Game machine

Abstract

To provide a technique allowing even players not touching an operation part to be aware of fluctuations caused by power applied to the operation part.SOLUTION: A game machine 10 includes a first motor 83 applying power to a support part 162 that movably supports an operation part 160 that is operated by the player to move, so that fluctuations due to the power also occur in the operation part 160 via the support part 162, the player touching the operation part 160 is made aware of the fluctuations, and the fluctuations due to the power are also likely to occur in other components of the game machine 10 via the support part 162, thereby making it easy for the player not touching the operation part 160 to be aware of the fluctuations due to the power of the first motor 83.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 36

Description

[Technical Field]

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

[0002] BACKGROUND ART Conventionally, there has been known a machine in which an operating unit operable by a player is moved by power (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2003-190434 A (paragraph

[0012] ) Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, the above-mentioned conventional gaming machines have a problem in that only the player who is touching the operating unit can notice the fluctuation, and a solution to this problem is required. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] The gaming machine disclosed herein comprises an operating unit that is operated by a player and moves, a support unit that movably supports the operating unit, and a first power source that is attached to the support unit and provides power to the support unit, and the power of the first power source can be transmitted to the player via the support unit and the operating unit. [Effects of the Invention]

[0006] According to the gaming machine of the present disclosure, a first power source that provides power is attached to a support part that movably supports the operating part, and therefore fluctuations due to that power also occur in the operating part via the support part, making it possible for a player who is touching the operating part to recognize those fluctuations, and also makes it easier for fluctuations due to that power to occur in other components of the gaming machine via the support part, making it easier for players who are not touching the operating part to recognize the fluctuations due to the power of the first power source. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of a gaming machine according to a first embodiment; [Figure 2] An exploded perspective view of the gaming machine with the front door removed [Figure 3] A perspective view of the support frame and the rear cover [Figure 4] Perspective view of the metal frame [Figure 5] A perspective view of a part of the support frame [Figure 6] Side cross-section of the upper part of the rear door [Figure 7] Perspective view of the bottom of the rear door [Figure 8] Perspective view of rear door [Figure 9] Front view of the rear door with the game board fitted in [Figure 10] Exploded perspective view of the lower part of the rear door [Figure 11] Exploded perspective view of the launcher [Figure 12] A perspective view of the rear side of the shot ball guide unit [Figure 13] Front cross-sectional view of the ball guide unit [Figure 14] FIG. 14A is a perspective view of a gutter unit, and FIG. 14B is a cross-sectional perspective view of the gutter unit. [Figure 15] Exploded perspective view of the gutter unit [Figure 16] An exploded perspective view of a cutting means [Figure 17] Enlarged perspective view of branch port [Figure 18]FIG. 18A is a diagram showing a state in which one of the gaming balls with the tampering string attached has passed through the foul ball discharge path, and FIG. 18B is a diagram showing a state in which the other of the gaming balls with the tampering string attached has reached the gaming area. [Figure 19] Cross-sectional perspective view of the front plate [Figure 20] Enlarged front view of the rear side of the gaming machine [Figure 21] Enlarged top view of the gaming machine [Figure 22] Rear cross section of the tank [Figure 23] Exploded perspective view of the front door [Figure 24] Perspective view of the foundation frame [Figure 25] Perspective view of the metal frame [Figure 26] Enlarged perspective view of the bottom of the foundation frame [Figure 27] A diagram for explaining the attachment of the foundation frame and the side unit. [Figure 28] FIG. 28A is a perspective view of the vicinity of the first and second unit holding portions, and FIG. 28B is an exploded perspective view of the rotation shaft. [Figure 29] Perspective view of the underside of the base frame [Figure 30] FIG. 30A is a perspective view of the lower unit, and FIG. 30B is a perspective view of the lower unit from the bottom side. [Figure 31] Exploded perspective view of the lower unit [Figure 32] FIG. 32A is a perspective view of the cover plate, and FIG. 32B is a perspective view of the underside of the cover plate. [Figure 33] FIG. 33A is a perspective view of the operation button device and the cross button device, and FIG. 33B is a perspective view of the bottom side of the operation button device and the cross button device. [Figure 34] Exploded perspective view of an operation button device [Figure 35] 1 is a perspective view of a cover member and components constituting the cover member's movement mechanism; [Figure 36] Cross-sectional view of the cover member and its movement mechanism [Figure 37] A perspective view of the movable decorative part and the components that make up its movement mechanism. [Figure 38] Cross-section of the movable decorative part and its movement mechanism [Figure 39] Plan view of the support and the movable base [Figure 40] Cross-sectional view of the support and movable base [Figure 41] Rear perspective view of the rear door [Figure 42] Enlarged cross-sectional view of the ball leveling member [Figure 43] FIG. 43A is an enlarged perspective view of the vicinity of the movable pin of the front door, and FIG. 43B is an enlarged perspective view of the vicinity of the rotation support piece of the front door. [Figure 44] An enlarged perspective view of the upper pivot support piece of the rear door [Figure 45] A perspective view of the back side of the upper part of the foundation frame [Figure 46] Rear perspective view of the upper unit [Figure 47] Perspective view of the top of the foundation frame [Figure 48] Front view of the foundation frame [Figure 49] Perspective view of the side unit [Figure 50] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the side unit with the sliding movable portion lowered; [Figure 51] FIG. 51A is a perspective view of the side unit, and FIG. 51B is a perspective view of the side unit with the sliding movable part lowered. [Figure 52] Perspective view of the firing handle [Figure 53] Plan view of the launch handle area [Figure 54] Exploded perspective view of the handle unit [Figure 55] Exploded perspective view of the handle unit [Figure 56] Exploded perspective view of the handle unit [Figure 57] FIG. 57A is a perspective view of the base body, and FIG. 57B is a perspective view of the back side of the base body. [Figure 58] Rear perspective view of the firing handle [Figure 59] Exploded perspective view of the firing handle [Figure 60] Perspective view of the shaft [Figure 61] Enlarged view of the shaft fitting area [Figure 62] Cross section of the handle unit [Figure 63] Perspective view of the fixed part [Figure 64] Rear perspective view of the fixed part [Figure 65] Rear view of the fixed parts [Figure 66] FIG. 66A is a plan view of one end of the cable, FIG. 66B is a perspective view of the cable body before the ring terminal is attached, and FIG. 66C is a perspective view of the one end of the cable. [Figure 67] A perspective view of the vicinity of the protrusion [Figure 68] FIG. 68A shows the position of the protrusion when the firing handle is in a first position, and FIG. 68B shows the position of the protrusion when the firing handle is in a second position. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0008] [First embodiment] A gaming machine 10 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 68. The gaming machine 10 according to this embodiment is a pachinko gaming machine, and includes a gaming frame 11, the entirety of which is shown in FIG. 1. The gaming frame 11 is divided into a fixed frame 12, a rear door 13, and a front door 50. The fixed frame 12, rear door 13, and front door 50 will be described below in that order. In addition, in the following description, unless otherwise specified, "left as you face the gaming machine 10" will simply be referred to as "left," and the opposite side will simply be referred to as "right."

[0009] <About Fixed Frame 12> As shown in FIG. 2, the fixed frame 12 is a frame body fixed to the game island of an amusement hall. It has a vertically elongated rectangular shape and an internal space that penetrates the vertically elongated rectangular shape in the front-to-rear direction. Specifically, the fixed frame 12 is configured by combining four band-shaped support plates 12S (the lower support plate 12S is not shown), with a pair of support plates 12S facing each other in the vertical and horizontal directions. A horizontally elongated lower block 12B is stacked on top of the lower support plate 12S of a frame body 12W. A pair of pivotable support pieces 12A protrude forward from the left end of the upper and lower opening edges of the fixed frame 12. A pair of engaging protrusions 12K are provided at the upper and lower parts of the right inner surface of the fixed frame 12.

[0010] The pair of support plates 12S facing each other laterally in the frame body 12W are made of metal, while the support plates 12S facing each other vertically are made of wood, and the lower block 12B is made of resin, but these materials are merely examples and may be changed as appropriate. The same applies to the materials of each part and component described below, and the materials may be changed as appropriate.

[0011] <Regarding rear door 13> As shown in FIG. 3, the rear door 13 has a support frame 14 and a rear cover 35. A liquid crystal module 80 and a game board 90 are attached to the rear door 13 (see FIG. 2). While a typical pachinko gaming machine has a liquid crystal module formed as part of the game board, the gaming machine 10 of this embodiment has a liquid crystal module 80 separate from the game board 90 and fixed to the rear door 13. When a new machine is installed, only the game board 90 is replaced with another game board 90, and attached to the game frame 11. From this perspective, the liquid crystal module 80 is part of the game frame 11 (specifically, the rear door 13). The rear door 13 will be described below in the order of the support frame 14 and the rear cover 35.

[0012] <Regarding the support frame portion 14 of the rear door 13> 3, the support frame 14 has a frame-shaped protrusion 14T that extends around substantially the entire outer surface of the front end and overlaps with the opening edge of the front surface of the fixed frame 12. The frame-shaped protrusion 14T overlaps with the front surface of the fixed frame 12, and the portion of the support frame 14 that is rearward of the frame-shaped protrusion 14T fits within the fixed frame 12.

[0013] The support frame 14 is formed by assembling a front support base 19F and a rear support base 19R, both of which are made of resin and will be described later, to a metal frame 14W shown in Fig. 4. The support frame 14 is made entirely of metal, and is provided on both sides with side plates 15 that overlap the inner surfaces of the fixed frame 12 with a gap between them, and inner protruding walls 15T that protrude inward at a right angle from almost the entire rear edge of the side plates 15.

[0014] The lower edge of the metal frame 14W is made up of a flat lower plate 16, both sides of which are overlapped and fixed to a pair of inner protruding walls 15T. The upper edge of the metal frame 14W is made up of a generally hood-shaped upper hood 17. The upper hood 17 is in the shape of a horizontally elongated housing that is open downward and forward, and both sides of which are fixed to the inner protruding walls 15T of the pair of side plates 15.

[0015] 3, at the top of metal frame 14W, the front portion of a resin upper support base 19J extending laterally is fixed between a pair of side plates 15, and the rear portion of upper support base 19J is overlapped on the top surface of upper hood 17. At the bottom of metal frame 14W, a resin rear support base 19R is fixed to the rear surface of lower plate 16, and a resin front support base 19F is fixed to the front surface of lower plate 16. The rear support base 19R faces upper hood 17 from directly below, and the front support base 19F faces a portion of upper support base 19J forward of upper hood 17 from directly below. Although not shown, rear support base 19R is provided with a board case or the like for accommodating a power supply board or the like.

[0016] Additionally, a resin side front cover 19S is placed on the front side of the right side plate 15. Three sides of the frame-shaped protrusion 14T described above are formed on the outer edges of the upper support base 19J and the lower plate 16 and the side front cover 19S, and the remaining side is formed by a front protrusion 15L (see FIG. 4) that is integrally formed with the left side plate 15 and has an L-shaped cross section and extends in the vertical direction.

[0017] A pair of pivotable support pieces 14A protrude forward from both upper and lower ends of the left side of the support frame 14. The pair of pivotable support pieces 14A of the support frame 14 are pivotally connected (see FIG. 1) to a pair of pivotable support pieces 12A (see FIG. 2) of the fixed frame 12. More specifically, the lower pivotable support piece 12A of the fixed frame 12 extends from the lower side of the fixed frame 12, and the upper pivotable support piece 12A has a first support piece 12M extending from the left side of the fixed frame 12 and a second support piece 12N extending from the upper side of the first support piece 12M. Each of the pair of pivotable support pieces 12A is provided with a pin 12P that protrudes upward.

[0018] The lower pivotable support piece 14A of the support frame 14 has a receiving hole (not shown) on its underside for receiving the pin 12P, and the upper pivotable support piece 14A has a receiving groove 14R (see FIG. 44) for receiving the pin 12P. The rear door 13 is then tilted forward, the receiving hole of the lower pivotable support piece 14A is inserted onto the pin 12P of the lower pivotable support piece 12A of the fixed frame 12, the rear door 13 is then raised, and the pin 12P of the upper pivotable support piece 12A of the fixed frame 12 is inserted into the receiving groove 14R of the upper pivotable support piece 14A, whereby the rear door 13 is connected to the fixed frame 12.

[0019] As shown in Fig. 4, a latch device 18A and a key cylinder 18B are provided on the right side of the support frame 14. As shown in Fig. 20, the latch device 18A has first and second slide plates 18V and 18W that are stacked on top of each other and supported so as to be vertically slidable on the outer surface of the right side plate 15. The first and second slide plates 18V and 18W both extend in the vertical direction, with the first slide plate 18V being biased by a first spring (not shown) to an origin position at the lower end of its movable range, and the second slide plate 18W being biased by a second spring (not shown) to an origin position at the upper end of its movable range.

[0020] As shown in Fig. 4, key cylinder 18B protrudes forward from the lower front surface of the right side of metal frame 14W, and as shown in Fig. 3, it is disposed within front projection 19Z provided on front support base 19F, with only the front surface exposed through front projection 19Z. When a key is inserted into a key insertion hole opening in the front surface of key cylinder 18B and rotated counterclockwise, for example, first slide plate 18V slides upward against the first spring, while when rotated clockwise, second slide plate 18W slides downward against the second spring.

[0021] The second slide plate 18W is provided with a plurality of second hooks 18D (see FIG. 4). The plurality of second hooks 18D engage with a plurality of engaging protrusions 12K (see FIG. 2) of the fixed frame 12, thereby holding the rear door 13 in a closed position relative to the fixed frame 12 (for example, a position where the frame-shaped protrusions 14T of the rear door 13 overlap the front surface of the fixed frame 12), and in this state, the rear door 13 is locked in the closed position by removing the key from the key cylinder 18B.

[0022] A plurality of first hooks 18C are provided at a plurality of positions in the up-down direction on the first sliding plate 18V, and protrude forward from the front surface of the support frame 14 through a plurality of through-holes (see FIG. 5) in the side front cover 19S. Also, as shown in FIG. 6, a third sliding plate 18F that slides laterally in conjunction with the first sliding plate 18V is provided inside the upper support base 19J, and an engagement hole 18E formed in the third sliding plate 18F faces forward through an opening 19M formed in the front surface of the upper support base 19J, as shown in FIG. 5. Then, engagement holes 130 and third hooks 131 (see FIG. 25), which will be described later, provided in the front door 50 engage with the first hooks 18C and the engagement holes 18E, thereby fixing the front door 50 in the closed position relative to the rear door 13, as shown in FIG. 1, and the front door 50 is locked by removing the key from the key cylinder 18B.

[0023] As shown in FIG. 7, the upper surface of the rear support base 19R is provided with a front groove portion 26 and a rear groove portion 27. First to third partition walls 28A, 28B, and 28C protrude from the front edge of the front groove portion 26, from the space between the front groove portion 26 and the rear groove portion 27, and from the rear edge of the rear groove portion 27, respectively. The entire lateral ends of the first partition wall 28A protrude slightly upward from the upper surface of the front support base 19F, the second partition wall 28B protrudes higher than the first partition wall 28A, and the third partition wall 28C protrudes higher than the second partition wall 28B. Note that both ends of the first partition wall 28A protrude upward more than the remaining portions and overlap the rear surface of a corner projection 14U, which will be described later.

[0024] The front groove section 26 is for collecting game balls that have been shot into the game area R1 of the game board unit 90, which will be described later, and the bottom surface of the front groove section 26 is provided with a game ball collection port (not shown) for collecting game balls, and the game balls that are taken in there are discharged downward from the game machine 10 and taken into the game ball circulation system of the game island.

[0025] The rear gutter 27 is for receiving the lower end of the liquid crystal module 80. A game ball collection port (not shown) is also provided on the bottom surface of the rear gutter 27 for collecting game balls, and game balls taken in there are discharged downward from the gaming machine 10 and taken in by the game ball circulation system of the gaming island. Note that this game ball collection port of the rear gutter 27 is not normally used, but is provided so that if a game ball accidentally falls into the rear gutter 27 when the liquid crystal module 80 is removed from the rear door 13, the game ball can be easily removed from the rear gutter 27.

[0026] As shown in Fig. 5, an upper locking member 29 is supported on the underside of upper support base 19J at approximately the center in the horizontal direction so as to be movable up and down. Upper locking member 29 is biased downward by elastic member 29A shown in Fig. 6, and protrudes downward from upper support base 19J through through-hole 17Z formed in upper hood 17, as shown in Fig. 5. Furthermore, as shown in Fig. 6, the portion of upper locking member 29 protruding downward from upper support base 19J is provided with inclined guide surface 29G on the front side and with vertical locking surface 29K on the rear side.

[0027] When assembling the liquid crystal module 80 to the support frame 14, first, the lower edge of the liquid crystal module 80 is inserted into the rear groove 27 of the support frame 14, and the liquid crystal module 80 is rotated backward using the lower edge as a fulcrum. Then, the upper end of the liquid crystal module 80 slides along the guide surface 29G of the upper locking member 29, causing the upper locking member 29 to move upward. Once the liquid crystal module 80 assumes an upright position, the liquid crystal module 80 is positioned behind the upper locking member 29, and the upper locking member 29 is returned to its original position by the resilient force of the elastic member 29A, causing the locking surface 29K of the upper locking member 29 to lock onto the upper front surface of the liquid crystal module 80. As a result, the liquid crystal module 80 is assembled with its three sides, both sides and the top, held by the three sides of the support frame 14 (see FIG. 2).

[0028] 8 and 9, a game board 90 is fitted into a unit fitting area 91 surrounded by the inner surfaces of the left and right side plates 15 provided on the support frame portion 14 of the rear door 13, the lower surface of the upper support base 19J, and the upper surface of the front support base 19F. At least the central portion of the game board 90 facing the display screen of the LCD module 80 arranged at the rear is made of a transparent resin, so that the display screen can be seen from the front through the game board 90. In addition, protrusions 19V extending in the front-to-rear direction are formed at multiple positions in the longitudinal direction on the upper surface of the front support base 19F, allowing the game board 90 to slide easily on the front support base 19F.

[0029] To secure the play board 90 to the rear door 13, the support frame 14 has the following structure. As shown in FIG. 4, a pair of corner extensions 14U extend upward from both lateral ends of the upper surface of the front support base 19F. As shown in FIG. 5, a pair of corner extensions 14U extend downward from the inner upper right corner of the support frame 14. These three corner extensions 14U have front surfaces that are in the same plane, and each has a metal pin 22 protruding from it. These pins 22 are adapted to fit into positioning holes (not shown) formed on the rear surface of the play board 90. Furthermore, a pair of side edge restriction portions 23 formed by bending a flat metal plate is provided at two vertical locations on the inner surface of the left side plate 15. The side edge restriction portions 23 support the left edge of the play board 90 by sandwiching it between the inner protruding wall 15T of the side plate 15.

[0030] The game board 90 has a display area on its front surface where the display screen of the liquid crystal module 80 can be viewed, and forms a game area R1 into which game balls shot out from the launching device 40 (described later) flow. As shown in FIG. 9, the game area R1 is surrounded on all four sides by guide rails 92 protruding from the front surface of the game board 90. Game balls shot out from the launching device 40 pass through a ball guide path 93 formed by the guide rails 92 on the left side of the game board 90 and enter the game area R1 through an entrance 92K located near the upper end. Game balls shot out from the launching device 40 are supplied from game balls stored in a front tray 110 (see FIG. 1) of the front door 50. For example, when a ball loan button (not shown) is operated, a preset number of game balls are loaned out, or game balls are supplied to the front tray 110 when game balls enter various winning holes (described later) in the game area R1 and are paid out.

[0031] The gaming area R1 is equipped with a start entry slot, a big entry slot, a general entry slot, and an out slot (not shown). When a gaming ball enters the start entry slot, a win / loss determination is performed. The big entry slot is normally blocked by a movable door or the like, making it difficult for the ball to enter. When the result of the win / loss determination is a win, the door opens, making it easier for the ball to enter. Gaming balls that do not enter any of the entry slots are taken into the out slot. Gaming balls that enter the various entry slots or the out slot are guided to the rear of the gaming board 90 and are ejected from the bottom of the gaming machine 10 as described above, and are taken into the gaming ball circulation system of the gaming island. In addition, when a gaming ball enters each entry slot, the payout device 36 (see Figure 20) is activated, and a predetermined number of prize balls are paid out to the front tray 110.

[0032] As shown in Fig. 9, the launching device 40 is mounted in approximately the horizontal center of the front surface of the front support base 19F, and a launched ball guide unit 70 that guides game balls launched from the launching device 40 to the game board 90 is mounted to its left side. Also, as shown in Fig. 7, the front support base 19F has a substantially horizontal upper surface that extends laterally, and a portion of the upper surface of the launched ball guide unit 70 is exposed at a position to the left of the upper surface, forming an upper surface opening 19H through which game balls launched diagonally upward and left from the launching device 40 through the launched ball guide unit 70 are discharged into the game area R1. The launched ball guide unit 70 is also provided with a discharge duct 70W that opens forward and discharges prize balls and the like onto the front tray 110. In addition, a shutter (not shown) is installed in the discharge duct 70W, and when the front door 50 is fixed in the closed position relative to the rear door 13, the shutter is in an open state, and game balls are constantly discharged from the discharge duct 70W to the front tray 110. On the other hand, when the front door 50 is fixed in the open position relative to the rear door 13, the shutter is in a closed state, and game balls do not spill forward from the discharge duct 70W.

[0033] As shown in FIG. 11 , the launching device 40 is primarily composed of a launching device 40A and a ball supplying device 40B. Specifically, the launching device 40 is configured by assembling components such as a ball supplying device 40B, a launching rail 42, a striking hammer 43, and a launching motor (not shown) to a base plate 41 of the launching device 40A. The ball supplying device 40B takes in game balls sent from the front tray 110 through a supply port 44 opening in front of the ball supplying device 40B and supplies them one by one onto the launching rail 42. The game balls on the launching rail 42 are received by a ball receiving member 45. An opening 40K is formed on the left side of the launching device 40 (see FIG. 13 ). When the launching motor is driven by rotating the launching handle 300 (described later), the striking hammer 43 rotates, bouncing the game balls. The game balls launched along the launching rail 42 are ejected from the opening 40K and directed diagonally upward.

[0034] As shown in FIG. 10, the ball guide unit 70 includes a base plate 71 disposed parallel to the game board 90, a plurality of outer walls 72 projecting rearward from the periphery of the base plate 71, and a plurality of inner walls 73 (see FIG. 12) projecting rearward from the rear surface of the base plate 71. These outer walls 72 and inner walls 73 are fixed by abutting them against the front surface of the front support base 19F. The right and upper edges of the base plate 71 are not provided with the outer walls 72, and instead have openings 72A and 72B formed therein. The opening 72A communicates with the opening 40K of the ball launcher 40, and the lower end of the opening 72B communicates with the upper opening 19H. A discharge gutter 77 with a passage extending in the front-to-rear direction hangs down from the lower right edge of the base plate 71.

