Case and game machine

Abstract

To provide a case whose reusable case body can be downsized, and a game machine.SOLUTION: A substrate case 60 includes a case body 80 and a caulking unit 90. The case body 80 displaces to an assembly state and a released state. The case body 80 stores a storage medium storing data about a game by a Pachinko machine. The caulking unit 90 has a caulking member 90B and a caulking member 90A. The caulking member 90B is provided with a regulation part 92B for regulating displacement of the case body 80 from the assembly state to the release state, and a coupling part 91B to be connected to the regulation part 92B. The caulking member 90A is provided with a coupling part which regulates that the caulking member 90B and the caulking member 90A come off the case body 80 by being in the coupled state where it is coupled to the coupling part 91B via a hole 8711 going through the case body 80 in the opposite direction.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

Technical Field

[0004] ,

[0006] , , , , , ,

[0005] , , ,

[0003] , , , , , ,

[0001] The present invention relates to a case and a gaming machine.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, a gaming machine is provided with a case. A storage medium for storing data related to games by the gaming machine is housed in the case. For example, in Patent Document 1, a board case includes a case body composed of a front-side component and a back-side component. The case body is fixed in a combined state by a coupling pin being locked to a fixing portion in a state where the front-side component and the back-side component are combined.

Prior Art Documents

[0007] According to the first embodiment, when attempting to properly remove the crimping unit from the case body, the restricting portion is detached from the first connecting portion. This causes the restricting portion to detach from the case body. Therefore, the crimping unit can be removed from the case body without damaging the case body. Consequently, the case can be made smaller and more reusable.

[0008] In the case according to the first aspect of the present invention, the case body may be provided with an opening connected to the first hole, through which, when the first connecting portion is separated from the restricting portion, the first connecting portion and the second connecting portion can exit the case body in a direction intersecting the opposing direction.

[0009] In this case, when the restricting part is detached from the first connecting part, the connected first and second connecting parts can be removed from the first hole through the opening. Therefore, the case can be easily detached from the case body, separating the first and second connecting parts.

[0010] In the case according to the first aspect of the present invention, the first cover is provided with a second hole located at a position different from the first hole when viewed from the opposing direction, and the restricting portion may be inserted into the second hole and may come into contact with the second cover when the case body is displaced from the assembled state to the released state.

[0011] In this case, the case can be configured in a simple way to restrict the displacement of the case body from the assembled state to the released state.

[0012] In the case of the first aspect of the present invention, one of the first connecting portion and the second connecting portion may include a hook, and the other of the first connecting portion and the second connecting portion may include a receiving portion into which the hook engages.

[0013] In this case, the case can connect the second connecting section and the first connecting section with a simple configuration.

[0014] The gaming machine according to the second aspect of the present invention is the above any With a case that Features of the gaming machine be.

[0015] The second embodiment can produce the same effects as the first embodiment. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0016] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view of the pachinko machine 1, seen from the front and above, with the front frame 43 and middle frame 42 open relative to the outer frame 41. [Figure 2] This is a rear view of game board 2. [Figure 3] This is a perspective view of the circuit board case 60, seen from the front upper right. [Figure 4] This is an exploded perspective view of the circuit board case 60, seen from the rear upper left. [Figure 5] This is a perspective view of the crimped portion 87 of the case body 80, seen from the front upper right side. [Figure 6] This is a bottom view of the crimped portion 87A of the lower cover 80A. [Figure 7] It is a plan view of the caulking part 87B of the upper cover 80B. [Figure 8] It is a perspective view of the caulking member 90A seen from the rear upper left side. [Figure 9] It is a perspective view of the caulking member 90B seen from the front lower left side. [Figure 10] It is a cross-sectional view in the direction of the arrow X-X shown in FIG. 2. [Figure 11] It is a cross-sectional view in the direction of the arrow XI-XI shown in FIG. 2. [Figure 12] It is a cross-sectional view in the direction of the arrow XII-XII shown in FIG. 2. [Figure 13] It is a cross-sectional view in the direction of the arrow XIII-XIII shown in FIG. 2. [Figure 14] It is a plan view of the substrate case 601.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0017] Hereinafter, the pachinko machine 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The drawings referred to are used to explain the technical features that can be adopted by the present invention, and the configurations of the devices described are not limited thereto, but are merely illustrative examples.

[0018] First, referring to FIG. 1, the schematic configuration of the pachinko machine 1 will be described. In the description of FIG. 1, the direction of the pachinko machine 1 is defined based on the state where the middle frame 42 and the front frame 43 are closed with respect to the outer frame 41. Specifically, from the perspective of the player when playing the game on the pachinko machine 1, the left side, right side, upper side, lower side, front side, and rear side of the player are respectively the left side, right side, upper side, lower side, front side, and rear side of the pachinko machine 1.

[0019] The pachinko machine 1 comprises an outer frame 41, an inner frame 42, and a front frame 43. The outer frame 41 has a rectangular shape when viewed from the front and is installed in a gaming hall. The inner frame 42 has a rectangular shape when viewed from the front and is located in front of the outer frame 41. The size of the inner frame 42 is approximately the same as the size of the outer frame 41. The front frame 43 has a rectangular shape when viewed from the front and is located in front of the inner frame 42. The size of the front frame 43 is approximately the same as the upper half of the inner frame 42.

[0020] An axle 45 is provided at the left end of each of the outer frame 41, the middle frame 42, and the front frame 43. The axle 45 extends in the vertical direction. The middle frame 42 is configured to open and close relative to the outer frame 41, with the axle 45 as its center, and the front frame 43 is configured to open and close relative to the middle frame 42, with the axle 45 as its center, so as to cover the upper half of the middle frame 42 from the front.

[0021] An opening 421 is provided in the upper half of the central frame 42. The opening 421 has a rectangular shape when viewed from the front. The game board 2 is fixed to the central frame 42. The game board 2 has a rectangular shape when viewed from the front and is exposed to the front through the opening 421. The general structure of the game board 2 will be described later.

[0022] On the front of the central frame 42, an upper tray 5 is provided below the game board 2, and a lower tray 6 is provided below the upper tray 5. The upper tray 5 supplies metal game balls to the game ball launching device (not shown) and receives prize balls from the prize ball dispensing device (not shown). The lower tray 6 receives prize balls via the upper tray 5.

[0023] An operation button 9 is provided at the top of the upper tray 5. The operation button 9 is configured to be operated by the player and is used, for example, for notification effects. A launch handle 7 is provided to the right of the lower tray 6. The launch handle 7 is configured to be rotated by the player and adjusts the launch strength of the game balls by the game ball launching device (not shown).

[0024] An opening 431 is provided in the center of the front frame 43. The opening 431 has a circular shape when viewed from the front. A glass plate 17 is fitted into the opening 431. The glass plate 17 is transparent and protects the front surface 2A of the game board 2. Speakers 48 are positioned in the upper left and upper right parts of the front frame 43, respectively. The speakers 48 emit various sounds according to the progress of the game. Multiple decorative lights (not shown) for effects are provided on the front of the front frame 43, surrounding the glass plate 17. The decorative lights illuminate in various ways according to the progress of the game.

