Game machine

Abstract

To provide a game machine capable of enhancing equality of games.SOLUTION: A slide member 450 is maintained in a non-excitation state, and therefore a state in which game balls can be easily guided to a third winning hole 64b, and in that state, guiding of game balls to a second winning hole 640 can be suppressed. Accordingly, by using the slide member 450, passing of game balls to the second winning hole 640 can be prevented and equality of games can be enhanced. In addition, by a tilt member 470, it is possible to switch detection means in which game balls flowing down through the slide member 450 pass.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 26

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a gaming machine such as a pachinko machine. [Background technology]

[0002] In gaming machines such as pachinko machines, there is a gaming machine in which a gaming state in which the movable device is frequently opened, causing balls to frequently enter the prize ball opening, thereby enabling the player to win a large number of prize balls to be paid out, is set as a gaming state that is more advantageous than the normal state (Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2017-169630 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, the conventional gaming machines described above have a problem of lacking fairness. The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a gaming machine that can improve the fairness of games. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] To achieve this objective, the gaming machine described in claim 1 comprises a ball entry area, a guide means for guiding a gaming ball that has entered the ball entry area, a first detection means arranged downstream of the guide means for detecting the passage of the gaming ball, and a second detection means arranged downstream of the guide means for, when the passage of the gaming ball is detected, providing the player with a benefit different from the benefit that can be provided to the player based on the passage of the gaming ball being detected by the first detection means; the guide means comprises a predetermined portion for receiving gaming balls that have flowed down from the ball entry area, and a downstream portion that is arranged downstream of the predetermined portion and displaces in response to the displacement of the predetermined portion, and is configured to be able to change states between a first state in which it is easy to guide the gaming ball to the first detection means and a second state in which it is easy to guide the gaming ball to the second detection means, depending on at least the position of the downstream portion.

[0006] The gaming machine described in claim 2 is the gaming machine described in claim 1, wherein the downstream portion is configured to be able to prevent the gaming ball from being guided to the second detection means in the first state, and to be able to prevent the gaming ball from being guided to the first detection means in the second state.

[0007] A gaming machine according to a third aspect of the present invention is the gaming machine according to the first or second aspect, wherein the guiding means includes an intermediate portion that causes the gaming ball received by the predetermined portion to flow down toward the downstream portion. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the gaming machine of claim 1, it is possible to improve the fairness of the game.

[0009] According to the gaming machine of claim 2, in addition to the effect achieved by the gaming machine of claim 1, the downstream side portion can switch the detection means through which the gaming ball flowing down via the guide means passes.

[0010] According to the gaming machine described in claim 3, in addition to the effects achieved by the gaming machine described in claim 1 or 2, the intermediate section can prolong the state in which it is unclear whether the gaming ball flowing down through the guiding means will be guided to the first detection means or the second detection means. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a front view of a pachinko machine according to a first embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a front view of the game board of a pachinko machine. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a rear view of the pachinko machine. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the electrical configuration of the pachinko machine. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of the winning unit. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a rear perspective view of the winning unit. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is an exploded front perspective view of the winning unit. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is an exploded rear perspective view of the winning unit. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is an exploded front perspective view of the winning unit. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is an exploded rear perspective view of the winning unit. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is an exploded front perspective view of the winning unit. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is an exploded rear perspective view of the winning unit. [Figure 13] FIG. 10 is an exploded front perspective view of the winning unit. [Figure 14] FIG. 10 is an exploded rear perspective view of the winning unit. [Figure 15] (a) is a front view of the winning unit, (b) is a side view of the winning unit as viewed in the direction of arrow XVb in Figure 15(a), and (c) is a top view of the winning unit as viewed in the direction of arrow XVc in Figure 15(a). [Figure 16] 15(a) and 15(b) are cross-sectional views of the winning unit taken along line XVIa-XVIa in FIG. 15(c). [Figure 17] A cross-sectional view of the winning unit taken along line XVII-XVII in Figure 15(c). [Figure 18] A cross-sectional view of the winning unit taken along line XVIII-XVIII in Figure 15(c). [Figure 19] A cross-sectional view of the winning unit taken along line XIX-XIX in Figure 15(c). [Figure 20] A cross-sectional view of the winning unit taken along line XVII-XVII in Figure 15(c). [Figure 21] A cross-sectional view of the winning unit taken along line XVIII-XVIII in Figure 15(c). [Figure 22] A cross-sectional view of the winning unit taken along line XIX-XIX in Figure 15(c). [Figure 23] 15(a) and 15(b) are cross-sectional views of the winning unit taken along line XXIIIa-XXIIIa in FIG. 15(c). [Figure 24] 10(a) to 10(d) are front perspective views of the winning unit. [Figure 25] 10(a) to 10(d) are front perspective views of the winning unit. [Figure 26] 10(a) to 10(d) are front perspective views of the winning unit. [Figure 27] 10(a) to 10(d) are front perspective views of the winning unit. [Figure 28] 10(a) and 10(b) are front perspective views of the winning unit. [Figure 29] 15(a) and (b) are partial cross-sectional views of the winning unit taken along line XXIXa-XXIXa in FIG. 15(b). [Figure 30] 15(a) and (b) are partial cross-sectional views of the winning unit taken along line XXIXa-XXIXa in FIG. 15(b). [Figure 31] 10(a) to 10(c) are diagrams showing an example of the change in the state of an electric device over time. [Figure 32] A diagram explaining the relationship between hold type, game status, special pattern type and variable time. [Figure 33] 23(a) is a cross-sectional view of the slide member, the tilt member, and the transmission member taken along line XXXIII-XXXIII in FIG. 23(a). [Figure 34] 23(a) is a cross-sectional view of the slide member, the tilt member, and the transmission member taken along line XXXIII-XXXIII in FIG. 23(a). [Figure 35] 23(a) is a cross-sectional view of the slide member, the tilt member, and the transmission member taken along line XXXIII-XXXIII in FIG. 23(a). [Figure 36] 18 is a cross-sectional view of the plate member, the base plate, the sliding member, the tilting member, and the transmission member taken along line XVIII-XVIII in FIG. 15(c). [Figure 37] 3A and 3B are enlarged front views of the upper variable winning device in the range XXXVIIa of FIG. 2. [Figure 38] 3(a) to 3(c) are enlarged front views of the upper variable winning device in the range XXXVIIa of FIG. 2. [Figure 39] 3(a) to 3(c) are enlarged front views of the upper variable winning device in the range XXXVIIa of FIG. 2. [Figure 40] 37(a) to 37(c) are cross-sectional views of the movable top cover member and the movable floor member taken along line XLa-XLa in FIG. 37(a). [Figure 41] 37(a) to 37(c) are cross-sectional views of the movable top cover member and the movable floor member taken along line XLa-XLa in FIG. 37(a). [Figure 42] (a) is a diagram showing the time-counting changes of the second specific winning port in the first special operation pattern, (b) is a diagram showing the time-counting changes of the second specific winning port in the second special operation pattern, and (c) is a diagram showing the time-counting changes of the second specific winning port in the third special operation pattern. [Figure 43] (a) is a block diagram showing the electrical configuration of the ROM in the main control unit, (b) is a schematic diagram showing the contents of the first winning random number table, (c) is a schematic diagram showing the correspondence between the first winning random number counter and the judgment value in the special pattern 1 random number table, and (d) is a schematic diagram showing the correspondence between the first winning random number counter and the judgment value in the special pattern 2 random number table. [Figure 44](a) is a schematic diagram showing the correspondence between the first winning type counter in the first winning type selection table and the jackpot type for special patterns, and (b) is a schematic diagram showing the correspondence between the second winning random number counter in the second winning random number table and the winning type for normal patterns. [Figure 45] FIG. 1 is a top view of the front frame and outer frame. [Figure 46] 1A is a diagram showing a schematic diagram of area division settings and effective line settings on a display screen, and FIG. 1B is a diagram showing an example of an actual display screen. [Figure 47] (a) is a schematic diagram for explaining an example of the flow of a jackpot presentation, (b) is a schematic diagram for explaining an example of the flow of an ending presentation, and (c), (d) and (e) are diagrams illustrating the display screen of an ending display presentation that is displayed in an ending presentation that is part of a jackpot presentation. [Figure 48] 10A is a diagram illustrating an example of a display screen for a company name display effect that is displayed during the ending performance, and FIG. 10B is a diagram illustrating an example of a display screen for a card forget prevention display effect that is displayed during the ending performance. [Figure 49] 10A is a diagram illustrating an example of a display screen for a card forget prevention display effect that is displayed during the ending effect, and FIG. 10B is a diagram illustrating an example of a display screen immediately after the ending effect has ended. [Figure 50] This is a schematic diagram showing the correspondence between the ending performance and the type of jackpot in the special pattern. [Figure 51] 15(c) is a cross-sectional view of the winning unit in the second embodiment taken along line XVIII-XVIII in FIG. [Figure 52] A cross-sectional view of the winning unit taken along line XVIII-XVIII in Figure 15(c). [Figure 53] FIG. 10(a) is a schematic diagram showing a winning unit in the third embodiment, and FIG. 10(b) is a schematic diagram showing another example of the winning unit. [Figure 54]13(a) and 13(b) are schematic diagrams illustrating the winning unit in the fourth embodiment. [Figure 55] 3(a) and (b) are front views of the upper variable winning device in the fifth embodiment in the range XXXVIIa of FIG. 2. [Figure 56] 13(a) and 13(b) are diagrams illustrating an example of a display screen for a card forget prevention display effect displayed in the ending effect in the sixth embodiment. [Figure 57] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a display screen for a card forget prevention display effect that is displayed during the ending effect. [Figure 58] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating an example of a display screen for a card forget prevention display effect that is displayed in the ending effect. [Figure 59] 13(a) and 13(b) are diagrams illustrating an example of a display screen for a card forget prevention display effect displayed in the ending effect in the seventh embodiment. [Figure 60] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a display screen for a card forget prevention display effect that is displayed during the ending effect. [Figure 61] 13(a) and 13(b) are diagrams illustrating an example of a display screen for a card forgetting prevention display effect displayed in the ending effect in the eighth embodiment. [Figure 62] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a display screen for a card forget prevention display effect that is displayed during the ending effect. [Figure 63] A figure showing an example of the change in frame button display over time in a card forget prevention display performance, the change in the validity of frame button operation over time, and frame button operation. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0012] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. First, with reference to Fig. 1 to Fig. 50, an embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a pachinko gaming machine (hereinafter simply referred to as a "pachinko machine") 10 will be described as a first embodiment. Fig. 1 is a front view of the pachinko machine 10 in the first embodiment, Fig. 2 is a front view of a game board 13 of the pachinko machine 10, and Fig. 3 is a rear view of the pachinko machine 10.

[0013] In the following explanation, the front side of the paper will be referred to as the front (front) side and the back side of the paper will be referred to as the rear (rear) side with respect to the pachinko machine 10 in the state shown in Fig. 1. Also, with respect to the pachinko machine 10 in the state shown in Fig. 1, the upper side will be referred to as the upper (upper) side, the lower side will be referred to as the lower (lower) side, the right side will be referred to as the right (right) side, and the left side will be referred to as the left (left) side. Furthermore, arrows UD, LR, and FB in the figure (see Fig. 2, for example) indicate the up-down direction, left-right direction, and front-back direction of the pachinko machine 10, respectively.

[0014] As shown in Figure 1, pachinko machine 10 comprises outer frame 11, an outer shell formed by wooden frames assembled into a substantially rectangular shape, and inner frame 12, which is formed to have substantially the same external shape as outer frame 11 and is supported so as to be able to open and close relative to outer frame 11. Metal hinges 18 are attached to outer frame 11 at two locations, top and bottom, on the left side when viewed from the front (see Figure 1), in order to support inner frame 12, and inner frame 12 is supported so as to be able to open and close towards the front, with the side where hinges 18 are provided serving as the axis for opening and closing.

[0015] A game board 13 (see FIG. 2) having a large number of nails KG1, winning holes 63, 64, etc. is removably attached to the inner frame 12. A pinball game is played by balls (game balls) flowing down the front of the game board 13. Attached to the inner frame 12 are a ball launching unit 112a (see FIG. 4) that launches balls into the front area of ​​the game board 13, a launching rail (not shown) that guides the balls launched from the ball launching unit 112a to the front area of ​​the game board 13, and the like.

[0016] Unless otherwise specified, the illustration of the nail KG1 shows the outer shape of the nail KG1 as viewed in the longitudinal direction. That is, the nail KG1 is generally formed with a bulging shape at the tip on the front side (similar to a shape of a marking pin), but the shape of the bulging part is illustrated, and the shape of the thin-diameter part that is driven into the base plate 60 is not illustrated. Therefore, even if the gap between the nails KG1 in Figure 2 is shorter than the diameter of the ball, the ball can still pass through if the gap between the thin-diameter parts (not shown) of the nail KG1 is longer than the diameter of the ball.

[0017] On the front side of the inner frame 12, there is a front frame 14 that covers the upper front side, and a lower tray unit 15 that covers the lower side. To support the front frame 14 and lower tray unit 15, metal hinges 19 are attached at two locations, top and bottom, on the left side when viewed from the front (see Figure 1), and the front frame 14 and lower tray unit 15 are supported so that they can be opened and closed toward the front, with the side where the hinges 19 are installed serving as the opening and closing axis. The locks on the inner frame 12 and the front frame 14 can be unlocked by inserting a dedicated key into the keyhole 21 of the cylinder lock 20 and performing a specified operation.

[0018] The front frame 14 is fitted with decorative resin parts, electrical parts, etc., and has a window 14c formed as a roughly oval opening in the approximate center. A glass unit 16 having two glass plates is disposed on the back side of the front frame 14, and the front of the game board 13 can be seen from the front side of the pachinko machine 10 through the glass unit 16.

[0019] The front frame 14 has an upper tray 17 for storing balls, which is formed in a roughly box-like shape with an open top and extends forward, and prize balls, loan balls, etc. are discharged onto this upper tray 17. The bottom of the upper tray 17 is formed to slope downward to the right when viewed from the front (see Figure 1), and this slope guides balls dropped into the upper tray 17 to the ball launching unit 112a (see Figure 4). In addition, a frame button 22 is provided on the top surface of the upper tray 17. This frame button 22 is operated by the player, for example, to change the stage of the effect displayed on the third pattern display device 81 (see Figure 2) or to change the content of the super reach effect.

[0020] The front frame 14 is provided with various light-emitting devices such as lamps around its periphery (e.g., corners). These light-emitting devices change their light-emitting modes by lighting or blinking in response to changes in the game state, such as when a jackpot is hit or a predetermined reach is reached, thereby enhancing the presentation effects during play. The periphery of the window 14c is provided with illumination units 29-33 incorporating light-emitting devices such as LEDs. In the pachinko machine 10, these illumination units 29-33 function as presentation lamps, such as jackpot lamps. When a jackpot is hit or a reach presentation is being performed, the built-in LEDs cause each illumination unit 29-33 to light up or blink, thereby indicating that a jackpot is being achieved or that the player is in a reach phase just before a jackpot. Furthermore, the upper left corner of the front frame 14, as viewed from the front (see Figure 1), is provided with an indicator lamp 34 incorporating light-emitting devices such as LEDs, which can indicate when prize balls are being paid out and when an error has occurred.

[0021] Additionally, a small window 35 is formed by attaching transparent resin to the underside of the right-side illumination unit 32 from the backside so that the backside of the front frame 14 can be seen, and certificate stamps and the like affixed to the attachment space K1 (see Figure 2) on the front of the game board 13 can be seen from the front of the pachinko machine 10. Additionally, in the pachinko machine 10, a plated member 36 made of chrome-plated ABS resin is attached to the area around the illumination units 29 to 33 to create a more dazzling appearance.

[0022] A ball dispensing operation unit 40 is disposed below the window 14c. The ball dispensing operation unit 40 is provided with a power display unit 41, a ball dispensing button 42, and a return button 43. When the ball dispensing operation unit 40 is operated with bills, cards, etc. inserted into a card unit (ball dispensing unit) (not shown) located on the side of the pachinko machine 10, balls are dispensed in accordance with the operation. Specifically, the power display unit 41 is an area where the remaining balance information of the card, etc. is displayed, and an internal LED lights up to display the remaining balance numerically as the remaining balance information. The ball dispensing button 42 is operated to obtain dispensed balls based on information recorded on a card, etc. (recording medium), and dispensed balls are supplied to the upper tray 17 as long as there is a remaining balance on the card, etc. The return button 43 is operated to request the return of a card, etc. inserted into the card unit. In addition, in pachinko machines where balls are directly dispensed from a ball dispensing device to the upper tray 17 without going through a card unit, i.e., in so-called cash machines, the ball dispensing operation unit 40 is not necessary, but in this case, a decorative sticker or the like may be added to the installation part of the ball dispensing operation unit 40 to make the parts configuration common. It is possible to standardize pachinko machines that use card units and cash machines.

[0023] The lower tray unit 15, located below the upper tray 17, has a lower tray 50 in the center, which is formed in a roughly box-like shape with an open top, for storing balls that cannot be stored in the upper tray 17. On the right side of the lower tray 50, an operating handle 51 is provided which is operated by the player to shoot the ball into the front of the game board 13.

[0024] The operating handle 51 contains a touch sensor 51a for permitting the operation of the ball launching unit 112a, a launch stop switch 51b that stops the launch of balls while the switch is pressed, and a variable resistor (not shown) that detects the amount of rotation (rotation position) of the operating handle 51 by changes in electrical resistance. When the operating handle 51 is rotated clockwise by a player, the touch sensor 51a is turned on and the resistance value of the variable resistor changes corresponding to the amount of rotation, launching the ball with a strength (launch strength) corresponding to the resistance value of the variable resistor, thereby hitting the ball toward the front of the game board 13 at a distance corresponding to the player's operation. When the operating handle 51 is not being operated by the player, the touch sensor 51a and the launch stop switch 51b are off.

[0025] A ball ejection lever 52 is provided on the lower front portion of the lower tray 50 to be operated when ejecting balls stored in the lower tray 50 downward. This ball ejection lever 52 is always biased to the right, and by sliding it to the left against this bias, a bottom opening formed on the bottom surface of the lower tray 50 opens, and the balls fall naturally from the bottom opening and are ejected. This ball ejection lever 52 is usually operated with a box (commonly called a "senryo box") placed below the lower tray 50 to receive the balls ejected from the lower tray 50. As mentioned above, the operating handle 51 is disposed on the right side of the lower tray 50, and an ashtray 53 is attached to the left side of the lower tray 50.

[0026] As shown in Figure 2, the game board 13 is constructed by assembling a number of nails KG1 and windmills WF for guiding balls on a base plate 60 that has been machined into an approximately square shape when viewed from the front, as well as rails 61, 62, a general winning opening 63, a first winning opening 64, a second winning opening 640, a third winning opening 64b, a variable winning device 65, an upper variable winning device 700, regular winning openings (through gates) 66, 67, a variable display device unit 80, etc., and its peripheral portion is attached to the back side of the inner frame 12 (see Figure 1).

[0027] The base plate 60 is made of a light-transmitting resin material and is formed so that the player can see from the front side thereof the various structures arranged on the back side of the base plate 60. The general winning port 63, the winning unit 400 in which the first winning port 64 and the second winning port 640 are arranged, the variable winning device 65 in which the third winning port 64b is arranged, the upper variable winning device 700, and the variable display unit 80 are arranged in through holes formed in the base plate 60 by router processing, and are fixed from the front side of the game board 13 with tapping screws or the like.

[0028] The construction of the base plate 60 is not limited to resin material. For example, it may be made of wood with thin plates glued together, and the various structures arranged on the back side of the base plate 60 may be formed so that they cannot be seen by the player from the front side.

[0029] The central front portion of the game board 13 can be seen from the front side of the inner frame 12 through a window portion 14c (see FIG. 1) of the front frame 14. The configuration of the game board 13 will be described below mainly with reference to FIG.

[0030] An outer rail 62 formed by bending a strip-shaped metal plate into a generally arcuate shape is set up on the front of the gaming board 13, and an inner rail 61, also formed from a strip-shaped metal plate like the outer rail 62, is set up inside the outer rail 62. The outer periphery of the front of the gaming board 13 is surrounded by the inner rail 61 and outer rail 62, and the front and back are surrounded by the gaming board 13 and the glass unit 16 (see FIG. 1), so that a gaming area where games are played based on the behavior of the ball is formed in front of the gaming board 13. The gaming area is an area (an area where winning slots and the like are arranged and where shot balls flow down) defined in front of the gaming board 13 by the two rails 61, 62 and the resin outer edge member 73 connecting the rails.

[0031] The above-mentioned game area is interpreted in a narrow sense, and in a broader sense, the game area may be expressed as the area where game balls flow down until the profit given to the player by the flowing game balls is determined. In this sense, the game area is not limited to the area on the front side of the game board 13. For example, the upstream path of the detection sensor 462 described later may also be included in the game area.

[0032] The two rails 61, 62 are provided to guide the ball launched from the ball launching unit 112a (see FIG. 4) to the top of the game board 13. A ball return prevention member 68 is attached to the tip (upper left in FIG. 2) of the inner rail 61, preventing a ball once guided to the top of the game board 13 from returning to the ball guide passage. A return rubber 69 is attached to the tip (upper right in FIG. 2) of the outer rail 62 at a position corresponding to the maximum flight point of the ball. A ball launched with more than a predetermined force hits the return rubber 69, reducing its momentum and bouncing back toward the center. In addition, a resin arc member 70, formed with an arc on the inner surface connecting the rails, is driven into the base plate 60 between the tip on the lower right side of the inner rail 61 and the tip on the upper right side of the outer rail 62.

[0033] A play area 301 on the front side of the play board 13 is roughly divided into a left play area 302, a right play area 303, and a lower play area 304 relative to a center frame 86 located at the center inside position.

[0034] The left-side game area 302 is a game area where game balls hit from the left, which are shot with reduced launch strength, flow down, and the right-side game area 303 is a game area where game balls hit from the right, which are shot with increased launch strength compared to left-side hits, flow down. Also, the lower game area 304 is a game area where game balls that have passed through the left-side game area 302 or the right-side game area 303 flow down.

[0035] The lottery based on winning will be explained in detail below. In the pachinko machine 10 of this embodiment, when a ball wins a prize (a ball that can be expected to give the player some kind of benefit (for example, the payout of prize balls, the execution of a lottery, or the benefit of moving to a more advantageous state)) in the first winning slot 64, the second winning slot 640, or the third winning slot 64b, a lottery for a special symbol (first symbol) is held, and when the ball passes through the normal winning slots 66, 67, a lottery for a normal symbol (second symbol) is held.

[0036] In the lottery for the special pattern (lottery for special pattern 1) that is conducted for balls that enter the first winning slot 64 or the third winning slot 64b, a judgment is made as to whether or not the special pattern is a jackpot (or a miss), and if it is determined that the special pattern is a jackpot, the type of jackpot is also determined.

[0037] In the lottery for the special pattern (lottery for special pattern 2) that is conducted for balls that enter the second winning slot 640, a determination is made as to whether the special pattern is a big hit, a miss, or a small hit, and if it is determined to be a big hit with the special pattern, the type of big hit is also determined, and if it is determined to be a small hit with the special pattern, the type of small hit is also determined.

[0038] In other words, in the lottery for the special symbol held for the ball entering the second winning slot 640, in addition to determining whether or not it is a jackpot based on the lottery for the special symbol held for the ball entering the first winning slot 64 or the third winning slot 64b, if it is not a jackpot, it is determined whether it is a minor jackpot or a miss.

[0039] In this embodiment, a small win is prepared as a win other than a miss, but with a different nature from a big win. That is, a big win generates an opportunity (a turning point in the game) to transition the game state to a high probability state or a time-saving state, but a small win does not generate an opportunity to transition the game state.

[0040] Furthermore, even if a small win is won in a high probability state, the end of the small win does not trigger the end of the high probability state (except when the upper limit of the number of times is reached), and even if a small win is won in a normal state or a time-saving state, the end of the small win does not trigger a transition to a high probability state. However, a small win is positioned as satisfying the conditions for activating the variable winning device 65, just like a big win.

[0041] In this pachinko machine 10, in a low probability state of a special symbol, a jackpot for the special symbol is determined to occur with a probability of 1 in 320, and in a high probability state of a special symbol (also called a special symbol probability state), a jackpot for the special symbol is determined to occur with a probability of 1 in 32. Note that the jackpot probability is an example, and various values ​​can be set as long as the probability in a low probability state of a special symbol is not less than 1 / 10 of the probability in a high probability state of a special symbol.

[0042] For ease of explanation, the lottery for the special pattern that is held when a gaming ball enters the first winning slot 64 or the third winning slot 64b will be referred to as the "lottery for special pattern 1," and the lottery for the special pattern that is held when a gaming ball enters the second winning slot 640 will be referred to as the "lottery for special pattern 2."

[0043] In addition, in this pachinko machine 10, in a state where the probability of a special symbol is low, the probability of a small win of the special symbol in the drawing of special symbol 2 is 318 out of 320, and in a state where the probability of a special symbol is high, the probability of a small win of the special symbol in the drawing of special symbol 2 is 309 out of 320. Note that the probability of a small win is an example, and can be set to various values.

[0044] When a small win (winning) of a special symbol occurs, a small win game is played and the variable winning device 65 opens and closes. During the small win game, the player can win a certain number of prize balls by making a game ball enter the specific winning opening 65a located inside the variable winning device 65. In the small win game of this embodiment, the variable winning device 65 closes 1.8 seconds after it is opened.

[0045] The operation pattern of the variable winning device 65 for a small win of a special symbol may be a single pattern, or multiple types of patterns may be provided. For example, the operation pattern may be configured so that the number of times the specific winning opening 65a is opened and closed, or the opening and closing time differs depending on the type of small win. Specifically, the operation pattern may be an opening for 1.8 seconds, an opening for 0.12 seconds repeated 15 times at intervals of several seconds (a total opening of 1.8 seconds), or another operation pattern may be used.

[0046] When a special symbol hits the jackpot (wins), the pachinko machine 10 transitions to a special game state, and the specific winning opening 65a or the second specific winning opening 700a of the upper variable winning device 700, which is normally closed, is opened for a predetermined time (for example, until 30 seconds have passed or until 10 balls (a specified number) have entered), and this operation is repeated up to 15 times (15 rounds). As a result, a large number of balls enter the specific winning opening 65a or the second specific winning opening 700a, and more prize balls are paid out than usual. Note that the fact that prize balls are paid out when balls enter the specific winning opening 65a or the second specific winning opening 700a and the number of payouts will be described later.

[0047] There are six types of jackpots for special symbols: "jackpot A," "jackpot B," "jackpot C," "jackpot a," "jackpot b," and "jackpot c." Details will be described later, but the number of rounds of the special game and the operation pattern of the electric accessory 640a after the special game ends are configured to differ depending on the jackpot type.

[0048] When a lottery for a special symbol (first symbol) is held, the first symbol display device 37A, 37B starts to display a varying special symbol, and after a predetermined time (for example, 11 to 60 seconds) has elapsed, the special symbol indicating the result of the lottery is displayed statically. If a ball enters the first winning slot 64, the third winning slot 64b, or the second winning slot 640 while the varying display is being held on the first symbol display device 37A, 37B, the number of balls entering is reserved up to a maximum of four times for each type of special symbol (special symbol 1 or special symbol 2) corresponding to the lottery held based on the ball entering the winning slot, and the number of reserved balls is displayed on the first symbol display device 37A, 37B and also on the third symbol display device 81. When the variable display on the first pattern display device 37A, 37B ends, if there are still balls remaining in reserve for the first winning slot 64 or the third winning slot 64b (number of balls remaining for special pattern 1), or for the second winning slot 640 (number of balls remaining for special pattern 2), a lottery will be held for the next special pattern, and the variable display will begin according to the lottery.

[0049] In this embodiment, even if the number of reserved balls for special pattern 1 and the number of reserved balls for special pattern 2 both remain, when the variable display of the corresponding next special pattern (special pattern 1 or special pattern 2) for special pattern 1 and special pattern 2 has finished, a lottery for the corresponding next special pattern (special pattern 1 or special pattern 2) is held and the variable display according to the lottery is started. In other words, even if the variable display of the corresponding next special pattern (for example, special pattern 2 for special pattern 1) has not finished, when the variable display of the corresponding next special pattern has finished, a lottery for the corresponding next special pattern is held.

