Game machine

Abstract

To make it easy to determine the timing of replacement or inspection of various parts.SOLUTION: In a game machine 10 of the present disclosure, a ball feeding device 45 provided between a shooting device 31 for shooting a game ball toward a game area R1 and a ball storage unit 30 includes a polishing sheet 46C for polishing a game ball. In addition, a game ball management board 54 of the game machine 10 cumulatively stores the number of game balls (that is, the number of shots) detected by a shot ball sensor 35 and displays it on a shot number display unit 41 provided on a front door 10Z.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to gaming machines. [Background technology]

[0002] 2. Description of the Related Art Known conventional gaming machines include a gaming machine in which a plurality of gaming balls are sealed inside and circulated for use in a game (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2020-014953 A (paragraphs

[0040] ,

[0041] , Figure 2) Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In the conventional gaming machines described above, it is required to make it easier for an operator to determine the timing for replacing or inspecting various parts. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] The invention of claim 1, made to solve the above problem, is an enclosed type gaming machine that contains enclosed gaming balls and circulates gaming balls that are fired into a gaming area so that they can be fired again into the gaming area, and is equipped with a special ball number display means that displays the number of special balls based on the number of fired gaming balls. Effect of the Invention

[0006] According to the above invention, the number of special balls based on the number of game balls fired is displayed, so that the timing for replacing or inspecting various parts can be determined by the number of special balls based on the number of game balls fired. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a front view of a gaming machine according to a first embodiment; [Diagram 2] Front view of the game board [Diagram 3] Conceptual diagram of the ball storage area [Figure 4] Conceptual diagram of the ball storage area [Diagram 5] Block diagram showing the electrical configuration of the gaming machine [Figure 6] Close-up of the ball feeder [Figure 7] Close-up of the ball feeder [Figure 8] Front view of the game board according to the second embodiment DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0008] [First embodiment] Hereinafter, a gaming machine 10 according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to Fig. 1 to Fig. 7. As shown in Fig. 1, the gaming machine 10 according to the present embodiment is a pachinko gaming machine, and is provided with a front door 10Z on the front side, and a game area R1 formed on the front side of a game board 11 can be seen through a glass window 10W formed in the front door 10Z.

[0009] As shown in FIG. 2, the play area R1 is formed by being surrounded on all four sides by guide rails 12 protruding from the front surface of the play board 11. The guide rails 12 are formed by a first rail 12A and a second rail 12B curved in an arc shape, and a buffer member 12C. The first rail 12A is arranged along the periphery of the play area R1 except for approximately 1 / 4 of the circumference on the upper side. A part of the second rail 12B (the upper part of the second rail 12B) extends along approximately 1 / 4 of the circumference on the upper side of the periphery of the play area R1, and the remaining part (the left part of the second rail 12B) is arranged to face the left part of the first rail 12A from the outside. One end of the second rail 12B is arranged on the left side of the lowest part of the first rail 12A, and the other end of the second rail 12B is arranged at a position offset upward by 1 to 2 game balls from the right end of the first rail 12A.

[0010] The space between the right end of the first rail 12A and the right end of the second rail 12B is blocked by a buffer section 12C. Also, the space between the left end of the first rail 12A and the middle part of the second rail 12B is separated by one or two game balls, and this space serves as an entrance 12K for the game balls.

[0011] The game area R1 is provided with a start winning hole 14 and a big winning hole 16, and when a game ball enters the start winning hole 14, a win / loss determination is performed. The result of the win / loss determination is displayed on a display device 13 provided in the game area R1 together with a performance based on the result. The big winning hole 16 is usually closed by a movable door 16T, making it difficult for the game ball to enter, and when the result of the win / loss determination is a win, it is opened and the game ball can enter. In addition, a plurality of general winning holes 17 are arranged in the game area R1. All game balls that do not enter any of the above-mentioned winning holes 14, 16, and 17 are taken into an outlet 20 provided at the lower end of the game area R1.

[0012] The gaming machine 10 of this embodiment is a so-called sealed-in type pachinko machine in which a predetermined number of gaming balls are sealed inside. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 3, the gaming machine 10 has a ball storage section 30 in which gaming balls are stored. Above the ball storage section 30, a launching device 31 is provided that sends the gaming balls in the ball storage section 30 one by one via a ball sending device 45. When a launching handle 28 (see FIG. 1) arranged in the lower right corner of the front door 10Z is rotated, the launching device 31 launches the gaming balls one by one. The gaming balls launched by the launching device 31 pass through a launching passage 11H including a passage between the left side of the first rail 12A and the left side of the second rail 12B, and enter the gaming area R1 from an entrance 12K. The ball sending device 45 will be described in detail later.

