JPH0576653A - Pachinko game machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a pachinko game machine requiring no separate device for returning acquired prize balls, and capable of returning the prize balls with a minimum extent of operation. CONSTITUTION:The lower tray 16 of a Pachinko machine 10 has the capability of a ball return device for the number of balls counted and saved in a ball counter at a process where prize balls stored in a storage section 20 are returned from a return port 22 to the inside of a pachinko island seat 1. As a result, not only a troublesome work for installing a ball return device on the seat 1 is not required, but also an operation is not required for shifting prize balls from the lower tray 16 to a ball return device.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention stores a prize ball discharging device for discharging a predetermined number of prize balls on the basis of a winning hit ball, and a prize ball discharged from the prize ball discharging device. An upper plate that supplies a prize ball as a hit ball to the launch position,
The present invention relates to a pachinko machine equipped with a lower plate that stores the overflowing prize balls when the prize balls stored in the upper plate are full.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a prize ball that has been won by a game player is generally returned to a ball returning device provided in a prize exchange place for exchanging a prize ball and a prize. In such a ball returning device, a returning device for returning balls from the prize exchange to the pachinko island stand and an equalizing device for equalizing the balls returned between the pachinko island stands are required, and the construction and There is a drawback that it takes a lot of time to maintain, and in order to solve this, the present applicant previously provided a ball returning device individually corresponding to each pachinko machine in Japanese Patent Application No. 2-271480 (hereinafter,
Prior art) was proposed.

[0003]

However, in the above-mentioned prior art, the ball returning device is formed completely separately from the pachinko machine and is installed on the counter stand of the pachinko island stand below the lower plate of the pachinko machine. Since it has a configuration, there is a drawback that the work for setting it up is troublesome and an extra operation of dropping the prize ball to be returned from the lower plate is required. The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a device for returning an acquired prize ball separately from a pachinko machine and to operate the prize ball with a minimum operation. It is to provide a pachinko machine that can return.

[0004]

In order to achieve the above object, in the present invention, a prize ball discharging device for discharging a predetermined number of prize balls based on winning of a hit ball, and a discharge from the prize ball discharging device. An upper plate for storing the stored prize balls and supplying the stored prize balls as a hit ball to the launch position; and a lower plate for storing the overflowing prize balls when the prize balls stored in the upper plate are full. In a pachinko machine equipped with, a ball for counting the balls returned through the communication passage in which the lower plate communicates with the storage part and the inside of the pachinko island stand where the pachinko machine is lined up. It is configured as a ball returning device including a counter. In addition to the above configuration, the lower plate, by providing a ball return switch that drives the prize ball discharging device to return the balls within the range of the number of balls counted by the ball counter based on the operation, The returned prize ball can be returned to the pachinko machine again.

[0005]

The prize balls discharged from the prize ball discharging device are stored in the upper plate and supplied again as a hit ball. Then, when the discharged prize balls fill the upper plate, the prize balls overflowing are discharged to the storage part of the lower plate. The prize balls that have flowed out to the storage area of the lower plate are returned to the inside of the Pachinko island stand through the communication passage. Then, in the returning process, the returned balls are counted and stored by the ball counter. As described above, in the present invention, since the ball returning device is formed in the lower plate of the pachinko machine, not only the troublesome work of installing the ball returning device on the pachinko island stand, but also the lower plate It is not necessary to perform the operation of moving the prize ball from the to the ball returning device. When the lower plate is provided with a ball returning switch, the ball returning switch is operated to return the number of balls within the counted and stored range directly from the prize ball discharging device to the pachinko machine. For this reason,
Even if a coin is newly inserted and the ball rental is not borrowed, the pachinko machine can continue the game again.

[0006]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. First, regarding the relationship between the pachinko machine according to the embodiment and the pachinko island stand on which the pachinko machines are arranged, FIG.
Will be described. FIG. 7 is a partial perspective view of the pachinko island stand 1 with the interior omitted. In the figure, a large number of pachinko machines 10 are arranged in a back row on a pachinko island stand 1 along the longitudinal direction, and a counter stand 2 that projects laterally is provided below the pachinko machines 10.