[0025] The general structure of the game board 2 will now be described. Guide rails 3 are provided on the front surface 2A of the game board 2. The guide rails 3 have a circular shape and form a game area 4 on the front surface 2A of the game board 2. In other words, the game area 4 is the area of ​​the front surface 2A of the game board 2 that is enclosed by the guide rails 3.

[0026] A display 20 is located in the center of the game area 4. The display 20 displays various images during the notification sequence. The notification sequence involves changing multiple symbols, and then stopping and displaying the symbols. The combination of symbols displayed indicates the result of the jackpot determination to the player.

[0027] In the game area 4, a starting port 15 is provided below the display 20, a standard electric mechanism 13 is provided below the starting port 15, and a large prize opening 18 is provided below the standard electric mechanism 13. The starting port 15 is configured to allow game balls to enter. The standard electric mechanism 13 is configured to be able to switch between a state where it is difficult or impossible for game balls to enter and a state where it is easy for game balls to enter. The large prize opening 18 is configured to be able to switch between a state where it is impossible for game balls to enter and a state where it is possible for game balls to enter.

[0028] Let's describe an example of gameplay. When a player rotates the launch handle 7 to perform the launching operation, a game ball is launched by the game ball launching device (not shown) with a launching force corresponding to the rotation angle of the launch handle 7. The game ball is launched along the guide rail 3 toward the game area 4 and flows down the game area 4.

[0029] When a game ball enters the starting slot 15 or the regular electric mechanism 13, a jackpot determination is made. If a jackpot is determined, the large prize slot 18 opens, and the jackpot game is executed. During the jackpot game, when a game ball enters the large prize slot 18, prize balls are dispensed.

[0030] The control unit 30 will be described with reference to Figure 2. In the description of Figure 2, the left side, right side, top side, bottom side, front side, and back side of Figure 2 will be referred to as the right side, left side, top side, bottom side, rear side, and front side of the game board 2, respectively.

[0031] The pachinko machine 1 is equipped with a control unit 30. The control unit 30 is located on the rear surface 2B of the game board 2 and is configured to control the series of games and effects described above. The control unit 30 is composed of a plurality of control boards. In this embodiment, the plurality of control boards include a main control board 31, a sub-control board 32, an effects control board 33, a lamp driver board (not shown), a payout control board (not shown), a power supply board (not shown), and the like.

[0032] Multiple control boards are housed in multiple board cases. In this embodiment, board case 50 is located at the bottom of the game board 2, and the main control board 31 is housed inside board case 50. Board case 60 is located above board case 50, and the sub-control board 32 is housed inside board case 60. Board case 70 is located above board case 60, and the performance control board 33 is housed inside board case 70. In Figure 2, the main control board 31 in board case 50, the sub-control board 32 in board case 60, and the performance control board 33 in board case 70 are shown by dashed lines.

[0033] Furthermore, the circuit board case housing the lamp driver board, the circuit board case housing the payout control board, and the circuit board case housing the power supply board are arranged on the front side of the circuit board cases 50, 60, and 70, respectively, so as to be stacked with the circuit board cases 50, 60, and 70 in the front-to-back direction. Each of the multiple circuit board cases is fixed to the rear surface 2B of the game board 2 by screws 21 or the like.

[0034] Furthermore, each of the multiple control boards is equipped with a CPU, ROM, RAM, etc. The ROM stores data related to the gameplay of the pachinko machine 1 in advance. This data includes programs for controlling the gameplay of the pachinko machine 1, programs for controlling the effects of the pachinko machine 1, etc. The RAM temporarily stores data when the CPU is executing processing. The CPU is connected to the ROM and RAM and operates based on the programs stored in the ROM.

[0035] Specifically, the main control board 31 controls the progress of the game on the pachinko machine 1. For example, the main control board 31 determines whether a jackpot has been won when a game ball enters the start opening 15 or the regular electric mechanism 13 (see Figure 1), and opens the large prize opening 18 (see Figure 1) if the result of the jackpot determination is a jackpot. The main control board 31 also outputs commands to other control boards (for example, the sub-control board 32 or the payout control board) in response to the jackpot determination result, the entry of a ball into the large prize opening 18, etc.

[0036] The sub-control board 32 is connected to the main control board 31 and, based on commands from the main control board 31, performs overall control of the performance, including the speaker 48 and the operation buttons 9 (see Figure 1). As an example, the sub-control board 32 is provided with multiple terminals 321. Cables (not shown) for connecting the sub-control board 32 to other control boards (for example, the main control board 31) are connected to these terminals 321.

[0037] The performance control board 33 is connected to the sub-control board 32 and controls the display on the display 20 (see Figure 1) based on commands from the sub-control board 32. The lamp driver board is connected to the sub-control board 32 and controls the illumination of the decorative lamps (not shown) based on commands from the sub-control board 32.

[0038] The payout control board is connected to the main control board 31 and controls the payout of prize balls by the prize ball payout device (not shown) based on commands from the main control board 31. The power supply board is connected to the main control board 31 and the game ball launcher and supplies DC current to the main control board 31 and the game ball launcher.

[0039] The structure of the circuit board case 60 will be explained with reference to Figures 3 to 13. In the explanation of Figures 3 to 13, the lower left, upper right, upper left, lower right, upper, and lower sides of Figure 3 will be referred to as the front, rear, left, right, upper, and lower sides of the circuit board case 60, respectively.

[0040] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the substrate case 60 comprises a case body 80 and a crimping unit 90. The case body 80 has a hollow rectangular parallelepiped shape, and as a whole, it is longer in the left-right direction than in the up-down direction, and longer in the front-back direction than in the left-right direction. The case body 80 is composed of a lower cover 80A and an upper cover 80B.

[0041] First, the structure of the lower cover 80A will be described with reference to Figures 4 to 6. As shown in Figure 4, the lower cover 80A is made of resin and includes a lower wall 81A and a side wall 82A. The lower wall 81A has a rectangular shape in plan view and is longer in the front-to-back direction than in the left-to-right direction. The side wall 82A extends upward from the periphery of the lower wall 81A. The extension of the side wall 82A is smaller than the length of the lower wall 81A in the left-to-right direction.

[0042] Engaged portions 84A are provided at both the left and right ends of the lower cover 80A. Note that in Figure 4, only the engaged portion 84A on the right end of the lower cover 80A is shown, and the engaged portion 84A on the left end of the lower cover 80A is hidden by the side wall 82A.

[0043] The engaged portion 84A is a rib that extends in the front-rear direction from the front end to the rear end of the side wall 82A. The upper surface of the engaged portion 84A is located above the lower end of the side wall 82A and below the upper end of the side wall 82A, and defines a plurality of holes 841A. The plurality of holes 841A are arranged in the front-rear direction, extending downward and then forward (see Figure 10). A plurality of engaging portions 84B, described later, are inserted into each of the plurality of holes 841A.

[0044] A pair of fixing parts 86A and a crimping part 87A are provided on the front surface of the side wall 82A. The pair of fixing parts 86A protrude forward from near both the left and right ends of the front surface of the side wall 82A. A hole 861A is provided in each of the pair of fixing parts 86A. Screws 21 for fixing the circuit board case 60 to the game board 2 are inserted into each of the pair of holes 861A (see Figures 2 and 3).

