Shooting handle for game machine and game machine therewith

Abstract

To provide a shooting handle for a game machine enabling stable holding of an operation member so that players feel less fatigued to operate, and a game machine therewith.SOLUTION: A shooting handle 10 for a game machine includes: a handle body 20 to be attached onto the front side of a frame body 2 of a game machine 1; an operation member 30 capable of relatively being rotated, with respect to the handle body 20, around a rotation axis S1 extending in a predetermined direction and within a predetermined rotation angle range from a reference position; and a first biasing member 40 biasing the operation member 30 in a direction toward the reference position. The operation member 30 has a trunk portion 61 to be rotated around the handle body 20. The trunk portion 61 is provided with an opening portion 64 in a hole shape, the opening portion capable of exposing the handle body 20.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a launch handle for a gaming machine and a gaming machine equipped with the same. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventional launch handles for gaming machines have been equipped with lever-type operating members that are rotated by hand. In this configuration, the wrist is twisted to operate, which puts strain on the wrist. In response to this, there is a demand for a configuration that allows players to hold it naturally and does not tire them out even when playing for long periods of time.

[0003] For example, the handle for a gaming machine in Patent Documents 1 and 2 includes a support part fixed to the front of the lower door, a rotating member rotatably attached adjacent to the right side of the support part, and a roughly rod-shaped grip arranged on the right side of the rotating member. The rotating member is biased toward the back side by a torsion coil spring. The firing operation using this handle is performed, for example, by gripping the grip with four fingers other than the thumb and rotating the rotating operation member with the thumb. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2003-88622 A [Patent Document 2] JP 2004-57483 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] In the configurations of the handles for gaming machines in Patent Documents 1 and 2, the wrist is not twisted when rotating the handle, but the urging force applied to the rotating operation member from the torsion coil spring is received by the fingertips. This puts a strain on the fingers, and it is difficult to say that the handles are less tiring when playing for long periods of time.

[0006] The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a launch handle for an amusement machine that can stably hold the operating member and reduce fatigue when operating the device, and an amusement machine equipped with the same. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The launch handle for the gaming machine of the present invention is A launch handle for a gaming machine that is operated by a player when launching a gaming ball toward a gaming area, A handle body attached to the front side of the frame of the gaming machine; an operating member that is rotatable relative to the handle body around a rotation axis that extends in a predetermined direction and within a predetermined rotation angle range from a reference position; a biasing member that biases the operating member in a direction toward the reference position; Equipped with The operating member has a body portion that rotates around the handle body, The body portion is characterized by having a hole-like or notched opening through which the handle main body can be exposed.

[0008] The gaming machine of the present invention is characterized by comprising the above-mentioned gaming machine launch handle. Effect of the Invention

[0009] In the launch handle for a gaming machine and the gaming machine of the present invention, the body of the operating member that rotates around the handle body is provided with a hole-like or notched opening that allows the handle body to be exposed. With this configuration, when a player grips and operates the operating member, the player can touch the handle body through the opening. Therefore, the position of the player's hand is easily fixed by contact with the handle body, and the operating member can be easily held in a desired rotational position relative to the handle body. In particular, for an operating member that receives a biasing force in a direction toward a reference position by a biasing member, it is easy to hold the operating member in a desired rotational position against the biasing force. Since the operating member can be stably held by gripping in this way, no special operation is required, and the player is less likely to get tired when operating the launch handle for a gaming machine.

[0010] In the launch handle for an amusement machine of the present invention, the handle body is attached in a cantilever manner to the front side of the frame body, and the operating member has a first component part arranged on the tip side of the handle body relative to the body part and a second component part arranged on the opposite side of the body part from the first component part, and the body part connects the first component part and the second component part and has a plurality of connecting parts arranged at predetermined intervals around the rotation axis, and an opening may be arranged between adjacent connecting parts.

[0011] According to this configuration, the body portion has a plurality of connecting portions (portions connecting the first component portion and the second component portion) arranged at a predetermined interval around the rotation axis, and an opening portion is arranged between adjacent connecting portions. Therefore, a plurality of opening portions can be arranged evenly in the body portion of the handle body (the portion on the central side in the axial direction of the rotation axis). This allows the player to select a preferred operation that allows contact with the handle body through the opening portion, such as an operation of gripping the body portion so as to cover it, or an operation of gripping the tip side (first component side), and thus diversifies the operations.

[0012] The launch handle for the gaming machine of the present invention includes a launch stop switch that stops the launch of gaming balls, and the launch stop switch may be exposed from both the first component and the second component.

