JPH11319291A - Ball shooting game machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To instantaneously judge which of prize balls and credit balls is dispensed by dispensing the game balls dispensed by a prize ball dispensing means to an upper tray through one passage, and dispensing the credit balls to the upper tray through the other passage. SOLUTION: A switching device 56 covered with a sheath 61 is provided in the lower part of a dispensing device 46, and game balls flowing down from a sprocket 48 are guided to the switching device 56 while examining the number of the game balls by a dispensed game ball number detector 50 provided in the middle. A credit ball passage 41 and a prize ball passage 49 are provided on the downstream side of the switching device 56, and the credit balls passage 41 and the prize ball passage 49 are connected to the credit ball outlet and prize ball, outlet of an upper tray, respectively. An overflow partitioning 44 is provided in the middle of the prize ball passage 49, so that the prize balls are dropped to a lower tray through the overflow partitioning 44 when the dispensing of prize ball is continued long to fill the upper tray with the prize.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to the operation of a prize ball and a rental ball of a payout device in a gaming machine.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a pachinko machine typified by a gaming machine, when a game ball wins a winning opening provided in a game board, the number of gaming balls set in the winning opening is paid out by a payout device. In combination-type gaming machines such as arranged ball gaming machines and sparrow ball gaming machines, when a game ball enters the entrance of the game board and a specific combination is established, a score is obtained, and the number of games corresponding to the score is obtained. The ball is paid out by the payout device as a prize ball. In recent years, this dispensing device has been developed to use a prepaid card called a CR machine, which is capable of renting balls. The device combines both the renting of game balls and the dispensing of prize balls. If there is a prize during lending, the lending is completed and then a prize ball is paid out. This payout device is configured to pay out game balls by rotating a screw or sprocket driven by a motor, for example, and the payout of game balls receives supply from a ball tank provided on an upper part of the mechanism panel to the payout device, A ball outlet is opened at the lower part of the ball tank, and the outlet is connected to the tank rail from the outlet, and further connected to a relay gutter via a curve rail downstream of the tank rail, and then to a ball dispensing device. It is connected. The relay gutter is provided with a switch for detecting the presence or absence of a game ball, and when a game ball cannot be detected, this signal is used to stop sending the game ball to the launch point, stop paying out the game ball, or stop firing. The payout of game balls is performed so that the number of game balls to be paid out does not become insufficient. A mechanical ball dispensing device is provided with a lever in the relay gutter, and if there is no game ball, this lever rises up and the ball feeding device cannot be operated by the connection link provided at the end of the lever. There is also a machine. However, the following disadvantages have not been solved yet.

[0003]

In the same discharge path configuration as in the above-described dispensing apparatus, in which a ball rental and a prize ball are paid out,
For example, if a prize ball is paid out during lending and paying out and the prize ball is paid out, it is very unclear for the player whether or not the prize ball was actually paid out. In addition, when a prize is generated during the above-described lending and paying out, a lending is also made useless, and the lending is unnecessary for the player. Also, at the stage of testing a gaming machine with a so-called CR machine using a conventional prepaid card, it is very unclear to investigate the relationship between the number of balls lent and the number of winnings paid out. Did not.

[0004]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, a prize or the like is established by a launching device for launching a game ball and a behavior of the game ball launched by the launching device. A payout ball payout means for paying out a game ball as a prize ball due to the above, a payout control means having both a card unit and a ball rental control means for lending out a game ball by a ball rental control device using a prepaid card are provided. In the ball game machine, when the prize ball payout means pays out game balls, the payout is paid out to the upper plate through one passage, and when the game ball is lent out by the ball rental means, passage 2 is used. And a payout control means for paying out the upper plate through the payout machine.

According to the present invention, when a game ball to be fired by a player during a game runs out, a prepaid card is naturally inserted into a card unit to request a game ball to be lent, and the number of pieces to be borrowed is set arbitrarily. Make payout. However, if a prize is generated during the execution of this game ball lending, it is unclear whether the game ball to be discharged is a prize ball or a loan ball if the same discharge port is used, and it is mistaken that the prize ball was not paid out by prize. I often had trouble with the store staff at the amusement arcade. According to the present invention, a payout port is separately provided, so that it is possible to instantly determine which of the payouts has been made, so that troubles between the clerk and the player can be eliminated.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a passage switching means which is connected to the first passage when the prize ball dispensing means is operated, and is connected to the second passage when the lending and dispensing means is activated.
And a ball game machine characterized in that the passage switching means is provided with a drive means controlled by electrical control.