[0050] In this embodiment, even if there are both reserved balls for special pattern 1 and reserved balls for special pattern 2 remaining, when the variable display of the corresponding previous special pattern for special pattern 1 and special pattern 2 has finished, a lottery for the next corresponding special pattern is held and the variable display according to the lottery is started. However, this is not limited to this, and for example, the lottery may be held in priority in the order in which the special patterns are obtained (in the order in which the balls are scored), or the lottery may be held alternately between special pattern 1 and special pattern 2.

[0051] In addition, the lottery based on reserved balls of special pattern 2 may be configured to be executed with priority over the lottery based on reserved balls of special pattern 1, in which case it is possible to avoid executing the lottery based on reserved balls of special pattern 1 while the state in which there are more than 0 reserved balls of special pattern 2 is maintained.

[0052] In the lottery for the normal symbol (second symbol), a win / loss determination is made as to whether or not the normal symbol is a winning symbol. If the normal symbol is a winning symbol, the electric device 640a attached to the second winning slot 640 is driven for a predetermined time (for example, 0.2 seconds, 2.0 seconds, or 3.9 seconds), and the ball is put into a state in which it is possible for the ball to enter the second winning slot 640. In other words, if the normal symbol is a winning symbol, the ball is put into a state in which it is possible for the ball to enter the second winning slot 640, and as a result, the lottery for the special symbol becomes easier to be held.

[0053] Furthermore, when a lottery for a normal symbol (second symbol) is conducted, the second symbol display device 83 starts displaying a variable normal symbol, and after a predetermined time (for example, 0.05 seconds or 1 second) has elapsed, the normal symbol indicating the lottery result is displayed statically. If a ball passes through the normal winning slots 66, 67 while the variable display is being conducted on the second symbol display device 83, the number of times the ball has passed is reserved up to a maximum of four times, and the number of reserved balls is displayed on the first symbol display devices 37A, 37B and also on the second symbol reserved lamp 84. When the variable display on the second symbol display device 83 has ended, if there are reserved balls remaining for the normal winning slots 66, 67, the next normal symbol is drawn, and a variable display corresponding to the lottery is started.

[0054] In this embodiment, as added value after a jackpot ends, the pachinko machine 10 is configured to transition to a special probability variable state of a special symbol (during a probability variable of a special symbol accompanied by small wins at a high frequency) from the end of the jackpot until the next jackpot (for example, jackpot A, jackpot a described later), to a high probability state of a special symbol (during a probability variable of a special symbol) (for example, jackpot B, jackpot b, jackpot c described later), and to a time-saving state of a normal symbol after a jackpot game until 100 special symbol lottery draws are completed (for example, jackpot C, jackpot c described later).

[0055] In this embodiment, when a special symbol is given a high probability state after the end of a special game state, the high probability state of the special symbol is explained as continuing until the next jackpot occurs, but this is not limited to this. For example, the high probability state of the special symbol (high probability state) may be given from the end of the special game state until 100 special symbol lottery draws have been completed, and after 100 special symbol lottery draws have been completed, the state may be set to normal.

[0056] The number of times the special symbol is drawn to give the special symbol a high probability state (high probability state) is not limited to 100. For example, it may be 50 times or 200 times.

[0057] In addition, the number of times to draw the special symbol that will bring about the time-saving state of the normal symbol is not limited to 100. For example, it may be 50 times, 5 times, or 0 times. In addition, the number of times to draw the special symbol that will bring about the time-saving state and the number of times to draw the special symbol that will bring about the probability variable state of the special symbol may be set to be different.

[0058] Here, "high probability state of special symbols" refers to a state in which the probability of subsequent jackpots increases as an added value after the end of a jackpot, that is, a time when the probability is fluctuating (during a special probability change), in other words, a gaming state in which it is easy to transition to a special gaming state.

[0059] In this embodiment, the "special probability variable state of special symbols (special symbol probability variable state with high frequency of small wins)" refers to a state in which the probability of subsequent big wins is increased as an added value after the end of a big win, a so-called probability variable state (probability variable state), and a state in which small wins are frequent. In other words, it is a gaming state in which a player can win a large number of prize balls through small win games while playing in a state in which transition to the special gaming state is likely. The winning probability of the normal symbol (second symbol) is increased, creating a gaming state in which a ball is likely to enter the second winning slot 640. The electric device 640a is operated in the third operating pattern described below.

[0060] In this embodiment, the "high probability state of special symbols (during special symbol probability change)" refers to a state in which the probability of subsequent jackpots increases as an added value after the end of a jackpot, i.e., a time during so-called probability change (during probability change), in other words, a gaming state in which it is easy to transition to a special gaming state. The winning probability of the normal symbol (second symbol) increases, creating a gaming state in which it is easy for the ball to enter the third winning slot 64b. The electric device 640a is operated in the second operating pattern described below.

[0061] On the other hand, the "low probability state of special symbols" refers to the time when the special symbols are not in a special probability state, and the probability of winning is in a normal state, that is, the probability of winning is lower than when the special symbols are in a special probability state.

[0062] In addition, the "normal symbol time-saving state (during time-saving)" is one aspect of the low probability state of the special symbol, and refers to a game state in which the probability of winning the normal symbol increases and the ball is more likely to enter the third winning slot 64b due to the action of the winning unit 400 described later. The electric device 640a is operated in the second operating pattern described later.

[0063] The "normal state" is a mode of a low probability state (not a high probability state) of the special symbol, and refers to a game state where the normal symbol is not in the time-saving mode (neither the probability of a jackpot nor the probability of a normal symbol (second symbol) changing, and it is not easy for the ball to enter the second winning slot 640 or the third winning slot 64b). The electric device 640a is operated in a first operating pattern, which will be described later.

[0064] During the special probability variation of the special symbol, during the probability variation of the special symbol, or during the time-saving period of the normal symbol, the operation pattern of the electric device 640a attached to the second winning slot 640 is changed, and is basically set so that the state in which the game ball is more likely to be guided to the second winning slot 640 or the third winning slot 64b is maintained for a longer period of time than in the normal state.

[0065] In this embodiment, when the electric device 640a is in a non-energized state (non-energized state, i.e., a state in which a moving plate member 641 described later is positioned in a front position and has entered the first ball sending path KR1), the game ball is more likely to be guided to the second winning opening 640 or the third winning opening 64b than when the electric device 640a is in an excited state (energized state, i.e., a state in which a moving plate member 641 described later is positioned in a rear position and has retreated from the first ball sending path KR1). Therefore, during the special probability variation of the special symbol, the probability variation of the special symbol, and the time reduction of the normal symbol, the state in which the ball is more likely to enter the second winning opening 640 or the third winning opening 64b is created, making it easier to draw a special symbol.

[0066] In addition, during the special symbol probability change period or the normal symbol time reduction period, instead of changing the opening time of the electric device 640a associated with the second winning slot 640, or in addition to changing the opening time, the number of times that the electric device 640a opens when a normal symbol wins may be increased compared to the normal state.

[0067] In addition, during the special pattern probability change period or the normal pattern time reduction period, the probability of winning the normal pattern (second pattern) may remain unchanged, but at least one of the time for which the electric device 640a attached to the second winning slot 640 is opened and the number of times the electric device 640a is opened may be changed.

[0068] In addition, during the special pattern probability change or the normal pattern time reduction, the time for which the electric device 640a attached to the second winning slot 640 is opened or the number of times the electric device 640a is opened may be left unchanged, and only the probability of winning the normal pattern (second pattern) may be increased compared to the normal state.

[0069] First symbol display devices 37A and 37B, each equipped with a plurality of LEDs and a 7-segment display as light-emitting means, are disposed in the lower left portion of the game area as viewed from the front (lower left portion of FIG. 2). The first symbol display devices 37A and 37B display information according to the controls performed by the main control device 110 (see FIG. 4), and primarily display the game status of the pachinko machine 10. In this embodiment, the first symbol display devices 37A and 37B are configured to be selectively used depending on whether the ball has entered the first winning slot 64, the third winning slot 64b, or the second winning slot 640. Specifically, when the ball has entered the first winning slot 64 or the third winning slot 64b, the first symbol display device 37A is activated, whereas when the ball has entered the second winning slot 640, the first symbol display device 37B is activated.

[0070] Furthermore, the first symbol display devices 37A, 37B use LEDs to indicate whether the pachinko machine 10 is in a special probability variable mode, a probability variable mode, a time-saving mode, or a normal mode, whether it is fluctuating, whether the stopped symbol corresponds to a special probability variable jackpot, a probability variable jackpot, a normal jackpot, a small jackpot, or a miss, and indicate the number of reserved balls by their lighting states, and also display the number of rounds during a jackpot and errors using a 7-segment display device.The multiple LEDs are configured to emit different light colors (for example, red, green, and blue), and the combination of these light colors can indicate various game states of the pachinko machine 10 with a small number of LEDs.

[0071] If a ball enters the first winning slot 64, the third winning slot 64b, or the second winning slot 640 while the special pattern (first pattern) is being displayed in a changing manner on the first pattern display device 37A, 37B, the number of times the ball enters is reserved for each type of winning slot (i.e., for each type of special pattern, the number of times the ball enters the first winning slot 64 or the third winning slot 64b corresponding to special pattern 1 is separate from the number of times the ball enters the second winning slot 640 corresponding to special pattern 2), up to a maximum of four times, and the number of reserved balls is displayed by the first pattern display device 37A, 37B and also by the third pattern display device 81.

[0072] In this embodiment, the ball entering the first winning slot 64 or the third winning slot 64b, and the ball entering the second winning slot 640 are each configured to be held up to four times, but the maximum number of times that can be held is not limited to four, and may be set to three or less, or five or more times (for example, eight times).

[0073] In this pachinko machine 10, a lottery is held when a prize is won in either the first prize slot 64, the third prize slot 64b, or the second prize slot 640. In the lottery, the pachinko machine 10 determines whether or not a jackpot has been won (jackpot lottery), and if a jackpot has been determined, it also determines the type of jackpot. The jackpot types that can be determined here include a 15R special probability variable jackpot, an 8R probability variable jackpot, and a 4R jackpot. The first symbol display devices 37A, 37B not only show whether or not the result of the lottery is a jackpot as the stopped symbol after the variation has ended, but also display a symbol corresponding to the type of jackpot if a jackpot has been won.

[0074] Here, a "15R special jackpot" is a jackpot that transitions to a special jackpot state (a high probability state of special patterns with a high frequency of small wins) after a jackpot with a maximum of 15 rounds, and an "8R jackpot" is a jackpot that transitions to a high probability state after a jackpot with a maximum of 8 rounds.

[0075] In addition, a "4R jackpot" is a jackpot in which, after a jackpot with a maximum number of rounds of 4, the state transitions to a low probability state and the state transitions to a time-saving state for a predetermined number of fluctuations (for example, 100 fluctuations), or, after a jackpot with a maximum number of rounds of 4, the state transitions to a high probability state.

[0076] The game area is provided with a plurality of general winning holes 63 through which 5 to 15 balls are paid out as prize balls when a ball enters the game area. A variable display unit 80 is also provided in the center of the game area.

[0077] The variable display device unit 80 is provided with a third pattern display device 81 consisting of a liquid crystal display (hereinafter simply referred to as "display device") that displays a changing third pattern in synchronization with the changing display in the first pattern display devices 37A and 37B, triggered by a win (initial win) in either the first winning slot 64, the third winning slot 64b, or the second winning slot 640; a second pattern display device 83 consisting of an LED that displays a changing second pattern in response to a ball passing through the normal winning slots (through gates) 66 and 67; and a second pattern reserve lamp 84 that indicates, by its lit state, the number of reserved balls corresponding to the number of times the game ball has passed through the normal winning slots 66 and 67.

[0078] In addition, a center frame 86 is arranged in the variable display device unit 80 so as to surround the outer periphery of the third pattern display device 81. The third pattern display device 81 can be seen from an opening opened in the center of this center frame 86.

[0079] The third symbol display device 81 is configured with a large 9-inch liquid crystal display, and the display content is controlled by the display control device 114 (see FIG. 4), so that, for example, three symbol rows, left, center, and right, are displayed. Each symbol row is made up of a plurality of symbols (third symbols), and these third symbols are scrolled vertically for each symbol row, so that the third symbols are variably displayed on the display screen of the third symbol display device 81.

[0080] The third symbol display device 81 of this embodiment performs decorative display according to the display of the first symbol display devices 37A, 37B, while the display of the game status accompanied by the control of the main control device 110 (see FIG. 4) is performed by the first symbol display devices 37A, 37B. Note that instead of a display device, the third symbol display device 81 may be configured using, for example, a reel or the like.

[0081] In this embodiment, the third symbols are composed of 10 kinds of main symbols numbered "0" to "9." In the pachinko machine 10 of this embodiment, when the result of the lottery for special symbols performed by the main control device 110 (see FIG. 4), which will be described later, is a jackpot, a variable display in which the same main symbols line up (a variable display that finally stops with the same main symbols lined up) is performed, and after the variable display ends, a jackpot occurs (a transition to a special game state is initiated).

[0082] On the other hand, if the result of the special symbol lottery is a miss, a variable display in which the same main symbol does not line up (a variable display that finally stops in a state where it does not line up) is performed. Also, if the result of the special symbol lottery is a small win, a variable display in which a specific small win symbol finally stops is performed.

[0083] For example, if the result of the special pattern lottery is a regular jackpot, a variable display is displayed in which the main pattern with the even numbers "0, 2, 4, 6, 8" attached is aligned. On the other hand, if the result is a special probability jackpot or probability jackpot, a variable display is displayed in which the main pattern with any of the numbers "0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9" attached, including odd numbers, is aligned. On the other hand, if the result of the special pattern lottery is a miss, a variable display is displayed in which the main pattern with the same number is not aligned. Also, if the result of the special pattern lottery is a small win, a variable display is displayed in which a pattern with the words "prize ball ready" attached stops in the center of the display area of ​​the display device.

[0084] The second symbol display device 83 performs a variable display in which a "circle" symbol and an "x" symbol are alternately lit for a predetermined period of time as a display symbol (second symbol) each time a ball passes through the normal winning openings (through gates) 66, 67. In the pachinko machine 10, when it is detected that a ball has passed through the normal winning openings (through gates) 66, 67, a lottery is held to determine whether a second symbol will win. If the result of the lottery is a win, the second symbol display device 83 displays a static "circle" symbol after the second symbol has been displayed in a variable manner. If the result of the lottery is a loss, the second symbol display device 83 displays a static "x" symbol after the second symbol has been displayed in a variable manner.

[0085] The pachinko machine 10 is configured so that when the variable display on the second pattern display device 83 stops at a predetermined pattern (in this embodiment, a "circle" pattern), the electric device 640a attached to the second winning slot 640 is activated (opened) for a predetermined period of time.

[0086] The time required for the second symbol to change (change time) is set to be shorter during a special symbol probability change or a normal symbol time-saving period than during the normal game state. This shortens the time required for the second symbol to change during a special symbol probability change or a normal symbol time-saving period, allowing for more regular symbol (second symbol) lotteries than during the normal game state. This increases the chances of winning a normal symbol, providing the player with more opportunities for the game ball to be picked up by the electric device 640a located upstream of the second winning slot 640 and the third winning slot 64b. Therefore, during a special symbol probability change or a normal symbol time-saving period, the game is more likely to result in a ball winning into the third winning slot 64b or the second winning slot 640.

[0087] Note that, during a probability variation of a special symbol or a time-saving period for a normal symbol, if the state is such that it is easier for a ball to enter the third winning slot 64b or the second winning slot 640 by increasing the probability of winning or by increasing the opening time or number of times of the electric device 640a, the time required for the variable display of the second symbol may be kept constant regardless of the gaming state. On the other hand, if the time required for the variable display of the second symbol is set shorter during a probability variation of a special symbol or a time-saving period for a normal symbol than during the normal state, the probability of winning the normal symbol may be kept constant regardless of the gaming state, or the opening time or number of times of the electric device 640a for one win of the normal symbol may be kept constant regardless of the gaming state.

[0088] The normal winning openings (through gates) 66, 67 are attached to the game board in the areas on both sides of the variable display unit 80, and are arranged at positions where balls launched into the game area 301 that flow down the left game area 302 or the right game area 303 will always pass through (the upstream nail KG1 arrangement is configured to collect balls at the normal winning openings (through gates) 66, 67).

[0089] The relationship between the balls shot into the game area 301 and the normal winning openings (through gates) 66, 67 is not limited to this. For example, the game area 301 may be configured so that some of the balls that flow down from the balls shot into the game area 301 pass through the normal winning openings (through gates) 66, 67.

[0090] The number of times that a ball passes through the normal winning openings (through gates) 66, 67 can be reserved up to a maximum of four times in total, and the number of reserved balls is displayed by the above-mentioned first symbol display devices 37A, 37B and is also displayed by the second symbol reservation lamp 84. Four second symbol reservation lamps 84 are provided, the number corresponding to the maximum number of reserved balls, and are arranged symmetrically below the third symbol display device 81.

[0091] In addition, the display of the second symbol fluctuation may be performed by switching on and off a plurality of lamps in the second symbol display device 83 as in this embodiment, or may be performed using a part of the first symbol display devices 37A, 37B and the third symbol display device 81. Similarly, the lighting of the second symbol reserve lamp 84 may be performed by a part of the third symbol display device 81. In addition, since the number of reserved balls is indicated by the first symbol display devices 37A, 37B, the second symbol reserve lamp 84 may not be illuminated.

[0092] Furthermore, the maximum number of balls that can be reserved for passing through the normal winning openings (through gates) 66, 67 is not limited to four, but may be set to three or less, or five or more times (e.g., eight times). Furthermore, the number of normal winning openings (through gates) 66, 67 that are mounted on the base plate 60 is not limited to two, but may be one or any other number (e.g., three or more).

[0093] Furthermore, the assembly position of the normal winning openings (through gates) 66, 67 is not limited to both the left and right sides of the variable display unit 80, but may be, for example, on either the left or right side of the variable display unit 80, or above or below the variable display unit 80.

[0094] A first winning hole 64, into which a ball can win, is disposed below the variable display unit 80. When a ball wins into this first winning hole 64, the passage of the ball is detected by a first winning hole switch (detection sensor 442, described later) provided on the back side of the game board 13, and the first winning hole switch is turned on. When the first winning hole switch is turned on, a lottery for special symbol 1 is conducted by the main control device 110 (see FIG. 4), and a display according to the lottery result is shown on the first symbol display device 37A.

[0095] On the other hand, a second winning opening 640 into which a ball can enter is disposed below the first winning opening 64 as viewed from the front. When a ball enters the second winning opening 640, a second winning opening switch (detection sensor 462 described later) provided on the back side of the game board 13 turns on, and when the second winning opening switch turns on, a lottery for special symbol 2 is conducted by the main control device 110 (see FIG. 4), and a display according to the lottery result is shown on the first symbol display device 37B.

[0096] The second winning port 640 is configured so that only balls that pass through the inside of the winning unit 400 can enter, preventing balls from entering without going through the winning unit 400; details will be given later.

[0097] In addition, a third winning opening 64b, into which a ball can win, is disposed below the second winning opening 640 as viewed from the front. When a ball wins the third winning opening 64b, a third winning opening switch (not shown) provided on the back side of the game board 13 is turned on, and when the third winning opening switch is turned on, a lottery for special symbol 1 is conducted by the main control device 110 (see FIG. 4), and a display according to the lottery result is shown on the first symbol display device 37A.

[0098] The third winning port 64b is configured so that only balls that pass through the inside of the winning unit 400 can enter, and winnings that do not go through the winning unit 400 are prevented, but details will be given later.

[0099] In addition, the first winning slot 64, the third winning slot 64b and the second winning slot 640 are each a winning slot (prize ball slot) from which five balls are paid out as prize balls when a ball enters the slot and the first winning slot switch, the third winning slot switch or the second winning slot switch is turned on.

[0100] In this embodiment, the number of prize balls paid out when a ball enters the first prize opening 64 or the third prize opening 64b is the same as the number of prize balls paid out when a ball enters the second prize opening 640, but the number of prize balls paid out when a ball enters the first prize opening 64 or the third prize opening 64b and the number of prize balls paid out when a ball enters the second prize opening 640 may be different numbers, for example, three prize balls may be paid out when a ball enters the first prize opening 64 or the third prize opening 64b, and five prize balls may be paid out when a ball enters the second prize opening 640. Also, the number of prize balls and the magnitude relationship of the number of prize balls may be reversed.

[0101] An electric device 640a is attached to the second winning opening 640 (and the third winning opening 64b). This electric device 640a is normally in a non-excited state (forward closed state), making it difficult for the ball to win the second winning opening 640. On the other hand, when a "○" symbol is displayed on the second symbol display device 83 as a result of the variable display of the second symbol, which is triggered by the passage of a ball through the normal winning openings (through gates) 66, 67, the electric device 640a becomes in an excited state (rear open state), making it easier for the ball to win the second winning opening 640.

[0102] During the special probability variation of the special symbol, it is possible to create a state in which the ball is more likely to win a prize in the second prize winning slot 640 than in the normal state. On the other hand, the first prize winning slot 64 does not have the electric device 640a provided in the second prize winning slot 640, and the ball is always able to win a prize.

[0103] Here, the probability of winning a jackpot when a ball enters the first winning slot 64 and when a ball enters the second winning slot 640 is the same in both the low probability state and the high probability state. However, the probability of winning a jackpot (jackpot A, a) that can provide the maximum profit (number of prize balls in the special game state) as the type of jackpot selected in the event of a jackpot is set to be higher when a ball enters the second winning slot 640 than when a ball enters the first winning slot 64.

[0104] Therefore, under normal circumstances, the electric device 640a located upstream of the second winning slot 640 and the third winning slot 64b makes it difficult for the game ball to enter the second winning slot 640, so it is more advantageous for the player to fire the ball with a firing strength that makes it easier for the ball to reach the first winning slot 64, which does not have the electric device 640a, and aim to win the jackpot by having the ball enter the first winning slot 64, thereby gaining more opportunities to win the jackpot.

[0105] On the other hand, during the special probability variation of the special symbol, the probability variation of the special symbol, or the time-saving period of the normal symbol, when the electric device 640a located upstream of the second winning hole 640 and the third winning hole 64b is controlled to operate by passing the ball through the normal winning hole (through gate) 66, 67, the ball is likely to be picked up by the electric device 640a, and the ball is likely to enter the second winning hole 640 or the third winning hole 64b. Therefore, it is more advantageous for the player to fire the ball with a firing strength that makes it easy for the ball to reach the electric device 640a, pass the ball through the normal winning hole (through gate) 66, 67 to operate the electric device 640a, and aim for the ball to enter the second winning hole 640 or the third winning hole 64b for a jackpot.

[0106] In this way, the pachinko machine 10 of this embodiment can allow the player to change the way the ball is shot between a shot with a shooting intensity that makes it easier for the ball to reach the first winning opening 64 and a shot with a shooting intensity that makes it easier for the ball to reach the electric accessory 640a, depending on the game state of the pachinko machine 10 (whether it is in a special probability variable state, during probability variable, during time-saving, during normal play, etc.). Therefore, it is possible to provide the player with a change in the way the ball is shot, which allows the player to enjoy the game.

[0107] In this embodiment, during a jackpot game, the electric device 640a is driven in the same operating pattern as in the normal state of the special symbol. Therefore, during a jackpot game, it is possible to configure the device so that it is difficult for a ball to enter the second winning hole 640 or the third winning hole 64b.

[0108] In this embodiment, a case has been described in which both a ball that has flowed down the left-side play area 302 and a ball that has flowed down the right-side flow-down area 303 can reach the first winning opening 64 or the electric role device 640a, but this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, a configuration may be adopted in which only balls that have flowed down the left-side flow-down area 302 reach the first winning opening 64, and only balls that have flowed down the right-side flow-down area 303 reach the electric role device 640a.

[0109] In this case, during normal play, it is more advantageous for the player to shoot the ball toward the first winning slot 64 so that it passes to the left of the variable display unit 80 (so-called "left shot"), aiming to win the jackpot by winning the first winning slot 64 and obtaining more machines for the jackpot lottery.

[0110] On the other hand, during the special probability variation of the special symbol, the probability variation of the special symbol, or the time-saving period of the normal symbol, when the electric device 640a attached to the second winning port 640 is controlled to operate by passing the ball through the normal winning port (through gate) 66, 67, the ball is likely to be picked up by the electric device 640a, making it easier for the ball to win at the second winning port 640. Therefore, it is more advantageous for the player to shoot the ball toward the side where the electric device 640a is located so that the ball passes to the right of the variable display device unit 80 (the so-called "right hit"), pass the normal winning port (through gate) 67 to operate the electric device 640a, and aim to win the jackpot by the ball winning at the second winning port 640.

[0111] This allows the player to change the way the ball is shot between "left hit" and "right hit" depending on the game status of the pachinko machine 10. This allows the player to have more fun playing the game by providing a variety in the way the ball is shot.

[0112] In addition, in this case, in a situation where a "right hit" should be performed, a specific image (right hit navigation) may be displayed on the third pattern display device 81, so that the player can reliably obtain the benefits of entering a (special) special pattern probability state or a normal pattern time-saving state.

[0113] In the right-hit navigation, the third symbol display device 81 displays the words "Aim to the right!!" along with three right-pointing arrows above and below the words. By displaying these words and arrows, the player is made to feel that he or she should shoot the ball into the path (flow path) provided on the right side of the gaming board 13. Therefore, the player can reliably obtain the benefits of entering the probability variable state of the special symbol and the time-saving state of the normal symbol.

[0114] In addition, when a player is performing a "right hit" even though a "left hit" is required, it is preferable to be able to notify the player that the recommended game mode and the currently playing game mode are different. For example, a warning image may be displayed on the third symbol display device 81.

[0115] This warning image is an image (right hit warning image) that is displayed on the third symbol display device 81 when it is determined that the player is performing a right hit even though it is not the period in which the player should shoot the ball (hit to the right) into the path (flow path) provided on the right side of the game board 13. More specifically, it is displayed when it is determined that the player is performing a right hit in a normal state (a state in which the player is not in a special symbol probability variable state or a normal symbol time-saving state).

[0116] For example, consider a pachinko machine in which, in the normal state, the electric device 640a is controlled so as to make it difficult to guide the ball to the second winning slot 640 (even if a right hit is made, it is difficult to make the ball enter the second winning slot 640). In this case, if a right hit is made in the normal state, the player has fewer opportunities to win a special symbol compared to when a left hit is made to shoot the ball toward the first winning slot 64. In other words, if a right hit is made in the normal state, it is difficult to win a jackpot, which results in a loss for the player. Therefore, the system is configured to prevent (suppress) the player from losing money by displaying a right hit warning image to encourage a left hit.

[0117] When it is determined that a player is hitting with the right hand under normal conditions, the screen of the third symbol display device 81 displays the words "Warning" and "Play with the left hand!!" By displaying these words, it is possible to make the player aware that he should not hit with the right hand (he should hit with the left hand). In addition, by checking whether or not there is a right-hit warning screen, the hall staff can easily determine whether or not there is a player who is playing in an irregular way by hitting with the right hand under normal conditions.

[0118] To determine whether a right-handed shot has been made, it is sufficient to determine whether the ball has entered the normal winning opening (through gate) 67 (see Figure 2), which the ball can enter when a right-handed shot is made.

[0119] Furthermore, while it is easy to configure the device to display a right-hit warning image when it detects that a ball has entered the regular winning port (through gate) 67 (see FIG. 2) under normal conditions, this is not limitative. For example, if it detects that a ball has entered the specific winning port 65a under conditions other than a jackpot game or a small jackpot game, it may be configured to determine that an illegal game (not limited to a right-hit game, but including, for example, a game mode in which a load is applied to the variable winning device 65 to open the specific winning port 65a and force the game ball to enter) is being played, and display a right-hit warning image. This allows the hall staff to easily determine whether or not there is any illegal play simply by checking whether or not the right-hit warning image is displayed.

[0120] In addition, for example, when a ball enters the specific winning hole 65a in a state other than a big win game or a small win game, a signal indicating that cheating is occurring may be output to the hall computer. This allows the hall computer operator to easily determine whether or not cheating is likely occurring and the machine number (location) of the pachinko machine 10 where the cheating is occurring.