[0007] By the way, inside the pachinko island stand 1 described above, although not shown, a storage tank is provided in the lower part thereof. The storage tank stores used balls discharged from each pachinko machine 10 and returned balls returned from the lower tray 16 as a ball returning device described later, and in principle,
It is possible to store enough balls to be used by the pachinko machine 10 arranged in line on the pachinko island stand 1. Although not shown, the return port 2 of the lower plate 16 which will be described later.
2 and the inside of the pachinko island stand 1 are connected by a connecting passage, and a ball counter 30 (not shown, in the middle of the connecting passage.
However, (shown in the circuit diagram of FIG. 5) is provided.

Pachinko machines 1 lined up on a pachinko island stand 1
As is well known, 0 is a glass door 12 on the front of the game board 11.
An upper plate 14 and a lower plate 16 are fixed to the surface of a front plate 13 provided below the glass door 12 and covered with glass. In addition, the front plate 13 on the side of the lower plate 16
An operating handle 15 for adjusting the resilience of a hit ball is also provided in the. The front plate 13 shown in the figure is a pachinko machine 1
It is fixed to the front of 0, but this is the upper plate 14 and the lower plate 1
6 may be divided into two front plates to which each is fixed, and at least the front plate to which the upper plate 14 is fixed may be designed to be openable and closable.

Detailed structures of the upper plate 14 and the lower plate 16 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 1 is a partial perspective view showing a lower portion of the pachinko machine 10. In the figure, the upper plate 14 is provided with a storage portion 17 for storing the prize balls, which is discharged from the prize balls outlet 18 formed at the upstream end of the prize balls based on the winning. In order to supply the stored prize balls as a hit ball, the storage section 17 aligns the prize balls in a row as they flow toward the downstream side and allows the prize balls to flow down, and the lower end of the prize ball faces the firing position of the hit ball. It has become. Further, a ball drop button 19 that is operated at the time of causing the prize balls stored in the upper plate 14 to flow out to the lower plate 16 is provided in the downstream portion of the upper plate 14. In addition, as will be described later, not only the prize balls discharged based on the winning, but also the ball lending / ball returning button 2 are provided on the upper plate 14.
Ball rental and return balls that flow out when 6a to 26c are operated are also stored.

The lower plate 16 has a storage section 20 for storing the excess prize balls overflowing when the upper plate 14 is full of prize balls and more prize balls are discharged. The surplus prize ball flows out from the surplus prize ball outlet 21 formed on the rear surface. Further, the lower plate 16 also serves as a ball returning device so as to constitute a main part of this embodiment. That is, on the lower rear side surface of the storage portion 20 of the lower plate 16,
The return port 22 is opened, and the return port 22 is connected to the storage tank inside the pachinko island stand 1 via the communication passage (not shown) provided with the ball counter 30 as described above. Further, the bottom surface of the storage section 20 is formed so as to be inclined downward toward the return port 22. Therefore, the gift ball that has flown from the surplus gift ball outlet 21 to the storage unit 20 flows down the bottom surface thereof, flows into the return port 22, and is returned to the inside of the pachinko island stand 1 through the communication passage. And in the process of being returned, it is detected and counted by the ball counter 30,
The count value is stored as described later. Although the illustrated return port 22 is always open, an open / close valve for opening / closing the return port 22 may be provided so that the open / close valve can be arbitrarily opened / closed by a player's operation.

