JPH0838714A - Pachinko game machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent such a trouble that prize balls are delivered by mistake even when no launched ball enters a prize region at the time of a power cutoff by setting the output signal from a prize ball detecting switch to the same low level as that for prize detection at the time of the power cutoff. CONSTITUTION:The prize ball detecting switch SSI, an upper tray ball detecting switch SS2, ball exhaustion switches S2, S3, and a full-capacity switch S4 of a switch circuit 309 are connected to a connector CN1. The power signal of +12V is fed to the switch circuit 309, and the signal is fed to the prize ball detecting switch SS1 via the connector CN1. Since a capacitor C1 serving as a potential holding means is arranged, the potential of a prescribed level or higher is held for a prescribed period after the feed of the power signal of +12V is interrupted, and such a trouble is prevented that the ball detecting switch S81 judges that a prize ball is detected at the time of a power cutoff.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention is a prize which is driven by an electric drive source when a prize is hit from an input prize area provided on a game board, which is represented by a pachinko game machine or a coin game machine. Regarding a ball game machine having a ball payout device capable of paying out a ball, in detail, it is prevented that a prize ball is paid out by erroneously detecting that a hit ball has won in the winning area when the power is shut off. Technology.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally known examples of this type of ball game machine are as follows. The ball game machine has detection means for detecting that a hit state has entered a specific state (hereinafter simply referred to as “specific state”), and based on the output from this detection means. And a control means for determining whether or not to give a predetermined game value (hereinafter, simply referred to as "game value") to the player. If a specific state is reached during the game, the detection means detects it and outputs a detection signal. The control means determines to give the game value in response to the detection signal output by the detection means, and outputs a control signal for performing an operation of giving the game value. In response to this control signal, the ball game machine imparts a game value to the player.

A configuration example of this type of ball game machine will be described more specifically. In this type of ball game machine, when the detecting means detects a specific state, it outputs a signal of a predetermined relatively high potential, and when the specific state is not detected, The control means is configured to output a signal of a predetermined relatively low potential, and the control means is in a specific state if the potential of the output signal from the detection means is the predetermined relatively low potential. Some of the devices are configured to determine that a game value has been detected and decide to give a game value.

However, when the detecting means is constructed so as to output a high potential signal when it detects a specific state, the detecting means is provided from outside the ball game machine using a predetermined means. However, there is a drawback in that it is easy to carry out a fraudulent act in which a game value that should not have been originally given is given by mistakenly operating. For example,
Consider a case where the ball game machine is a pachinko game machine, and when a pachinko ball is won in a specific area, a specific state is established and a predetermined number of prize balls are set to be paid out. In this case, as the detection means, usually, a proximity switch configured to output a high potential signal when a winning ball that has won a prize in the specific area is detected. In such a pachinko gaming machine, by using a transceiver, an electronic lighter, or the like from the outside, by giving a certain kind of electromagnetic wave, even if the winning ball is not actually detected, whether or not the winning ball is detected. As described above, it was possible to forcibly output the high potential signal from the detection means. Therefore, some players use such a method to forcefully output a high potential signal from the proximity switch,
By causing the control means to output a control signal in response to the high potential signal, a prize ball may be illegally acquired, often causing damage to the game arcade side.

Therefore, in order to prevent such an illegal act, in another game machine of this kind, a predetermined comparison is made when the detecting means detects that it is in a specific state. Is configured to output a signal having a relatively low potential, and to output a signal having a predetermined relatively high potential when it is not detected that a specific state has been reached, and correspondingly, the control means, If the potential of the output signal from the detection means is a predetermined relatively low potential, it is determined that a specific state has been detected, and a control for performing an operation of giving a predetermined game value. A signal is output, and if the potential of the output signal from the detection means is higher than a predetermined potential, it is determined that a specific state has not been detected and the control signal is not output. ing. According to this structure, when the proximity switch is used as the detection means as described above, an electromagnetic wave is given from the outside of the gaming machine and the high potential signal is forcibly output from the detection means. Also, since the control means is configured to judge that a particular state has been detected when the given signal has a low potential, a control signal for imparting a game value is erroneously output. There is nothing to do. Therefore, it is possible to prevent a game value from being given to an unauthorized player.

By the way, the detection means and the control means operate when power is supplied from the power supply means. In the case of a gaming machine configured to prevent the above-mentioned fraud, in general, the detection means responds to the potential of the power supplied from the power supply means when it does not detect that it is in a specific state. Is output as a high potential signal, and when it is detected that a specific state has been reached, a signal having a predetermined potential lower than the potential of the signal output during non-detection is output. . Then, the control means operates when electric power having a sufficiently high potential is supplied from the power supply means, and stops the operation when the electric potential of the supplied power falls below a predetermined level.

[0007]

However, when the power supply to the detection means and the control means from the power supply means is stopped when the power supply of the ball game machine is cut off, the electric potential of the power is The potential gradually decreases from a high potential over a certain period, and finally reaches a constant low potential.
At this time, the potential of the power supplied from the power supply unit to the detection unit is reduced before the potential of the power supplied from the power supply unit to the control unit is reduced and the control unit stops operating. Then, when the potential of the signal output from the detection means when the specific state is not detected is lowered to the potential equivalent to the potential of the low potential signal output when the specific state is detected, the operation is still started. The continuing control means erroneously outputs the control signal in response to the potential of the output signal from the detection means becoming a predetermined low potential, even when the specific state is not detected. However, in response to the control signal, the gaming machine operates to give a gaming value. Therefore, a game value that should not be originally given to the player is given, and a loss is generated on the side of the game hall accordingly.

The present invention has been conceived in view of such circumstances, and an object thereof is to prevent a prize ball from being mistakenly paid out even when a hitting ball has not been won in the winning area when the power is shut off. To provide a ball game machine capable of playing.

[0009]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the invention according to claim 1 is driven by an electric drive source when a hitting ball is won in a winning area provided on a game board. A ball game machine having a ball payout device capable of paying a prize ball, wherein power supply means for supplying electric power and electric power is supplied from the power supply means, and a hit ball is won in the winning area. When detected, it outputs a first signal of a predetermined relatively low potential, and when it does not detect that a hit ball has won in the winning area, it outputs a signal of a predetermined relatively high potential. In addition, the winning ball detection means for outputting a second signal whose potential drops in response to a decrease in the potential of the power supplied from the power source means, and an output signal from the winning ball detection means, The potential of the output signal is relatively low When the potential is a potential, including a control means for outputting a control signal for performing the operation of paying out the prize balls, when the potential of the power supplied by the power supply means is reduced, the signal from the winning ball detection means At the time of outputting the control signal by the control means based on, the power supply to the control signal is already reduced and the control means is in an output inoperable state in which the control signal cannot be output. It is characterized by being

The invention according to claim 2 is characterized by further including potential holding means for holding the potential of the electric power supplied from the power source means to the winning ball detecting means for a predetermined period.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, the period from the time when the winning ball detecting means detects that a hit ball has been won in the winning area to the time when the control signal is output by the controlling means. It is characterized by further including a delay means for delaying for a predetermined period.

[0012]

According to the structure of claim 1, electric power is supplied from the power source means to the winning ball detecting means and the control means. When the winning ball detecting means detects that a hitting ball has won in the winning area, it outputs a first signal of a predetermined relatively low potential, and detects that the hitting ball has won in the winning area. If not, a second signal, which is a signal of a predetermined relatively high potential and whose potential drops in response to a drop in the potential of the power supplied from the power supply means, is output. The control means outputs a control signal for paying out a prize ball when the potential of the output signal from the winning ball detection means is a predetermined relatively low potential. When the control signal is output from the control means based on the signal from the winning ball detection means when the potential of the power supplied by the power supply means is decreased, the power supply to the control signal is already decreased and the control means is The output cannot be output because the control signal cannot be output.

According to the structure of claim 2, the potential holding means holds the potential of the electric power supplied from the power source means to the winning ball detecting means for a predetermined period.

According to the structure of claim 3, the delay means comprises:
The period from the time when the winning ball detection means detects that a hit ball has been won in the winning area to the time when the control means outputs a predetermined control signal is delayed by a predetermined period.

[0015]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. In the following embodiments, a pachinko game machine is shown as an example of a ball game machine, but the present invention is not limited to this, and for example, a coin game machine or an arrangement type pachinko game machine (so-called arepachi), etc. Similarly, if a ball game machine having a ball payout device that can be driven by an electric drive source and pays out a prize ball when a hit ball is won in a prize area provided on a game board, It is possible to apply.

[First Embodiment] FIG. 1 is a front view showing the configuration of a pachinko gaming machine which is an example of a ball game machine according to the first embodiment of the present invention. The pachinko gaming machine 1 has a front frame 2 formed in a frame shape. A door holding frame 3 is provided around the frame-shaped opening of the front frame 2, and a glass door frame 4 having a glass plate is provided on the upper portion of the door holding frame 3 and a hitting ball supply tray 6 is provided on the lower portion thereof. Each plate 5 is provided so as to be openable and closable. Further, on the lower surface of the front frame 2, there is a surplus ball receiving tray 20 for storing surplus prize balls overflowing from the hit ball supply tray 6.
And an operation handle 21 for firing a hit ball. Further, the front frame 2 is provided with a game effect lamp 22 which is lit or blinks on the upper portion thereof when the game state reaches a predetermined specific game state (described later). Further, a lock decoration for decorating the periphery of a lock of a locking device (not shown) is provided on the open side portion of the front frame 2, and inside the lock decoration, a ball hitting operation is performed. An operation lamp 23 that indicates that the pachinko gaming machine 1 is in operation is built in.

The hitting ball supply tray 6 will be described. The hit ball supply tray 6 has a prize ball payout opening 7 formed upstream thereof.
A storage alignment passage 8 is formed so as to connect a with the supply port 7b formed on the downstream side. A ball detector 9 is provided on the back side of the bottom surface of the central portion of the storage alignment path 8.
The ball detector 9 detects the ball remaining on the ball supply tray 6. The ball detector 9 stores a coil for detecting the presence or absence of a ball by a magnetic change, a coil housing portion for housing the coil, and a substrate integrally formed with the coil housing portion in an installation case and a back cover. It is configured by closing. A metal plate having substantially the same shape as the substrate is interposed between the back cover and the substrate. Further, the switch case and the back cover can be easily combined by engaging the engagement projections provided on the back cover with the engagement recesses formed in the switch case. A speaker 19 for generating a sound effect is built in the space below the upstream side of the hitting ball supply tray 6.

Further, the hitting ball supply tray 6 is provided with an operation section which is operated by a player when borrowing a game ball through a card unit 50 provided adjacent to the pachinko gaming machine 1. The operation section is provided with a ball lending switch 15, a return switch 17, and a mode changeover switch 18, and a frequency display LED 16 is provided between the ball lending switch 15 and the return switch 17.

The ball lending switch 15 is a card unit 50.
Is operated when borrowing a game ball from, and the return switch 17 is for returning the card inserted into the card insertion slot 55 of the card unit 50 at the end of the game. The fact that the card is inserted in the card insertion slot 55 is notified to the player by turning on the card insertion display lamp 54 provided in the card unit 50. Further, the frequency display LED 16 displays the balance of the card inserted into the card insertion slot 55 of the card unit 50. The mode changeover switch 18 is a switch for setting a payout mode of gaming balls to be borrowed. The modes to be set include a manual mode in which the ball lending switch 15 is operated to pay out the game balls when the player needs to borrow the game balls, and the remaining amount of the ball on the ball supply tray 6 is the ball. There is an automatic mode in which game balls are automatically paid out when they are no longer detected by the detector 9.

Further, the glass door frame 5 of the pachinko gaming machine 1
The game board 30 is detachably attached to the rear side of the front frame 2 on the rear side of the. A guide rail 31 for guiding a hitting ball is planted in the game board 30 in a substantially circular shape. The area inside the guide rail 31 on the surface of the game board 30 is a game area 32.