[0035] 13, the multiple outer and inner walls 72 and 73 and openings 72A, 72B provided on the launch ball guide unit 70 form, between the base plate 71 and the front support base 19F, a first launch passage 94 that allows game balls launched from the launching device 40 to enter the launch ball guide unit 70 from the launch rail 42, a second launch passage 95 that allows game balls to enter from the first launch passage 94 into the ball guide path 93 of the game board 90, a foul ball discharge path 96 that collects so-called foul balls that are launched with weak launch force and return down the ball guide path 93 without reaching the game area R1, and a lower guide path 97 that collects game balls that do not reach the ball guide path 93 from the first launch passage 94. Here, of the top opening 19H and the opening 72B, the portion above the foul ball discharge path 96 is referred to as the "branch opening" between the foul ball discharge path 96 and the second launch passage 95.

[0036] As shown in FIG. 12 , the launched ball guide unit 70 is provided with an elastic partition wall 74 made of an elastic member at a position that divides the top opening 19H in the left-right direction, specifically, between the portion closer to the launching device 40 than the branch opening and the foul ball discharge path 96. The elastic partition wall 74 has a triangular shape when viewed from the front and protrudes upward. The right-side slope forms a wall surface that forms part of the first launching passage 94, while the left-side slope forms a wall surface that forms the starting end 96A of the wall that forms part of the foul ball discharge path 96. After being launched from the launching device 40, a game ball that returns along the ball guide path 93 and reaches a branch opening that is farther from the launching device 40 than the elastic partition wall 74 enters the foul ball discharge path 96 as a foul ball and flows downward through the starting end 96A formed by the left-side slope of the elastic partition wall 74 and the inner wall 73 of the base plate 71. At the downstream portion of the starting end 96A, a rib 75 is formed which protrudes from the rear surface of the base plate 71 and the inner wall 73 and directs the game balls flowing downward backward. The game balls which flow down the starting end 96A of the foul ball discharge path 96 are guided backward by the rib 75 and then flow down the first intermediate portion 96B (Figure 19) of the foul ball discharge path 96, which will be described later.

[0037] As shown in FIG. 10, a gutter unit 100 is placed on the discharge duct 70W of the shot ball guide unit 70 from the rear. As shown in FIG. 14A, a discharge port 100A and an inlet port 100B open side by side at the front end of the gutter unit 100. The discharge port 100A communicates with the discharge duct 70W, and the inlet port 100B communicates with the downstream end of the starting end 96A of the foul ball discharge path 96. The gutter unit 100 is inserted through a through-hole 19Y in the front support base 19F, with its rear end projecting rearward from the front support base 19F and its front end received in a recess 19X that opens forward in the front support base 19F (see FIG. 10).

[0038] As shown in FIG. 14A, the gutter unit 100 has a ball discharge gutter 101 and a ball return gutter 102. The ball discharge gutter 101 has a discharge passage 101R (FIG. 14B) that extends in the front-rear direction and is flat in the left-right direction, and its front end is connected to the discharge opening 100A. The rear end of the ball discharge gutter 101 opens upward, and its bottom surface slopes downward toward the front. As a result, game balls discharged from the aforementioned payout device 36 are received at the rear end of the ball discharge gutter 101 and guided to the discharge opening 100A, then pass through the discharge duct 70W and are discharged into the front tray 110 located in front of the discharge duct 70W.

[0039] As shown in FIG. 14B, return ball conduit 102 has a passage extending in the left-right direction, which forms first intermediate section 96B of foul ball discharge path 96. One end of first intermediate section 96B is bent forward and communicates with receiving opening 100B, and the other end communicates with discharge path 101R of discharge ball conduit 101. In addition, receiving opening 100B is positioned higher than discharge opening 100A, and the bottom of return ball conduit 102 is inclined downward toward the left. As a result, a foul ball falls down starting end 96A of foul ball discharge path 96, then travels leftward through receiving opening 100B of return ball conduit 102, moves through first intermediate section 96B, then turns forward and is discharged through discharge duct 70W (see FIG. 19). In other words, the first intermediate portion 96B of the foul ball discharge path 96 guides the foul ball that has fallen into the branching opening to the rear of the branching opening and away from the launching device 40.

[0040] In addition, gaming balls that are launched by the launching device 40 but do not reach the ball guide path 93 due to weak launching force fall toward the launching device 40 from the branching opening and enter the downward guide path 97 (see Figure 12). After flowing down the downward guide path 97, the gaming ball passes through a guide path formed by the rear surface of the base plate 71 of the launched ball guide unit 70 and the recess 19W (see Figure 10) provided on the front surface of the front support base 19F, and is then discharged forward from the discharge gutter 77 of the launched ball guide unit 70.

[0041] A pair of width-reducing protrusions 76A, 76B that narrow the width of the second firing passage 95 in the front-to-rear direction are formed above the elastic partition wall 74 of the fired ball guiding unit 70. Specifically, as shown in Fig. 17, the pair of width-reducing protrusions 76A, 76B are trapezoidal in cross section, face each other in the front-to-rear direction, and extend vertically from the base plate 71 of the fired ball guiding unit 70 and the front end surface of the gutter unit 100, respectively. This prevents foul balls from falling toward the firing device 40 from the branch opening, making it easier to guide them into the foul ball discharge passage 96.

[0042] Additionally, an inclined guide portion 78 is formed at the edge of the opening 72B of the launched ball guiding unit 70, sloping in a rounded manner from the side edge away from the launching device 40 toward the starting end 96A of the foul ball discharge path 96 (see FIG. 17). This prevents the foul ball from bouncing off the edge of the opening 72B of the launched ball guiding unit 70 and falling toward the side of the top opening 19H closer to the launching device 40, making it easier for the foul ball to flow down the foul ball discharge path 96.

[0043] Now, in order to restrict fraudulent acts using "game balls with control lines" in which a string W1 for illegal operation such as a string or piano wire is attached to a game ball, a cutting means 120 is attached to the gutter unit 100.

[0044] 15, the gutter unit 100 is divided into two parts in the front-to-rear direction: a gutter main body 103 and a gutter cover 104, with cutting means 120 disposed between them. The gutter main body 103 and the gutter cover 104 are assembled together by engaging a plurality of engaging protrusions 103K formed to protrude from the front surface of the gutter main body 103 with a plurality of engaging holes 104K formed through the gutter cover 104.

[0045] The cutting means 120 is made of, for example, a plate member such as a metal plate. As shown in Figures 15 and 16, the cutting means 120 has a structure in which a second flat plate component 125 is placed on the upper surface of a first flat plate component 121, and the components are fixed together with, for example, an adhesive.

[0046] The first flat plate component 121 and the second flat plate component 125 are each a generally rectangular shape that is longer in one direction, with the first flat plate component 121 having a larger area than the second flat plate component 125. The first flat plate component 121 has a main body 122 and a protruding piece 123 that protrudes from one long side 122A of the main body 122 along one short side 122B. The width of the protruding piece 123 is generally the same as the long side of the second flat plate component 125. A groove-shaped cutout 124 is formed on one short side 122B of the main body 122, at a position closer to the protruding piece 123. The groove-shaped cutout 124 has a pair of opposing portions 124A, 124B that face each other in the short side direction.

[0047] The second flat plate component 125 overlaps the protruding piece 123 and the groove-shaped cutout 124. The corners of the pair of opposing portions 124A, 124B and the corner of the long side 125A of the second flat plate component 125 farther from the protruding piece 123 are chamfered to form chamfered surfaces 124M, 125M. As a result, a V-shaped gap 120S (see FIG. 17) is formed between the chamfered surface 124M of the opposing portion 124B of the groove-shaped cutout 124 farther from the protruding piece 123 and the chamfered surface 125M of the long side 125A of the second flat plate component 125. Within the V-shaped gap 120S, the edge portion of the opposing portion 124B of the groove-shaped cutout portion 124 and the edge portion of the long side edge 125A of the second flat plate component 125 are arranged in an approximately V-shape in the same plane as the overlapping surfaces of the first flat plate component 121 and the second flat plate component 125, and this pair of edge portions forms a pair of blade portions 124H, 125H.

[0048] As shown in Figure 15, the side of cutting means 120 on the protruding piece 123 side is fitted into recessed groove 104A of gutter cover 104, and the side opposite protruding piece 123 is fitted into recessed groove 103A of gutter main body 103 (see Figure 15), and it is held between gutter cover 104 and gutter main body 103 so that its planar direction is approximately horizontal. At this time, the side provided with V-shaped gap 120S is positioned so that it faces launching device 40. Note that first flat plate component 121 has mounting notch 121K formed at a position off to the left of long side edge 122C (see Figure 16), which engages with a protrusion (not shown) provided in recessed groove 103A of gutter main body 103.

[0049] The cutting means 120 is disposed in a corner of the top opening 19H between the starting end 96A and the first intermediate portion 96B of the foul ball discharge path 96. More specifically, as shown in Figure 17, a notch 70K extending in the opposite direction from the launching device 40 is formed in the opening edge of the opening 72B of the shot ball guide unit 70 at the rear corner on the side away from the launching device 40. The cutting means 120 is disposed so that the V-shaped gap 120S is exposed within the notch 70K.

[0050] Next, we will explain the case where a gaming ball with an operating wire attached to a tampering string W1 is launched. For example, a cheater may connect two gaming balls with the tampering string W1, and launch the first gaming ball supplied to the launching device 40 first with reduced launching force so that it passes through the foul ball discharge path 96 and is discharged onto the front reel 110. Next, the cheater launches the second gaming ball B1 supplied to the launching device 40 with enough launching force to reach the gaming area R1, causing it to reach the gaming area R1. By manipulating the tampering string W1 from the first gaming ball on the front reel 110, the cheater intentionally changes the behavior of the second gaming ball B1 in the gaming area R1 and fraudulently obtains a prize ball.

[0051] Here, when the first gaming ball launched earlier has passed through the foul ball discharge path 96 and reached the front panel 110, and the second gaming ball B1 is supplied to the launching device 40, the tampering string W1 connecting the two gaming balls extends from the launching rail 42 of the launching device 40 to the starting end 96A of the foul ball discharge path 96 in the top opening 19H, the first intermediate portion 96B, and in front of the discharge duct 70W, as shown in Fig. 18A. Then, when the second gaming ball B1 is launched so as to reach the playing area R1, the tampering string W1 extends from the first gaming ball on the front panel 110, through the discharge duct 70W, the first intermediate portion 96B of the foul ball discharge path 96, the starting end 96A, and the top opening 19H, to the gaming ball B1 that has reached the playing area R1, as shown in Fig. 18B.

[0052] Then, due to the momentum of the launch of the second game ball B1 and the action of the cheater operating the first game ball from the front plate 110, tension acts on the cheating string W1, pulling it diagonally upward from the top opening 19H and toward the opposite side of the launcher 40, and tension acts on the cheating string W1, pulling it rearward from the top opening 19H and toward the opposite side of the launcher 40. As a result, the cheating string W1 enters the notch 70K of the opening 72B of the shot ball guide unit 70 and reaches the V-shaped gap 120S of the cutting means 120, where it comes into contact with the pair of blades 124H, 125H inside the V-shaped gap 120S and is cut. This makes it possible to prevent cheating by attaching game balls to both ends of the cheating string W1 and making one of the game balls a foul ball. At this time, the corners of the opposing portion 124B of the groove-shaped cutout portion 124 and the corners of the long side 125A of the second flat plate component 125 are chamfered to form chamfered surfaces 124M, 125M, making it easier for the blade portions 124H, 125H to be guided to the rear side.

[0053] In this embodiment, an example has been shown in which game balls are attached to both ends of the tampering thread W1, the first game ball is made a foul ball, and the second game ball B1 is shot into the game area R1, and the tampering thread W1 is cut; however, the tampering thread W1 will also be cut if the first game ball is shot into the game area R1 and the second game ball B1 is made a foul ball.

[0054] In addition to providing the cutting means 120 in the gutter unit 100, as in the conventional case, the launching device 40 may also be provided with a cutting means, and a configuration may be added to cut the tampering thread W1 attached to the game ball when the game ball is launched from the launching device 40, or a cutting means may also be provided at the entrance 92K to the game area R1, and a configuration may be added to cut the tampering thread W1 attached to the game ball when it enters the game area R1 from the entrance 92K.

[0055] <Regarding the rear cover 35 of the rear door 13> As shown in Fig. 3, the rear cover 35 is roughly shaped like a transparent housing with open front and bottom surfaces, and the front end of the rear cover 35 is fixed to the rear surface of the inner protruding wall 15T of the side plate 15 of the support frame 14. The front portion of the rear cover 35 fits inside the fixed frame 12, and the rear portion protrudes rearward from the fixed frame 12 (see Fig. 1). Note that the right side edge 35S of the rear cover 35, which is away from the rotation center of the rear door 13, has a curved rear portion to avoid interference with the fixed frame 12 when the rear door 13 is rotated relative to the fixed frame 12 (see Fig. 21).

[0056] As shown in Figure 41, a payout device 36 is provided on the left edge of the rear cover 35 (the right edge in Figure 41, where the rear cover 35 is viewed from behind), and a tank 30 for supplying a plurality of game balls to the payout device 36 is provided on the upper wall 35J of the rear cover 35. Then, as described above, the game balls paid out from the payout device 36 are paid out through the discharge duct 19W to the front tray 110 (see Figure 19).

[0057] The tank 30 has an inclined gutter 31 and a hanging gutter 34, and the inclined gutter 31 extends at a gentle incline from the upper wall 35J of the rear cover 35. The hanging gutter 34 is connected to the downstream side of the inclined gutter 31, is disposed on the left edge of the rear cover 35, bends downward at a substantially right angle, and is connected to the dispensing device 36 at its lower end.

[0058] As shown in Figure 21, the inclined gutter 31 has a ball receiving section 31A, a first introduction section 31B, and a second introduction section 31C. The ball receiving section 31A is arranged from the right end to the center of the upper wall 35J of the rear cover 35 (see Figure 20), and an outlet (not shown) of the game ball circulation system is provided above it. The ball receiving section 31A has a tank structure with an open top and a substantially rectangular shape in plan view, and is large enough to accommodate game balls inside in multiple rows, multiple levels, or randomly in multiple levels (see Figure 22).

[0059] The ball receiving portion 31A has a ridge 30R extending in the front-to-rear direction at the center of its bottom surface, and both sides of the bottom surface of the ball receiving portion 31A are inclined surfaces that slope toward the ridge 30R (see FIG. 22). The first introduction portion 31B protrudes downward in a stepped manner from near the end of the ridge 30R opposite the fixed frame 12, and a step wall 30D is formed between the bottom surface of the ball receiving portion 31A and the bottom surface of the first introduction portion 31B. The step wall 30D stands vertically and its height gradually increases toward the downstream side (see FIG. 22). As a result, the game balls stored in the ball receiving portion 31A, stacked in multiple rows, multiple layers, or random multiple layers, enter the first introduction portion 31B one by one along the ridge 30R of the ball receiving portion 31A, or fall from the step wall 30D and enter the first introduction portion 31B.

[0060] The first introduction section 31B is wide enough to allow one game ball to flow down, and bends gently backward (see FIG. 21), forming a flow path high enough to allow game balls to be stacked in multiple layers (see FIG. 22). The first introduction section 31B has a steeper slope than the ball receiving section 31A. The second introduction section 31C has a width large enough to allow one game ball to flow down, and has a curved section 30W that curves horizontally, with approximately the same slope as the first introduction section 31B. The second introduction section 31C uses the curved section 30W to reduce the flow speed of the game balls, and guides the game balls into the hanging gutter 34.

[0061] As shown in FIG. 22, the flow path from the first introduction section 31B to the second introduction section 31C is covered by a ceiling surface 32. Specifically, a first cover body 32A is attached from the middle of the first introduction section 31B to the starting end of the second introduction section 31C, and a second cover body 32B is attached from the rear end of the first introduction section 31B to the entire second introduction section 31C so as to partially overlap the first cover body 32A. An inclined surface 32K sloping toward the downstream side is provided on the underside of the second cover body 32B at a position from the rear end of the first introduction section 31B to the starting end of the second introduction section 31C. As a result, the ceiling surface 32 faces from above at a distance approximately four times the diameter of the gaming balls at the first introduction section 31B, while the ceiling surface 32 faces from above at the downstream side of the inclined surface 32K. This configuration allows gaming balls entering the second introduction section 31C to be aligned in two rows and one column.

[0062] Conventionally, the rear end of the second introduction section 31C narrows the passageway to break down the two-column game balls into one column and then guide them into the hanging gutter 34. However, this has the problem of frequent ball clogging. In this embodiment, the rear end of the second introduction section 31C is equipped with a ball leveling member 33 to break down the game balls. The ball leveling member 33 is supported on the second cover body 32B so that it can move up and down. Specifically, the ball leveling member 33 is biased downward by a coil spring 33A (see FIG. 42) and protrudes downward from the second cover body 32B through a through-hole 32Z formed in the second cover body 32B. Furthermore, the portion of the ball leveling member 33 that protrudes downward from the second cover body 32B is provided with a ball leveling surface 33G that is inclined downstream. This allows the two-column game balls to be gently stretched into one column. Furthermore, the ball leveling member 33 can be easily attached to the rear end of the second introduction part 31C, which reduces costs.

[0063] Then, the group of game balls in one row and two layers that enters the second introduction section 31C is stretched out into one row and one layer by the ball leveling surface 33G of the ball leveling member 33, and is guided into the hanging gutter 34. The ball leveling member 33 is biased downward by the coil spring 33A, and the resilience of the ball leveling surface 33G causes the game balls to level as they slide up and down in contact with the group of game balls. This prevents balls from clogging in the ball leveling section 33, and allows the game balls to be guided smoothly into the hanging gutter 34.

[0064] As described above, the upper surface of the inclined gutter 31 of the tank 30 is disposed on the upper wall 35J of the rear cover 35 from a position close to the right end to the center, and the right end of the upper wall 35J and the portion from a position close to the left end to the left end are recessed below the upper surface of the inclined gutter 31 of the tank 30 (see FIG. 22). As shown in FIG. 20, when the rear cover 35 is assembled to the fixed frame 12, a gap 35P is formed between the rear cover 35 and the underside of the support plate 12S on the upper edge of the fixed frame 12. This makes it easier for an operator to insert their hand into the gap 35P and hold the gaming machine 10 by itself when shipping the gaming machine 10, making it easier to transport the gaming machine 10.

[0065] <About the front door 50> Next, the front door 50 will be described. The front door 50, shown in its entirety in Fig. 1, is configured by removably assembling an upper unit 52, a lower unit 53, and a side unit 54 to a base frame 51, as shown in Fig. 23, and all or some of the upper, lower, and side units 52 to 54 are replaced when a new machine is installed. Below, the base frame 51, the assembly structure between the base frame 51 and each of the units 52 to 54, and the overall structure of each of the units 52 to 54 will be described in that order.

[0066] <About the foundation frame part 51> The base frame 51, the entirety of which is shown in Fig. 24, includes a metal frame 51K shown in Fig. 25. The metal frame 51K has a main plate 51A that overlaps with the front surface of the rear door 13.

[0067] The main plate 51A has a vertically elongated rectangular display window 51W that is slightly smaller than the front surface of the game board 90. A mating rib 51L protrudes rearward from almost the entire edge of the display window 51W, except for the lower edge. A support protrusion 51F is provided on the main plate 51A slightly below the display window 51W. The support protrusion 51F protrudes rearward from the main plate 51A, then bends upward at a right angle and extends laterally parallel to the lower edge of the display window 51W. The transparent window plate 50G shown in FIG. 1 is tilted from the rear and, with its lower edge received by the support protrusion 51F, is raised forward and fitted inside the display window 51W. The main plate 51A is also provided with multiple pivoting levers (not shown) to prevent the window plate 50G from slipping out of the display window 51W. The window plate 50G has a double structure with two transparent plates (glass or resin plates) facing each other with a gap between them.

[0068] A rotation support piece 51E protrudes forward from the lower left part of the main plate portion 51A (see FIG. 25). A rotation support portion 51H is fixed to the upper left part of the main plate portion 51A (see FIG. 24). The rotation support portion 51H is rotatably connected to a pair of rotation support pieces 14A (see FIG. 3) of the rear door 13 (see FIG. 1). In detail, as shown in FIG. 43B, a through-hole 51G is formed in the rotation support piece 51E and is disposed on the underside of the front door 50. As shown in FIG. 43A, the rotation support portion 51H is provided with a movable pin 51P that is biased to a protruding position protruding from the upper surface and can be pushed down from the protruding position. A bent portion 51L bent at a right angle is formed at the upper left end of the main plate portion 51A.

[0069] As shown in FIG. 7, the lower pivot support piece 14A of the rear door 13 is provided with a pin 14B that protrudes upward. As shown in FIG. 44A, the upper pivot support piece 14A of the rear door 13 has a U-shaped cross section, with an upper plate 14C and a lower plate 14D connected by a connecting wall 14L facing diagonally forward to the right, and a through-hole 14E formed in the lower plate 14D. A guide plate 14F having a guide groove 14G extending from an opening on the right front toward the through-hole 14E is superimposed on the underside of the lower plate 14D. The lower portion of the connecting wall 14L forms an inclined portion 14M that slopes downward toward the left rear. As shown in FIG. 44B, the upper plate 14C of the upper pivot support piece 14A is marked with an arrow pointing toward the left rear in the thickness direction of the connecting wall 14L.

[0070] The foundation frame 51 is attached to the rear door 13 as follows. First, the foundation frame 51 is tilted forward, and the through-holes 51G of the pivot support pieces 51E are inserted into the pins 14B of the pivot support pieces 14A on the lower side of the rear door 13. Then, the foundation frame 51 is raised, and the movable pins 51P at the upper ends of the foundation frame 51 are pushed into the inclined portions 14M of the pivot support pieces 14A on the upper side of the rear door 13 in the direction of the arrows on the upper plate 14C. The movable pins 51P are then pushed along the inclination of the inclined portions 14M and guided by the guide grooves 14G into the through-holes 14E of the lower plate 14D. When the movable pins 51P reach the through-holes 14E, the movable pins 51P return to their protruding positions, and the foundation frame 51 is fixed to the rear door 13. In this manner, in this embodiment, the foundation frame 51 can be attached to the rear door 13 simply by being pushed in, making attachment of the foundation frame 51 easy.

[0071] As shown in Figure 45, a lever 51S is provided on the back surface of the base frame portion 51, which can retract the movable pin 51P from the protruding position, and by operating this lever 51S, the base frame portion 51 can be removed.