Further, the lower plate 16 is formed with constituent members related to the above-mentioned ball returning device. That is, the storage unit 2
The card insertion port 24 into which the card 25 is inserted is formed in the raised portion located on one side of 0, and the ball lending / ball returning buttons 26a to 26c are provided on the upper portion thereof and located on the other side of the storage section 20. A receipt discharge port 27 for discharging the receipt 34 (see FIG. 3) is formed in the raised portion, and a settlement button 28 and a balance / ball number indicator 29 are provided above the receipt discharge port 27. In addition, the storage portion 20 between the raised portion where the card insertion opening 24 is formed and the raised portion where the receipt discharge opening 27 is formed.
A transparent cover 23 is provided on the front surface of the storage unit 20 so that the inside of the storage unit 20 can be seen through. This makes it easy to see whether or not there are any surplus gift balls remaining in the storage section 20.

First, the card 25 inserted into the card slot 24 has recorded therein money amount information relating to ball rental that the player borrows to play a game, and is a prepaid card purchased by the player in advance. The card slot 24 is
It forms a part of a card device 32 (not shown, but only symbols are shown in the circuit diagram of FIG. 5) provided in the raised portion, and detects that the card 25 is inserted in the card device 32. Input sensor 33 (not shown,
However, in addition to having a reference numeral only in the block diagram of FIG. 6), it includes a data reading / recording device for reading and re-recording information recorded on the card 25, a card carrying device for taking in and ejecting the card 25, and the like. There is. In addition,
The card device 32 is not necessary in a pachinko machine of a type that does not purchase rental balls with a card, or a card device provided separately on the side of the pachinko machine.
The lower plate 16 does not have to be provided.

Ball lending / ball returning buttons 26a to 26c
By operating when the card 25 is inserted in the card device 32 (ball rental mode), a predetermined number of balls can be obtained within the range of the ball lending information recorded in the card 25. On the other hand, by operating when the balls returned from the lower plate 16 to the inside of the pachinko island stand 1 are stored (ball returning mode), a predetermined number of balls are returned within the range of the stored number of returned balls. You can get a return ball. The ball rental and return balls are discharged by the prize ball discharging device 40 described later. The ball rental mode is designed to be prioritized when the ball lending / ball returning buttons 26a to 26c are operated while the card 25 is inserted and there is a return memory. Of course, any mode may be designed to be prioritized. Also, there are three ball lending / ball returning buttons 26a-
26c is set so that the number of balls to be discharged is different, and in both cases of ball lending and ball returning, for example, when the button 26a is operated, 25 balls are discharged,
When the button 26b is operated, 50 balls are ejected, and when the button 26c is operated, 75 balls are ejected.

Next, the receipt discharge port 27 formed in the other raised portion has a printer 31 built in the raised portion.
It forms a part of (not shown, but the symbol is shown in the block diagram of FIG. 6), and sends out the receipt 34 on which the stored number of returned balls is printed when the settlement button 28 is operated at the end of the game. It is a thing. In addition, the balance / ball number display 29 displays the balance recorded on the card 25 when the card is inserted, and also displays the number of returned coins captured and stored in the pachinko island stand 1, and is a 4-digit number. It is composed of 7-segment LEDs. The settlement button 28 and the ball lending / ball returning buttons 26a to 26c described above are both switch types, and may be referred to as a settlement switch, a ball returning switch, or the like.

The front structure of the pachinko machine 10 has the above-described structure, but the prize ball discharging device 40 shown in FIG. 5 is provided on the back surface of the pachinko machine 10.
This free gift ball discharging device 40 is provided at the end of a free gift ball guide gutter 45 for finally aligning the free gift balls flowing out of a free gift ball tank (not shown) in one line, and a sprocket facing the end of the free gift ball guide gutter 45. 42, a stepping motor 41 that is connected to the sprocket 42 via a gear mechanism 43 and controls the rotation thereof, and a discharge ball detector 44 that detects a ball that has passed through the sprocket 42.