In the game area 32, a variable display device 33,
A game device such as a starting winning opening 34 and a variable winning ball device 35 is provided. More specifically, the game area 3
A variable display device 33 having a plurality of rotary drum mechanisms is arranged at substantially the center of 2. Below the variable display device 33, a starting winning opening 34 and a variable winning ball device 35 are arranged. The starting winning opening 34 is defined so that a condition for rotating the rotary drum mechanism of the variable display device 33 is satisfied when a hit ball is won. The ball hitting the starting winning opening 34 is guided to the back surface of the game board 30 and is detected by the starting winning ball detector 46 provided in the winning ball aggregate cover body 45 as shown in FIG.

The variable winning ball device 35 includes a solenoid 37.
An opening / closing plate 36 that is opened and closed by (illustrated by a broken line) is provided. The opening / closing plate 36 is a member for opening or closing the special winning opening which is the winning opening of the variable winning ball device 35. In the following description, the fact that the opening / closing plate 36 is in the state where the special winning opening is opened and closed is referred to as the opening and closing plate 36 being in the opened state and the closed state, respectively.

The inside of the special winning opening is divided into three areas. The center of the three areas is set as a specific winning area, and a specific winning ball detector 38 (see FIG. 2) is provided in a state of facing the specific winning area. Also, 3
The left and right sides of the two areas are set as normal winning areas, and winning ball detectors 39a and 39b are provided so as to face the left and right winning areas, respectively.

On the left and right sides of the central portion of the game area 32, winning openings 42a and 42b are provided. An outlet 40 is provided at the bottom of the game area 32. Gaming area 3
When the hit ball hit in 2 does not win any of the starting winning opening 34, the variable winning ball device 35, and the winning openings 42a and 42b, it is guided to the out opening 40 and processed as an out ball. To be done. As shown in FIG. 2, on the back surface of the outlet 40, a flow-down recess 41 is provided so that the ball hitting the outlet 40 is guided toward the lower edge of the game board 30.

Further, the game board 30 is provided with a payout lamp 43 and a ball-out lamp 44 on the outer portion of the upper guide rail 31.

The contents of the game played by the pachinko gaming machine 1 configured as described above will be described. When the player operates the operation handle 21, the guide rail 3
When the hit ball hit in the game area 32 along 1 flows down from the upper part to the lower part of the game area 32 and the hit ball wins the starting winning opening 34, the starting winning ball detector 46 Turns on. The rotary drum mechanism of the variable display device 33 rotates in response to the start winning ball detector 46 being turned on.

The rotary drum mechanism of the variable display device 33 stops its rotation when a fixed time (for example, 5 seconds) has elapsed since the rotation started. When the combination of the symbols displayed on the variable display device 33 when the rotation of the rotary drum mechanism is stopped is a predetermined combination of the jackpot symbols, a jackpot occurs and the gaming state of the pachinko gaming machine 1 is a specific game. It becomes a state. When the specific game state is reached, whether the opening / closing plate 36 of the variable winning ball device 35 has passed a certain time (for example, 25 seconds), or whether a predetermined number (for example, 10) of winning balls are won in the special winning opening. The open state is maintained until the faster one of them is satisfied.

If a ball hits a specific winning area in the special winning opening while the opening / closing plate 36 is in an open state, the specific winning ball is detected by the specific winning ball detector 38. It When a specific winning ball is detected,
The right to repeat the specific game state repeatedly occurs, and the faster one of the two conditions for changing the open / close plate 36 from the open state to the closed state is satisfied and the open / close plate 3 is opened.
After 6 is in the closed state, the operation of opening the open / close plate 36 again is repeated. This is called repeat continuation control. By this repeat continuation control, the specific game state is continuously continued a predetermined number of times (for example, 16 times).

When the rotating drum mechanism of the variable display device 33 is stopped and a big hit occurs and a specific game state is reached, there is a chance of winning a large number of hit balls in a short time. Since a very large chance for the player in the specific game state occurs based on one display result of the variable display device 33, it may occur at the time when the remaining balls on the hitting ball supply tray 6 are almost exhausted. In this case, even though the player wants to continuously shoot the hit balls at the shortest possible time intervals to win the variable winning ball device 35, the hit balls remain in the hit ball supply tray 6. Therefore, the player must hurry to operate the ball lending switch 15 to borrow the game ball. However, since it takes some time for the game balls to be paid out after the ball lending switch 15 is operated, and for the game balls to be launched and reach the specific winning area of the variable winning ball device 35, during that time. In addition, there is an inconvenience of missing a chance of winning a ball at a specific winning area and acquiring a right to continue a specific gaming state. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the mode changeover switch 18 is set to the automatic mode so that the game ball is automatically played at the time when the ball detector 9 detects that there are no remaining balls in the hitting ball supply tray 6. The hitting ball supply tray 6 is dispensed to prevent the inconvenience described above from occurring.

FIG. 2 is a rear view showing the structure of the back side of the game board 30. On the back surface of the game board 30, a start winning port 34 and a variable winning ball device 3 provided on the front surface of the game board 30.
5, a winning ball aggregate cover body 45 for guiding the winning balls won in the winning openings 42a and 42b along a predetermined winning path is provided. The winning ball aggregate cover body 45, the variable display device 33, the starting winning opening 34, the variable winning ball device 35 shown in FIG.
The positional relationship with the winning openings 42a and 42b is as illustrated. A start prize winning ball detector 46 is disposed on the prize winning path that guides the prize winning balls through the start winning prize opening 34 of the prize winning ball collecting cover body 45. Variable winning ball device 3 of winning ball aggregate cover body 45
At a position on the back side of 5, a specific winning ball detector 38 for detecting a winning ball that has won a specific winning area of the special winning opening,
The prize winning ball detectors 39a and 39b for detecting the prize winning balls that have won in the normal winning area of the special winning opening are provided.

Among the prize balls guided to the prize coin collecting cover body 45, the prize balls that have won the large winning opening are controlled so that a relatively large number of prize balls (for example, 15) are paid out. , Start winning openings 34 and winning openings 42 other than the big winning openings
The prize balls that have won a and 42b are controlled so that a relatively small number of prize balls (for example, 5) are paid out. And in order to distinguish such prize balls,
Signals from the specific winning ball detector 38 and the winning ball detectors 39a and 39b are sent to the payout control circuit board 152 described later, or from the game control circuit board (not shown) to the payout control circuit board 152. The payout amount signal for designating the payout amount is sent.

Further, on the upper left side in the figure of the winning ball aggregate cover body 45, for relaying wirings extended from various switches, lamps, drive sources, etc. provided on the game board 30. A game relay board 47 is provided. Further, on the back surface of the out port 40, a flow-down concave path 41 is provided so that the out balls that have entered the out port 40 are guided toward the lower edge of the game board 30.

Next, the card unit 50 (see FIG. 1) will be described. The card unit 50 is provided with a usable display lamp 51, a fraction display switch 52, a connecting stand direction indicator 53, a card insertion display lamp 54, a card insertion slot 55, and a card unit lock 56. .
The usable display lamp 51 displays by lighting whether or not the pachinko gaming machine 1 is in a usable state. The fraction display switch 52 displays a fraction (1
This is a switch for operating when the fractional number is displayed on the frequency display LED 16 (see FIG. 1) when there is a number (less than 00 yen). The connecting board direction indicator 53 indicates whether the card unit 50 corresponds to the left or right side of the pachinko gaming machine by lighting an arrow-shaped lamp. The card insertion display lamp 54 indicates that a card has been inserted into the card unit 50. A magnetic card as a recording medium is inserted into the card insertion slot 55. The card unit lock 56 is for opening the lid of the card unit 50 when inspecting the card reader mechanism provided on the back surface of the card insertion port 55.

The card unit 50 is a pachinko game machine 1
It is controlled by a unique control circuit provided separately from the control circuit of. The control circuit of the card unit 50 is provided with a mechanism board 60, which will be described later, through an interface board 138 provided on the mechanical board 60.
6 and the payout control circuit board 152.
Although the card unit 50 is provided outside the pachinko gaming machine 1 in this embodiment, the card unit 50 may be built in the pachinko gaming machine 1.

FIG. 3 is a rear view showing the structure of the mechanism plate 60 provided on the back side of the pachinko gaming machine 1. The mechanism plate 60 is configured by assembling an upper base unit 61, a middle base unit 62, and a lower base unit 63. The mechanism plate 60 configured by assembling these three base units 61 to 63 is U-shaped as a whole when viewed from the back side. Therefore, the variable display device 33 and the variable winning ball device 35 attached to the game board 30,
Even when the winning ball collection cover body 45 and the like project to the rear of the game board 30, the opening and closing operations of the mechanism board 60 can be smoothly performed by preventing them from coming into contact with the mechanism board 60.

On the mechanism plate 60, a temporary connecting member 64 is provided at a position on the left side as viewed from the back side opposite to the middle base unit 62. The connection temporary member 64 is the upper base unit 61 of the mechanism plate 60 formed in a U shape.
Is a member for connecting and supporting the lower base unit 63 and the lower base unit 63, and is provided to maintain the strength of the entire mechanism plate 60. Note that the temporary connection member 64 does not necessarily have to be provided, and may not be provided depending on the configuration of the mechanism plate 60, the winning ball collecting cover body 45 (see FIG. 2), and the like.

Regarding the structure of the mechanism plate 60, the upper part, the middle part,
Each of the lower base units 61 to 63 will be described. The upper base unit 61 will be described. The upper base unit 61 includes a ball tank 65 for storing prize balls.
And a ball aligning rail 69 for letting down the prize balls supplied from the ball tank 65 in a state where they are aligned in a plurality of rows (for example, two rows), and the prize balls guided by the ball aligning rail 69 are the central base unit. A curve gutter 74 for guiding in the direction of 62 and a terminal board 78 for transmitting and receiving various signals to and from the outside of the pachinko gaming machine 1 are provided at predetermined positions.

The ball tank 65 is attached to a predetermined position of the upper base unit 61 with a screw by attaching pieces provided on both right and left sides thereof. At the position where the ball tank 65 of the upper base unit 61 is attached, a concave portion that matches the shape of the side portion of the ball tank 65 is formed. The ball tank 65 is formed in a box shape having an open upper surface.
A drop port 68 communicating with a ball alignment rail 69 is formed on the downstream side of the bottom surface of the ball tank 65. The bottom surface of the ball tank 65 is formed so as to be inclined at a predetermined angle so that the prize balls flow down toward the drop port 68.

A ball deficiency detection lever 66 is swingably supported on the bottom surface of the ball tank 65. A ball deficiency detector 67 is attached below the ball deficiency detection lever 66. The ball deficiency detection lever 66 turns off the ball deficiency detector 67 when the prize balls are placed on the lever with a sufficient amount of prize balls stored in the ball tank 65, and the ball deficiency detector 67 When there are not enough prize balls and no prize balls are placed on the lever, the ball starvation detector 67 is turned on,
It is configured to output a signal indicating that there is a shortage of prize balls. Although illustration is omitted, the ball starvation detector 67 and the terminal board 78 are connected via a signal line. As a result, a signal indicating that there is a shortage of prize balls output from the ball deficiency detector 67 is input to the terminal board 78, and a management computer (not shown) provided in the game hall from the terminal board 78. Is sent as a prize ball replenishment request signal to the game board 30
Control is performed to turn on the ball-out lamp 44 provided in the.

On the downstream side of the ball tank 65, a ball alignment rail 69 is attached in a state of being inclined at a predetermined angle from the left end to the right end when viewed from the rear side of the upper base unit 61. A partition wall 69a is arranged adjacent to the center of the inside of the ball alignment rail 69 for aligning the falling prize balls in two rows in the left-right direction with respect to the flowing direction. This partition wall 69a
Is formed so that the prize balls that have flowed out from the drop port 68 of the ball tank 65 are gradually higher from the upstream side to the downstream side of the bottom surface of the ball alignment rail 69 so as to be smoothly aligned. Further, a ball leveling member 70 is provided above the ball alignment rail 69 on the downstream side. The ball leveling member 70 is a member for leveling the prize balls flowing down in a plurality of steps inside the ball alignment rail 69 to one level.