[0045] As shown in Figures 4 to 6, the crimping portion 87A protrudes forward from the center of the front surface of the side wall 82A in the left-right direction, and has a U-shape that opens forward in a plan view. The crimping portion 87A is located between a pair of fixing portions 86A in the left-right direction.

[0046] The crimped portion 87A includes a lower wall 871A (see Figure 6), a side wall 872A, and an inner wall 873A. The lower wall 871A has a rectangular shape in plan view. The rear end of the lower wall 871A is connected to the lower end of the front surface of the side wall 872A. The lower wall 871A is provided with holes 8711A and 8712A (see Figures 4 and 6).

[0047] Hole 8711A has a rectangular shape in plan view and penetrates the lower wall 871A in the vertical direction. Hole 8712A is located to the right of hole 8711A and also penetrates the lower wall 871A in the vertical direction. Hole 8712A has an elongated shape in plan view and extends longer in the front-to-back direction than in the left-to-right direction.

[0048] The lower wall 871A is provided with multiple protrusions 8713A. Each of the multiple protrusions 8713A has a rectangular shape in plan view and protrudes forward from the rear end of the lower wall 871A. Each of the multiple protrusions 8713A is arranged in the left-right direction and fits into the multiple grooves 9111A (see Figure 8), which will be described later.

[0049] The side wall 872A extends upward from the periphery of the lower wall 871A and includes the front wall 8720A. The front wall 8720A is located at the front end of the side wall 872A and defines the front end of the hole 8712A. The extension of the side wall 872A is greater than the extension of the side wall 82A. In other words, the side wall 872A extends above the upper end of the side wall 82A.

[0050] Furthermore, an opening 8721A is provided on the front surface of the side wall 872A. The opening 8721A extends from the lower end to the upper end of the side wall 872A and penetrates the side wall 872A in the front-rear direction. Therefore, the opening 8721A is connected to the front end of the hole 8711A. In other words, the hole 8711A opens forward through the opening 8721A.

[0051] The inner wall 873A extends upward from the lower wall 871A so as to surround the hole 8711A in a plan view. The inner wall 873A also includes the rear wall 8730A and, together with the side wall 872A, surrounds the hole 8712A. The rear wall 8730A is located behind the hole 8712A and defines the rear end of the hole 8712A. The extension of the inner wall 873A is approximately the same as the extension of the side wall 82A.

[0052] Next, the structure of the upper cover 80B will be described with reference to Figures 4, 5, and 7. As shown in Figure 4, the upper cover 80B is made of resin and includes an upper wall 81B, a side wall 82B, and a lower wall 83B. The upper wall 81B has a rectangular shape in plan view. The rear left, front left, and front right portions of the upper wall 81B are cut out. The side wall 82B extends downward from the periphery of the upper wall 81B. The extension of the side wall 82B is smaller than the length of the lower wall 83B in the left-right direction, which will be described later.

[0053] The lower wall 83B extends outward in a plan view from the lower end of the side wall 82B. The outer shape of the lower wall 83B is rectangular in a plan view and is longer in the front-to-back direction than in the left-to-right direction. Multiple openings 831B are provided in the lower wall 83B. Multiple openings 831B expose multiple terminals 321 of the sub-control board 32 upward.

[0054] Multiple engaging portions 84B are provided at both the left and right ends of the upper cover 80B. In Figure 4, only the engaging portion 84B on the left end of the upper cover 80B is shown, and the engaging portion 84B on the right end of the upper cover 80B is hidden by the upper wall 81B. Each of the multiple engaging portions 84B has a hook shape and extends downward and then forward. Each of the multiple engaging portions 84B is arranged in the front-to-back direction and corresponds to a plurality of holes 841A.

[0055] As shown in Figures 4, 5, and 7, a crimping portion 87B is provided at the front end of the lower wall 83B. The crimping portion 87B protrudes forward from the center of the front surface of the side wall 82B in the left-right direction and has a U-shape that opens forward in a plan view. The overall size of the crimping portion 87B is about the same as the overall size of the crimping portion 87A.

[0056] The crimped portion 87B has a shape that corresponds to the crimped portion 87A overall, and includes an upper wall 871B, a side wall 872B, and an inner wall 873B. The upper wall 871B has a rectangular shape in plan view and is about the same size as the lower wall 871A. Holes 8711B and 8712B are provided in the upper wall 871B.

[0057] Hole 8711B has a rectangular shape in plan view and is about the same size as hole 8711A. Hole 8711A penetrates the upper wall 871B in the vertical direction. Hole 8712B is located to the right of hole 8711B and also penetrates the upper wall 871B in the vertical direction. Hole 8712B has an elongated shape in plan view and extends longer in the front-to-back direction than in the left-to-right direction. The size of hole 8712B is about the same as the size of hole 8712A.

[0058] The upper wall 871B is provided with multiple protrusions 8713B. Each of the multiple protrusions 8713B has a rectangular shape in plan view and projects forward from the rear end of the upper wall 871B. Each of the multiple protrusions 8713B is arranged in the left-right direction and fits into the multiple grooves 9111B (see Figure 9) described later.

[0059] The side wall 872B extends downward from the periphery of the upper wall 871B and includes the front wall 8720B. The front wall 8720B is located at the front end of the side wall 872B and defines the front end of the hole 8712B. The lower end of the rear surface of the side wall 872B is connected to the front end of the bottom wall 83B. The extension of the side wall 872B is approximately the same as the extension of the side wall 82B.

[0060] Furthermore, an opening 8721B is provided on the front surface of the side wall 872B. The opening 8721B extends from the lower end to the upper end of the side wall 872B and penetrates the side wall 872B in the front-rear direction. Therefore, the opening 8721B is connected to the front end of the hole 8711B. In other words, the hole 8711B opens forward through the opening 8721B. The size of the opening 8721B is approximately the same as the size of the opening 8721A.

[0061] The inner wall 873B extends downward from the upper wall 871B so as to surround the hole 8711B in a plan view. The inner wall 873B also includes the rear wall 8730B and, together with the side wall 872B, surrounds the hole 8712B. The rear wall 8730B defines the rear end of the hole 8712B. The extension of the inner wall 873B is approximately the same as the extension of the side wall 872B.

[0062] With the configuration of the lower cover 80A and upper cover 80B described above, the case body 80 can be displaced between an assembled state (see Figures 2, 3, 5, 10-13) and an unassembled state (see Figure 4). Disassembling the case body 80 from the assembled state to the unassembled state is also called "disassembling the case body 80," and disassembling the case body 80 from the unassembled state to the assembled state is also called "assembling the case body 80."

[0063] As shown in Figure 3, the assembled state is when the lower cover 80A and the upper cover 80B are assembled together, forming the internal space of the case body 80. As shown in Figure 4, the released state is when the lower cover 80A and the upper cover 80B are separated, opening up the internal space of the case body 80.