[0013] According to this configuration, the firing stop switch is exposed from a relatively far away position (the first component and the second component) in the operating member. Therefore, the firing stop switch can be easily touched by various operations of the operating member, such as gripping the body portion to cover it or gripping the tip side (the first component side) to cover it.

[0014] The launch handle for a gaming machine of the present invention is provided with a launch stop switch that stops the launch of gaming balls, and the launch stop switch may be exposed from the outer surface of the operating member and rotatable together with the operating member.

[0015] With this configuration, the launch stop switch rotates together with the operating member, making it less likely for the relative position between the player's hand operating the operating member and the launch stop switch to change, making it easier to operate the launch stop switch regardless of the rotational position of the operating member.

[0016] In the launch handle for an amusement machine of the present invention, the operating member has a protrusion protruding from the body portion, and the protrusion extends from the first component side to the second component side and may be connected to the launch stop switch.

[0017] According to this configuration, the protruding portion acts as a catch for the palm or fingers of the player, making it easier to operate the operating member. Furthermore, since the protruding portion is connected to the firing stop switch, it is easy to touch the firing stop switch while touching the protruding portion.

[0018] In the launch handle for an amusement machine of the present invention, the operating member has a protrusion protruding from the body portion, and the protrusion extends from the first component side to the second component side and may be arranged between at least a pair of adjacent openings.

[0019] According to this configuration, since the protrusion is disposed between a pair of adjacent openings, when operating the operating member, it becomes easy to touch the handle body through the openings while touching the protrusion. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0020] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a front view illustrating an example of a gaming machine equipped with a launching handle for a gaming machine according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the launch handle for the gaming machine as viewed from the front and upper right side. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the launch handle for the gaming machine as seen from the rear and lower right side. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a front view of the launch handle for the gaming machine when the operating member is in the standard position. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the launch handle for the gaming machine as viewed from the front and upper right side. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of the launch handle for the gaming machine as viewed from the rear and lower right side. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a plan view of the launch handle for the gaming machine in a state where the outer circumferential surface of the launch handle for the gaming machine is gripped by hand and the operating member is rotated to a rotation position within the rotation angle range. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view showing the AA cross section of FIG. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 4 when the operating member is at a rotation position within the rotation angle range. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a right side view of the launch handle for the gaming machine when the operating member is in the standard position. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a right side view of the launch handle for the gaming machine in which the tip side of the launch handle for the gaming machine is gripped by hand so as to cover it, and the operating member is rotated to a rotation position within the rotation angle range. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0021] [First embodiment] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A first embodiment of a launch handle for a gaming machine and a gaming machine according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

[0022] The gaming machine 1 shown in Fig. 1 is configured as a so-called pachinko machine. In the gaming machine 1, a transparent plate 4 (glass plate or the like) is arranged in a window portion 3 formed on the front side (player side) of a frame body 2. In addition, a gaming board (not shown) is arranged behind (at the back side) the transparent plate 4, and a gaming area (area where gaming balls can flow down) is formed on this gaming board, so that the player can see the gaming area through the transparent plate 4. A ball launcher (not shown) that launches gaming balls toward the gaming area is provided below the gaming board.

[0023] On the front side of the frame 2, there are provided a game ball receiving tray 5 for storing game balls, and a game machine launch handle 10 operated by the player when launching the game balls toward the game area. Specifically, the game ball receiving tray 5 is provided below the window portion 3. The game ball receiving tray 5 is covered by a cover 6 from the front side. A recess 6a recessed backward is formed in the lower right corner of the cover 6. The game machine launch handle 10 is provided in the recess 6a. The left inner surface 6b of the recess 6a is the surface exposed to the right side, and the game machine launch handle 10 is attached in a cantilevered manner so as to protrude to the right.

[0024] In this specification, the direction perpendicular to the surface of the transparent plate 4 (surface of the gaming board) is defined as the front-rear direction, the side where the player should be positioned with respect to the surface of the transparent plate 4 (surface of the gaming board) is defined as the front side, and the opposite side (i.e., the back side of the gaming machine 1) is defined as the rear side. The direction in which the gaming ball flows down the gaming area (vertical direction) is defined as the up-down direction. The direction perpendicular to the front-rear direction and the up-down direction is defined as the left-right direction, and the left side when viewed from the front side of the gaming machine 1 is defined as the left direction, and the right side is defined as the right direction. In addition, in the description of the launch handle 10 for a gaming machine, the right side when attached to the frame 2 is defined as the tip side, and the left side is defined as the base side.