On the further downstream side of the ball leveling member 70, a ball stopper fitting 71 and a ball leveling fitting 72 are provided. The ball stopper 71 is used when an abnormality occurs in the pachinko gaming machine 1 or when the pachinko gaming machine 1 is inspected.
This is a member for temporarily stopping the prize balls stored in the ball alignment rail 69. The ball leveling metal fitting 72 is a member for finally and surely aligning the prize balls leveled by the function of the ball leveling member 70 in one stage. Ball alignment rail 6
When attaching 9 to the mechanism plate 60, the inclination angle of the ball alignment rail 69 can be adjusted by adjusting the fixing position of the adjustment slot 73 formed on the upstream side of the ball alignment rail 69. it can.

On the downstream side of the ball alignment rail 69, a curved trough 74 forming an inverted V-shaped passage is connected. This curve gutter 74 is provided with a mechanism plate 60 by a ball alignment rail 69.
The prize balls aligned in two rows in the front-rear direction when viewed from the rear side of the mechanism plate 60 are turned so as to flow down into the two rows in the left-right direction when viewed from the rear side of the mechanism plate 60. In addition, a weed hole is formed in the bent portion of the curved trough 74 in an inverted V shape. This ball drop port is formed to collect the prize balls in the ball tank 65 and the ball alignment rail 69 when the pachinko gaming machine 1 is inspected or replaced. The ball drop port is normally closed by the ball drop valve 75, and when the ball drop pin is inserted from the front side of the pachinko gaming machine 1, the ball drop valve 75 is inserted.
Is opened, the beading opening is opened, and the prize bead is sent to a beading passage such as the upper beading passage 76.

The upper base unit 61 is further provided with a terminal board 78. Terminal board 7
8 is a printed wiring board 79, a power supply connector 80,
And a power switch 81. The power supply connector 82 is connected to a power supply line from the outside. Power switch 8
Reference numeral 1 is a switch for operating turning on / off of the power of the pachinko gaming machine 1. The printed wiring board 79 is provided with a ball break information output terminal 79a, a launch control signal input terminal 79b, a ball lending information output terminal 79c, a supply information output terminal 79d, and the like. Each of these terminals 79a to 79d is connected to a management computer in a game arcade. The pachinko gaming machine 1 transmits and receives various information to and from the management computer via the terminals 79a to 79d.

The upper base unit 61 includes a curve gutter 7
The connecting protrusions 77 are provided on both left and right sides of the lower portion of 4. The upper base unit 61 and the middle base unit 62 are assembled by fitting the connecting concave portion 82 formed at the upper end of the middle base unit 62 into the connecting protrusion 77. More specifically, a recess for inserting the connecting protrusion 77 is formed in the connecting recess 82, and after the recess is fitted into the connecting protrusion 77, the connecting recess 82 is further formed.
The upper base unit 61 and the middle base unit 62 are connected and fixed by fastening with screws from above.

Next, the middle base unit 62 will be described. A coupling recess 82a is formed in the upper portion of the middle base unit 62, and the coupling projection 77 of the upper base unit 61 is fitted into the coupling recess 82a to couple the middle base unit 62 and the upper base unit 61. It A passage body 84 is provided in the middle base unit 62. Inside the passage body 84, the prize balls are connected downward to the curve gutter 74 provided at the downstream portion of the upper base unit 61 in a state where they are aligned in two rows on the left and right when viewed from the back side of the mechanism plate 60. The prize ball passages 86a and 86b are formed so as to flow down. Prize ball passage 86a,
Ball detection sensors 87a and 87b are arranged upstream of 86b. The ball detection sensors 87a and 87b detect the presence or absence of a gift ball in the gift ball passages 86a and 86b. A gift ball payout device 97 is disposed downstream of the prize ball passages 86a and 86b. The gift ball payout device 97 has a stepping motor 184 (not shown in FIG. 3), and is a device for sending the gift ball to the downstream side by the rotation of the stepping motor 184. When either one of the ball detection sensors 87a and 87b no longer detects the prize ball, the prize ball payout device 97 stops the rotation of the stepping motor 184 to immobilize the payout of the prize ball. At the same time, the control for turning on the ball-out lamp 44 provided on the game board 30 is performed.

Ball detection sensors 87a, 87b of the passage body 84
The ball pressure buffering section 89 is provided between the and the prize ball payout device 97, and the prize ball passages 86a and 86b are curved. By bending the prize ball passages 86a and 86b in this portion, the pressure of the prize ball flowing down from the upstream side is directly applied to the prize ball payout device 97, and the prize ball payout device 97 does not operate smoothly, or the prize ball payout device 97 does not operate smoothly. This is to prevent a problem such as damage to the internal mechanism of the ball payout device 97 from occurring.

The ball detecting sensors 87a and 87b are provided in two rows of the prize ball passages 8 from the position where the prize ball payout device 97 is provided.
It is arranged at a position where a predetermined number (for example, 27 or 28) of prize balls can be detected toward the upstream side inside 6a and 86b. Therefore, the ball detection sensors 87a, 87
When b has detected a prize ball, the prize ball payout device 9
By one payout operation of 7, at least the predetermined number of prize balls are paid out.

Further, a middle ball punching passage 83 is formed on the right side as viewed from the back side of the middle base unit 62. The central ball drop passage 83 is connected to the upper ball drop passage 76 of the upper base unit 61, and is a path for allowing the ball drop prize balls to flow down to the lower base unit 63 by opening the ball drop valve 75 described above. is there.

At the center of the ball pressure buffering portion 89 of the passage body 84,
A stop hole 89a is formed. The stopper hole 89a is configured such that a mounting protrusion (not shown) protruding from the middle base unit 62 is fitted to the front side of the stopper hole 89a. The passage body 84 is fixed to the middle base unit 62 by engaging the set screw with the mounting projection while sandwiching the passage body 84 from the rear side of the hole 89a. Before the passage body 84 is fixed by the set screw, the mounting position of the passage body 84 can be determined by the locking protrusion 80 provided on the middle base unit 62.

Further, a ball stopper 90 is provided on the downstream side of the passage 84, that is, on the upstream side of the prize ball payout device 97. When the prize ball payout device 97 is normally attached to the middle base unit 62, the ball stopper 90 keeps the prize balls flowing down inside the prize ball passages 86a and 86b as they are on the downstream side. Send to 97. On the other hand, when the prize ball payout device 97 is not mounted on the middle base unit 62, or when the prize ball payout device 97 is mounted on the middle base unit 62 with its vertical direction reversed, the ball stopper device 90 is
Stop the flow of free gift balls and get a free gift ball dispenser 9 on the downstream side.
Don't send the prize balls to 7. in this way,
The ball stopping device 90 sends out a prize ball to the prize ball payout device 97 or stops sending out the prize ball. For example, when the prize ball payout device 97 fails, the prize ball payout is performed. By removing the device 97 from the middle base unit 62, the flow down of the prize balls is automatically stopped.

By providing this ball stopper 90,
Compared to a conventional pachinko gaming machine in which the prize ball payout device can be removed only after removing all the prize balls on the upstream side of the prize ball payout device 97, the present embodiment is easy to perform. Rapidly and quickly giveaway device 9
7 can be removed from the middle base unit 62. In addition, since the prize ball payout device 97 is housed in a rectangular parallelepiped case as shown in the figure, it may be difficult for the installation operator to know the vertical direction of the prize ball payout device 97, and the prize ball payout device 97 may be mistakenly moved up and down. Although it may be attached to the middle base unit 62 in an inverted state, in the present embodiment, when the prize ball payout device 97 is attached in the reverse direction, the ball stopper device 90 causes the prize ball to be attached. Since the flow-down is stopped, the prize ball payout operation will not be performed in an abnormal state.

The prize ball payout device 97 is provided on the outer side surface of
By engaging the engaging protrusions 100a to 100d formed at the locations with the locking portions 101a to 101d formed at the predetermined four locations of the middle base unit 62,
It is attached to the middle base unit 62. The prize ball payout device 97 is a device for rotating and driving a screw 183 by a stepping motor 184 as will be described later to count the prize balls one by one and send them out to the downstream side. The prize ball payout device 97 performs the prize ball payout operation not only when the prize ball is paid out based on the winning, but also when the game ball is lent to the player. In the following description, the term "prize ball" is used to include both "prize ball" and "rental ball".

Next, the lower base unit 63 will be described. When the mechanism board 60 is attached to the pachinko gaming machine 1, the lower base unit 63 is the game control board 17
Located on the back side of 0. On the front side of the lower base unit 63, that is, on the side that abuts on the game board 5, the prize ball collecting gutter 1
03 is provided in an inclined state. This prize ball gathering gutter 103 receives the prize balls that have won prizes in various prize holes such as the variable prize ball device 35 provided on the front surface side of the game board 30, and the lower right part when viewed from the rear side of the lower base unit 63. It is a member for guiding to the winning ball processing device 115 provided in. On the downstream side of the winning ball collecting gutter 103 of the lower base unit 63, a winning ball guiding passage 105 for flowing down one winning ball is formed. Further, the lower base unit 63 has dust removal holes 104 formed at predetermined positions along the winning ball collecting gutter 103. The lower base unit 63, at a position below the winning ball gathering gutter 103, the out port 40 provided at the bottom of the game board 30 (see FIG. 1).
Out ball guide passage 106 for guiding the out ball that has entered
Are formed. The out-ball guiding passage 106 is formed at its end so as to merge with a lower-ball-draining passage 107 described later.

A prize ball payout passage 108 is formed on the right side on the back side of the lower base unit 63. An upper plate communication port 110 is formed at the lower end of the prize ball payout passage 108. The upper plate communication port 110 is for guiding a prize ball to the hitting ball supply plate 6 provided on the front side of the pachinko gaming machine 1. A lower punching passage 107 is formed from the rightmost portion to the lower rightmost portion of the lower base unit 63. The lower ball drop passage 107 is formed so as to communicate with the prize ball payout passage 108 and a prize ball outlet 121, which will be described later, in the middle thereof and finally merge with the out ball guide passage 106.

The prize ball payout passage 108 and the lower ball drop passage 1
A switching lever 109 is provided between the switching lever 109 and the switch 07.
The switching lever 109 is rotatable by having its lower end supported by a support shaft. The switching lever 109
As shown by the solid line in FIG. 3, when tilted to the right when viewed from the back side, the prize ball discharged from the prize ball payout device 97 is guided to the upper plate communication port 110. As shown by the alternate long and short dash line in FIG. 3, when the switching lever 109 is tilted to the left when viewed from the back side, the prize balls discharged from the prize ball payout device 97 are in the lower ball removing passage 1
It is guided to 07 and discharged to the outside of the pachinko gaming machine 1. The tilting of the switching lever 109 to the right and left is performed by manually operating an operation pin (not shown) provided on the upper portion of the switching lever 109. In addition,
The switching lever 109 is provided with, for example, a spring or a member having elasticity similar to that of the switching lever 109 so that the state is maintained even when the switching lever 109 is tilted in either the left or right direction. It is desirable to configure 109 to be biased. In addition, the switching lever 109
May be configured so that the tilting direction can be switched by an electric drive source such as a solenoid.