[0072] 44B, a notch 14N is formed in the lower right end of the connecting wall 14L so that the base frame 51 does not interfere with the bent portion 51L of the main plate 51A even when the base frame 51 is opened 90 degrees relative to the rear door 13. In other words, by providing the notch 14N, the base frame 51 can be opened 90 degrees relative to the rear door 13.

[0073] 44A, in the upper pivot support piece 14A of the rear door 13, a notch 14S is formed in the left edge of the lower plate 14D, where the rear portion is cut out. This prevents the lower plate 14D from interfering with the first support piece 12M of the fixed frame 12, even when the rear door 13 is opened 90 degrees relative to the fixed frame 12. In other words, the provision of the notch 14S makes it possible to open the rear door 13 90 degrees relative to the fixed frame 12. Furthermore, the receiving groove 14R is configured with a width and length that allow the rear door 13 to be removed from the fixed frame 12 when the rear door 13 is opened 90 degrees, improving workability.

[0074] 25, the main plate portion 51A has a plurality of engagement holes 130 formed at a plurality of positions along the pillar portion 51P on the right edge, and a third hook 131 protruding from the lateral center of the upper edge. Then, as described above, when the front door 50 is placed on the front surface of the rear door 13, the above-mentioned plurality of first hooks 18C protruding from the rear door 13 engage with the plurality of engagement holes 130, and the third hook 131 engages with the engagement hole 18E of the rear door 13. As a result, the front door 50 is fixed in the closed position relative to the rear door 13 as shown in FIG. 1, and is locked by removing the key from the key cylinder 18B.

[0075] As shown in FIG. 24, the front of the main plate 51A of the metal frame 51K above the display window 51W is covered by an upper front cover 56A. The upper front cover 56A has a block-shaped first support 56C and a pair of second support members 56D attached to the front of a horizontally elongated, approximately rectangular parallelepiped main body 56B. The top surface of the main body 56B is generally flush with the top surface of the rear door 13. The first support member 56C protrudes forward from the center of the main body 56B and is generally flush with the top surface of the main body 56B, reaching a height approximately half the height of the portion of the rear door 13 above the display window 51W. The first support member 56C supports the upper unit 52 from the rear. The pair of second support members 56D protrude forward from positions near both ends of the main body 56B and extend below the bottom surface of the main body 56B to support the upper unit 52 from below. Between the first support portion 56C and the second support portion 56D, an inclined support portion 56E extending obliquely downward from the first support portion 56C is disposed.

[0076] Furthermore, pillar portions 51P on the left and right of display window 51W of main plate portion 51A of metal frame 51K are covered by pillar cover portions 57B and 58B, respectively. A pair of speakers 81 are provided at the upper ends of pillar cover portions 57B and 58B. Furthermore, the left-side pillar cover portion 57B is further covered from the lower end to speaker 81 by left-front surface component portion 57A.

[0077] Furthermore, the front surface of the main plate portion 51A of the metal frame 51K below the display window 51W is covered by a lower front surface forming portion 55A. The lower front surface forming portion 55A has a unit mounting recess 55D in its central portion that is open to the top and front. The bottom surface of the unit mounting recess 55D is generally horizontal. Furthermore, the rear inner surface of the unit mounting recess 55D has a flat central portion in the left-right direction, and the left and right inner surfaces taper slightly downward.

[0078] The right side of lower front surface forming portion 55A is hollowed out from the front end to a position near the rear end of lower front surface forming portion 55A, leaving a portion of the upper surface. Handle unit 350 equipped with the aforementioned firing handle 300 is provided in the hollowed-out portion, and hand rest portion 360 is provided below handle unit 350. In addition, a notch 55K (see FIG. 26) is formed on the rear side of handle unit 350 to allow front projection 19Z (see FIG. 1) incorporating key cylinder 18B of rear door 13 to protrude forward.

[0079] 26, a rail protrusion 55R (described later) for assembling the side unit 54 is provided on the right end of the upper surface of the lower front surface constituent part 55A in a portion rearward of the unit mounting recess 55D. In addition, the aforementioned front surface plate 110 is formed on the upper surface of the lower front surface constituent part 55A from the center to the left end in the portion rearward of the unit mounting recess 55D.

[0080] 19, the front plate 110 has a thin plate structure in which the left-right direction is longer than the front-back direction in a plan view, the left end bulges out more forward than the right end, and the shape gradually narrows toward the right, and is surrounded all around by a surrounding wall 110A. When the launching handle 300 is operated, game balls are supplied to the launching device 40 through a supply path (not shown) from a ball supply port 115 formed through the right inner surface of the surrounding wall 110A, and the game balls are launched one by one.

[0081] A ball ejection hole 111 is formed on the bottom surface of the front plate 110, through which game balls stored in the front plate 110 can be ejected. The ball ejection hole 111 is opened and closed by an opening / closing member 112, and when it is in the open state, game balls that cannot be stored in the front plate 110 fall through the ball ejection hole 111 and are ejected to the outside from the lower end opening 50H (see Figure 29) of the lower front surface component 55A. Note that game balls that are ejected from the ejection gutter 77 of the launched ball guide unit 70 through the aforementioned lower guide path 97 also communicate with the lower end opening 50H.

[0082] In this embodiment, gaming balls discharged to the outside from the lower opening 50H of the gaming machine 10 are stored, for example, in a so-called dollar box installed below the lower opening 50H. When the ball ejection hole 111 is open, gaming balls that reach the ball ejection hole 111 fall from the lower opening 50H. Therefore, if gaming balls are continuously flowing into the front tray 110, gaming balls are not stored upstream of the ball ejection hole 111, preventing the gaming balls from overflowing from the front tray 110. Note that although the gaming machine 10 of this embodiment is configured without a lower tray, it may be configured so that gaming balls discharged from the ball ejection hole 111 are temporarily stored in the lower tray and are guided to the lower opening 50H by the player operating the ball ejection button. Note that any structure may be used to open and close the opening / closing member 112.

[0083] The bottom surface of the front tray 110 is configured as a flat, inclined surface that slopes downward toward the right, with the first bottom surface 113 on the right side of the ball ejection hole 111 and the second bottom surface 114 on the left side. Specifically, the width of the first bottom surface 113 in the horizontal direction is approximately the same as the width of the discharge duct 70W, and it forms a flow path D1 that directs game balls discharged from the discharge duct 70W forward, with the ball ejection hole 111 located on the right side of this flow path. The second bottom surface 114 has a steeper slope than the first bottom surface 113, and receives game balls that flow down the first bottom surface 113 and guides them to the ball supply port 115. The width of the second bottom surface 114 in the front-to-rear direction gradually narrows toward the ball supply port 115, aligning the game balls and sending them to the ball supply port 115. The second bottom surface 114 is stepped downward from the first bottom surface 113, and a step wall 110D is formed between the first bottom surface 113 and the second bottom surface 114.

[0084] Furthermore, on the bottom surface of the front plate 110, a guide groove 114M extends forward of the first bottom surface 113 along the inner surface of the front side of the surrounding wall 110A. The bottom surface of the guide groove 114M is flush with the second bottom surface 114, crosses in front of the ball removal hole 111, and merges with the second bottom surface 114 downstream of the ball removal hole 111. Furthermore, on the inner surface of the portion of the surrounding wall 110A to the right of the guide groove 114M, a guide inclined surface 110V is formed that protrudes toward the second bottom surface 114, so that game balls that pass through the guide groove 114M are guided toward the ball supply port 115.

[0085] With this configuration, most of the game balls discharged from the discharge duct 70W roll forward through the flow path D1. Therefore, game balls that flow down the first bottom surface 113 tend to head toward the guide groove 114M. In this way, game balls discharged from the discharge duct 70W avoid the ball removal hole 111 and roll toward the ball supply port 115.

[0086] Here, in the case of the conventional configuration that does not have the guide groove 114M, as mentioned above, when the ball removal hole 111 is in an open state, if game balls are continuously flowing into the front plate 110, the game balls will not overflow from the front plate 110 and the game balls can be stored only downstream of the ball removal hole 111.However, if the number of game balls flowing into the front plate 110 decreases, game balls will be released from the ball removal hole 111 at any time, resulting in a situation where game balls will no longer be stored in the front plate 110, and even if the launch handle 300 is operated, game balls will not be supplied to the launch device 40, which may be disappointing. In contrast, in the gaming machine 10 of this embodiment, a guide groove 114M that bypasses the ball ejection hole 111 is provided on the bottom surface of the front plate 110, so that gaming balls that are discharged from the discharge duct 70W and roll on the first bottom surface 113 are not guided into the ball ejection hole 111, and gaming balls can be supplied to the launching device 40 even when there are fewer gaming balls flowing into the front plate 110. Moreover, because the guide groove 114M is positioned below the first bottom surface 113 by the step wall 110D, gaming balls rolling in the guide groove 114M are less likely to enter the ball ejection hole 111.

[0087] In this embodiment, a step wall 110D is provided between the first bottom surface 113 and the second bottom surface 114, but this is not limiting, and a protrusion protruding upward from the opening edge of the ball removal hole 111 may be provided to restrict the entry of a ball into the ball removal hole 111. In this case, the protrusion may be formed on only a portion of the opening edge of the ball removal hole 111.

[0088] <Assembly structure between side unit 54 and foundation frame 51> Next, the structure of the mutual engagement portion between the side unit 54 and the foundation frame 51 will be described. The side unit 54 (see FIG. 23) is assembled from the front to the front surface of the pillar cover portion 58B and the upper surface of the right side of the lower front surface constituent portion 55A. For this assembly, the right end of the upper surface of the lower front surface constituent portion 55A is provided with the aforementioned rail protrusion 55R (see FIG. 24) extending in the front-to-rear direction, while the lower surface of the side unit 54 is provided with a rail groove 54R (see FIG. 27) extending in the front-to-rear direction.

[0089] The rail protrusion 55R has a T-shape in a front view and extends to the front surface of the pillar-cover portion 58B, and the rail groove 54R is shaped to receive this T-shape. Furthermore, both side surfaces of the upper edge of the T-shape are inclined so as to approach each other as they extend forward (see FIG. 26). The left side surface is more steeply inclined than the right side surface. The engagement between the rail protrusion 55R and the rail groove 54R causes the side unit 54 to slide from the front onto the upper surface of the right side of the lower-front-surface forming portion 55A, and the side unit 54 is guided to an assembly position (see FIG. 1) where the rear surface of the side unit 54 overlaps the front surface of the pillar-cover portion 58B.

[0090] This provides greater resistance to lateral and vertical external forces than conventional methods of assembling the side unit 54 using an I-shaped engagement, allowing for a stable assembly. Although only one pair of rail protrusion 55R and rail groove 54R is provided, the rail protrusion 55R is T-shaped, allowing for stable sliding insertion and reducing rattle during and after insertion. The upper edge of the T-shape of the rail protrusion 55R tapers forward, facilitating insertion even when the rail groove 54R of the side unit 54 is misaligned left or right. Furthermore, the left side of the T-shaped upper edge of the rail protrusion 55R is more steeply inclined than the right side, making it easier to insert the side unit 54 even when tilted to the right. This allows the side unit 54 to be assembled to the foundation frame 51 without interfering with the lower unit 53.

[0091] Furthermore, in order to fix the side unit 54 to the front surface of the pillar cover portion 58B in the assembled position, the pillar cover portion 58B is provided with a plurality of first unit holding portions 61 and one second unit holding portion 62, as shown in Fig. 24. Specifically, as shown in Fig. 27, a plurality of first through holes 58F are formed in the pillar cover portion 58B at intervals in the vertical direction. A through hole (not shown) is formed in the center of a portion of the pillar portion 51P of the metal frame 51K that is exposed forward by each of the first through holes 58F, and a metal rotating shaft 61A, which is one of the components of the first unit holding portion 61, passes through the through hole.

[0092] 28B, the rotating shaft 61A has a head portion 61B with a stepped diameter at its tip end, and a pair of swivel bars 61C with a circular cross section protrude from the head portion 61B to opposite sides. A metal washer 61E and a thicker resin washer 61F of approximately the same diameter as the metal washer 61E are fitted to the portion of the rotating shaft 61A rearward of the head portion 61B, and the portion of the rotating shaft 61A protruding rearward beyond the resin washer 61F passes through a through-hole in the pillar portion 51P. The rear portion of the rotating shaft 61A has a non-circular cross section, and a resin knob 61G, one of the components of the first unit holding portion 61, is attached to the rear portion.

[0093] Specifically, the knob 61G has a structure in which a pair of rotor blades 61I protrude laterally from a cylindrical portion 61H having a non-circular inner surface and a bottom at its rear end. The rear portion of the rotating shaft 61A is fitted into the cylindrical portion 61H, and a screw (not shown) passing through a through-hole 61M at the rear end of the cylindrical portion 61H is screwed into a screw hole 61N provided in the center of the rotating shaft 61A. This integrates the rotating shaft 61A and the knob 61G. In this embodiment, the arrangement direction of the pair of rotor blades 61I and the arrangement direction of the pair of pivot bars 61C are shifted by 90 degrees.

[0094] 28A, a pair of positioning protrusions 51M protrude from the opening edge of a through-hole on the rear surface of the pillar portion 51P through which the rotating shaft 61A passes. One of the pair of positioning protrusions 51M comes into contact with one of the pair of rotating blades 61I at each of a first rotation position where the pair of rotating blades 61I are aligned vertically and the pair of swing bars 61C are aligned horizontally, and a second rotation position where the pair of rotating blades 61I are aligned horizontally and the pair of swing bars 61C are aligned vertically, rotated 90 degrees in one direction from that position. As a result, the rotating shaft 61A is positioned at each of the first rotation position and the second rotation position, and the rotation range of the rotating shaft 61A is limited to 90 degrees.

[0095] The structure of the multiple first unit holding portions 61 is as described above, and multiple engagement holes 54B are provided on the rear surface of the side unit 54 corresponding to the multiple first unit holding portions 61. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 27 , a metal connecting plate 82 in the shape of a vertically extending band is provided on the rear of the side unit 54, and the rear surface of the connecting plate 82 forms a part of the rear surface of the side unit 54. Multiple engagement holes 54B are arranged at multiple positions in the vertical direction on the connecting plate 82. Each engagement hole 54B is elongated in the vertical direction. The longitudinal center of the engagement hole 54B is wide, and a pair of raised protrusions (not shown) protruding forward from the connecting plate 82 are provided on both sides of the wide portion. The raised protrusions are formed by pressing a portion of the connecting plate 82 forward, and are arc-shaped with the center point of the engagement hole 54B as the center.

[0096] Then, when the side unit 54 is slid to the assembly position with the rotating shafts 61A of all first unit holding parts 61 disposed in the second rotation position, the pair of swivel bars 61C of each rotating shaft 61A pass through the engagement holes 54B and are positioned in front of the connecting plate part 82. Then, when the rotating shaft 61A is rotated to the first rotation position, the pair of swivel bars 61C ride up onto the pair of riding protrusions. As a result, the side unit 54 is fixed in the assembly position by the multiple first unit holding parts 61.

[0097] As shown in Figure 27, a second through hole 58G is formed in the pillar cover portion 58B between the two upper first through holes 58F, and a pin hole 51N is formed in the portion of the pillar portion 51P exposed forward by the second through hole 58G.

[0098] As shown in Figure 28A, in the portion above the second through hole 58G on the rear surface of the pillar portion 51P, a metal slider 62B, which is one of the components of the second unit holding portion 62, is supported by a resin slide support member 62A so as to be slidable in the vertical direction.

[0099] The slider 62B has a structure in which a hook 62D is bent up from one side of a flat slider body 62C that is placed on the rear surface of the pillar portion 51P, and a finger hook 62E is bent up from the upper end of the slider body 62C. The slider 62B is supported so as to slide between a first slide position and a second slide position above the first slide position, and when positioned at the first slide position, the lower end of the slider 62B overlaps with the upper part of the second through-hole 58G, and when positioned at the second slide position, the slider 62B and the second through-hole 58G do not overlap.

[0100] A through-hole is formed in the rear surface of the pillar portion 51P at a position below the hook 62D, and a hook 58E integrally formed with the pillar cover portion 58B protrudes from the through-hole. Both ends of a compression coil spring 62F are attached to the hooks 58E, 62D, thereby biasing the slider 62B to the first slide position.

[0101] The structure of the second unit holding portion 62 is as described above, and a metal pin 54E protrudes rearward from the connecting plate portion 82 of the side unit 54 to correspond to the second unit holding portion 62 (see FIG. 27). The pin 54E has a tapered guide portion 54G at its tip and an engagement groove 54F located midway in the axial direction. The engagement groove 54F is a square groove extending horizontally and is located directly below the slider 62B (more specifically, the slider main body 62C) when the side unit 54 is in the assembly position.

[0102] The pin 54E engages with the second unit holding portion 62 in the following manner. That is, when the side unit 54 is slid toward the assembly position, the guide portion 54G comes into sliding contact with the lower edge of the slider 62B, pushing the slider 62B upward from the first slide position. Then, when the side unit 54 reaches the assembly position, the engagement groove 54F is positioned directly below the slider 62B, and the slider 62B returns to the first slide position, and its lower end engages with the slider 62B. Then, as described above, the rotating shafts 61A of the multiple first unit holding portions 61 are rotated to the first rotation position, and the side unit 54 is fixed in the assembly position. That is, the side unit 54 is assembled by simply operating the rotating shafts 61A of the multiple first unit holding portions 61.

[0103] When removing the side unit 54, the rotation shafts 61A of the plurality of first unit holding parts 61 are rotated to the second rotation position. Then, by hooking a finger on the finger hook part 62E of the slider 62B and pulling it up, the slider 62B is released from the engagement groove 54F, and the side unit 54 can be pulled out from the assembled position.

[0104] As shown in Figure 27, the pillar cover portion 58B has a pin 58P that protrudes forward between the two lower first through holes 58F, and when the side unit 54 is assembled to the foundation frame portion 51, the pin 58P is fitted into the pin hole 54P formed in the connecting plate portion 82.

[0105] <Assembly structure between the lower unit 53 and the foundation frame 51> The structure of the portion of the foundation frame 51 to which the lower unit 53 is attached is as follows. The lower unit 53 (see FIG. 30A) is attached from above to the unit attachment recess 55D of the lower front surface forming portion 55A. For this attachment, the lower unit 53 is provided with a pair of rail protrusions 53R (see FIG. 30B) that protrude laterally from both left and right side surfaces and are flat and rectangular in shape in the front-to-rear direction, extending vertically. On the other hand, the left and right inner surfaces of the unit attachment recess 55D are provided with a pair of rail grooves 54T (see FIG. 26) that extend vertically. The pair of rail protrusions 53R engage with the pair of rail grooves 54T, allowing the lower unit 53 to be slidably inserted from above into the unit attachment recess 55D, and the lower unit 53 is attached to the lower front surface forming portion 55A.

[0106] 26, a rotating shaft 67 having the same shape as the rotating shaft 61A (see FIGS. 27 and 28) described above is attached to the bottom surface of the unit mounting recess 55D of the lower front surface forming part 55A. The lower surface of the lower front surface forming part 55A has a portion facing the rotating shaft 67 recessed upward (see FIG. 29), and receives a knob 67G of the rotating shaft 67 therein (that is, the rotating shaft 67 does not protrude downward from the lower surface of the lower front surface forming part 55A).

[0107] The lower unit 53 (see FIG. 30B) is provided with a plurality of elongated engagement holes 53B corresponding to the respective rotating shafts 67, and is capable of engaging with the rotating shafts 67. As a result, by rotating the rotating shafts 67 while the lower unit 53 is placed in the unit mounting recess 55D, the lower unit 53 is fixed to the base frame 51. When removing the lower unit 53, the rotating shafts 67 are rotated in the opposite direction to release the engagement, and the lower unit 53 is lifted upward, thereby removing the lower unit 53.

[0108] <Assembly structure between upper unit 52 and foundation frame 51> The structure of the portion of the foundation frame 51 to which the upper unit 52 is attached and the assembly of the upper unit 52 will be described. In this embodiment, the upper unit 52 is assembled from the front to an area above the speaker 81 and the display window 51W. As shown in FIG. 46, the back surface of the upper unit 52 has a first protrusion 52C disposed below the first support portion 56C (see FIG. 47) of the foundation frame 51 and a pair of second protrusions 52D disposed above the pair of second support portions 56D (see FIG. 47) of the foundation frame 51. In addition, a bent protrusion 52E is disposed on the back surface of the upper unit 52, between the first protrusion 52C and the second protrusion 52D, and bent obliquely downward from the first protrusion 52C.

[0109] The upper unit 52 is pushed in from the front by sliding the second protrusion 52D over the second support portion 56D of the base frame portion 51 and inserting the first protrusion 52C below the first support portion 56C of the base frame portion 51. At this time, even if the upper unit 52 tilts forward around the second support portion 56D as an axis, the second protrusion 52D abuts against the underside of the first support portion 56C to prevent rotation, thereby preventing the upper unit 52 from falling during assembly.

[0110] As shown in Fig. 47, a rotating shaft 51R having the same shape as the above-mentioned rotating shaft 61A (see Figs. 27 and 28) is attached to each of the pair of second support portions 56D above the base frame portion 51. Then, as shown in Fig. 46, in the upper unit 52, each second protrusion 52D is provided with an elongated engagement hole 52B corresponding to each rotating shaft 51R, and is capable of engaging with the rotating shaft 51R.

[0111] 46, the upper unit 52 is provided with three pins 52P, each having the same shape as the pin 54E of the side unit 54, one on each of the first protrusion 52C and each of the second protrusions 52D. As shown in FIGS. 45 and 47, the base frame 51 (metal frame 51K and upper front cover 56A) is formed with three pin holes 51N capable of receiving these pins 52P.

[0112] Furthermore, a metal slider 56S is supported on the rear surface of the metal frame 51K above the display window 51W so as to be slidable in the left-right direction. The slider 56S has a main plate portion 56U extending between the upper pin holes 51N of the pair of second support portions 56D and a branch portion 56V extending from the middle of the main plate portion 56U toward the lower pin hole 51N of the first support portion 56C. The slider 56S is slidable leftward from a first slide position where it overlaps the left portions of the pin holes 51N (the right portion in FIG. 45, which is a view from the rear) of each pin hole 51N to a second slide position where it does not overlap any of the pin holes 51N. The slider 56S is biased to the first slide position by a compression coil spring 56F. The branch portion 56V of the slider 56S has a finger hook 56W that extends leftward and then bends backward.

[0113] In addition, the base frame portion 51 is formed with a protrusion 56T protruding from each second support portion 56D (see Figure 47), and the upper unit 52 is formed with two recesses 52U that receive the protrusions 56T (see Figure 46).