[0025] Next, the launch handle 10 for the gaming machine will be described in detail. As shown in Figs. 2 to 4, the launch handle 10 for a gaming machine (hereinafter, simply referred to as the launch handle 10) comprises a handle body 20, an operating member 30, a first biasing member 40 (see Fig. 8, etc.), and a launch stop switch 50. The handle body 20 is attached to the front side of the frame 2 of the gaming machine 1. The operating member 30 is assembled so as to be rotatable relative to the handle body 20 around a rotation axis S1 (see Fig. 4) extending in a predetermined direction and within a predetermined rotation angle range from a reference position. The first biasing member 40 biases the operating member 30 in a direction toward the reference position. The launch stop switch 50 stops the launch of the gaming balls.

[0026] First, the handle body 20 will be described in detail. The handle body 20 is attached in a cantilever manner to the front side of the frame body 2 (more specifically, to the left inner surface 6b of the recess 6a). As shown in Figures 5 and 6, the handle body 20 has a base portion 21 and a body side trunk portion 22. The base portion 21 is attached to the frame body 2.

[0027] The base portion 21 is ring-shaped and has a hole 21a formed in the center. The base portion 21 has a protrusion 21b formed adjacent to the hole 21a, the protrusion 21b protruding toward the tip side.

[0028] The main body side trunk portion 22 has a cylindrical outer shell. A thin and cylindrical cylindrical shaft portion 22a extending along the axial direction is formed in the center of the main body side trunk portion 22. A first shaft member 71, which will be described later, is inserted into the cylindrical shaft portion 22a. An inner frame portion 22b is formed in the main body side trunk portion 22 so as to surround a part of the periphery of the cylindrical shaft portion 22a. The outer shape of the inner frame portion 22b is semicircular when viewed from the axial direction.

[0029] In the body-side trunk portion 22, a body-side locking portion 22c is formed, which is connected to the inner frame portion 22b in the radial direction and protrudes toward the tip side. As shown in FIG. 8, one end 40a of a first biasing member 40 described later is locked to the body-side locking portion 22c. The first biasing member 40 corresponds to the "biasing member" of the present invention. The first biasing member 40 is configured as a torsion spring in which a wire is wound in a coil shape. As shown in FIG. 6, the tip of the body-side locking portion 22c is bent in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction (more specifically, in a counterclockwise direction when viewed from the tip side).

[0030] A first recess 22d and a second recess 22e are formed in the base end portion of the main body side barrel 22, recessed radially inward (toward the cylindrical shaft portion 22a). The first recess 22d is shaped to conform to the outer shape of the protrusion 21b of the base portion 21. The protrusion 21b fits inside the first recess 22d. The second recess 22e is formed in the main body side barrel 22 at a position adjacent to the first recess 22d. The recess depth of the second recess 22e is smaller than the recess depth of the first recess 22d. A firing stop switch 50, which will be described later, moves along the outer surface of the protrusion 21b in the first recess 22d and the outer surface of the second recess 22e.

[0031] The main body side trunk part 22 is fixed to the tip side of the base part 21. Specifically, the main body side trunk part 22 is fixed to the base part 21 by fastening the screws 20a, which are respectively inserted into the three holes 21c (see FIG. 6) formed in the base part 21, to the three boss parts 20b (see FIG. 6) formed in the main body side trunk part 22.

[0032] Next, the operating member 30 will be described in detail. The operating member 30 is assembled to the handle body 20 so as to be rotatable relative to the handle body 20 and cover the tip and the outer periphery around the shaft. The operating member 30 rotates together with the first shaft member 71 about the first shaft member 71. As shown in Figures 5 and 6, the operating member 30 has a cover body 31, a lid portion 32, and a base portion 33. The cover body 31, the lid portion 32, and the base portion 33 are assembled integrally.

[0033] The cover body 31 is substantially cylindrical. The cover body 31 has a cylindrical body portion 61 constituting a central portion in the axial direction, a first component portion 62 constituting a tip end portion, and a second component portion 63 constituting a base end portion. The body portion 61 rotates around the handle body 20 while covering a part of the outer circumferential surface of the handle body 20. For example, when the operating member 30 is assembled to the handle body 20, a small gap is formed between the inner circumferential surface of the body portion 61 and the outer circumferential surface of the handle body 20.

[0034] The first component part 62 is disposed closer to the tip side than the body part 61 with respect to the handle body 20. A circular hole 62a is formed at the tip of the first component part 62. The tip side of the first component part 62 has a reduced diameter toward the hole 62a. The outer peripheral surface of the first component part 62 is formed with a finger hook part 62b that protrudes outward and on which the player hooks his / her fingers when operating the device.

[0035] The second component portion 63 is disposed on the opposite side of the body portion 61 to the first component portion 62 .