A communication passage 111 is connected to the upper plate communication port 110. The end of the communication passage 111 is connected to the surplus ball passage 112. A large number of prize balls based on the winnings are paid out, the hit ball supply tray 6 (see FIG. 1) is filled with the prize balls, and finally the prize balls stored up to the position of the upper plate communication port 110 have reached the prize balls. When the balls are continuously paid out, the prize balls are guided to the surplus ball passage 112 through the communication passage 111. The prize balls guided to the surplus ball passage 112 are supplied to the surplus ball tray 20 via a connection gutter (not shown).
(See FIG. 1). Then, when the premium balls continue to be paid out, the surplus ball tray 20 becomes full, but when the premium balls reach the position of the full tank detection plate 113 provided on the side wall of the surplus ball passage 112, the full tank detection is performed. When the plate 113 is pressed by the prize ball, the plate 113 swings outward around the support shaft at the upper end, whereby the full tank detector 114 is turned on. When the detection signal is output from the full tank detector 114, the driving of the stepping motor 184 (described later) of the prize ball payout device 97 is stopped, and the prize ball payout operation is disabled, and if necessary. The driving of the hitting ball launching device is also stopped. When the detection signal is output from the full tank detector 114, the surplus ball tray 2 is further added.
You may make it notify that 0 is full.

The prize ball payout passage 108 and the lower ball drop passage 1
The back side of 07, the communication passage 111, and the surplus ball passage 112 is covered with a passage cover body (not shown) fixed by screws. An attachment opening is formed at a position of the passage cover body on the back side of the winning ball processing device 115. The mounting opening is provided with an opening / closing lid that can be opened and closed centering around the support shaft. The open / close lid is formed in a concave shape,
An interface board (not shown) for electrically connecting the card unit 50 and the pachinko gaming machine 1 is housed in the concave portion.

On the lower left side as viewed from the rear side of the lower base unit 63, the prize ball processing device 115 and the prize ball payout device 9 are provided.
Freebie ball payout control board 152 for controlling the operation with
Is provided. The prize ball payout control board 152 is housed inside a board box 149, and the board box 149 is further housed in a housing section 148. The prize ball payout control board 152 is provided with an error indicator 155 for notifying the cause of each abnormality when an abnormality occurs.

The winning ball processing device 115 will be described.
FIG. 4 is an enlarged view showing a detailed configuration of the winning ball processing device 115. This will be described with reference to FIG. 7 together with FIG. The winning ball processing device 115 is configured by disposing each member on a mounting base 116. The mounting base 1 includes a mounting portion 1
18 is formed. By fitting the mounting portion 118 into a mounting boss projectingly provided on the lower base unit 63 and detaching it with a screw, the winning ball processing device 115 can be easily mounted on the lower base unit 63. Mounting base 1
Reinforcing ribs 117 are formed on the peripheral edge of 16 to increase the strength of the entire mounting base 116. When the mounting base 116 is attached to the lower base unit 63,
Prize winning ball entrance 119 formed in the lower base unit 63
And the starting end portion of the winning ball downflow passage 120 formed on the mounting base 116 match. Thereby, the winning balls are guided to the winning ball processing device 115. Further, the winning balls after being processed by the winning ball processing device 115 are the lower ball removing passages 107 of the lower base unit 63.
The coins are discharged to the prize winning ball outlet 121 formed at a position communicating with.

On the mounting base 116, a winning ball downflow path 120 is formed in a state of being bent at a right angle from the lower side to the center. A slightly below the bent portion of the winning ball downflow path 120, a winning ball detector 122 is fixed and attached by a locking claw 123. Winning ball detector 122
Is a so-called proximity type switch, and a passing hole is formed at a position where a winning ball passes. Further, a first ball stopping member 124 and a second ball stopping member 130 are mounted on the mounting base 116 in a state of sandwiching the passage hole of the winning ball detector 122. The first ball stop member 124 and the second ball stop member 130 are rotatably supported within a predetermined range by support shafts 125 and 131, respectively.

One end of the first ball stop member 124 is connected to a plunger 128 of a solenoid 127 via a link rod 126. The solenoid 127 has a mounting base 11
It is removably mounted on the mounting base 116 by the locking claws protrudingly provided on the mounting base 116. A spring 129 is attached to the plunger 128 of the solenoid 127.
The spring 129 biases the plunger 128 downward. At the tip of the upper left part of the first ball stop member 124,
A ball stop portion 124a is formed. In addition, at the lower left tip of the first ball stop member 124, the second ball stop member 130 is attached.
An engaging piece 124b that engages with is formed. The second ball stopper member 130 has a ball stopper portion 130a formed on the upper portion thereof. The ball stopper 130a is formed with an engagement recess 130b that is recessed. This engaging recess 130
b and the engaging piece 124b of the first ball stop member are engaged with each other.

The operation of the winning ball processing device 115 having the above-described structure will be described. First, a state in which the solenoid 127 is OFF will be described with reference to FIG. When the solenoid 127 is OFF, the plunger 128 is in a state of being projected downward due to the bias of the spring 129, and the plunger 128 is
Driving force of the first ball stopping member 1 via the link rod 126.
24 is transmitted. As a result, the first ball stop member 124
Rotates in the clockwise direction in the figure and stands still at a position where it abuts against the upper side wall of the winning ball downflow passage 120. In this state, the ball stopper portion 124a of the first ball stopper member 124
Does not project into the winning ball flow path 120. On the other hand, the ball stopping portion 130a of the second ball stopping member 130 projects to the lower side of the passage hole of the winning ball detector 122 in the winning ball downflow path 120.

In such a state, when the winning balls flow down the winning ball downflow path 120, the leading winning ball B ₁ in the figure is passed through the passage hole 7 of the winning ball detector 122. It is stopped by the ball stopper 130a in the state where it enters. Thereby, the prize ball detector 122 is turned on, the detection signal is sent to the control circuit of the payout control circuit board 152 (see FIG. 3), and the prize ball payout device 97 responds to the command signal from the control circuit. A predetermined number of prize balls are paid out.

As shown in FIG. 4 (A), when the leading prize-winning ball P ₁ is stopped by the ball stopper 130a, the ball pressure of all the winning prize-winning balls P ₂ including the succeeding prize-winning ball P ₂ is It is added to the ball stop portion 130a of the second ball stop member 130. However, since the load is received by the support shaft 131 located directly below the ball stopper 130a, the force for rotating the first ball stopper member 130 in the clockwise direction in the figure does not become so large.
Therefore, even when there are a large number of winning balls following the _first winning ball P ₁ , due to the ball pressure of those winning balls,
The second ball stop member 130 rotates in the clockwise direction in the figure, and along with that, the engaging recess 13 of the second ball stop member.
0b and the engaging piece 124b of the first ball stopping member 124 cause the first ball stopping member 124 to move in the clockwise direction in the drawing due to the operation of the plunger 128. Can be prevented from rotating in the counterclockwise direction. That is, the first and second ball stopper members 12 are loaded by the loads of a large number of winning balls.
The prize winning ball detector 122 can reliably detect the prize winning balls one by one without causing the 4, 130 to operate unnecessarily.

When the payout operation of a predetermined number of prize balls based on the detection of one winning ball is completed, a drive signal is sent from the payout control circuit board 152 (see FIG. 3) to the solenoid 127. In response to this drive signal, the solenoid 1
27 is turned on for a predetermined time. The operation of the winning ball processing device 115 when the solenoid 127 is turned on will be described with reference to FIG.

When the solenoid 127 is turned on, the plunger 128 is pulled upward in the drawing.
Then, the force of pulling up the plunger 128 is transmitted to the first ball stop member 124 via the link rod 126, and the first ball stop member 124 is rotated about the support shaft 125 in the counterclockwise direction in the drawing. Rotate to. Along with this,
The engagement between the engagement piece 124b of the first ball stop member 124 and the engagement recess 130b of the second ball stop member 130 causes the second ball stop member 130 to rotate in the clockwise direction in the drawing, and the mounting base 116. It stands still in contact with the side wall formed at the bottom of the.

In this state, the first ball stop member 124 is
The ball stopper 124a stands still while protruding into the winning ball downflow passage 120. As a result, the path in which the next winning ball P ₂ attempts to enter the passage hole of the winning ball detector 122 is blocked. Further, the ball stopper portion 130a of the second ball stopper member 130
Is the winning ball detector 12 in the winning ball flow path 120.
Since the winning balls that have passed through the second passing hole retreat from the downwardly flowing path, the _first winning ball P _{1 that} was previously stopped in the passing hole of the winning ball detector 122 by the ball stopper 130a is opened. It is made to flow down.

The solenoid 127 is turned off after a lapse of a predetermined time. When the solenoid 127 is turned off, the prize-winning ball processing device 115 returns to the state shown in FIG. 4 (A), and by the above-described operation, the next prize-winning ball P ₂
Is stopped in the passage hole of the winning ball detector 122 and is detected by the winning ball detector 122. In response to this detection signal, the prize ball payout operation based on the winning ball P ₂ is performed. In the following description, the time from when the prize ball detector 122 detects a prize ball to when the prize ball payout device 97 is driven is particularly referred to as “wait time”. In this embodiment,
This wait time is variably controlled under a predetermined condition.

As described above, in the present embodiment, the winning ball processing device 115 temporarily holds the winning balls, and the winning balls are set to 1 each time a predetermined number of prize balls are paid out for one winning ball.
It is configured to process one by one. Therefore, in the event of a power failure, etc., the prize balls that have been generated up to that point and have not yet been paid out as prize balls remain as so-called evidence balls, so the game value to be given to the player is clear. Therefore, it becomes possible to prevent the occurrence of troubles between the game hall side and the player regarding the number of unprocessed prize balls.

As a means for surely processing the winning balls one by one, as in the present embodiment, in addition to providing a temporary stopping mechanism for winning balls inside the winning ball processing device 115, it has occurred. It is also possible to use a winning ball information storage device that stores information on winning balls and deletes the information on the winning balls when the prize ball payout operation based on the winning balls is completed.

Next, the prize ball payout device 97 will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view showing the overall configuration of the prize ball payout device 97. FIG. 6 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the left part as seen from the rear side in the state where the prize ball payout device 97 is mounted. FIG. 7 is a transverse cross-sectional view of a prize ball in the prize ball payout device 97 in the vicinity of the flow path.

The prize ball payout device 97 is constructed by providing each member inside a casing 171 as a housing and mounting a stepping motor 184 or the like. The casing 171 is formed by being divided into two divided casings 171a and 171b, which are a left portion and a right portion. In addition, the vertical sectional view of FIG. 6 shows the split casing 171a on the left side.
And the configuration of members and the like provided therein. The divided casings 171a and 171b are the partition walls 1 respectively.
91a and 191b divide the winning ball processing device 115 into two chambers in the front-rear direction as viewed from the mounting surface side (hereinafter, referred to as "mounting surface side"). In the following description, the two chambers before and after the left split casing 171a are referred to as the front chamber 200a and the rear chamber 202a, and the chambers before and after the right split casing 171b are respectively the front chamber 200b and the rear chamber 2a.
It is called 02b.

Ball supply paths 176a and 176b are formed in the front chambers 200a and 200b, respectively. The ball supply paths 176a and 176b have curved surfaces 177a and 1
77b. Below the ends of the curved surfaces 177a and 177b, ball feed horizontal paths 179a and 179b are formed. Ball discharge paths 178a and 178b are formed at the ends of the ball feed horizontal paths 179a and 179b. A ball pressure cushioning member 180 is sandwiched between the front portions of the split casings 171a and 171b as viewed from the mounting surface side. The ball pressure buffer member 180 is provided as a prize ball passage 86 of the passage body 84 (see FIG. 3).
The prize balls supplied from a and 86b are distributed to the right and left sides as shown in FIG. 7, and ball supply paths 176a and 176b
Lead to. A light emitting element 181 and a light receiving element 182 are provided below the ball pressure buffer member 180. The light emitting element 181 is composed of an LED. Light emitting element 18
1 and the light receiving element 182 are arranged at a predetermined interval. The ball pressure cushioning member 180 is entirely housed and fixed inside when the divided casings 171a and 171b are bonded together.