[0114] As described above, the upper unit 52 is pushed in from the front by sliding the second protrusion 52D over the second support portion 56D of the foundation frame portion 51 and inserting the first protrusion 52C below the first support portion 56C of the foundation frame portion 51. Then, the protrusion 56T of the foundation frame portion 51 begins to be received in the recess 52U of the upper unit 52, and the pin 52P of the upper unit 52 begins to be received in the pin hole 51N of the foundation frame portion 51.

[0115] When the guide portion 52G of the pin 52P comes into frictional contact with the outer edge of the slider 56S, which is positioned in the first sliding position, the slider 56S is pushed to the left. Then, when the upper unit 52 reaches the assembled position, the engagement groove 52F is positioned to the side of the slider 56S, and the slider 56S returns to the first sliding position, and its outer edge engages with the slider 56S. Then, the pivot shaft 51R of the base frame 51 is pivoted to the first pivot position, and the upper unit 52 is fixed to the assembled position. In this embodiment, three pins 52P are provided, so the fixation of the upper unit 52 is stable. This prevents the upper unit 52 from coming off even if an operator grabs the upper unit 52 and carries the gaming machine 10, for example, ensuring safe transport. Furthermore, because one of the three pins 52P, the center one, is positioned downward, the load on the upper unit 52 is distributed in the vertical direction, making the fixation more stable.

[0116] To remove the upper unit 52, the rotating shaft 51R is rotated to the second rotation position. Then, by placing a finger on the finger hook 56W of the slider 56S and sliding it to the left (to the right in FIG. 45), the slider 56S is released from the engagement groove 54F, and the upper unit 52 can be pulled out from the assembled position.

[0117] The above operation makes it possible to replace the upper unit 52. Here, when changing the model, it is conceivable to replace the upper unit 52 with one that is larger than that of the present embodiment, such as a different type of upper unit 52X (see FIG. 48) that covers the left and right speakers 81 or one that protrudes above the top surface of the rear door 13. In this case, there is a concern that the replaced upper unit may not be supported by the connection between the pin 52P and the slider 56S or the connection between the rotating shaft 51R alone, making the assembly of the upper unit unstable.

[0118] In contrast, in the gaming machine 10, spare screw holes 51Y are formed in the metal frame 51K. The spare screw holes 51Y are located in the upper right portion of the metal frame 51K, and are tapped on the inner surface. When assembling a large upper unit, screw holes are formed in the upper unit, and screws are fastened from the rear side into the spare screw holes 51Y and the screw holes in the upper unit, thereby stabilizing the assembly of the large upper unit. Furthermore, even if the side unit 54 is sized to cover the right speaker 81, the assembly of the side unit can be stabilized. In other words, the front of the gaming machine 10 can be significantly modified.

[0119] <About Upper Unit 52> As shown in Figure 23, the upper unit 52 of this embodiment protrudes forward so that its outer edge becomes smaller toward the front, and is provided with a front decorative portion 52A at its front end. A logo, such as the model name, is formed on the front decorative portion 52A using a translucent material. A light-emitting board (not shown) is built into the upper unit 52, and the front decorative portion 52A emits light depending on the game status.

[0120] <About the side unit 54> Next, the side unit 54 will be described in detail. As shown in Figure 49, the side unit 54 has a case portion 54A fixed to the base frame 51 and a sliding portion 54S supported by the case portion 54A so as to be slidable. The case portion 54A is flattened in the left-right direction and has an upper surface 54B that slopes downward toward the front and a front surface 54C that slopes downward toward the rear. A groove 54D extending in the up-down direction is formed in the front surface 54C.

[0121] A hood portion 54E bulges forward from a front surface 54C at the lower end of the case portion 54A. The hood portion 54E has a recess that opens to the upper surface, and this recess communicates with the groove 54D.

[0122] Sliding portion 54S has operating portion 54U, modeled after a Western sword, attached to the front end of transparent plate portion 54T, which passes through groove 54D in case portion 54A. Operating portion 54U has its lower end received in hood portion 54E, with handle portion 54V positioned upward. Operating portion 54U has a flange 54W, extending in the front-to-rear direction, formed below handle portion 54V.

[0123] The sliding portion 54S can move up and down from a first position shown in FIG. 49 to a second position shown in FIG. 50, and is always biased to the first position. A player can grip the handle 54V and press down on it. In the first position (see FIG. 49), the flange 54W of the sliding portion 54S is positioned above the upper end of the groove 54D in the case portion 54A, and the upper edge of the flange 54W is positioned at the same height as or slightly above the front end of the upper surface 54B of the case portion 54A. In the second position (see FIG. 50), the flange 54W of the sliding portion 54S is positioned to the side of the upper end of the groove 54D in the case portion 54A.

[0124] As shown in FIG. 51A, the transparent plate portion 54T of the sliding movable portion 54S has a protrusion 54R formed in the portion housed within the case portion 54A, which protrudes upward from the upper end of the groove 54D of the case portion 54A in the first position.

[0125] An auxiliary plate 54P is attached to the front end surface of the protrusion 54R. The auxiliary plate 54P is attached to the wall that has the front surface 54C of the case portion 54A from the inside of the case portion 54A. As shown in FIG. 51B, in the second position, the auxiliary plate 54P faces the groove 54D from the inside. In other words, when the sliding movable portion 54S is pushed down, the portion of the groove 54D above the transparent plate portion 54T is blocked by the auxiliary plate 54P.

[0126] This makes it impossible to insert a finger or foreign object into groove 54D when sliding movable part 54S is pressed down, preventing fingers or foreign objects from getting caught. Also, in the second position, flange 54W of sliding movable part 54S of operation part 54U is arranged to the side of the upper end of groove 54D of case part 54A, so groove 54D is not exposed above flange 54W throughout the entire movable range of sliding movable part 54S, making it difficult for fingers or foreign objects to get close to groove 54D.

[0127] <About Lower Unit 53> Next, the lower unit 53 will be described in detail. As shown in FIG. 31, the lower unit 53 is formed by assembling an operation unit 150 to an outer wall forming part 140. In detail, the outer wall forming part 140 fits into a unit mounting recess 55D of a lower front surface forming part 55A to form the front surface of the lower unit 53, and the operation unit 150 is housed in a recess 141 formed in the upper surface of the outer wall forming part 140 to form the upper surface of the lower unit 53 (see FIG. 1). An operation unit 160, a cross button 153B, and a volume button 153C that can be operated by a player are exposed from the upper surface of the operation unit 150 (see FIG. 30A). The operation unit 160, the cross button 153B, and the volume button 153C cause the upper part of the outer wall forming part 140 to protrude toward the player, while the lower part gradually tapers downward. This improves the player's accessibility to the coin box installed below the lower unit 53.

[0128] 30B, a pair of bottom metal plates 140S are fixed to the lower surface of the outer wall constituent part 140, and the bottom metal plates 140S overlap the bottom surface of the unit mounting recess 55D. The bottom metal plates 140S are provided with the aforementioned engagement hole 53B, which engages with the rotation shaft 67.

[0129] As shown in FIG. 31 , the recess 141 extends from the center to the right end of the exterior wall constituent part 140 in the left-right direction, and accommodates the lower part of the operation unit 150 and a wiring cable (not shown) extending from the operation unit 150. Furthermore, a plurality of ribs 140L protruding upward and a plurality of fixing protrusions 140T having screw holes on their tip surfaces are provided on the upper surface of the exterior wall constituent part 140, except for the outer peripheral edge and the recess 141. The upper surfaces of the ribs 140L and the fixing protrusions 140T are arranged on the same plane. Meanwhile, a cover plate 151 (described later) of the operation unit 150 has mounting holes 150N at positions corresponding to the fixing protrusions 140T. When the operation unit 150 is placed on the upper surface of the exterior wall constituent part 140, screws (not shown) are passed through the mounting holes 150N and tightened into the screw holes of the fixing protrusions 140T. The operation unit 150 is fixed to the upper surface of the exterior wall constituent part 140. In addition, a downwardly protruding rib 140R is provided on part of the outer peripheral edge of the rear surface of the cover plate 151, and when assembled to the outer wall constituent part 140, it faces the outside of the opening edge of the outer wall constituent part 140 to position it (see Figure 30B).

[0130] The operation unit 150 is configured by assembling an operation button device 152 and a cross button device 153 shown in FIG. 33A to a cover plate 151 shown in FIG. 32A. The operation button device 152 has the operation unit 160 described above, and the cross button device 153 has the cross button 153B and volume button 153C described above. The operation unit 160 and the cross button 153B are used, for example, for effects that are executed in accordance with the progress of a game. For example, an effect to be executed may be selected from a group of effects using the cross button 153B and then determined using the operation unit 160, or the operation unit 160 may be operated while the selected effect is being executed to allow the player to participate in the effect. The volume button 153C can adjust the volume of sound output from the speaker 81.

[0131] The cover plate 151 has case portions 151B and 151C protruding from the rear side of a plate main body 151A that is placed on the upper surface of the outer wall constituent portion 140 (see FIG. 32B). The front sides of the case portions 151B and 151C are recessed to form first and second accommodating recesses 150A and 150B, respectively (see FIG. 32A). The first and second accommodating recesses 150A and 150B accommodate lower portions of the operation button device 152 and the cross button device 153, respectively, and the operation unit 160, the cross button 153B, and the volume button 153C protrude from the front surface of the operation unit 150. Note that the bottom walls of the first and second accommodating recesses 150A and 150B are formed with positioning recesses 151V and 151W, into which positioning protrusions 152T and 153T, described later, of the operation button device 152 and the cross button device 153 are inserted. Through holes are formed in the positioning recesses 151V, 151W, and when screws (not shown) are passed through from the underside and tightened with the operation button device 152 and the cross button device 153 housed therein, the operation button device 152 and the cross button device 153 are fixed to the case portions 152B, 152C. This makes it possible to replace the operation button device 152 alone or the cross button device 153 alone, thereby reducing costs. In this way, the lower unit 53 is separate from the front plate 110, and furthermore, the operation button device 152 and the cross button device 153 can be easily removed individually, so that the operation button device 152 alone or the cross button device 153 alone can be replaced during repairs, etc., thereby reducing costs.

[0132] As shown in Fig. 33A, the cross button device 153 has a structure in which a cross button 153B and a volume button 153C protrude from an upper surface 153U of a box case 153A that is shaped like a substantially rectangular box, and the box case 153A has built-in sensors (not shown) for detecting pressing operations of the cross button 153B and the volume button 153C. Furthermore, a flange portion 153H protrudes laterally from the upper surface 153U of the box case 153A over the entire circumferential direction, and the flange portion 153H is fitted from above to the opening edge of the second accommodating recess 150B. The above-mentioned positioning protrusion 153T (see Fig. 33B) is formed on the lower surface of the box case 153A.

[0133] As shown in FIG. 33A , the operation unit 160 of the operation button device 152 has a structure in which the upper part of a support portion 162 is covered by a cover member 161 having a dome-shaped ceiling wall 161D at the top, and the cover member 161 is movable up and down relative to the support portion 162. When the cover member 161 is pressed and moves downward, the pressing operation is detected by a sensor (not shown) housed in a bottom case 166 below the operation button device 152. A flange portion 162H projects laterally from the upper edge of the support portion 162 along the entire circumferential direction and is fitted from above to the opening edge of the first housing recess 150A. A motor housing portion 166B (described later) is attached to the bottom surface of the bottom case 166. The bottom surface of the bottom case 166 is provided with a plurality of positioning protrusions 152T described above.

[0134] In detail, as shown in FIG. 34, the operation button device 152 has a cover member 161, a support portion 162, and a bottom case 166, as well as a movable decorative portion 163, a fixed decorative portion 164, an LED board 165A, a relay board 165B, etc. The movable decorative portion 163 and the fixed decorative portion 164 are disposed between the cover member 161 and the support portion 162 and housed inside the cover member 161. Here, at least a portion of the ceiling wall 161D of the cover member 161 is transparent, so that the entire movable decorative portion 163 can be seen through the cover member 161 when viewed from above (see FIG. 33A). The LED board 165A is disposed between the fixed decorative portion 164 and the support portion 162 and controls LEDs (not shown) that illuminate the movable decorative portion 163 and the fixed decorative portion 164. The LED board 165A is connected to a relay board 165B disposed behind the support portion 162 by a cable (not shown), and the relay board 165B is connected to a main control board and a sub-control board (not shown).

[0135] The bottom case 166 houses a sensor for detecting the pressing operation of the cover member 161 described above, a first motor 83 and a second motor 84 (see FIG. 36) described below, etc. In the following, in the operation button device 152, the cover member 161 side will be referred to as the upper side and the bottom case 166 side will be referred to as the lower side, as appropriate. In this embodiment, at least a portion of the ceiling wall 161D of the cover member 161 is transparent, making the entire movable decorative portion 163 visible, but the entire ceiling wall 161D may be transparent, or only a portion of the movable decorative portion 163 may be visible.

[0136] In this embodiment, not only does the cover member 161 move downward relative to the support portion 162 when pressed by the player, but the cover member 161 and the movable decorative portion 163 can also be moved by being driven by a drive source. Specifically, the cover member 161 and the movable decorative portion 163 are driven by separate drive sources, and the first motor 83 for driving the cover member 161 is driven when a preset first movement condition is met, and the second motor 84 for driving the movable decorative portion 163 is driven when a preset second movement condition is met. Note that the first movement condition may be met when the cover member 161 is pressed, or may be met regardless of the pressing operation of the cover member 161.

[0137] The following describes the movement mechanism of the cover member 161 and the movement mechanism of the movable decorative part 163. Figure 35 shows the cover member 161 and a first movement mechanism 160K that vibrates the cover member 161. As shown in the figure, the first movement mechanism 160K has a support part 162, a cover fixing part 167, a first motor 83, and a bottom case 166.

[0138] The cover member 161 includes a pair of first legs 161A and a pair of second legs 161B that protrude downward from a cylindrical wall 161H that forms the bottom of the ceiling wall 161D and are arranged opposite each other in the radial direction of the cylindrical wall 161H. The first legs 161A and the second legs 161B are arranged so as to be offset by 90 degrees from each other in the circumferential direction of the cover member 161. The first legs 161A protrude downward further than the second legs 161B, and an engagement hole 161K that extends in the radial direction of the cylindrical wall 161H is formed at the lower end of the first legs 161A.

[0139] The support portion 162 has a circular shape with a larger diameter than the cylindrical wall 161H of the cover member 161, and a first leg insertion hole 162A and a second leg insertion hole 162B corresponding to the first leg portion 161A and the second leg portion 161B of the cover member 161 are formed on the outer periphery of the support portion 162. A circular central hole 162C is formed in the center of the support portion 162. A plurality of connecting members 162T extend from the rear surface of the support portion 162 for connecting to the bottom case 166.

[0140] The cover fixing portion 167 has a rectangular shape with a longitudinal length approximately equal to the diameter of the cylindrical wall 161H of the cover member 161. End projecting walls 167H project toward the cover member 161 from both longitudinal ends of the cover fixing portion 167, and engaging projections 167T projecting radially from the cylindrical wall 161H are provided on the end projecting walls 167H. A circular central hole 167C is formed in the center of the cover fixing portion 167. The first leg portion 161A of the cover member 161 is inserted into the first leg insertion hole 162A and penetrates the support portion 162, and the engaging projections 167T of the end projecting walls 167H engage with the engaging holes 161K of the first leg portion 161A. This fixes the cover member 161 to the cover fixing portion 167 (see FIG. 36).

[0141] 36, bottom case 166 has a circular shape and is approximately the same size as support portion 162, and houses first leg portion 161A and second leg portion 161B of cover member 161 and cover fixing portion 167. The bottom surface of bottom case 166 is provided with a plurality of receiving portions 166M that receive the tip portions of the above-mentioned connecting members 162T extending from support portion 162 (see FIG. 34), and bottom case 166 is fixed to the bottom of support portion 162 by fastening with screws (not shown) that are passed through through holes 166N provided in receiving portions 166M from the underside.

[0142] Furthermore, a biasing spring 85S is provided between the bottom of the bottom case 166 and the cover fixing portion 167, and this biasing spring 85S biases the cover fixing portion 167 and the cover member 161 upward relative to the bottom case 166 and the support portion 162. The biasing spring 85S is positioned by positioning recesses 166M, 167M formed on the opposing surfaces of the bottom of the bottom case 166 and the cover fixing portion 167. Although not shown in FIG. 36, in addition to the biasing spring 85S, a plurality of auxiliary springs 85T (see FIG. 34) are also provided between the bottom of the bottom case 166 and the cover fixing portion 167, and bias the cover fixing portion 167 and the cover member 161 in the same manner as the biasing spring 85S. Furthermore, the sensor for detecting the pressing operation of the cover member 161 described above is configured to detect that the cover fixing portion 167 has been placed in the lower position against the biasing spring 85S and the auxiliary spring 85T. That is, in this embodiment, the cover member 161 is fitted to the bottom case 166 so as to be able to move linearly. Note that the connection between the cover member 161 and the support portion 162 is not limited to this, and for example, the cover member 161 may be hingedly connected to the outer edge of the support portion 162 at the innermost side farthest from the player, and may be configured to rotate forward when pressed by the player.

[0143] In this embodiment, the first motor 83 is attached to the underside of the bottom case 166. Specifically, the underside of the bottom case 166 is composed of a flat portion 166F disposed substantially parallel to the horizontal direction and an inclined portion 166K that slopes upward as it moves away from the flat portion 166F, and a motor housing portion 166B is provided near the right end of the flat portion 166F (see FIG. 35). The first motor 83 is housed in the motor housing portion 166B, thereby restricting movement in the vertical and horizontal directions. The rotation output shaft 83J of the first motor 83 is disposed parallel to the horizontal direction, and an eccentric weight 83S is fixed to the rotation output shaft 83J and rotates integrally with the rotation output shaft 83J. The eccentric weight 83S has a fan shape in a plan view. The shape of the eccentric weight 83S is not particularly limited as long as the center of gravity is positioned at a position offset from the extension line of the rotation output shaft 83J of the first motor 83, and may be, for example, circular, elliptical, or polygonal.

[0144] Next, the operation of the first movement mechanism 160K will be described. When the first movement condition is met and the first motor 83 is actuated, the eccentric weight 83S rotates about the rotation output shaft 83J, as shown in FIG. 36. Then, the centrifugal force of the eccentric weight 83S causes the first motor 83 to vibrate and collide with the motor housing portion 166B of the bottom case 166. The vibration of the first motor 83 is then transmitted to the bottom case 166 via the motor housing portion 166B, and is also transmitted to the cover member 161 via the support portion 162. This causes the cover member 161 to vibrate.

[0145] Here, the first leg portion 161A and the second leg portion 161B of the cover member 161 are inserted into the first leg portion insertion hole 162A and the second leg portion insertion hole 162B of the support portion 162, so that movement in the horizontal direction is restricted, but movement in the vertical direction is permitted by the expansion and contraction of the biasing spring 85S and the auxiliary spring 85T. Therefore, the cover member 161 can be vibrated more greatly in the vertical direction than in the horizontal direction.

[0146] Furthermore, because the first motor 83 is attached to the bottom case 166, vibrations are more easily transmitted to the outer wall component 140 that receives the bottom case 166, and further to the lower front surface component 55A of the foundation frame 51 into which the outer wall component 140 is fitted, and the vibrations are also transmitted to the handle unit 350 and the like that are attached to the lower front surface component 55A. Therefore, the vibrations are more easily transmitted to the player than in a configuration in which the first motor 83 is attached to the cover fixing part 167 that fixes the cover member 161, etc., to vibrate the cover member 161, making it easier for the player to detect that the first movement condition has been established.

[0147] Next, we will explain the movement mechanism of the movable decorative part 163. Figure 37 shows the movable decorative part 163 and a second movement mechanism 163K that moves the movable decorative part 163. As shown in the figure, the second movement mechanism 163K has a movable base 168, a support part 162, a fixing jig 86, a coil spring 88, and a second motor 84.

[0148] The movable decorative part 163 is configured by covering a base plate 163B with a decorative cover 163A. The base plate 163B has a dome-shaped ceiling wall 163D at the top and a rectangular shape whose longitudinal length is shorter than the diameter of the cylindrical wall 161H of the cover member 161 (see FIG. 36), and is configured to cover a portion of the upper part of the fixed decorative part 164. End protrusion walls 163H protrude from both longitudinal ends of the base plate 163B toward the fixed decorative part 164 (see FIG. 37). Here, as shown in FIG. 33A, the fixed decorative part 164 has a shape in which a side wall 164T hangs down from the entire outer periphery of a circular plate part 164A with a diameter approximately the same as the longitudinal length of the movable decorative part 163, and is fixed to the support part 162 with the tip of the side wall 164T abutting against the upper surface of the support part 162. The fixed decorative part 164 has a notch 164K cut out at a position corresponding to the end protrusion wall 163H of the movable decorative part 163, and the tip of the end protrusion wall 163H of the movable decorative part 163 passes through the notch 164K and protrudes downward below the disc part 164A. Note that in this embodiment, the fixed decorative part 164 is provided with the notch 164K, and the end protrusion wall 163H of the movable decorative part 163 passes rearward, but a through hole may be provided in the fixed decorative part 164, or the end protrusion wall 163H may pass along the side of the fixed decorative part 164.

[0149] The decorative cover 163A covers the upper surface of the ceiling wall 163D and the sides of the ceiling wall 163D of the base plate 163B, and also covers the end protruding wall 163H from the upper end to a position near the lower end. A transparent area is provided on a portion of the upper surface. In this embodiment, the transparent area forms the word "PUSH."

[0150] The movable base 168 is positioned below the disk portion 164A of the fixed decorative part 164 (see Figure 38), and as shown in Figure 34, a pair of fixed pieces 168V protrude in the left-right direction. The pair of fixed pieces 168V are provided with a receiving recess 168M that receives the tip of the end protrusion wall 163H of the movable decorative part 163. A screw (not shown) is passed through a through hole (not shown) provided in the receiving recess 168M, and the end protrusion wall 163H is fixed to the movable base 168. In other words, as shown in Figure 38, the movable decorative part 163 is fixed to the movable base 168 with the fixed decorative part 164 sandwiched therebetween.

[0151] As shown in Figure 37, movable base 168 is placed on support portion 162 from above, and a generally circular central protrusion 168C formed on the center of the lower surface is loosely fitted into central hole 162C of support portion 162. At this time, although not shown, multiple biasing springs are provided between movable base 168 and support portion 162, and these biasing springs bias movable base 168 upward relative to support portion 162. The multiple biasing springs are arranged at equal intervals around the circumferential direction of central protrusion 168C. ​​The biasing springs are positioned by positioning recesses (not shown) formed on the opposing surfaces of the bottom of movable base 168 and support portion 162.