[0064] As shown in Figure 5, when the case body 80 is assembled, the crimping portion 87A and the crimping portion 87B fit together to form the crimping portion 87. The crimping portion 87 is formed on the front surface of the case body 80. In this case, the hole 8711 is formed by the connection of the holes 8711A and 8711B. In other words, the hole 8711 penetrates the crimping portion 87 in the vertical direction within the case body 80.

[0065] In this case, the opening 8721 is formed on the front surface of the crimped portion 87 by the connection of the openings 8721A and 8721B with each other. The opening direction (forward) of the opening 8721 is the same as the direction (forward) in which the upper cover 80B slides relative to the lower cover 80A when the case body 80 is assembled from the unassembled state to the assembled state. In addition, the opening 8721 connects to the front end of the hole 8711. In other words, the hole 8711 opens forward through the opening 8721.

[0066] Furthermore, in this embodiment, hole 8712 is formed by connecting hole 8712A (see Figure 6) and hole 8712B to each other. In other words, hole 8712 penetrates the crimping portion 87 in the vertical direction within the case body 80.

[0067] The crimping unit 90 will be described with reference to Figures 4, 8, and 9. As shown in Figure 4, the crimping unit 90 is composed of a pair of crimping members 90A and 90B. The crimping member 90A is integrally resin-molded using a first resin material. In this embodiment, the first resin material is an acrylonitrile, butadiene, styrene copolymer synthetic resin (so-called ABS).

[0068] Furthermore, the crimping member 90B is integrally resin-molded using a second resin material. Unlike the first resin material, the second resin material in this embodiment is polycarbonate resin (so-called PC). By molding the crimping member 90A and the crimping member 90B with the first and second resin materials, respectively, the rigidity of the crimping member 90B becomes higher than that of the crimping member 90A.

[0069] First, the structure of the crimping member 90A will be described with reference to Figure 8. The crimping member 90A is composed of a connecting portion 91A, a restricting portion 92A, and a connecting portion 93A. The connecting portion 91A includes a base plate 911A, an engaged wall 912A, and a protruding wall 913A.

[0070] The base plate 911A has a rectangular shape in plan view and is slightly larger than the hole 8711A (see Figure 6) in the left-right direction. Therefore, the base plate 911A cannot pass through the hole 8711A in the vertical direction.

[0071] Multiple grooves 9111A are provided at the rear end of the base plate 911A. Each of the multiple grooves 9111A corresponds to the shape of one of the multiple protrusions 8713A and has a rectangular shape when viewed from above. The multiple grooves 9111A are arranged in the left-right direction.

[0072] The engaged wall 912A is located in the central part of the upper surface of the base plate 911A. The engaged wall 912A has a rectangular shape in plan view and protrudes upward from the base plate 911A, enclosing the space 9121A. That is, the space 9121A is the space enclosed by the engaged wall 912A. In plan view, the outer shape of the engaged wall 912A is slightly smaller than the hole 8711A (see Figure 6). Therefore, the engaged wall 912A can fit into the hole 8711A. The amount of protrusion of the engaged wall 912A is slightly smaller than the amount of extension of the inner wall 873A (see Figure 4).

[0073] A pair of protrusions 9122A are provided at both the left and right ends of the upper end 9123A of the engaged wall 912A. The pair of protrusions 9122A project toward each other in the left-right direction. A gap is formed between the respective tips of the pair of protrusions 9122A in the left-right direction. Therefore, the space 9121A opens upward from between the pair of protrusions 9122A.

[0074] The protruding wall 913A is provided in front of the engaged wall 912A. The protruding wall 913A has a rectangular shape in plan view and protrudes upward from the base plate 911A so as to surround the space 9131A. That is, space 9131A is the space surrounded by the protruding wall 913A. The amount of protrusion of the protruding wall 913A is greater than the amount of protrusion of the engaged wall 912A and is about the same as the amount of extension of the side wall 872A (see Figure 4).

[0075] As will be explained in more detail later, the connecting portion 91A is connected to the connecting portion 91B (see Figure 9) described later via the hole 8711 (see Figure 3), resulting in a connected state (see Figure 3) that, together with the connecting portion 91B, prevents the crimping members 90A and 90B from detaching from the case body 80.

[0076] The restricting portion 92A is located to the right of the connecting portion 91A and is connected to the connecting portion 91A via the connecting portion 93A. The restricting portion 92A includes a base plate 921A and a protruding plate 922A. The base plate 921A is elongated in plan view and extends longer in the front-to-back direction than in the left-to-right direction. In plan view, the size of the base plate 921A is larger than the size of the hole 8712A (see Figure 6). Therefore, the base plate 921A cannot pass through the hole 8712A in the vertical direction.

[0077] The protruding plate 922A extends upward from the upper surface of the base plate 921A and has a rectangular shape when viewed from the side. The amount of protrusion of the protruding plate 922A is slightly greater than the amount of extension of the inner wall 873A. In the front-to-back direction, the length of the protruding plate 922A is slightly shorter than the length of the hole 8712A. Therefore, the protruding plate 922A can fit into the hole 8712A.

[0078] The connector 93A extends in the left-right direction. The left end of the connector 93A is connected to the right end of the base plate 911A. The right end of the connector 93A is connected to the left end of the base plate 921A. In the front-back direction, the length D1A of the connector 93A is shorter than the length D2A of the right end of the base plate 911A and shorter than the length D3A of the left end of the base plate 921A.

[0079] Next, the structure of the crimping member 90B will be described with reference to Figure 9. The crimping member 90B is composed of a connecting portion 91B, a restricting portion 92B, and a connecting portion 93B. The connecting portion 91B includes a base plate 911B, a pair of hooks 912B, and a protruding portion 913B.

[0080] The base plate 911B has a rectangular shape in plan view and is slightly larger than the hole 8711B (see Figure 7) in the left-right direction. Therefore, the base plate 911B cannot pass through the hole 8711B in the vertical direction.

[0081] Multiple grooves 9111B are provided at the rear end of the base plate 911B. Each of the multiple grooves 9111B corresponds to the shape of one of the multiple protrusions 8713B (see Figure 7) and has a rectangular shape in plan view. The multiple grooves 9111B are arranged in the left-right direction.

[0082] A pair of hooks 912B are provided at the lower end of the base portion 9120B. The base portion 9120B has a rectangular parallelepiped shape and protrudes downward from the central part of the lower surface of the base plate 911B. Each of the pair of hooks 912B is equipped with an extension portion 9121B and a claw 9122B.

[0083] Each of the pair of extensions 9121B extends downward from the lower surface of the base portion 9120B. The pair of extensions 9121B are located at a distance from each other in the left-right direction. In the left-right direction, the distance between the pair of extensions 9121B is slightly smaller than the distance between the pair of projections 9122A (see Figure 8). The claws 9122B are provided at the lower ends of the extensions 9121B. The pair of claws 9122B protrude in opposite directions from each other in the left-right direction.

[0084] The base portion 9120B is provided with a pair of contact portions 9123B. Each of the pair of contact portions 9123B extends downward from the left and right outer sides of the pair of extension portions 9121B on the lower surface of the base portion 9120B, so as to be separated from each other in the left-right direction.