[0013] A discharge path 21 is provided on the back side of the game board 11 of the game machine 10, through which all game balls that flow down the game area R1 and enter each winning port 14, 16, 17 and game balls that are taken into the outlet 20 pass. As shown in Fig. 3, the discharge path 21 is connected to the ball storage section 30, so that the game balls that flow down the game area R1 return to the ball storage section 30 and are launched again toward the game area R1. In addition, a discharge ball sensor 22 that detects the game balls that pass through the discharge path 21 is provided.

[0014] As shown in Fig. 3, a return passage 11R that branches downward is provided at a position near the end of the launch passage 11H on the side of the launch device 31. The return passage 11R is connected to the ball storage section 30. Game balls that are launched by the launch device 31 but have a weak momentum and cannot enter the game area R1 are returned to the ball storage section 30 through this return passage 11R.

[0015] A backflow prevention member 27 is provided at the branching point of the launch passage 11H with the return passage 11R. The backflow prevention member 27 is plate-shaped, and one end is disposed at the end of the entrance of the return passage 11R on the launch device 31 side. The backflow prevention member 27 is always biased to a vertically extending position, and the game ball launched by the launch device 31 pushes down the backflow prevention member 27 and passes through the launch passage 11H (see FIG. 4(A)). The game ball that has weak momentum and returns through the launch passage 11H is prevented from returning to the launch device 31 by the vertically extending backflow prevention member 27, and is guided to the return passage 11R (see FIG. 4(B)).

[0016] As shown in Figure 3, a launched ball sensor 35 for detecting game balls launched by the launch passage 11H is provided on the launch device 31 side of the backflow prevention member 27 in the launch passage 11H, and a return ball sensor 36 for detecting game balls passing through the return passage 11R is provided at the upper end of the return passage 11R.

[0017] As shown in FIG. 1, a card unit 60 is disposed next to the gaming machine 10. The card unit 60 performs information processing such as reading and writing on a card 60C inserted into a card insertion slot 61. Specifically, the card unit 60 writes the number of balls held by the player (game balls owned by the player) to the card 60C as the number of balls stored in the card. The card unit 60 also reads the number of balls stored in the card written in the card 60C. The card unit 60 is provided with a bill insertion slot 62 for lending game balls with cash, and the card unit 60 is also capable of writing information on the remaining balance to the card 60C.

[0018] The gaming machine 10 of this embodiment is provided with a ball management unit 40 at the lower center of the front door 10Z. In the ball management unit 40, the number of balls stored in the card is displayed as the number of balls owned by the player, and the remaining amount of the cash inserted into the bill insertion slot 62 that has not been used to lend out gaming balls is displayed. Then, the player can operate the ball management unit 40 to set some of the balls stored in the card as gaming machine side balls that can be consumed in the gaming machine 10, or lend out gaming balls from the cash inserted into the bill insertion slot 62. Note that since the gaming balls enclosed in the machine of this embodiment are circulated, the actual gaming balls are not lent out, but the number of gaming balls corresponding to the amount of lending is stored as the number of gaming machine side balls.

[0019] When a game ball is detected by the released ball sensor 35 (see FIG. 3), the number of detected game balls is subtracted from the number of balls stored on the game machine side, and when a game ball is detected by the returned ball sensor 36 (see FIG. 3), the number of detected game balls is added to the number of balls stored on the game machine side. Also, when a game ball enters each winning hole 14, 16, 17, the game ball is detected by each prize ball sensor 37 (see FIG. 5), and the number of game balls corresponding to the winning is added to the number of balls stored on the game machine side.

[0020] 5 shows the electrical configuration of the gaming machine 10. The reference numeral 50 in the figure denotes a main control board 50. The main control board 50 mainly comprises a one-chip microcomputer 51, which is a package of a CPU 51A, a RAM 51B, and a ROM 51C. The one-chip microcomputer 51 receives detection signals from various sensors and switches for detecting winning balls via an input / output circuit, and executes a main program for the main control board. Then, depending on the processing results, it outputs control data to a sub-control board 52, a game ball management board 54, and the like.

[0021] The sub-control board 52, like the main control board 50, includes a one-chip microcomputer 53 that is a package of a CPU 53A, a RAM 53B, and a ROM 53C. In the one-chip microcomputer 53, the CPU 53A retrieves a sub-control board main program from the ROM 53C and runs it. The one-chip microcomputer 53 also outputs control data to the display device 13 in response to the control data output from the main control board 50.