[0121] Also, for example, by narrowing the right flow path of the variable display device unit 80, a range through which the gaming ball must pass can be formed, and a detection sensor capable of detecting the passage of the gaming ball can be disposed in that range. In this case, it can be determined that a right hit is being made based on the detection of the passage of the gaming ball by the detection sensor.

[0122] Also, for example, a detection sensor may be provided that can detect the displacement of a movable member (e.g., a windmill) that is located to the left of the top position (corresponding to the center position in FIG. 2) of the variable display unit 80. In this case, when a game ball is being shot out, it can be determined that a right shot is being performed based on the fact that no displacement of the movable member is detected even after the expected operation timing has passed.

[0123] In this embodiment, a variable winning device 65 is disposed below the first winning opening 64, and a horizontally elongated rectangular specific winning opening (large open opening) 65a is provided in the approximate center of the variable winning device 65.

[0124] In the pachinko machine 10, when a small win is achieved in the lottery for a special symbol performed as a result of winning in the second winning port 640, after a predetermined time (variable time) has elapsed, the first symbol display device 37A or the first symbol display device 37B is lit so as to display the stop symbol for the small win. In addition, the stop symbol corresponding to the small win is displayed on the third symbol display device 81, and the occurrence of the small win is notified. After that, a small win game in which the ball is likely to win is executed. For this small win game, the specific winning port 65a, which is normally closed, is opened for a predetermined time (for example, until 1.8 seconds have elapsed, or until 10 balls (a specified number) have won).

[0125] In addition, in the pachinko machine 10, when a jackpot is awarded in a lottery for a special symbol resulting from a win in the first winning slot 64, the third winning slot 64b, or the second winning slot 640, the first symbol display device 37A or the first symbol display device 37B is illuminated to display the jackpot stop symbol after a predetermined time (variable time) has elapsed. In addition, the stop symbol corresponding to the jackpot is displayed on the third symbol display device 81 to notify the occurrence of the jackpot. After that, the game state transitions to a special game state (jackpot) in which a ball is more likely to win. In this special game state, the specific winning slot 65a or the second specific winning slot 700a, which is normally closed, is opened for a predetermined time (for example, until 30 seconds have elapsed or until 10 balls (a specified number) have won).

[0126] The opening and closing operation of the specific winning port 65a or the second specific winning port 700a can be repeated up to, for example, 15 times (15 rounds). The state in which this opening and closing operation is being performed is one form of a special game state that is advantageous to the player, and the player is paid out a larger number of prize balls than usual (in this embodiment, 15 balls based on the winning of one ball) as an added gaming value (game value).

[0127] Specifically, the variable winning device 65 includes a horizontally elongated rectangular opening / closing plate that covers the specific winning opening 65a, and a large opening solenoid (not shown) for driving the opening / closing plate to open and close. The specific winning opening 65a is normally in a closed state in which a ball cannot or does not easily win a prize. In the event of a jackpot, the large opening solenoid is driven to tilt the opening / closing plate forward, temporarily creating an open state in which a ball can easily win a prize in the specific winning opening 65a, and the device operates to alternate between this open state and the normal closed state. The opening and closing modes of the second specific winning opening 700a will be described later.

[0128] The variable winning device 65 is designed in its horizontal length so that it can accommodate not only balls that pass through the inside of the winning unit 400, but also balls that do not enter the winning unit 400 but flow down the outside of the winning unit 400 while being guided by the nails KG1. In other words, the horizontal width of the specific winning opening 65a is designed to be longer than the horizontal width of the winning unit 400.

[0129] Whether or not the ball is easily guided into the winning unit 400 depends on the state of the nail KG1 arranged upstream of the winning unit 400, but in this embodiment, the state of the nail KG1 can prevent the player from being given too much of an advantage or disadvantage (a balance of advantages can be achieved).

[0130] That is, for example, if there is a high probability that the ball will be guided inside the winning unit 400, during the time-saving period in which the ball is guided through the inside of the winning unit 400 to pass the second winning slot 640 or the third winning slot 64b and the lottery is drawn, or during the special bonus period, the player can be advantageously drawn for special symbols frequently.

[0131] On the other hand, when a ball is made to enter the variable winning device 65 in a big win game or a small win game, the ball that enters the inside of the winning unit 400 is picked up by the second winning port 640 or the third winning port 64b before reaching the variable winning device 65, and fewer balls reach the specific winning port 65a. In addition, if there are fewer balls that deviate from the winning unit 400 and flow down the left and right sides of the winning unit 400, this is disadvantageous for a game in which prize balls are frequently paid out by entering the specific winning port 65a.

[0132] Also, for example, if the probability of the ball being guided inside the winning unit 400 is low, during the time-saving mode or during the special bonus mode when the ball is passed through the second winning slot 640 or the third winning slot 64b, through which the ball is guided inside the winning unit 400, to enter the lottery, the intervals between the drawing of the special pattern are likely to be long, which is disadvantageous to the player in terms of game efficiency.

[0133] On the other hand, when balls are made to enter the variable winning device 65 in a big win game or a small win game, fewer balls enter the inside of the winning unit 400, so fewer balls are picked up by the second winning opening 640 or the third winning opening 64b and fail to reach the specific winning opening 65a. In addition, since more balls deviate from the winning unit 400 and flow down the left and right sides of the winning unit 400, when the specific winning opening 65a is in an open state, it is expected that a large number of balls will enter the specific winning opening 65a and a large number of prize balls will be paid out, which is advantageous for the player.

[0134] In this way, even if the state of the nail KG1 makes it easier or harder to guide the ball into the winning unit 400, if the state of the nail KG1 works to the player's advantage during the period in which the player aims to win a lottery for a special symbol and hit a jackpot, it can work to the player's disadvantage during the jackpot game, and if the state of the nail KG1 works to the player's disadvantage during the period in which the player aims to win a lottery for a special symbol and hit a jackpot, it can work to the player's advantage during the jackpot game. This makes it possible to prevent the state of the nail KG1 from giving the player too much of an advantage or disadvantage (a balance of advantages can be achieved).

[0135] The special game state is not limited to the above-described form. A large opening that opens and closes separately from the specific winning opening 65a or the second specific winning opening 700a may be provided in the game area, and when an LED corresponding to a jackpot is lit in the first pattern display device 37A, 37B, the specific winning opening 65a or the second specific winning opening 700a is opened for a predetermined time, and when a ball enters the specific winning opening 65a or the second specific winning opening 700a while the specific winning opening 65a or the second specific winning opening 700a is open, the large opening that is provided separately from the specific winning opening 65a or the second specific winning opening 700a is opened for a predetermined time and a predetermined number of times, thereby forming a special game state.

[0136] Furthermore, the number of specific winning openings 65a or second specific winning openings 700a is not limited to two, but may be one or more than two (for example, three), and the placement location is not limited to below the first winning opening 64, but may be, for example, on the left or right side or above the variable display device unit 80.

[0137] An attachment space K1 is provided in the right corner of the lower side of the game board 13 for attaching stamps, identification labels, etc., and the stamps, etc. attached to the attachment space K1 can be seen through a small window 35 in the front frame 14 (see Figure 1).

[0138] The game board 13 is provided with a first outlet 71. A ball flowing down the game area and not entering any of the winning holes 63, 64, 64b, 65a, 640, 700a is guided to a ball discharge path (not shown) through the first outlet 71, the left outlet 71L, or the right outlet 71R.

[0139] The first outlet 71 is disposed below the first winning opening 64. The left outlet 71L is disposed to the left of the specific winning opening 65a, and the right outlet 71R is disposed to the right of the specific winning opening 65a.

[0140] In this embodiment, the specific winning opening 65a is located near the lower edge of the play area, so the gap between the inner rail 61 and the specific winning opening 65a is narrow. Therefore, if the balls rolling on the lower edge of the play area on the left and right sides of the specific winning opening 65a are all configured to head toward the first outlet 71, there is a possibility that balls may become stuck between the inner rail 61 and the specific winning opening 65a, causing the game to be interrupted.

[0141] In contrast, in this embodiment, by providing the left outlet 71L and the right outlet 71R, a ball rolling on the lower edge of the play area on the left and right sides of the specific winning opening 65a can be discharged to a ball discharge path (not shown) through the left outlet 71L or the right outlet 71R before heading toward the first outlet 71. This makes it possible to avoid ball jamming between the inner rail 61 and the specific winning opening 65a, thereby avoiding interruptions to play.

[0142] A large number of nails KG1 are planted on the game board 13 in order to appropriately distribute and adjust the direction in which the balls fall, and various components (apparatuses) such as a windmill WF are also arranged on the game board 13.

[0143] As shown in Fig. 3, the rear side of the pachinko machine 1 is mainly equipped with control board units 90, 91 and a back pack unit 94. The control board unit 90 is a unit equipped with a main board (main control device 110), a voice lamp control board (voice lamp control device 113), and a display control board (display control device 114). The control board unit 91 is a unit equipped with a payout control board (payout control device 111), a launch control board (launch control device 112), a power supply board (power supply device 115), and a card unit connection board 116.

[0144] The back pack unit 94 is a unit consisting of the back pack 92 that forms the protective cover and the payout unit 93. In addition, each control board is equipped with an MPU as a one-chip microcomputer that controls each function, ports for communicating with various devices, a random number generator used in various lotteries, a clock pulse generating circuit used for time counting and synchronization, etc. as needed.

[0145] The main control device 110, the voice lamp control device 113 and the display control device 114, the payout control device 111 and the launch control device 112, the power supply device 115, and the card unit connection board 116 are each housed in board boxes 100 to 104. The board boxes 100 to 104 each include a box base and a box cover that covers the opening of the box base, and the box base and the box cover are connected to each other to house the respective control devices and boards.

[0146] Furthermore, the board box 100 (main control device 110) and the board box 102 (dispensing control device 111 and launch control device 112) have their box bases and box covers connected (connected by a crimping structure) by a sealing unit (not shown) so that they cannot be opened. A sealing seal (not shown) is affixed to the connecting portion between the box base and the box cover, spanning the box base and the box cover. This sealing seal is made of a brittle material, and if an attempt is made to peel off the sealing seal to open the board box 100, 102 or to forcibly open the board box 100, 102, it will be cut into the box base side and the box cover side. Therefore, by checking the sealing unit or sealing seal, it is possible to know whether the board box 100, 102 has been opened.

[0147] The payout unit 93 comprises a tank 130 located at the top of the back pack unit 94 and opening upward, a tank rail 131 connected to the bottom of the tank 130 and gently sloping downstream, a case rail 132 connected vertically to the downstream side of the tank rail 131, and a payout device 133 provided at the most downstream part of the case rail 132 and dispensing balls using a predetermined electrical configuration of a payout motor 216 (see Figure 4). The tank 130 is successively replenished with balls supplied from the island equipment of the gaming hall, and the payout device 133 appropriately dispenses the required number of balls. A vibrator 134 is attached to the tank rail 131 to impart vibrations to the tank rail 131.

[0148] In addition, the payout control device 111 is provided with a state restoration switch 120, the firing control device 112 is provided with a variable resistor operation knob 121, and the power supply device 115 is provided with a RAM deletion switch 122. The state restoration switch 120 is operated to resolve ball jamming (return to normal state) when a payout error occurs, such as ball jamming in the payout motor 216 (see Figure 4). The operation knob 121 is operated to adjust the firing force of the firing solenoid. The RAM deletion switch 122 is operated when the power is turned on to return the pachinko machine 10 to its initial state.

[0149] Next, the electrical configuration of the pachinko machine 10 will be described with reference to Fig. 4. Fig. 4 is a block diagram showing the electrical configuration of the pachinko machine 10.

[0150] The main control device 110 is equipped with an MPU 201, which is a one-chip microcomputer that is an arithmetic device. The MPU 201 contains a ROM 202 that stores various control programs and fixed value data executed by the MPU 201, a RAM 203 that is a memory for temporarily storing various data when the control programs stored in the ROM 202 are executed, and various other circuits such as an interrupt circuit, a timer circuit, and a data transmission / reception circuit. The main control device 110 uses the MPU 201 to execute the main processes of the pachinko machine 10, such as drawing a jackpot, setting the display on the first symbol display devices 37A and 37B and the third symbol display device 81, and drawing the display result on the second symbol display device.

[0151] In addition, in order to instruct sub-controllers such as the dispensing control unit 111 and the voice lamp control unit 113 to operate, various commands are sent from the main control unit 110 to the sub-controllers via a data transmission / reception circuit, but such commands are sent only in one direction from the main control unit 110 to the sub-controllers.

[0152] The RAM 203 has various areas, counters, flags, a stack area for storing the contents of the internal registers of the MPU 201 and return addresses of the control programs executed by the MPU 201, and a work area (working region) for storing values ​​of various flags, counters, I / O, etc. The RAM 203 is configured so that it can retain (back up) data by receiving a backup voltage from the power supply device 115 even after the power to the pachinko machine 10 is cut off, and all data stored in the RAM 203 is backed up.

[0153] When the power supply is cut off due to a power outage or the like, the stack pointer and the values ​​of each register at the time of the power outage (including the time of the power outage; the same applies below) are stored in RAM 203. On the other hand, when the power is turned on (including the time of the power being turned on after the power outage is resolved; the same applies below), the state of the pachinko machine 10 is restored to the state before the power outage based on the information stored in RAM 203. Writing to RAM 203 is executed by main processing (not shown) when the power supply is turned off, and the restoration of each value written to RAM 203 is executed in start-up processing (not shown) when the power supply is turned on. Note that, when the power supply is cut off due to a power outage or the like, a power outage signal SG1 is input to the NMI terminal (non-maskable interrupt terminal) of MPU 201 from the power outage monitoring circuit 252, and when the power outage signal SG1 is input to MPU 201, NMI interrupt processing (not shown) is immediately executed as a power outage processing.

[0154] An input / output port 205 is connected to the MPU 201 of the main control device 110 via a bus line 204 consisting of an address bus and a data bus. The input / output port 205 is connected to the payout control device 111, the sound lamp control device 113, the first symbol display devices 37A and 37B, the second symbol display device, the second symbol hold lamp, and solenoids 209 consisting of a large opening solenoid for driving the opening and closing of the specific winning port 65a forward with the lower edge of the opening / closing plate as the axis, and a solenoid for driving the electric role device, and the like, and the MPU 201 transmits various commands and control signals to these via the input / output port 205.

[0155] In addition, the input / output port 205 is connected to various switches 208 consisting of a group of switches (not shown) and a group of sensors including a slide position detection sensor S and a rotation position detection sensor R, as well as a RAM erasure switch circuit 253 (described below) provided in the power supply device 115, and the MPU 201 performs various processes based on signals output from the various switches 208 and a RAM erasure signal SG2 output from the RAM erasure switch circuit 253.

[0156] The payout control device 111 controls the payout of prize balls and loan balls by driving a payout motor 216. The MPU 211, which is a calculation device, has a ROM 212 that stores control programs executed by the MPU 211, fixed value data, etc., and a RAM 213 that is used as a work memory, etc.

[0157] Like the RAM 203 of the main control device 110, the RAM 213 of the payout control device 111 has a stack area in which the contents of the internal registers of the MPU 211 and return addresses of the control programs executed by the MPU 211 are stored, and a work area (working region) in which values ​​of various flags, counters, I / O, etc. are stored. The RAM 213 is configured to be able to retain (back up) data by receiving a backup voltage from the power supply device 115 even after the power supply to the pachinko machine 1 is cut off, and all data stored in the RAM 213 is backed up. Like the MPU 201 of the main control device 110, the NMI terminal of the MPU 211 is also configured to receive a power outage signal SG1 from the power outage monitoring circuit 252 when the power supply is cut off due to a power outage or the like. When the power outage signal SG1 is input to the MPU 211, an NMI interrupt process (not shown) is immediately executed as a power outage process.

[0158] An input / output port 215 is connected to the MPU 211 of the payout control device 111 via a bus line 214 consisting of an address bus and a data bus. The input / output port 215 is connected to the main control device 110, payout motor 216, launch control device 112, etc. Also, although not shown, a prize ball detection switch for detecting paid-out prize balls is connected to the payout control device 111. Note that this prize ball detection switch is connected to the payout control device 111 but not to the main control device 110.

[0159] When the main control device 110 issues an instruction to launch a ball, the launch control device 112 controls the ball launch unit 112a so that the ball is launched with a strength corresponding to the amount of rotation of the operating handle 51. The ball launch unit 112a is equipped with a launch solenoid and electromagnet (not shown), and the launch solenoid and electromagnet are permitted to operate when predetermined conditions are met. Specifically, the touch sensor 51a detects that the player is touching the operating handle 51, and when the launch stop switch 51b for stopping the ball launch is off (not operated), the launch solenoid is excited in accordance with the amount of rotation (rotation position) of the operating handle 51, and the ball is launched with a strength corresponding to the amount of rotation of the operating handle 51.

[0160] The audio lamp control device 113 controls the output of audio from the audio output device (such as a speaker not shown) 226, the output of lighting and extinguishing from the lamp display device (such as the illumination units 29 to 33 and the display lamp 34) 227, and the setting of the display mode of the third symbol display device 81 performed by the display control device 114, such as variable performance (variable display) and advance notice performance. The MPU 221, which is a calculation device, has a ROM 222 that stores control programs and fixed value data executed by the MPU 221, and a RAM 223 used as a work memory, etc.

[0161] An input / output port 225 is connected to the MPU 221 of the audio and lamp control device 113 via a bus line 224 consisting of an address bus and a data bus. The input / output port 225 is connected to the main control device 110, the display control device 114, an audio output device 226, a lamp display device 227, other devices 228, the frame button 22, etc.

[0162] The voice lamp control device 113 determines the display mode of the third symbol display device 81 based on various commands (variation pattern command, stop type command, etc.) received from the main control device 110, and notifies the display control device 114 of the determined display mode by commands (display variation pattern command, display stop type command, etc.). The voice lamp control device 113 also monitors input from the frame button 22, and when the player operates the frame button 22, instructs the display control device 114 to change the stage displayed on the third symbol display device 81 or change the performance content during a super reach. When the stage is changed, the voice lamp control device 113 transmits a back image change command including information about the changed stage to the display control device 114 so that the third symbol display device 81 displays a back image corresponding to the changed stage. Here, the back image refers to an image displayed behind the third symbol, which is the main image displayed on the third symbol display device 81. The display control device 114 displays various images on the third symbol display device 81 in accordance with the commands transmitted from the voice lamp control device 113.

[0163] Furthermore, the voice lamp control device 113 receives a command (display command) representing the display content of the third pattern display device 81 from the display control device 114. Based on the display command received from the display control device 114, the voice lamp control device 113 outputs a voice corresponding to the display content from the voice output device 226 in accordance with the display content of the third pattern display device 81, and also controls the turning on and off of the lamp display device 227 in accordance with the display content.

[0164] The display control device 114 is connected to the voice lamp control device 113 and the third pattern display device 81, and controls the display of the third pattern display device 81, such as the variable performance of the third pattern, based on commands received from the voice lamp control device 113. The display control device 114 also transmits display commands to the voice lamp control device 113 as appropriate, notifying the display content of the third pattern display device 81. The voice lamp control device 113 can match the display of the third pattern display device 81 with the voice output from the voice output device 226 by outputting voice from the voice output device 226 in accordance with the display content indicated by the display command.

[0165] The power supply device 115 includes a power supply unit 251 for supplying power to each component of the pachinko machine 10, a power outage monitoring circuit 252 for monitoring power interruptions due to power outages and the like, and a RAM erasure switch circuit 253 provided with a RAM erasure switch 122 (see FIG. 3). The power supply unit 251 is a device that supplies the necessary operating voltages to each of the control devices 110-114, etc., via a power supply path (not shown). Briefly, the power supply unit 251 takes in 24-volt AC voltage supplied from an external source, generates 12-volt voltage for driving various switches such as the various switches 208, solenoids such as the solenoid 209, motors, etc., a 5-volt voltage for logic, a backup voltage for RAM backup, etc., and supplies the necessary voltages to each of the control devices 110-114, etc.

[0166] The power outage monitoring circuit 252 is a circuit for outputting a power outage signal SG1 to each NMI terminal of the MPU 201 of the main control unit 110 and the MPU 211 of the dispensing control device 111 when power is cut off due to a power outage or other reason. The power outage monitoring circuit 252 monitors the 24-volt DC voltage, which is the maximum voltage output from the power supply unit 251, and if this voltage falls below 22 volts, it determines that a power outage (power outage, power interruption) has occurred and outputs the power outage signal SG1 to the main control unit 110 and the dispensing control device 111. By outputting the power outage signal SG1, the main control unit 110 and the dispensing control device 111 recognize the occurrence of a power outage and execute NMI interrupt processing. Note that the power supply unit 251 is configured to maintain the output of the 5-volt voltage, which is the drive voltage of the control system, at a normal value for a sufficient time to execute NMI interrupt processing, even after the 24-volt DC voltage falls below 22 volts. Therefore, the main control unit 110 and the dispensing control unit 111 can execute and complete the NMI interrupt processing (not shown) normally.

[0167] The RAM clearing switch circuit 253 is a circuit for outputting a RAM clearing signal SG2 to the main control device 110 to clear the backup data when the RAM clearing switch 122 (see FIG. 3) is pressed. When the main control device 110 inputs the RAM clearing signal SG2 when the power of the pachinko machine 10 is turned on, it clears the backup data and sends a payout initialization command to the payout control device 111 to clear the backup data in the payout control device 111.

[0168] Next, we will explain the overall configuration of the winning unit 400. Fig. 5 is a front perspective view of the winning unit 400, and Fig. 6 is a rear perspective view of the winning unit 400. As shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the winning unit 400 includes a plate member 410 having a plurality of insertion holes 411 formed therein through which fastening screws are inserted to be screwed into the base plate 60 when the winning unit 400 is fastened and fixed to the front surface of the base plate 60 (see Fig. 2) so as to close the opening of the base plate 60.

[0169] That is, the portion on the front side of the plate member 410 is the portion arranged between the base plate 60 (see Figure 2) and the glass unit 16 (see Figure 1), and the portion on the rear side of the plate member 410 is the portion arranged on the rear side of the front side of the base plate 60 facing the glass unit 16.

[0170] The plate member 410 of the winning unit 400 has a ball receiving section 412 at the center position on the left and right sides of the upper end, which is shaped to receive a ball from above and send the ball rearward, and the ball sent rearward from the ball receiving section 412 enters the first winning opening 64 of the game board 13 (see Figure 2).

[0171] Some of the balls guided inside the winning unit 400 are configured to win the second winning opening 640 or the third winning opening 64b (see FIG. 2). The ball is sent backward once inside the winning unit 400, then its flow direction reverses, and after being placed again on the front side of the plate member 410, it wins the second winning opening 640 or the third winning opening 64b; the flow of the ball will be described in detail later.

[0172] 7 and 9 are exploded front perspective views of the winning unit 400, and Fig. 8 and Fig. 10 are exploded rear perspective views of the winning unit 400. Fig. 7 and Fig. 8 show the non-excited state (forward closed state) of the electric role device 640a, and Fig. 9 and Fig. 10 show the excited state (rear open state) of the electric role device 640a. Details of the arrangement of the electric role device 640a in the non-excited state and the excited state will be described later.

[0173] As shown in Figures 7 to 10, the winning unit 400 comprises a plate member 410 fastened to the base plate 60 (see Figure 2), a front design member 420 arranged on the front side of the plate member 410 and fastened to the plate member 410, a middle member 430 arranged on the back side of the plate member 410 and fastened to the plate member 410, an upper member 440 arranged above the middle member 430 and fastened to the middle member 430, and a slide member 450 supported on the middle member 430 between the middle member 430 and upper member 440 so as to be able to slide back and forth and which constitutes an electric device 640a.

[0174] The plate member 410 is formed from a light-transmitting resin material and is provided with a central opening 413 that is drilled in a roughly rectangular shape that is long in the vertical direction and has a left-right width that allows a ball to pass through at the center position from left to right, a ball passage opening 414 that is drilled to the upper right of the upper end of the central opening 413 and is large enough to allow a ball to pass through after it rests on the front tip of the slide member 450, a sliding opening 415 that is formed continuously below the ball passage opening 414 and is expanded outward to the left and right more than the left-right width of the ball passage opening 414 so that the slide member 450 can be inserted through it, a support opening 416 that is formed continuously below the sliding opening 415 and is drilled in a roughly rectangular shape that corresponds to the outer shape of the protrusion 437a of the middle member 430, and through which the protrusion 437a is inserted and supported, and a ball discharge opening 417 that is formed continuously below the support opening 416 and is drilled in a left-right width that allows the ball to pass through.

[0175] Since the ball passage opening 414, the sliding opening 415, the support opening 416 and the ball discharge opening 417 are configured symmetrically, the same symbols are used for the left-hand side components and their explanations are omitted.

[0176] The central opening 413 is an opening through which the balls that are guided by the central flow path 431 of the middle member 430 and flow down to the front side pass to the front side. In addition, in the excited state (retracted open state) of the electric role device 640a, it also functions as an opening through which the balls pass to the rear side and are guided to the second winning port switch (detection sensor 462 described later), but details will be described later.

[0177] The ball passing opening 414 is an opening that allows the passage of a ball placed on the slide member 450 in a non-excited state (see FIG. 5) on the front side of the plate member 410. That is, the ball received on the slide member 450 passes through the ball passing opening 414 and is guided to the back side of the plate member 410.

[0178] The sliding opening 415 is an opening that supports the tip 451 of the sliding member 450 in a sliding manner when the sliding member 450 moves back and forth. The plate member 410 includes slide support portions 418 that extend rearward from the left and right ends of the sliding opening 415 while maintaining the shape of the inner surface of the sliding opening 415. This makes it possible to support the sliding member 450 at a position rearward of the sliding opening 415, and therefore makes it possible to stabilize the displacement of the sliding member 450 even when the sliding member 450 slides with a displacement width that is equal to or greater than the front-to-rear width of the sliding opening 415.

[0179] A protruding portion 437a of the middle member 430 projects toward the front side through the support opening 416. An opening 435a of a detection sensor 435 that can detect the passage of a ball is disposed in the protruding portion 437a of the middle member 430, in front of the plate member 410. That is, of the balls received by the slide member 450 in the non-excited state, those that did not pass through the ball passage opening 414 before the slide member 450 was placed in the excited state pass through opening 435a disposed in front of the support opening 416 directly below them.

[0180] Ball discharge opening 417 is an opening that allows the passage of balls that have passed through opening 435a disposed in front of support opening 416 and sends the balls to the rear side.

[0181] The front design member 420 is made of a light-transmitting resin material and includes a front plate 421 that forms the design surface, a joint 422 that is formed at the upper end of the front plate 421 in the center position on the left and right and protrudes toward the back side in a shape that can receive the lower edge of the ball receiving portion 412, a pair of partition plates 423 that extend downward from the lower end of the joint 422, and a pair of partition plates 423 that protrude outward to the left and right at a height position that can support the protrusion 437a of the middle member 430 at the lower part of the partition plate 423. The front plate 421 is provided with a support portion 424 formed thereon, a curved wall portion 425 formed below the support portion 424 and protruding rearward from the front plate portion 421 as a curved wall that forms a path for the balls to flow down, a pair of left and right eaves portions 426 formed by protruding outward from the upper edge of the joint portion 422 to the left and right and capable of changing the direction in which the balls flow down, and a pair of left and right ball guide ridges 427 formed by protruding rearward from the rear side surface of the front plate portion 421 to the left and right and below the eaves portions 426.

[0182] Because the front design member 420 is made of a light-transmitting resin material, even when the front plate 421 covers the front side, the configuration of the back side and the balls flowing down can be seen through the front plate 421. In other words, the player can see the state of the electric role device 640a (the slide member 450 and the tilt member 470) and the way the balls flow down on the back side of the front plate 421.

[0183] The joint 422 is formed in a shape that can receive the ball receiving portion 412 so that the seam between the joint 422 and the lower edge of the ball receiving portion 412 of the plate member 410 is not noticeable, so that the ball receiving portion 412 and the front plate portion 421 appear to be integrated when viewed from the front (see Figure 5).

[0184] Therefore, it is not only possible to design ball receiving portion 412 and front plate portion 421 to have separate designs, but also possible to design ball receiving portion 412 and front plate portion 421 to be combined to form a complete design.

[0185] Joint 422 also has the function of restricting the direction in which the ball flows down on the front side of plate member 410. In other words, a ball received on slide member 450 in a non-excited state is prevented from flowing directly to the center position on the left and right due to the force of the ball flowing down to the inside on the left and right sides, by colliding with joint 422. In other words, the flow path of the ball received on slide member 450 is restricted by the state of slide member 450 and joint 422.