[0036] The lid portion 32 is dome-shaped. The lid portion 32 is disposed inside the cover body 31 and closes the hole 62a of the first component portion 62. The base portion 33 is disk-shaped. The base portion 33 is disposed inside the cover body 31 and fixed to the base end side (second component portion 63 side) of the lid portion 32. Specifically, the screws 30a inserted into the four holes 33a (see FIG. 6) formed in the base portion 33 are fastened to the four boss portions 31a (only two boss portions 31a are shown in FIG. 6) formed in the cover body 31, respectively, thereby fixing the base portion 33 to the cover body 31 via the lid portion 32.

[0037] As shown in FIG. 6, a cylindrical projection 33b projecting toward the base end is formed at the center of the base portion 33. As shown in FIG. 8, a coil portion of a first biasing member 40 described later is wound around the projection 33b. As shown in FIG. 6, a shaft hole 33c is formed in the base portion 33 so as to penetrate the projection 33b. One end of a first shaft member 71 provided in the launch handle 10 is fitted into the shaft hole 33c. The other end of the first shaft member 71 is fitted into a bearing portion 73 (see FIG. 5 and FIG. 6). For example, the amount of rotation of the first shaft member 71 is detected by a variable resistor (not shown). The ball launching device (not shown) adjusts the launching speed of the game ball based on the amount of rotation detected by the variable resistor.

[0038] As shown in Fig. 6, a first operation side locking portion 33d is formed on the base end side of the base portion 33 so as to extend radially outward from the projection 33b side. As shown in Fig. 8, the first operation side locking portion 33d locks the other end 40b of the first biasing member 40. As shown in Fig. 6, a bent portion 33e is formed near the center of the extension direction of the first operation side locking portion 33d, which is bent in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction (more specifically, in a clockwise direction when viewed from the base end side).

[0039] 6, a shaft hole 33f is formed in a position eccentric to the protrusion 33b in the base portion 33. One end of a second shaft member 72 provided in the firing handle 10 is fitted into the shaft hole 33f.

[0040] A second operating side locking portion 33g is formed on the base end side of the base portion 33 at a position between the projection 33b and the shaft hole 33f, and protrudes toward the base end side. As shown in FIG. 8, the second operating side locking portion 33g locks one end 42a of the second biasing member 42 provided in the firing handle 10. The second biasing member 42 is configured as a torsion spring in which a wire is wound in a coil shape. The coil portion of the second biasing member 42 is wound around the second shaft member 72. As shown in FIG. 6, the tip of the second operating side locking portion 33g is bent in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction (more specifically, in a clockwise direction when viewed from the tip side). The second biasing member 42 biases the firing stop switch 50.

[0041] As shown in FIG. 5, the body portion 61 has a plurality of hole-shaped openings 64 (four in this first embodiment) through which the handle main body 20 can be exposed. The openings 64 are long in the axial direction and have a rectangular shape with rounded corners. The four openings 64 are arranged at equal intervals (equal angles of 90°) around the rotation axis S1 (see FIGS. 4 to 6). The long sides of the openings 64 are parallel to the axial direction, and the short sides of the openings 64 are aligned along the circumferential direction. Each side (each edge) of the openings 64 is rounded and inclined toward the center of the opening.

[0042] The handle body 20 (more specifically, the outer peripheral surface of the body side body portion 22) can be exposed from the opening 64. The opening 64 rotates along the outer peripheral surface of the body side body portion 22. When a player holds the body portion 61 with his or her hand, the hand can come into contact with the outer peripheral surface of the body side body portion 22 through the opening 64. The outer peripheral surface of the body side body portion 22 is exposed from the opening 64 regardless of whether the operating member 30 is in the reference position or in a position within the rotation angle range.

[0043] As shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the body 61 has a plurality of connecting portions 61a (four in the first embodiment) that connect the first component portion 62 and the second component portion 63. The connecting portions 61a are strip-shaped and extend along the axial direction. The connecting portions 61a are arranged at predetermined intervals (specifically, at equal intervals of 90°) around the rotation axis S1. An opening 64 is arranged between adjacent connecting portions 61a.