Stepping motors 184 are housed in the rear chambers 202a and 202b of the divided casings 171a and 171b. Fixed grooves 186a and 186b are formed in the rear chambers 202a and 202b. The stepping motor 184 has a motor fixing plate 185. By inserting the motor fixing plate 185 into the fixing grooves 186a and 186b, the stepping motor 184 is moved to the rear chamber 202.
It is fixed in place inside a and 202b.

The motor shaft of the stepping motor 184 is
Openings 206a formed in the partition walls 191a, 191b,
It projects through the inside of front chambers 200a and 200b through 206b. A screw 183 is attached to this motor shaft. As shown in FIG. 7, the screw 183
Are arranged in grooves 204a and 204b formed between the ball feeding horizontal paths 179a and 179b. Screw 18
A spiral projection 183a is formed on the outer circumference of the screw 3 to rotate the screw 183 to move the prize balls on the ball feeding horizontal paths 179a and 179b forward as viewed from the mounting surface side.

A recess 206 is formed at the tip of the screw 183. Inside the prize ball payout device 97, the stepping motor 184 and the screw 18
3, the ball pressure cushioning member 180 and the like are attached to respective predetermined positions, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7.
The light emitting element 181 of the ball pressure buffer member 180 is the screw 1
It is in a state of being covered by the concave portion 206 of 83. Two notches 187 are provided at opposite positions in the recess 206.
a, 187b are formed. Accordingly, while the screw 183 rotates once, the light emitted from the light emitting element 181 is detected by the light receiving element 182 through the cutout portions 187a and 187b. That is, the light reception is detected twice per one rotation of the screw 183.

The wirings 188 connected to the light emitting element 181, the light receiving element 182 and the stepping motor 184 are bundled together and led out of the casing 171 through an outlet hole 208 formed in the right divided casing 171b. , Connector 189.

The operation of the prize ball payout device 97 configured as described above will be further described. Ball supply passage 176
The prize balls guided in the a and 176b are the ball feeding horizontal path 17
When the stepping motor 184 starts to rotate while reaching the rear end of the screws 9a and 179b, the screw 183
With the spiral protrusion 183a of the
a, 179b is sent forward. The prize balls fall into the ball discharge paths 178a and 178b when they reach the front ends of the ball feed horizontal paths 179a and 179b.

Since the prize balls on the ball feed horizontal paths 179a and 179 are sent out by the spiral protrusion 183a formed on the outer circumference of the screw 183, the prize balls are alternately supplied from the left and right ball feed horizontal paths 179a and 179b. It is supposed to fall. That is, each time the screw 183 rotates half a turn, the left and right ball feed horizontal paths 179a, 179
One prize ball sequentially drops from each of b. Therefore, the fall of one prize ball is caused by the light emitting element 18 described above.
This corresponds to each time the light emitted from 1 is detected by the light receiving element 182 once. Accordingly, when the number of detection signals by the light receiving element 182 reaches the number of prize balls based on one predetermined prize ball, the rotation of the stepping motor 184 is stopped to control the hitting ball. The prize balls can be paid out accurately according to the winning.

Engaging projections 100a to 100d are provided on the front portions of the split casings 171a and 171b.
Engagement protrusions 100a to 100d in the state where the divided casings 171a and 171b are attached to each other, the engaging portions 101a to 101 formed on the middle base unit 62 (see FIG. 3).
The prize ball payout device 97 is attached to the middle base unit 62 by engaging with d.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the prize ball control circuit 301 for controlling the payout of prize balls of the pachinko gaming machine 1. The prize ball control circuit 301 is provided inside the prize ball payout control board 152 (see FIG. 3).
The prize ball control circuit 301 includes a microcomputer circuit 303, a card reader signal circuit 305, a prize ball number circuit 307, a switch circuit 309, a motor circuit 311, a solenoid circuit 313, an information / lending signal circuit 315, and a buzzer. And an LED circuit 317, a lamp circuit 319, a reset circuit 321, a sensor circuit 323, an error display circuit 325, and a power supply circuit 327.

The microcomputer circuit 303 is an MPU (Micro Pr
It is a circuit that includes an ocessor unit) 304, transmits / receives a signal to / from another circuit, and drives another circuit to control an operation required when a prize ball is paid out.

The card reader signal circuit 305 is a circuit for transmitting and receiving a signal for determining whether or not the card unit 50 and the microcomputer circuit 303 are connected. On condition that the card reader signal circuit 305 has output a signal indicating that the connection has been completed to the microcomputer circuit 303, the microcomputer circuit 303 detects that the pachinko gaming machine 1
It is possible to hit a ball and to control the payout of prize balls based on winning balls. Signals transmitted and received between the card reader signal circuit 305 and the card unit 50 include a card unit READY signal, a base terminal lending request confirmation signal BRQ, and a base terminal lending completion signal EXS.
And the stand READY signal P. There is RDY.

The operation of the pachinko gaming machine 1 and the card unit 50 by transmitting and receiving the above signals will be described. When the power of the pachinko gaming machine 1 is turned on, the card reader signal circuit 305 confirms the connection of the card unit 50. Then, the card reader signal circuit 305
To READY indicating that the game balls can be paid out from the pachinko gaming machine 1 side to the card unit 50
Signal P. RDY is sent.

Next, when a card is inserted into the card insertion slot 55 (see FIG. 1) of the card unit 50, the card insertion indicator lamp 54 and the usable indicator lamp 51 (both refer to FIG. 1) are turned on. . When the player operates the ball lending switch 15 (see FIG. 1) in this state, the operation is detected by a ball lending operation detector (not shown), and in response thereto, the usable indicator lamp 51 is turned off. Then, the card unit READ indicating that the game balls can be rented from the card unit 50 to the card reader signal circuit 305.
The Y signal is transmitted. When a predetermined delay time (for example, 20 msec) elapses from this point, the terminal lending request confirmation signal BRQ is transmitted from the card unit 50 to the card reader signal circuit 305. In this way, the delay time is provided from the transmission of the card unit READY signal to the transmission of the stand terminal lending request confirmation signal BRQ, because it means that the card unit READY signal has been transmitted. This is to prevent a malfunction or the like due to noise by spending sufficient time to make a determination on the side of 1.

When a predetermined ball lending preparation signal confirmation time elapses from the time when the base terminal lending request confirmation signal BRQ is received by the card reader signal circuit 305, the base terminal lending completion signal EXS is output from the card reader signal circuit 305. It is transmitted to the card unit 50. When the predetermined ball lending command signal confirmation time elapses from this time, the transmission of the base terminal lending request confirmation signal BRQ from the card unit 50 to the card reader signal circuit 305 is stopped. As a result, the ball lending command signal is output from the card unit 50 to the pachinko gaming machine 1. When a predetermined ball lending completion signal confirmation time elapses from this point, the card reader signal circuit 305
Signal lending completion signal EXS from the terminal to the card unit 50
Will be stopped. As a result, the ball lending completion signal is output from the pachinko gaming machine 1 to the card unit 50.

Furthermore, when a predetermined next-lens-lending-request signal confirmation time has elapsed from this point, a stand terminal lending request confirmation signal BRQ is transmitted from the card unit 50 to the card reader signal circuit 305 as the next-lens lending request. . After that, in the same manner as described above, the table READY signal P. The output of RDY, the output of the ball lending command signal, and the output of the ball lending completion signal are repeated.
Platform READY signal P. The output of RDY, the output of the ball lending command signal, and the output of the ball lending completion signal are repeated three times in total, and a predetermined next ball lending request signal confirmation time elapses from the time when the last ball lending completion signal is output. If the ball lending request signal is not output during the period, the transmission of the card unit READY signal from the card unit 50 to the card reader signal circuit 305 is stopped. After that, the return switch 17 (Fig. 1
When the return operation detector (not shown) detects that the card operation (see) is operated, the card insertion display lamp 5
4 blinks and the usable display lamp 51 goes out. Then, when a predetermined time has elapsed, the card insertion slot 5
The card is discharged from 5 and returned to the player.

Next, the prize ball number circuit 307 will be described. The prize ball number circuit 307 transmits a hit ball signal indicating that a winning ball has been detected to the game control board 170 (see FIG. 3), and the prize ball number signal indicating the number of prize balls determined by the game control board 170. It is a circuit for receiving D0 to D3. The power for the prize ball number signals D0 to D3 is supplied from the prize ball number circuit 307 to the game control board 170. The prize ball number signal power supply VP.
Supplied as. The detection of a winning ball is detected by turning on a hit ball detection switch, which will be described later, and the detection signal is transmitted via the switch circuit 309 to the microcomputer circuit 30.
Sent to 3. When a signal indicating that a winning ball has been detected is input from the microcomputer circuit 303 to the prize ball number circuit 307, the prize ball number circuit 307 transmits a winning ball signal to the game control board 170 in response thereto. The game control board 170 determines a predetermined number of prize balls in response to the received hit ball signal, and returns the prize ball number signals D0 to D3 to the prize ball number circuit 307. In the prize ball number signals D0 to D3, for example, D0 is the ones digit, D1 is the twos digit, D2 is the fours digit, and D2 is the fours digit.
3 represents the value in binary notation in which the 8's place is determined, and the signal of "0111" represents the value of "7" and the signal of "1111" represents the value of "15". The number of prize balls is transmitted to the ball number circuit 307.

Next, the switch circuit 309 will be described. The switch circuit 309 is a circuit for receiving the detection signal output from the switch included in each detector. The switch circuit 309 serves as a switch for receiving the detection signal, and the winning ball detector 122 of the winning ball processing device 115 is used.
(See FIG. 4), the hit ball detection switch SS1 included,
Upper plate ball detection switch SS2 included in the ball detector 9 (see FIG. 1) for detecting passing balls remaining on the hitting ball supply tray 6.
And the ball break switches S2 and S3 included in the ball detection sensors 87a and 87b (see FIG. 3) for detecting that the prize balls in the passage body 84 are insufficient, and the prize balls in the surplus ball tray 20 are full. Full tank switch S4 included in the full tank detector 114 (see FIG. 3) for detecting that the tank has become full.
The automatic ball lending switch S5 for detecting that the lending of game balls from the card unit 50 is set to the automatic mode by the mode changeover switch 18, and the glass door frame 5 (see FIG. 1) is opened. There is a glass door opening switch (not shown) for detecting that the door is open.

When the winning ball detection switch SS1 detects a winning ball, the detection signal is sent to the microcomputer circuit 303 through the switch circuit 309, and the microcomputer circuit 303 indicates to the prize ball number circuit 307 that the winning ball is detected. The signal is output. In response to this, the winning ball signal (described above) is transmitted from the prize ball number circuit 307 to the game control board 170. The upper plate ball detection switch SS2 is turned on when the ball hitting the ball supply plate 6 is no longer detected. When the game ball lending is set to the automatic mode and the automatic ball lending switch S5 is ON, the number of game balls remaining in the hitting ball supply tray 6 becomes a predetermined amount or less, and the upper dish ball detection switch SS2 is turned off.
If it becomes N, the detection signal is sent to the microcomputer circuit 303 through the switch circuit 309, and the microcomputer circuit 303 performs control for lending a game ball within the balance of the card inserted in the card unit 50. Do.

When it is detected by the ball break switches S2 and S3 that the number of prize balls in the passage 84 is insufficient, the detection signal is sent via the switch circuit 309 to the microcomputer circuit 30.
In response to the detection signal, the microcomputer circuit 303 sends a control command to the motor circuit 311 to be described later to stop the operation of the stepping motor 184 which is a prize ball motor to stop the prize ball payout operation. To send. In addition, ball detection sensors 87a, 8 including the ball break switches S2, S3
The attachment position of 7b is attached to a position where it is turned on when the amount of the prize balls in the passage body 84 decreases to a slightly larger amount than the insufficient amount, and the prize ball payout operation is performed. Even when a ball break is detected by the ball break switches S2, S3 during the process, it is sufficient to prevent the inconvenience from occurring without immediately stopping the payout operation.