[0186] Therefore, the ball received by the non-excited slide member 450 is guided rearward on the slide member 450, or when the slide member 450 is switched to an excited state, the ball is guided to the opening 435a disposed in front of the support opening 416.

[0187] The partition plate 423 has the function of restricting the direction in which the balls flow downward on the front side of the plate member 410. In other words, by disposing the partition plate 423, the balls that pass through the central opening 413 on the front side are prevented from being discharged to the left or right outside, and the flow path of the balls is restricted so that they flow exclusively downward.

[0188] Curved wall portion 425 is formed so that the balls flow outward to the left and right, making it easy to distinguish, in a front view, between balls guided by curved wall portion 425 and flowing rearward through ball discharge opening 417 and balls flowing rearward through central opening 413.

[0189] Also, unlike when the ball flow path is formed so as not to flow outward to the left or right, space for arranging a specific component can be secured by providing a left-right gap between the front-rear position of central opening 413 and the front-rear position of ball discharge opening 417. In this embodiment, a space (receiving recess 465) is formed for arranging a component (first component 481) for transmitting driving force to electric accessory 640a, the details of which will be described later.

[0190] The upper surface of the eaves portion 426 is formed as a smooth surface with the same slope as the upper surface of the joint portion 422, and functions as a part that switches the flow direction of a ball that rests on the upper surface on the left and right sides of the joint portion 422 to the left and right outward directions; details will be described later.

[0191] The ball guide ridge 427 is formed along the path of the balls that flow down toward the opening 435a of the detection sensor 435 among the balls placed on the slide member 450, and functions as a part that comes into contact with the balls as they flow down.

[0192] As a result, even if the rear surface of the front plate portion 421 wears down due to friction with the ball after long-term use, the ball guide protrusion 427 can be worn down from its tip, so the contact area between the ball and the rear surface of the front plate portion 421 can be kept small.

[0193] Furthermore, because the front design element 420 is made of a light-transmitting resin material, scratches reduce the degree of transparency regardless of whether they occur on the front or rear side. In other words, the larger the area of ​​scratches, the more difficult it becomes to see the components arranged behind the front design element 420 through the front design element 420. In this embodiment, it is desirable to maintain a high degree of transparency through the front design element 420 to ensure visibility of the ball flowing down the rear side of the front design element 420.

[0194] In contrast, in this embodiment, the location where scratches occur can be limited to the ball guide protrusion 427, thereby minimizing scratches on the front design member 420 and ensuring visibility of the balls flowing down.

[0195] The middle member 430 is a member that supports the slide member 450, and includes a central flow path 431 formed at a position sandwiched between the slide member 450 from the left and right, and a pair of left and right detection sensors 435 arranged below the slide member 450 in a non-excited state.

[0196] The central flow path 431 comprises a bottom surface portion 431a formed with a left-to-right width slightly longer than the diameter of the sphere and sloping downward toward the front side, a left wall portion 432 and a right wall portion 433 erected upward on the left and right sides of the bottom surface portion 431a to prevent the sphere from passing through, and a rear wall portion 434 erected upward behind the bottom wall portion 431a to prevent the sphere from passing through.

[0197] The left wall portion 432 is configured to secure a gap 432a between it and the rear wall portion 434 that is slightly longer than the diameter of the sphere, and the right wall portion 433 is configured to secure a gap 433a between it and the rear wall portion 434 that is slightly longer than the diameter of the sphere.

[0198] Gap 433a is disposed at a position shifted toward the front side of gap 432a. In this embodiment, gaps 432a and 433a are disposed so that the front end of gap 432a and the rear end of gap 433a are approximately aligned in the front-to-rear direction.

[0199] Alignment portion 432b is formed in the left wall portion 432 by cutting out the upper half from the rear end portion. Alignment portion 433b is formed in the right wall portion 433 by cutting out the upper half from the rear end portion. Alignment portions 432b, 433b are used for alignment when assembling upper member 440 to middle member 430, as will be described in detail below.

[0200] At the rear side of the left wall portion 432, the right side surface facing the central flow path 431 is a smooth surface, while a notch portion 432c is formed on the left side surface not facing the central flow path 431 so that the left and right width is shorter than that of the front side portion.

[0201] At the rear side of the right wall portion 433, the left side surface facing the central flow path 431 is a smooth surface, while a notch portion 433c is formed on the right side surface not facing the central flow path 431 so that the left and right width is shorter than that of the front side portion.

[0202] The notches 432c and 433c are formed with the same front-rear width and function to avoid interference with the inclined surface portions 452a and 453a of the slide member 450 during sliding movement, as will be described in detail later.

[0203] Rear wall portion 434 is formed as a curved wall portion connecting the rear ends of gaps 432a and 433a, thereby allowing a ball that passes through gap 432a and abuts against rear wall portion 434 to smoothly change direction toward the front side.

[0204] The detection sensor 435 is configured as a detection sensor that does not involve drawing a pattern even when it detects the passage of a ball. In other words, when a ball passes the detection sensor 435, neither a drawing for a special pattern nor a drawing for a normal pattern is executed, and the payout of prize balls is executed. In this embodiment, the detection sensor 435 is controlled so that five prize balls are paid out in response to the detection of one winning ball.

[0205] The upper member 440 is formed from a light-transmitting resin material and comprises an upper flow path component 441 that forms a flow path that slopes downward toward the rear so that balls received in the ball receiving portion 412 can flow down, a detection sensor 442 that detects balls that have flowed down the upper flow path component 441, an upper cover member 443 that is fastened and fixed as an upper cover for the upper flow path component 441 and that fixes the detection sensor 442 to the upper flow path component 441, a ceiling component 444 that forms the ceiling of at least the central flow path 431 of the middle member 430, and a left wall portion 445 and a right wall portion 446 that guide the flow of balls rolling on the upper surface of the slide member 450.

[0206] Since the upper member 440 is made of a light-transmitting resin material, the ball flow paths (the central flow path 431 and the flow paths guided by the slide member 450) below the upper member 440 can be seen through the upper member 440 by the player looking down at the winning unit 400 through the base plate 60. In other words, the player can see the balls rolling on the slide member 450 and flowing down the central flow path 431.

[0207] The detection sensor 442 detects a ball that has entered the first winning opening 64 (see FIG. 2). That is, when a ball passes through the detection sensor 442, a lottery for special symbol 1 is executed, and prize balls are paid out.

[0208] In the upper cover member 443, the path along which the balls flow to the left is positioned rearward of the rear end of the left wall portion 445. This makes it possible to prevent a situation in which the balls flowing down the upper flow path forming portion 441 are positioned above the flow path guided by the left wall portion 445. This makes it possible to prevent the visibility of the balls guided by the left wall portion 445 from being reduced by the balls flowing down the upper flow path forming portion 441.

[0209] The left wall 445 extends in the front-rear direction and is curved toward the center at its rear end. The front-rear position of the tip of the curved portion at the center coincides with the front-rear position of the left end of the rear wall 434 of the middle member 430.

[0210] The right side wall 446 extends in the front-rear direction and is curved toward the center at its rear end. The front-rear position of the tip of the curved portion at the center coincides with the front-rear position of the right end of the rear wall 434 of the middle member 430.

[0211] That is, both the left side wall portion 445 and the right side wall portion 446 are formed so as to be continuous with the rear wall portion 434 that forms the rear ends of the gaps 432a, 433a of the middle member 430, and are configured to guide the balls into the gaps 432a, 433a. That is, the rear end portion of the right side wall portion 446 is positioned more shifted toward the front than the rear end portion of the left side wall portion 445.

[0212] The slide member 450 is formed from an impermeable resin material and comprises a pair of left and right tip portions 451, a left guide plate portion 452 and a right guide plate portion 453 extending rearward from the left and right inner portions of the tip portions 451, and a central fixing portion 454 connecting and fixing the left guide plate portion 452 and the right guide plate portion 453 at the rear end.

[0213] By forming the slide member 450 from an opaque resin material, balls flowing down the underside of the slide member 450 (for example, balls flowing down the left and right paths 463 of the lower member 460) can be hidden (shielded so as to be difficult to see) by the slide member 450. This makes it possible to avoid a situation in which balls rolling on the slide member 450 and balls flowing down the underside of the slide member 450 (for example, balls flowing down the left and right paths 463 of the lower member 460) appear to overlap from the player's line of sight (the line of sight looking diagonally downward from the front side of the winning unit 400), even when the middle member 430 is formed from an optically transparent resin material.

[0214] The pair of tip portions 451 are formed in a symmetrical shape on either side of the central flow path 431, and are arranged in symmetrical positions on either side of the central flow path 431, with the left and right pair inclined downward toward the inside on the left and right at the same angle relative to the horizontal, and the left and right pair inclined downward toward the rear at the same angle.

[0215] The left guide plate portion 452 and the right guide plate portion 453 extend rearward while following the inclination of the tip portion 451, and the extension length of the left guide plate portion 452 is longer than that of the right guide plate portion 453. Therefore, the vertical position of the rear end portion of the left guide plate portion 452 is lower than that of the right guide plate portion 453.

[0216] The left guide plate 452 has an inclined surface 452a formed near the right edge of the rear half so that the degree of downward inclination toward the right of the plate upper surface increases. The right guide plate 453 has an inclined surface 453a formed near the left edge of the rear half so that the degree of downward inclination toward the left of the plate upper surface increases.

[0217] The inclined surface portions 452a and 453a are formed with a width sufficient for the slide member 450 to be disposed opposite the gaps 432a and 433a in the left-right direction regardless of whether the slide member 450 is in a non-excited state or an excited state.

[0218] In other words, when the ball rolling on the upper surface of the slide member 450 passes through the gaps 432a, 433a, the ball can flow along the slope of the inclined surface portions 452a, 453a regardless of whether the slide member 450 is in a non-excited state or an excited state, and therefore the flow direction can be shifted inward to the left and right.

[0219] Since the extension length of the right guide plate portion 453 is shorter, it is possible to secure space behind the right guide plate portion 453. In this embodiment, by disposing the solenoid SOL41 for driving the electric role device 640a in the vacant space, the winning unit 400 can be configured to fit the solenoid SOL41 well (in a shape that is approximately square when viewed from above).

[0220] The width (left-right width) of the inclined surface portions 452a and 453a can be set arbitrarily. For example, they may be configured to extend upward to the bottom surface portion 431a of the central flow path 431 so as to partially overlap in top view. In this case, the balls can flow down smoothly.

[0221] 11 and 13 are exploded front perspective views of the winning unit 400, and Figs. 12 and 14 are exploded rear perspective views of the winning unit 400. Figs. 11 to 14 show the electric role 640a in a non-excited state, and also show exploded views of the members below the middle member 430. Figs. 11 and 12 show the winning unit 400 viewed from diagonally above, and Figs. 13 and 14 show the winning unit 400 viewed from diagonally below.

[0222] The winning unit 400 comprises a lower member 460 disposed below the middle member 430 and fastened to the middle member 430, a tilting member 470 supported on the lower member 460 between the middle member 430 and the lower member 460 so as to be tiltable forward and backward and constituting an electric device 640a, and a transmission member 480 which transmits the driving force of the solenoid SOL41 to the slide member 450 and the tilting member 470.

[0223] First, with reference to FIGS. 11 to 14, the configuration of the plate member 410, front design member 420, middle member 430, upper member 440 and slide member 450 of the winning unit 400 will be further explained.

[0224] The front design element 420 is provided with ball guide ridges 428 formed as a pair of ridges that guide the balls as they flow down, at a position slightly shifted outward from the left-right midpoint between the pair of partition plates 423.

[0225] The protruding tip (rear end) of the ball guide protrusion 428 is shaped to slope downward toward the front, so that when a ball arriving from the rear is guided, a downward load is more easily applied to the ball, making it easier to prevent the ball from bouncing back.

[0226] The ball guide ridges 428 are formed along the path of the balls that pass through the central opening 413 of the plate member 410 toward the front side, and function as the part that comes into contact with the balls as they flow down. The ball guide ridges 428 are formed from a pair of ridges that are offset outward to the left and right from the left-right center of the balls as they flow down. This makes it easier for the balls to come into contact with the inner left and right corners of the ball guide ridges 428, so that wear of the ball guide ridges 428 occurs from the corners. This makes it possible to prevent damage to the left and right central parts of the ball guide ridges 428.

[0227] As a result, even if the rear surface of the front plate portion 421 wears down due to friction with the ball after long-term use, the ball can be worn down from the tip of the ball guide protrusion 428, so the contact area between the ball and the rear surface of the front plate portion 421 can be kept small.

[0228] Furthermore, because the front design element 420 is made of a light-transmitting resin material, scratches reduce the degree of transparency regardless of whether they occur on the front or rear side. In other words, the larger the area of ​​scratches, the more difficult it becomes to see the components arranged behind the front design element 420 through the front design element 420. In this embodiment, it is desirable to maintain a high degree of transparency through the front design element 420 to ensure visibility of the ball flowing down the rear side of the front design element 420.

[0229] In contrast, in this embodiment, the location where scratches occur can be limited to the ball guide protrusion 428, thereby minimizing scratches on the front design member 420 and ensuring visibility of the balls flowing down.

[0230] The middle member 430 includes a support extension portion 436 that extends outward on the left and right sides from the left wall portion 432 and the right wall portion 433 and presses down and supports the detection sensor 435 from above, and a base plate 437 that is a plate-shaped member on which the detection sensor 435 is placed and to which the support extension portion 436 is fastened and fixed at the left and right ends.

[0231] A locking plate portion 431b is provided in a plate shape protruding vertically downward from a position near the rear end on the opposite surface (lower surface) of the bottom surface portion 431a disposed between the left wall portion 432 and the right wall portion 433. The locking plate portion 431b functions as a portion that determines the movement end point of the slide member 450, and will be described in detail later.

[0232] The support extension portion 436 has an upper surface formed as a smooth surface along the front-to-rear direction, and is provided with an opening 436a that is rectangular and opens above the opening 435a of the detection sensor 435 so that a ball can pass through, and a protrusion portion 436b that is formed on the upper surface and protrudes upward in a manner that extends in the left-to-right direction.

[0233] The protrusion 436b is disposed at a position where, when the middle member 430 is in an assembled state (see FIG. 9), its front side surface smoothly communicates with the edge of the opening 435a of the detection sensor 435. This prevents balls flowing downward along the front side of the tip 451 from getting into the gap between the tip 451 and the detection sensor 435 when the slide member 450 is in an excited state (see FIG. 9), which would otherwise cause the balls to unintentionally stop flowing downward. That is, the protrusion 436b can guide the balls as they flow downward, allowing them to flow smoothly.

[0234] Furthermore, when slide member 450 is in a non-excited state (see FIG. 7), protrusion 436b is disposed directly below the joint between tip 451 and left guide plate 452 or right guide plate 453. Therefore, even if a ball rests on tip 451 and the weight of the ball causes tip 451 and left guide plate 452 or right guide plate 453 to bend and deform in a direction that causes tip 451 and left guide plate 452 or right guide plate 453 to fall forward, protrusion 436b can support the joint between tip 451 and left guide plate 452 or right guide plate 453 from below, thereby suppressing the above-mentioned bending deformation.

[0235] The base plate 437 is perforated in various places in the vertical direction to form openings. That is, a protruding portion 437a formed on the front side to accommodate the detection sensor 435 has an opening larger than the opening of the detection sensor 435, and is positioned so as not to block the opening of the detection sensor 435. An opening 437b is formed at the right rear end portion in the lower portion of the solenoid SOL41 to fit and support, through which the plunger SOL41a of the solenoid SOL41 passes, and an opening 437c with a front-to-rear width sufficient to pass the second member 485 of the transmission member 480 through and allow displacement is formed at the central rear end portion.

[0236] The base plate 437 has, on its lower surface, a receiving recess 437d extending in the front-to-rear direction as a portion for receiving the first member 481 of the transmission member 480 that transmits the driving force to the tilting member 470, an inclined surface portion 437e that forms the ceiling of the path of the ball guided to the lower member 460 and slopes downward toward the rear, and an inclined stopper 437f that slopes downward toward the rear at the front end of a pair of extended walls that extend downward from the left and right ends of the inclined surface portion 437e.

[0237] The tilt stopper 437f can set the posture of the tilting member 470 in the non-excited state to a posture slightly tilted from the posture of standing straight up, while still blocking the path of the ball, thereby reducing the opening and closing angle of the tilting member 470. This can shorten the time required for the opening and closing operation of the tilting member 470, thereby reducing the occurrence of ball jamming, as will be described in detail later.

[0238] The ceiling component 444 of the upper member 440 comprises an inclined surface portion 444a which is arranged opposite the bottom surface portion 431a of the middle member 430 in the vertical direction and which slopes upward as it moves forward, and a pair of extension portions 444b which extend downward with an L-shaped cross section from the rear end portions of the portions which are arranged on both the left and right sides of the inclined surface portion 444a.

[0239] The inclined surface 444a forms the ceiling of the central flow path 431, and since the inclined surface 444a is inclined upward toward the front, the cross-sectional area (opening area) of the central flow path 431 increases toward the front. In other words, since the flow path area increases toward the downstream side, the occurrence of ball clogging can be suppressed in a flow pattern in which the water flows forward through the central flow path 431.

[0240] The extensions 444b are designed so that when the upper member 440 is assembled to the middle member 430, the left and right inner ends of the rear end can be engaged with the alignment portions 432b, 433b of the middle member 430 for alignment.

[0241] By assembling them in this manner, the front-to-rear position of the rear side surface of the extension portion 444b coincides with the front-to-rear position of the rear end portions (front ends of gaps 432a, 433a) of the left wall portion 432 and the right wall portion 433. That is, a gap 444c is provided between the extension portion 444b and the left wall portion 445 or the right wall portion 446 that are arranged opposite each other in the front-to-rear direction, and this gap 444c is arranged directly above the gaps 432a, 433a and is configured to be continuously connected to the gaps 432a, 433a.

[0242] In other words, gaps 432a and 433a form the lower part of the opening through which the ball passes, and gap 444c forms the upper part of the opening whose lower part is formed by gaps 432a and 433a. This opens up the upper parts of gaps 432a and 433a, and prevents the ball from passing through a position outside gaps 432a, 433a, and 444c, unlike when the ball can jump over gaps 432a and 433a and flow down when it bounces.

[0243] The slide member 450 has a pair of protrusions 455 extending in the front-to-rear direction and protruding downward from the lower surfaces of the left guide plate portion 452 and the right guide plate portion 453. The protrusions 455 are designed to have a width in the left-to-right direction that is narrower than the widths of the left guide plate portion 452 and the right guide plate portion 453, and the protruding end portion (lower end portion) is shaped to follow the movement direction (front-to-rear direction) of the slide member 450.

[0244] When the slide member 450 moves back and forth, the protrusion portion 455 is supported by the support extension portion 436 of the middle member 430. In this case, the contact area between the slide member 450 and the support extension portion 436 can be reduced, thereby reducing the resistance to movement of the slide member 450 and also preventing the left guide plate portion 452 and the right guide plate portion 453 from tipping forward (deformation) due to the weight of the ball resting on their upper surfaces.

[0245] The protrusion portion 455 is formed along the left guide plate portion 452 and the right guide plate portion 453 and functions as a rib, thereby increasing the rigidity of the left guide plate portion 452 and the right guide plate portion 453, which are long in the front-to-rear direction.

[0246] The protrusion 455 is disposed rearward of the tip 451. In other words, the protrusion 455 is not formed on the lower surface of the tip 451, and does not increase the rigidity of the tip 451.

[0247] This allows the ease of elastic deformation to be varied for each portion of the slide member 450. That is, by configuring the tip portion 451 to allow a certain degree of elastic deformation, for example, when the slide member 450 moves forward, even if a ball gets caught between the front end of the slide member 450 and the front design member 420, the load generated by the elastic deformation and elastic recovery of the tip portion 451 allows the ball to quickly be released from the caught position.

[0248] When the tip 451 elastically deforms, if the left guide plate portion 452 and the right guide plate portion 453 also elastically deform, the cross-sectional area of ​​the flow path of the balls flowing down the upper surfaces of the left guide plate portion 452 and the right guide plate portion 453 may be narrowed due to the fact that the left guide plate portion 452 and the right guide plate portion 453 are long in the front-to-back direction.

[0249] In this case, the flow resistance of the ball that has already passed through the ball passage opening 414 and is rolling on the upper surface of the left guide plate section 452 or the right guide plate section 453 increases, which may cause the time it takes for the ball to pass over the upper surface of the left guide plate section 452 or the right guide plate section 453 to be longer than usual.

[0250] In contrast, in this embodiment, protrusions 455 are formed on left guide plate 452 and right guide plate 453, and these protrusions 455 function as ribs, thereby preventing elastic deformation of left guide plate 452 and right guide plate 453. This makes it possible to maintain the size of the cross-sectional area of ​​the flow path of the ball flowing down the upper surface of left guide plate 452 and right guide plate 453, making it easier to manage the time it takes for the ball to pass over the upper surface of left guide plate 452 or right guide plate 453.

[0251] Therefore, it is possible to simultaneously achieve both the effect of the tip portion 451 being easily elastically deformed and the effect of the left guide plate portion 452 and the right guide plate portion 453 being less likely to be elastically deformed.

[0252] Next, the configuration of the winning unit 400 other than the plate member 410, the front design member 420, the middle member 430, the upper member 440, and the slide member 450 will be described.

[0253] Lower member 460 has multiple ball rolling paths. That is, lower member 460 has central path 461 along which balls picked up by tilting member 470 roll, and left and right paths 463 along which balls that have passed detection sensor 435 roll. The passage of balls that have rolled along central path 461 is detected by detection sensor 462 disposed behind it.

[0254] The detection sensor 462 detects the passage of the ball that has entered the second winning opening 640 (see FIG. 2). That is, when the ball passes through the detection sensor 462, a lottery for the special symbol 2 is executed, and the prize balls are paid out.

[0255] In addition, the lower member 460 is provided with a bearing portion 464 that forms the lower half of the receiving portion that tiltably supports the tilting member 470, a receiving recess 465 that extends in the front-to-rear direction as a portion for receiving a first member 481 of the transmission member 480 that transmits driving force to the tilting member 470, and a bearing portion 466 that forms the lower half of the receiving portion that tiltably supports a second member 485 of the transmission member 480 that transmits driving force to the slide member 450.

[0256] The bearing portion 464 is configured as a recess that is open at the top, and when the middle member 430 is fastened and fixed to the lower member 460 with the supported protrusion 473 of the tilting member 470 in place, the tilting member 470 is supported by the bearing portion 464 and the middle member 430 in a tiltable manner.

[0257] The receiving recess 465 is formed at a position between the central path 461 and the left and right paths 463 as an area that is long enough in the front-rear direction to receive the first member 481 that is long in the front-rear direction, and deep enough to allow vertical displacement of the first member 481. By preventing the first member 481 from falling out of the receiving recess 465, deformation of the first member 481 in the left and right direction can be suppressed.

[0258] The bearing portion 466 is configured as a recess that is open at the top, and when the second member 485 of the transmission member 480 is positioned, the middle member 430 is fastened and fixed to the lower member 460, so that the second member 485 is supported by the bearing portion 466 and the middle member 430 in a tiltable manner.

[0259] When the tilting member 470 is in a non-energized state, it stands up as shown in Figure 11 and is in a position that prevents the ball from entering the central path 461, while when it is in an excited state, it tilts (see Figure 9) and is in a position that allows the ball to enter the central path 461.

[0260] The tilting member 470 comprises a plate-like portion 471 that curves gently inward (upward) toward the tip, a pair of cylindrical portions 472 that protrude in the left-right direction from the lower end of the plate-like portion 471, supported protrusions 473 that protrude in the left and right directions from the left and right ends of the cylindrical portion 472 and are cylindrically shaped and coaxial with the cylindrical portion 472 and have a smaller diameter than the cylindrical portion 472, and a transmitted portion 474 that extends in a C-shape in side view from the outer periphery of the right-side cylindrical portion 472 and abuts against the first member 481 of the transmitting member 480 to receive the load transmission.

[0261] Plate-like portion 471 is formed with a width on the order of the diameter of a ball, and is configured to prevent multiple balls from landing at the same time.

[0262] Like the supported protrusion 473, the columnar portion 472 is a portion that is rotatably supported by the lower member 460. By providing the columnar portion 472, it is possible to ensure an area that can bear the sliding load during rotation and the load in the direction of gravity that is generated by the load from the ball, and therefore it is possible to reduce mechanical wear compared to when the support is provided only by the supported protrusion 473.

[0263] The transmission member 480 includes a first member 481 configured to restrict vertical disengagement by inserting the plunger SOL41a in the left-right direction at its rear end, and a second member 485 that interlocks with the first member 481.

[0264] The opening 437b in the base plate 437 restricts the movement of the plunger SOL41a in all directions, except for the up and down directions, such as forward, backward, left and right. The first member 481 into which the plunger SOL41a is inserted in the left and right directions is restricted in its movement in the left and right directions by the receiving recess 465, which makes it easier to prevent the first member 481 and the plunger SOL41a from becoming disconnected due to falling off in the left and right directions, for example.

[0265] When the excitation state of the solenoid SOL41 is switched and the plunger SOL41a is displaced in the up and down direction, the first member 481 is displaced in the up and down direction and the second member 485 is displaced in a direction tilting forward and backward, as will be described in detail later.

[0266] Figure 15(a) is a front view of the winning unit 400, Figure 15(b) is a side view of the winning unit 400 as viewed in the direction of arrow XVb in Figure 15(a), and Figure 15(c) is a top view of the winning unit 400 as viewed in the direction of arrow XVc in Figure 15(a).

[0267] 15(a) to 15(c) show the non-excited state of the electric device 640a. Also, in Fig. 15(b) and Fig. 15(c), the positions of the front and rear side surfaces of the base plate 60 to which the winning unit 400 is attached are shown by imaginary lines. In this embodiment, the ball that flows down the front side of the front side surface of the base plate 60 reaches the winning unit 400.

[0268] As shown in Figure 15(c), when the electric accessory 640a is in a non-excited state, the tip 451 of the slide member 450 is positioned outside the eaves portion 426 on the left and right sides, and the tip 451 is inclined downward toward the rear as shown in Figure 15(b).

[0269] Therefore, if a ball flowing down the front side of base plate 60 misses ball receiving portion 412 and lands on tip portion 451 via eaves portion 426, or if a ball lands on tip portion 451 directly without passing through eaves portion 426 (a diving ball), it is pulled rearward along the slope of tip portion 451. When the ball reaches a position where it can pass through ball passage opening 414 (see FIG. 11), it flows along the slope of tip portion 451, down the top surface of slide member 450, and toward left guide plate portion 452 or right guide plate portion 453.

[0270] Figures 16(a) and 16(b) are cross-sectional views of the winning unit 400 taken along line XVIa-XVIa in Figure 15(c). Figure 16(a) illustrates the non-excited state of the electric device 640a (the slide member 450 and the tilt member 470), and Figure 16(b) illustrates the excited state of the electric device 640a. Also, Figures 16(a) and 16(b) illustrate some nails KG1 planted in the base plate 60.

[0271] The state of the slide member 450 is switched by sliding it in the front-to-rear direction, and it is configured so that it is difficult to distinguish between the non-excited state and the excited state when viewed from the front. This makes it difficult to predict whether a game ball flowing down toward the slide member 450 will roll on the upper surface of the slide member 450 or flow downward on the front side of the tip 451.

[0272] The state of the tilting member 470 is changed by tilting, and is configured to make it easy to distinguish between the non-excited state and the excited state, which makes it easy to determine whether or not the ball is in a state where it can enter the second winning hole 640 (see FIG. 2).

[0273] 16(a) and 16(b), we will explain how the balls flow down to reach the winning unit 400. Note that, since the winning unit 400 is formed in a bilaterally symmetrical shape in the cross section shown in Figures 16(a) and 16(b), we will only explain one side and omit the explanation for the other side.

[0274] 16(a), a ball that misses the ball receiving portion 412 and flows down follows route DR1, for example, via eaves portion 426. In this case, the ball is blocked by eaves portion 426 and does not flow down the shortest distance to ball passage opening 414, and the time it spends on tip 451 is extended. Furthermore, because the slope of eaves portion 426 causes the ball to flow down with a velocity component to the left and right outward, after landing on slide member 450 and bouncing, the ball is likely to bounce back to the left and right outward.