[0085] The lower ends of each of the pair of contact portions 9123B are located above the lower ends of each of the pair of claws 9122B. In the left-right direction, the distance between the pair of contact portions 9123B is approximately the same as the distance between the left and right ends of the upper end 9123A (see Figure 8) of the engaged wall 912A.

[0086] The projection 913B is located in front of the pair of hooks 912B. The projection 913B has a rectangular shape in plan view and protrudes downward from the base plate 911B. In plan view, the size of the projection 913B is smaller than the outer shape of the space 9131A (see Figure 8). Therefore, the projection 913B can fit into the projection wall 913A. The amount of projection 913B protrudes is smaller than the amount of extension of the inner wall 873B (see Figure 4).

[0087] The restricting portion 92B is located to the right of the connecting portion 91B and is connected to the connecting portion 91B via the connecting portion 93B. The restricting portion 92B includes a base plate 921B and a protruding plate 922B. The base plate 921B is elongated in plan view and extends longer in the front-to-back direction than in the left-to-right direction. In plan view, the size of the base plate 921B is larger than the size of the hole 8712B (see Figure 7). Therefore, the base plate 921B cannot pass through the hole 8712B in the vertical direction.

[0088] The protruding plate 922B extends downward from the lower surface of the base plate 921B and has a rectangular shape when viewed from the side. The amount of protrusion of the protruding plate 922B is slightly greater than the amount of extension of the inner wall 873B. In the front-to-back direction, the length of the protruding plate 922B is slightly shorter than the length of the hole 8712B. Therefore, the protruding plate 922B can fit into the hole 8712B. As will be described in more detail later, the restricting portion 92B, by fitting into the hole 8712B (see Figure 3), restricts the case body 80 from being disassembled from the assembled state to the connected state.

[0089] The connector 93B extends in the left-right direction. The left end of the connector 93B is connected to the right end of the base plate 911B. The right end of the connector 93B is connected to the left end of the base plate 921B. In the front-back direction, the length D1B of the connector 93B is shorter than the length D2B of the right end of the base plate 911B and shorter than the length D3B of the left end of the base plate 921B.

[0090] Next, the assembly method of the circuit board case 60 will be described with reference to Figures 3, 4, and 10-13. As shown in Figure 4, the worker places the sub-control board 32 below the upper cover 80B and fixes the sub-control board 32 to the upper wall 81B from below with screws (not shown). Then, the worker inserts the multiple engaging parts 84B into the corresponding multiple holes 841A and assembles the upper cover 80B to the lower cover 80A from above.

[0091] Next, as shown in Figure 10, the worker slides the upper cover 80B from rear to front relative to the lower cover 80A. This causes each of the multiple engaging parts 84B to engage with the engaged part 84A. The engagement of each of the multiple engaging parts 84B with the engaged part 84A restricts the upper cover 80B from sliding further forward relative to the lower cover 80A, and also restricts the upper cover 80B from detaching upward from the lower cover 80A.

[0092] As a result, the case body 80 changes from the released state to the assembled state. In other words, the assembled state is a state in which multiple engaging parts 84B are engaged with the engaged parts 84A.

[0093] Next, with the case body 80 in its assembled state, the worker attaches the crimping member 90A (see Figure 8) to the case body 80 from below, and the crimping member 90B (see Figure 9) to the case body 80 from above.

[0094] In detail, the worker attaches the crimping member 90A to the crimping portion 87A such that the protruding plate 922A fits into the hole 8712A as shown in Figure 11, and the engaged wall 912A fits into the hole 8711A as shown in Figure 12. In this case, the base plate 911A, the connecting portion 93A, and the base plate 921A contact the lower wall 871A from below. Also, as shown in Figure 11, the upper end 9221A of the protruding plate 922A is positioned below the lower end 8731B of the rear wall 8730B of the inner wall 873B.

[0095] Even if the crimping member 90A attempts to move from rear to front relative to the lower cover 80A, the protruding plate 922A contacts the front wall 8720A of the side wall 872A from the rear. This restricts the crimping member 90A from moving from rear to front relative to the lower cover 80A, and prevents the crimping member 90A from detaching forward from the case body 80.

[0096] Furthermore, the worker attaches the crimping member 90B to the crimping portion 87B such that the protruding plate 922B fits into the hole 8712B as shown in Figure 11, and the pair of hooks 912B fit into the hole 8711B as shown in Figure 12. In this case, the base plate 911B, the connecting portion 93B, and the base plate 921B contact the upper wall 871B from above.

[0097] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 11, the lower end 9221B of the protruding plate 922B is positioned below the upper end 8731A of the rear wall 8730A of the inner wall 873A. Therefore, when the case body 80 is assembled, even if the upper cover 80B tries to move from front to back relative to the lower cover 80A, the protruding plate 922B will contact the rear wall 8730A of the inner wall 873A from the front. This restricts the upper cover 80B from moving from front to back relative to the lower cover 80A, and prevents the case body 80 from being disassembled from the assembled state to the detached state.

[0098] Furthermore, even if the crimping member 90B attempts to move from rear to front relative to the upper cover 80B, the protruding plate 922B contacts the front wall 8720B of the side wall 872B from the rear. This restricts the crimping member 90B from moving from rear to front relative to the upper cover 80B, and prevents the crimping member 90B from detaching forward from the case body 80.

[0099] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 12, when connecting the connecting portion 91A and the connecting portion 91B to each other, the worker presses the crimping member 90A and the crimping member 90B against each other in the vertical direction. In this case, the pair of hooks 912B deform so that each claw 9122B moves closer to each other in the horizontal direction, overcoming the pair of protrusions 9122A and moving below the pair of protrusions 9122A. As a result, the pair of hooks 912B engage with the wall to be engaged 912A.

[0100] As a result, the connecting portion 91A and the connecting portion 91B are connected. In other words, the connected state is a state in which the connecting portion 91A and the connecting portion 91B are connected to each other, and in this embodiment, a state in which the pair of hooks 912B are engaged with the wall to be engaged 912A.

[0101] As shown in Figures 11 to 3, in the connected state, the base plate 911A contacts the lower wall 871A from below, and the base plate 911B contacts the upper wall 871B from above. As a result, the connecting parts 91A and 91B prevent the crimping members 90A and 90B from detaching from the case body 80 in the vertical direction when connected.

[0102] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 13, in the connected state, the protruding portion 913B fits into the protruding wall 913A. This restricts the movement of the connecting portion 91A and the connecting portion 91B relative to each other in the front-rear or left-right directions.

[0103] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 12, in the connected state, the respective tips of the pair of contact portions 9123B make surface contact with the upper end 9123A of the engaged wall 912A. Since the respective tips of the pair of contact portions 9123B extend in the front-rear direction, rotation of the connecting portion 91A and the connecting portion 91B relative to each other is restricted in a side view.

[0104] Furthermore, in the connected state, each of the multiple protrusions 8713A (see Figure 6) fits into each of the multiple grooves 9111A (see Figure 8), and as shown in Figure 3, each of the multiple protrusions 8713B fits into each of the multiple grooves 9111B.