[0044] As shown in FIG. 5, the operating member 30 has a protrusion 65 protruding radially from the body portion 61. The protrusion 65 protrudes radially from the outer surface of the connecting portion 61a (the surface opposite to the main body side body portion 22). The protrusion 65 is provided on the center side of the connecting portion 61a in the circumferential direction. The protrusion 65 is linear and extends along the axial direction (along the longitudinal direction of the connecting portion 61a) between the first component portion 62 and the second component portion 63. As shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, the protrusion 65 is disposed between a pair of adjacent openings 64 on the front side. The width of the protrusion 65 in the left-right direction is approximately the same as the width of the opening 64 in the left-right direction (longitudinal direction). In other words, the width of the protrusion 65 in the left-right direction is approximately the same as the width of the connecting portion 61a in the left-right direction (longitudinal direction). The protrusion 65 is formed at a position that overlaps with the opening 64 in the circumferential direction. The cross section (cross section seen from the left-right direction) of the protruding portion 65 gradually changes from a square to a triangle from the base end side (left side) to the tip end side (right side). The right end of the protruding portion 65 (the end on the first component portion 62 side) is recessed so that its height decreases toward the right side.

[0045] As shown in FIG. 5, the operating member 30 has a notch 66 and a hole 67. A first switch portion 51, which will be described later, is exposed from the notch 66. A second switch portion 52, which will be described later, is exposed from the hole 67. The notch 66 is formed in the second component portion 63. The notch 66 is open to the base end side (left side) at a position adjacent to the base end side (left side) of the protruding portion 65. The hole 67 is formed in the first component portion 62. The hole 67 is formed in a quadrangular shape at a position adjacent to the tip side (right side) of the protruding portion 65.

[0046] Next, the firing disable switch 50 will be described in detail. As shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the firing stop switch 50 has a first switch section 51 and a second switch section 52. The firing stop switch 50 is configured by combining the first switch section 51, which is assembled to the main body side trunk section 22 from the base end side, and the second switch section 52, which is assembled to the main body side trunk section 22 from the tip end side. The firing stop switch 50 is fixed (axially supported) to the operation member 30, and the pressing portion (first pressing section 51b and second pressing section 52b described later) rotates with the operation member 30 relative to the handle main body 20 around the rotation axis S1 (see Fig. 8). The firing stop switch 50 is fixed (axially supported) to be rotatable with respect to the operation member 30 around the rotation axis S2 (see Fig. 9). The pressing (pressing) operation of the firing stop switch 50 can be detected, for example, by a tactile switch (not shown), and the firing of the game balls is stopped based on the detection.

[0047] The first switch portion 51 includes a first main body portion 51a and a first pressing portion 51b. The first main body portion 51a has a shape in which two rod-shaped portions are connected together, and holes 51c and 51d are formed on the tip side. The first pressing portion 51b is connected to the base end side from the first main body portion 51a. The first pressing portion 51b has a rectangular shape in cross section (cross section seen from the left-right direction).

[0048] The second switch section 52 includes a second main body section 52a and a second pressing section 52b. The second main body section 52a has a shape in which three rod-shaped sections are connected together, and protrusions 52c and 52d are formed on the base end sides of two of the rod-shaped sections. The protrusions 52c and 52d are fitted into holes 51c and 51d of the first switch section 51, respectively. The second main body section 52a has a hole 52e into which the second shaft member 72 is inserted. The second main body section 52a has a protruding piece 52f that protrudes toward the tip side. The other end 42b of the second biasing member 42 is engaged with the protruding piece 52f. A bent section 52g that is bent in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction (more specifically, the opposite side to the second pressing section 52b) is formed at a part of the tip of the protruding piece 52f. The second pressing portion 52b protrudes from the tip side of the second main body portion 52a. The second pressing portion 52b has a triangular shape in cross section (cross section seen from the left-right direction).

[0049] As shown in Figs. 2 and 4, the firing stop switch 50 is exposed from the outer surface of the operating member 30. The firing stop switch 50 is rotatable together with the operating member 30. As shown in Fig. 4, the firing stop switch 50 is exposed from each of the first component part 62 and the second component part 63. Specifically, the first pressing part 51b of the first switch part 51 is exposed so as to protrude radially from the notch 66. The second pressing part 52b of the second switch part 52 is exposed so as to protrude radially from the hole 67.

[0050] As shown in Fig. 4, the firing stop switch 50 is continuous with the protruding portion 65. The first pressing portion 51b and the second pressing portion 52b are arranged in a positional relationship in which the protruding portion 65 is sandwiched in the axial direction (left and right direction), and are continuous side by side with the protruding portion 65 in the axial direction. The outer surfaces of the first pressing portion 51b and the second pressing portion 52b are flush and continuous with the outer surface of the protruding portion 65. The second pressing portion 52b is disposed at a position overlapping with the finger hook portion 62b in the circumferential direction.