[0275] In contrast, in this embodiment, the upper surface of the slide member 450 is inclined downward toward the left and right inside, so that the direction of the rebound of the ball can be shifted toward the left and right inside. This makes it easier to prevent the ball that flows down the path DR1 from spilling onto the left and right outside of the tip 451 of the slide member 450.

[0276] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the nail KG1 is planted in a position facing the ball flowing outward to the left and right of the tip 451 of the slide member 450. Therefore, even if a ball flows outward to the left or right of the tip 451, the greater the momentum of the ball, the more likely it is to return to the slide member 450 side upon collision with the nail KG1. If the momentum of the ball flowing outward to the left or right of the tip 451 is insufficient, the ball will not bounce back upon collision with the nail KG1 and will instead flow down between the nail KG1 and the tip 451 of the slide member 450.

[0277] Even if the nail KG1 flows down a path different from the path DR1, it will normally reach the same point DR1a as the point where the path DR1 reaches the slide member 450 and be guided by the slide member 450 due to the arrangement of the nail KG1.

[0278] The ball flows down over the nail KG1 planted in a position opposite the ball rolling on the upper surface of the slide member 450 and reaches point DR1a, but is prevented from falling off between the tip 451 of the slide member 450 and the nail KG1 because the tip 451 of the slide member 450 is formed to protrude toward the nail KG1.

[0279] Note that, although there are cases where a ball bounced off the nail KG1 flies toward the left or right inner side of the tip 451 (a position in front of the ball passage opening 414), the positioning of the eaves portion 426 is designed so that the ball will easily collide with the eaves portion 426. That is, in this embodiment, even in the case of an irregular flow pattern caused by a ball being bounced off the nail KG1, the occurrence of a situation in which the ball reaches a position in front of the ball passage opening 414 without passing through point DR1a is suppressed. In this embodiment, the frequency of balls that are bounced off the nail KG1 and reach a position in front of the ball passage opening 414 without passing through point DR1a is adjusted and designed so that it is about 1 in 10 balls bounced off the nail KG1.

[0280] As shown in Figure 16(b), when the electric device 640a (slide member 450 and tilt member 470) is in an excited state and the ball flows down path DR1, the ball does not land on the slide member 450, but flows while maintaining the left-right velocity component generated by the inclination of the eaves portion 426.

[0281] Since the tip 451 of the slide member 450 does not protrude outward to the left or right, it is not possible to expect the effect of narrowing the gap between the nail KG1, and the ball deviates and flows down outward to the left or right of the opening 436a. In addition, the design of the eaves portion 426 described above prevents the ball from reaching a position in front of the ball passage opening 414 in an irregular flow down due to being bounced off the nail KG1, and prevents the ball from passing through the opening 435a of the detection sensor 435.

[0282] In other words, when a ball flows down as illustrated by path DR1, if the slide member 450 is in a non-excited state, the ball is likely to be guided inward to the left and right along the upper surface of the tip 451, and if the slide member 450 is in an excited state, the ball is unlikely to enter directly into the opening 435a of the detection sensor 435, and is likely to flow down the outside of the front design member 420 to the left and right.

[0283] Next, we will explain how a ball flows down after landing on tip 451 of de-energized slide member 450. A ball that has landed on tip 451 of slide member 450 flows inward to the left and right along the slope of tip 451, and if slide member 450 is maintained in a de-energized state until it passes through ball passage opening 414, the ball will flow behind tip 451 without any problems, increasing the chance that it will enter second winning slot 640 or third winning slot 64b (see Figure 2).

[0284] As another case, the case where the slide member 450 is switched to the excited state while the ball is resting on the tip portion 451 will be described.

[0285] 16(a) is shown as being resting on the left and right outer ends of the slide member 450. When the slide member 450 is switched to an excited state while there is a ball in the ball arrangement B1, the ball is blocked behind by the plate member 410, so the ball cannot move rearward as the slide member 450 moves, and instead flows down the left and right outer sides of the front design member 420.

[0286] 16(b) is illustrated as a state in which the center of the ball is located above the left and right outer edges of the opening 436a of the middle member 430. When the slide member 450 is switched to the excited state while there is a ball in the ball arrangement B2, the rear of the ball is blocked by the plate member 410, and therefore the ball cannot move rearward as the slide member 450 moves.

[0287] On the other hand, whether the ball flows down the left or right outer side of the front design member 420 or flows down toward the opening 436a depends on the momentum of the ball at that time and the deviation of the center position of the ball. The ball that flows down toward the opening 436a passes through the opening 435a of the detection sensor 435, and the prize ball is paid out to the player.

[0288] Therefore, when the slide member 450 is switched to the excited state while there is a ball in ball arrangement B2, the fate of the ball is uncertain, and the profit that the player can obtain varies depending on the fate of the ball, so it is possible to improve the player's attention to the slide member 450 when there is a ball in ball arrangement B2.

[0289] 16(b) is illustrated as a state in which a ball is placed in front of the ball passage opening 414. When the slide member 450 is switched to the excited state while there is a ball in the ball arrangement B3, the rear of the ball is open at the ball passage opening 414, so that the ball moves rearward due to the load received from the slide member 450 as the slide member 450 moves (it moves rearward by being pushed by the slide member 450).

[0290] That is, even if the slide member 450 is switched to the excited state when a ball is placed in ball arrangement B3, that ball (only one) can be allowed to flow down to the rear of the ball passage opening 414. In this case, the upper surface of the tip 451 of the slide member 450 is inclined downward toward the rear, which makes it easier to prevent the ball from spilling forward while the slide member 450 is moving.

[0291] In addition, according to this embodiment, the ball arrangement B3 is formed symmetrically, so when the slide member 450 is switched to an excited state while balls are placed on both the left and right ball arrangements B3, both balls move backward along with the movement of the slide member and flow down behind the ball passage opening 414.

[0292] As described above, according to this embodiment, even if the state change is the same, that is, when the sliding member 450 is switched from a state in which a ball is placed on the tip portion 451 to a magnetized state, the flow path of the ball after the sliding member 450 is switched to the magnetized state is configured to change depending on the arrangement of the ball on the tip portion 451. Therefore, when a ball is placed on the tip portion 451, it is possible to improve attention to the movement of the ball and the sliding member 450.

[0293] When the slide member 450 is switched to the excited state, the further downstream (toward the ball arrangement B3) the ball arrangements B1 to B3 are, the greater the potential profit the player can potentially obtain. Therefore, even after the ball lands on the slide member 450, the potential profit the player can obtain continues to increase, which can increase the player's attention to the ball flowing down.

[0294] Furthermore, the number of balls on the slide member 450 is not limited to one, and for example, balls may be placed in ball arrangements B1 and B3 at the same time. In this case, the player's potential profit is higher if the slide member 450 is maintained in a non-excited state until the ball in ball arrangement B3 passes backward through the ball passage opening 414 and the ball in ball arrangement B1 reaches the ball arrangement B3 side (approximately 0.2 seconds in this embodiment), and therefore the player's attention to the movement of the balls and slide member 450 can be improved.

[0295] Figure 17 is a cross-sectional view of the winning unit 400 taken along line XVII-XVII in Figure 15(c), Figure 18 is a cross-sectional view of the winning unit 400 taken along line XVIII-XVIII in Figure 15(c), and Figure 19 is a cross-sectional view of the winning unit 400 taken along line XIX-XIX in Figure 15(c). Figures 17 to 19 show the non-excited state (forward closed state) of the electric role 640a.

[0296] In the non-excited state (forward closed state) of the electric accessory 640a, as shown in FIGS. 17 to 19, the sliding member 450 is disposed in the forward position, and the tilting member 470 is disposed in the closed position.

[0297] 17 and 19, we will first explain the configuration of the flow path for the ball rolling on the upper surface of the slide member 450. When the slide member 450 is positioned in the forward position, the front-to-rear width between the front design member 420 and the slide member 450 becomes less than the diameter of the ball, so that the ball is prevented from flowing into the opening 435a of the detection sensor 435, and the ball resting on the tip 451 is introduced to the rear of the ball passage opening 414.

[0298] The ball that passes through ball passage opening 414 rolls on slide member 450 along the area surrounded by middle member 430 and upper member 440. Upper member 440 has a ceiling surface 447 that is disposed opposite the upper surface of slide member 450.

[0299] Unlike the inclination of the upper surface of slide member 450, ceiling surface 447 is formed as a flat surface extending along the front-rear direction (in this embodiment, the displacement direction of slide member 450). Therefore, the cross-sectional area of ​​the flow path formed between ceiling surface 447 and slide member 450 increases toward the rear side (downstream side), making it possible to suppress clogging of balls and avoid an increase in the resistance to the balls flowing downward.

[0300] This also makes it easier to avoid the ball colliding with the ceiling surface 447 even if the ball rolling backward on the slide member 450 bounces upward or if the ball bounces backward due to a load pushing it backward.

[0301] 19, the vertical position of the inclined surface portion 444a of the ceiling component 444 is lower than the vertical position of the ceiling surface 447. Therefore, even if the ball bounces close to the ceiling surface 447, the height position of the ball can be lowered to the inclined surface portion 444a before passing through the gap 444c and joining the central flow path 431.

[0302] That is, the momentum of the balls can be reduced before they merge into the central flow path 431. This makes it easier to avoid situations in which a ball newly guided into the central flow path 431 applies a large load to a ball already placed in the central flow path 431 that would cause that ball to flow backward, even in cases where balls are introduced into the central flow path 431 from the left and right at any time and may collide. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the backward flow of balls in the central flow path 431 and make the ball flow smoother.

[0303] Furthermore, since the height position of the ceiling surface 447 is the same on the left and right sides, this effect occurs not only on the ball guided by the right guide plate portion 453, but also on the ball guided by the left guide plate portion 452.

[0304] The ceiling surface 447 has a curved guide portion 447a formed as a curved surface at the rear end and smoothly connected to the left side wall portion 445 and the right side wall portion 446. When a ball bounces off the upper surface of the slide member 450 and collides with the curved guide portion 447a, the ball can be directed downward along the shape of the curved guide portion 447a, so that the ball can be brought closer to the slide member 450.

[0305] This allows the balls to be smoothly displaced below the vertical position of the inclined surface portion 444a, so that the balls can be smoothly joined with the central flow path 431.

[0306] As shown in Figures 17 and 19, the forward / backward movement range of the ball rolling on the upper surface of the slide member 450 is several centimeters (approximately 3 to 5 centimeters), but the length (left-right width) that it occupies on the front side of the base plate 60 is kept to approximately 1 to 2 centimeters on each side (see Figure 16).

[0307] That is, the slide member 450 is configured so that the range in which the slide member 450 is disposed (the area it occupies when viewed from the front) on the front side of the base plate 60 can be made smaller compared to the length of the path along which the ball is guided. This allows the space in the play area occupied by the slide member 450 to be reduced while ensuring a sufficient length along which the ball is guided by the slide member 450, so that space can be secured in the play area for arranging other electric devices, winning slots, etc.

[0308] 19, the inclined surface portion 444a of the upper member 440 and the right guide plate portion 453 (and the left guide plate portion 452, see FIG. 17) of the slide member 450 have the same inclination angle in the front-to-rear direction. This ensures that the areas of the right opening RT (an opening defined by the right gap 444c, the inclined surface portion 444a, and the right guide plate portion 453) through which the ball passes from the right guide plate portion 453 to the central flow path 431 and the left opening LT (an opening defined by the left gap 444c, the inclined surface portion 444a, and the left guide plate portion 452) through which the ball passes from the left guide plate portion 452 to the central flow path 431 are the same.

[0309] That is, since the left and right openings LT, RT are located at different front-to-back positions, the area (vertical width) of the openings LT, RT may be smaller for the rear left opening LT due to the vertical position of the inclined surface portion 444a being lower, but in this embodiment, the vertical positions of the right guide plate portion 453 (and left guide plate portion 452, see Figure 17) of the slide member 450 are similarly lower in response to the lower vertical position of the inclined surface portion 444a, so the vertical widths of the left and right openings LT, RT can be ensured to be the same.

[0310] This makes it easier to prevent a situation in which the flow resistance of the ball when it joins the central flow path 431 changes depending on whether the ball is guided by the right guide plate portion 453 or the left guide plate portion 452.

[0311] On the other hand, the length of time that the ball rolls along the slide member 450 differs depending on whether the ball is guided by the right guide plate portion 453 or the left guide plate portion 452 (the left guide plate portion 452 is approximately 11 mm (the diameter of the ball) longer than the right guide plate portion 453), so the time required for the ball to pass through the ball passage opening 414 and join the central flow path 431 differs, but details about the time required for the ball to flow down will be given later.

[0312] 17 to 19, the left and right openings LT and RT are shown by imaginary lines as the opening arrangement when the slide member 450 is positioned in the forward position. Also, to avoid overlapping with other solid lines, they are shown slightly smaller, but this is not intended to limit the shape to a small one, and they are formed with a size and arrangement sufficient to be smoothly guided from the left guide plate portion 452 or the right guide plate portion 453 to the central flow path 431.

[0313] Next, central flow path 431 will be described with reference to Fig. 18. The ball guided by slide member 450 is introduced into central flow path 431 along the slopes of inclined surface portions 452a, 453a at openings LT, RT, which are positioned at different positions in the front and rear on both the left and right sides.

[0314] The introduced ball flows down along the central flow path 431 toward the front side, and when the tilting member 470 is in the closed position, it flows downward after colliding with the ball guide protrusion 428, falls out of the winning unit 400, and flows down toward the third winning port 64b (see Figure 2).

[0315] Here, the balls received in the ball receiving portion 412 flow down in order into the upper flow path forming portion 441, so the number of balls does not suddenly increase, and the inclination of the upper cover member 443 is parallel to the upper flow path forming portion 441. On the other hand, if balls are guided into the central flow path 431 from the left and right at the same time, multiple balls may be placed in the central flow path 431 at the same time, and the balls may become strung together or may float up due to the load generated between the balls.

[0316] In contrast, in this embodiment, the inclined surface 444a that forms the ceiling of the central flow path 431 is inclined upward toward the front, so the cross-sectional area (opening area) of the central flow path 431 increases toward the front. That is, since the flow path area increases toward the downstream side, it is possible to prevent balls from clogging in the flow pattern in which the balls flow forward through the central flow path 431. That is, even in a flow path configuration in which the balls join at an intermediate position, a large flow path area is ensured, so it is possible to avoid an increase in the flow resistance of the balls.

[0317] Figure 20 is a cross-sectional view of the winning unit 400 taken along line XVII-XVII in Figure 15(c), Figure 21 is a cross-sectional view of the winning unit 400 taken along line XVIII-XVIII in Figure 15(c), and Figure 22 is a cross-sectional view of the winning unit 400 taken along line XIX-XIX in Figure 15(c). Figures 20 to 22 show the excited state (retracted open state) of the electric role 640a.

[0318] 20 to 22, the left and right openings LT, RT are shown by imaginary lines as opening positions when the slide member 450 is positioned in the forward position, similar to the illustrations in FIGS.

[0319] In the excited state (retracted open state) of the electric accessory 640a, as shown in FIGS. 20 to 22, the sliding member 450 is located in the retracted position, and the tilting member 470 is located in the open position.

[0320] 20 and 22, when the slide member 450 is placed in the retracted position, the tip end 451 of the slide member 450 is placed behind the front side surface of the plate member 410. This makes it possible to prevent new balls from landing on the slide member 450.

[0321] That is, no new balls will be introduced toward the second winning opening 640 or the third winning opening 64b (see FIG. 2), which are located downstream of the central flow path 431 located downstream of the slide member 450. Therefore, if the excited state is maintained longer than the time required for the balls on the slide member 450 to flow completely down the front side of the tilt member 470, all of the balls guided to the winning unit 400 can be picked up by the tilt member 470. In addition, since the balls guided by the slide member 450 are not added up, it is possible to prevent the number of balls entering the second winning opening 640 or the third winning opening 64b from becoming excessive. Details of ball entry control will be described later.

[0322] 20 and 22, a narrow protrusion 455 is formed on the underside of the slide member 450, and the narrow protrusion 445 is supported by the support extension 436 of the middle member 430. This prevents the slide member 450 from changing its posture by tilting in the forward / backward direction, and reduces the contact area between the slide member 450 and the support extension 436 when the slide member 450 moves forward / backward, thereby reducing frictional resistance.

[0323] If a ball is on the left guide plate portion 452 or the right guide plate portion 453 when the slide member 450 is switched to the excited state and displaced from the forward position to the backward position, the upper surfaces of the left guide plate portion 452 and the right guide plate portion 453 are inclined downward toward the rear, so that the ball is prevented from sliding, and moves rearward integrally with the slide member 450 (by the same displacement amount as the displacement amount of the slide member 450). In addition, the ball is accelerated rearward by the load applied via the slide member 450.

[0324] On the other hand, if a ball is placed on the left guide plate portion 452 or the right guide plate portion 453 when the slide member 450 is switched from an excited state to a non-excited state and displaced from the retracted position to the advanced position, the vertical height of the slide member 450 at the forward / backward position where the ball is placed decreases due to the inclination of the upper surface of the slide member 450, and the vertical distance between the slide member 450 and the ball is widened.

[0325] That is, the ball floats relative to the slide member 450 and then lands on the slide member 450 again, and the ball is prevented from moving forward integrally with the slide member 450.

[0326] In addition, if a forward spin is applied to the ball when the slide member 450 begins to move (before a vertical gap opens between the ball and the slide member 450), the speed at which the ball flows down the slide member 450 can be increased.

[0327] When the slide member 450 is switched from a non-energized state to an energized state, the ball already resting on the left guide plate portion 452 or the right guide plate portion 453 remains resting on the left guide plate portion 452 or the right guide plate portion 453, and the branching of the flow path is confirmed further downstream.

[0328] On the other hand, as described above in Fig. 16, when the slide member 450 is switched from the non-excited state to the excited state, the ball placed in front of the ball passage opening 414 may fall toward the opening 435a of the detection sensor 435. That is, at a position in front of the ball passage opening 414, it may be determined whether the ball will pass through the opening 435a of the detection sensor 435 and be discharged outside the play area, or whether it will flow along a different flow path.

[0329] In this embodiment, opening 435a of detection sensor 435 is configured to be located closer to the front than left guide plate portion 452 and right guide plate portion 453. This increases the attention to detection sensor 435, and the flow path branches off to the opening 435a side of detection sensor 435, making it easier to visually recognize the ball passing through opening 435a.

[0330] 21, even when the sliding member 450 is positioned in the retracted position, the inclined surface portion 452a is positioned in the left opening LT. That is, the inclined surface portion 452a is formed with a front-to-rear width sufficient to be positioned in the left opening LT regardless of the position of the sliding member 450. The same applies to the inclined surface portion 453a.

[0331] If the tilting member 470 is still positioned in the open position when a ball introduced into the central flow passage 431 passes through the central flow passage 431, the ball will be picked up by the tilting member 470 and pass through the detection sensor 462.

[0332] In other words, the position in front of the tilting member 470 is the position where the branching of the ball's flow path is determined, that is, whether the ball passes through the detection sensor 462 and is discharged outside the play area, or flows along a different flow path.

[0333] In this embodiment, tilting member 470 is configured to be located closer to the front than left guide plate portion 452 and right guide plate portion 453. This increases the attention to tilting member 470, and the flow path branches off to the detection sensor 462 side, making it easier to visually recognize the ball flowing down to the detection sensor 462 side.

[0334] In this way, the winning unit 400 is configured so that the position where the branching of the ball's flow path is determined is located on the front side. Furthermore, by configuring the ball to pass through the multiple positions where the branching of the ball's flow path is determined (the position in front of the ball passage opening 414 and the position in front of the tilting member 470) with sufficient time between them rather than passing through them immediately, a player who is paying attention to the ball can have time to move their line of sight.

[0335] In addition, by narrowing the distance between the multiple positions where the branching of the ball's flow path is determined (the position in front of the ball passage opening 414 and the position in front of the tilting member 470) when viewed from the front (see Figure 16), a player who is focusing on the ball can have more room to move their eyes.

[0336] 21, the supported protrusion 473 serving as the rotation axis of the tilting member 470 is disposed at a position further rearward than the front end of the central flow path 431. In addition, the tilting member 470 in the closed position is slightly tilted forward in accordance with the inclination of the inclined stopper 437f of the middle member 430 (see FIG. 18).

[0337] As a result, even if tilting member 470 is excited and displaced toward the open position when a ball is flowing down in front of tilting member 470 in the closed position, the front surface of tilting member 470 is already tilted forward, making it easier to apply a downward load to the ball and eject it downward quickly. In other words, it is possible to easily avoid a situation in which the ball gets caught between tilting member 470 and front design member 420, which would prolong the time that displacement of tilting member 470 to the open position is hindered.

[0338] Furthermore, since the rotation angle of the tilting member 470 during the opening and closing operation can be reduced, the time required for the opening and closing operation can be shortened. Therefore, it is possible to easily control the timing of opening and closing, and to easily prevent excessive ball insertion.

[0339] In this embodiment, the left and right width of the plate-shaped portion 471 of the tilting member 470 is formed to a length approximately equal to the diameter of a sphere (see Figure 16), and is configured so that multiple balls cannot be picked up while shifting from the open position to the closed position, making it easier to prevent excessive ball insertion.

[0340] The inclined surface portion 437e, which forms the ceiling of the flow path through which the balls picked up by the tilting member 470 flow down, is formed as an inclined surface parallel to the central path 461 at the rear side, and is configured so that the angle of upward inclination toward the front increases at the front side, which is the side closer to the tilting member 470.

[0341] This allows the ball to be smoothly introduced into the path between central path 461 and inclined surface portion 437e even if the ball picked up by tilting member 470 bounces upon impact with tilting member 470. This prevents the ball from moving due to its weight on tilting member 470 or the high resistance to the ball flowing into the path between central path 461 and inclined surface portion 437e, thereby preventing the ball from moving.

[0342] 22, when the sliding member 450 is switched to the excited state, the vertical position of the sliding member 450 rises at the same longitudinal position, so the lower edge of the right opening RT rises and the area through which the sphere can pass becomes smaller. The same applies to the left opening LT.

[0343] At this time, the ball that has reached the rear end of the left side wall 445 or the right side wall 446 bounces up due to the effect of the vertical position of the slide member 450 rising at that position, which may increase the kinetic energy of the ball.

[0344] On the other hand, the vertical distance between inclined surface portion 444a and slide member 450 is narrower than when slide member 450 is in the forward position, which increases the resistance to the ball flowing downward and strengthens the effect of inclined surface portion 444a in slowing down the momentum of the ball. This allows the momentum (kinetic energy) of the ball to be sufficiently reduced before being guided into central flow path 431.

[0345] Figures 23(a) and 23(b) are cross-sectional views of the winning unit 400 taken along line XXIIIa-XXIIIa in Figure 15(c). Figure 23(a) illustrates the non-excited state of the electric role device 640a (the slide member 450 and the tilt member 470), and Figure 23(b) illustrates the excited state of the electric role device 640a. Figures 23(a) and 23(b) illustrate a cross section passing through the middle position of the gap 444c in the front-to-rear direction.

[0346] In this embodiment, the left opening LT and the right opening RT are offset in position from front to back, which avoids the problem that often occurs when the left and right openings are arranged on a straight line extending in the left-right direction, whereby balls passing through the openings collide with each other in the left-right direction, and the load generated between the balls is balanced by being directed outward in the left-right direction, preventing the balls from flowing down.

[0347] On the other hand, in this embodiment, the balls on the right guide plate 453 are introduced into the central flow path 431 through the right opening RT, which is located closer to the front than the left opening LT through which the balls on the left guide plate 452 are introduced into the central flow path 431. Therefore, there is a possibility that a ball passing through the right opening RT may collide with a ball flowing down the central flow path 431 (see FIG. 23(a)). In this case, even if the flow path shape is designed to make this unlikely, the loads exerted by the balls on each other may become unbalanced, and the flow of the balls may stop.

[0348] In contrast to this, in this embodiment, when slide member 450 is switched to the excited state and displaced to the retracted position, the vertical position of the ball flowing down central flow path 431 is not affected, but the vertical position of the ball resting on right guide plate portion 453 is raised, thereby creating a momentary gap between the ball placed in central flow path 431 and the ball resting on right guide plate portion 453. During this time, the ball placed in central flow path 431 flows along the slope of central flow path 431, which disrupts the balance of the loads that the balls exert on each other.

[0349] Furthermore, when slide member 450 is switched to a non-excited state and displaced to the forward position, the vertical position of the ball flowing down central flow path 431 is not affected, but the vertical position of right guide plate portion 453 is lowered, thereby creating a gap (floating), albeit momentarily, between the ball above right guide plate portion 453 and right guide plate portion 453. When the ball above right guide plate portion 453 displaces downward to fill this gap, it is thought that the ball is pushed by the load from the balls arranged in central flow path 431 and displaces outward to the left and right, thereby disrupting the balance of the loads that the balls exert on each other.

[0350] In this way, in this embodiment, even if the loads exerted by the balls on one side become balanced at the joining point of central flow path 431, the state of slide member 450 can be switched to change the position of one of the balls with balanced loads, thereby breaking the load balance. This allows the flow of balls from slide member 450 through central flow path 431 to be kept smooth.

[0351] Note that the above-mentioned action of disrupting the load balance occurs when the state of slide member 450 is switched, so the operation pattern of slide member 450 may be designed in anticipation of this action. In other words, the more frequently the state of slide member 450 is switched, the more likely it is that the load balance between the balls flowing down will be disrupted, and this makes it possible to make the balls flow down more smoothly.

[0352] Next, with reference to FIGS. 24 to 28, variations in the flow path of the ball that has reached the position where the tip end 451 of the slide member 450 is disposed will be described.

[0353] Figures 24(a) to 24(d) are front perspective views of the winning unit 400. Figures 24(a) to 24(d) illustrate the non-excited state of the electric device 640a, and the flow of the ball after it lands on the tip 451 in chronological order. Note that in Figures 24(a) to 24(d), in order to improve the visibility of the flowing ball, the illustration of the plate member 410, front design member 420, and upper member 440 is omitted, and the parts that guide the flowing ball are shown with imaginary lines.

[0354] As described above, when the electric accessory 640a is in a non-excited state, the ball is likely to land on the left or right outer side of the tip 451 of the slide member 450 (ball arrangement B1, see FIG. 16(a)) as shown in FIG. 24(a). The ball that has landed on the tip 451 then passes through the ball passage opening 414 as shown in FIG. 24(b), and flows down on the slide member 450 along the left side wall 445 or the right side wall 446 of the upper member 440.

[0355] 24(c), the balls flow into central flow path 431 via inclined surface portions 452a and 453a of slide member 450, and flow downward toward the front side along the inclination of central flow path 431. Then, as shown in FIG. 24(d), the balls pass through central opening 413 at the front end side of central flow path 431 and flow downward.

[0356] As shown in Figures 24(a) to 24(d), when the electric device 640a is maintained in a non-excited state throughout the period in which the ball passes through the winning unit 400, the ball that lands on the tip 451 falls down the front side of the central opening 413 and flows downward toward the third winning opening 64b (see Figure 2).

[0357] 25(a) to 25(d) are front perspective views of the winning unit 400. In FIGS. 25(a) and 25(b), the non-excited state of the electric device 640a is illustrated, in FIGS. 25(c) and 25(d), the excited state of the electric device 640a is illustrated, and in FIGS. 25(a) to 25(d), the flow of the ball after it has landed on the tip 451 is illustrated in chronological order. In addition, in FIGS. 25(a) to 25(d), in order to improve the visibility of the flowing ball, the illustration of the plate member 410, the front design member 420, and the upper member 440 is omitted, and the portions that guide the flowing ball are illustrated with imaginary lines.

[0358] As described above, when the electric accessory 640a is in a non-excited state, the ball is likely to land on the left and right outer parts of the tip 451 of the slide member 450 (ball arrangement B1, see FIG. 16(a)) as shown in FIG. 25(a). The ball that lands on the tip 451 then flows down the left and right inner parts toward the front side of the ball passage opening 414, and passes through the ball arrangement B2 (see FIG. 16(a)) as shown in FIG. 25(b).