[0105] Next, we will explain how to disassemble the circuit board case 60. For example, in order to inspect the sub-control board 32, it may be necessary to remove the sub-control board 32 from inside the circuit board case 60. In this case, the worker needs to disassemble the case body 80 from the assembled state to the detached state. Specifically, the worker disassembles the case body 80 from the assembled state to the detached state using the following method so as not to damage the case body 80.

[0106] First, as shown in Figures 3, 8, 9, and 12, the worker cuts the connecting portion 93A and connecting portion 93B using a tool such as wire cutters. This separates the connecting portion 91A and the restricting portion 92A from each other, and the connecting portion 91B and the restricting portion 92B from each other. In this state, as shown in Figures 3 and 12, the worker pulls the restricting portion 92A downwards through the hole 8712A and the restricting portion 92B upwards through the hole 8712B.

[0107] Since the restricting part 92B restricts the case body 80 from being disassembled from the assembled state to the disassembled state, when the restricting part 92B is detached from the case body 80, the worker can disassemble the case body 80 from the assembled state to the disassembled state.

[0108] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 3, the worker removes the connecting parts 91A and 91B forward through the opening 8721 and hole 8711 while they are still connected. In this state, the worker slides the upper cover 80B from front to rear relative to the lower cover 80A. This causes the engaging part 84B to disengage from the engaged part 84A, and the case body 80 is disassembled from the assembled state to the released state.

[0109] According to the above method, the crimping unit 90 is removed from the case body 80 without damaging the case body 80, and the case body 80 is disassembled from its assembled state to its detached state. Therefore, the case body 80 can be reused. When reassembling the circuit board case 60, the worker can use a new crimping unit 90 and perform the assembly method of the circuit board case 60 described above.

[0110] Furthermore, in the event that a scammer or other fraudster performs an illegal act against the sub-control board 32, the crimping unit 90 may be illegally removed from the case body 80. In this case, as shown in Figure 3, for example, a scammer may insert a tool such as a flathead screwdriver into the gap between the crimping member 90B and the crimping part 87B, and use the principle of leverage to detach the pair of hooks 912B from the engaged wall 912A, thereby releasing the connection between the connecting part 91A and the connecting part 91B. In such a method, there is a possibility that the case body 80 may be damaged by the pressure of the tool.

[0111] In this embodiment, each of the multiple protrusions 8713B fits into each of the multiple grooves 9111B in the gap between the crimping member 90B and the crimping portion 87B. Therefore, it is difficult for a cheat to insert a tool into the gap between the crimping member 90B and the crimping portion 87B. Thus, the circuit board case 60 can deter fraudulent activity against the sub-control board 32.

[0112] Furthermore, if the connection between the connecting portion 91A and the connecting portion 91B is released due to the lever principle, one or both of the engaged wall 912A and the pair of hooks 912B will discolor, such as turning white, or will be damaged. In this embodiment, the rigidity of the pair of hooks 912B is higher than that of the engaged wall 912A. For this reason, the pair of hooks 912B are more prone to damage than when their rigidity is relatively low. The engaged wall 912A is more prone to discoloration than when its rigidity is relatively high.

[0113] Therefore, even if the connecting portion 91A and the connecting portion 91B are subsequently connected again, the discoloration or damage to one or both of the engaged wall 912A and the pair of hooks 912B will leave traces that the crimping unit 90 was illegally removed from the case body 80. Consequently, the manager of the amusement arcade can easily detect any illegal activity against the sub-control board 32.

[0114] As explained above, when attempting to properly remove the crimping unit 90 from the case body 80, the worker cuts the connecting portion 93B and detaches the restricting portion 92B from the hook 912B. This detaches the restricting portion 92B from the case body 80. Therefore, the crimping unit 90 can be removed from the case body 80 without damaging it, and the case body 80 can be disassembled from its assembled state to its detached state. For this reason, there is no need to provide a hole in the case body 80 other than the hole 8712B for reconnecting the connecting portion 91B and the connecting portion 91A. Consequently, the circuit board case 60 can be made smaller by miniaturizing the reusable case body 80.

[0115] Furthermore, the case body 80 is provided with an opening 8721. As a result, when the restricting portion 92B is detached from the connecting portion 91B, the connected connecting portion 91B and connecting portion 91A can be removed from the hole 8711 through the opening 8721. Therefore, the substrate case 60 can easily remove the hook 912B and the engaged wall 912A from the case body 80.

[0116] Furthermore, the upper cover 80B is provided with a hole 8712B. The restricting portion 92B is inserted into the hole 8712B and contacts the lower cover 80A when the case body 80 is displaced from the assembled state to the disassembled state. As a result, the restricting portion 92B can restrict the case body 80 from being displaced from the assembled state to the disassembled state by contacting the lower cover 80A when the case body 80 is displaced from the assembled state to the disassembled state. Therefore, the substrate case 60 can restrict the case body 80 from being displaced from the assembled state to the disassembled state with a simple configuration.

[0117] Furthermore, when the hook 912B engages with the wall 912A, the connecting portion 91B connects with the connecting portion 91A. In this way, the substrate case 60 can connect the connecting portion 91B to the connecting portion 91A with a simple configuration.

[0118] Furthermore, the crimping member 90B is equipped with a connecting portion 93B that connects the connecting portion 91B to the restricting portion 92B. In the front-to-back direction, the length D1B of the connecting portion 93B is shorter than the length D2B of the right end of the base plate 911B (the width of the connecting portion 91B at the position where the connecting portion 93B connects) and shorter than the length D3B of the left end of the base plate 921B (the width of the restricting portion 92B at the position where the connecting portion 93B connects). As a result, the connecting portion 93B is relatively thin, so an operator can easily cut it. Therefore, the substrate case 60 can easily separate the restricting portion 92B from the connecting portion 91B by cutting the connecting portion 93B. Similarly, an operator can also easily cut the connecting portion 93A.

[0119] Furthermore, the rigidity of the hook 912B is higher than that of the engaged wall 912A. Therefore, if an attempt is made to release the connection between the connecting part 91B and the connecting part 91A, the base of the hook 912B is prone to breakage, and the engaged wall 912A is prone to whitening. In other words, traces of the release of the connection between the connecting part 91B and the connecting part 91A are likely to remain on one or both of the crimping members 90A and 90B. Thus, in the circuit board case 60, even if the connection between the connecting part 91B and the connecting part 91A is illegally released, the remaining traces make it easier for the manager of the amusement facility to discover that the connection has been illegally released.

[0120] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the pachinko machine 1 corresponds to the "game machine" of the present invention. The circuit board case 60 corresponds to the "case" of the present invention. The upper cover 80B corresponds to the "first cover" of the present invention. The lower cover 80A corresponds to the "second cover" of the present invention. The vertical direction of the circuit board case 60 corresponds to the "opposing direction" of the present invention. The case body 80 corresponds to the "case body" of the present invention.

[0121] The sub-control board 32 corresponds to the "storage medium" of the present invention. The crimping member 90B corresponds to the "first crimping member" of the present invention. The crimping member 90A corresponds to the "second crimping member" of the present invention. The crimping unit 90 corresponds to the "crimping unit" of the present invention. The restricting part 92B corresponds to the "restricting part" of the present invention. The connecting part 91B corresponds to the "first connecting part" of the present invention.