[0007] In this case, when paying out a winning ball and paying out a ball lending request, it is necessary to provide two payout devices. In the present invention, however, one discharge device is required to respond to the ball lending request. By switching between prize payout paths and space saving, labor saving and cost reduction can be achieved.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the ball game machine according to any one of the first to third aspects, the payout control means for stopping the loan payout means when the prize ball payout means operates while the loan payout means is operating. Ball game machine characterized by having provided.

The present invention is based on the premise that if a prize is made during execution of a ball lending request based on a ball lending request by a prepaid card, the ball lending request is, for example, a ball lending request of 1,000 yen in a unit of 100 yen. When the payout of 200 yen is completed, the prize payout is prioritized during the preparation of the payout of the next 100 yen, so the payout is also paid out, so that the game can be continued with the game ball of the payout payout. . The remaining 800 yen, which is the remaining amount at this point, becomes an extra ball lending request and becomes unnecessary 800 yen lending to the player, so the 800 yen payout is stopped and the player does not need to pay out. The purpose is to prevent the expenditure of.

[0010] From the point of view of the gamer, the game ball will eventually be consumed, but in the state of the game ball and the state remaining on the prepaid card, all of the games that can be fired in a mood to be in the state of the game ball There is no chance to get out of the playground by hitting the ball, and there is a great possibility that this triggers a large amount of money consumption. On the other hand,
If left on the prepaid card, the atmosphere of the game will be interrupted, and as a pleasure of the next day's game, the opportunity to leave will help protect the family economy of the player and help social stability.

[0011]

Next, a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The embodiments of the present invention are not limited to the following examples at all, and it goes without saying that various embodiments can be adopted as long as they belong to the technical scope of the present invention.

[0012]

FIG. 1 is a perspective front view of a pachinko machine represented by a ball game machine (hereinafter, referred to as a game machine 10). On the left side of the gaming machine 10, a card reader 25 for controlling the lending of gaming balls is provided and installed together on a gaming machine installation island (not shown). The gaming machine 10 has an outer frame 12 and forms an outer shell of the gaming machine 10 and is also a housing fixed to the gaming machine installation island. The outer frame 12 is attached to the upper and lower hinges 14 so that the front frame 13 is attached to the outer frame 12. On the other hand, it is detachably mounted.

The jackpot lamp 1 is provided on the upper part of the front frame 13.
7, stop lamp 18 on right side, touch display lamp 1
9, prize payout display lamp 20, loan payout display lamp 21
Is attached in an integral structure, and normally nothing can be seen, but, for example, when launching is started and a prize is generated, the prize payout display lamp 20 repeats lighting or blinking, and when lit, the characters are raised and visible. The structure is such that nothing can be seen if the light is turned off. The stop lamp 18, which will be described in detail later, turns on or blinks when a shortage or fullness of the game balls is detected, and the touch display lamp 19 also displays this light when the firing is started. Lights or blinks, and the prize-payout display lamp 20 and the lending-payout display lamp 21 also allow the player to determine the operation. As is well known, the jackpot lamp 17 particularly refers to a jackpot game, which is another game of a gaming machine with a first-class electric accessory.
Blinks to notify the player of the jackpot.

A game board 11 having a symbol display device 30 indicated by a dotted line in the center is fitted in the front frame 13.
A metal frame (not shown) in the form of a window frame is attached around the inside of 3. An upper plate 15 and a lower plate 16 are provided below the center of the front frame 13 and a lending button 28 for operating a card reader 25 and a checkout button 29 are provided on the right side of the upper plate 15. If a card exchanged for money whose details are not described is inserted into the card slot 26, the contents of the inserted card are displayed on the ball lending display device 27 provided on the upper plate 15. If the card is inserted and the lending display device 27 does not indicate "0", the lending button 28 is pressed, and an arbitrary number of gaming balls are paid out to the upper plate. If the balance button 29 is pressed when the balance of the loaned ball display device 27 remains, the card is ejected from the card slot 26.

A firing handle 22 for firing a game ball is attached to the lower right of the front frame 13. When the firing handle 22 is operated, the game ball thrown into the upper plate 15 is fired on the game board 11. Can be. The upper plate 15 is provided with a ball-lending exit 23 and a prize-ball exit 24. Game balls lent out are discharged from the ball-lending exit 23, and game balls resulting from a prize are discharged and discharged from the prize-ball exit 24 as prize balls. . Next, the back structure of the gaming machine 10 will be described with reference to FIG.