[0359] When the ball flowing down is placed in ball position B2, and the electric device 640a is switched to an excited state as shown in Figure 25(c), the ball flows inward to the left and right due to inertia, and as shown in Figure 25(d), the ball flows downward along the front side of the ball passage opening 414 and passes through the opening 435a of the detection sensor 435.

[0360] As shown in Figures 25(a) to 25(d), if the electric device 640a is switched to an excited state within a short time after a ball has landed on the tip 451, the ball that was on the tip 451 may fall down the front side of the ball passage opening 414 and pass through the opening 435a of the detection sensor 435.

[0361] However, if the electric device 640a is switched to an excited state in such a short time that inertia does not act on the inside left and right, the ball that was resting on the tip 451 may come off the opening 435a and flow down the outside left and right of the detection sensor 435.

[0362] 26(a) to 26(d) are front perspective views of the winning unit 400. In Fig. 26(a) and Fig. 26(b), the non-excited state of the electric device 640a is illustrated, in Fig. 26(c) and Fig. 26(d), the excited state of the electric device 640a is illustrated, and in Fig. 26(a) to Fig. 26(d), the flow of the ball after it has landed on the tip 451 is illustrated in chronological order. In Fig. 26(a) to Fig. 26(d), in order to improve the visibility of the flowing ball, the illustration of the plate member 410, the front design member 420, and the upper member 440 is omitted, and the portions that guide the flowing ball are illustrated with imaginary lines.

[0363] As described above, when the electric accessory 640a is in a non-excited state, the ball is likely to land on the left or right outer side of the tip 451 of the slide member 450 (ball arrangement B1, see FIG. 16(a)) as shown in FIG. 26(a). The ball that has landed on the tip 451 then passes through the ball passage opening 414 as shown in FIG. 26(b), and flows down on the slide member 450 along the left side wall 445 or the right side wall 446 of the upper member 440.

[0364] 26(c), the balls flow into central flow path 431 via inclined surface portions 452a and 453a of slide member 450, and flow down toward the front side along the inclination of central flow path 431. Then, as shown in FIG. 26(d), the balls pass through central opening 413 at the front end side of central flow path 431, flow downward, are picked up by tilting member 470, and flow down toward the rear.

[0365] As shown in Figures 26(a) to 26(d), when the electric device 640a is switched from a non-energized state to an excited state while a ball passes through the winning unit 400 and is maintained in the excited state, the ball that lands on the tip 451 falls down the front side of the central opening 413, is picked up by the tilting member 470, and enters the second winning opening 640 (an opening that is opened and closed by the tilting member 470, see Figure 2).

[0366] 27(a) to 27(d) are front perspective views of the winning unit 400. In Fig. 27(a), Fig. 27(b), and Fig. 27(d), the non-excited state of the electric device 640a is illustrated, in Fig. 27(c), the excited state of the electric device 640a is illustrated, and in Fig. 27(a) to 27(d), the flow of the ball after it has landed on the tip 451 is illustrated in chronological order. Note that in Fig. 27(a) to 27(d), in order to improve the visibility of the flowing ball, the illustration of the plate member 410, the front design member 420, and the upper member 440 is omitted, and the portions that guide the flowing ball are illustrated with imaginary lines.

[0367] As described above, when the electric accessory 640a is in a non-excited state, the ball is likely to land on the left or right outer side of the tip 451 of the slide member 450 (ball arrangement B1, see FIG. 16(a)) as shown in FIG. 27(a). The ball that has landed on the tip 451 then passes through the ball passage opening 414 as shown in FIG. 27(b), and flows down on the slide member 450 along the left wall 445 or the right wall 446 of the upper member 440.

[0368] Thereafter, as shown in Fig. 27(c), the water flows into the central flow path 431 via the inclined surface portions 452a and 453a of the slide member 450, and flows down to the front side along the inclination of the central flow path 431. At this point, as shown in Fig. 26(c), the electric accessory 640a is in an excited state as shown in Fig. 27(c).

[0369] Thereafter, as shown in Fig. 27(d), the electric accessory 640a is switched to a non-excited state before the ball passes through the central opening 413 at the front end side of the central flow path 431. Thereafter, as shown in Fig. 27(d), the ball that has passed through the central opening 413 at the front end side of the central flow path 431 flows downward.

[0370] As shown in Figures 27(a) to 27(d), when the electric device 640a is switched from a non-excited state to an excited state while a ball passes through the winning unit 400 and then switched back to a non-excited state, the ball that lands on the tip 451 falls down the front side of the central opening 413 and flows down toward the third winning port 64b (see Figure 2).

[0371] Thus, in this embodiment, when the electric device 640a is switched to an excited state after the ball passes through the ball passage opening 414, it is unclear whether the ball will be picked up by the tilting member 470 or not.

[0372] That is, depending on how the state of tilting member 470 changes after the ball passes through ball passing opening 414, the ball will either fall down the front side of tilting member 470 and flow down toward third winning opening 64b, or be picked up by tilting member 470 and flow down toward second winning opening 640, and it is not known which way the ball will flow down until it reaches tilting member 470. This makes it possible to maintain a high level of attention on the ball that passes through ball passing opening 414 and flows down toward the front side of tilting member 470.

[0373] When a ball lands on tip 451, it becomes a branching point as to whether the ball will flow into ball passage opening 414, thereby increasing the attraction of attention, and when the ball passes through central opening 413, it becomes a branching point as to whether the ball will be picked up by tilting member 470, thereby increasing the attraction of attention to the ball flowing down inside winning unit 400 at multiple positions.

[0374] 28(a) and 28(b) are front perspective views of the winning unit 400. In Fig. 28(a) and Fig. 28(b), the excited state of the electric role device 640a is illustrated, and the flow of balls flowing down the front side of the tip 451 is illustrated by arrows. Note that in Fig. 28(a) and Fig. 28(b), in order to improve the visibility of the flowing down balls, the illustration of the plate member 410, front design member 420, and upper member 440 is omitted, and the parts that guide the flowing down of the balls are illustrated by imaginary lines.

[0375] 28(a), when the slide member 450 is positioned in the forward position, if a ball flows down a path passing through the left and right positions (ball position B1, see FIG. 16(a)) where the ball lands on the left and right outer sides of the tip 451, the ball flows to the left and right outer sides of the opening 436a. In other words, the ball does not pass through the opening 435a of the detection sensor 435.

[0376] As shown in Figure 28(b), when a ball with a velocity component inward to the left and right flows downward toward the front position of the slide member 450, there is a possibility that the ball will enter the opening 435a of the detection sensor 435.

[0377] On the other hand, since the tip 451 of the slide member 450 is positioned further back (see FIG. 20), the balls flowing down are prevented from landing on the tip 451. This prevention effect is also strengthened by the reduction in the opening area surrounded by the ball passage opening 414 and the tip 451.

[0378] In other words, since the tip portion 451 is formed to slope downward toward the rear, the vertical position of the part of the slide member 450 (corresponding to the front edge portion of the tip portion 451) that can form an opening together with the ball passage opening 414 when the slide member 450 is positioned in the retracted position (see Figure 20) is higher than the vertical position of the part of the slide member 450 (corresponding to the rear edge portion of the tip portion 451) that forms an opening together with the ball passage opening 414 when the slide member 450 is positioned in the forward position (see Figure 17).

[0379] Therefore, when slide member 450 is placed in the retracted position, the opening area is reduced by raising the vertical position of the lower edge (corresponding to the edge formed by tip portion 451) of the opening surrounded by ball passage opening 414 and tip portion 451. This makes it easier to prevent a ball having a velocity component inward to the left or right from entering the tip portion 451 when it flows down toward the front position of slide member 450.

[0380] In this way, when the electric device 640a is in an excited state, the balls flowing down the front position of the slide member 450 generally deviate to the outside of the winning unit 400 on the left and right, and some of them enter the opening 435a of the detection sensor 435.

[0381] On the other hand, when the electric device 640a is in an excited state, balls flowing down the front position of the slide member 450 are prevented from landing on the slide member 450, so it is possible to avoid a situation in which new balls are introduced toward the second winning slot 640 (see Figure 2) or the third winning slot 64b, which are located downstream of the slide member 450, when the electric device 640a is in an excited state.

[0382] 24 to 28, the winning unit 400 can branch the flow of a ball placed on the tip 451 of the slide member 450 at multiple positions. First, immediately after a ball has landed on the tip 451 of the slide member 450 in a non-excited state (first branch position), if the slide member 450 is switched to an excited state, the ball can flow down toward the opening 435a of the detection sensor 435 (see FIG. 25(c)).

[0383] On the other hand, balls that do not flow down into opening 435a flow along the slope from tip 451. If sliding member 450 is switched to the excited state while the ball is resting on left guide plate portion 452 or right guide plate portion 453, the ball will remain resting on sliding member 450. Also, if sliding member 450 is switched to the excited state while the ball is resting on bottom portion 431a (see FIG. 26(c)), the ball will remain resting on bottom portion 431a.

[0384] A ball flowing rearward down the left guide plate portion 452 or the right guide plate portion 453 flows rearward while always being pulled inward to the left or right due to the left-right slope formed across the entire front-to-rear width of the left guide plate portion 452 or the right guide plate portion 453. This allows the ball to be pulled downstream toward the central flow path 431 before it reaches the rear end of the left guide plate portion 452 or the right guide plate portion 453. Therefore, the flow of the ball toward the central flow path 431 can be made smoother than if the ball were to change direction toward the central flow path 431 only after it reaches the rear end of the left guide plate portion 452 or the right guide plate portion 453.

[0385] The ball that has flowed into the central flow path 431 rolls forward along the slope of the central flow path 431. When the ball falls from the front end of the central flow path 431 (second branch position), if the tilting member 470 of the electric device 640a is in a non-excited state and arranged in a closed position, the ball falls downward (see FIG. 24(d)), and if the tilting member 470 of the electric device 640a is in an excited state and arranged in an open position, the ball is picked up by the tilting member 470 and flows downward toward the rear (see FIG. 26(d)).

[0386] In this embodiment, by setting the flow direction of the game ball rolling on the slide member 450 to include the front-to-back direction, the game ball can be rolled over a path length greater than the dimensions of the slide member 450 and tilt member 470 when viewed from the front.

[0387] As a condition for the development of the pachinko machine 10, for example, the width dimension of the electric device 640a when viewed from the front cannot be extended without limit, and a length limit is set (for example, 55 mm), but according to this embodiment, the left-right width dimension of the electric device 640a when viewed from the front satisfies the condition for the development of the pachinko machine 10, and the actual rolling length of the ball via the electric device 640a can be further extended. As a result, in a configuration in which the ball flows over the electric device 640a and is guided to a prize-winning port on the downstream side, the arrangement space for the electric device 640a when viewed from the front can be narrowed, while the time required for the ball to flow down can be extended.

[0388] Furthermore, the electric accessory 640a has the parts (tip 451 and tilting member 470) that come into contact with the game balls flowing down located at a distance. This allows the game balls to flow down a longer distance than the shape of the electric accessory 640a by the length of the central flow path 431 between them.

[0389] 29(a) and 29(b) are partial cross-sectional views of the winning unit 400 taken along line XXIXa-XXIXa in FIG. 15(b). FIG. 29(a) illustrates a state in which the sliding member 450 is positioned in the forward position (de-energized state), and FIG. 29(b) illustrates a state immediately after the sliding member 450 is switched from the state shown in FIG. 29(a) to a state in which the sliding member 450 is positioned in the backward position (energized state). Also, FIG. 29(a) and FIG. 29(b) illustrate balls that were positioned on the sliding member 450 or the central flow path 431 when the sliding member 450 slid.

[0390] 29(a) and 29(b), when slide member 450 slides, the ball resting on left guide plate 452 is displaced rearward by the amount of displacement of the slide movement together with slide member 450. Furthermore, because left guide plate 452 forms an inclined surface that slopes downward toward the rear (see FIG. 17), a rearward load is applied to the ball, causing it to accelerate.

[0391] On the other hand, a ball that was on central flow path 431 when slide member 450 slid and moved rolls on the fixed floor surface without being displaced particularly rearward. Therefore, even when balls flow down the same path, the time required for a ball that was on left guide plate portion 452 when slide member 450 slid and a ball that was not on left guide plate portion 452 but on central flow path 431 when slide member 450 slid and moved will differ; the difference in the required time will be described in detail later.

[0392] 29(a) and 29(b) show a state in which, when two balls are placed in the flow-down region formed by slide member 450 and central flow path 431, one ball is placed in slide member 450 and one ball is placed in central flow path 431, but this is not limited to this. For example, it is also possible to have a ball placed only in left guide plate portion 452 or right guide plate portion 453, or a ball placed only in central flow path 431. Furthermore, the number of balls placed is not limited to two, and may be one, or three or more.

[0393] Figures 30(a) and 30(b) are partial cross-sectional views of the winning unit 400 taken along line XXIXa-XXIXa in Figure 15(b). Figure 30(a) illustrates a state in which the slide member 450 is positioned in the forward position (de-energized state), and Figure 30(b) illustrates a state immediately after the slide member 450 is switched from the state shown in Figure 30(a) to a state in which the slide member 450 is positioned in the backward position (energized state). Figures 30(a) and 30(b) also illustrate balls that were positioned on the slide member 450 or the central flow path 431 when the slide member 450 slid.

[0394] 30(a) and 30(b), when slide member 450 slides, the ball resting on right guide plate portion 453 is displaced rearward by the amount of displacement of the slide movement together with slide member 450, similar to the ball resting on left guide plate portion 452. Furthermore, because right guide plate portion 453 forms an inclined surface that slopes downward toward the rear (see FIG. 19), a rearward load is applied to the ball, and the ball is accelerated.

[0395] On the other hand, a ball that was on central flow path 431 when slide member 450 slid and moved rolls on the fixed floor surface without being displaced particularly rearward. Therefore, even when balls flow down the same path, the time required for a ball that was on right guide plate portion 453 when slide member 450 slid and a ball that was not on right guide plate portion 453 but on central flow path 431 when slide member 450 slid and moved will differ; the difference in the required time will be described in detail later.

[0396] The following describes the time required for a ball to flow down the slide member 450 and pass the front end of the central flow path 431. In this embodiment, when a ball that has passed through the ball passing opening 414 rolls down the right guide plate portion 453, if no sliding motion of the slide member 450 occurs while the ball is flowing down, the ball that has passed through the ball passing opening 414 will pass the front end of the central flow path 431 in approximately 2.0 seconds.

[0397] On the other hand, when a ball that has passed through the ball passage opening 414 rolls down the left guide plate portion 452, if the sliding member 450 does not slide while the ball is flowing down, the ball that has passed through the ball passage opening 414 will pass the front end of the central flow path 431 in approximately 2.4 seconds.

[0398] The slide member 450 forms half of the path from when the ball passes through the ball passing opening 414 to when it passes through the front end of the central flow path 431. That is, when a ball that has passed through the ball passing opening 414 flows down on the right guide plate portion 453, if the slide member 450 performs a sliding operation before approximately 1.0 second has elapsed since the ball passed through the ball passing opening 414, the ball will receive a load from the slide member 450, whereas if the slide member 450 performs a sliding operation after approximately 1.0 second has elapsed since the ball passed through the ball passing opening 414, the ball will not receive a load from the slide member 450.

[0399] Furthermore, when a ball that has passed through the ball passage opening 414 flows down the left guide plate portion 452, if the slide member 450 slides before approximately 1.2 seconds have passed since the ball passed through the ball passage opening 414, the ball will be subjected to a load from the slide member 450, whereas if the slide member 450 slides after approximately 1.2 seconds have passed since the ball passed through the ball passage opening 414, the ball will not be subjected to a load from the slide member 450.

[0400] In this embodiment, even if balls enter a pair of left and right ball passage openings 414 at the same time, depending on the timing of the sliding movement of slide member 450, there may be cases where the ball receives a backward load from slide member 450 and cases where the ball does not receive a backward load from slide member 450 at the same time.

[0401] In other words, if the slide member 450 slides after approximately 1.0 second has elapsed since the ball passed through the ball passage opening 414 but before approximately 1.2 seconds have elapsed, the ball flowing down the left guide plate portion 452 will be subjected to a backward load, and the ball flowing down the right guide plate portion 453 will not be subjected to a backward load.

[0402] When the slide member 450 slides backward while a ball is resting on it, the time required for the ball to pass through the ball passage opening 414 and pass the front end of the central flow path 431 is reduced by approximately 0.5 seconds.

[0403] Roughly speaking, this 0.5 seconds is reduced by approximately 0.3 seconds due to the amount of displacement (approximately 12 mm) of slide member 450 in the front-to-rear direction, and by 0.2 seconds due to acceleration caused by the load applied from slide member 450 to the ball.

[0404] A ball rolling rearward on the left guide plate portion 452 or the right guide plate portion 453 passes through the gap 432a or the gap 433a (see FIG. 24(b)) and flows into the central flow path 431. Because the gaps 432a and 433a are offset from each other in the front-to-rear direction, a head-on collision between a ball passing through the gap 432a and a ball passing through the gap 433a at the same time can be prevented. This prevents a ball passing through the gap 432a or the gap 433a from being pushed back by a collision with the other ball and flowing backward.

[0405] When the electric device 640a is in the excited state, balls flowing down the front position of the slide member 450 are prevented from reaching the slide member 450 (see Figure 28), so the ball that takes the longest time to reach the tilting member 470 after the electric device 640a is switched to the excited state is the ball that was on the tip 451 of the slide member 450 at the time the electric device 640a was switched to the excited state, and no balls after that will reach the tilting member 470.

[0406] Figures 31(a) to 31(c) are diagrams showing an example of the change over time in the state of the electric accessory 640a. Note that Figure 31(a) shows the change over time in the first operation pattern, Figure 31(b) shows the change over time in the second operation pattern, and Figure 31(c) shows the change over time in the third operation pattern.

[0407] 31(a) to 31(c) illustrate the operation pattern of the electric accessory 640a, which is controlled by detecting the passage of a ball through the normal winning openings (through gates) 66, 67. FIG.

[0408] 2, in this embodiment, the pin arrangement is designed so that all balls flowing down toward the electric role device 640a pass through the normal winning ports (through gates) 66, 67 without fail, and the operation time (operation time in the standard operation pattern, equivalent to the interval between normal pattern draws) of the electric role device 640a, which is triggered by the ball passing through the normal winning ports (through gates) 66, 67 (a single lottery for a normal pattern), is longer than the ball launch interval (0.6 second interval), so that the number of reserved balls for normal patterns is unlikely to run out during pinball play, and the number of reserved balls for normal patterns is likely to be maintained at a level greater than 0. Therefore, the operation of the electric role device 640a is performed repeatedly without any intervals according to the standard operation pattern.

[0409] As shown in FIG. 31(a), in the first operation pattern, the slide member 450 is maintained in a non-energized state (advance position) for a waiting time t1a (0.1 seconds in this embodiment), and then the slide member 450 is maintained in an energized state (retracted position) for an operation time t1b (3.9 seconds in this embodiment), and this pattern is used as the reference operation pattern RP1, and this is repeated.

[0410] In more detail, the 0.1 seconds that constitute the non-excited state are broken down as follows: the second symbol is displayed in a variable manner for 0.05 seconds, and after that, the slide member 450 is maintained in the forward position for 0.05 seconds.

[0411] When the slide member 450 is positioned in the forward position, the ball can rest on the tip 451 of the slide member 450, but 0.1 seconds is not long enough compared to the time (approximately 0.2 seconds) required for the ball to move from ball position B1 to ball position B3 (see Figure 16(a)).

[0412] Therefore, when the electric device 640a is controlled to operate in the first operating pattern, the ball is prevented from passing through the ball passage opening 414 and is prevented from being introduced into the central flow path 431, thereby preventing the ball from entering the second winning opening 640 or the third winning opening 64b (see Figure 2).

[0413] As shown in Figure 31(b), in the second operation pattern, the slide member 450 is maintained in a non-excited state (advance position) for a waiting time t2a (1.8 seconds in this embodiment), then the slide member 450 is maintained in an excited state (retracted position) for an operation time t2b (0.2 seconds in this embodiment), then the slide member 450 is maintained in a non-excited state (advance position) for the waiting time t2a, and then the slide member 450 is maintained in an excited state (retracted position) for the operation time t2b. This pattern is repeated as a standard operation pattern RP2.

[0414] In more detail, of the 1.8 seconds that constitute the non-excited state, the second symbol is displayed in a variable manner for 0.05 seconds, and after that, the slide member 450 is maintained in the forward position for 1.75 seconds.

[0415] When the slide member 450 is positioned in the forward position, the ball can ride on the tip 451 of the slide member 450, and if the slide member 450 is maintained in the forward position for 0.2 seconds thereafter, the ball passes through the ball passage opening 414, rolls on the slide member 450, and is guided toward the central flow path 431.

[0416] The following describes the correspondence between the position and timing at which the ball arrives and the time that passes until the ball passes the front end of the central flow path 431. Since it takes approximately 0.2 seconds for the ball to reach ball positions B1 to B3, the ball begins to pass through the ball passage opening 414 0.2 seconds after the slide member 450 is placed in the forward position.

[0417] When a ball is guided by left guide plate portion 452, the ball passes through ball passage opening 414 after first left ball entry period TIL1 (0.2 to 0.6 seconds in this embodiment) from when slide member 450 is placed in the forward position, and then passes the front end of central flow path 431 2.4 seconds later, after first left discharge period TOL1 (2.6 to 3.0 seconds in this embodiment). In this case, the ball reaches central flow path 431 before slide member 450 operates, so the load from slide member 450 does not cause a change in the ball's flow-down speed.

[0418] Furthermore, when a ball is guided by the left guide plate portion 452, the ball passes through the ball passage opening 414 after the second left ball entry period TIL2 (0.6 seconds to 1.8 seconds in this embodiment) after the slide member 450 is positioned in the forward position, and the passage period is shortened by 0.5 seconds due to the backward load from the slide member 450, and the ball passes through the front end of the central flow path 431 after the second left discharge period TOL2 (2.5 to 3.7 seconds in this embodiment), which is 1.9 seconds after passing through the ball passage opening 414.

[0419] On the other hand, when the ball is guided by the right guide plate portion 453, the ball passes through the ball passage opening 414 after the first right ball entry period TIR1 (0.2 to 0.8 seconds in this embodiment) from when the slide member 450 is placed in the forward position, and then passes through the front end of the central flow path 431 2.0 seconds later, during the first right discharge period TOR1 (2.2 to 2.8 seconds in this embodiment). In this case, the ball reaches the central flow path 431 before the slide member 450 operates, so the flow speed of the ball does not change due to the load from the slide member 450.

[0420] Furthermore, when a ball is guided by the right guide plate portion 453, the ball passes through the ball passage opening 414 after the second right ball entry period TIR2 (0.8 seconds to 1.8 seconds in this embodiment) after the slide member 450 is placed in the forward position, and the passage period is shortened by receiving a rearward load from the slide member 450, and the ball passes through the front end of the central flow path 431 after the second right discharge period TOR2 (2.3 to 3.3 seconds in this embodiment), which is 1.5 seconds after passing through the ball passage opening 414.

[0421] Therefore, when the electric device 640a is controlled to operate in the second operating pattern, when the ball passes through the ball passage opening 414, the electric device 640a is in a de-energized state (the slide member 450 is positioned in the forward position and the tilting member 470 is positioned in the closed position) at the time the ball passes the front end of the central flow path 431, so the ball is not picked up by the tilting member 470 and is not guided to the second winning opening 640 (see Figure 2), but is guided toward the third winning opening 64b (see Figure 2).

[0422] In this way, in this embodiment, depending on the position of the ball (for the ball that entered later), a load is applied to the ball when slide member 450 is operated, thereby shortening the time required for the ball to pass through. As a result, even when slide member 450 is operated in an operation pattern with a shorter period than the time required for a ball that has passed through ball passage opening 414 to pass through the front end of central flow path 431 when slide member 450 is maintained in a non-excited state (the time required for the ball to flow down via left guide plate portion 452 (approximately 2.4 seconds in this embodiment)), the ball can still pass through the front end of central flow path 431 within the period of the operation pattern of slide member 450.

[0423] Therefore, a ball that passes through the ball passage opening 414 when the slide member 450 is positioned in the forward position for the first time (nth time) can pass through the front end of the central flow path 431 when the slide member 450 is positioned in the forward position for the second time (n+1th time), via a state where the slide member 450 is positioned in the retracted position.

[0424] In other words, the passage of the ball through the ball passage opening 414 and the passage of the ball from the front end of the central flow path 431 can be completed as one set of the nth state and the n+1th state in which the slide member 450 is positioned in the forward position.

[0425] As shown in Figure 31(c), in the third operation pattern, the slide member 450 is maintained in a non-energized state (advance position) for a waiting time t3a (2.0 seconds in this embodiment), and then the slide member 450 is maintained in an energized state (retracted position) for an operation time t3b (2.0 seconds in this embodiment), and this pattern is used as the standard operation pattern RP3, and this is repeated.

[0426] In more detail, of the 2.0 seconds that constitute the non-excited state, the second symbol is displayed in a variable manner for 0.05 seconds, and after that, the slide member 450 is maintained in the forward position for 1.95 seconds.

[0427] When the slide member 450 is positioned in the forward position, the ball can ride on the tip 451 of the slide member 450, and if the slide member 450 is maintained in the forward position for 0.2 seconds thereafter, the ball passes through the ball passage opening 414, rolls on the slide member 450, and is guided toward the central flow path 431.

[0428] The following describes the correspondence between the position and timing at which the ball arrives and the time that passes until the ball passes the front end of the central flow path 431. Since it takes approximately 0.2 seconds for the ball to reach ball positions B1 to B3, the ball begins to pass through the ball passage opening 414 0.2 seconds after the slide member 450 is placed in the forward position.

[0429] When a ball is guided by the left guide plate portion 452, the ball passes through the ball passage opening 414 after the third left ball entry period TIL3 (0.2 to 0.8 seconds in this embodiment) from when the slide member 450 is positioned in the forward position, and then passes through the front end of the central flow path 431 2.4 seconds later, during the third left discharge period TOL3 (2.6 to 3.2 seconds in this embodiment).

[0430] Furthermore, when a ball is guided by the left guide plate portion 452, the ball passes through the ball passage opening 414 after the fourth left ball entry period TIL4 (0.8 seconds to 2.0 seconds in this embodiment) after the slide member 450 is placed in the forward position, and the passage period is shortened by receiving a rearward load from the slide member 450, and the ball passes through the front end of the central flow path 431 after the fourth left discharge period TOL4 (2.7 to 3.9 seconds in this embodiment), which is 1.9 seconds after passing through the ball passage opening 414.

[0431] On the other hand, when the ball is guided by the right guide plate portion 453, the ball passes through the ball passage opening 414 after the third right ball entry period TIR3 (0.2 to 1.0 seconds in this embodiment) from when the slide member 450 is positioned in the forward position, and then passes through the front end of the central flow path 431 2.0 seconds later, the third right discharge period TOR3 (2.2 to 3.0 seconds in this embodiment).

[0432] Furthermore, when a ball is guided by the right guide plate portion 453, the ball passes through the ball passage opening 414 after the fourth right ball entry period TIR4 (1.0 to 2.0 seconds in this embodiment) after the slide member 450 is positioned in the forward position, and the passage period is shortened by receiving a rearward load from the slide member 450, and the ball passes through the front end of the central flow path 431 after the fourth right discharge period TOR4 (2.5 to 3.5 seconds in this embodiment), which is 1.5 seconds after passing through the ball passage opening 414.

[0433] Therefore, when the electric device 640a is controlled to operate in the third operating pattern, when a ball passes through the ball passage opening 414, the electric device 640a is in an excited state (the slide member 450 is positioned in the retracted position and the tilting member 470 is positioned in the open position) at the time the ball passes the front end of the central flow path 431, so the ball is picked up by the tilting member 470 and guided without exception to the second winning opening 640 (see Figure 2), and is not guided towards the third winning opening 64b (see Figure 2).

[0434] Thus, in this embodiment, depending on the position of the ball (for a ball that enters later), a load is applied to the ball when slide member 450 is operated, thereby shortening the time required for the ball to pass through. As a result, even in an operation pattern in which slide member 450 is maintained in the retracted position for a shorter period than the time required for a ball that has passed through ball passage opening 414 to pass through the front end of central flow path 431 when slide member 450 is maintained in the de-energized state (the time required for the ball to flow down via left guide plate portion 452 (approximately 2.4 seconds in this embodiment)), the ball can pass through the front end of central flow path 431 while slide member 450 is maintained in the retracted position.