[0122] Hole 8711 corresponds to the "first hole" of the present invention. Connecting portion 91A corresponds to the "second connecting portion" of the present invention. The front of the substrate case 60 corresponds to the "crossing direction" of the present invention. Opening 8721 corresponds to the "opening" of the present invention. Hole 8712B corresponds to the "second hole" of the present invention. Hook 912B corresponds to the "hook" of the present invention. Engaged wall 912A corresponds to the "receiving portion" of the present invention.

[0123] It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described in detail above, and various modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the invention. Furthermore, the various modifications described below can be combined with each other as long as they do not contradict each other.

[0124] First, with reference to Figure 14, a modified example of the substrate case 601 will be described. Note that for components of the substrate case 601 that have the same function or shape as the substrate case 60, the same reference numerals as in the above embodiment will be used, and their descriptions will be omitted or simplified. In Figure 14, the crimping unit 90 is shown with a dashed line.

[0125] In the circuit board case 601, the crimping portion 87 has a shape that is recessed from the front to the rear of the case body 80. In other words, it differs from the above embodiment in that the crimping portion 87 does not protrude from the case body 80. In the crimping portion 87, the hole 8711 penetrates the case body 80 in the vertical direction. The opening 8721 is provided on the front of the case body 80 and is connected to the hole 8711.

[0126] Furthermore, the crimping portion 87 is provided with multiple holes 8712B. These multiple holes 8712B are located to the left, right, and rear of the hole 8711, respectively, and penetrate the upper cover 80B in the vertical direction. In other words, the presence of multiple holes 8712B and the position of the holes 8712B relative to the hole 8711 differ from the above embodiment. Note that some of the multiple holes 8712B may be omitted.

[0127] Furthermore, the crimping member 90B includes a connecting portion 91B, a plurality of restricting portions 92B, and a plurality of connecting portions 93B. The plurality of restricting portions 92B are located to the left, right, and rear of the connecting portion 91B, respectively, and are inserted into a plurality of holes 8712B. The plurality of connecting portions 93B each connect a plurality of 8712B to the connecting portion 91B. In other words, the presence of multiple restricting portions 92B and multiple connecting portions 93B, and the position of the restricting portions 92B relative to the connecting portion 91B, differs from the above embodiment. Note that some of the plurality of connecting portions 91B, and the connecting portions 93B corresponding to some of the plurality of connecting portions 91B, may be omitted.

[0128] Next, other variations will be described. For example, the configuration of the game board 2 and the method of playing are not limited to the above embodiments. Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to pachinko machines 1, but can also be applied to slot machines, arrangement ball machines, and the like.

[0129] Furthermore, the shapes of the lower cover 80A and the upper cover 80B are not limited to the above embodiment. For example, the lower cover 80A does not need to have a side wall 82A. The upper cover 80B does not need to have a side wall 82B and a lower wall 83B. In other words, the lower cover 80A and the upper cover 80B only need to have a shape that allows the case body 80 to accommodate the sub-control board 32 when assembled. Also, the relationships of the lengths of the lower cover 80A and the upper cover 80B in the front-to-back, left-to-right, and up-to-down directions are not limited to the above embodiment. The relationships of the lengths of other components may also be changed as appropriate, as long as no inconsistencies arise.

[0130] Furthermore, the configurations of the engaged portion 84A and the engaging portion 84B are not limited to the above embodiment. The engaged portion 84A may be provided on the upper cover 80B, and the engaging portion 84B may be provided on the lower cover 80A.

[0131] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the case body 80 moves from the released state to the assembled state by the upper cover 80B sliding relative to the lower cover 80A. In contrast, for example, the case body 80 may be provided with a shaft. The shaft extends in the left-right direction and connects the rear end of the lower cover 80A and the rear end of the upper cover 80B to each other. In this case, the case body 80 is displaced between the assembled state and the released state by the upper cover 80B rotating around the shaft relative to the lower cover 80A. For this reason, the restricting portion 92B should be configured to restrict the rotation of the upper cover 80B relative to the lower cover 80A. Alternatively, the restricting portion 92B may restrict the rotation of the upper cover 80B relative to the lower cover 80A together with the restricting portion 92A. In this case, the engaged portion 84A and the engaging portion 84B do not necessarily have to be provided on the lower cover 80A and the upper cover 80B, respectively, and the engaging portion 84B may be a claw.

[0132] Furthermore, the configurations of the restricting portion 92A and the restricting portion 92B are not limited to the above embodiment. For example, one or both of the restricting portion 92A and the restricting portion 92B may be pin-shaped or ring-shaped. For example, if the restricting portion 92B is ring-shaped, the restricting portion 92A may protrude above the upper wall 871B through the hole 8712B and fit into the restricting portion 92B.

[0133] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, hole 8711A is provided at a position away from hole 8712A in a plan view, and hole 8711B is provided at a position away from hole 8712B in a plan view. In contrast, holes 8711A and 8712A may be connected to each other. Also, holes 8711B and 8712B may be connected to each other.

[0134] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the restricting portion 92A and the restricting portion 92B are arranged in the same position in a plan view. In contrast, the restricting portion 92A and the restricting portion 92B may be arranged in different positions relative to each other in the left-right direction or the front-back direction. For example, the restricting portion 92A may be arranged to the right of the connecting portion 91A, and the restricting portion 92B may be arranged to the left of the connecting portion 91B. In this case, the holes 8712A and 8712B are provided in different positions relative to each other in the left-right direction or the front-back direction and do not need to be connected to each other.

[0135] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, in the connected state, the upper end 9221A of the protruding plate 922A is located at approximately the same position as the lower end 9221B of the protruding plate 922B. In contrast, the upper end 9221A of the protruding plate 922A may be located above the lower end 9221B of the protruding plate 922B. In this case, the upper end 9221A of the protruding plate 922A may be located above the lower end 8731B of the rear wall 8730B of the inner wall 873B. In other words, the restricting portion 92B, like the restricting portion 92A, may also restrict the case body 80 from being disassembled from the assembled state to the connected state by fitting into the hole 8712A. Furthermore, the restricting portion 92A may be omitted. In this case, the hole 8712A may be omitted.

[0136] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the opening 8721 faces forward. In contrast, the opening 8721 may face left or right. For example, the opening 8721 may be provided on the left or right side of the crimping portion 87. Also, the crimping portion 87 does not necessarily have to have an opening 8721. In other words, in a plan view, the entire perimeter of the hole 8711 may be surrounded by a wall. For example, if the connecting portion 93A and the connecting portion 93B are cut, the connecting portion 91A and the connecting portion 91B may be configured to pass through the hole 8711 upward or downward while remaining connected.

[0137] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the crimping portion 87 is provided on the front surface of the case body 80. In contrast, the crimping portion 87 may be provided on the rear surface, left surface, or right surface of the case body 80.

[0138] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the board case 60 houses the sub-control board 32. However, the board case 60 may house other control boards instead of the sub-control board 32, such as the main control board 31, the performance control board 33, the lamp driver board, the payout control board, or the power supply board. In addition, the board case 60 may house multiple control boards.