[0051] For example, the main body side trunk portion 22 is provided with a stopper portion (not shown) that restricts the firing stop switch 50 to a pressed state (a state that stops the firing of the ball) against the bias of the second biasing member 42 when the operating member 30 is in the reference position. When the operating member 30 rotates from the reference position, the above restriction is released, and the firing stop switch 50 rotates due to the bias of the second biasing member 42 and becomes pressable.

[0052] Next, the operation of the launch handle 10 for the gaming machine will be described. First, in order to start playing, a player grips the launch handle 10 and rotates the operating member 30. The operating member 30 is rotated clockwise as viewed from the tip side (right side) of the launch handle 10. For example, as shown in FIG. 7, the launch handle 10 can be gripped so as to cover the outer circumferential surface with the hand. For example, the operating member 30 is rotated relative to the handle body 20 while the protruding portion 65 is hooked and pressed by the pad of the finger or the palm of the hand. When the operating member 30 is rotated, the game balls stored in the game ball tray 5 are sent to a ball launching device (not shown), and the game balls are launched onto the game board (game area). At this time, the game balls are launched with a preset strength based on the amount of rotation of the operating member 30 from the reference position detected by the variable resistor.

[0053] When the operating member 30 is rotated, it rotates from the reference position shown in Fig. 8 to a predetermined rotation position (a rotation position within a rotation angle range) shown in Fig. 9. At this time, the operating member 30 rotates about the rotation axis S1 against the biasing force of the first biasing member 40. The other end 40b of the first biasing member 40 applies a biasing force to the first operating side locking portion 33d in a counterclockwise direction as viewed from the tip side (right side). Therefore, when the operating member 30 is released, the operating member 30 rotates counterclockwise as viewed from the tip side (right side) based on the biasing force of the first biasing member 40 and returns to the initial position.

[0054] When the operating member 30 is in a rotational position within the rotation angle range (for example, the rotational position shown in FIG. 9), as shown in FIG. 7, the hand of the player gripping the operating member 30 (more specifically, the body portion 61) can touch the outer peripheral surface of the body side body portion 22 of the handle body 20 through the opening 64. This makes it easier to fix the position of the player's hand by contact with the outer peripheral surface of the body side body portion 22, and makes it easier to hold the operating member 30, to which the biasing force of the first biasing member 40 is applied, in a desired rotational position relative to the handle body 20. Since the operating member 30 can be stably held by gripping it in this way, no special operation (such as holding the operating member 30 with fingers, etc.) is required, and the player is less likely to get tired when operating the launch handle 10.

[0055] The firing stop switch 50 rotates together with the operating member 30 relative to the handle body 20. The second switch portion 52 and the first body portion 51a of the first switch portion 51 rotate along the outer peripheral surface of the inner frame portion 22b of the handle body 20. The first pressing portion 51b of the first switch portion 51 rotates along the outer surface of the convex portion 21b of the base portion 21 and the outer surface of the second concave portion 22e of the handle body 20.

[0056] For example, as shown in FIG. 7, the player's hand can touch the launch stop switch 50 while holding the launch handle 10. Specifically, when the protruding portion 65 is covered with the pad of the finger or the palm of the hand, the pad of the index finger is located on the first pressing portion 51b of the first switch portion 51, and the pad of the little finger is located on the second pressing portion 52b of the second switch portion 52. Also, when the protruding portion 65 is covered with the pad of the finger or the palm of the hand, the position of the thumb is close to the position of the first pressing portion 51b, making it easy to press the first pressing portion 51b. Therefore, when the operating member 30 is in a rotation position within the rotation angle range (for example, the rotation position shown in FIG. 7), the first switch portion 51 or the second switch portion 52 can be easily pressed. When either the first switch portion 51 or the second switch portion 52 is pressed, the launch of the game balls is stopped.

[0057] When either the first switch portion 51 or the second switch portion 52 is pressed, the firing stop switch 50 rotates about the rotation axis S2 (see FIG. 9) against the biasing force of the second biasing member 42. When the pressing of the firing stop switch 50 is released, the firing stop switch 50 rotates counterclockwise as viewed from the tip side (right side) based on the biasing force of the second biasing member 42, returning to the state before the pressing operation.

[0058] As a method of holding the launch handle 10, in addition to holding the body part 61 with the hand as described above, the hand can also hold the tip side (first component part 62 side) with the hand as shown in FIG. 11. For example, the operation member 30 is rotated with respect to the handle body 20 from the reference position shown in FIG. 10 to the rotation position shown in FIG. 11 by hooking a finger (index finger, etc.) on the finger hook part 62b and pressing it. As shown in FIG. 11, the hand (e.g., the pad of the finger) of the player holding the operation member 30 (more specifically, the first component part 62 or the body part 61) can touch the outer peripheral surface of the body side body part 22 of the handle body 20 through the opening 64. This operation also makes it easier to hold the operation member 30 at a desired rotation position with respect to the handle body 20.