When the full tank switch S4 is turned on, the detection signal is sent via the switch circuit 309 to the microcomputer circuit 3
Sent to 03. In response to the received detection signal, the microcomputer circuit 303 controls the motor circuit 311 described later to stop driving the stepping motor 184, which is a prize ball motor, to stop the payout of prize balls or the lending operation of game balls. Send a signal. As a result, when the prize balls in the surplus ball receiving tray 20 are full, the payout operation of the prize balls is further continued, and the prize balls flow backward in the payout passage. 3) can be prevented from being damaged.

When the detection signal of the automatic ball lending switch S5 is sent to the microcomputer circuit 303 via the switch circuit 309, the microcomputer circuit 303 recognizes that the current game ball lending mode is the automatic mode. Further, when the detection signal from the glass door opening switch is sent to the microcomputer circuit 303 via the switch circuit 309, if it is a normal time, the microcomputer circuit 303 may be performing some illegal activity. Judgment is made, and predetermined notification processing or warning processing is performed. As a result, it is possible to prevent the player from opening the glass door frame 5 and attempting to conduct an illegal act during the game.

The motor circuit 311 is the microcomputer circuit 303.
In response to a command signal from the stepping motor 184, which is a prize ball motor provided in the prize ball payout device 97,
It is a circuit for driving and controlling a handle motor (not shown) for driving the operation handle 21 (see FIG. 1).

The solenoid circuit 313 is the microcomputer circuit 3
In response to the command signal from 03, the winning ball processing device 115
This is a circuit for driving and controlling a hit ball discharging solenoid 127 that operates to flow down the winning balls one by one. The information and lending signal circuit 315 is a circuit for outputting replenishment information, ball lending information, and a ball lending command signal to the management computer provided on the game hall side. The replenishment information is information on the number of prize balls paid out based on the occurrence of winning balls, and is 1 for every 10 prize balls.
The pulse signal is output to the management computer. The ball lending information is information on the game balls lent out based on the ball lending operation, and one pulse signal is output to the management computer for every 25 lending balls. With the ball lending switch information, when the ball lending of the game balls is set to the automatic mode by the mode changeover switch 18, that is, when the automatic ball lending switch S5 is ON, the game balls remaining on the hitting ball supply tray 6 are shown. Upper plate ball detection switch SS
When 2 is turned on, it is a signal indicating that automatic ball lending is requested, and is output to the card unit 50.

The buzzer and LED circuit 317, in response to a command signal from the microcomputer circuit 303, indicates that a lending operation is being performed when a game ball is being lent out based on a ball lending operation. A notification sound is generated from the speaker 14 (see FIG. 1), or similarly, the microcomputer circuit 303
In response to the command signal from, the game ball lending is set to the automatic mode by the mode changeover switch 18, and when the automatic ball lending switch S5 is ON, the game ball lending is in the automatic mode. Automatic ball lending display LE to represent
This is a circuit for controlling lighting of D (not shown).

The lamp circuit 319 is the microcomputer circuit 303.
In response to the command signal from the prize ball, the payout lamp 43 (see FIG. 1), which is a prize ball lamp for indicating that the prize ball payout operation is being performed, and the prize balls in the ball tank 65 are insufficient. It is a circuit for controlling lighting of the ball-out lamp 44 for indicating. Note that the payout lamp 43 and the ball-out lamp 44 are controlled not only in the lighting control but also in the blinking mode, so that various states in which the prize balls are paid out can be distinguished and notified, or various states in the ball-out can be notified. You may do it.

The reset circuit 321 is a reset switch (not shown) provided on the prize ball payout control board 152.
Is a circuit for transmitting to the microcomputer circuit 303 that the reset switch is turned on. The reset switch is a switch for error reset, and is for releasing the control of the error display 155 by the error display circuit 325, which will be described later. The sensor circuit 323 is
This is a circuit for receiving detection signals from the ball detection sensors 87a, 87b arranged in the middle base unit 62 of the mechanism plate 60 (see FIG. 3).

The error display circuit 325 is the microcomputer circuit 3
In response to the command signal from 03, the prize ball payout control board 1
This is a circuit for displaying on the error indicator 155 (see FIG. 3) that abnormality has occurred in the state of 52 for each cause of abnormality. The error display 155 is configured by using a 7-segment display, and the numbers 0 to 8 displayed are associated with causes of abnormality. When "0" is displayed, it means that the prize ball payout device 97 is clogged, and when "1" is displayed, the winning ball detector 122 is shown.
(See Fig. 4) "2"
When is displayed, it means that the signal line connecting the prize ball payout control board 152 and the game control circuit board 170 is not properly connected, and when "3" is displayed, the prize ball payout control board 152 and the card. When the unit 50 is not connected and "4" is displayed, it means that an abnormality has occurred in the card unit 50. Also, when "5" is displayed, the game control circuit board 1
When the signal transmitted from 70 is defective and "6" is displayed, the winning ball detector 122 is displayed.
Indicates that the detection operation is defective, and when "7" is displayed, it means that the replenishment balls have not been replenished to the ball tank 65, and when "8" is displayed,
It indicates that the prize balls are full in the surplus ball tray 20.

The power supply circuit 327 is connected to an AC power supply of 24V AC and has a direct current of + 21V, + 30V, + 12V and +.
It is a circuit for generating electric power of 5V and supplying it to each unit.

Details of the switch circuit 309, the motor circuit 311, and the power supply circuit 327 will be described later.

FIG. 9A is a circuit diagram showing the structure of the switch circuit 309. The switch circuit 309 is connected to the winning ball detection switch SS1, the upper dish ball detection switch SS2, the ball break switches S2, S3, the full tank switch S4, and the automatic ball lending switch S5 via the connector CN1. As the switch connected to the switch circuit 309, there is a glass door opening switch in addition to the above-mentioned ones. However, the configuration related to this glass door opening switch is irrelevant to the present invention, and the description thereof is omitted. Also,
The stop mode switch S1 is connected to the switch circuit 309 separately from the switch connected to the connector CN1. Stop mode switch S1 is in the state of a ball break (stop)
Is to select whether to stop the prize ball payout device 97 and the hitting ball launching motor, or to stop only the prize ball payout device 97, and the hitting mode switch S1 is turned on. If it does, the former mode is selected. The switch circuit 309 is a power supply circuit 32.
7 (see FIG. 8) supplies a + 12V power supply signal, and outputs a signal of a predetermined potential according to the state of each switch to an MPU (Micro Processor Uni) of the microcomputer circuit 303 (see FIG. 8).
t) Enter in 304. The switch circuit 309 has a resistor R
1 to R19, transistors TR1 to TR8, capacitors C1 to C6, a diode D1, and zener diodes ZD1 and ZD2.

Switch SS connected to connector CN1
The operation of the switch circuit 309 corresponding to the respective states of 1, SS2, S2 to S5 will be individually described for each switch. A diode D1, capacitors C1 and C2, resistors R2 to R4 and R15, a Zener diode ZD1 and transistors TR2 and TR3 are arranged in a circuit corresponding to the hitting ball detection switch SS1. A power signal of + 12V is supplied from the power circuit 327 to the switch circuit 309, and this signal is supplied to the hit ball detection switch SS1 via the connector CN1. Capacitor C1
Is a potential holding means. Since the capacitor C1 is provided, the potential of the predetermined level or higher is maintained for a predetermined time after the supply of the + 12V power signal from the power circuit 327 is stopped, and the potential is supplied to the hit ball detection switch SS1. Continue to be done. In the diode D1, when the supply of the power supply signal from the power supply circuit 327 is stopped, the potential signal held in the capacitor C1 flows in a direction opposite to the direction in which the hit ball detection switch SS1 is arranged. , And to be supplied to other circuits in the switch circuit 309. Capacitor C
Reference numeral 2 is for removing noise of the detection signal sent from the hitting ball detection switch SS1. The transistor TR2 becomes conductive when a + 12V signal is input, and connects the + 5V potential based on the resistor R15 to the ground. The switch circuit 30
In 9, the circuit corresponding to the hitting ball detection switch SS1 is particularly referred to as "input circuit".

When the winning ball is not retained in the winning ball detector 122, the power supply signal of the potential of + 12V sent to the winning ball detecting switch SS1 is directly returned from the winning ball detecting switch S11 to the switch circuit 309. This +
By supplying the signal of 12V to the transistor TR2, the transistor TR2 becomes conductive, the potential of + 5V is grounded, and a low level signal lower than the potential of + 5V is input to the MPU 304. On the other hand, when the winning ball is retained in the winning ball detector 122, the potential of the signal sent from the winning ball detection switch SS1 to the switch circuit 309 is a low level potential lower than + 12V. The transistor TR2 is rendered non-conductive by being supplied with the low level signal, so that the signal of the potential of +5 V based on the resistor R15 is input to the MPU 304.
The MPU 304 determines that a winning ball has been detected by inputting a + 5V potential, that is, a high-level signal, and does not detect a winning ball by inputting a low-level signal lower than the + 5V potential. To judge.

When the hitting ball detection switch SS1 is short-circuited, the Zener diode ZD1 becomes conductive. Along with this, a high-level signal of + 12V is input to the transistor TR3, and the transistor TR3 becomes conductive. As a result, a low level signal is input to TR2, and the transistor TR2 is turned on, so that a high level signal of +5 V is input to the MPU 304. Therefore, hit ball detection switch SS
In the abnormal state where 1 is short-circuited, the winning ball detector 122
MP regardless of whether or not winning balls are
Since U304 determines that no winning balls have been detected,
It is possible to prevent a problem that a prize ball is paid out based on an erroneous detection due to a failure of the hitting ball detection switch SS1 and a loss occurs on the game hall side.

In this embodiment, when the winning ball is stored in the winning ball detector 122, a low level signal is input to the transistor TR2 and a high level signal of +5 V is input to the MPU 304. are doing. This is to prevent the player from cheating. That is, when a winning ball is stored in the winning ball detector 122, a high level signal of + 12V is input from the winning ball detection switch SS1 to the switch circuit 309, and the high level signal is given to the transistor TR2, and the transistor TR2 is supplied. When the TR2 is turned on and a low level signal is input to the MPU 304 so that the MPU 304 determines that a winning ball has been detected, for example, the player may use a high voltage generating means such as an electronic lighter. By applying an electromagnetic wave from the outside of the pachinko gaming machine 1 using, a state in which a high level signal is given to the transistor TR2 is generated, even though the winning ball is not retained in the winning ball detector 122. It is possible to illegally win a prize ball. Therefore, in this embodiment,
A low level signal is applied to the transistor TR2 when a winning ball is detected, and a prize ball is not paid out even if an electromagnetic wave is externally applied and a high level signal is applied to the transistor TR2.

The circuit corresponding to the upper dish detection switch SS2 includes resistors R5, R6 and R16 and a transistor TR.
4, TR5, capacitor C3, Zener diode Z
And D2. Although not shown in the drawing, the upper disc contact detection switch SS2 is provided with + from the switch circuit 309 side.
A signal with a potential of 12V is supplied. The capacitor C3 is
This is for removing the noise contained in the signal sent from the upper dish ball detection switch SS2. When the upper plate ball detection switch SS2 does not detect a prize ball or a rental ball, it is supplied to the upper plate ball detection switch SS2 +
The high-level signal of 12 V remains as it is in the switch circuit 309.
Is input to. This high level signal is the transistor TR
4 and the transistor TR4 becomes conductive.
As a result, the + 5V potential based on the resistor R16 is connected to the ground and grounded, and a low level signal lower than the + 5V potential is input to the MPU 304.