The firing handle 22 described with reference to FIG. 1 is provided with a firing device 40 at the lower left of the gaming machine 10 and the firing handle 2.
2 operates the firing device 40, and furthermore, FIG.
Is turned on, but the touch display lamp 19 also blinks (details will be described later). On the back of the gaming machine 10, a mechanical board 35 is provided.
1 is mounted so as to cover almost the whole from the back. Above the mechanism panel 35, a prize ball tank 43 in which game balls as prize balls or game balls are stored, and a tank rail 45 thereunder. Installed. Tank rail 4
5 is provided with a replenishing switch 34 for detecting the presence or absence of a game ball and replenishing the game ball from the game machine installation island, and a payout device 46 is connected to the downstream side of the tank rail 45.

A sprocket 48 is built in the payout device 46, and a ball punching device 47 is provided around the sprocket 48. A game ball held in the sprocket 48 is held by a ball pulling lever 52 shown in FIG. When the ejection lever 52 is operated, the game balls held in the prize ball tank 43, the tank rail 45 and the sprocket 48 can be discharged to the outside through the ball ejection passage 53 leading to the ball ejection device 47. The current state shown is a state in which there is no game ball in the prize ball tank 43 or the tank rail 45 and the payout device cover 51 of the payout device 46 is removed.

A symbol display device 30 is provided below the tank rail 45.
, And a game board control device 33 is attached below it. The game board control device 33 is detachably attached to the game board 11 and can control the symbol display device 30 and various winning ports provided on the surface of the game board 11 (not shown) without detailed description. Game board controller 33
Below this is provided an inner frame control device 32. The inner frame control device 32 includes the payout device 46, the launch device 40, the big hit lamp 17, the stop lamp 18, the touch display lamp 19, and the winning payout display on the entire surface. Electrical control is performed on the front frame 13 and the mechanism panel 35 such as the lamp 20, the lending and payout display lamp 21, and the like.

When the power of the gaming machine 10 is turned on, the gaming board control device 33 performs initial transmission of the number of winning balls and the initial setting of the lending ball to each winning port (not shown) to the inner frame control device 32,
Further, the game board control device 33 is configured to intermittently transmit the game information generated on the game board 11 during the game to the inner frame control device 32 in one direction. The inner frame control device 32 is provided with a control information panel 31 for displaying the operating status of the game board 11 and trouble information. For example, the supply switch 34 can display the empty state of the game ball. When the supply switch 34 does not detect the sky and the payout game ball number detector 50 cannot detect the game ball which is a prize ball, it is determined that the game ball is engaged with the tank rail 45. If the game ball does not flow, "Tamamarides" can be displayed.

As described above, the card reader 25 is provided on the right side of the outer frame 12 forming the outer shell of the gaming machine 10, and the ball lending information connector 38 on the card reader 25 side and the ball lending information on the inner frame controller 32 side. The information connector 38 is connected by a lending ball information line 37 to enable the lending control of the game balls. On the right side of the prize ball tank 43, an external connection device 39 is provided, and the jackpot information which is generated in the gaming machine 10 and which is not described in detail,
Time saving mode information, illegal game information, symbol change information of the symbol display device 30 and the supply switch 3 provided on the tank rail 45
The game ball supply request information is transmitted to a game arcade management system (not shown). Inner frame control device 32
Is provided with a power cord 36 for covering all the electric power of the gaming machine 10, and a fullness detection device 55 is provided below the inner frame control device 32.

The above-mentioned stop lamp 18 flashes the stop lamp 18 when the full state detecting device 55 detects the full state, and turns on when the replenishment switch 34 detects the empty of the game ball. Priority is given to full detection. At the lower part of the payout device 46, there is provided a switching device 56 covered with an outer shell 61 which is also a point of the present invention, and the number of payout game ball detectors 50 provided on the way to the game balls flowing down from the sprocket 48 is used to detect the game balls. The number reaches the switching device 56 while checking the number. The ball lending passage 41 is located downstream of the switching device 56.
And the prize ball passage 49 are provided, and the upper plate 1 shown in FIG.
5, the ball lending passage 41 is connected to the ball lending exit 23, and the prize ball passage 49 is connected to the prize ball exit 24. An overflow partition 44 indicated by a dotted line is provided in the middle of the prize ball passage 49, and when the payout of prize balls continues, the upper plate 15 becomes full. It is a configuration that overflows into

A switch (not shown) of a mechanical contact (not shown) for detecting the fullness of the upper plate and confirming the payout is provided in the overflow partition 44 of the passage.
When 5 is full, the overflow partition 44 is activated to cause a part of the full to flow down to the lower plate 16. For payout confirmation, the winning detection and the number of operations must match.The mechanical contact switch has a hard or soft chattering canceller, so it is resistant to radio noise and piezoelectric noise, and the same signal as the winning from the outside. Even if the above-mentioned noise is input, the number of times of operation does not match, so that it can be regarded as an illegal game. The switching device 56 is provided with a switching valve 54 and a switching motor 42, and a position sensor 59 for detecting the position of the switching valve 54, so that either position can be operated by the switching motor 42. Has become. The switching device 56 is the most important part of the present invention, and its detailed configuration and operation will be described later with reference to the configuration shown in FIG. 3 and the operation flowcharts of FIGS. 4 and 5.

