermore, even when the winning slot markings and the winning slot markings are provided so that they overlap at least partially in the front-to-back direction with the door frame left side unit 320 and the performance operation unit 250D, it is preferable to configure the door frame left side unit 320 and the performance operation unit 250D in a detachable manner with a configuration similar to that of the door frame right side unit 340D described above.

Here, we will explain an example of a case where the winning slot markings and the outlet markings are arranged so that they overlap at least a portion of the performance operation unit 250D in the front-to-back direction. Specifically, the upper part of the detachable performance operation unit 250D (including the first performance button 251D and the second performance button 252D) is arranged so that it overlaps at least a portion of the lower part of the game board 5 in the front-to-back direction when viewed from the front of the pachinko machine 1, and is located in front of the outlet markings on the side unit of the front unit 2000D. In other words, the upper part of the performance operation unit 250D overlaps in the front-to-back direction with at least a part of the outlet markings when viewed from the front of the pachinko machine 1, making it possible to make the outlet markings formed on the front of the game board 5 difficult to see for players viewing the front of the game board 5 from a distance, such as a player viewing an image of the pachinko machine 1 published in a booklet or magazine, or a player viewing the pachinko machine 1 from an island passage to select a pachinko machine 1 to play on from among a number of pachinko machines of different models, and this prevents the letters and symbols on the outlet markings from impairing the uniformity and aesthetic appearance of the pachinko machine 1 for players viewing the front of the game board 5 from a distance, and prevents a decrease in the player's interest in the game before they start playing. Additionally, a predetermined distance (space) is provided in the front-to-rear direction between the upper back surface of the effect operation unit 250D and the game window 101, allowing a player seated in front of the pachinko machine 1 to see the outlet markings on the side unit through the gap (space) provided between the effect operation unit 250D and the game window 101. This prevents a game ball from entering a sub-outlet 2021D that the player is not aware of, which could damage the player's trust in the pachinko machine 1 and prevent a decrease in interest in the game.

In addition, the upper part of the effect operation unit 250D may be configured such that when the second operation button 252D is activated and protrudes, the protruding second operation button 252D overlaps in the front-to-back direction with at least a portion of the outlet markings when viewed from the front of the pachinko machine 1. This prevents the outlet markings from coming into the player's field of view during certain effects on the pachinko machine 1, prevents the unique uniformity and aesthetic appearance of the pachinko machine 1 due to the decorations and effects of the pachinko machine 1 from being disrupted, and prevents a decrease in the player's interest in playing the game.

Furthermore, other components of the attacca upper right unit 2600D and front unit 2000D of this embodiment may be further provided with a back outlet marking or a back outlet identifier (neither of which are shown) for the sub-outlet 2021D, similar to the side units 2200A and 2200B described above, allowing the position of the sub-outlet 2021D to be indicated to the person assembling the front unit 2000D or the person testing the pachinko machine 1. Further, other components of the attacca upper right unit 2600D and front unit 2000D of this embodiment may be further provided with a back winning outlet marking or a back winning outlet identifier (neither of which are shown) for the general winning outlet 2001, allowing the position of the general winning outlet 2001D to be indicated to the person assembling the front unit 2000D or the person testing the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, because the above-mentioned door frame right-side unit 340D and presentation operation unit 250D are configured to be detachable, management issues such as forgetting to install or misalignment due to operational errors can occur. Therefore, a sensor unit can be provided that can detect whether the door frame right-side unit 340D or presentation operation unit 250D is properly installed, and the device can be configured to detect forgetting to install or misalignment of the door frame right-side unit 340D or presentation operation unit 250D. If forgetting to install or misalignment of the door frame right-side unit 340D or presentation operation unit 250D is detected, a special alarm can be issued to the outside using sound or light. However, since issuing a special alarm when misalignment occurs due to an unintentional impact during gameplay (e.g., operation of the presentation operation unit 250D) could cause concern to the player, the timing for detecting forgetting to install or misalignment can be set to within a certain period of time (e.g., five minutes) after power-on, and after the certain period of time has passed, no special alarm can be issued even if forgetting to install or misalignment is detected.

The present invention has been described above using preferred embodiments, but the present invention is not limited to these embodiments, and as described below, various improvements and design modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

In other words, while the above embodiment shows applications to pachinko machines 1 and slot machines as gaming machines, the present invention is not limited to these and may also be applied to pachislot machines or gaming machines that combine pachinko and pachislot machines, and in these cases, the same effects as those described above can be achieved. It can also be applied to so-called enclosed gaming machines, in which the player does not come into contact with the gaming ball B, and gaming machines known as controlled gaming machines.

In addition, while this embodiment shows the performance display device 1600 attached to the center of the set plate 1650, this is not limited to this, and the performance display device 1600 may be attached to a position that is off-center relative to the center of the set plate 1650. Also, while this embodiment shows the performance display device 1600 attached to the set plate 1650, this is not limited to this, and multiple performance display devices may be attached to the set plate 1650.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Pachinko machine 2 Outer frame 3 Door frame 4 Main body frame 5 Game board 5a Game area 5c7 Step portion 1000 Front component 1020 Panel decoration portion 1021 Lower left panel decoration portion 1022 Upper panel decoration portion 1023 Lower right panel decoration portion 1100 Game panel 1110 Panel plate 1112 Opening 1120 Panel holder 1400 Function display unit 2000 Front unit 3000 Back unit N Obstacle nail

Claims (1)

A gaming machine equipped with a gaming board having a flow-down area through which gaming balls can flow down,
The game board is provided with a specific member that forms a specific flow path into which the game ball flowing down the flow-down area can enter,
The specific member has transparency,
a seal portion provided with a specific indication positioned forward of the specific flow path is attached to a predetermined location of the specific member,
The seal portion has an outer edge portion formed to contact the entire outer edge of the specific indicia,
The specific marking and the outer edge are
When the seal portion is attached to the specific member, the seal portion is visible from the front side of the specific member and is visible through the specific member from the rear side of the specific member,
Furthermore, a specific shape portion is formed on the back surface of the specific member,
the specific shape portion is formed at a position that overlaps the specific marking and the outer edge portion when the seal portion is attached to the specific member,
moreover,
A counting means capable of updating a count value by game balls entering a plurality of game ball flow paths including the specific flow path;
a game limiting means for controlling the state of the gaming machine to a game limiting state that limits the progress of a game based on the count value reaching a specific value;
A specific notification means capable of executing a specific notification regarding the count value before being controlled to the gaming limited state;
and a game restriction notification means capable of issuing a game restriction notification regarding the game restriction state when the game is controlled to the game restriction state.
As the specific notification, a specific notification image can be displayed on a predetermined display means,
As the game restriction notification, a game restriction notification image can be displayed on the predetermined display means,
If the power is interrupted while the game restriction notification image is displayed, the game restriction notification image can be displayed even after the power is restored.
A gaming machine characterized in that a common message image regarding the gaming restriction state can be displayed as the gaming restriction notification image displayed before power is lost and as the gaming restriction notification image displayed after power is restored.