[0059] 11, the player's hand (e.g., the pad of the thumb) can touch the firing stop switch 50 (second switch section 52) while gripping the firing handle 10. Therefore, when the operating member 30 is in a rotation position within the rotation angle range (e.g., the rotation position shown in FIG. 11), the second switch section 52 can be easily pressed.

[0060] (Main Effects of the First Embodiment) In the launch handle 10 for a gaming machine of the first embodiment, the body 61 of the operating member 30 that rotates around the handle body 20 is provided with a hole-shaped opening 64 that can expose the handle body 20. With this configuration, when a player grips and operates the operating member 30, the player can touch the handle body 20 through the opening 64. Therefore, the position of the player's hand is easily fixed by contact with the handle body 20, and the operating member 30 can be easily held at a desired rotational position relative to the handle body 20. In particular, the operating member 30, which receives a biasing force in a direction toward the reference position by the first biasing member 40, can be easily held at a desired rotational position against the biasing force. Since the operating member 30 can be stably held by gripping it in this way, no special operation is required, and the player is less likely to get tired when operating the launch handle 10.

[0061] In the launch handle 10 of the first embodiment, the handle body 20 is attached in a cantilevered manner to the front side of the frame. The operating member 30 has a first component 62 arranged on the handle body 20 closer to the tip side than the body 61, and a second component 63 arranged on the opposite side of the body 61 from the first component 62. The body 61 connects the first component 62 and the second component 63 and has a plurality of connecting parts 61a arranged at a predetermined interval around the rotation axis S1. An opening 64 is arranged between adjacent connecting parts 61a. According to this configuration, the body 61 has a plurality of connecting parts 61a (parts connecting the first component 62 and the second component 63) arranged at a predetermined interval around the rotation axis S1, and an opening 64 is arranged between adjacent connecting parts 61a. Therefore, multiple openings 64 can be evenly arranged in the trunk portion of the handle body 20 (the portion on the central side in the axial direction of the rotation axis S1). This allows the player to select the operation he or she prefers as an operation in which the handle body 20 can be contacted through the openings 64, such as an operation of gripping the handle body 20 so as to cover the trunk portion 61 or an operation of gripping the handle body 20 so as to cover the tip side (the first component portion 62 side), and thus diversifies the operations.

[0062] The launch handle 10 of the first embodiment includes a launch stop switch 50 that stops the launch of game balls. The launch stop switch 50 is exposed from each of the first component part 62 and the second component part 63. With this configuration, the launch stop switch 50 is exposed from positions (the first component part 62 and the second component part 63) that are relatively far apart in the operating member 30. Therefore, the launch stop switch 50 can be easily touched by various operations of the operating member 30, such as an operation of gripping the operating member 30 so as to cover the body part 61 or an operation of gripping the operating member 30 so as to cover the tip side (the first component part 62 side).

[0063] In the firing handle 10 of the first embodiment, the firing stop switch 50 is exposed from the outer surface of the operating member 30 and is rotatable together with the operating member 30. With this configuration, the firing stop switch 50 rotates together with the operating member 30, so that the relative position between the hand of the player operating the operating member 30 and the firing stop switch 50 is less likely to change, making it easier to operate the firing stop switch 50 regardless of the rotational position of the operating member 30.

[0064] In the launch handle 10 of the first embodiment, the operating member 30 has a protrusion 65 that protrudes from the body 61. The protrusion 65 extends from the first component 62 side to the second component 63 side, and is continuous with the launch stop switch 50. With this configuration, the protrusion 65 acts as a catch for the palm or fingers of the player, making it easier to operate the operating member 30. Furthermore, since the protrusion 65 is continuous with the launch stop switch 50, it is easy to touch the launch stop switch 50 while touching the protrusion 65.

[0065] In the firing handle 10 of the first embodiment, the protrusion 65 extends from the first component part 62 side to the second component part 63 side, and is disposed between a pair of adjacent openings 64. With this configuration, since the protrusion 65 is disposed between a pair of adjacent openings 64, when operating the operating member 30, it becomes easy to touch the handle body 20 through the openings 64 while touching the protrusion 65.

[0066] [Other embodiments] The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above and illustrated in the drawings, and the following embodiments, for example, are also included within the technical scope of the present invention.

[0067] In the first embodiment described above, the opening 64 is hole-shaped, but it may be cut out. That is, the opening 64 may have a shape in which a part of the edge is open and discontinuous.