[0435] Therefore, in the standard operation pattern, the ball that rides on the slide member 450, which is positioned in the forward position when the electric role device 640a is in the non-excited state, and flows down toward the central flow path 431 can be picked up by the tilting member 470, which is positioned in the open position when the electric role device 640a is in the excited state. In other words, the passage of the ball through the ball passage opening 414 and the passage of the ball from the front end of the central flow path 431 can be completed in the standard operation pattern RP3.

[0436] As described above, the ball guided by the electric device 640a passes through different ball entrances depending on the operation pattern of the electric device 640a. First, when the electric device 640a is controlled to operate in the first operation pattern, the ball does not pass through the ball passage opening 414, but passes through the opening 435a of the detection sensor 435, or falls off the opening 435a.

[0437] Therefore, there is no support for the drawing of special symbols, and since the drawing of special symbols is solely based on the ball entering first winning slot 64, it is difficult to draw special symbols frequently without leaving any intervals. When a ball that has flowed down the front side of slide member 450 passes through opening 435a, a prize ball is paid out, and the only support provided is in terms of increasing the number of game balls the player has in hand.

[0438] Next, when the electric device 640a is controlled to operate in the second operating pattern, the electric device 640a is de-energized at the time when the ball that has passed through the ball passage opening 414 passes the front end of the central flow path 431, and the tilting member 470 is positioned in a closed position, so that the ball flows down the front side of the tilting member 470 toward the third winning opening 64b (see Figure 2).

[0439] Therefore, it is possible to frequently draw the special symbol 1. In addition, when a ball enters the third winning slot 64b, a prize ball is paid out, which also helps to increase the number of game balls the player has in hand.

[0440] Next, when the electric device 640a is controlled to operate in the third operating pattern, the electric device 640a is energized at the moment when the ball that has passed through the ball passage opening 414 passes the front end of the central flow path 431, and the tilting member 470 is positioned in the open position, so that the ball is picked up by the tilting member 470 and flows down toward the second winning opening 640 (see Figure 2), that is, toward the detection sensor 462 (see E5).

[0441] Therefore, it is possible to frequently draw the special symbol 2. In addition, when a ball enters the second winning slot 640, a prize ball is paid out, which helps to increase the number of game balls the player has in hand.

[0442] In this way, by being able to set the third operating pattern from the first operating pattern, even in a design in which the electric device 640a is constantly driven to open and close, it is possible to switch between a case in which a ball enters the second winning slot 640 and a case in which a ball is prevented from entering the second winning slot 640.

[0443] In other words, when the drive control of the electric device 640a is executed in the first operation pattern or the second operation pattern, the ball is prevented from entering the second winning hole 640, and when the drive control of the electric device 640a is executed in the third operation pattern, the ball frequently enters the second winning hole 640.

[0444] 32 is a diagram illustrating the relationship between the reservation type, game state, special symbol type, and variable time. For ease of understanding, only special symbol 2 is illustrated, and special symbol 1 is omitted.

[0445] For special pattern 1, the fluctuation time is set the same in both low probability and high probability states, and if a losing pattern is determined based on the reservation of special pattern 1, the fluctuation time is determined to be 5 seconds or 20 seconds, and if a winning pattern is determined based on the reservation of special pattern 1, the fluctuation time is determined to be 20 seconds.

[0446] On the other hand, in this embodiment, the state of the lottery for special pattern 2 is set to either the low probability state or the high probability state described above, and the game proceeds with the variable time varying depending on the set game state.

[0447] 32, in the low probability state (normal state or time-saving state in this embodiment), if a losing symbol or a small winning symbol is determined based on the reservation of special symbol 2, the fluctuation time is determined to be 10 minutes. On the other hand, in the low probability state, if a big winning symbol is determined based on the reservation of special symbol 2, the fluctuation time is determined to be 20 seconds.

[0448] The reason why the fluctuation time is set to a long time of 10 minutes is to reduce the profit that a player can obtain if a ball lands in the second winning slot 640 in a low probability state. As a result, even if a ball flowing down inside the winning unit 400 accidentally lands in the second winning slot 640, the fluctuation of the special symbol 2 can be prolonged unless the gaming state is shifted to a high probability state, making it difficult for a player to obtain a profit from the lottery for the special symbol 2.

[0449] In this embodiment, the number of reserved balls for special pattern 2 is allowed to be up to four, so if a jackpot pattern is determined by reserved balls for special pattern 2, a jackpot based on that determination may occur 10 to 30 minutes later (the fluctuation of the special pattern will stop).

[0450] Therefore, it is possible that the player playing at the time when the jackpot pattern is determined based on the reserved special pattern 2 and the player playing at the time when the jackpot based on the reserved special pattern 2 occurs are different players, or that there is no player playing at the time when the jackpot occurs.

[0451] In such a case, if the machine immediately transitions to a special game mode when a jackpot occurs, the player currently playing the machine or a player playing another pachinko machine nearby may be surprised by the sudden start of the special game mode, which may lead the player to suspect a malfunction.

[0452] On the other hand, when a jackpot is determined, a condition for transitioning to a special game state can be set. In this embodiment, after a jackpot is determined (after the variation of the special symbols has stopped), the ball is passed through the through gates 66, 67 in accordance with the instructions displayed on the display screen of the third symbol display device 81, thereby transitioning to the special game state.

[0453] That is, by controlling the machine so that the special game state is not entered until the ball passes through the through gates 66, 67, it is possible to reduce the possibility that the player will suspect a malfunction. Note that the location through which the ball must pass to enter the special game state is not limited to the through gates 66, 67, and the machine may be controlled so that the special game state is entered when the ball passes through the general winning opening 63, for example.

[0454] Also, in a high probability state (probability variable state or special probability variable state in this embodiment), if a losing symbol is determined based on the reservation of special symbol 2, the fluctuation time is determined to be 5 seconds or 20 seconds.

[0455] In addition, in a high probability state, if a small winning symbol is determined based on the reservation of special symbol 2, the fluctuation time is determined to be 2 seconds. On the other hand, in a high probability state, if a big winning symbol is determined based on the reservation of special symbol 2, the fluctuation time is determined to be 20 seconds.

[0456] In a high probability state, the fluctuation time is set to be short, especially when a small winning pattern is determined based on the reservation of special pattern 2, so that in a state where balls frequently enter the second winning slot 640 (in this embodiment, when the drive control of the electric device 640a is executed in the third operation pattern), the player can frequently execute small winning games and open the specific winning slot 65a, and can therefore frequently obtain prize balls based on balls entering the specific winning slot 65a.

[0457] The setting of the fluctuation time of the special symbols is not limited to this, and various modes are exemplified. For example, a wide variety of variations may be added to the fluctuation time of each symbol, or the length of the fluctuation time may be changed according to the number of reserved special symbols. When the length of the fluctuation time changes according to the number of reserved special symbols, the fluctuation time is generally set to be longer when the number of reserved symbols is small than when the number of reserved symbols is large (when the balance is close to full).

[0458] In this embodiment, the problem seen in conventional machines, in which a player may receive an unexpected benefit by firing a ball at an inappropriate timing to win the lottery for special pattern 2, can be solved.

[0459] In other words, even in conventional models, there have been examples where the machine is configured to be able to switch between a state in which the frequency of balls entering the first ball entry port related to the drawing of special pattern 1 is high, as in this embodiment, and a state in which the frequency of balls entering the second ball entry port related to the drawing of special pattern 2 is high.

[0460] However, if the number of electric device 640a to be installed is limited to one, it is assumed that the electric device 640a will be installed so as to be attached to either the first ball entrance or the second ball entrance, and no electric device 640a will be installed at the other ball entrance, so that the machine will always be in a state where balls can enter.

[0461] In this case, if the ball entry efficiency of one ball entry port located in the center of the game board 13 (corresponding to the first winning port 64, see Figure 2) is higher than that of the other ball entry port, or if the player's profit if a ball entering the other ball entry port results in a jackpot in the lottery is extremely high, there is a possibility that the player will fire the ball toward one ball entry port even if the game provided by the pachinko machine 10 notifies the player that it is the right time to let the ball enter the other ball entry port.

[0462] Even if measures are taken to reduce the efficiency of consumption of fluctuations based on balls entering the other ball entry port by making the fluctuation time of special pattern 2 extremely long in a low probability state, if fluctuations based on the reservation of special pattern 1 begin regardless of the number of reserved special pattern 2, it can be said that the deterrent effect is low if the fluctuation time of special pattern 2 can be consumed while playing the game provided by pachinko machine 10 by first having the ball enter the other ball entry port to cause special pattern 2 to fluctuate and then proceeding with the game to have the ball enter one of the ball entry ports.

[0463] Even if the timing is such that the ball should enter one of the entrances in the game provided by the pachinko machine 10, if the ball enters the other entrance and a jackpot occurs, the game will transition to a special game state, and if this gives the player an advantage that was not intended in the game provided by the pachinko machine 10, there will be a problem in terms of fairness in the game.

[0464] In contrast to this, in this embodiment, when the electric device 640a (slide member 450 and tilt member 470) driven by a single solenoid SOL41 is in a state where it supports an increase in the frequency of balls entering the first ball entry port (corresponding to the third winning port 64b) for the drawing of special pattern 1 (a state where the electric device 640a is driven and controlled in the second operating pattern), it can reduce the frequency of balls entering the second ball entry port (corresponding to the second winning port 640) for the drawing of special pattern 2, while when it supports an increase in the frequency of balls entering the second ball entry port for the drawing of special pattern 2 (a state where the electric device 640a is driven and controlled in the third operating pattern), it can reduce the frequency of balls entering the first ball entry port for the drawing of special pattern 1.

[0465] Furthermore, it is possible to configure a state in which both the frequency of balls entering the first ball entry port (corresponding to the third winning port 64b) for the lottery of special pattern 1 and the frequency of balls entering the second ball entry port (corresponding to the second winning port 640) for the lottery of special pattern 2 are low (a state in which the electric device 640a is driven and controlled in the first operating pattern).

[0466] This makes it possible to prevent the player from receiving benefits that are not intended for the game provided by the pachinko machine 10, thereby improving the fairness of the game.

[0467] 33 to 35 are cross-sectional views of the slide member 450, tilt member 470, and transmission member 480 taken along line XXXIII-XXXIII in FIG. 23(a). The switching operation of the electric role 640a from a non-excited state to an excited state is illustrated in time series in FIGS. 33 to 35, with the non-excited state of the electric role 640a illustrated in FIG. 33, the state in which the first member 481 rises while the slide section 450 is maintained in the forward position illustrated in FIG. 34, and the excited state of the electric role 640a illustrated in FIG. 35. The outline of the plate member 410 is also illustrated in imaginary lines in FIGS. 33 to 35 as a reference for placement.

[0468] As shown in Figures 33 to 35, there is a difference between the operation timing of the sliding member 450 and the operation timing of the tilting member 470 when switching the electric accessory 640a from a non-excited state to an excited state.

[0469] That is, only the tilting member 470 moves from the start of the operation to the intermediate position (see FIGS. 33 and 34), and then both the tilting member 470 and the sliding member 450 move from the intermediate position (see FIGS. 34 and 35). At this time, the sliding member 450 and the tilting member 470 finish their operations almost simultaneously (see FIG. 35).

[0470] The first member 481 moves integrally with the plunger SOL41a (see FIG. 11) of the solenoid SOL41, and therefore moves up and down in synchronization with the drive timing of the solenoid SOL41.

[0471] On the other hand, in a configuration in which driving force is transmitted from the first member 481 to the second member 485 via a pair of transmission plate portions 482 formed at the rear end of the first member 481, when the electric device 640a is in a non-excited state, the upper plate portion 482a abuts against the eccentric protrusion 486 of the second member 485, while a gap is maintained between the lower plate portion 482b and the eccentric protrusion 486.

[0472] The second member 485 is supported so as to be rotatable around the rotation shaft portion 485a, and is engaged with the engaging plate portion 431b via the slide member 450 (see Figure 18), so that its position in the non-excited state (see Figure 33) is the terminal position of the forward rotation displacement.

[0473] In the process of first member 481 rising from the non-excited state, the posture of second member 485 and the arrangement of slide member 450 are maintained until lower plate portion 482b comes into contact with eccentric protrusion 486, and only tilting member 470 performs the tilting operation. In other words, the driving force of solenoid SOL41 is transmitted intensively to tilting member 470.

[0474] During the process of the first member 481 rising, after the lower plate portion 482b and the eccentric protrusion 486 come into contact with each other, the second member 485 rotates in the backward direction around the rotation shaft portion 485a in such a manner that the eccentric protrusion 486 is lifted by the lower plate portion 482b.

[0475] In this way, when switching the electric device 640a from an excited state to a non-excited state while using the driving force of the same solenoid SOL41 (see Figure 11), the timing at which driving force is required for the tilting member 470 and the timing at which driving force is required for the sliding member 450 are shifted.

[0476] In particular, after the state in which the transmission of driving force to the slide member 450 begins (see Figure 34), the transmitted part 474 of the tilt member 470 is retracted from above the first member 481, so the operation of the tilt member 470 is left to its own weight, and the driving force of the solenoid SOL41 is used to move the slide member 450.

[0477] Furthermore, as described above, when the electric device 640a is switched from a non-excited state to an excited state, the tilting operation of the tilting member 470 starts first, so the tilting operation of the tilting member 470 can be started regardless of the operating resistance of the slide member 450.

[0478] Therefore, even if a ball is placed on the slide member 450, it is possible to avoid a situation in which the tilting action of the tilting member 470 is delayed due to the weight of the ball, and it is possible to avoid a situation in which the timing of the start of the period in which the ball is guided toward the second winning opening 640 deviates from the control due to the tilting member 470 being placed in the open position.

[0479] Furthermore, even if a ball is positioned on the front side when tilting member 470 starts to move and the ball is pinched between tilting member 470 and front design member 420 (see FIG. 18), a force sufficient to expel the ball downward can be generated because the driving force is transmitted to tilting member 470 without being allocated to sliding member 450. Therefore, the state in which the ball is pinched between tilting member 470 and front design member 420 can be quickly resolved.

[0480] On the other hand, at the stage where the driving force of the solenoid SOL41 (see Figure 12) is transmitted to the slide member 450 (see Figures 34 and 35), the driving force allocated to the tilting member 470 becomes extremely small, and the driving force can be concentrated on the slide member 450. Therefore, when a ball is placed on the slide member 450, a backward load can be applied to the ball via the slide member 450.

[0481] In this embodiment, the path of the ball flowing down toward the tilting member 470 is surrounded by the plate member 410 and the front design member 420, and is configured so that the ball does not deviate from the tilting member 470 (see FIG. 21). Therefore, as shown in FIG. 34, even before the tilting member 470 is fully opened, the weight of the ball is applied to the tilting member 470, causing the tilting member 470 to be displaced (pushed down) to the open position, making it possible to configure the ball so that it is easy for the tilting member 470 to pick it up.

[0482] 35。 35 returns to the state of FIG. 33. In the switching operation from the excited state to the non-excited state of the electric accessory 640a, the operation timing of the sliding member 450 and the operation timing of the tilting member 470 are also different.

[0483] That is, from the start of operation (see FIG. 35) to the intermediate position (see FIG. 34), the first member 481 of the transmitting member 480 presses down the transmitted portion 474 of the tilting member 470, and the lower plate portion 482b of the first member 481 presses down the locking protrusion 487 of the second member 485, thereby moving both the tilting member 470 and the sliding member 450. On the other hand, since the sliding member 450 has already reached the forward position at the intermediate position (see FIG. 34), only the tilting member 470 moves from the intermediate position.

[0484] As a result, in the switching operation of the electric role device 640a from the excited state to the non-excited state, the slide member 450 can be placed in the forward position before the completion of the operation of the tilt member 470. Therefore, it is possible to make it easier for the ball to land on the tip end 451 (the period during which the ball is picked up by the tip end 451 can be extended as much as possible), and it is also possible to make it easier for the ball to be picked up by the tilt member 470 (the period until the tilt member 470 reaches the closed position can be extended).

[0485] Furthermore, in this embodiment, no protrusion 455 is formed on the underside of the tip 451 of the slide member 450, and elastic deformation in the vertical direction is permitted at the tip 451. Therefore, even if a ball gets caught between the slide member 450 and the front design member 420 (see FIG. 20) during the switching operation from the excited state (see FIG. 35) to the de-excited state (see FIG. 33) and the displacement of the slide member 450 is inhibited, the tip 451 can be elastically deformed to continue the forward displacement of the slide member 450, thereby avoiding a malfunction in the rising operation of the tilting member 470 linked to the slide member 450 and ensuring that the rising operation of the tilting member 470 can be completed reliably.

[0486] In this embodiment, as described above, when switching the electric accessory 640a from a non-energized state to an excited state while using the driving force of the same solenoid SOL41 (see Figure 11), the timing at which the tilting member 470 requires a driving force is shifted from the timing at which the sliding member 450 requires a driving force.

[0487] As described above, in this embodiment, when the electric device 640a is switched from a non-energized state to an excited state, the tilting member 470 starts to operate first, and then the sliding member 450 starts to operate, and the timing at which the tilting member 470 and the sliding member 450 end their operations is set to be approximately the same.

[0488] A description will be given of load transmission from the slide member 450 side. As shown in Fig. 33, a locking protrusion 487 is formed at the lower end of the second member 485 (the portion below the rotation shaft portion 485a) so as to protrude along the axial direction of the rotation shaft portion 485a.

[0489] The locking protrusion 487 is disposed so as to abut against the lower plate 482b of the first member 481 in the front-rear direction. The frictional force generated at this abutting portion can suppress unintended rising (floating) of the first member 481 when the electric accessory 640a is in a non-excited state, making it easier to maintain the tilting member 470 in the closed position.

[0490] Furthermore, when the electric device 640a is in a non-excited state, even if a load (rearward load) is applied to the slide member 450 in a direction that moves the slide member 450 backward and in conjunction with this, rotates and displaces the second member 485 in the backward direction, the lower plate portion 482b is positioned in the movement direction of the locking protrusion portion 487, so the rotational displacement of the second member 485 and the rearward displacement of the slide member 450 are also stopped.

[0491] In this case, the movement direction of the locking protrusion 487 (direction along a circle centered on the rotation shaft 485a) and the movement direction of the first member 481 (vertical direction) intersect (are perpendicular to each other), thereby preventing the first member 481 from being displaced in the vertical direction by the load transmitted via the locking protrusion 487. This makes it easier to avoid the occurrence of an unexpected backward displacement of the sliding member 450 in the non-excited state.

[0492] This can be used as a countermeasure against fraudulent acts, such as, for example, illegally inserting a thin metal wire (such as a piano wire or wire) into the playing area from outside the pachinko machine 10 (see Figure 1), applying a load to the slide member 450 via the thin metal wire, and changing the position of the electric device 640a.

[0493] In particular, by taking measures regarding the slide member 450, which protrudes from the front side of the base plate 60 (see Figure 2) in the non-excited state and which a fraudster would find it easy to apply load to, it is possible to prevent the continuation of fraudulent behavior.

[0494] 15(c) along the line XVIII-XVIII of the plate member 410, the base plate 437, the slide member 450, the tilting member 470, and the transmission member 480. In order to facilitate understanding of the structure, unnecessary components of the winning unit 400 are omitted from the illustration in Figure 36, and the figure shows a state in which the operation of the tilting member 470 is temporarily stopped due to a ball being caught between the tilting member 470 and the inclined surface portion 437e while the electric role device 640a is being switched from an excited state to a non-excited state.

[0495] As described above, the movements of tilting member 470 and slide member 450 are linked via transmission member 480. In this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 36, when a ball is caught between tilting member 470 and inclined surface portion 437e (ball jamming occurs), the forward movement of slide member 450 is restricted, and the slide member 450 is configured to prevent the ball flowing down the front side of ball passage opening 414 (see Fig. 16) of plate member 410 from being picked up.

[0496] Therefore, if a ball gets caught between the tilting member 470 and the inclined surface portion 437e (ball biting occurs), it is easier to avoid a situation where an unexpectedly large number of balls become trapped inside the winning unit 400.

[0497] This prevents a situation in which, when a ball is caught between the tilting member 470 and the inclined surface portion 437e, the balls are picked up one after another by the sliding member 450 and flow down one after another toward the tilting member 470, causing subsequent balls to overlap one after another with the ball caught between the tilting member 470 and the inclined surface portion 437e, resulting in malfunction of the tilting member 470.

[0498] Returning to Figure 2, in this embodiment, the upper variable winning device 700 is disposed at approximately the center of the left-right width of the game area, constituting the upper part of the center frame 86. Some of the balls shot along the rails 61 and 62 reach the upper variable winning device 700 while colliding with nails.

[0499] Figures 37(a) and 37(b) are enlarged front views of the upper variable winning device 700 in range XXXVIIa of Figure 2. Figure 37(a) illustrates the upper variable winning device 700 in a closed state, and Figure 37(b) illustrates the upper variable winning device 700 in an open state.

[0500] The upper variable winning device 700 comprises a base plate member 710 that is fastened and fixed to the base plate 60 so as to block an opening drilled in the base plate 60 in the front-to-back direction, and that forms a path for balls to flow down between the base plate member 60 and the glass unit 16 (see Figure 1), a movable top cover member 730 that is capable of sliding in the front-to-back direction through an inverted V-shaped opening 711 drilled in the front-to-back direction on the upper side of the base plate member 710, a detection sensor that has a second specific winning opening 700a formed therein that is configured to allow game balls that have passed through the front side of the movable top cover member 730 to pass through (win a prize), a movable floor member 740 that is capable of sliding in the front-to-back direction through a rectangular opening 712 drilled in the front-to-back direction on the lower side of the base plate member 710, and a plurality of detection sensors 750 that have openings 751 through which balls can pass that are located on the front side of the base plate member 710 and are configured to be able to detect the passage of balls flowing down the front side of the base plate member 710.

[0501] In addition, game balls that pass through the front side of the movable floor member 740 are received by an intermediate rail member 781 that is formed into a curved shape from a strip-shaped metal plate, similar to the inner rail 61 and outer rail 62, and is installed on the front side of the base plate 60.

[0502] A ball removal opening 782 is formed in the base plate 60 at a rear position of the lowest end of the intermediate rail member 781. The ball received by the intermediate rail member 781 passes through the ball removal opening 782 and is guided to a ball discharge path (not shown).

[0503] The upper variable winning device 700 is disposed so as to form a play area between it and the glass unit 16 disposed on the front side. Because the glass unit 16 is transparent, the player can see the second specific winning opening 700a and the opening 751 of the detection sensor 750 from the front.

[0504] Alternatively, a resin plate member of a size that overlaps with the second specific winning opening 700a and the opening 751 of the detection sensor 750 in a front view may be disposed on the rear side of the glass unit 16, and the balls may flow down between the resin plate member and the base plate member 710. In this case, the visibility of the game balls can be varied depending on whether a transparent or non-transparent resin plate member is used. For example, if a non-transparent member is used, the upper variable winning device 700 can be configured to make it difficult to see the balls passing through the specific winning opening 700a and the opening 751.

[0505] The base plate member 710 has an inverted V-shaped opening 711 on the upper side, the left and right ends of which are close to the ends of the center frame 86 on the left and right sides, a rectangular opening 712 on the lower side, a pair of left and right inclined rolling plate portions 713 extending to the front side below the inverted V-shaped opening 711 and inclining downwards toward the second specific winning opening 700a, and a pair of left and right inclined rolling plate portions 713 extending to the front side at positions below the inclined plate portions 713 and on the left and right sides outside the detection sensor 750, the pair of left and right inclined rolling plate portions 713 extending to the front side at positions below the inclined plate portions 713 and inclined downwards toward the detection sensor 750. It comprises an inclined outer wall panel portion 714, a pair of plate-shaped portions extending toward the front below the second specific winning opening 700a with a gap large enough to receive balls that have passed through the second specific winning opening 700a, a pair of left and right storage plate portions 715 with their lower ends positioned close to the rectangular opening 712, a pair of left and right receiving portions 716 extending toward the front below the detection sensor 750 in a U-shape with a left and right width large enough to receive balls that have passed through the opening 751 inside, and a pair of left and right discharge openings 717 drilled in the front-to-back direction according to the inner shape of the receiving portions 716 and discharging balls received by the receiving portions 716 to the rear side.

[0506] The inclined rolling plate portion 713, the inclined outer wall plate portion 714, the storage plate portion 715, and the receiving portion 716 are extended to a position sufficient to prevent the balls from spilling between them and the glass unit 16. In other words, when viewed from the front, the balls do not penetrate the inclined rolling plate portion 713, the inclined outer wall plate portion 714, the storage plate portion 715, and the receiving portion 716, but instead flow down along the shape of these portions.

[0507] The inclined outer wall plate portion 714 forms a gap between the inclined rolling plate portion 713 and the upper side of the detection sensor 750 into which the ball can enter. This allows a ball that has deviated to the left or right outside above the detection sensor 750 to be guided along the inclination toward the detection sensor 750.

[0508] The storage plate 715 is positioned at a position that is the same distance to the left and right from the central axis of the second specific winning opening 700a. In other words, the central axis of the second specific winning opening 700a is positioned on a plane that is parallel to the left and right side surfaces of the storage plate 715 and is positioned at the midpoint between the pair of storage plates 715. This makes it easier for balls that enter the second specific winning opening 700a to flow into the gap between the pair of storage plates 715.

[0509] The movable upper cover member 730 has a plate portion 731 that is bent in an inverted V shape when viewed from the front and slopes downward outward to the left and right.When the upper variable winning device 700 is in the closed state, the plate portion 731 protrudes to the front side of the base plate 60, and balls placed on the movable upper cover member 730 are carried outward to the left and right along the slope of the plate portion 731.

[0510] When the upper variable winning device 700 is switched to the open state, the plate portion 731 is retracted rearward from the front end face of the base plate 60, and the balls on the plate portion 731 fall toward the inclined rolling plate portion 713.

[0511] At this time, when the upper variable winning device 700 is in the closed state, the ball flowing down along the inclination of the plate portion 731 has a speed directed outward to the left and right, and therefore is likely to land on the outside of the left and right of the inclined rolling plate portion 713. Then, the ball flows along the inclination directed inward to the left and right of the inclined rolling plate portion 713, and passes through the second specific winning opening 700a.

[0512] In other words, the direction in which the ball flows down the top surface of the plate portion 731 is more likely to take a detour than the direction that takes the shortest distance to the second specific winning opening 700a, and the time it takes for the ball to pass through the second specific winning opening 700a can be extended.

[0513] Because the movable top cover member 730 is inclined on both the left and right sides, the above-mentioned effect of lengthening the time it takes for the ball to pass through the second specific winning opening 700a can be achieved in multiple ways, thereby slowing down the flow of the ball and preventing it from becoming stagnant.

[0514] In other words, while the time it takes for the ball to pass through is prolonged, it is easy to maintain the smooth flow of the ball, so it is possible to avoid situations where the player suspects that the ball is jammed and stops shooting the ball. In other words, it is possible to promote the shooting of the ball.

[0515] Furthermore, by lengthening the time it takes for the ball to pass through, even if multiple balls are placed near the top of the second specific winning opening 700a, they will always pass through the second specific winning opening 700a. Therefore, by keeping the second specific winning opening 700a in view, the player can avoid losing sight of the ball that has passed in front of the movable top cover member 730.

[0516] The vertical distance between the plate portion 731 and the inclined rolling plate portion 713 is longest at the center on the left and right sides and becomes shorter toward the outside on the left and right sides. Furthermore, at the outside end on the left and right sides, the vertical distance is configured to be less than the diameter of a sphere.

[0517] Therefore, for example, when a ball is resting on the left or right outer end of the inclined rolling plate portion 713, when the upper variable winning device 700 is switched to the closed state and the plate portion 731 of the movable upper cover member 730 slides toward the front, a load is generated from the plate portion 731 in a direction pushing the ball inward to the left and right.

[0518] This prevents a ball that has passed the front side of the plate portion 731 from becoming stuck at the left and right outer ends of the inclined rolling plate portion 713, and also prevents the time it takes for the ball to reach the second specific winning port 700a from becoming excessively long.

