KR20060049622A - Gaming machine - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention provides a game machine that allows the player to see the change in the flow of the game balls reliably. The game machine has an exit port for collecting game balls going down to the game area, a storage tray for temporarily storing game balls collected from the exit port, and a ball path therein for guiding the game balls to the launch device, and an exit port. And a tray cover formed underneath and opening toward the ball path, the tray cover having a viewing window mounted on the storage tray and allowing observation of a portion of the ball path and covering the ball path. This observation window is formed of a transparent material and is formed around the dispensing port where the flow of game balls is most active.

Game machine, game ball, storage tray, tray cover, observation window

Description

Game machine

1 is a perspective view of a game machine according to an embodiment of the present invention.

2 is a block diagram of the game machine shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a view showing a storage tray constituting the game machine shown in FIG.

4 is an exploded view showing the storage tray shown in FIG.

<Explanation of symbols for the main parts of the drawings>

10: game machine

11: housing

12: game console

15: display panel

19: giveaway port

20: outlet port

22: storage tray

23: lower tray

26: Payment port

27: tray cover

27c: observation window

40: main control circuit

50: negative control circuit

70: dispensing / firing control circuit

The present invention relates to a game machine, and more particularly, to a ball embedded game machine that allows a player to play a game using game balls circulating inside the game machine while being embedded in the game machine.

In a ball embedded game machine, a predetermined number of game balls are embedded and stored in a slot machine game machine and used in such a manner that game balls (checked balls) are circulated in the game machine.

More specifically, the game balls embedded in the game machine are moved to the firing position by the manipulation of the player's handle, and the game balls moved to the firing position are fired by the elastic repulsion generated by the launching device and guided by the rails. To the game area of the prize. The game balls supplied to the game area collide with obstacle nails and descend down. Next, when the game balls enter the prize port while descending along the panel side, prize balls are awarded to the player. On the other hand, when the game balls descend along the panel side and eventually do not enter the prize ports, the game balls enter the exit port.

The game balls entering the prize ports and exit ports are collected and collected in the storage tray by the dispensing opening and then returned to the firing position. Next, the embedded balls collected into the firing position are fired again with the elastic repulsive force generated by the firing device.

As documents describing such a ball game machine, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-218019, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-190588, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-827, and the like can be given.

Here, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-21809, game balls are isolated or separated from the player by sealing the storage tray with a cover. Moreover, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-190588, the premium balls are issued from a payment port mounted on the left side of the storage tray. Furthermore, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-827, a lift and supply unit is provided instead of the upper tray.

However, in the ball-embedded game machine, since the game balls are circulated using the raising and supplying unit or the like, the manufacturing cost of the game machine increases.

In order to lower the cost, it is possible to form a payment port in the position below the exit port without using the rise and feed unit and directly pay the game balls collected from the exit port and the prize port to the storage tray.

In this structure, since the game balls flow out from the payout port to the center position of the storage tray, the flow of the game balls is not monotonous, which increases the interest the player has in the game. However, in this case, the game balls are distributed in the left and right directions, so that it is difficult for the player to track the flow of the game balls.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a ball embedded game machine that allows a player to see the change in the flow of the game balls with certainty so that the player can easily and clearly recognize the flow of the game balls with interest.

In order to overcome the above-mentioned drawbacks, the present invention provides a game machine for playing a game using game balls, wherein the game machine includes an exit port arranged at the bottom of the game area and descends down from the game area. A storage tray having a game ball retrieval port for collecting them, a ball path for temporarily storing game balls collected from the game ball retrieval port, and guiding game balls to a firing position; And a tray cover covering the ball path with a dispensing port opening toward the path and a viewing window mounted on the storage tray and allowing the player to observe a portion of the ball path.

In this way, the observation window is formed on a portion of the tray cover covering the ball path formed in the storage tray, so that game balls issued to the storage tray can be clearly seen through the observation window, whereby the player can play the game ball. The change in their flow can be easily and clearly recognized so that the game can attract the interest of the player more efficiently.

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described in detail with the accompanying drawings. Here, in all the accompanying drawings, like parts are given the same numbers and repeated description thereof is omitted. Moreover, although the following description describes preferred embodiments provided for practicing the present invention, the present invention is not limited to these preferred embodiments.

1 is a perspective view showing a game machine according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the game machine shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a view showing a storage tray constituting the game machine shown in FIG. 4 is an exploded view showing the storage tray shown in FIG.