The switching device 5 of the present invention shown in FIG.
6 is provided with a plurality of gutters, so that each gutter is partitioned by a partition 57, and a plurality of the present devices can be installed alone by a combination thereof. In the switching valve 54, a middle guide 60 connected to the outer shell 61 is provided, which is disposed at the center so as to keep the flowing game balls in a stable state, and furthermore, a position sensor 59 is provided. The initial state (power-on) is referred to as a default, and is in the positional relationship shown in FIG. 3B, in which the payout by winning is prioritized. The switching motor 42 can move the switching valve 54 in the reciprocating arrows “U” and “D” by a gear (not shown) on the opposite side of the switching device 56. The current state is that the ball lending and paying means is being executed, and the game ball 58 is changed to the game ball 58 '.
From the game ball 58 ", the arrow" Q "of the ball lending passage 41
FIG. FIG. 3B shows the switching valve 54.
Is a pattern moved in the direction of the arrow "D". In this state, the switching valve 54 causes the game ball 58 'indicated by the dotted line to flow out to the prize ball path 49 to the game ball 58 "in the direction of the arrow" P "by default. At this time, the position sensor 59 confirms that the switching valve 54 is at the default position.

The switching motor 42 for operating the switching device 56 of the present invention uses a stepping motor because it requires high operating accuracy. However, a method using a solenoid to reduce the cost is also conceivable. However, when the solenoid is energized, the impact when the plunger reaches the retraction dead center is similar to the impact hit with a hammer.
With the structure as shown in 5815, the connection pins and the arms and fulcrums of the pins quickly wear out, and the operation of the switching valve becomes loose. If the looseness increases, a small amount of the passage cannot be passed. It will leak. In this case, even a small amount is not allowed to flow into the adjacent passage.
In this regard, since the switching device 56 of the present invention operates slowly, it does not have the same effect as the shock generated in the solenoid, and can withstand long-term use.

FIGS. 4 and 5 are flow charts for operating the switching device 56, which explain means for operating the switching motor 42 by a control device (not shown in detail). Is a flow at one connection terminal T2, and shows a subroutine for explaining the operation status of the present invention which branches off from a known main routine (not shown). Step S10 (hereinafter step is omitted) is an entrance of the subroutine. . In S11, it is detected whether or not there is a prize, and if there is no prize, a branch is made to S16. S
If the winning is detected at 11, the payout number is set at S12. The number of payouts is set such that a plurality of payouts provided on the front side (not shown) of the game board 11 have different payout number of prize balls respectively. (Omitted) A switch or sensor for winning detection is provided, and the number of payout balls is set for each winning detection. Unlike the conventional system in which a prize is detected from a collecting gutter by a prize detector, a different payout number cannot be set for each prize port, but the system of the present invention makes this possible.

At S13, a payout flag is set in order to prevent the setting of the number of payouts from continuing the payout operation described later. In step S14, even if a loan request signal is erroneously issued or the player is lending the game ball in spite of the fact that there is a prize and it is not necessary to rent the game ball, the player returns this signal in step S15. In step S16, if no prize is detected in step S11, the process proceeds from this step to detect a lending request having a lower priority. If there is no lending request, the process branches to T1, but if it is a lending request, the flow proceeds to S17 to check whether the state of the switching valve 54 is on the lending side, and if it is on the lending side, branch to S19. If the switching valve 54 is not the lending side, the direction is switched in S18. In the case of lending, since the minimum unit is being lent, the investigation is constantly performed in this way, and S19 examines it. S1
If 9 is the minimum unit, the process branches to S22. If the minimum unit is 9 or more, the process proceeds to the next S20, where the minimum lending unit is set, and the fact is transmitted to the card unit in S21.