A prize ball discharging device 40 having the above structure
Describing the action of, the balls that flow down with the prize ball guide gutters 45 aligned in one row are in a state in which the leading ball is stopped at the position of the sprocket 42. When the discharge command signal is derived in such a state, the stepping motor 41 is turned on to allow the rotation of the sprocket 42 and cause the balls to flow downward. Then, the flowing balls are detected by the discharged ball detector 44 and then discharged to the upper plate 14. When the number of balls detected by the discharged ball detector 44 reaches the number determined according to the type of the discharge command signal, the stepping motor 41 is turned off to stop the rotation of the sprocket 42 and stop the flow of the balls. Let Although not shown, on the back surface of the pachinko machine 10, a prize ball detector 46 (shown in the circuit diagram of FIG. 5) for detecting the generated prize balls is provided in addition to the prize ball discharging device 40 described above. The prize ball discharging device 40 is driven based on the winning signal of the winning ball detector 46.

As described above, the prize ball discharging device 40 can discharge a predetermined number of balls according to the type of the discharge command signal, but in the present embodiment, there are seven kinds of discharge command signals. It is supposed to be derived. Specifically, when the prize-winning ball detector 46 is turned on, a prize ball discharge command signal is derived, whereby a predetermined number (for example, 15) of balls are discharged as prize balls. Also, the ball lending / ball returning buttons 26a to 26c in the ball lending mode described above.
When any one of the above is operated, different types of ball rental discharge command signals are derived, and thereby a predetermined number (for example, 25, 50, 75) of balls are discharged as ball rentals. Further, when any one of the ball lending / ball returning buttons 26a to 26c is operated in the above-mentioned ball returning mode, different kinds of return ball discharge command signals are derived, and thereby a predetermined number (for example, 25 pieces, 50 pieces). , 75) are ejected as return balls. However, as a premise that the balls to be leased and the balls to be returned are discharged, it is necessary that more than the amount of money information corresponding to the predetermined number of balls to be leased remains on the card 25, or the predetermined number of returned balls to be returned on the lower plate 16. It is necessary that more than the number of balls to be returned have been incorporated.

The structure of the pachinko machine 10 having the lower plate 16 and the prize ball discharging device 40 as the ball returning device has been described above. The lower plate 16 and the prize ball discharging device 40 have been described above.
5, its operation is controlled by the control circuit board 50 provided in the lower tray 16. As shown in FIG. 6, the control circuit board 50 includes a control circuit 51, an arithmetic circuit 52, an input circuit 53, and an output circuit 54. Then, the input circuit 53 has a ball lending / ball returning button 2
6a to 26c, a settlement button 28, a ball counter 30 (displayed as a count sensor 1), a discharged ball detector 44 (displayed as a count sensor 2), and a winning ball detector 46 (displayed as a count sensor 3), Various arithmetic operations and controls are executed by the arithmetic circuit 52 and the control circuit 51 according to the respective input signals, and the remaining money / ball number display 29 (displayed as the remaining money / ball number display section via the output circuit 54 depending on the execution result). ),
The printer 31 and the stepping motor 41 (displayed as a motor) are drive-controlled. Further, the control circuit board 50 includes a data circuit 55 related to the card device 32, a timer circuit 56, and a carry output circuit 57.

The operation controlled by the control circuit of the control circuit board 50 will be described. When the player inserts the card 25 into the card insertion slot 24, the insertion sensor 3 is inserted.
3 acts to take the card 25 into the card device 32, read the amount information recorded in the card 25, and at the same time, display the balance in the card 25 on the balance / ball number display 29 by the output of the data circuit 55. .. In that state,
By operating any one of the ball return buttons 26a to 26c, the stepping motor 41 is turned on and the sprocket 42 is rotated on the assumption that there is a balance corresponding to the ball lending discharged by the operated button. The balls are made to flow down, and discharged to the upper plate 14 as rental balls. Then, the discharged ball detector 44 (count sensor 2) is attached to the sprocket 4
When a predetermined number of balls that have passed through 2 are detected, the stepping motor 41 is turned off, the rotation of the sprocket 42 is stopped, and the discharging of the balls is stopped. By this operation, the discharging operation of a predetermined number of ball rental balls based on the ball rental command is completed. When the ball rental operation is completed, the control circuit 51
The subtraction signal is derived from the data circuit 55 to the data circuit 55, and the money amount information recorded in the card 25 is rewritten based on the signal. Further, when a certain time has elapsed from the time when the card 25 was inserted, the timer circuit 56 operates and the transport output circuit 57 is driven, whereby the card 25 taken into the card device 32 is automatically returned from the card insertion port 24. It