[0152] Furthermore, a plurality of circular holes 168T are formed on the outer side of central protrusion 168C of movable base 168. The plurality of circular holes 168T are arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction of central protrusion 168C, and the centers of the plurality of circular holes 168T are arranged concentrically with central protrusion 168C. ​​A plurality of circular protrusions 162S (see FIG. 34) protruding from the opening edge of central hole 162C of support part 162 are inserted into each of circular holes 168T (see FIGS. 39 and 40).

[0153] Here, circular hole 168T has a larger diameter than circular protrusion 162S, and circular protrusion 162S inserted into circular hole 168T is movable within circular hole 168T. From another perspective, the movement of movable base 168 is limited by the abutment between the inner circumferential surface of circular hole 168T and circular protrusion 162S. In Figure 40, movable base 168 is shown by a dashed line when it moves in one direction in the horizontal plane and its movement is limited by circular protrusion 162S, and the range R2 within which movable base 168 is allowed to move is shown by a two-dot chain line.

[0154] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the multiple circular holes 168T and circular protrusions 162S are the same size, so when one circular protrusion 162S abuts against the inner circumferential surface of circular hole 168T, the remaining circular protrusions 162S also abut against the inner circumferential surface of circular hole 168T. This makes it possible to distribute the points of contact between movable base 168 and circular protrusions 162S in the circumferential direction of movable base 168. Furthermore, in this embodiment, circular protrusions 162S come into sliding contact with the inner circumferential surface of circular hole 168T, allowing movable base 168 to move smoothly.

[0155] A rotating member 87 is attached to central protrusion 168C of movable base 168, and is rotatable relative to movable base 168. Specifically, as shown in Fig. 38, rotating member 87 is equipped with a rotating shaft 87A that extends in a direction perpendicular to movable base 168 and passes through movable base 168, and an eccentric weight 87B. Rotating shaft 87A is attached to the center of central protrusion 168C via a bearing (not shown), so that rotating member 87 is rotatable relative to movable base 168. In addition, a mounting shaft 87J is formed at the lower end of rotating member 87.

[0156] Eccentric weight 87B is fixed to the upper end of rotating shaft 87A and rotates integrally with rotating shaft 87A. Eccentric weight 87B has a fan shape in a plan view, and a circular recess 168D that allows rotation of eccentric weight 87B is formed on the upper surface of movable base 168. The shape of eccentric weight 87B is not particularly limited as long as the center of gravity is positioned at a position shifted from the extension line of the rotation shaft of second motor 84, and it may be, for example, circular, elliptical, or polygonal.

[0157] 37, the fixing jig 86 is composed of a fixing plate 86A and a plurality of attachment pieces 86B protruding from the fixing plate 86A towards the support portion 162, with a circular central hole 86C formed in the central portion of the fixing plate 86A. Then, by fixing the attachment pieces 86B to the underside of the support portion 162, the fixing plate 86A is disposed parallel to the support portion 162 and the distance between the fixing plate 86A and the support portion 162 is kept constant.

[0158] The second motor 84 is fixed with its surface on the rotation output shaft 84J side overlapping the lower surface of a fixing plate 86A of the fixing jig 86, and the rotation output shaft 84J of the first motor 83 passes through a central hole 86C of the fixing plate 86A (see FIG. 38). Therefore, the fixing jig 86 keeps the distance between the first motor 83 and the support part 162 constant.

[0159] A coil spring 88 is disposed coaxially with the rotation output shaft 84J of the first motor 83, and one end of the coil spring 88 is fixed to the rotation output shaft 84J. The other end of the coil spring 88 is fixed to the mounting shaft 87J of the rotating member 87.

[0160] Here, in this embodiment, the natural length of the coil spring 88 is the length by which the movable base 168, which is fixed to the other end of the coil spring 88 via the rotating member 87, floats above the support part 162 (see FIG. 38). From another perspective, the above-mentioned fixing jig 86 maintains the distance between the support part 162 and the first motor 83 at a length that causes the movable base 168 to float above the support part 162 when the coil spring 88 is at its natural length. Furthermore, in this embodiment, when the coil spring 88 is at its natural length and the movable base 168 floats above the support part 162, the fixed decorative part 164 is positioned so as not to come into contact with the movable base 168 and the movable decorative part 163.

[0161] Next, the operation of the second movement mechanism 163K will be described. When the second movement condition is met and the second motor 84 is activated, the other end of the coil spring 88 and the rotating member 87 rotate around the rotation output shaft 84J. Then, the movable base 168 is pushed by the rotating member 87 and also attempts to rotate. Here, because the rotating member 87 is equipped with an eccentric weight 87B that is eccentric from the rotation output shaft 84J, the rotation radius of the rotating member 87 increases, and the movable base 168 collides with the circular protrusion 162S of the support part 162. Therefore, the movable base 168 moves horizontally within the range R2 shown in FIG. 40, repeatedly colliding with the circular protrusion 162S. As the movable base 168 moves, the movable decorative part 163 fixed to the movable base 168 also moves.

[0162] In addition, in this embodiment, the coil spring 88 is arranged coaxially with the rotation output shaft 84J of the first motor 83 and is capable of elastic bending deformation in the horizontal direction in which the movable base 168 moves.Therefore, the movable base 168 moves under the influence of the centrifugal force of the rotating member 87 as it rotates, the resistance force from the circular protrusion 162S that it collides with, and the restoring force of the coil spring 88, making it possible to move the movable base 168 and the movable decorative part 163 randomly in the horizontal plane.

[0163] In this way, when the second movement condition is met depending on the progress of the game, the second motor 84 is driven, and the movable base 168 moves randomly in the horizontal direction within the range R2 shown in Figure 40. In addition, the expansion and contraction of the coil spring 88 also allows the movable base 168 to move in the vertical direction. Therefore, the movable decorative part 163 is allowed to move both vertically and horizontally.

[0164] In this embodiment, the second movement mechanism 163K is equipped with a coil spring 88 that can be elastically bent and deformed in the horizontal direction, so the movable decorative part 163 can move with the elastic bending deformation of the coil spring 88 taken into account, making it possible to make the movement of the movable decorative part 163 more complex than when the second movement mechanism 163K does not have the coil spring 88, and making it possible to add variety to the movement. Note that this configuration does not exclude the possibility that the movable decorative part 163 may temporarily perform circular motion during rotation, even if it does not always perform circular motion.

[0165] In addition, in this embodiment, the circular protrusion 162S and the circular hole 168T limit the range of movement of the movable base 168 to within a predetermined range R2 (see FIG. 40) from the extension line of the rotation output shaft 84J of the drive source 47, so the movement cycle of the movable base 168 can be shortened compared to when the range of movement of the movable base 168 is not limited. This makes it possible to vibrate the movable decorative part 163 violently.

[0166] Furthermore, in this embodiment, when the coil spring 88 is at its natural length, the movable base 168 floats up from the support part 162, making it possible to prevent the position of the movable decorative part 163 from becoming fixed when the second motor 84 is not operating. For example, the movable decorative part 163 can be moved by the player's operating force on the operating part 160, thereby providing more variety to the movement of the movable decorative part 163.

[0167] Furthermore, in this embodiment, as described above, the movable decorative part 163 is fixed, and the movable decorative part 163 is positioned above the fixed decorative part 164, covering a portion of the fixed decorative part 164. The fixed decorative part 164 is positioned so as not to come into contact with the movable decorative part 163 and the movable base 168. This allows the player to focus on the movable decorative part 163, which is an unprecedented effect in that only the movable decorative part 163 moves in various ways above the fixed decorative part 164. Furthermore, the word "PUSH" is displayed on the focused movable decorative part 163, urging the player to operate the operation unit 160. While the word "PUSH" is displayed in this embodiment, this is not limited to this, and any other word that urges the player to operate the operation unit 160 may be used, for example, a picture. Furthermore, an LED board 165A is provided below the fixed decorative part 164, allowing the visible portion through the movable decorative part 163 to be illuminated. Furthermore, since the "PUSH" on the movable decorative part 163 is a transparent area, illuminating the "PUSH" further attracts attention. It is not necessary for the movable decorative part 163 to display a message urging the player to operate the operating part 160.

[0168] <About the handle unit> Next, the handle unit 350 including the firing handle 300 and its surrounding area will be described. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 52, the handle unit 350 includes a base wall 355 that forms the right side of the lower front surface forming portion 55A, a cylindrical base portion 330, and the firing handle 300. As shown in FIG. 53, the base wall 355 is inclined forward by approximately 1 to 30 degrees relative to the front-to-rear direction, and the rotation axis 300J of the firing handle 300 is approximately perpendicular to the base wall 355. As a result, the rotation axis 300J of the firing handle 300 is inclined forward by approximately 1 to 30 degrees (preferably 20 to 25 degrees, more preferably 22 degrees) relative to the left-to-right direction, and the ceiling portion of the dome-shaped front cover 301 (described in detail later) of the firing handle 300 faces diagonally to the side of the gaming machine 10. In other words, the rotation axis 300J of the firing handle 300 is inclined relative to both the front-to-rear direction and the left-to-right direction of the gaming machine 10.

[0169] As a result, the rotation axis of the handle extends in the front-to-rear direction, which gives a sense of novelty to players who are used to playing gaming machines that rotate the handle in the left-to-right direction, and improves the handle's appeal. Also, according to this embodiment, the hand is placed on the launch handle 300 from a diagonal side and rotated diagonally in the front-to-rear direction, which gives a sense of novelty to players who are used to playing gaming machines that grip the handle from the front and rotate it in the left-to-right direction. Furthermore, the novel appearance of the launch handle 300 increases the player's appeal.

[0170] Furthermore, with the above configuration, it is possible to rotate the firing handle 300 toward the back with the right hand extended forward with the inner surface of the arm facing inward, which reduces bending and twisting of the wrist and reduces fatigue in the arm.

[0171] 52 and 53, a hand rest 360 is provided below firing handle 300, on which the hand holding firing handle 300 can be placed. Hand rest 360 is fixed to the lower right end of basic frame 51, and the outer edge of its planar shape has a left side 360A that slopes along base wall 355, a right side 360B that extends in the front-to-rear direction from a position near the right end of basic frame 51, a rear side 360C that connects the rear ends of left side 360A and right side 360B, and a front side 360D that connects the front ends of left side 360A and right side 360B. The front edge portion 360D has a first front edge portion 360E extending obliquely forward from the front end of the left edge portion 360A, a second front edge portion 360F extending at a bend from the right end of the first front edge portion 360E, and a third front edge portion 360G extending diagonally rearward from the right end of the second front edge portion 360F and connecting to the front end of the right edge portion 360B.

[0172] The upper surface of hand rest 360 is concave, curving upward toward both sides, with the area extending from the front end of left edge 360A to the right end of second front edge 360F at its base. Furthermore, upper edge 361 of this concave shape extends at an angle from a position slightly to the left of the right end of rear edge 360C toward the front end of right edge 360B. In other words, upper edge 361 of the concave shape slopes away from firing handle 300 in the axial direction of firing handle 300 as it extends forward. Furthermore, the surface of hand rest 360 has fine irregularities, such as a embossed or matte finish, providing an anti-slip effect. These irregularities make dirt less noticeable on the surface of hand rest 360.

[0173] The hand rest portion 360 is detachable from the base frame portion 51 independently of the handle unit 350, and it is possible to replace only the hand rest portion 360.

[0174] In this embodiment, the player's hand can be placed on the hand rest 360 to grip the launch handle 300, which reduces fatigue in the player's arm. Furthermore, the hand rest 360 is concave to prevent the hand from slipping, making it easier to maintain the grip position of the launch handle 300 even during long periods of play.

[0175] Furthermore, when rotating the firing handle 300, it is considered that the wrist does not need to bend as much and a more comfortable posture is achieved if the fingers are placed on the firing handle 300 and the palm is kept away from the firing handle 300. In this case, the outer surface of the hand slopes away from the firing handle 300 as it moves forward (i.e., toward the player). In contrast, in this embodiment, the concave upper edge 361 slopes away from the firing handle 300 in the axial direction of the firing handle 300 as it moves forward, so that the concave surface of the hand rest 360 can fit along the outer surface of the hand, making it easier to maintain a comfortable posture when rotating the firing handle 300.

[0176] As shown in Figures 54 and 55, the base wall 355 has a rectangular shape with the upper and front corners cut out by the oblique side 355A. The base wall 355 is slightly curved near the bottom. A peripheral wall 356 is provided at the outer edge of the base wall 355, extending inward in the left-right direction of the gaming machine 10. A recessed portion 357 is formed in the center of the base wall 355 to accommodate the end of the cylindrical base portion 330. The recessed portion 357 has a circular cross section and includes a cylindrical wall 357A and a bottom wall 357B. A notch 367K is formed at the rear of the recessed portion 357. Furthermore, multiple through holes 355N are formed in the base wall 355, and the handle unit 350 is fixed to the lower front surface component 55A with screws fastened from the front. This allows the handle unit 350 to be removed without opening the front door 50. A metal plate is disposed on the inside of the lower front surface forming portion 55A, and screw holes are formed in this metal plate for fixing the handle unit 350. This makes the screw holes less susceptible to damage even if the handle unit 350 is repeatedly attached and detached.

[0177] 52 and 53, a vent hole 358 is formed in the lower front portion of the base wall 355. The vent hole 358 is formed by attaching a punched metal to a through-hole that penetrates the base wall 355. An axial fan 370 is fixed to the lower front surface component 55A at a position opposite the vent hole 358, and the axial fan 370 blows air out of the gaming machine 10 through the vent hole 358 to produce a blowing effect. The blowing effect is produced, for example, as a notice that the result of the win / loss determination will be a win.

[0178] 29, an air intake port 359 is formed on the underside of the lower front surface constituent part 55A, and an axial flow fan 370 blows air taken in from below the lower front surface constituent part 55A out of an air vent 358. When an odor drifts inside an amusement hall, it is thought that the odor is thicker on the front side of the gaming machine 10 where people are located and thinner below the gaming machine 10, so by arranging the air vent 358 on the underside of the lower front surface constituent part 55A, i.e., on the underside of the gaming machine 10, it is possible to make it difficult for odors to be taken in.

[0179] In this embodiment, base wall 355 is tilted forward by approximately 10 to 30 degrees relative to the front-to-rear direction, and therefore the direction in which the airflow is emitted is also tilted forward by approximately 10 to 30 degrees relative to the left-to-right direction. Furthermore, because vent 358 is located in front of and below firing handle 300, axial fan 370 blows air toward the arm gripping firing handle 300 from a direction intersecting the front-to-rear and left-to-right directions. Furthermore, in this embodiment, because rotation axis 300J of firing handle 300 is tilted and firing handle 300 is gripped with the inner surface of the arm facing inward, airflow is more likely to be blown toward the inner surface of the arm.

[0180] This can surprise players who are used to the air blowing effect of wind being blown out from the handle, improving the appeal of the air blowing effect. Moreover, since the wind hits the inside of the arm where the skin is thin, it can be easily felt. Also, since the inside of the arm, such as the palm, tends to sweat relatively easily, having the wind blow on sweaty areas can give a refreshing feeling. Furthermore, since the wind is blown from the inside to the outside in the left and right directions, adjacent players can also feel the wind, making it possible to get adjacent players interested in the machine.

[0181] In addition, if the wind is blown out when the player is not touching the handle, the wind will not hit the player's arms but will spread around, which may cause discomfort to people around them. To prevent such problems, the axial fan 370 may be controlled not to operate when the player is not touching the launch handle 300.

[0182] 54, the cylindrical base portion 330 has a cylindrical base main body 331 and a tip base portion 335 that fits into the tip portion of the base main body 331. The base main body 331 has a first cylindrical portion 331A on the base end side, an expanded diameter portion 331B that expands in diameter obliquely from the tip of the first cylindrical portion 331A, and a second cylindrical portion 331C that extends from the large diameter side end of the expanded diameter portion 331B.

[0183] As shown in FIGS. 57A and 57B, a protruding wall 332 is formed at the tip of the first cylindrical portion 331A, protruding inward. A large-diameter through-hole 332A, which is coaxial with the base body 331, and a small-diameter through-hole 332B located beside it are formed so as to overlap with each other in the protruding wall 332. A rear protruding wall 332C protrudes rearward from the outer edges of the large-diameter through-hole 332A and the small-diameter through-hole 332B. A rectangular through-hole 332D is also formed in the protruding wall 332 on the opposite side of the small-diameter through-hole 332B, with the large-diameter through-hole 332A sandwiched between them. One side of the rectangular through-hole 332D is arc-shaped along the inner circumferential surface of the first cylindrical portion 331A. The large-diameter through-hole 332A and the rectangular through-hole 332D are separated by a flat front protruding wall 332E protruding forward from the protruding wall 332.

[0184] A notch 333 is provided in the second cylindrical portion 331C of the base main body 331 at a position located at the upper right when the base main body 331 is attached to the gaming machine 10 (see FIG. 52). The notch 333 is formed in a range of 1 / 6 to 1 / 7 of the circumference of the second cylindrical portion 331C, from the tip surface of the second cylindrical portion 331C to a position near the base end.

[0185] 55 and 56, tip base portion 335 has a fitting tubular portion 335B that fits into second cylindrical portion 331C of base main body 331, and a flange portion 335A that projects from the tip of fitting tubular portion 335B and abuts against the tip surface of base main body 331. Flange portion 335A is provided with extension portion 335E that is received in cutout portion 333 of base main body 331. Extension portion 335E is sized to fill approximately 1 / 3 to 1 / 2 of the tip side of cutout portion 333 in the axial direction of cylindrical base portion 330 (see FIG. 56).

[0186] As shown in Figure 55, the fitting tube portion 335B of the tip base portion 335 is short by about 1 / 3 to 1 / 2.5 of its radial length, and the base end of that region is located closer to the tip than the base end of the remaining region. A first protruding wall 335C protrudes inward from the base end of the short portion of the fitting tube portion 335B, and a second protruding wall 335D protrudes inward from the base end of the remaining portion. The first protruding wall 335C and the second protruding wall 335D are connected by a step wall 335F. The extension portion 335E is disposed on the first protruding wall 335C side of the outer periphery of the tip base portion 335.

[0187] A shaft receiving cylindrical portion 335H is formed in the center of fitting cylindrical portion 335B, into which shaft 325 of firing handle 300 (described later) is inserted. The tip of shaft receiving cylindrical portion 335H is located in approximately the same plane as the linear end surface of flange portion 335A, and the base end of shaft receiving cylindrical portion 335H protrudes leftward from second protruding wall 335D.

[0188] A firing stop switch 336 is attached to the surface of the base end of the first protruding wall 335C of the tip base portion 335. The firing stop switch 336 has a mechanical switch 336M that detects a pressing operation and an operating unit 336A that activates the mechanical switch 336M. The mechanical switch 336M has a spring piece that is pressed down to activate the mechanical switch 336M. The operating unit 336A is pivotally supported by a rotation shaft 335J that protrudes from the first protruding wall 335C, and as shown in FIG. 52, it protrudes from the notch 333 of the base main body 331. When the operating unit 336A is pressed, the spring piece is pressed down to activate the mechanical switch 336M, and a signal is sent to a control unit (not shown) of the gaming machine 10 to stop the firing of gaming balls. When the hand is released from the operating part 336A, the spring piece elastically returns and the operating part 336A returns to its original position.

[0189] As shown in FIG. 55, a pivot shaft 337 is pivotally attached to the second protruding wall 335D of the tip base portion 335, on the side of the shaft receiving cylindrical portion 335H. The pivot shaft 337 protrudes from the second protruding wall 335D toward the base end, and a base-side connecting member 337A is attached to the pivot shaft 337, which connects to a shaft 325 of the firing handle 300 (described later). The base-side connecting member 337A has a receiving hole that receives the pivot shaft 337, and the cross section of the receiving hole is circular on the base end side of the pivot shaft 337 (the tip end side of the cylindrical base portion 330) and D-shaped on the tip end side of the pivot shaft 337 (the base end side of the cylindrical base portion 330). The tip end of the pivot shaft 337 (the base end side of the cylindrical base portion 330) also has a portion of its side surface cut away to form a D-shaped cross section, which fits into the D-shaped portion of the receiving hole of the base-side connecting member 337A. As a result, the base side connecting member 337A rotates integrally with the rotating shaft 337. A gear is formed on the outer surface of the base side connecting member 337A.

[0190] As shown in Figure 56, a rotation sensor 337S connected to the rotating shaft 337 (see Figure 55) is fixed to the surface of the tip side of the second protruding wall 335D. The rotation sensor 337S is capable of detecting the amount of rotation of the rotating shaft 337. The rotating shaft 337 passes through the small-diameter through-hole 332B of the base main body 331 and is disposed inside the rear-side protruding wall 332C (see Figure 55).

[0191] 56, a photosensor 338 is fixed to the surface of the tip side of second protruding wall 335D of tip base portion 335. This photosensor 338 is capable of detecting that firing handle 300 is positioned at one end of its rotation range.

[0192] A partition wall 343 is fixed to the cylindrical base portion 330 in a state in which the base end abuts against a rear protruding wall 332C of the base body 331. As shown in Figures 54 and 55, the partition wall 343 has a roughly circular main plate 343A that follows the inner edge of the base body 331. A through-hole 343B is formed in the center of the main plate 343A, through which the shaft 325 of the firing handle 300 is inserted. In addition, an annular protrusion 343C that surrounds the base-side connecting member 337A is formed on the surface of the main plate 343A on the side of the tip base portion 335.

[0193] A sensor holder 343D is formed on the outer edge of the partition wall 343, protruding toward the tip base portion 335. The sensor holder 343D is shaped like a square tube and has a screw-fastened tube portion 343E on its outer surface. A rectangular parallelepiped contact sensor 344 is fitted into the sensor holder 343D. The contact sensor 344 is provided with a metal terminal that overlaps the screw-fastened tube portion 343E and has a hole through which a screw is inserted.

[0194] The partition wall 343 also has a peripheral wall 343F that protrudes toward the base end of the cylindrical base portion 330. The peripheral wall 343F is disposed inside the outer edge of the partition wall 343, and is formed in a C-shaped ring shape in a range excluding an extension of the sensor holder 343D.

[0195] As shown in Fig. 62, a blocking wall 349 is fitted to the base end of the base main body 331. The blocking wall 349 is in contact with or close to the tip of the peripheral wall 343F of the partition wall 343. As shown in Fig. 54, the blocking wall 349 is formed with a protruding wall 349A that protrudes toward the contact sensor 344 at a position corresponding to the opening of the C-ring of the partition wall 343, and with an annular protrusion 349B that protrudes toward the partition wall 343 in the center. The blocking wall 349 is screwed to a screw protrusion formed on the base main body 331.