In Fig. 1, the game machine 10 is formed of a housing 11 constituting a separate bank and a slot machine game machine (hereinafter referred to as a "game machine body") 12 mounted on the housing 11. It is an integral body. The housing 11 supports the game machine body 12 with the game area 13a of the game panel 13 of the game machine body 12 located at the eye level of the player. Furthermore, at a position just below the game machine body 12 of the housing 11, a mounting base 14 extending forward from the housing 11 is provided, while directly above the game machine body, predetermined information is provided to the player. Informing display panel 15 is provided.

A predetermined number of game balls are embedded and stored in the game machine body 12 and the game is executed by cycling these embedded game balls.

In relation to the game machine body 12, the frame body on which the above-described game panel 13 is mounted is rotatably mounted on the housing 11 by hinges. On the front of the game panel 13, the glass door 16 covering the game panel 13 can be opened and closed in a state that can be observed by the player. Under the glass door 16, the tray unit 17 is mounted in a state capable of opening and closing.

With respect to the game panel 13, on the game area 13a, which constitutes the area where the game balls bounded by the rails 18 and fired down, the game nails and the pin wheel A number of obstacles, such as (not shown), and prize ports 19, such as start port 19a, general prize port 19b, and large prize port 19c, are suitably arranged. have. Furthermore, on the lower part of the game area 13a, an outlet port 20 is arranged, through which game balls which do not enter these prize ports 19 flow. Furthermore, the prize ports 19 and the exit port 20 constitute a game ball retrieval port that collects after game balls flow down through the game area 13a.

In addition, a special symbol display unit 21 is formed on the game area 13a. This special symbol display 21 changes the display mode of the symbols constituting a plurality of (e.g., three) identification information images, where the symbols first enter the position of the prize game balls of the port 19a. It starts or stops in response. Next, when the combination of symbols in the stationary state matches the predetermined winning combination, the game is moved to a special game state in which the large prize port 19c takes an open state according to the predetermined symbol and is advantageous to the player.

As described above, the tray unit 17 is arranged below the game ball 13. The tray unit 17 is provided with a storage tray 22 in which game balls issued and game balls fired into the game area 13a are temporarily stored. Here, the lower tray 23 is provided below the storage tray 22, but in this embodiment related to the ball embedded game machine, the game balls are not stored in the lower tray 23. Thus, in this embodiment, game balls stored in the storage tray 22 drop on the lower tray 23 by opening the flow path of the game balls causing the storage tray 22 and the lower tray 23 to communicate with each other. The shutter lever 25 originally provided so that it does not work.

Here, the details of the peripheral structure of the storage tray 22 will be described later.

On the right side of the tray unit 17, a handle 24 is provided which is operated when firing game balls through the rail 18 into the game area 13a of the game panel 13. By rotating the handle 24, a launching device (not shown) is activated and the game ball supplied to the firing position is launched with elastic repulsive force. Here, the firing device guides the firing position (guiding from the storage device to the firing device) toward the game panel 13 by turning the hammer at a predetermined speed under the control of the dispensing / firing control circuit and hitting the game balls with the distal end of the hammer. Launch the game balls from the end of the path).

At one end (right side in the viewing direction when shown in the drawing) of the game machine body 12, a ball distributor (game medium providing units) 30 is provided which provides the game ball in an amount corresponding to the amount that the player inserts. do.

In this ball dispenser 30, a credit quantity display unit 31, a credit adjustment button 32, a credit transmission button 33, a medal quantity display unit 34, an infrared communication unit 35, and the like are placed in front of the ball dispenser 30. Is provided.

Here, the credit quantity display unit 31 is composed of seven segment light emitting elements (LEDs) of three numbers and displays the quantity of coins (credit data quantity of coins) currently deposited in the device. Moreover, the medal quantity display section 34 also consists of three segmented seven segment light emitting elements (LEDs) and displays the quantity of medals currently deposited in the device.

The credit transfer button 22 is a button for transferring credit data such as coins, medals, and the like deposited to the game machine main body 12, and the transmission of the credit data is performed by pressing this button. Here, the transmission is executed as follows, for example.

When the credit transfer button 33 is pressed, the CPU checks the contents of the credit data. When the coins are deposited as a result of the information, the credit data of the coins are sent to the game console body 12. Therefore, the game machine main body 12 receives credit data and converts this credit data into game ball quantity data. For example, when the deposited coin is a 100 yen coin, assuming that the deposited coin has a value equivalent to 120 game balls per 100 yen, the credit coin is converted into game ball data equivalent to 120 balls. Here, the credit quantity display unit 31 displays the quantity minus "1".