As described above, when the player operates the operation handle 15 while the balls are lent to the upper plate 14,
The ball rental balls stored in the upper plate 14 are supplied as hit balls and are shot on the game board 11. Then, when the shot ball hits the winning opening or the winning device of the game board 11, the winning ball detector 46 (count sensor 3) outputs a winning signal. Then, the stepping motor 41 is turned on, the sprocket 42 rotates, and the balls flow down, and the balls are discharged to the upper plate 14 as prize balls. Then, the discharged ball detector 44 passes a predetermined number of balls that have passed through the sprocket 42 (for example, 15 balls).
Number) is detected, the stepping motor 41 is OF
At F, the rotation of the sprocket 42 is stopped, and the ejection of the balls is stopped. By this operation, the operation of discharging the predetermined number of prize balls based on the winning is completed.

By repeating the above-described operation, the prize ball payout operation based on the winning is performed. As a result, when the upper plate 14 is full with a large amount of prize balls, the surplus prize balls more than that overflow. And flows out to the storage portion 20 of the lower plate 16. Then, the surplus prize balls that have flowed out to the storage unit 20 are shown in FIG.
As shown in (4), it flows into the return port 22, passes through the communication passage, and is returned to the storage tank inside the pachinko island stand 1. And
At this time, the returned balls are counted by the ball counter 30 (count sensor 1), the count value is stored in the storage area in the control circuit 51, and the stored value is displayed on the balance / ball number display 29. ..

As described above, the surplus prize balls overflowing from the upper plate 14 are automatically returned from the lower plate 16 to the inside of the pachinko island stand 1, so that there is no problem even if the player concentrates on the game. Does not happen. Further, by operating the settlement button 28 when all the prize balls have been returned, as shown in FIG. 3, the receipt 34 having the number of returned balls printed is ejected from the receipt ejection port 27 of the printer 31 and returned. The memory value of the ball is cleared.

Before operating the settlement button 28, if the player wants to play a game again on the pachinko machine 10, he / she can lend a ball.
Any one of the ball return buttons 26a to 26c may be operated. Specifically, for example, by operating the ball lending / ball returning button 26a, as shown in FIG. 4, the stepping motor 41 is turned on and the sprocket 42 is rotated to allow the balls to flow down and return to the upper plate 14. Discharge as a ball. Then, when the discharge ball detector 44 detects a predetermined number (for example, 25) of balls that have passed through the sprocket 42, the stepping motor 41 is turned off to stop the rotation of the sprocket 42 and the discharge of the balls is stopped. It By this operation, the discharge operation of the predetermined number of return balls based on the return command is completed.
Thereafter, similarly, by operating the ball lending / ball returning button 26b, a predetermined number (for example, 50) of returning balls are discharged,
By operating the ball lending / ball returning button 26c, a predetermined number (for example, 75) of returning balls are discharged. However, as a premise that the return balls are discharged, it is necessary that the lower plate 16 has taken in a predetermined number or more of return balls as described above.

As described above, in the present embodiment, the prize balls discharged from the prize ball discharging device 40 fill the upper plate 14 and flow out into the storage portion 20 of the lower plate 16 so that the prize balls pass through the communication passage. Since it is configured to be returned to the inside of the pachinko island stand 1 and counted and stored by the ball counter 30 in the process of returning, a ball returning device is formed on the lower plate 16 of the pachinko machine 10. Therefore, it is not necessary to perform the troublesome work of installing the ball returning device on the pachinko island stand 1, and it is not necessary to move the prize ball from the lower plate 16 to the ball returning device. .. Further, since the lower plate 16 is provided with ball lending / ball returning buttons 26a to 26c,
By operating the ball lending / ball returning buttons 26a to 26c, the number of balls within the counted and stored range is directly returned from the prize ball discharging device 40 to the pachinko machine 10. For this reason,
The player can continue the game with the pachinko machine 10 again without inserting coins and borrowing balls.