[0196] As shown in Figures 56 and 58, the firing handle 300 includes a dome-shaped front cover 301 and a rear cover portion 305 disposed at the open end of the front cover 301. The front cover 301 includes a cover main body 301A having a recess 301K on its top surface and a transparent cap 301B fitted into the recess 301K. A decorative plate 301S is housed in the space defined by the recess 301K and the cap 301B of the cover main body 301A. The cover main body 301A has four finger hooks 301F that bulge outward (see Figure 55). The finger hooks 301F bulge more toward the cylindrical base portion 330. The cover main body 301A has a plated layer over its entire surface. On the other hand, the rear cover portion 305, which will be described in detail later, is not plated.

[0197] As shown in FIGS. 56 and 59, the cover main body 301A has a bottom wall 301H of a recess 301K, which is formed with a central hole 301R, a first screw-fastening protrusion 301T protruding toward the rear cover portion 305, a second screw-fastening protrusion 301U protruding toward the cap 301B, and a through-hole 301V. The central hole 301R penetrates the center of the bottom wall 301H. Threaded holes are formed in the first screw-fastening protrusion 301T and the second screw-fastening protrusion 301U. Two second screw-fastening protrusions 301U and two through-holes 301V are provided, and are alternately arranged around the central hole 301R. The first screw-fastening protrusions 301T are arranged at two positions farther from the central hole 301R than the second screw-fastening protrusions 301U and the through-holes 301V.

[0198] The decorative plate 301S has a third screw-fastening protrusion 301X formed thereon, which protrudes toward the cover body 301A at a position overlapping with the through-hole 303V of the cover body 301A. Similar to the first and second screw-fastening protrusions 301T and 301U, a screw hole is also formed in the third screw-fastening protrusion 301X.

[0199] Between the front cover 301 and the rear cover 305, from the leading end, are housed a fixed metal plate 302 and a base fixing member 340. The fixed metal plate 302 is made of a metal disk, and has a D-shaped through-hole 302A formed in the center. The fixed metal plate 302 also has a notch 302B formed on the outer edge to avoid interference with the first screw-fastening protrusion 301T of the cover main body 301A, and four through-holes 302C formed inward from the notch 302B that overlap with the second screw-fastening protrusion 301U and through-holes 301V of the cover main body 301A.

[0200] A shaft 325 is attached to through-hole 302A of fixed sheet metal 302. As shown in FIG. 60, shaft 325 is cylindrical and includes fitting portion 325A, which is stepped and reduced in diameter, at its tip, and threaded portion 325B, which is further stepped and reduced in diameter, with a male screw formed on its outer surface. A portion of the side of fitting portion 325A is machined to form a D-shaped cross section. As shown in FIG. 61A, flat surface 325H, which forms the linear portion of the D shape of fitting portion 325A, is formed by cutting with tool 500 having a diameter smaller than the distance between flat surface 325H and the outer peripheral surface of shaft 325. As a result, groove 325M is formed on flat surface 325H of step surface 325L on the base end side of fitting portion 325A. Two regions of step surface 325L on either side of groove 325M are at the same height. Groove 325M is emphasized in FIG. 61.

[0201] 60, a portion of the side surface of base end 325C of shaft 325 is cut away to form a D-shaped cross section. An annular groove 325D extending around the entire outer surface is formed in a position closer to base end 325C of shaft 325. In addition, a screw hole (not shown) extending along the central axis of shaft 325 is formed in base end 325C of shaft 325.

[0202] The shaft 325 is inserted from the tip side into the through-hole 302A of the fixed sheet metal 302, and the fitting portion 325A fits into the through-hole 302A. Then, a washer 326A is inserted into the threaded portion 325B of the shaft 325, and a nut 326B is fastened, thereby fixing the shaft 325 to the fixed sheet metal 302 (see FIGS. 56 and 62).

[0203] Incidentally, when forming the fitting portion 325A of the shaft 325 into a D-shape, if cutting is performed using a tool 500 with a diameter larger than the distance between the flat surface 325H and the outer peripheral surface of the shaft 325, the entire stepped surface 325L outside the flat surface 325H may be cut away, resulting in a risk of a difference in height between the outside of the flat surface 325H and the opposite side. If the fixing sheet metal 302 is attached in this state, the difference in height of the stepped surface 325L may cause a problem in which the fixing sheet metal 302 rattles. In contrast, the shaft 325 of this embodiment is cut using a tool 500 with a diameter smaller than the distance between the flat surface 325H and the outer peripheral surface of the shaft 325 to form a groove 325M in the stepped surface 325L ( FIG. 61A ). Since the two regions of the stepped surface 325L on either side of the groove 325M are at the same height, rattle of the fixing sheet metal 302 is prevented. As shown in FIG. 61B, the cutting may be performed by applying the tip surface of an end mill 500X, which is machined so that the tip protrudes, to the side surface of the fitting portion 325A.

[0204] 56 and 62, with the shaft 325 attached, the fixing sheet metal 302 is placed on the cover main body 301A (more specifically, the bottom wall 301H) so that the first screw-fastening protrusion 301T (see FIG. 59) of the cover main body 301A is received in the notch 302B. Then, from the fixing sheet metal 302 side, a screw is threaded into the second screw-fastening protrusion 301U of the cover main body 301A through the through-hole 302C of the fixing sheet metal 302, and a screw is threaded into the third screw-fastening protrusion 301X (see FIG. 59) of the decorative plate 301S through the through-hole 302C of the fixing sheet metal 302 and the through-hole 301V of the cover main body 301A, thereby fixing the decorative plate 301S and the fixing sheet metal 302 to the cover main body 301A.

[0205] As shown in Figure 56, the base fixing member 340 has an annular main plate 340A, a bulging portion 340B formed by bulging the inner edge of the main plate 340A toward the fixing sheet metal 302, and three legs 340C protruding from the outer edge of the main plate 340A toward the cylindrical base 330. Each leg 340C is cylindrical with an open end facing the cylindrical base 330, and has a female screw formed on its inner surface. Two of the three legs 340C are adjacent to each other, and the remaining leg 340C faces the adjacent two legs across the center of the main plate 340A. These legs 340C pass through the rear cover 305 and are screwed to the tip base 335 of the cylindrical base 330 (see Figure 62).

[0206] With base fixing member 340 built into firing handle 300 , base fixing member 340 and tip base portion 335 are screwed together, whereby firing handle 300 is rotatably supported by cylindrical base portion 330 .

[0207] Two arc-shaped base-side elongated holes 340N are formed in the main plate portion 340A of the base fixing member 340. First screw-fastening protrusions 301T of the cover body 301A are inserted into these two base-side elongated holes 340N, and when the firing handle 300 is rotated, the first screw-fastening protrusions 301T move within the base-side elongated holes 340N.

[0208] 56, rear cover part 305 has a cylindrical tube part 305A, a tip wall 305B that protrudes inward from the edge of an opening of tube part 305A on the side of fixed sheet metal 302, and a protruding wall 305C that protrudes from an axially intermediate part of the outer surface of tube part 305A. Two through holes 305K are formed in tip wall 305B, and these through holes 305K are overlapped with first screw fixing protrusions 301T of cover main body 301A, and screws are screwed into these through holes 305 from the rear cover part 305 side, thereby fixing rear cover part 305 to cover main body 301A (i.e., front cover 301).

[0209] The center of tip wall 305B forms recess 305U, which is recessed toward cylindrical base 330, and from its bottom, shaft receiving tube 305T, open at both ends, protrudes toward fixed metal plate 302. Two arc-shaped handle-side elongated holes 305N are formed in tip wall 305B outward from the recess. Legs 340C of base fixing member 340 are inserted into these two handle-side elongated holes 305N, and when firing handle 300 is rotated, handle-side elongated holes 305N rotate so as not to interfere with legs 340C of base fixing member 340.

[0210] The firing handle 300 is rotatable within a range of approximately 90° from a first position where the first screw projection 301T of the cover body 301A abuts against one end of the base-side elongated hole 340N and the leg 340C of the base fixing member 340 abuts against one end of the handle-side elongated hole 305N to a second position where the first screw projection 301T of the cover body 301A abuts against the other end of the base-side elongated hole 340N and the leg 340C of the base fixing member 340 abuts against the other end of the handle-side elongated hole 305N. In this embodiment, the second position is a position where the firing handle 300 is rotated approximately 90° clockwise from the first position.

[0211] Additionally, a torsion spring 306 is disposed between the base fixing member 340 and the back cover portion 305. More specifically, the torsion spring 306 is disposed between the recessed portion 305U of the back cover portion 305 and the back side of the bulged portion 340B of the base fixing member 340 so as to surround the shaft receiving tube 305T. One end of the torsion spring 306 is supported by the base fixing member 340, and the other end is supported by the back cover portion 305. The torsion spring 306 biases the firing handle 300 to the first position, and when the player rotates the firing handle 300 and then releases it, the firing handle 300 returns to the first position.

[0212] As shown in FIG. 59, a shielding plate 305S is formed on the tip wall 305B of the rear cover 305, protruding toward the cylindrical base 330. The shielding plate 305S is curved to follow the path of the launch handle 300 as it rotates. This shielding plate 305S is positioned to activate a photosensor 338 (see FIG. 56) on the cylindrical base 330 when the launch handle 300 is in the first position. In other words, the photosensor 338 can detect that the launch handle 300 is in the first position (i.e., that the launch handle 300 is not being rotated or that the launch handle 300 has returned to the first position). Based on the detection result of the photosensor 338, the gaming machine 10 determines whether the launch handle 300 is being rotated and launches or stops the launch of gaming balls.

[0213] If the switch that detects that the firing handle 300 is not being rotated is a mechanical switch, the elastic force of the torsion spring 306 must be sufficient to depress the mechanical switch when the player releases the firing handle 300 and the firing handle 300 returns to the first position. In contrast, using a photosensor 338 as in this embodiment makes it possible to use a torsion spring 306 with a small elastic force, allowing the player to rotate the firing handle 300 with a small force. Note that instead of a photosensor, other non-contact sensors such as a distance measuring sensor may be used.

[0214] Furthermore, conventionally, one mechanical switch was used to detect that the firing handle 300 is not being rotated (that the firing handle 300 has returned to the first position) and that the firing stop switch 336 has been operated, but by using separate sensors (switches) as in this embodiment, the freedom in locating the firing stop switch 336 is increased, and it becomes possible to locate the firing stop switch 336 in a position that makes it easier for the player to operate it, for example. Furthermore, because mechanical switch 336M is used for firing stop switch 336, it is easier for the player to feel as if they are operating the firing stop switch 336.

[0215] Note that a photosensor rather than mechanical switch 336M may also be used for firing stop switch 336. In this case, separate photosensors may be used for firing stop switch 336 and the sensor that detects that firing handle 300 is in the first position, or a shielding plate that activates photosensor 338 may be provided in the operating portion of firing stop switch 336, so that a single photosensor can detect both the operation of the firing stop switch and that firing handle 300 is in the first position.

[0216] 56, an extension portion 305D is provided on the protruding wall 305C of the rear cover portion 305, the extension portion 305D having a larger protruding amount corresponding to the finger hook portion 301F of the front cover 301. In addition, a rib 305E is formed on the outer edge of the extension portion 305D so as to protrude toward the fixed sheet metal 302, and this rib 305E is connected to the tubular portion 305A.

[0217] 58 and 62, in this embodiment, the outer edge shape of the protruding wall 305C of the rear cover portion 305 is slightly smaller than the opening of the front cover 301, and the protruding wall 305C is fitted about halfway into the opening of the front cover 301. As a result, the back surface of the protruding wall 305C of the rear cover portion 305 is located between the end face of the opening of the front cover 301 and the tip face of the cylindrical base portion 330 (the end face of the flange portion 335A of the tip base portion 335 on the front cover 301 side).

[0218] 62, a metal E-ring 308 is attached to annular groove 325D of shaft 325 of firing handle 300. E-ring 308 faces the end face of shaft receiving tube portion 335H of tip base portion 335. A handle-side connecting member 309 that connects to base-side connecting member 337A of rotating shaft 337 is attached to base end 325C of shaft 325.

[0219] Similar to the base-side connecting member 337A, the handle-side connecting member 309 has a receiving hole that receives the shaft 325, and the cross section of the receiving hole is circular on the E-ring 308 side (the tip side of the cylindrical base portion 330) and D-shaped on the opposite side (the base end side of the cylindrical base portion 330). The D-shaped base end portion 325C of the shaft 325 fits into the D-shaped portion of the receiving hole of the handle-side connecting member 309, so that the handle-side connecting member 309 rotates integrally with the shaft 325.

[0220] A gear that meshes with a gear on the outer surface of the base-side connecting member 337A is formed on the outer surface of the handle-side connecting member 309 shown in FIG. 55. As a result, when the launch handle 300 rotates, the rotation of the shaft 325 is transmitted to the rotating shaft 337, and the amount of rotation is detected by the rotation sensor 337S. The gaming machine 10 adjusts the strength of the launch of the gaming ball based on the amount of rotation of the launch handle 300 detected by the rotation sensor 337S. Note that the gears on the outer surfaces of the base-side connecting member 337A and the handle-side connecting member 309 are only arranged within a range that corresponds to the rotation range of the launch handle 300. As such, in this embodiment, the rotation sensor 337S is arranged at the end of the rotating shaft 337, which is arranged to the side of the shaft 325, thereby saving space in the axial direction compared to when the rotation sensor 337S is arranged at the end of the shaft 325.

[0221] In this embodiment, assuming that gears are distributed over the entire outer surface of each connecting member 337A, 309, the number of teeth on the handle-side connecting member 309 (the input side) is 1.25 times greater than that on the base-side connecting member 337A (the output side), and the base-side connecting member 337A is accelerated by 1.25 times. As a result, when shaft 325 rotates 88 degrees, pivot shaft 337 rotates 110 degrees, and the amount of rotation of pivot shaft 337 is greater than the amount of rotation of shaft 325, thereby increasing the resolution of rotation sensor 337S. Furthermore, by utilizing acceleration or deceleration, the rotation range of firing handle 300 can be changed without changing the rotation sensor or the control unit that controls the firing intensity, allowing existing configurations to be reused when developing new models.

[0222] 62 and 63, a fixing part 310 is attached to a portion of the shaft 325 that protrudes from the partition wall 343. The fixing part 310 has a fixing portion 311 that is generally circular in plan view and is disposed on the axis of the shaft 325, and a support protruding wall 312 that protrudes in a flat plate shape from the fixing portion 311. The support protruding wall 312 has a first side surface 312A that extends tangent to the outer edge of the fixing portion 311, and a second side surface 312B that is parallel to the first side surface 312A. The second side surface 312B is located slightly closer to the first side surface 312A than an imaginary parallel line that passes through the center of the fixing portion 311.

[0223] 64, a D-shaped recess 311A ​​having a D-shaped cross section is provided on the back surface (the surface on the partition wall 343 side) of the fixed part 311. When a D-shaped base end portion 325C (see FIG. 60) of the shaft 325 is fitted into this D-shaped recess 311A, the fixed part 310 rotates integrally with the shaft 325. The D-shaped recess 311A ​​is oriented so that the straight portion of the D is parallel to the extension direction of the support protruding wall 312.

[0224] A through hole 311D is formed in the center of the fixed portion 311. Furthermore, in the fixed portion 311, a terminal groove 311C is formed in the bottom surface of a D-shaped recess 311A, and a notch 311B is formed in the side wall of the D-shaped recess 311A. The terminal groove 311C extends parallel to the extension direction of the support projecting wall 312 from the through hole 311D toward the support projecting wall 312 to the outer edge of the fixed portion 311, and a notch 311B is formed in the side wall of the D-shaped recess 311A ​​at the intersection with the terminal groove 311C. One side surface of the terminal groove 311C and one side surface of the notch 311B are flush with the second side surface 312B of the support projecting wall 312.

[0225] A cylindrical protrusion 311E is provided on the surface (the surface opposite to the partition wall 343) of the fixing portion 311. The cylindrical protrusion 311E is received in the annular protrusion 349B of the closing wall 349 (see FIG. 62).

[0226] 63 and 64, an arcuate protrusion 312C protruding from the second side surface 312B is provided on the support protruding wall 312 of the fixing part 310. The arcuate protrusion 312C has, at its outer edge, an inner arc 312D that curves continuously from the end of the second side surface 312B on the fixing part 311 side, and an outer arc 312E that has a larger radius of curvature than the inner arc 312D and bulges outward relative to the second side surface 312B.

[0227] Furthermore, a curved groove 312M extending along the outer arc 312E of the arcuate protrusion 312C and its extension is formed in the support protrusion wall 312. One end of the curved groove 312M opens to the inner arc 312D of the arcuate protrusion 312C, and the other end opens to the first side surface 312A of the support protrusion wall 312. A pair of opposing inner surfaces of the curved groove 312M are provided with offset protrusions 312N that protrude into the groove.

[0228] The support projecting wall 312 includes a restricting wall 312H that has the outermost of the pair of opposing inner surfaces of the curved groove 312M. The portion of the support projecting wall 312 that is outer than the restricting wall 312H constitutes a cable support wall 312S. The cable support wall 312S is thinner than the portion of the support projecting wall 312 that is inner than the curved groove 312M, and its surface is located approximately in the same plane as the bottom surface of the curved groove 312M. An end of this cable support wall 312S is close to the peripheral wall 343F of the partition wall 343.

[0229] In this embodiment, the above-mentioned contact sensor 344 can detect whether or not a player is touching the firing handle 300. To this end, the shaft 325 of the firing handle 300 and the contact sensor 344 of the cylindrical base portion 330 are electrically connected by a cable 345 (see FIG. 65). As shown in FIGS. 65 and 66, the cable 345 is made up of a cable main body 345A whose conductor is covered with a resin coating, and metal ring terminals 345B fixed to both ends of the cable main body 345A.

[0230] Ring terminal 345B has an annular portion 345C and a straight portion 345D extending radially from a part of the annular portion 345C. Straight portion 345D has a pair of protruding walls 345E, and ring terminal 345B is fixed to cable main 345A by crimping these protruding walls 345E to an end portion of cable main 345A from which the resin coating has been removed (see FIG. 66B). As shown in FIG. 66C, the surface of ring terminal 345B from which protruding wall 345E protrudes is in a state in which straight portion 345D bulges out from annular portion 345C by the amount of protruding wall 345E and cable main 345A. Specifically, projecting wall 345E is divided into first divided portion 345F, which adheres to the portion of cable main 345A from which the resin coating has been removed, and second divided portion 345G, which adheres to the portion of cable main 345A from which the resin coating remains. First divided portion 345F bulges out from the end of straight portion 345D, and second divided portion 345G bulges out from first divided portion 345F. Meanwhile, the opposite surface of ring terminal 345B is flat surface 345H, which is substantially entirely flat. Ring terminals 345B are attached to both ends of cable main 345A in the same orientation.

[0231] Cable 345 is fixed to shaft 325 and contact sensor 344 as follows. First, one end of cable 345 is passed through notch 311B of fixed part 310 and arranged on the D-shaped recess 311A ​​side. Then, ring terminal 345B at one end is placed on the bottom surface of D-shaped recess 311A ​​of fixed part 310 so that the bulge on the projecting wall 345E side is received in terminal groove 311C of fixed part 310. At this time, the hole in annular portion 345C of ring terminal 345B and through-hole 311D of fixed part 310 overlap.

[0232] Next, cable main body 345A is pushed into curved groove 312M from the cutout 311B side, and cable 345 is held in a curved state. As a result, cable main body 345A is fixed so as to extend in the tangential direction of a circle centered on the rotation center of firing handle 300 (i.e., the rotation center of fixed part 310). At this time, cable 345 is pressed against protrusion 312N in curved groove 312M, thereby stably holding cable 345.

[0233] In this state, fixed part 310 is attached to base end 325C of shaft 325. At this time, flat surface 345H of ring terminal 345B abuts against the end face of shaft 325, making fixed part 310 less likely to rattle. Then, by fastening a screw through annular portion 345C of ring terminal 345B and through hole 311D of fixed part 310 and into the screw hole of base end 325C, fixed part 310 and one end of cable 345 are fixed to base end 325C of shaft 325.

[0234] 65 , cable 345 is routed by bending it in an arc so as to proceed along an extension of curved groove 312M, and after making one full turn, it is passed between restricting wall 312H of fixing part 310 and peripheral wall 343F of partition wall 343. After making another half turn, flat surface 345H of ring terminal 345B at the other end of cable 345 is placed on the metal terminal of contact sensor 344, and a screw is fastened to screw-fastening tube portion 343E of partition wall 343 through the hole in annular portion 345C of ring terminal 345B and the metal terminal of contact sensor 344, thereby fixing the other end of cable 345 to contact sensor 344.

[0235] With the above configuration, the plating layer of the cover body 301A of the launch handle 300 is electrically connected to the contact sensor 344 via the fixed metal plate 302, the shaft 325 and the cable 345, making it possible to detect whether or not the player is touching the launch handle 300.

[0236] Here, there is a concern that cable 345 may be pulled or rubbed, resulting in breakage, when firing handle 300 including fixed part 310 rotates relative to cylindrical base portion 330 including contact sensor 344. In particular, the portion of cable main body 345A that abuts against the end of ring terminal 345B and the portion fixed to fixed part 310 or contact sensor 344 are thought to be prone to breakage.

[0237] In contrast, in this embodiment, the portion of cable main 345A that abuts against the end of ring terminal 345B, including its peripheral portion, is held by fixed part 310, preventing cable main 345A from rubbing against ring terminal 345B and breaking. Furthermore, cable 345 is fixed by curved groove 312M so as to extend along the relative movement direction of the portions fixed to fixed part 310 and contact sensor 344, making it less likely that a bent portion will be formed at an unnatural angle, and thus less likely that cable 345 will break. Furthermore, cable 345 is fixed in a wavy shape by protrusion 312N protruding into curved groove 312M, dispersing the force on cable 345, reducing the load on cable 345 and making it less likely that cable 345 will break. Furthermore, the number of parts can be reduced compared to using other fixing parts (such as a cover or a screw).

[0238] Furthermore, because cable 345 is wound about 1.5 turns around the rotation center of firing handle 300, cable 345 tends to move in a manner that narrows or widens the circle when firing handle 300 is rotated. This makes it less likely that cable 345 will bend at an unnatural angle. Also, because peripheral wall 343F of partition wall 343 restricts the lateral widening of cable 345, cable 345 is less likely to get caught on surrounding components.

[0239] Furthermore, in the portion of cable 345 that goes around from one end connected to shaft 325, the outer arc of cable 345 is separated from the inner arc by restricting wall 312H of fixed part 310, making cable 345 less likely to become tangled. This makes it less likely that the problem of the cable being forcibly pulled and damaged when the rotating member is rotated with the cable tangled is caused.