[0068] In the above-described first embodiment, there is no particular limitation on the shape or number of the openings 64. For example, the openings 64 may be circular (elliptical) or the like. Furthermore, the number of the openings 64 provided may be three or less, or five or more.

[0069] In the first embodiment described above, the protruding portion 65 is linearly extending in the axial direction, but it may be partially curved or interrupted.

[0070] In the above-described first embodiment, the protruding portion 65 is provided between one adjacent opening portion 64, but it may be provided between two or more adjacent opening portions 64.

[0071] In the first embodiment described above, the firing stop switch 50 is configured such that the first switch portion 51 and the second switch portion 52 operate integrally, but they may also be configured such that they operate separately. The first switch portion 51 and the second switch portion 52 are exposed from the first component portion 62 and the second component portion 63 of the operating member 30, respectively, but they may be exposed from other portions of the operating member 30 (such as the body portion 61).

[0072] In the above-described first embodiment, a touch sensor for detecting whether or not a player has touched the surface of the operating member 30 may be provided. When the player touches the touch sensor, a game ball is launched from the ball launching device.

[0073] In the first embodiment described above, the firing handle 10 is attached so as to be cantilevered to the right from the frame 2, but it may also be attached so as to be cantilevered in another direction. [Explanation of symbols]

[0074] 1. Gaming machine 2…Frame body 3…Window section 4...Transparent plate 5…Game ball tray 6…Cover 6a…Depression 6b…Left inner surface 10...Amusement machine launch handle (launch handle) 20…Handle body 20a...bis 20b…Boss section 21…Base section 21a…hole 21b…Convex part 21c…hole 22…Main body side 22a...Cylindrical shaft portion 22b…Inner frame 22c...Main body side locking portion 22d…First recess 22e...Second recess 30…Handle body 30a...bis 31…Cover body 31a…Boss section 32...Lid part 33…base 33a…hole 33b…Protrusion 33c…Shaft hole 33d...First operating side locking portion 33e...Bending part 33f…Shaft hole 33g…Second operating side locking part 40...First biasing member (biasing member) 40a…one end 40b...other end 42...Second biasing member 42a...one end 42b...other end 50…Fire stop switch 51…First switch section 51a...first main body part 51b...First pressing portion 51c, 51d…hole 52…Second switch section 52a...Second main body part 52b...Second pressing portion 52c, 52d...Protrusion 52e…hole 52f…Protruding piece 52g…Bending part 61...Torso 61a...Connection part 62...First component 62a…hole 62b…Finger rest part 63…Second component 64…Opening 65...Protruding part 66…Notch 67…hole 71...First shaft member 72…Second shaft member 73...Bearing part S1: Rotation axis S2: Rotation axis

Claims

1. A launch handle for a gaming machine that is operated by a player when launching a gaming ball toward a gaming area, comprising: A handle body attached to the front side of the frame of the gaming machine; an operating member that is rotatable relative to the handle body around a rotation axis that extends in a predetermined direction and within a predetermined rotation angle range from a reference position; a biasing member that biases the operating member in a direction toward the reference position; Equipped with The operating member has a body portion that rotates around the handle body, A launch handle for a gaming machine, wherein the body portion is provided with a hole-like or notched opening through which the handle main body can be exposed.

2. The handle body is attached in a cantilever manner to the front side of the frame body, The operating member is A first component portion is disposed on a tip side of the handle body relative to the body portion; A second component portion disposed on an opposite side of the body portion from the first component portion; having the body portion includes a plurality of connecting portions that connect the first component portion and the second component portion and are arranged at predetermined intervals around the rotation axis, 2. The launch handle for a gaming machine according to claim 1, wherein the opening is disposed between adjacent ones of the connecting portions.

3. A launch stop switch is provided to stop the launch of the game balls, 3. The launch handle for a gaming machine according to claim 2, wherein the launch stop switch is exposed from each of the first component part and the second component part.

4. A launch stop switch is provided to stop the launch of the game balls, 2. The launch handle for a gaming machine according to claim 1, wherein the launch stop switch is exposed from an outer surface of the operating member and is rotatable together with the operating member.

5. The operating member has a protrusion protruding from the body portion, 4. The launch handle for a gaming machine according to claim 3, wherein the protrusion extends from the first component side to the second component side and is continuous with the launch stop switch.

6. The operating member has a protrusion protruding from the body portion, A launch handle for an amusement machine as described in any one of claims 2, 3, and 5, characterized in that the protrusion extends from the first component side to the second component side and is arranged between at least a pair of adjacent openings.

7. A gaming machine comprising the launch handle for a gaming machine according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

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