[0139] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the control board housed in the circuit board case 60 does not necessarily have a CPU. For example, the control board housed in the circuit board case 60 only needs to have at least a storage medium. The storage medium is, for example, a ROM, which may have data related to gameplay by the pachinko machine 1 stored in it beforehand.

[0140] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the first resin material may be a resin other than ABS, such as PC, polyacetal resin (so-called POM), polyphenylene sulfide resin (so-called PPS), acrylic resin (so-called PMMA), etc. The second resin material may be a resin other than PC, such as ABS, POM, PPS, PMMA, etc. The first resin material and the second resin material may be the same material. In addition, from the viewpoint of preventing the pair of hooks 912B from being easily damaged and the engaged wall 912A from being easily whitened, it is preferable that the rigidity of the hooks 912B be higher than the rigidity of the engaged wall 912A, but the invention is not limited to this. Furthermore, the crimping members 90A and 90B do not have to be made of resin, but may be made of metal, ceramics, etc., or may be a hybrid of each material. Furthermore, the material of the lower cover 80A and the upper cover 80B is not limited to resin. Even in these cases, it is preferable that the crimping members 90A and 90B are configured such that one or both of the pair of hooks 912B and the engaged wall 912A undergo discoloration such as whitening or breakage.

[0141] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the connecting portion 91B may be provided with a pin instead of a hook 912B. In this case, the crimping member 90B does not have to be integrally molded; for example, the pin and the parts other than the pin may be made as separate components. When the connecting portion 91B is provided with a pin instead of a hook 912B, for example, the tip of the pin may be enlarged in diameter, or a groove may be provided at the tip of the pin. In this case, the engaged wall 912A may have a shape that allows the enlarged portion of the pin to fit, or to fit into the groove of the pin. The crimping member 90A also does not have to be integrally molded.

[0142] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the shape of each of the multiple protrusions 8713A does not have to be rectangular in plan view; it may be circular, polygonal, or the like. In this case, each of the multiple grooves 9111A may have a shape corresponding to the multiple protrusions 8713A. Also, the number of protrusions 8713A and the number of grooves 9111A may each be one. The multiple protrusions 8713A may be omitted. In other words, the rear end of the lower wall 871A may extend linearly in the left-right direction. In this case, the multiple grooves 9111A may also be omitted. Note that the multiple protrusions 8713B and the multiple grooves 9111B may also be modified in the same way as the multiple protrusions 8713A and the multiple grooves 9111A.

[0143] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the number of hooks 912B may be one or three or more, not just two. Also, in a pair of hooks 912B, each claw 9122B may protrude from the extension portion 9121B in opposite directions. In addition, the connecting portion 91B may include the hook 912B, and the connecting portion 91A may include the engaged wall 912A.

[0144] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, one or both of the pair of contact portions 9123B may be omitted. Also, the protruding wall 913A and the protruding portion 913B may be omitted. Also, the connecting portion 93A may be omitted. In other words, the base plate 911A and the base plate 921A may be connected to each other without the connecting portion 93A, and the overall structure may have a rectangular shape in plan view.

[0145] Furthermore, all elements described in the claims, specification, and drawings (for example, the large prize slot 18) may be physically single or multiple, and their arrangement may be changed as appropriate, unless there is a clear description that intentionally limits their number. Also, the names given to the elements (element names) are merely assigned for the convenience of describing this case, and there is no particular intention to create any special meaning by them. Therefore, the element name alone does not limit the interpretation of what the element is. For example, "storage medium" may be hardware alone or include software. Moreover, whether to appropriately integrate multiple elements from all of the above elements, or to divide one element into multiple elements, is something that can be easily considered by a person skilled in the art, and it is clear that all patterns are within the scope of expectation even without describing all patterns in the specification, etc. Therefore, unless there is a description in the claims etc that explicitly excludes them, it goes without saying that all of them are included in the scope of rights according to the present invention. Therefore, merely adopting structural differences within that scope in a gaming machine on the grounds that they are not described in the above embodiments or modifications does not constitute circumvention of the rights of the present invention. The same applies to other differences in the configuration and shape of each element that are within the scope of obviousness and can be easily conceived by a person skilled in the art from these embodiments or modifications. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0146] 1 Pachinko machine 32 Sub-control board 60, 601 PCB case 80B Top Cover 80 Case Body 80A Lower Cover 90 Crimping Unit 90A Crimping Member 90B Crimping component 91A Connection part 91B Connection part 92A Regulatory Department 92B Regulatory Department 912A was fitted with a composite structure. 912B フック 8711 Hole 8712B Hole 8721 Opening

Claims

1. A case body having a first cover and a second cover, which can be displaced between an assembled state in which the first cover and the second cover are assembled facing each other in opposing directions, and a released state in which the assembled state is released, the case body housing a storage medium for storing data related to gameplay by a gaming machine, A crimping unit having a first crimping member attached to the case body from the first cover side in the opposing direction, and a second crimping member attached to the case body from the second cover side in the opposing direction. Equipped with, The first crimping member is, A restricting unit that restricts the displacement of the case body from the assembled state to the released state, It comprises a first connecting portion that connects to the aforementioned regulating portion, The second crimping member is, The case body is connected to the first connecting portion through a first hole that penetrates in the opposite direction, thereby providing a second connecting portion that prevents the first crimping member and the second crimping member from detaching from the case body. The case is characterized in that the case body is provided with an opening that connects to the first hole, and when the first connecting portion is separated from the restricting portion, the opening allows the first connecting portion and the second connecting portion to exit the case body in a direction intersecting the opposing direction.

2. A case body having a first cover and a second cover, which can be displaced between an assembled state in which the first cover and the second cover are assembled facing each other in opposing directions, and a released state in which the assembled state is released, the case body housing a storage medium for storing data related to gameplay by a gaming machine, A crimping unit having a first crimping member attached to the case body from the first cover side in the opposing direction, and a second crimping member attached to the case body from the second cover side in the opposing direction. Equipped with, The first crimping member is, A restricting unit that restricts the displacement of the case body from the assembled state to the released state, It comprises a first connecting portion that connects to the aforementioned regulating portion, The second crimping member is, The case body is connected to the first connecting portion through a first hole that penetrates in the opposite direction, thereby providing a second connecting portion that prevents the first crimping member and the second crimping member from detaching from the case body. The first cover is provided with a second hole located at a different position from the first hole when viewed from the opposite direction. The regulating portion is inserted into the second hole and is characterized in that it contacts the second cover when the case body is displaced from the assembled state to the released state.

3. The first cover is provided with a second hole located at a different position from the first hole when viewed from the opposite direction. The restricting portion is inserted into the second hole and contacts the second cover when the case body is displaced from the assembled state to the released state. The case according to feature 1.

4. One of the first connecting portion and the second connecting portion includes a hook, The other of the first connecting portion and the second connecting portion includes a receiving portion into which the hook engages. The case according to feature 1 or 2.

5. A gaming machine comprising the case described in any one of Claims 1 to 3.

6. A gaming machine comprising the case described in Claim 4.

Images