[0240] If the fixed part 310 moves in the axial direction away from the partition wall 343 due to loosening of the assembly, play, or the like, there is a possibility that the cable 345 may slip between the fixed part 310 and the partition wall 343, which may result in breaking of the cable 345. In response to this, the fixed part 310 is provided with a cable support wall 312S that extends to a position close to the surrounding wall 343F on the outside of the restricting wall 312H, and the cable 345 is maintained closer to the blocking wall 349 than the cable support wall 312S. This prevents the cable 345 from being caught, for example, between the fixed part 310 and the partition wall 343 or from getting caught on other components, making it difficult for the cable 345 to break.

[0241] Furthermore, if cable 345 is twisted, it becomes difficult to handle, and when firing handle 300 is rotated, cable 345 may be forcibly twisted or move in an unexpected direction, becoming caught on surrounding components and prone to breaking. However, since terminal groove 311C determines the orientation of ring terminal 345B relative to fixed part 310, cable 345 is less likely to be attached in a twisted state and less likely to break.

[0242] The number of turns of cable 345 may be one or less, or two or more. In this embodiment, cable 345 is routed so that the circle narrows (the winding becomes tighter) when firing handle 300 is rotated from the first position to the second position, but it may also be routed so that the circle widens (the winding becomes looser). A configuration in which cable 345 connected to a rotating member is curved into an arc may be applied to, for example, a rotating performance component.

[0243] Next, the procedure for attaching firing handle 300 to cylindrical base portion 330 will be described. First, with base fixing member 340 built into firing handle 300, shaft 325 of firing handle 300 is inserted into shaft receiving cylindrical portion 335H of tip base portion 335, and base fixing member 340 is screwed to tip base portion 335. This causes a portion of cylindrical portion 305A of front cover 301 to fit into tip base portion 335, and flange portion 335A of tip base portion 335 faces protruding wall 305C of rear cover portion 305. Furthermore, annular groove 325D of shaft 325 is positioned slightly proximal to shaft receiving cylindrical portion 335H.

[0244] Then, a metal E-ring 308 is attached to the annular groove 325D of the shaft 325, and the E-ring 308 faces the end face of the shaft receiving cylindrical portion 335H. Next, a handle-side connecting member 309 is attached to the shaft 325, and a base-side connecting member 337A is attached to the rotating shaft 337.

[0245] Next, the base body 331 is screwed to the tip base portion 335, and then the partition wall 343 is inserted over the shaft 325 and screwed to the base body 331. Next, the fixing part 310 is fitted to the portion of the shaft 325 protruding from the partition wall 343 while holding one end of the cable 345, and a screw is fastened to the base end portion 325C of the shaft 325. Then, the cable 345 is routed about one and a half turns clockwise in FIG. 63, and then the other end of the cable 345 is placed over the metal terminal of the contact sensor 344, and a screw is fastened to the screw-fastening tube portion 343E.

[0246] The closure wall 349 is screwed to the base body 331, completing the cylindrical base portion 330 and the firing handle 300. The cylindrical base portion 330 is then housed in the recess 357 of the base wall 355 and screwed from the back side, completing the handle unit 350.

[0247] Some players may insert a coin or other object between the cylindrical base portion 330 and the launch handle 300 in order to release the launch handle 300 while maintaining the launch strength of the game ball and continuing to launch the game ball. Inserting a coin or other object between the cylindrical base portion 330 and the launch handle 300 may scratch the launch handle 300, potentially detracting from the design of the launch handle 300. In particular, scratches on the front cover 301, which is easily visible to players, or peeling of the plating layer significantly detracts from the design of the launch handle 300. Furthermore, if the plating layer peels off and the handle becomes loose from the front cover 301, a player may be injured by its tip.

[0248] In contrast, in the gaming machine 10 of this embodiment, a rear cover portion 305 is provided on the launching handle 300, and the rear surface of the protruding wall 305C of the rear cover portion 305 is located between the end face of the opening of the front cover 301 and the tip face of the cylindrical base portion 330, and faces the tip face of the cylindrical base portion 330. As a result, when attempting to insert a coin or the like between the cylindrical base portion 330 and the launching handle 300, the coin or the like rubs against the protruding wall 305C of the rear cover portion 305 of the launching handle 300, making it less likely that the front cover 301 will be scratched, and reducing deterioration in the design of the launching handle 300. In addition, the protruding wall 305C of the rear cover portion 305 also protrudes into the finger hook portion 301F of the front cover 301, making it less likely that the inside of the finger hook portion 301F of the front cover 301 will be scratched. Furthermore, the plating layer is less likely to peel off, preventing deterioration of the design and injury to players.

[0249] Furthermore, since the rear cover portion 305 is fitted into the opening of the front cover 301, the rear cover portion 305 is less noticeable than if the rear cover portion 305 were overlapped with the opening of the front cover 301, and the appearance of the firing handle 300 can be made neater.

[0250] Incidentally, when a coin or the like is inserted between cylindrical base portion 330 and firing handle 300, firing handle 300 receives a load in a direction away from cylindrical base portion 330. At this time, base fixing member 340 built into firing handle 300 is pulled in a direction away from tip base portion 335, and there is a concern that the threads of the female screw in leg portion 340C of base fixing member 340 may be crushed by the screw.

[0251] In contrast, in this embodiment, the E-ring 308 attached to the shaft 325 of the firing handle 300 faces the end surface of the shaft receiving tube portion 335H of the tip base portion 335 from the back side. Therefore, when the firing handle 300 receives a load in a direction away from the cylindrical base portion 330, the E-ring 308 abuts against the end surface of the shaft receiving tube portion 335H, preventing the firing handle 300 from moving in a direction away from the cylindrical base portion 330. This prevents the threads of the female screw of the base fixing member 340 from being damaged, stabilizing the support of the firing handle 300 relative to the cylindrical base portion 330. Furthermore, even if the threads of the base fixing member 340 are damaged, the E-ring 308 facing the end surface of the shaft receiving tube portion 335H prevents the firing handle 300 from falling off the cylindrical base portion 330, allowing play to be played.

[0252] Furthermore, in this embodiment, to make it easier to remove inserted coins and the like, protrusions 300T, 330T are formed on the rear surface of the protruding wall 305C of the rear cover portion 305 and on the tip surface (tip surface of the tip base portion 335) of the cylindrical base portion 330, as shown in Figures 67 and 68. Protrusion 300T of rear cover portion 305 is semicircular and bulges outward in a direction perpendicular to the rotation axis 300J of firing handle 300, and protrusion 330T of cylindrical base portion 330 is longer than protrusion 300T of rear cover portion 305 and has a semicircular tip.

[0253] Furthermore, each of the protrusions 300T, 330T is disposed at equal intervals, three at a time. When the firing handle 300 is disposed in the first position, each of the protrusions 300T on the rear cover 305 is positioned approximately 10 to 15 degrees forward of each of the protrusions 330T on the cylindrical base 330 in the direction of rotating the firing handle 300 from the first position to the second position (see FIG. 68A). When the firing handle 300 is rotated to the second position, each of the protrusions 300T on the rear cover 305 moves to a position approximately 10 to 15 degrees rearward of each of the protrusions 330T on the cylindrical base 330 in the direction of rotating the firing handle 300 from the first position to the second position (see FIG. 68B). In other words, the protrusions 300T on the firing handle 300 can move between a position near one end and a position near the other end between the two protrusions 330T on the cylindrical base 330.

[0254] When removing a coin or other item inserted between the cylindrical base portion 330 and the firing handle 300, first rotate the firing handle 300 so that the protrusion 300T of the rear cover portion 305 approaches the coin or other item. Then, after the protrusion 300T abuts against the coin or other item, rotate the firing handle 300 in that state to push the coin or other item in the circumferential direction. After the coin or other item has been pushed in until it abuts against the protrusion 330T of the cylindrical base portion 330, further rotate the firing handle 300, and the coin or other item is pushed outward along the arc of the protrusion 300T of the rear cover portion 305, and the coin or other item is removed.

[0255] As described above, according to this embodiment, by rotating the launching handle 300, a player or a game parlor staff member can easily remove inserted coins, etc. Furthermore, since the projections 300T, 330T are arranged at equal intervals and the projections 300T of the rear cover portion 305 move over most of the circumferential range, coins can be removed from almost the entire circumferential direction of the launching handle 300. Note that the projections 300T, 330T may be arranged on only one of the launching handle 300 and the cylindrical base portion 330. Furthermore, the projections 300T, 330T may be arranged only on the front or upper side where coins, etc., can be easily inserted.

[0256] As a variation of the launch handle 300, the axis of the launch handle 300 may be spherical, and the launch handle 300 may be received in a base member that has a receiving portion along the spherical surface, thereby allowing the orientation of the launch handle 300 to be flexibly changed. In this case, the player can adjust the angle to one that is comfortable for them to hold, or change the angle if they get tired.

[0257] <Additional Notes> The following describes the features extracted from the above embodiment, while indicating, as necessary, the effects, etc. Note that, for ease of understanding, the corresponding configurations in the above embodiment are indicated in parentheses as appropriate below, but these features are not limited to the specific configurations indicated in parentheses.

[0258] [First group of features] This disclosure relates to gaming machines. For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2012-170615 (paragraph

[0051] , FIG. 15) discloses a gaming machine equipped with a cutting means in a launching device to prevent fraudulent activities using gaming balls with control strings, such as strings or piano wire, attached to the gaming balls. The above-mentioned conventional gaming machines sometimes fail to effectively prevent fraudulent activities, and countermeasures are needed. In contrast, the present features can prevent fraudulent activities more effectively than conventional ones.

[0259] [Feature 1] A launch guide path extending diagonally upward and downward from the launch device to an entrance to the game area, and a foul ball discharge path branching downward from a midpoint of the launch guide path, In a gaming machine in which a game ball launched from the launching device passes over a branching opening to the foul ball discharge path, while a game ball that returns without reaching the entrance is received in the foul ball discharge path and discharged to the front as a foul ball, A cutting means for cutting the tampering string that passes through the inside and outside of the gaming machine via the foul ball discharge path is provided on the opening edge of the branch port.

[0260] According to Feature 1, when one of two game balls connected by a tampering thread is shot out with reduced launch force and discharged from the foul ball discharge path to the front of the game machine, and the other reaches the game area, the tampering thread is subjected to tension that pulls it upward from the branching opening to the foul ball discharge path toward the game area, and tension that pulls it downward and forward from the branching opening, so that the tampering thread reaches the opening edge of the branching opening and comes into contact with the cutting means and is cut, thereby effectively preventing tampering using the foul ball discharge path.

[0261] [Feature 2] The gaming machine described in Feature 1, wherein the cutting means is arranged on the side of the branch port farther from the launching device and has a pair of blade portions that gradually approach each other as they move away from the launching device.

[0262] [Feature 3] The foul ball discharge path includes a starting end portion having the branch port at an upper end thereof, and a first intermediate portion connected to the starting end portion from the rear or front and extending away from the launching device; The gaming machine according to Feature 2, wherein the cutting means is arranged at a corner of the branch port between the starting end and the first intermediate portion.

[0263] [Feature 4] The cutting means includes: a first flat plate component having a groove-shaped cutout; a second flat plate component that is placed on one of a pair of opposing portions on both sides of the groove-shaped cutout portion of the first flat plate component; a V-shaped gap formed between the other of the pair of opposing portions of the first flat plate component and the second flat plate component; A gaming machine according to feature 2 or 3, wherein a pair of edge portions that intersect in a V shape between the other opposing portion and the second flat plate part are the pair of blade portions.

[0264] According to Features 2 to 4, one end of the tampering thread is pulled diagonally upward from the branching opening and away from the launching device, and the other end is pulled forward from the branching opening away from the launching device, so the tampering thread can easily reach the edge of the branching opening that is farther from the launching device. Therefore, by arranging a pair of blades at that position, it becomes easier to cut the tampering thread.

[0265] [Feature 5] A gaming machine according to any one of Features 1 to 4, wherein an elastic partition wall made of an elastic material is provided between the part of the launch guide path that is closer to the launch device than the branching opening and the foul ball discharge path.

[0266] According to Feature 5, an elastic partition wall is provided between the part of the ball that is closer to the launching device than the branching opening and the foul ball discharge path, so that game balls that turn back without reaching the entrance after being launched from the launching device can be guided into the foul ball discharge path, making it difficult for them to return to the launching device side.

[0267] [Feature 6] A gaming machine according to any one of Features 1 to 5, wherein the launch guide path branches downward from the portion closer to the launch device than the branching opening, and a downward guide path is provided to guide the gaming ball to the discharge opening at the bottom of the front of the gaming machine.

[0268] According to Feature 6, a downward guide path is provided that branches downward from the part on the launching device side of the branching port and guides the game ball to the discharge port at the bottom of the front of the gaming machine, so that game balls that have not reached the top of the foul ball discharge path after being launched from the launching device can be discharged without returning to the launching device.

[0269] [Feature 7] A gaming machine described in any one of Features 1 to 6, wherein the portion of the launch guide path that is closer to the launch device than the branching opening is provided with a pair of width-narrowing protrusions that protrude from a pair of opposing surfaces that face each other in the front-to-back direction across the launch guide path and narrow the width of the launch guide path.

[0270] According to Feature 7, the section of the launch guide path closer to the launch device than the branching opening is provided with a pair of width-narrowing protrusions that narrow the width of the launch guide path, thereby preventing foul balls from falling on the side of the branching opening closer to the launch device and making it easier to guide them into the foul ball discharge path.

[0271] [Correspondence between components of the first feature group and each part in the embodiment] Gaming machine: gaming machine 10, launching device: launching device 40, entrance: entrance 92K, launching guide path: first and second launching passages 94, 95 and ball guide path 93, foul ball discharge path: foul ball discharge path 96, branching opening: above foul ball discharge path 96, tampering thread: tampering thread W1, cutting means: cutting means 120, pair of blades: pair of blades 124H, 125H, starting end: starting end 96A, One intermediate portion: First intermediate portion 96B, Groove-shaped cutout portion: Groove-shaped cutout portion 124, First flat plate component: First flat plate component 121, One opposing portion: Opposing portion 124A, Second flat plate component: Second flat plate component 125, The other opposing portion: Opposing portion 124B, V-shaped gap: V-shaped gap 120S, Elastic partition wall: Elastic partition wall 74, Lower guide path: Lower guide path 97, Pair of width-reducing protrusions: Pair of width-reducing protrusions 76A, 76B

[0272] [Second group of features] This disclosure relates to gaming machines. For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2003-190434 (paragraph

[0012] ) discloses a configuration in which a player-operable operating unit is powered to change. The above-described conventional gaming machines have a problem in that only the player who is touching the operating unit can notice the change, and a solution to this problem is needed. In contrast, the present features make it easier for players who are not touching the operating unit to notice the change.

[0273] [Feature 1] an operating unit that is operated by a player and moves; a support portion that movably supports the operation portion; a first power source attached to the support portion and applying power to the support portion; A gaming machine in which the power of the first power source can be transmitted to the player via the support part and the operating part.

[0274] According to Feature 1, the first power source is provided not in the operating unit operated by the player but in the support unit that supports the operating unit, so fluctuations due to that power also occur in the operating unit via the support unit, not only making it possible for a player touching the operating unit to recognize those fluctuations, but also making it easier for fluctuations due to that power to occur in other components of the gaming machine via the support unit, making it easier for players who are not touching the operating unit to recognize the fluctuations due to the power of the first power source.

[0275] [Feature 2] The gaming machine described in Feature 1, wherein the first power source includes a rotary drive source and an eccentric weight that is driven to rotate by the rotary drive source around a rotation axis extending in a direction intersecting the movement direction of the operating unit.

[0276] According to Feature 2, the power of the first power source makes it easier for the operation part to move in a direction that intersects with the direction of movement, making it easier for a player touching the operation part to recognize the change.

[0277] [Feature 3] A gaming machine according to feature 1 or 2, wherein the operating unit is fitted to the support unit so as to be capable of moving linearly.

[0278] [Feature 4] 3. A gaming machine according to feature 1 or 2, wherein the operating unit is hingedly connected to the support unit.

[0279] The movement of the operating part relative to the support part by the player's operation may be a linear movement as in Feature 3, or may be a hinged rotational movement as in Feature 4.

[0280] [Feature 5] the operating unit has a container structure with an open bottom and a transparent ceiling wall; A fixed decorative part fixed to the support part and facing the ceiling wall from below; A movable decorative part that covers a part of the fixed decorative part from above below the ceiling wall; A second power source disposed in a position below the fixed decorative portion and difficult to see; An amusement machine described in any one of features 1 to 4, comprising a power transmission unit that connects the second power source and the movable decorative part through a through hole formed in the fixed decorative part or the side of the fixed decorative part, and transmits the power to move the movable decorative part from the second power source to the movable decorative part.

[0281] According to feature 5, the power of the second power source located below the fixed decorative part fixed to the support part can be transmitted to the movable decorative part that covers part of the fixed decorative part from above, thereby creating an unprecedented effect in which only the movable decorative part moves above the fixed decorative part inside the operating part due to the power of the second power source.

[0282] [Feature 6] At least a portion of the movable decorative part is transparent, A gaming machine as described in Feature 5, wherein a light-emitting means is provided in a portion of the fixed decorative part that is visible through the movable decorative part.

[0283] [Feature 7] A gaming machine according to feature 5 or 6, wherein the movable decorative part is decorated with a decoration intended to encourage operation of the operating part.

[0284] According to Feature 6, the transparent area of ​​the movable decorative part can be illuminated. It is also possible to draw attention to the area of ​​the fixed decorative part that is visible through the movable decorative part. And, according to Feature 7, by illuminating the operating part when it is desired to prompt the player to operate it, the player can play the game smoothly.

[0285] [Feature 8] An amusement machine described in any one of features 5 to 7, wherein the movable decorative part is movably supported by an elastic body, and the movable decorative part moves in response to an operating force applied to the operating part.

[0286] According to feature 8, it is possible to provide variety to the movement of the movable decorative part.

[0287] [Feature 9] an operation unit including the operation portion and the support portion; an outer wall component to which the operation unit is detachably attached and which constitutes a part of the outer wall of the gaming machine; The outer wall component can be detached from the gaming machine body by removing a plurality of screws that can be screwed on the outer surface side of the outer wall component, A gaming machine described in any one of features 1 to 8, wherein the operation unit can be detached from the outer wall component by removing a plurality of screws that can be screwed into the inner surface of the outer wall component.

[0288] According to Feature 9, the operation unit can be replaced individually during repairs or inspections, thereby reducing costs.

[0289] [Correspondence between components of the second feature group and each part in the embodiment] Gaming machine: gaming machine 10, operation unit: operation unit 160, support unit: support unit 162, first power source: first motor 83, rotating shaft: rotating output shaft 84J, eccentric weight: eccentric weight 87B, ceiling wall: ceiling wall 161D, fixed decorative unit: fixed decorative unit 164, movable decorative unit: movable decorative unit 163, second power source: second motor 84, power transmission unit: movable base 168, light emitting means: LED board 165A, elastic body: coil spring 88, operation unit: operation unit 150, outer wall constituent unit: outer wall constituent unit 140, gaming machine main body: lower front surface constituent unit 55A

[0290] [Third group of features] This disclosure relates to a gaming machine. For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2007-029596 (FIGS. 1 and 6, etc.) discloses a gaming machine equipped with a handle that is rotated to launch gaming balls. The above-mentioned conventional gaming machines have been in need of development of a handle with a high level of ingenuity. In response to this, the present invention provides a handle whose rotation axis extends in the front-rear direction, which can provide a sense of novelty to players accustomed to gaming machines that rotate the handle left and right, thereby improving the ingenuity of the handle.

[0291] [Feature 1] The rotation axis of the handle, which is rotated to launch the game ball, is arranged parallel to the direction intersecting the front-rear direction of the game machine.

[0292] According to Feature 1, the rotation axis of the handle extends in the front-to-rear direction, which provides a sense of novelty to players who are used to playing gaming machines that rotate the handle in the left-to-right direction, and improves the handle's appeal.

[0293] [Feature 2] a hand rest portion on which the hand gripping the handle can be placed, The gaming machine described in Feature 1, wherein at least a portion of the upper surface of the hand rest is concave to prevent the hand from slipping off the handle.

[0294] According to Feature 2, the hand that grips the handle can be placed on the hand rest, which helps prevent arm fatigue. Furthermore, the hand rest is concave, which makes it difficult for the hand to slip off the handle, making it easier to maintain a gripping position even when playing for a long time.

[0295] [Feature 3] A gaming machine as described in Feature 2, wherein the concave upper edge is inclined so as to move away from the handle as it moves forward.

[0296] When rotating the handle, it is considered to be a more comfortable posture because the wrist does not have to bend as much if the fingers are hooked on the handle and the palm is away from the handle. In this case, the outer surface of the hand tilts away from the handle as it moves forward (i.e., toward the player), so by adopting the configuration of Feature 3, the concave surface of the hand rest can be made to conform to the outer surface of the hand.

[0297] [Feature 4] A gaming machine according to feature 2 or 3, wherein the surface of the hand rest is provided with anti-slip means.

[0298] According to feature 4, the hand can be made less likely to slip.

[0299] [Feature 5] A gaming machine according to any one of features 1 to 4, wherein the handle has a dome-shaped outer cover, the dome ceiling of which faces diagonally to the side of the gaming machine.

[0300] [Feature 6] A gaming machine according to any one of features 1 to 5, wherein the rotation axis of the handle is inclined with respect to both the front-to-back direction and the left-to-right direction of the gaming machine.

[0301] [Feature 7] The gaming machine according to Feature 6, wherein the handle is disposed at the lower right of the front of the gaming machine, and the rotation axis of the handle is tilted forward by 1 to 30 degrees relative to the left-right direction.

[0302] According to Features 5 to 7, the hand is placed on the handle from a diagonal side and rotated diagonally forward and backward, which provides a novelty to players who are used to playing gaming machines that grip the handle from the front and rotate it left and right. This configuration also eliminates the need to turn the wrist as much as before, reducing fatigue in the arms. Furthermore, as in Feature 7, by configuring the rotation axis of the handle located at the lower right of the front of the gaming machine to be inclined forward by 1 to 30 degrees relative to the left and right direction, when the handle is rotated with the right hand extended forward with the inner surface of the arm facing inward, bending and twisting of the wrist is reduced compared to before, reducing fatigue in the arms.

[0303] [Correspondence between components of the third feature group and each part in the embodiment] Gaming machine: gaming machine 10, handle: launch handle 300, hand rest: hand rest 360, anti-slip means: fine unevenness, front cover: front cover 301

[0304] [Fourth group of characteristics] This disclosure relates to a gaming machine. For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2009-160164 (paragraph

[0028] and FIG. 1, etc.) discloses a gaming machine capable of producing a blowing effect in which wind is emitted from a handle and blows onto the hand gripping the handle. In the conventional gaming machines described above, there is a need to improve the ingenuity of the blowing effect. In contrast, according to the present invention, wind is blown onto the arm gripping the handle from a direction intersecting the front-to-back direction, which can surprise players who are accustomed to blowing wind from a handle, thereby improving the ingenuity of the blowing effect.