On the other hand, when medals are deposited as a confirmation result, the credit data of the medal is transmitted to the game machine main body 12. Therefore, the game machine main body 12 receives credit data and converts this credit data into game ball quantity data. For example, when a deposited medal has a value of seven game balls per medal, the deposited data is converted into game ball data of seven balls. Here, the quantity minus "1" is displayed on the medal quantity display portion 34.

Here, in this embodiment, each time the credit transfer button is pressed once, one credit data is transmitted to the game machine main body 12. However, the present invention is not limited to this manner, and all credit data may be transmitted to the game console body 12 in one push operation.

Further, when both the coin and the medal are deposited at the time when the credit transmission button 33 is pressed, in this embodiment, preferably, the credit data of the coins is transmitted to the game console main body 12. However, in the opposite case, credit data of medals may be preferably transmitted.

The credit adjustment button 32 is a button for executing the payment of the deposited coins and medals, where the payment is executed by pressing this button. Here, the deposited coins are converted into medals and these medals are paid from the medal supply port 36.

For example, when the deposited coins are two 100 yen coins, the deposited coins are worth 17 medals per 100 yen, so when the credit adjustment button 32 is pressed, a total of 34 medals It is issued from the medal supply port 36.

On the other hand, with respect to the medals, the deposited quantity of medals are paid directly from the medal dispensing port 36. For example, assuming that the quantity of medals deposited is six, six medals are issued from the medal dispensing port 36 when the credit adjustment button 32 is pressed.

When this payment operation is completed, an indication on which the balance of the credit is displayed as "0" is displayed on the credit display unit 31 and the medal quantity display unit 34.

Further, below the medal quantity display unit 34, a medal insertion port 37 for the player to insert medals as a game medium, and a medal return for the player to operate to return the medal inserted in the medal insertion unit 37. The lever 37a and a medal return port 37b are provided in which the medal is returned when an irregular medal is inserted or when the player operates the medal return lever 37a.

Furthermore, below the medal return port 17b, a coin return unit 38a into which coins, such as 100 yen coins, are inserted, and a coin return operated by a player to recover coins inserted into the coin inserter 38 The lever 38a and a coin return port 38b are provided in which an irregular coin is inserted or a coin is returned when the player operates the coin return lever 38a.

Here, in this embodiment, a coin of 100 yen is used as a regular coin, whereby when coins other than the 100 yen coin are inserted into the coin insertion section 38, the coin is regarded as an irregular coin. However, the present invention is not limited to this case and other coins may be regarded as regular coins.

The infrared transmitter 35 is provided between the medal quantity display 34 and the medal insert 37.

The infrared transmitting unit 35 can transmit game data (obtained monthly quantity) after the end of the game. For example, the player receives the game data from the infrared transmitting unit 35 using his own mobile phone and then accesses a predetermined site on the Internet so that the site registers the number of medals acquired by the player. Thus, when multiple plays perform similar registration, it is possible to realize a display of a national ranking of acquisition monthly quantities for a predetermined period (eg, one day, one week). Thus, the game machine can further attract the interest of the player.

The circuit configuration of the control system of the game machine main body 12 of the game machine 10 is shown in FIG.

The control system of the game machine main body 12 includes a main control circuit 40 and a sub control circuit 50 connected to the main control circuit 40.

In such a control system, the main control circuit 40 constitutes a major component and is mounted on the back of the game panel 13.

The main control circuit 20 is equipped with a main CPU (miniaturized arithmetic processor) 41, an initial reset circuit 42, a main RAM 43, and a main ROM. Here, the main CPU 41 performs a game operation of the game machine main body 12 according to a preset program. The initial reset circuit 42 returns various settings to their initial values when an abnormal condition occurs. The main RAM 43 stores various data necessary for operating the main CPU 41. The main ROM 44 is a program for causing the main CPU 41 to execute processing control of the game operation of the game machine main body 12, and a large prize judgment used as a reference when performing a large prize judgment based on an arbitrary number draw. Table and various probability tables such as an effect group selection table used as a reference when performing an effect drawing.

Here, the main CPU 41 displays the large prize prize determination process in which the game ball enters the port 19a first and the prize prize is first judged when the prize is generated, and on the special symbol display unit 21. Processing for determining the effect display of the special symbol and the background image to be displayed, and processing for determining the content displayed on the general symbol display unit (not shown). Moreover, the main CPU 41 constitutes a large prize port SOL control unit that controls the large prize port solenoid 60 to open and close the door of the large prize port 19c when the game machine is moved to a special game state. do.