In the above embodiment, the lower plate 1
6 shows a structure for returning all the surplus prize balls that have flowed out, but as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, a ball outlet 36 is formed on the bottom surface immediately before the return opening 22, and the side of the lower plate 16 is formed. When the ball-pulling button 35 provided on one side is operated, the ball-punching port 36 is opened, and the surplus prize balls flowing out to the lower plate 16 are preferentially dropped from the ball-pulling port 36 and placed on the counter base 2. It may be configured so that it is transferred to the ball box 3. With such a configuration, the player can arbitrarily select return or transfer.

In the above embodiment, three ball lending / ball returning buttons 26a to 26c are provided.
The number of ball lending / ball returning buttons and the number of returning balls returned by the operation may be set arbitrarily. Further, the printer 31 does not necessarily have to be integrally provided as the structure of the lower plate 16. Further, in the above-described embodiment, the ball lending and the ball returning are performed by the same button, but buttons corresponding to respective operations may be separately provided.

[0027]

As is apparent from the above description, in the present invention, the prize balls flowing out to the lower plate of the pachinko machine are balls in the process of being returned to the inside of the pachinko island stand through the communication passage. Since it is configured to be counted and stored by the counter, the ball returning device is formed on the bottom plate of the pachinko machine, and it is not necessary to install the ball returning device on the pachinko island stand. Not only is it good, but it is not necessary to move the prize balls from the lower plate to the ball returning device. If the lower plate is provided with a ball return switch, the player operates the ball return switch so that the number of balls within the counted and stored range is directly transferred from the prize ball discharging device to the pachinko machine. Since it is configured to be returned, the player can continue the game with the pachinko machine again without inserting a new coin and borrowing a ball.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a partial perspective view showing a configuration of a lower portion of a pachinko machine according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a partial perspective view of a pachinko machine showing how prize balls are returned to a lower plate provided in the pachinko machine.

FIG. 3 is a partial perspective view of a pachinko machine showing an operation of a printer provided on a lower plate.

FIG. 4 is a partial perspective view of a pachinko machine showing an operation of a ball lending / ball returning button provided on a lower plate.

FIG. 5 is a wiring diagram showing a relationship between a control circuit board for controlling the operations of the lower plate and the prize ball discharging device and electric parts.

6 is a block diagram of a control circuit formed on the control circuit board of FIG.

FIG. 7 is a partial perspective view of a pachinko island stand with the interior omitted.

FIG. 8 is a partial perspective view of a pachinko machine equipped with a lower plate according to another embodiment.

9 is a partial perspective view of the pachinko machine showing the operation of the lower plate shown in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Pachinko island stand 10 Pachinko machine 14 Upper plate 16 Lower plate 20 Reservoir 22 Return port 26a-26c Ball lending / ball return button (ball return switch) 30 Ball counter 40 Prize ball discharge device

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A prize ball discharging device that discharges a predetermined number of prize balls based on a winning of a hit ball, a prize ball discharged from the prize ball discharging device, and the stored prize ball is fired as a hit ball. In a pachinko machine equipped with an upper plate to be supplied to a position and a lower plate for storing the overflowing prize balls when the prize balls stored in the upper plate are full, the lower plate is the storage section and the storage unit. It is configured as a ball returning device including a communication passage that communicates with the inside of a pachinko island stand where a pachinko machine is lined up, and a ball counter that counts the balls returned through the communication passage. A pachinko machine that does. 2. The pachinko machine according to claim 1, wherein the lower bowl is driven by the prize ball discharging device within a range of the number of balls counted by the ball counter based on an operation of the lower plate to collect balls. A pachinko machine that features a ball return switch.