[0022] The game ball management board 54 manages the game ball storage and the card storage. Specifically, the game ball management board 54 receives detection signals from the shot ball sensor 35, the return ball sensor 36, and the prize ball sensor 37 to increase or decrease the game machine storage. In addition, the game ball management board 54 receives information read from the card 60C by the card unit 60, and transmits information to be written to the card 60C to the card unit 60. In addition, the game ball management board 54 is connected to the ball management unit 40, and based on the signal received from the ball management unit 40, transfers game balls from the card storage to the game machine storage, or transfers game balls from the game machine storage to the card storage, and outputs information on the balls held to be displayed on the display unit 40H of the ball management unit 40 to the ball management unit 40.

[0023] In conventional gaming machines where actual game balls are lent to players, the game balls are discharged outside the gaming machine, so that the game balls can be polished outside the gaming machine. However, in the case of sealed pachinko, the work of taking the game balls out of the gaming machine and polishing them is time-consuming, so a mechanism for polishing the game balls is built into the gaming machine 10. In the gaming machine 10 of this embodiment, the mechanism for polishing the game balls is applied to the ball feed device 45.

[0024] As shown in Fig. 6 and Fig. 7, the ball sending device 45 is disposed in a passage connecting the ball storage section 30 and the launching device 31, and has a gutter section 46 extending in the vertical direction and a screw 47 for moving the game balls upward. The gutter section 46 has a pair of opposing walls 46A opposing each other in a first horizontal direction, and a screw opposing wall 46B opposing the screw 47 in a second horizontal direction perpendicular to the first horizontal direction, so that the game balls can pass through one by one. Also, as shown in Fig. 6, a polishing sheet 46C is fixed to the inner surface of the screw opposing wall 46B. The screw opposing wall 46B is removable, so that the polishing sheet 46C can be replaced.

[0025] The screw 47 has a rotating shaft 47A, a spiral protruding portion 47B that spirally protrudes from the rotating shaft 47A, and a motor 47C that rotates the spiral protruding portion 47B together with the rotating shaft 47A. The spiral protruding portion 47B of the screw 47 protrudes into the gutter portion 46 and supports the game ball surrounded by the pair of opposing walls 46A and the screw opposing wall 46B from below.

[0026] When the screw 47 rotates, the game ball surrounded by the pair of opposing walls 46A and the screw opposing wall 46B is pushed up by the spiral protruding portion 47B, moves upward in the gutter portion 46, and is sent to the launching device 31. At this time, since the polishing sheet 46C is arranged on the surface of the screw opposing wall 46B, the game ball pushed up by the spiral protruding portion 47B of the screw 47 is pressed against the polishing sheet 46C and polished. In addition, since the game ball is polished just before being launched, a clean game ball can be shown to the player. In the ball sending device 45 of this embodiment, one game ball is sent to the launching device 31 when the screw 47 rotates once.

[0027] As described above, in the gaming machine 10, the gaming balls are polished by the polishing sheet 46C installed in the gaming machine 10. If the same polishing sheet 46C is used continuously, the polishing sheet 46C will wear out and become dirty, and the polishing sheet 46C will need to be replaced by the staff of the gaming hall. However, the timing when the polishing sheet 46C needs to be replaced varies depending on the operating rate of the gaming machine 10, and is difficult to judge.

[0028] In contrast, in the gaming machine 10 of this embodiment, the gaming ball management board 54 is configured to cumulatively store the number of gaming balls detected by the fired ball sensor 35 (i.e., the number of shots), and display it on a shot number display unit 41 (see FIG. 1) provided on the front door 10Z. The count on the shot number display unit 41 is reset (counting starts again from 0) by operating a reset button (not shown). The shot number display unit 41 may be a liquid crystal display or a 7-segment display.

[0029] This allows the staff of the game hall to determine the timing to replace the polishing sheet 46C by using the shot count display unit 41, for example, by replacing the polishing sheet 46C when it is confirmed on the shot count display unit 41 that the shot count has exceeded, for example, 10 million. Also, by displaying the shot count, the number of game balls displayed can be made to approximately match the number of game balls passing through the polishing sheet 46C.

[0030] [Variations] (1) In the above embodiment, the number of shots was displayed, but the number of game balls detected by the discharged ball sensor 22 (discharged number) may be displayed. In this case, a discrepancy occurs between the displayed number of balls and the number of game balls passing through the polishing sheet 46C due to the number of returned balls. However, since the ratio of returned balls to the number of shots is extremely small, this can be used as a sufficient guide for replacing the polishing sheet 46C.