On the other hand, when the upper plate ball detection switch SS2 detects a prize ball or a rental ball, a low level signal lower than + 12V is input from the upper plate ball detection switch SS2 to the switch circuit 309. By applying this low level signal to the transistor TR4, the transistor TR4 becomes non-conductive, and a high level signal of + 5V is input to the MPU 304. MPU304 is +5
When the high level signal of V is input, it is determined that there is a predetermined amount or more of game balls in the hit ball supply tray 6, and +5
When a low level signal having a potential lower than V is input, it is determined that the number of game balls in the hitting ball supply tray 6 has dropped below a predetermined amount.

When the upper dish detection switch SS2 is short-circuited, the Zener diode ZD2 becomes conductive and a high level signal is applied to the transistor TR5. As a result, a low level signal is input to the transistor TR4, which causes the MPU 304 to
A high level signal of 5V is input. Therefore, MP
When an abnormal state occurs in which the upper dish ball detection switch SS2 is short-circuited, U304 determines that the number of game balls in the hit ball supply plate 6 is equal to or more than a predetermined amount, and the ball hit supply plate 6 is determined. The problem that the game balls are supplied even if the number of the game balls inside is not less than a predetermined amount does not occur.

The circuits corresponding to the ball break switches S2, S3 include resistors R7, R8, R17, a capacitor C4, and
A transistor TR6 is provided. As shown in the figure, the ball break switches S2 and S3 are configured to be a so-called normally closed state in which the switch contacts are electrically connected by the prize ball during a normal time when a predetermined amount or more of the prize balls are stored in the passage body 84. ing. When a predetermined amount or more of prize balls are stored in the passage body 84, the prize balls bring the switch contacts of the ball break switches S2 and S3 into a conductive state, and the potential of +12 V supplied from the power supply circuit 327 to the switch circuit 309. Is connected to ground and grounded. As a result, + 12V is applied to the transistor TR6.
Since a low level signal having a lower potential is input, the transistor TR6 becomes conductive, and the potential of +5 V based on the resistor R17 is connected to the ground and grounded.
Therefore, a low level signal lower than the potential of + 5V is input to the MPU 304. On the other hand, when the prize balls stored in the passage body 84 are less than the predetermined amount and one or both of the ball break switches S2 and S3 are in the non-conductive state, the power supply circuit The high level signal of + 12V supplied from 327 is given to the transistor TR6. The capacitor C4 is for removing noise contained in the signal given to the transistor TR6.

The transistor TR6 becomes non-conductive,
A high level signal of + 5V is input to the MPU 304.
When a low level signal lower than + 5V is input, the MPU 304 determines that the number of prize balls in the passage body 84 is equal to or more than a predetermined amount, and when a + 5V high level signal is input, the passage body is detected. It is determined that the number of prize balls stored in 84 is less than the predetermined amount.

In the circuit corresponding to the full tank switch S4,
Resistors R9, R10, R18, a capacitor C5, and a transistor TR7 are provided. Full tank switch S
In No. 4, the switch contact is in a non-conductive state when the surplus ball tray 20 is not full, and the switch contact is in a conductive state when it is full. When the surplus ball tray 20 is not full and the full switch S4 is non-conductive, the + 12V signal supplied from the power supply circuit 327 is given to the transistor TR7. The capacitor C5 is for removing noise included in the signal given to the transistor TR7. The transistor TR7 becomes conductive when a + 12V high level signal is input. As a result, the resistance R18
The + 5V potential based on is connected to the ground and is grounded, and a low level signal lower than the + 5V potential is input to the MPU 304.

On the other hand, when the surplus ball receiving tray 20 becomes full due to a prize ball or a rental ball and the full tank switch S4 becomes conductive, the power supply circuit 327 supplies +1.
A 2V high level signal is connected to ground and grounded. As a result, a low level signal lower than + 12V is given to the transistor TR7,
7 becomes non-conductive. As a result, the high-level signal of the potential of + 5V supplied from the power supply circuit 327 becomes MPU3.
It is input to 04. When the low level signal lower than + 5V is input to the MPU 304, the surplus ball tray 2
It is determined that 0 is not full, and it is determined that the surplus ball tray 20 is full when the + 5V high level signal is input.

The circuits corresponding to the automatic ball lending switch S5 include resistors R11, R12, R19 and a capacitor C6.
And a transistor TR8. The automatic ball lending switch S5 becomes non-conductive when the game ball lending process is not necessary, and becomes conductive when it is detected that the game ball lending is necessary. When it is not necessary to lend a game ball and the automatic ball lending switch S5 is in a non-conducting state, a low level signal lower than + 12V is given to the transistor TR8. The capacitor C6 is for removing noise included in the signal given to the transistor TR8. The transistor TR8 becomes non-conductive when a low level signal is input,
The + 5V high-level signal supplied from the power supply circuit 327 is input to the MPU 304. On the other hand, when it is detected that the game ball needs to be lent out and the automatic ball lending switch S5 is turned on, a high level signal of + 12V is given to the transistor TR8, and the transistor TR8 is turned on. As a result, +5 supplied from the power supply circuit 327
A high level signal of V is connected to the ground and grounded, and a low level signal lower than + 5V is input to the MPU 304. When the high level signal of + 5V is input, the MPU 304 determines that the gaming ball is not required to be lent, and when the low level signal lower than + 5V is input, it is determined that the gaming ball is required to be lent. To do.

FIG. 9B is a circuit diagram showing the structure of the power supply circuit 327. The power supply circuit 327 is connected to the external AC 24V power supply and the firing control relay RS1 via the connector CN2. The power supply circuit 327 includes a varistor V1, a bridge diode BD, and a diode D.
2, the capacitors C7 to C11, the resistor R13, and the regulators IC3 and IC4. In the figure,
“A” and “c” are connected to the motor circuit 311 shown in FIG. 10, respectively. Capacitors C7, C8, C1
0 and C11 are for holding the gain generated at each position. The capacitor C9 is for removing noise contained in the signal given to the regulator IC3.

The AC 24V AC power signal connected to the power supply circuit 327 via the connector CN2 is applied to the bridge diode BD. Bridge diode BD
Generates full-wave rectification of the AC24V signal to generate DC + 21V electric power. The + 21V signal is
It is supplied as drive power to the lamp circuit (see FIG. 8) and is further sent to the inside of the power supply circuit 327 via the diode D2. The + 21V signal sent inside is smoothed by the capacitors C7 and C8 and converted into a + 30V signal. The + 30V signal is the driving power for the prize ball motor of the motor circuit 311 (see FIG. 8) and the solenoid circuit 3
The electric power is supplied as driving power to the power supply circuit 13 and further sent to the inside of the power supply circuit 327. + 30V sent inside
The signal is stabilized by the regulator IC3 and is +12.
Converted to V signal. The + 12V signal is the motor circuit 31
1 (see FIG. 8) as drive power for the handle motor and as drive power for the switch circuit 309 (see FIG. 8 and FIG. 9A), and further sent to the inside of the power supply circuit 327. The + 12V signal sent to the inside is stabilized by the regulator IC 4 and converted into a + 5V signal. The + 5V signal is used as a switch detection signal of the MPU 304 via the switch circuit 309 and the microcomputer circuit 303.
Given to.

FIG. 10 is a circuit diagram showing the structure of the motor circuit 311. The motor circuit 311 includes a prize ball motor circuit 401 and a handle motor circuit 403. The prize ball motor circuit 401 is a circuit for driving and controlling the stepping motor 184 (see FIG. 5) provided in the prize ball payout device 97. The handle motor circuit 403 is
It is a circuit for driving and controlling a handle motor (not shown) for driving the operation handle 21 (see FIG. 1). The prize ball motor circuit 311 includes transistors Q1 to Q.
4, the diodes D3 to D6, and the Zener diode ZD
3 and resistors R20 to R25, a + 30V power supply signal is supplied from the power supply circuit 327 to drive and control the stepping motor 184 based on a control signal from the MPU 304. The transistors Q1 to Q4 have the same configuration as the transistors TR1 to TR8 shown in FIG.

Although the transistors TR1 to TR8 are shown as blocks in the drawing, each block is represented by a symbol surrounded by a chain line in the drawing.

From the MPU 304 to the transistors Q1 to Q4
When a high level signal is applied to each of the transistors Q1 to Q4, the transistors Q1 to Q4 become conductive, current flows through the drive coils φ1 to φ4 of the stepping motor 184, and the stepping motor 184 rotates. The stepping motor 184 used in this embodiment has four phases. Here, the control of the rotation speed of the stepping motor 184 will be described. In order to change the rotation speed of the stepping motor 184, the switching speed of the drive coils φ1 to φ4 is changed. By increasing the frequency of the pulse input to the drive coils φ1 and φ2, the stepping motor 184 rotates faster. The drive coils φ1 and φ2 have an electric time constant. That is, the stepping motor 184 is rotating at a low speed, and the electrical time constant T of the drive coils φ1 and φ2 is T.
When the input pulse width is sufficiently longer than that, the magnitude of the current supplied to the drive coils φ1 and φ2 reaches the peak value.

However, the stepping motor 184
When the rotation of the motor increases from the middle speed to the high speed, the value of the electric time constant T becomes too large for the input pulse width, so that the current supplied to the drive coils φ1 and φ2 should not reach the peak value. Become. The currents of the drive coils φ1 and φ2 are proportional to the torque generated in the rotor of the stepping motor 184. Therefore, if the current supplied to the drive coils φ1 and φ2 does not reach the peak value or the effective portion of the current is reduced due to the influence of the electrical time constant T, the torque generation is reduced accordingly. In this way, in order to prevent the torque from decreasing as the rotation of the stepping motor 184 becomes faster, in the present embodiment, in the prize ball motor circuit 401, the resistor R24 is provided on the supply path of the power signal of + 30V. , R25, and drive coils φ1 to φ
The current supplied to 2 is set to rise rapidly.

The handle motor circuit 403 includes a control relay RY, a varistor V2, a hit ball firing motor circuit M,
It includes a diode D7 and a transistor TR9. The hit ball firing motor circuit M is a circuit for directly driving and controlling a hit ball launch motor for driving the operation handle 21. “A” and “c” in the figure are connected to “a” and “c” from the power supply circuit 327 shown in FIG. 9B, respectively. The transistor TR9 has the same configuration as the transistors TR1 to TR8 shown in FIG. The power supply circuit 327 is provided in the handle motor circuit 403.
From + 12V DC power supply and AC24V AC power supply. + 12V is a power source for opening and closing the control relay RY. AC24V is a power source for driving a hit ball firing motor.

When a low level signal is input from the MPU 304 to the transistor TR9, the transistor TR9 is in a non-conducting state, so that the control relay RY.
No current is supplied to the coil, and the contact of the control relay RY closes. In this state, the AC24V power supplied from the power supply circuit 327 is supplied to the hitting ball launching motor circuit and the player operates the operation handle 21 to launch the game ball. On the other hand, MPU30
When a high level signal is input from 4 to the transistor TR9, the transistor TR9 is turned on and a + 12V signal is supplied to the control relay RY, whereby the coil of the control relay RY is excited and the contact is opened. In this state, the supply of power to the hitting ball launching motor circuit is cut off and the game ball is not shot even if the player operates the operation handle 21.

Next, the operation when the power is cut off in the prize ball control circuit 301 configured as described above will be described.
FIG. 11 shows the relationship between the potential of the supply signal and the output of the control signal of the switch circuit (the input circuit in the figure) 309, the microcomputer circuit 303, and the motor circuit 311 when the power supply from the power supply circuit 327 is stopped. It is a timing chart. 9A is the switch circuit 30 shown in FIG.
9B is a diagram in the case where the capacitor C1 as potential holding means is not provided in the configuration of the input circuit of FIG.
FIG. 9 is a diagram when the capacitor C1 is arranged as shown in FIG. In the figure, the change over time is shown in the input circuit potential representing the potential of the power supplied to the input circuit and the hit ball detection switch SS1 (see FIG. 1).
SS1 representing an output signal from the microcomputer circuit 303
A microcomputer circuit potential representing the potential of the power supplied to
The prize ball drive command representing the output state of the prize ball drive command signal from the microcomputer circuit 303, the motor circuit potential representing the potential of the power supplied to the motor circuit 311, and the ON / OFF state of the power supply to the stepping motor 184. Is an MO that represents.