In the I / O port 46 of the main control circuit 40, a V / counter SW (switch) that counts the number of game balls passing through a special area (V area) provided to the large prize port 19c ( 61, a counter SW 62 for counting the number of game balls passing through the general area (V area) provided to the large prize port 19c, and the entrance of the game ball to the general prize port 19c is detected. General prize port SW 63, a passing gate SW 64 provided in a gate (not shown) first to detect passage of game balls, and a priority to detect entry of a game ball at port 19a. Prize port SW 65, priority port SOL 66 for opening and closing the general electrically operated door of the port 19a, large prize port SOL 60 for opening and closing the door of the large prize port 19c, and large Drive a seesaw to distribute game balls entering the prize port 19c to special and general areas. The seesaw section SOL 67 and a backup removal SW 68 for removing various data stored in the main RAM 44 are connected.

When each of the above-described SWs 61 to 65 detects game balls, the detected signals are input to the main CPU 41 of the main control circuit 40, and in response to the input detection signals, the main CPU Drive control of each of the above-described SOLs 60, 66, 67 is performed. Moreover, control commands are transmitted from the main control circuit 40 to the sub control circuit 50 and the supply / launch control circuit 70 through the command output port 45. Due to this configuration, the operations of the LCD (image display device) 80, the speaker 81, the lamp / LED 82, the payment device 71 and the launch device 72 are controlled by the sub control circuit 50 and the payment / Controlled by the launch control circuit 7.

The sub control circuit 50 is equipped with a sub CPU 51, a work RAM 52, and a program ROM 53.

The secondary CPU 51 interprets the control commands received from the main control circuit 40 through the command input port 54 and, according to the result of the analysis, the image control circuit 55, the voice control circuit 56 and the lamp. The controls of the control circuit 57 are performed.

The program ROM 53 includes a control program for causing the sub CPU 51 to perform processing control of the image control circuit 55 based on the image control command signal output from the main control circuit 40, and the sub CPU 51. ) Is a control program for causing the voice control circuit 56 to perform processing control based on the voice generation command signal output from the main control circuit 40, and the sub CPU 51 outputs from the main control circuit 40. A control program or the like for causing the process control of the lamp control circuit 57 to be performed based on the lamp control command signal is stored.

The work RAM 52 temporarily configures a memory means for causing the sub CPU 51 to perform process control in accordance with the control programs described above.

The LCD 80 is connected to the image control circuit 55. Based on the control of the sub-CPU 51, the image control circuit 55 may display a special symbol corresponding to the result of the large prize decision on the special symbol display unit 21 of the LCD 80 and change of the background picture. Perform image display control processing. Furthermore, the image control circuit 55 and the LCD 80 change the display of the special symbols when the display of the li-zhi effect of the game according to the effect display method, and the type of the generated li-ji effect. Or means for providing information informing of the possibility of occurrence of a large prize.

The speaker 81 is connected to the voice control circuit 56. The voice control circuit 56 generates a voice signal based on the control of the sub CPU 51, and the speaker 81 generates sound based on the input voice signals.

The lamp / LED 82 is connected to the lamp control circuit 57. The lamp control circuit 57 generates optical signals based on the control of the sub CPU 51. Next, the lamp / LED 82 performs a light emitting display or the like based on the input optical signals.

The supply device 71 and the launch device 72 are connected to the supply / emission control circuit 70. Here, the payout / launch control circuit 70 performs drive control of the launching device in response to the rotational manipulation of the handle to launch the game ball or issues medals to the player according to the payout instruction from the main control circuit 40.

Next, the tray unit 17 will be described in conjunction with FIGS. 3 and 4.

As shown in these figures, the tray unit 17 is provided with a storage tray 22. The ball path 22a is formed in the storage tray 22, and the game balls to be issued to the game area 13a and the game balls collected by the game ball retrieval ports 19 and 20 are temporarily stored in the ball path ( 22a).

The ball path 22a communicates with the firing position of the game ball. In order to feed the game balls to the firing position while rolling the game balls, the ball path 22a is formed in a manner inclined downward toward the firing position. Moreover, the ball path 22a has one side in which the ball path 22a extends bulging forward and is arranged opposite to the firing position (left side toward the drawing). Moreover, the ball path 22a has a width that gradually narrows from the expanded position toward the firing position and finally takes the width corresponding to the diameter of one game ball.

Thus, game balls rolling in the direction toward the firing position are arranged in line by being constrained by the width of the gradually narrowing ball path 22a, whereby the game balls are guided one by one to the firing position.