[0031] (2) In the above embodiment, the shot count display unit 41 is provided on the front door 10Z, but it may be arranged on the game ball management board 54 and configured so that it cannot be seen unless the front door 10Z is opened.

[0032] (3) The shot count display unit 41 may also be used as a display unit that displays the number of balls remaining or an error number when an error occurs. In this case, the number of shots or the number of balls remaining may be displayed in sequence, or may be displayed when a specific switch is operated.

[0033] (4) The number of shots may be counted up one by one, or may be counted up one by one for every multiple balls (for example, 10 balls).

[0034] (5) The displayed number of shots may be used to determine the timing for replacing or inspecting parts other than the abrasive sheet 46C.

[0035] [Second embodiment] The gaming machine 10V according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure will be described below. The gaming machine 10V according to this embodiment does not have a shot count display unit 41, and is different from the gaming machine 10 according to the second embodiment in that the configuration for notifying the timing of replacing the polishing sheet 46C is different. Details will be described below.

[0036] In the gaming machine 10V of this embodiment, an arbitrary value (for example, 10 million) can be set as the "specific number of balls" in the CPU of the gaming ball management board 54. When the number of gaming balls detected by the shot ball sensor 35 (i.e., the number of shots) exceeds the "specific number of balls", the gaming ball management board 54 transmits a signal to the sub-control board 52 via the main control board 50. The sub-control board 52, which receives this signal, displays a message 13M on the display device 13, which prompts the player to replace the polishing sheet 46C (see FIG. 8). This allows the staff of the gaming hall to know the timing of replacing the polishing sheet 46C from the message 13M. The message 13M can be erased by operating a reset button (not shown).

[0037] [Variations] (1) In the above embodiment, the timing of displaying the message 13M is determined by the number of shots, but it may be determined by the number of game balls (the number of discharged balls) detected by the discharged ball sensor 22. In this case, a difference occurs between the number of balls displayed and the number of game balls passing through the polishing sheet 46C due to the number of returned balls, but since the ratio of returned balls to the number of shots is extremely small, it can be used as a sufficient guide for replacing the polishing sheet 46C.

[0038] (2) In the above embodiment, the specific number of balls is set in the game ball management board 54, but it may be set in the sub-control board 52. In this case, the game ball management board 54 outputs a signal containing information regarding the number of shots to the sub-control board 52, and this output may be performed for each ball or for every predetermined number of balls (e.g., 1000 balls). In the latter case, the burden on the game ball management board 54 and the sub-control board 52 is reduced.

[0039] (3) Instead of message 13M, a mark that can be identified by the staff of the game hall may be displayed on display device 13. Also, instead of displaying on display device 13, a lamp may be turned on, or a warning sound or voice may be output from a speaker.

[0040] (4) A specific number of balls may be set to determine the timing for replacing or inspecting parts other than the abrasive sheet 46C.

[0041] [Other embodiments] (1) The game balls may be polished by a polishing brush or a polishing cloth instead of the polishing sheet 46C. Even in this case, the staff of the game hall can be notified of the timing to replace the polishing brush or the polishing cloth.

[0042] (2) In the above embodiment, the abrasive sheet 46C was disposed between the ball storage section 30 and the launching device 31, but it may be disposed inside the launching device 31, inside the ball storage section 30, inside the launching passage 11H, etc. Also, the abrasive sheet 46C may be disposed inside the discharge path 21. In this case, it is preferable to display the number of discharges instead of the number of shots (as in the first embodiment), or to display a message 13M when the number of discharges exceeds a specific number.

[0043] In addition, although this specification and drawings disclose specific examples of the technology included in the scope of the claims, the technology described in the claims is not limited to these specific examples, but includes various modifications and variations of the specific examples, as well as parts of the specific examples taken alone.

[0044] <Additional Notes> Hereinafter, invention groups A to B extracted from the above-described embodiments will be described while indicating effects, etc., as necessary. Note that, in the following, for ease of understanding, the corresponding configurations in the above-described embodiments will be appropriately indicated in parentheses, etc., but the present invention is not limited to the specific configurations indicated in parentheses, etc.

[0045] (Invention Group A) Invention Group A relates to gaming machines, and can be considered to have been made with the problem in mind of the background technology that "conventional gaming machines are known in which a plurality of gaming balls are sealed inside and the plurality of gaming balls are circulated for use in play (see, for example, JP 2020-014953 A (paragraphs

[0040] ,

[0041] , Figure 2)).", that "the above-mentioned conventional gaming machines are provided with a polishing means for polishing the sealed gaming balls, and it is desired to make it easier for operators to determine the timing for replacing the polishing means."