[0519] The movable top cover member 730 and the movable floor member 740 move in synchronous opposite directions in the front and rear directions by the driving force of a solenoid 763, which will be described later. In Figures 37(a) and 37(b), the outer shapes of the movable top cover member 730 and the movable floor member 740 are shown in solid lines when the gap between them and the glass unit 16 is short enough to prevent a ball from passing through, and are shown in imaginary lines when the gap between them and the glass unit 16 is long enough to allow a ball to pass through.

[0520] In other words, when the upper variable winning device 700 is closed, the movable floor member 740 is retracted to the rear, allowing balls to be discharged below the storage plate section 715 (see Figure 37(a)), and when the upper variable winning device 700 is open, the movable floor member 740 is extended forward, making it impossible to discharge balls below the storage plate section 715 (see Figure 37(b)).

[0521] When the upper variable winning device 700 is in the open state, if a ball that has flowed down the front side of the movable upper cover member 730 is detected to have passed through the second specific winning opening 700a, a prize ball is paid out, while the opening 751 of the detection sensor 750 functions as a specific area for changing the game state in response to the ball entering. That is, the game state after the end of the jackpot game is controlled to a high probability state, as will be described in detail later, provided that the ball has passed through the opening 751 during the jackpot game.

[0522] Figures 38(a) to 38(c) are enlarged front views of the upper variable winning device 700 in range XXXVIIa of Figure 2. Figures 38(a) to 38(c) show an example of how balls enter the upper variable winning device 700 in chronological order.

[0523] In Figures 38(a) to 38(c), the meaning of the outer shapes of the movable top cover member 730 and the movable floor member 740 being shown in solid lines and in imaginary lines is the same as in the illustrations in Figures 37(a) and 37(b).

[0524] As shown in Figure 38(a), when the upper variable winning device 700 is in the open state, a ball that passes through the front side of the movable upper cover member 730 rolls on the inclined rolling plate portion 713 and passes through the second specific winning opening 700a, or, for example, a ball that falls from directly above the second specific winning opening 700a flows directly into the second specific winning opening 700a without passing through the inclined rolling plate portion 713.

[0525] As shown in Figure 38(b), the balls that pass through the second specific winning opening 700a are stored in order in an area formed by the storage plate section 715 and the movable floor member 740. When the storage plate section 715 is filled with balls up to near the top end (with ball P1, the fourth ball to pass through the second specific winning opening 700a, positioned near the top end of the storage plate section 715), ball P2, which passes through the second specific winning opening 700a following ball P1, cannot enter the gap between the storage plate sections 715 and flows left and right to pass through the opening 751 (see Figure 38(c)).

[0526] In other words, when the storage plate portion 715 is filled with balls up to near the upper end thereof, it is not the balls placed inside the storage plate portion 715, but rather the balls that follow and reach near the upper end of the storage plate portion 715 that pass through the opening 751.

[0527] According to the example shown in Figure 38, if more balls than the maximum number of balls that can be stored in the gaps between the storage plate sections 715 (in this embodiment, four) pass through the second specific winning port 700a, the balls will pass through the opening 751.

[0528] Figures 39(a) to 39(c) are enlarged front views of the upper variable winning device 700 in range XXXVIIa of Figure 2. Figures 39(a) to 39(c) show an example of how balls enter the upper variable winning device 700 in chronological order.

[0529] In Figures 39(a) to 39(c), the meaning of the outer shapes of the movable top cover member 730 and the movable floor member 740 being shown in solid lines and the meaning of the outer shapes being shown in imaginary lines is the same as in the illustrations in Figures 37(a) and 37(b).

[0530] As shown in Figure 39(a), when the upper variable winning device 700 is in the open state, balls are maintained in a state of being stored in the area formed by the storage plate section 715 and the movable floor member 740, and balls that pass the front side of the movable upper cover member 730 roll along the inclined rolling plate section 713 and pass through the second specific winning opening 700a, or balls that fall from directly above the second specific winning opening 700a, for example, flow directly into the second specific winning opening 700a without passing through the inclined rolling plate section 713.

[0531] The state shown in Figure 39(a) is similar to the state shown in Figure 38(b), in which a ball P1 flows down and can be positioned near the upper end of the storage plate portion 715 by riding on the balls stored between the storage plate portions 715.

[0532] In this state, when the upper variable winning device 700 is switched to the closed state, the movable floor member 740 retreats to the rear, and the balls stored in the area between the storage plate sections 715 are discharged in order from the bottom up (see Figure 39(b)).

[0533] Figures 39(b) and 39(c) show the state in which only one ball has been discharged, but the number of balls discharged corresponds to the length of time that the movable floor member 740 is retracted backward; if the time is short, only some of the balls will be discharged, and if the time is long, all of the balls will be discharged.

[0534] Since the balls are discharged from the area between the storage plates 715, ball P1, which is the fourth ball to pass through the second specific winning opening 700a, is positioned one ball's width (i.e., the number of balls discharged) below the upper end of the storage plate 715, and as shown in Figure 39(c), ball P2, which passes through the second specific winning opening 700a following ball P1, also enters the area between the storage plates 715, and ball P2 is positioned near the upper end of the storage plate 715.

[0535] From the state shown in Figure 39(c), a ball that follows ball P2 and passes through the second specific winning port 700a cannot enter the gap between the storage plate sections 715, but flows to the left and right and passes through the opening 751.

[0536] In other words, in the example shown in Figure 39, even if more balls than the maximum number of balls that can be stored in the gaps between the storage plate sections 715 (in this embodiment, four) pass through the second specific winning port 700a, the balls will not necessarily pass through the opening 751.

[0537] Whether or not the ball passes through the opening 751 depends on whether or not the state in which ball P1 is positioned near the upper end of the storage plate section 715 (see Figure 38(c)) is maintained until the following ball P2 passes through the second specific winning opening 700a and reaches near the upper end of the storage plate section 715.

[0538] The discharge of balls from storage plate 715 occurs when movable top cover member 730 is closed (see Figure 39(b)), and the number of balls discharged is related to the length of the opening and closing operation, so the more frequently the opening and closing operation of movable top cover member 730 occurs and the longer the movable top cover member 730 is closed, the more difficult it becomes to maintain the state in which ball P1 is positioned near the upper end of storage plate 715 (see Figure 38(c)), and the more difficult it becomes for the ball to pass through opening 751. Details of the operation control of movable top cover member 730 will be described later.

[0539] Figures 40(a) to 40(c) are cross-sectional views of the movable upper cover member 730 and the movable floor member 740 taken along line XLa-XLa in Figure 37(a). In Figures 40(a) to 40(c), the front and rear end faces of the base plate 60 are shown in imaginary lines, and the manner in which the upper variable winning device 700 is switched from a closed state to an open state is illustrated in chronological order. Note that in Figures 40(a) to 40(c), for ease of understanding, the drive transmission device 760 is illustrated not as a cross-sectional view but as a side view viewed from the right.

[0540] The drive transmission device 760 includes a first member 761 journaled on a rotation shaft XXXVII fixedly positioned near the rear side of the base plate 60, a second member 762 journaled on a rotation shaft J2 fixedly positioned near the front side of the base plate 60, a solenoid 763 configured to allow a plunger 763a to slide up and down by electromagnetic force, and a transmission member 764 into which the plunger 763a of the solenoid 763 is fitted and which slides up and down in synchronization with the sliding movement of the plunger 763a.

[0541] When the upper variable winning device 700 is in the closed state (see Figure 40(a)), the first member 761 is supported in a forward-leaning position by a support portion (not shown) on the base member 60 side, the movable upper cover member 730 is positioned in an advanced position, the second member 762 is supported in a backward-leaning position by a support portion (not shown) on the base member 60 side, and the movable floor member 740 is positioned in a retracted position.

[0542] When the upper variable winning device 700 is in the open state (see Figure 40 (c)), the first member 761 is in a backward position, the movable upper cover member 730 is in a retracted position, the second member 762 is in a forward position, and the movable floor member 740 is in an advanced position.

[0543] The first member 761 has a protrusion 761a that protrudes to the right from the right side surface and has a circular cross section, and the transmission member 764 has a rear extension 764a that extends toward the protrusion 761a side (the rear side in this embodiment) so as to be located below the protrusion 761a, and a bent extension 764b that extends toward the protrusion 761a side (the rear side in this embodiment) above the rear extension 764a and parallel to the rear extension 764a above the rear extension 764a, and has a bent tip.

[0544] The second member 762 has a protrusion 762a that protrudes to the right from the right side surface and has a circular cross section, and the transmission member 764 has a rear extension 764c that extends toward the protrusion 762a (in this embodiment, the rear side) so as to be located above the protrusion 762a, and a bent extension 764d that extends toward the protrusion 762a below the rear extension 764c and parallel to the rear extension 764c, and has a bent tip.

[0545] The solenoid 763 is configured to pull the plunger 763a upward when an electromagnetic force is generated (excited state), and when the electromagnetic force disappears (de-excited state), the plunger 763a is lowered downward by the biasing force of the coil spring and gravity.

[0546] The following describes the interlocking of the movable top cover member 730 and the movable floor member 740. As shown in Figure 40(a), when the solenoid 763 is in a non-excited state, the plunger 763a is positioned at the lower end position, and the transmission member 764 of the drive transmission device 760 is positioned at the lower end position.

[0547] When the solenoid 763 is energized, the transmission member 764 slides upward, and during this sliding movement, the second member 762 begins to rotate in the forward direction with the protrusion 762a first being pushed up against the upper surface of the bent extension portion 764d (see Figure 40(b)).

[0548] During this time, the rear extension portion 764a also slides upward, but the gap between the rear extension portion 764a and the protruding portion 761a is merely filled, and no load is applied to the protruding portion 761a from the rear extension portion 764a. In other words, the first member 761 still maintains its forward-leaning position.

[0549] When the transmission member 764 slides further upward from the state of Figure 40(b), the first member 761 rotates in the rearward direction with the protrusion 761a pushed up by the upper surface of the rear extension 764a, and changes to a rearward tilted posture (see Figure 40(c)).

[0550] In this embodiment, the amount of vertical displacement required of the transmission member 764 until the first member 761 reaches the backward position from the forward-leaning position is the same as the amount of vertical displacement required of the transmission member 764 until the second member 762 reaches the forward-leaning position from the backward position.

[0551] Therefore, the second member 762 assumes the forward-leaning position before the first member 761 assumes the backward-leaning position. In this embodiment, the rearward extending length of the bent extension portion 764d is set to a length that does not exceed the front end portion of the protruding portion 762a of the second member 762 in the forward-leaning position, and therefore, an upward load is prevented from being applied to the second member 762 from the bent extension portion 764d after the second member 762 assumes the forward-leaning position.

[0552] Furthermore, the rear surface of the portion extending downward at the rear end side of the bent extension 764d abuts against the protrusion 762a, restricting displacement diagonally downward and forward, thereby preventing the second member 762 from rotating in the backward direction.

[0553] In this case, the load applied from the protrusion 762a to the transmission member 764 is mainly a load in the front-to-rear direction, so it is easier to prevent the transmission member 764 from being displaced in the up-and-down direction due to the load transmitted via the protrusion 762a, and it is easier to maintain the position of the transmission member 764.

[0554] As shown in Figures 40(a) to 40(c), when the upper variable winning device 700 switches from a closed state to an open state, the movable upper cover member 730 and the movable floor member 740 do not operate simultaneously, but there is a time difference in the timing of their operations.

[0555] That is, the movable floor member 740 starts moving toward the forward position in advance, and then the movable top cover member 730 starts moving toward the retracted position afterwards. This makes it possible to ensure that even if a ball passes in front of the movable top cover member 730 immediately after the movable top cover member 730 has been displaced to the retracted position, the movable floor member 740 is already positioned in the forward position at that time.

[0556] This prevents the movable floor member 740 from being positioned in the forward position until the ball that has passed the front side of the movable top cover member 730 has passed by, thereby preventing the ball from passing by the front side of the movable floor member 740 and not being stored between the storage plate sections 715.

[0557] In addition to this, in this embodiment, the shape of the movable upper cover member 730 is designed to lengthen the period until a ball rolling on the top surface of the plate portion 731 passes through the second specific winning port 700a, thereby avoiding a situation where balls are not stored between the storage plate portions 715.

[0558] Figures 41(a) to 41(c) are cross-sectional views of the movable upper cover member 730 and the movable floor member 740 taken along line XLa-XLa in Figure 37(a). In Figures 41(a) to 41(c), the front and rear end faces of the base plate 60 are shown in imaginary lines, and the manner in which the upper variable winning device 700 is switched from an open state to a closed state is illustrated in chronological order. Note that in Figures 41(a) to 41(c), for ease of understanding, the drive transmission device 760 is illustrated not as a cross-sectional view but as a side view viewed from the right.

[0559] We will now explain the interlocking of the movable top cover member 730 and the movable floor member 740. As shown in Figure 41(a), when the solenoid 763 is in an excited state, the plunger 763a is positioned at the upper end position, and the transmission member 764 of the drive transmission device 760 is also positioned at the upper end position.

[0560] When the solenoid 763 is de-energized, the plunger 763a moves downward due to the force of the coil spring provided in the solenoid 763 and gravity, and the transmission member 764 slides downward. During this sliding movement, the first member 761 begins to rotate in the forward direction with the protruding portion 761a being pushed down against the underside of the bent extension portion 764b (see Figure 41(b)).

[0561] During this time, the rear extension portion 764c also slides downward, but the gap between the rear extension portion 764c and the protruding portion 762a is merely filled, and no load is applied to the protruding portion 762a from the rear extension portion 764c. In other words, the second member 762 still maintains its forward-leaning position.

[0562] When the transmission member 764 slides further downward from the state shown in Figure 41(b), the second member 762 rotates in the rearward direction with the protrusion 762a being pushed down by the underside of the rear extension 764c, and changes to a rearward tilted position (see Figure 41(c)).

[0563] In this embodiment, the amount of vertical displacement required of the transmission member 764 until the first member 761 reaches the forward-leaning position from the backward-leaning position is the same as the amount of vertical displacement required of the transmission member 764 until the second member 762 reaches the backward-leaning position from the forward-leaning position.

[0564] Therefore, the first member 761 assumes the forward-leaning position before the second member 762 assumes the backward-leaning position. In this embodiment, the rearward extending length of the bent extension portion 764b is set to a length that does not exceed the front end portion of the protruding portion 761a of the first member 761 in the forward-leaning position, and therefore, a downward load is prevented from being applied to the first member 761 from the bent extension portion 764b after the first member 761 assumes the forward-leaning position.

[0565] Furthermore, the rear surface of the portion extending upward at the rear end side of the bent extension 764b abuts against the protrusion 761a, restricting displacement diagonally upward and forward, thereby preventing the first member 761 from rotating in the backward direction.

[0566] In this case, the load applied from the protrusion 761a to the transmission member 764 is mainly a load in the front-to-rear direction, so it is easier to prevent the transmission member 764 from being displaced in the up-and-down direction due to the load transmitted via the protrusion 761a, and it is easier to maintain the position of the transmission member 764.

[0567] As shown in Figures 41(a) to 41(c), when the upper variable winning device 700 switches from an open state to a closed state, the movable upper cover member 730 and the movable floor member 740 do not operate simultaneously, but there is a time difference in the timing of their operations.

[0568] That is, the movable top cover member 730 starts moving toward the forward position in advance, and then the movable floor member 740 starts moving toward the retreated position. This makes it possible to extend the time it takes for a ball that triggers the closing of the movable top cover member 730 (for example, a ball that passes through the second specific winning opening 700a after the specified number of times) to reach the vicinity of the upper end of the storage plate portion 715.

[0569] In other words, the time until the movable floor member 740 is moved to the retracted position and balls begin to be discharged from the storage plate portion 715 can be extended, thereby increasing the possibility that the ball that triggers the closing of the movable top cover member 730 will pass through the opening 751 of the detection sensor 750.

[0570] In particular, the ball that triggers the closing of the movable top cover member 730 passes the front side of the plate portion 731, and is not affected by the inclination of the plate portion 731, so it often flows down at a speed that is directed inward to the left and right. Therefore, the time it takes to reach the second specific winning opening 700a can be shortened, and the player's anticipation of reaching the vicinity of the upper end of the storage plate portion 715 before the movable floor member 740 is displaced to the retracted position can be increased.

[0571] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the distance from the second specific winning opening 700a to the detection sensor 750 is short, and the upper end of the storage plate section 715 is positioned directly below the second specific winning opening 700a, so that if the ball passes through the second specific winning opening 700a, it will seem as if it may pass through the opening 751 of the detection sensor 750, increasing the player's expectations.

[0572] Next, referring to Figure 42, the opening pattern of the second specific winning port 700a that is opened in the first round in the jackpot game of this embodiment will be described. In the explanation of Figure 42, Figures 2, 4, and 37 to 41 will be referred to as appropriate.

[0573] Figure 42(a) is a diagram showing the time-counting changes of the second specific winning port 700a in the first special operation pattern, Figure 42(b) is a diagram showing the time-counting changes of the second specific winning port 700a in the second special operation pattern, and Figure 42(c) is a diagram showing the time-counting changes of the second specific winning port 700a in the third special operation pattern.

[0574] When a jackpot is determined, the MPU 201 (see FIG. 4) starts controlling the determined type of jackpot game after the special symbol variation display (symbol variation performance) ends. Below, we will explain the operation control of the movable upper cover member 730 and the movable floor member 740 that is performed when a jackpot game is awarded.

[0575] 42(a) to 42(c), "top open, bottom closed" means a state in which the movable top cover member 730 is disposed in the retracted position and the movable floor member 740 is disposed in the advanced position, and "top closed, bottom open" means a state in which the movable top cover member 730 is disposed in the advanced position and the movable floor member 740 is disposed in the retracted position. In this embodiment, as described above, the timing of the displacement of the movable top cover member 730 and the movable floor member 740 is shifted, but in Figures 42(a) to 42(c), this is illustrated in a simplified manner that does not express the shift in timing.

[0576] First, a case where the operation of the first special operation pattern is executed will be described. In this embodiment, as will be described later, a jackpot type is prepared in which the MPU 201 drives and controls the solenoid 763 so that the movable upper cover member 730 and the movable floor member 740 operate based on the first special operation pattern. When a jackpot of this jackpot type is determined, the MPU 201 drives and controls the solenoid 763 so that, when the special symbol change display (symbol change performance) ends, a timer means (not shown) holds the movable upper cover member 730 in the forward position until a predetermined opening time OP1 (10 seconds) has elapsed, and after the opening time OP1 has elapsed, the first round of round play R is started.

[0577] That is, the timer means starts measuring the first operating time T1 (maximum 30 seconds), and the solenoid 763 is driven and controlled to displace the movable upper cover member 730 from the forward position to the backward position to open the second specific winning opening 700a, thereby causing the movable upper cover member 730 to operate for a long period of time.

[0578] Then, when the round end condition (the round play time (30 seconds, which is the maximum value of the first operating time T1) has elapsed or a specified number of pachinko balls (10 in this embodiment) have won) is met in the first round of round play R, the solenoid 763 is driven and controlled to displace the movable upper cover member 730 to a forward position and close the second specific winning port 700a, thereby ending the first round of round play R.

[0579] In the first special operation pattern, the movable floor member 740 is always kept in the forward position during the first round of play R, so that, as described above with reference to Fig. 38, in the process of passing the specified number of balls through the second specific winning opening 700a, it is possible to make a number of balls greater than the maximum number of balls that can be stored in the gap between the storage plates 715 (four in this embodiment) flow down toward the storage plate 715. Therefore, it is possible to easily cause the balls to pass through the opening 751.

[0580] When the first round of round play R ends, the timer means controls the solenoid 763 to keep the movable upper cover member 730 in the forward position until the first interval time Int1 between rounds (2.0 seconds) has elapsed, and after the first interval time Int1 between rounds has elapsed, the second round of round play R begins.

[0581] The first interval time Int1 between rounds should be set to a time sufficient for the ball that passed in front of the movable top cover member 730 just before the movable top cover member 730 is displaced to the forward position to pass in front of the movable floor member 740, and in this embodiment is set to approximately 2 seconds.

[0582] In the second round, similarly to the start of the first round, the timer means starts measuring the first operation time T1 (maximum 30 seconds) and the specific winning port 65a is opened. Then, when the round end condition (the round game time (maximum value of the first operation time T1, 30 seconds) has elapsed or a prescribed number of pachinko balls have won) is met in the round game R, the specific winning port 65a is closed and the round game R of the second round ends.

[0583] Thereafter, the round games R from the third round to the maximum fifteenth round are repeated with the inter-round first interval time Int1 between each round game R, and the specific winning port 65a is opened and closed.

[0584] Then, when the final round game R ends, the timer means keeps the specific winning port 65a in a closed state until the first interval time Int1 between rounds and the ending time ED (for example, 11 seconds) have elapsed, and the jackpot game ends as the time elapses.

[0585] Next, a case where the operation of the second special operation pattern is executed will be described. In this embodiment, as will be described later, a jackpot type is prepared in which the MPU 201 drives and controls the solenoid 763 so that the movable upper cover member 730 and the movable floor member 740 operate based on the second special operation pattern. When a jackpot of this jackpot type is determined, the MPU 201 drives and controls the solenoid 763 so that, when the special symbol variation display (symbol variation performance) ends, a timer means (not shown) holds the movable upper cover member 730 in the forward position until a predetermined opening time OP1 (10 seconds) has elapsed, and after the opening time OP1 has elapsed, the first round of round play R is started.

[0586] That is, the timer means starts measuring the first operating time T1 (maximum 30 seconds), and the solenoid 763 is driven and controlled to displace the movable upper cover member 730 from the forward position to the backward position to open the second specific winning opening 700a, thereby causing the movable upper cover member 730 to operate for a long period of time.

[0587] Then, when the round end condition (the round play time (30 seconds, which is the maximum value of the first operating time T1) has elapsed or a specified number of pachinko balls (10 in this embodiment) have won) is met in the first round of round play R, the solenoid 763 is driven and controlled to displace the movable upper cover member 730 to a forward position and close the second specific winning port 700a, thereby ending the first round of round play R.

[0588] In the second special operation pattern, during the first round of round play R, a state in which the movable top cover member 730 is positioned in the retracted position and the movable floor member 740 is positioned in the advanced position is switched approximately every second between a state in which the movable top cover member 730 is positioned in the advanced position and the movable floor member 740 is positioned in the retracted position.

[0589] In other words, the state switches approximately every second between a state in which balls can be guided toward the second specific winning opening 700a and balls can be stored in a position between the storage plate sections 715, and a state in which the guidance of balls toward the second specific winning opening 700a is restricted and balls stored in a position between the storage plate sections 715 are discharged.

[0590] In this embodiment, the discharge of balls from the position between the storage plates 715 is completed in approximately 0.2 seconds per ball. Therefore, while the movable floor member 740 is placed in the retracted position for approximately 1 second, a maximum of five balls can flow down the front side of the movable floor member 740 from the position between the storage plates 715. Also, considering the ball launch interval allowed for the pachinko machine 10 (0.6 second interval in this embodiment), the number of balls passing the front side of the movable top cover member 730 while the movable top cover member 730 is placed in the retracted position for approximately 1 second is at most approximately three.

[0591] Therefore, as described above with reference to Figure 39, in the process of passing a specified number of balls through the second specific winning opening 700a, a state is created in which balls stored in the gaps between the storage plates 715 can be discharged. Furthermore, since the number of balls that can be discharged from the gaps between the storage plates 715 is greater than the number of balls that can be guided into the gaps between the storage plates 715 per unit time (approximately 1 second), it is difficult to create a state in which more balls than the maximum number of balls that can be stored in the gaps between the storage plates 715 (4 in this embodiment) are stored in the gaps between the storage plates 715. Therefore, it is difficult to create a situation in which balls pass through the opening 751.

[0592] On the other hand, since the opening 751 does not appear to be closed, the player can be made to believe that there is a rare possibility that a ball may enter the opening 751 due to the irregular flow of the ball or the tilt at which the pachinko machine 10 is installed, thereby increasing the player's attention to the upper variable winning device 700.

[0593] The control after the first round of the round game R is completed is the same as when operating in the first special operation pattern, so the explanation will be omitted.

[0594] Next, a case where the operation of the third special operation pattern is executed will be described. In this embodiment, as will be described later, a jackpot type is prepared in which the MPU 201 drives and controls the solenoid 763 so that the movable upper cover member 730 and the movable floor member 740 operate based on the third special operation pattern. When a jackpot of this jackpot type is determined, the MPU 201 drives and controls the solenoid 763 so that, when the special symbol change display (symbol change performance) ends, a timer means (not shown) holds the movable upper cover member 730 in the forward position until a predetermined opening time OP1 (10 seconds) has elapsed, and after the opening time OP1 has elapsed, the first round of round play R is started.

[0595] That is, the timer means starts measuring the first operating time T1 (maximum 30 seconds), and the solenoid 763 is driven and controlled to displace the movable upper cover member 730 from the forward position to the backward position to open the second specific winning opening 700a, thereby causing the movable upper cover member 730 to operate for a long period of time.

[0596] Then, when the round end condition (the round play time (30 seconds, which is the maximum value of the first operating time T1) has elapsed or a specified number of pachinko balls (10 in this embodiment) have won) is met in the first round of round play R, the solenoid 763 is driven and controlled to displace the movable upper cover member 730 to a forward position and close the second specific winning port 700a, thereby ending the first round of round play R.

[0597] In the third special operation pattern, during the first round of round play R, a state in which the movable top cover member 730 is maintained in the retracted position and the movable floor member 740 is maintained in the forward position for approximately 1 second is alternated with a state in which the movable top cover member 730 is maintained in the forward position and the movable floor member 740 is maintained in the retracted position for approximately 0.2 seconds.

[0598] In other words, a state in which balls can be guided toward second specific winning opening 700a and balls can be stored in a position between storage plate portions 715 is maintained for about 1 second, and a state in which ball guidance toward second specific winning opening 700a is restricted and balls stored in a position between storage plate portions 715 are discharged is maintained for about 0.2 seconds, which are alternately repeated. According to this time setting, the state in which movable upper cover member 730 is positioned in the retracted position can be achieved a maximum of about 25 times during the first round of play.

[0599] In this embodiment, the discharge of a ball from a position between storage plate portions 715 is completed in approximately 0.2 seconds per ball. Therefore, while movable floor member 740 is placed in the retracted position for approximately 0.2 seconds, a maximum of one ball can flow down the front side of movable floor member 740 from a position between storage plate portions 715. Also, considering the ball launch interval allowed for pachinko machine 10 (0.6 second interval in this embodiment), the number of balls passing in front of movable top cover member 730 while movable top cover member 730 is placed in the retracted position for one second is approximately three at most.

[0600] Therefore, as described above with reference to Figure 39, in the process of passing a specified number of balls through the second specific winning port 700a, a state is created in which the balls stored in the gaps between the storage plate sections 715 can be discharged.

[0601] Furthermore, because the number of balls that can be discharged from the gaps between storage plates 715 per second unit time (approximately 0.2 seconds) is smaller than the number of balls that can be guided into the gaps between storage plates 715 per unit time (approximately 1 second), it is easier to create a state in which more balls than the maximum number of balls that can be stored in the gaps between storage plates 715 (four in this embodiment) are stored in the gaps between storage plates 715 than in the case described above with the second special operation pattern. Therefore, it is easier to create a situation in which balls pass through opening 751 than in the case described above with the second special operation pattern.

[0602] On the other hand, the balls stored in the gaps between the storage plate sections 715 are discharged at a rate of one each time the movable top cover member 730 and the movable floor member 740 are displaced (at approximately 1.2 second intervals), so depending on the frequency with which the balls pass in front of the movable top cover member 730 and the time interval, it may happen that the first round of play R ends without the ball passing through the opening 751.

[0603] According to the third special operation pattern in this embodiment, by increasing the frequency with which the ball passes the front side of the movable ...

Claims

[Claim 1] A performance execution means capable of executing a predetermined performance in which a predetermined notification can be executed; A gaming machine including: a change means for configuring a changeable state in which a predetermined setting related to the output of at least the predetermined performance can be changed; The gaming machine includes: As the predetermined notification mode, A predetermined manner in which a situation may occur in which a number is displayed and the number is decreased every predetermined period of time; A specific mode that allows a player to understand that the predetermined period is the last of a predetermined advantageous state can be configured; After the predetermined notification is executed in the predetermined advantageous state, the predetermined advantageous state may end without the specific aspect being configured based on the establishment of a predetermined condition, A gaming machine characterized in that it is configured so that the changeable state can be configured during a specific period during which the specified notification is being executed.

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