First, the case where the capacitor C1 as the potential holding means is not provided will be described with reference to FIG. As described above, the power supply circuit 327 is + 30V,
Electric power is generated in the order of + 12V and + 5V. Therefore, even when the power supply is stopped, + 30V, + 12V, +5
The electric potential starts decreasing in the order of V. The time points at which the motor circuit potential of +30 V, the input circuit potential of +12 V, and the microcomputer circuit potential of +5 V start to decrease are shown as. In addition, the time when each potential drops and the operation of the circuit is stopped is ',',
Shown as'.

The potential of the power supplied to the input circuit is +12
It starts to pass at the time from the state of V, and becomes 3V at the time of '
When the winning ball is detected, the output signal of the hitting ball detection switch SS1, which normally outputs the high level signal when the winning ball is not detected, becomes the low level. on the other hand,
The electric potential of the electric power supplied to the microcomputer circuit 303 begins to drop from the state of + 5V, and becomes 2.7V at the time of '
If the state is lowered to, the microcomputer circuit 303 stops outputting the prize ball drive command signal. Therefore, the microcomputer circuit 303 outputs the prize ball drive command signal in response to the low level signal from the hitting ball detection switch SS1 from the time point of'to the time point of '. Further, the electric potential of the electric power supplied to the motor circuit 311 starts to drop at the time point from the + 30V state, and the operation of the motor circuit 311 stops at the time point'before the time point '. Therefore, the motor circuit 311 sends a drive control signal to the stepping motor 184 in response to the prize ball drive command signal output from the microcomputer circuit 303 from the time point of'to the time point of ', and the stepping motor 184 rotates. The prize ball is paid out.

Next, the case where the capacitor C1 as the potential holding means is provided will be described with reference to FIG. The timing when the potential of the electric power supplied to the input circuit, the microcomputer circuit 303, and the motor circuit 311 begins to drop is (A).
Is the same as When the capacitor C1 is provided in the input circuit, the timing'when the potential of the power supplied to the input circuit drops to 3V 'is the timing'when the potential of the power supplied to the microcomputer circuit 311 drops to 2.7V'.
Since it comes later, when the output signal from the hitting ball detection switch SS1 becomes low level, the microcomputer circuit 311 has already stopped its operation and the prize ball drive command signal is not output. Therefore, the drive control signal is not output from the motor circuit 311 to the stepping motor 184, and the stepping motor 184 rotates and the prize is not detected as in the case of FIG. The situation where the balls are paid out does not occur.

As described above, in this embodiment, in response to the output signal from the hitting ball detection switch SS1 being low level, the microcomputer circuit 311 determines that a winning ball is detected, and the stepping motor 184 is activated. It is configured to drive. As a result, the player gives an electromagnetic wave or the like from the outside to cause the microcomputer circuit 311 to erroneously determine that a winning ball has been detected even though the winning ball has not been detected, and attempts to illegally obtain a prize ball. Can be prevented. At the time when the potential of the power supplied to the input circuit decreases and the potential of the signal output by the hitting ball detection switch SS1 when the winning ball is not detected decreases to the same level as the potential of the signal output when the winning ball is detected, Already microcomputer circuit 3
Since the electric potential of the electric power supplied to 11 is lowered and the microcomputer circuit 311 is in an inoperable state, a prize ball payout operation is not erroneously performed. Means are configured. When the hitting ball detection switch SS1 and the input circuit of the switch circuit 309 supply power from the power supply means and it is detected that a hitting ball has won in the winning area, the first of a predetermined relatively low potential is detected. Is output, and when it is not detected that a hitting ball has won in the winning area, the potential of the electric power supplied from the power supply means is a signal of a relatively high predetermined potential. The winning ball detection means for outputting a second signal whose potential drops accordingly is configured. The MPU 304 receives the output signal from the prize detecting means and outputs a control signal for paying out a prize ball when the potential of the output signal is a predetermined relatively low potential. Is configured. The capacitor C1 provided in the input circuit constitutes a potential holding means for holding the potential of the power supplied from the power supply means to the winning ball detection means for a predetermined period.

[Second Embodiment] Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. In the first embodiment described above, the microcomputer circuit 30 is provided by delaying the timing at which the potential reduction of the electric power supplied to the hitting ball detection switch SS1 is completed by providing the input circuit with the capacitor C1 as the potential holding means.
Although the third embodiment is configured to prevent erroneous detection of winning balls, the second embodiment is configured to achieve the same effect by program control without providing hardware such as the capacitor C1. .

FIG. 12A shows the input circuit, the microcomputer circuit 303, and the motor circuit 3 when the power is cut off in the second embodiment.
11 is a timing chart showing the relationship of the operation with 11.
In the second embodiment, the microcomputer circuit 303 outputs the prize ball drive command signal after a predetermined time T1 has elapsed from the time when the microcomputer circuit 303 changed the output signal from the hitting ball detection switch SS1 from the high level to the low level. Is configured as follows. As a result, the potential of the electric power supplied to the input circuit is lowered to 3 V, and the electric potential of the electric power supplied to the microcomputer circuit 303 is not yet lowered to 2.7 V at the time point ', but the predetermined period T1 has passed. Since the prize ball drive command signal is not output until then, the motor circuit 311 does not drive the stepping motor 184.

FIG. 12B shows the output signal from the hitting ball detection switch SS1 and the microcomputer circuit 3 in the second embodiment.
3 is a timing chart showing a temporal relationship between the prize ball drive command signal output from No. 03 and the drive control signal of the stepping motor 184. As shown in (A), a process of delaying the timing at which the prize circuit drive command signal is output from the microcomputer circuit 303 until the predetermined time T1 elapses is performed each time the winning ball detection switch SS1 detects a winning ball. In the case of such a configuration, it takes a long time from the occurrence of the prize balls until the stepping motor 184 completes the payout of the prize balls, and the tempo of the game becomes slower by that amount, so (B) As shown, the timing for outputting the prize ball drive command signal is delayed by the predetermined time T1 only when the predetermined time T2 or more has elapsed since the winning ball detection switch SS1 did not continuously detect the winning balls. Perform processing to cause. As a result, the power supply circuit 32
Only when there is a high possibility that the power supply from 7 has been stopped, delay processing of the output of the prize ball drive command signal is performed so that the tempo of the game is not unnecessarily delayed.

The microcomputer circuit 303 and the microcomputer circuit 303 are caused to output the prize ball drive command signal after a predetermined time T1 has elapsed from the time when the output signal from the hitting ball detection switch SS1 changed from the high level to the low level. And a program for controlling so that a delay for delaying a predetermined period from the time when the prize winning detecting means detects a particular state to the time when the control means outputs the control signal. Means are configured.

[0132]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the invention, when the potential of the power supplied by the power source means is lowered, the control signal for paying out the prize ball is output from the control means. Before the output, the potential of the electric power supplied from the power supply means to the control means becomes low and the control means cannot perform the output operation of the control signal. No control signal is output. Therefore, when the power is shut off, it is possible to prevent the prize balls from being mistakenly paid out even if no hitting balls have been won in the winning area.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the potential holding means holds the potential of the electric power supplied from the power source means to the winning ball detecting means for a predetermined period, so that the potential of the electric power supplied by the power source means is lowered. In this case, before the control means outputs the control signal for performing the operation of giving the predetermined game value, the electric potential of the power supplied from the power supply means to the control means becomes low, and the control means outputs the control signal. The output operation cannot be performed and the output operation is disabled. Therefore, since the control signal is not erroneously output from the control means, the operation of paying out the prize ball may be erroneously performed when the power is cut off even though no hitting balls have been won in the winning area. Can be prevented.

According to the third aspect of the invention, the period from the time when the delay means detects that a hitting ball has been won in the winning area to the time when the control means outputs the control signal is delayed by a predetermined period. By doing so, when the potential of the power supplied by the power supply means is lowered, the power supplied from the power supply means to the control means is output before the control signal is output from the control means for paying out the prize ball. Since the potential becomes low and the control means cannot perform the output operation of the control signal, the control means does not erroneously output the control signal. Therefore,
It is possible to prevent the operation for accidentally paying out a prize ball from being accidentally performed when the power is shut off, even if no hitting balls have been won in the winning area.

As described above, it is possible to provide a ball-and-ball game machine capable of preventing the prize from being accidentally paid out even if the hitting area has not been won in the winning area when the power is cut off. Become.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view showing a configuration of a pachinko gaming machine according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a back view showing the configuration of the back side of the game board.

FIG. 3 is a rear view showing the configuration of a mechanism plate formed on the back surface of the pachinko gaming machine.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a configuration of a winning ball processing device.

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the premium ball dispensing device.

FIG. 6 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a premium ball payout device.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the prize ball payout device.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a prize ball control circuit.

9A is a circuit diagram showing a configuration of a switch circuit, and FIG. 9B is a circuit diagram showing a configuration of a power supply circuit.

FIG. 10 is a circuit diagram showing a configuration of a motor circuit.

FIG. 11 is a timing chart showing a correspondence relationship between operations of an input circuit, a microcomputer circuit, and a motor circuit when power is cut off, (A) is a diagram in the case where a potential holding means is not provided, and (B) is a potential. It is a figure when a holding means is provided.

FIG. 12 (A) is a timing chart showing the temporal relationship of the operation of the input circuit, the microcomputer circuit, and the motor circuit when the power is shut off according to the second embodiment of the present invention, and (B) is a winning ball detection. It is a timing chart showing a relationship between continuous detection of prize balls by a switch and delay processing of an output operation of a prize ball drive command signal.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 is a pachinko game machine, 6 is a hitting ball supply plate, 7a is a prize ball payout outlet, 7b is a supply port, 9 is a ball detector, 30 is a game board, 3
2 is a game area, 35 is a variable winning ball device, 31 is a specific winning ball detector, 39a and 39b are winning ball detectors, 40 is an outlet, 45 is a winning ball aggregate cover body, 60 is a mechanical plate, 65
Is a ball tank, 67 is a ball deficiency detector, 97 is a prize ball payout device, 115 is a prize ball processing device, 122 is a prize ball detector,
Reference numeral 152 is a prize ball payout control board, 184 is a stepping motor, 301 is a prize ball control circuit, 303 is a microcomputer circuit,
304 is an MPU, 309 is a switch circuit, 310 is an input circuit, 311 is a motor circuit, 327 is a power supply circuit, C1 is a capacitor, and SS1 is a hit ball detection switch.

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A ball-and-ball game machine having a ball payout device that can be driven by an electric drive source to pay a prize ball when a hit ball is won in a prize area provided on a game board. , A power supply unit for supplying electric power, and when the electric power is supplied from the power supply unit and it is detected that a hit ball is won in the winning area, a first signal having a predetermined relatively low potential is output. , When it is not detected that a hitting ball has been won in the winning area, the potential is a signal of a predetermined relatively high potential, and the potential of the power supplied from the power supply means decreases in accordance with the potential. And a prize signal detecting means for outputting a second signal for reducing the output of the prize signal, and the potential of the output signal is a predetermined relatively low potential, the prize. A control signal for performing the ball payout operation And a control means for outputting, when the potential of the power supplied by the power supply means decreases,
At the time of outputting the control signal by the control means based on the signal from the winning ball detection means, the supply of electric power to the control signal has already dropped and the control means may perform the output operation of the control signal. A ball game machine characterized by being in an output inoperable state. 2. The ball game machine according to claim 1, further comprising potential holding means for holding a potential of electric power supplied from the power supply means to the winning ball detection means for a predetermined period. 3. A delay for a predetermined period from a time point when the winning ball detection means detects that a hit ball has been won in the winning area to a time point when the control signal is output by the control means. The ball game machine according to claim 1, further comprising delay means.