[0046] [Invention A1] In an enclosed type gaming machine, which has game balls enclosed therein and circulates game balls that have been shot into a game area so that they can be shot again into the game area, A polishing means for polishing the enclosed game balls; and a special ball number display means for displaying a special ball number related to the number of polished gaming balls.

[0047] According to the gaming machine of Invention A1, a special ball number related to the number of gaming balls ground by the grinding means is displayed, so that the timing for replacing the grinding means can be determined based on the special ball number related to the number of gaming balls ground by the grinding means.

[0048] [Invention A2] A launching device is provided for launching game balls into the game area, The gaming machine described in Invention A1, wherein the polishing means is disposed in a polishing passage through which the gaming balls can pass one by one, among the paths that the gaming balls must take after being launched by the launching device and flowing down the playing area before reaching the launching device again.

[0049] [Invention A3] The gaming machine according to invention A2, wherein the special ball number display means displays the number of gaming balls launched by the launching device as the special ball number.

[0050] [Invention A4] A ball storage section in which game balls that flow down the game area are stored; A communication section that communicates between the ball storage section and the launching device; A launch passage that guides the game ball launched by the launch device to the game area; A return passage is provided which branches off from the middle of the launch passage and connects to a ball storage section, and returns to the ball storage section game balls which have been launched by the launch device but have not entered the game area, The gaming machine according to Invention A3, wherein the polishing means is disposed in the communication section.

[0051] (Invention Group B) Invention Group B relates to gaming machines, and can be considered to have been made with the problem that, with regard to the background technology that "conventional gaming machines are known in which a plurality of gaming balls are sealed inside and the plurality of gaming balls are circulated for use in play (see, for example, JP 2020-014953 A (paragraphs

[0040] ,

[0041] , Figure 2))," "the above-mentioned conventional gaming machines are provided with a polishing means for polishing the sealed gaming balls, and it is required to make it easier for operators to determine the timing for replacing the polishing means."

[0052] [Invention B1] In an enclosed type gaming machine, which has game balls enclosed therein and circulates game balls that have been shot into a game area so that they can be shot again into the game area, A polishing means for polishing the enclosed game balls; a specific number setting means capable of setting an arbitrary value as the specific number; A gaming machine comprising: a notification means for notifying that the number of special balls related to the number of gaming balls ground by the grinding means has exceeded the specific number.

[0053] According to the gaming machine of Invention B1, a notification is provided when the number of special balls related to the number of gaming balls ground by the grinding means exceeds a specific number that is arbitrarily set, so that the timing for replacing the grinding means can be determined based on the number of special balls related to the number of gaming balls ground by the grinding means.

[0054] [Invention B2] A launching device is provided for launching game balls into the game area, The gaming machine described in Invention B1, wherein the polishing means is disposed in a polishing passage through which the gaming balls can pass one by one, among the paths that the gaming balls must take after being launched by the launching device and flowing down the playing area before reaching the launching device again.

[0055] [Invention B3] The gaming machine according to invention B2, wherein the number of special balls is the number of gaming balls launched by the launching device.

[0056] [Invention B4] A ball storage section in which game balls that flow down the game area are stored; A communication section that communicates between the ball storage section and the launching device; A launch passage that guides the game ball launched by the launch device to the game area; A return passage is provided which branches off from the middle of the launch passage and connects to a ball storage section, and returns to the ball storage section game balls which have been launched by the launch device but have not entered the game area, The gaming machine according to invention B3, wherein the polishing means is disposed in the communication section.

[0057] [Invention B5] A special ball number storage means for accumulating and storing the special ball number and outputting a signal having information on the special ball number to the notification means, The gaming machine according to any one of Inventions B1 to B4, wherein the special ball count memory means outputs the signal to the notification means every predetermined number of balls. [Explanation of symbols]

[0058] 10,10V gaming machine 11H Launch Passage 11R Return Passage 13 Display device 21 Excretion Route 22 Discharge ball sensor 30 Ball storage section 31 Launcher 35 Launch ball sensor 36 Return ball sensor 36 Front Door 41 Launch number display 45 Ball Feeder 46 Hibe 46C Polishing Sheet 47 Screw 50 Main control board 52 Sub-control board 54 Game ball control board

Claims

[Claim 1] In an enclosed type gaming machine, which has game balls enclosed therein and circulates game balls that have been shot into a game area so that they can be shot again into the game area, The game machine is provided with a special ball number display means for displaying the number of special balls based on the number of game balls shot.

Images