[0305] [Feature 1] In a gaming machine having a handle that is gripped and rotated to launch a gaming ball, The game machine is provided with a blower section capable of blowing air in a direction intersecting the front-rear direction to blow the air onto the arm gripping the handle.

[0306] According to feature 1, the wind is blown onto the arm holding the handle from a direction intersecting the front-to-back direction, which can surprise players who are accustomed to wind blowing out from the handle, improving the entertainment value of the wind blowing effect.

[0307] [Feature 2] The gaming machine described in Feature 1, wherein the air blowing unit blows air toward the arm from the inside of the gaming machine in the left-right direction.

[0308] Generally, when a handle is turned, the inner surface of the hand is thought to face the inside of the left-right direction of the gaming machine, but according to Feature 2, the wind is blown from the inside of the left-right direction of the gaming machine, so that the wind hits the inside of the hand, where the skin is thin, making it easier to sense the wind. Also, because the wind is blown from the inside of the left-right direction of the gaming machine, adjacent players can also sense the wind, making it possible to get adjacent players interested in that machine as well.

[0309] [Feature 3] In a gaming machine having a handle that is gripped and rotated to launch a gaming ball, The gaming machine is provided with a blower that can blow air onto the inner surface of the arm that grips the handle.

[0310] [Feature 4] The gaming machine described in Feature 3, wherein the air blowing unit is capable of blowing air onto the inner surface of the wrist of the arm.

[0311] According to Feature 3, the wind hits the inner surface of the arm where the skin is thin, making it easier to sense the wind. Also, according to Feature 4, the wind hits the inner surface of the arm, especially the inner surface of the wrist where the skin is thin, making it even easier to sense the wind.

[0312] [Feature 5] The rotation axis of the handle that is rotated to launch the game ball is arranged parallel to the direction that intersects with the front-to-rear direction of the game machine, The gaming machine is provided with a blower that can blow air onto the arm gripping the handle.

[0313] [Feature 6] A gaming machine according to any one of features 1 to 4, wherein the rotation axis of the handle is arranged parallel to a direction intersecting the front-to-rear direction of the gaming machine.

[0314] According to Features 5 and 6, the rotation axis of the handle extends in the front-rear direction, which can provide a sense of novelty to players who are used to playing gaming machines that rotate the handle in the left-right direction. Furthermore, by blowing wind on the hands of players who find the handle novel, it is possible to take the player by surprise.

[0315] [Feature 7] A gaming machine according to any one of features 1 to 6, further comprising a control unit that controls the blower unit not to operate when the player is not in contact with the handle.

[0316] If the wind is blown out when the player is not touching the handle, the wind will not hit the player's arms but will spread around, which can cause discomfort to those around. In contrast, according to Feature 7, the blower does not operate when the player is not touching the handle, preventing such problems from occurring.

[0317] [Correspondence between components of the fourth feature group and each part in the embodiment] Gaming machine: gaming machine 10, handle: launch handle 300, blower: axial fan 370

[0318] [5th ​​feature group] This disclosure relates to a gaming machine. For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2007-029596 (FIGS. 9 and 10, etc.) discloses a gaming machine equipped with a handle disposed at the tip of a cylindrical base and rotated to launch a gaming ball. In the above-described conventional gaming machine, it is necessary to prevent damage to the handle and a loss of aesthetic appeal when a coin or other object is inserted between the cylindrical base and the handle. In contrast, according to the present invention, when a coin or other object is inserted between the cylindrical base and the handle, the coin or other object rubs against the rear cover of the handle, so the dome-shaped front cover that the player grips is less likely to be scratched. In other words, the prominent parts of the handle are less likely to be scratched, which prevents a loss of aesthetic appeal to the handle.

[0319] [Feature 1] A gaming machine having a handle disposed at the tip of a cylindrical base and rotated to launch a gaming ball, The handle is A dome-shaped outer cover and A gaming machine comprising a back cover portion disposed at the open end of the front cover, at least a portion of which is positioned between the front cover and the tip surface of the cylindrical base.

[0320] According to Feature 1, when trying to insert a coin or the like between the cylindrical base and the handle, the coin or the like rubs against the back cover of the handle, so the dome-shaped front cover that the player holds is less likely to be scratched. In other words, the prominent parts of the handle are less likely to be scratched, which helps prevent damage to the design of the handle.

[0321] [Feature 2] The gaming machine described in Feature 1, wherein the front cover has a plated layer on its surface, and the back cover portion does not have a plated layer.

[0322] When the outer cover has a plated layer as in Feature 2, scraping of the plated layer is easily noticeable and can significantly detract from the design of the handle. However, this feature prevents such problems from occurring.

[0323] [Feature 3] A gaming machine as described in Feature 1, in which a protrusion is formed on at least one of the tip surface of the cylindrical base and the end surface of the rear cover portion opposite it, which comes into contact with the coin and pushes out the coin when the handle is rotated with a coin inserted between them.

[0324] According to Feature 3, a player or a store attendant at a gaming parlor can easily remove an inserted coin.

[0325] [Feature 4] The protrusions are arranged on the tip end surface of the cylindrical base and the end surface of the rear cover portion opposite thereto, and the protrusions are arranged in equal numbers, The gaming machine described in Feature 3, wherein each of the protrusions of the rear cover portion rotates between the two protrusions of the cylindrical base throughout the entire rotation range of the handle, and is positioned closer to one of the two protrusions at one end of the rotation range of the handle, and is positioned closer to the other of the two protrusions at the other end of the rotation range of the handle.

[0326] According to the fourth feature, coins can be taken out by the protrusions over substantially the entire circumferential direction of the handle.

[0327] [Feature 5] The front cover has a plurality of finger hooks that bulge out to the sides, The opening edge of the front cover is provided with a bulging portion that bulges out to the side at a portion corresponding to the finger hook portion, A gaming machine according to any one of features 1 to 4, wherein the rear cover portion covers the bulge portion.

[0328] According to feature 5, the bulging portion of the outer cover is also less likely to get scratched.

[0329] [Feature 6] A gaming machine described in any one of features 1 to 5, wherein the rear cover portion is fitted into the opening of the front cover.

[0330] According to feature 6, since the rear cover part is fitted into the opening of the front cover, the rear cover part is less noticeable, and the appearance of the handle can be made neat.

[0331] [Correspondence between components of the fifth feature group and each part in the embodiment] Gaming machine: gaming machine 10, cylindrical base: cylindrical base portion 330, handle: launch handle 300, front cover: front cover 301, back cover portion: back cover portion 305, protrusion: protrusions 300T, 330T, finger hook portion: finger hook portion 301F

[0332] [Sixth feature group] This disclosure relates to a gaming machine. For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-029596 (paragraph

[0036] , etc.) discloses a gaming machine including a base member and a rotating member that rotates relative to the base member within a certain restricted angle. In the above-mentioned conventional gaming machine, when a cable is fixed to the base member and the rotating member, it is required to make the cable less likely to break even when the rotating member rotates. In contrast, according to the present invention, the cable is fixed so as to extend along the direction of movement of the portion of the cable fixed to the rotating member, so that the portion of the cable fixed to the rotating member is less likely to be bent at an unnatural angle, making the cable less likely to break.

[0333] [Feature 1] A gaming machine comprising: a base member; a rotating member that rotates relative to the base member within a certain regulated angle; and a cable fixed to the base member and the rotating member, The cable is fixed to the rotating member so as to extend in a tangential direction of a circle centered on the center of rotation of the rotating member, and is curved in an arc shape centered on the center of rotation.

[0334] According to Feature 1, the cable is fixed so that it extends along the direction of movement of the portion of the cable fixed to the rotating member, which makes it less likely that the portion of the cable fixed to the rotating member will be bent at an unnatural angle, making the cable less likely to break.

[0335] [Feature 2] 3. A gaming machine according to feature 1 or 2, wherein the cable is fixed to the base portion so as to extend in a tangent direction of a circle centered on the center of rotation.

[0336] According to feature 2, bending at an unnatural angle is less likely to occur in the part of the cable fixed to the base, making the cable less likely to break.

[0337] [Feature 3] The gaming machine described in Feature 1, wherein the cable is curved in an arc at one end of the regulated angle, wound around the center of rotation by 1.1 turns or more.

[0338] According to Feature 3, since the cable is wound 1.1 times or more, the cable can easily move in a manner that makes it easier to narrow or widen the circle. This makes it less likely that the cable will bend at an unnatural angle.

[0339] [Feature 4] The gaming machine described in Feature 3 is provided with a partition wall provided on the rotating member and positioned between the inner arc and the outer arc of the cable that is wound around 1.1 turns or more.

[0340] If the rotating member is rotated while the cable is tangled, the cable may be pulled too hard and damaged. However, according to Feature 4, the cable is prevented from becoming tangled, thereby preventing such a problem from occurring.

[0341] [Feature 5] A gaming machine according to feature 3 or 4, wherein the rotating member is provided with a cable support wall that supports the cable from at least one side in the axial direction of the rotation axis of the rotating member.

[0342] According to feature 5, the cable can be made less likely to get caught on the component on the other side of the cable support wall.

[0343] [Feature 6] A gaming machine described in any one of features 3 to 5, wherein the base member is provided with an enclosing wall that surrounds the rotating member and restricts the lateral expansion of the cable.

[0344] According to Feature 6, the cable is less likely to get caught on surrounding components.

[0345] [Feature 7] The rotating member rotates integrally with a handle that is rotated to launch a game ball, A gaming machine according to any one of features 1 to 6, wherein the cable is connected to a touch sensor provided on the handle.

[0346] The above feature can be applied to a handle like feature 7, but may also be applied to a rotating performance part, for example.

[0347] [Correspondence between the components of the sixth feature group and each part in the embodiment] Gaming machine: gaming machine 10, base member: partition wall 343, rotating member: fixed part 310, cable: cable 345, partition wall: regulating wall 312H, cable support wall: cable support wall 312S, surrounding wall: surrounding wall 343F, handle: launch handle 300, touch sensor: contact sensor 344

[0348] [7th feature group] This disclosure relates to gaming machines. For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2009-148612 (paragraphs

[0002] ,

[0045] , and FIG. 6) discloses a gaming machine equipped with a ball ejection hole on the bottom of a front tray that can store gaming balls discharged from a payout opening and guide them toward a ball supply opening to a launching device, for ejecting excess gaming balls. In the above-mentioned conventional gaming machine, if the ball ejection hole is in an open state, gaming balls dispensed from the payout opening may be ejected from the ball ejection hole, preventing the gaming balls from being supplied to the launching device. Therefore, a solution to this problem is required. In contrast, the present features make it less likely that gaming balls will be unable to be supplied to the launching device even when the ball ejection hole is in an open state.

[0349] [Feature 1] A gaming machine having a front tray capable of storing game balls discharged from a payout port and guiding them toward a ball supply port to a launching device, and a ball ejection hole provided in an openable and closable manner on the bottom surface of the front tray, The front plate is formed so that game balls discharged from the payout outlet roll toward the ball supply port, avoiding the ball removal hole.

[0350] According to Feature 1, the front plate is formed so that game balls discharged from the payout outlet avoid the ball removal hole and roll toward the ball supply port to the launching device, so that even if the ball removal hole is in an open state, game balls paid out from the payout outlet are less likely to be discharged through the ball removal hole, making it difficult for game balls to be supplied to the launching device.

[0351] [Feature 2] The payout outlet discharges game balls forward, The ball ejection hole is arranged on one side in the left-right direction with respect to the flow path of the game balls going forward from the payout outlet on the bottom surface of the front plate, A gaming machine as described in Feature 1, in which a guide side surface is formed on the inner surface of the front dish to guide gaming balls discharged forward from the payout outlet across the portion forward of the ball removal hole to the portion between the ball removal hole and the ball supply port.

[0352] [Feature 3] A gaming machine according to Feature 2, wherein a guide groove extending along the guide side surface is formed on the bottom surface of the front plate.

[0353] As in Feature 2, a ball ejection hole may be located on the side of the path through which the game balls flow forward from the payout outlet, and the game balls discharged from the payout outlet may pass by the side of the ball ejection hole, then flow down in front of the ball ejection hole along the side of the guide, and then be guided to the area between the ball ejection hole and the ball supply port. Furthermore, as in Feature 3, a guide groove may be formed along the side of the guide.

[0354] [Feature 4] The bottom surface of the front plate is a first bottom surface that is the other side of the left-right direction with the ball hole as a boundary, and a second bottom surface that is one side of the left-right direction with the ball hole as a boundary is lowered in a stepped manner, A gaming machine according to Feature 3, wherein the bottom surface of the guide groove is flush with the second bottom surface.

[0355] According to Feature 4, the step between the first bottom surface and the second bottom surface can restrict the game ball passing through the guide groove from entering the ball removal hole.

[0356] [Feature 5] A gaming machine according to Feature 4, wherein the second bottom surface has a steeper slope than the first bottom surface.

[0357] According to feature 5, the flow of game balls to the ball supply port can be accelerated on the second bottom surface where there is no risk of balls entering the ball ejection hole, and game balls can be smoothly supplied to the launching device.

[0358] [Feature 6] A gaming machine described in any one of features 2 to 5, wherein the bottom surface of the front tray is provided with a protrusion that protrudes from the front portion of the opening edge of the ball removal hole.

[0359] [Feature 7] A gaming machine described in any one of features 1 to 5, wherein the bottom surface of the front dish is provided with a protrusion that protrudes upward from the opening edge of the ball ejection hole and restricts the entry of gaming balls that are in contact with the side of the front dish into the ball ejection hole.

[0360] [Feature 8] A gaming machine according to Feature 7, wherein the protrusion is formed only on a portion of the opening edge of the ball ejection hole.

[0361] According to Features 6 and 7, it is possible to restrict the entry of the game ball into the ball ejection hole. As in Features 6 and 8, the protrusion may be formed only on a part of the opening edge of the ball ejection hole.

[0362] [Feature 9] A gaming machine described in any one of features 6 to 8, wherein the protrusion is shorter than the radius of the gaming ball.

[0363] According to feature 9, when there is an excess of game balls, ball jamming can be prevented.

[0364] [Correspondence between the components of the seventh feature group and each part in the embodiment] Gaming machine: gaming machine 10, payout outlet: discharge duct 70W, launching device: launching device 40, ball supply port: ball supply port 115, front plate: front plate 110, flow path: flow path D1, guide side: surrounding wall 110A, guide groove: guide groove 114M, first bottom surface: first bottom surface 113, second bottom surface: second bottom surface 114

[0365] [8th feature group] This disclosure relates to a gaming machine. For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2015-51133 (paragraph

[0037] , etc.) discloses a gaming machine in which a gaming ball is launched when a handle supported on a base member is rotated from an origin position. In the conventional gaming machine described above, when the handle returns to the origin position due to the elastic force of the spring, a detection switch is pressed and the launch of the gaming ball is stopped, so it is necessary to use a spring with a strong elastic force sufficient to activate the detection switch. In view of this, there is a demand for a handle that can be rotated with a weak force. In contrast, according to the present invention, the return of the handle to the origin position is detected by a non-contact sensor, so the elastic force of the spring that biases the handle can be weakened, making it possible to rotate the handle with a weak force.

[0366] [Feature 1] In a gaming machine in which a game ball is launched by rotating a handle supported on a base member from an origin position, A gaming ball having a non-contact sensor on one of the base member and the handle, and a detection part on the other that is detected by the non-contact sensor when the handle returns to the origin position.

[0367] According to Feature 1, the return of the handle to the origin position is detected by a non-contact sensor, so the elastic force of the spring biasing the handle can be weakened, making it possible to rotate the handle with a weak force.

[0368] [Feature 2] Feature 1: The gaming machine according to feature 1, wherein the contact sensor is a photosensor.

[0369] [Feature 3] The gaming machine described in Feature 2, wherein the detectable portion extends along the arc of a circle centered on the rotation axis of the handle and is a shielding plate arranged between the light-emitting portion and the light-receiving portion of the photosensor.

[0370] As in Features 2 and 3, the contact sensor may be a photosensor, a distance measuring sensor, or the like.

[0371] [Feature 4] A stop switch is disposed on the handle or the base member and is operated to stop the launch of game balls; A gaming machine described in any one of features 1 to 3, further comprising a mechanical sensor that detects that the stop switch has been operated.

[0372] According to Feature 4, the use of a mechanical sensor for the stop switch makes it easier for the player to feel like they are operating the stop switch. Also, by using separate sensors to detect when the handle has returned to its home position and when the stop switch has been operated, the freedom in locating the stop switch increases, and it becomes possible to locate the switch in a position that makes it easier for the player to operate it, for example.

[0373] [Feature 5] A stop switch is provided on the handle or the base member, and is operated to stop the launch of the game balls; A gaming machine according to any one of features 1 to 3, wherein the stop switch is provided with a switch detection portion that is detected by the non-contact sensor when operated.

[0374] According to Feature 5, one non-contact sensor can be used to detect both the return of the handle to the origin position and the operation of the stop switch.

[0375] [Correspondence between components of the eighth feature group and each part in the embodiment] Gaming machine: gaming machine 10, base member: cylindrical base portion 330, handle: launch handle 300, non-contact sensor: photosensor 338, detected portion: shielding plate 305S, photosensor: photosensor 338, shielding plate: shielding plate 305S, stop switch: launch stop switch 336, mechanical sensor: mechanical switch 336M

[0376] [9th feature group] This disclosure relates to gaming machines. For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2015-51133 (paragraph

[0040] , etc.) discloses a gaming machine that uses a rotation sensor to detect the amount of rotation of a handle and changes the strength of the launch of gaming balls depending on the training results. In the conventional gaming machines described above, it is necessary to compactly arrange the handle and the rotation sensor. In contrast, according to the present invention, the rotation sensor can be arranged more compactly in the axial direction than when it is arranged at one end of the shaft.

[0377] [Feature 1] In a gaming machine, a rotation sensor detects the amount of rotation of a handle rotatably supported on a base member, and the strength of the launch of a gaming ball is changed according to the training result. a shaft that rotates integrally with the handle and is supported by the base member; a sub-shaft disposed laterally of the shaft and shorter than the shaft; a connecting gear fixed to the shaft and the sub-shaft, respectively, and connecting the shaft and the sub-shaft to each other, The rotation sensor is disposed at one end of the sub-shaft.

[0378] According to feature 1, the rotation sensor can be arranged more compactly in the axial direction than when it is arranged at one end of the shaft.

[0379] [Feature 2] The gaming machine described in Feature 1, wherein the connecting gear of the sub-shaft is accelerated or decelerated relative to the connecting gear of the shaft.

[0380] According to Feature 2, even if the rotation range of the handle changes depending on the model, it is possible to use the existing rotation sensor and control unit that controls the firing intensity by changing the gear ratio of the connecting gear.

[0381] [Feature 3] A gaming machine according to Feature 1, wherein the connecting gear of the sub-shaft is accelerated relative to the connecting gear of the shaft.

[0382] According to feature 3, it is possible to increase the resolution of the rotation sensor.

[0383] [Correspondence between components of the ninth feature group and each part in the embodiment] Gaming machine: gaming machine 10, base member: cylindrical base portion 330, handle: launch handle 300, rotation sensor: rotation sensor 337S, shaft: shaft 325, sub-shaft: rotating shaft 337, connecting gear: base side connecting member 337A, handle side connecting member 309

[0384] Although the present specification and drawings disclose specific examples of the technology included in the scope of the claims, the technology described in the claims is not limited to these specific examples, but also includes various modifications and variations of the specific examples, and also includes parts of the specific examples taken out alone. [Explanation of symbols]

[0385] 10 Gaming machines 70W exhaust duct 76A, 76B A pair of width-reducing protrusions 83 First Motor 84 Second motor 87B Eccentric weight 88 Coil spring 92K Entrance 92K 93 Ball taxiway 94 First Launch Passage 95 Second Launch Passage 96 Foul ball discharge channel 96A Starting end 96B 1st intermediate part 97 Lower Guideway 110 Front plate 110A Enclosure 111 Ball extraction hole 113 1st bottom 114 2nd bottom surface 114M guide groove 115 Ball supply port 120 Cutting means 120S V-shaped gap 124H, 125H 1 pair of blades 140 External wall components 150 Operation Unit 160 Operation section 161D Ceiling wall 162 Support part 163 Movable decorative part 164 Fixed decorative part 165A LED board 168 Movable Base 300 Firing Handle 300J Rotating Axis 301 Front cover 305 Back cover 310 Fixed Parts 312M curved groove 325 shaft 330 Cylindrical base 343F Surrounding wall 344 Contact Sensor 345 Cable 358 Ventilation 360 Hand rest 370 axial fan D1 flow path W1 Tamper Thread

Claims

1. an operating unit that is operated by a player and moves; a support portion that movably supports the operation portion; a first power source attached to the support portion and applying power to the support portion; A gaming machine in which the power of the first power source can be transmitted to the player via the support part and the operating part.

2. 2. The gaming machine according to claim 1, wherein the first power source includes a rotary drive source and an eccentric weight that is driven to rotate by the rotary drive source around a rotation axis extending in a direction intersecting the movement direction of the operating unit.

3. 2. The gaming machine according to claim 1, wherein the operating portion is fitted to the support portion so as to be capable of linear movement.

4. The gaming machine according to claim 1 , wherein the operating portion is hingedly connected to the support portion.

5. the operating unit has a container structure with an open bottom and a transparent ceiling wall; A fixed decorative part fixed to the support part and facing the ceiling wall from below; A movable decorative part that covers a part of the fixed decorative part from above below the ceiling wall; A second power source disposed in a position below the fixed decorative portion and difficult to see; An amusement machine described in any one of claims 1 to 4, comprising a power transmission unit that connects the second power source and the movable decorative part through a through hole formed in the fixed decorative part or the side of the fixed decorative part, and transmits power to move the movable decorative part from the second power source to the movable decorative part.

6. At least a portion of the movable decorative part is transparent, 6. The gaming machine according to claim 5, wherein a light emitting means is provided in a portion of said fixed decorative part that is visible through said movable decorative part.

7. 6. The gaming machine according to claim 5, wherein the movable decorative portion is decorated with a decoration intended to encourage operation of the operating portion.

8. 6. The gaming machine according to claim 5, wherein the movable decorative portion is movably supported by an elastic body, and the movable decorative portion is moved by an operating force applied to the operating portion.

9. an operation unit including the operation portion and the support portion; an outer wall component to which the operation unit is detachably attached and which constitutes a part of the outer wall of the gaming machine; The outer wall component can be detached from the gaming machine body by removing a plurality of screws that can be screwed on the outer surface side of the outer wall component, 2. The gaming machine according to claim 1, wherein the operation unit can be detached from the outer wall component by removing a plurality of screws that can be screwed into the inner surface of the outer wall component.

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