In step S22, the minimum number of payouts is set. In step S23, a flag is set so that the number of payouts is not changed until the payout is completed, and the process reaches T1. FIG.
Is connected to T2 in a continuation of the previous T1, and the payout operation of the payout device 46 and the switching valve 54
Try the operation of. In S24, it is determined whether or not the payout operation is being continued in S29. If the payout is being continued, the process further branches to S29. S not paying out
At 25, the payout flag set at S13 of FIG.
If there is a result, the process branches to S27, and if there is no winning flag, S2.
Proceed to 6 to check the lending request flag. If there is no lending request flag, it is determined that the gaming machine is paused or the game is continuing, and S35.
Branch to If there is a winning flag or a lending request flag, the process proceeds to a nesting subroutine of S27 to check whether there is a game ball in the award ball tank 43 (not shown in detail) on the tank rail 4.
The check-out operation is stopped by the replenishment switch 34 provided in the apparatus 5.

Next, the data set in the number of payouts of each of S28 is taken into the number calculation area per ball and S
The operation is performed at 26, and it is determined whether the number calculation result is completed at S30. If not, the process proceeds to S35. This means the continuation of the payout, which continues in a loop during the continuation time, and when the calculation result reaches the specified value, the specified number is paid out and the prize flag or the loan request flag is set next in S31. Erase in preparation for. At this time, the state of the switching valve 54 is checked in S33, and if it is in the lending direction, the state is returned to the default position. S35
Is a position to return to the main routine at the exit of this routine.

As described above with reference to the drawings, when the prize ball payout means of the first aspect pays out game balls, the payout ball is paid out to the upper plate 15 through the prize ball passage 49 which is one passage, and the ball is paid out. A payout control means is provided for paying out to the upper plate 15 through the ball-passing passage 41, which is the second passage, when paying out and paying out game balls by the payout means. According to the second aspect, when the prize ball dispensing means is operated, the switching valve is connected to the prize ball passage 49 which is a default one passage, and when the lending and dispensing means is activated, the switching valve is set to the second passage. A passage switching means for connecting to the ball lending passage 41 is provided. The passage switching means is provided with a driving means controlled by electrical control and operates as shown in the flowchart. According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a payout control means for stopping the lending and paying out of the lending and paying out means in step S15 when the prize ball paying out means operates while the lending and paying means is operating.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a gaming machine according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a rear view of the gaming machine according to the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an operation of the switching device according to the embodiment;
FIG. 7B is a diagram illustrating the operation of the lending and paying means, and FIG. 8B is an explanatory diagram illustrating the operation of the winning ball paying means.

FIG. 4 is an operation flowchart of a winning detection and a ball lending request detection in the payout driving means of the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is an operation flowchart illustrating a prize ball payout and a loan payout by the switching means of the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 gaming machine, 11 gaming board, 12 outer frame, 13 front frame, 14 hinge, 15 upper plate, 16 lower plate, 17 jackpot lamp, 18 stop lamp, 19 touch display lamp, Reference numeral 20: prize payout display lamp, 21: rental payout display lamp, 22: launch handle, 23: ball rental exit, 2
4: prize ball exit, 25: card reader, 26: card slot, 27: ball lending display device, 28: lending button, 29: payment button, 30: symbol display device, 31: control information panel, 32: inner frame control Apparatus, 33 ... game board control apparatus, 34
... Gold frame, 35 ... Mechanical board, 36 ... Power cord, 37 ... Ball information terminal, 38 ... Ball information connector, 39 ... External connection terminal, 40 ... Launching device, 41 ... Ball passage, 42 ... Switching motor, 43: prize ball tank, 44: overflow partition, 45: tank rail, 46: payout device, 47: ball ejection device, 48: sprocket, 49: prize ball passage, 50: payout game ball number detector,
Reference numeral 51: dispensing device cover, 52: ball removal lever, 53: ball removal passage, 54: switching valve, 55: full detection device, 56: switching device, 57: partition, 58 game ball, 59: position sensor, 6
0: middle guide, 61: outer shell.

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A launching device for launching a game ball, and a prize ball payout means for paying out a game ball as a prize ball due to a winning or the like being established by the behavior of the game ball fired by the launching device; In a ball game machine provided with payout control means having both a card unit and a ball rental control means for renting a game ball by a ball rental control device using a prepaid card, when the prize ball payout means pays out game balls. The payout control means for paying out to the upper plate through the passage 1 and for paying out the game ball through the passage 2 when the ball rental and payout unit rents out the game ball is provided. And ball game machine. 2. The path switching means according to claim 1, wherein said path switching means is connected to a passage when said prize ball payout means is operated, and is connected to a passage when said lending and payout means is operated. Ball game machine characterized by having provided. 3. The ball game machine according to claim 1, wherein said passage switching means includes a drive means controlled by electrical control. 4. The ball game machine according to claim 1, further comprising payout control means for stopping said loan payout means when said prize ball payout means operates while said loan payout means is operating. A ball game machine characterized by the above.