The dispensing port 26 opens towards this storage tray 22. The dispensing port 26 is formed below the outlet port 20 arranged below the game area 13a (see FIG. 1) described above, whereby it is collected by the game ball recovery ports 19, 20. The game balls roll down and are issued from the dispensing port 26 to the center of the storage tray 22.

Moreover, as shown in the figures, a tray cover 27 is mounted on the storage tray 22. The tray cover 27 covers the ball path 22a and at the same time the shutter lever to secure the shutter lever 25 in a position where the shutter shields the path of the game balls from the storage tray 22 to the lower tray 23. A fitting hole 27a that is engaged with the 25 is formed. Due to this configuration, the operation of the shutter lever 25 cannot be performed, whereby the player drops the game balls stored in the storage tray 22 to the lower tray 23 to take out the built-in game balls to the outside of the device. Do not let it.

The positioning holes 27b are formed in four portions of the tray cover 26, while the positioning projections 22b are located at the four positions corresponding to these positioning holes 27b. It is formed on (22). The positioning projections 22b are fitted into the positioning holes 27b. Due to this configuration, the tray cover 27 is positioned and fixed to the storage tray 22.

Here, the fitting hole 27a may not be formed and the tray cover may have a shape to avoid interference of the tray cover 27 having the shutter lever 25. Moreover, the positioning holes 27b and the positioning projections 22b fitted to and engaged with the positioning holes 27b may not be formed. In this case, the tray cover is simply disposed on the storage tray 22.

Here, the tray cover 27 is generally formed of an opaque material (for example, metal or plastic) and has an observation window 27c which allows observation of a portion of the ball path 22a formed in the storage tray 22. The tray cover 27 is arcuately formed.

By forming such an observation window 27c, the player can observe the game balls to be supplied to the storage tray 22 in a limited manner only through the observation window 27c of the tray cover 27, thereby, The flow is clearly visible to the player. Thus, the player can easily and clearly recognize the change in the flow of the game balls, thereby effectively attracting the player's interest.

 Here, in the present embodiment, the observation window 27c is formed of a material having transparency, such as plastic. However, it is sufficient that the observation window 27c in which a part of the ball path 22a can be observed. Thus, instead of a material having transparency, the observation window 27c is formed, for example, by forming a portion of the tray cover 27 into a mesh or by forming slits in the tray cover 27. Can be. Here, the observation window 27c can be formed using a relatively simple and convenient means while forming the observation window 27c using a transparent material such as plastic, a net or a slit. Moreover, the shape of the observation window 27c is not limited to an arcuate shape.

The observation window 27c is preferably provided around the dispensing port 26 as in the case of this embodiment. This is because the game balls collected by the game machine recovery ports 19 and 20 are paid to the payment port 26 as described above, so that the change in the flow of the periphery of the payment port 26, that is, the game balls, is most active. Is clearly visible to the player.

In order to summarize the above-described invention, according to the present invention, the observation window is formed on a portion of the tray cover covering the ball path formed in the storage tray, so that the game balls issued to the storage tray can be clearly seen through the observation window. In this way, the player can easily and clearly recognize the change in the flow of the game balls to attract the player's interest.

Furthermore, by providing an observation window around the payout port, the player can surely see the vicinity of the payout port, which constitutes the place where the change in the flow of game balls is most active.

Furthermore, by forming a viewing window using a material having transparency or by forming a viewing window in the form of a mesh or slits, the viewing window can be formed by a relatively simple and convenient means.

Although the present invention has been described in the case where the slot machine game machine is used as the game machine main body, the game machine main body of the present invention is not limited to the slot machine game machine, and, for example, various types of game balls are used as game media such as smart balls or mahjong. Applicable to the game machine body.

According to the game machine of the present invention described above, the player can easily and clearly recognize the change in the flow of the game balls can attract the player's interest more efficiently.

Claims (3)

It is a game machine that performs the game using the game balls, A game ball retrieval port including an exit port arranged at the bottom of the game area and collecting game balls descending from the game area; A storage tray having a ball path for temporarily storing game balls collected from the game ball retrieval port and guiding the game balls to a firing position; A dispensing port formed below the exit port and opening toward the ball path, And a tray cover mounted on the storage tray and covering the ball path with a viewing window that allows the player to observe a portion of the ball path. The game machine according to claim 1, wherein the observation window is provided in the vicinity of the payment port. The game machine according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the viewing window is formed of a material having transparency or is formed in a mesh or in slits.

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