Gaming machine

Abstract

To provide a game machine capable of enhancing performance effects.SOLUTION: A shielded area SE1 is adopted as a passage of light or the like, not a place for drawing a figure or a pattern. By making it a portion where a visual recognition mode can be changed, the shielded area SE1 is used effectively and the freedom degree of decoration of a game board 13 can be enhanced, and as a result, a performance effect of the game board 13 can be enhanced. A transmitted light R2 to be emitted on the front side toward the game board 13 from the rear side position of the game board 13 can be emitted on the front side through a part of a window 60a overlapped with the shielded area SE1. Therefore, since the vicinity of the shielded area SE1 which tends to have a dark impression can be brightly illuminated with light, the performance effect in the vicinity of the shielded area SE1 can be enhanced.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 10

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to gaming machines such as pachinko machines.

Background Art

[0002] It comprises components that constitute the flow region. There is a gaming machine (Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Literature

Patent Literature

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problem to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, in the conventional gaming machine described above, There is room for improvement from the standpoint of optimally configuring the flow region. there has been the problem described above. The present invention has been made to solve the above exemplified problems, The flow region is configured appropriately. it is an object of the present invention to provide a gaming machine that can.

Means for Solving the Problem

[0005] To achieve this objective, the gaming machine according to claim 1 comprises: a first flow region visible to a player and configured to allow game balls to flow down; a first component forming one side of the first flow region; a second component forming the other side of the first flow region; a second flow region on which the first component forms one side and is visible to a player and configured to allow game balls to flow down; and a third component forming at least a part of the other side of the second flow region, wherein the first flow region and the second flow region are configured to be continuous; the third component is a separate member from the second component and is fastened to the second component; the gaming machine is configured to irradiate light from the rear of the second flow region toward a predetermined area of ​​the second flow region; and above the position where the second component and the third component overlap in a front view, there is a first inclined portion of the second component that can displace game balls that have flowed down the first flow region in a predetermined manner toward the first component. one The third component is formed on one side, and a predetermined surface of the first component constituting the one side is non-parallel to the first inclined portion, and a game ball that comes into contact with the first inclined portion is displaced toward the predetermined surface, and a game ball that flows down toward the predetermined surface is displaced toward the second inclined portion formed on the third component side, and a specific portion into which a predetermined portion of the third component fits is provided on the second component, the third component is not fitted to the first component, and the third component is not provided with an operating member that can come into contact with a game ball flowing down toward the second flow region. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the gaming machine described in claim 1, The flow region is configured appropriately. It is possible. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0011] [Figure 1] This is a front view of a pachinko machine in the first embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a front view of the game board of a pachinko machine. [Figure 3] This is a rear view of a pachinko machine. [Figure 4] It is a block diagram showing the electrical configuration of a pachinko machine. [Figure 5] It is an exploded front perspective view of a game board and an operation unit. [Figure 6] It is a front view of a left performance unit. [Figure 7] (a) is a cross-sectional view of the left performance unit taken along line VIIa-VIIa in Fig. 6, and (b) is a cross-sectional view of the left performance unit taken along line VIIb-VIIb in Fig. 6. [Figure 8] It is a cross-sectional view of the game board taken along line VIII-VIII in Fig. 6. [Figure 9] It is a front view of a base plate. [Figure 10] It is a cross-sectional view of the game machine taken along the line corresponding to line X-X in Fig. 9. [Figure 11] It is a rear view of a right performance unit. [Figure 12] It is an exploded rear view of the right performance unit. [Figure 13] It is an exploded front perspective view of the right performance unit. [Figure 14] It is an exploded rear perspective view of the right performance unit. [Figure 15] It is a front view of an operation unit. [Figure 16] It is a front view of an operation unit. [Figure 17] It is a front perspective view of an operation unit. [Figure 18] It is an exploded front perspective view of an operation unit. [Figure 19] It is a front perspective view of a first operation unit. [Figure 20] It is a rear perspective view of the first operation unit. [Figure 21] (a) and (b) are front perspective views of a composite operation unit. [Figure 22] (a) and (b) are rear perspective views of the composite operation unit. [Figure 23] It is an exploded front perspective view of the composite operation unit. [Figure 24]It is an exploded front perspective view of a composite motion unit. [Figure 25] It is an exploded front perspective view of a rotation unit. [Figure 26] It is an exploded rear perspective view of a rotation unit. [Figure 27] It is an exploded front perspective view of a left rotation cover and a rotating body. [Figure 28] It is an exploded front perspective view of a rotating body and a right rotation cover. [Figure 29] (a) and (b) are exploded front perspective views of a composite motion unit of a first motion unit. [Figure 30] (a) is an exploded front perspective view of a partial configuration of a rotation unit, and (b) is a perspective view schematically showing a harness constituting electric wiring. [Figure 31] (a) is a top view of a guide member, (b) is a cross-sectional view of the guide member and electric wiring taken along line XXXIb-XXXIb in FIG. 31(a), (c) is a cross-sectional view of the guide member and electric wiring taken along line XXXIc-XXXIc in FIG. 31(a), (d) is a cross-sectional view of the guide member taken along line XXXId-XXXId in FIG. 31(a), and (e) is a cross-sectional view of the guide member and electric wiring taken along line XXXIe-XXXIe in FIG. 31(d). [Figure 32] (a) is a left side view of a composite motion unit, (b) is a front view of the composite motion unit, and (c) is a right side view of the composite motion unit. [Figure 33] (a) is a left side view of a composite motion unit, (b) is a front view of the composite motion unit, and (c) is a right side view of the composite motion unit. [Figure 34] (a) is a left side view of a composite motion unit, (b) is a front view of the composite motion unit, and (c) is a right side view of the composite motion unit. [Figure 35] (a) to (f) are front views of a third symbol display device and a first motion unit that schematically show the third symbol display device and the first motion unit. [Figure 36] (a) and (b) are left side views of a detection sensor and a driven plate of a right rotation cover. [Figure 37] This is a front perspective view of the second operating unit. [Figure 38] This is a front perspective view of the second operating unit. [Figure 39] This is a rear perspective view of the second operating unit. [Figure 40] This is a rear perspective view of the second operating unit. [Figure 41] This is a disassembled front perspective view of the second operating unit. [Figure 42] This is a rear perspective view of the disassembled second operating unit. [Figure 43] This is an exploded front perspective view of the fixed base member, displacement base member, driving means, transmission means, and biasing means. [Figure 44] This is an exploded rear perspective view of the fixed base member, displacement base member, driving means, transmission means, and biasing means. [Figure 45] This is a disassembled front perspective view of the pivot support mechanism and the connecting mechanism. [Figure 46] This is a disassembled rear perspective view of the pivot support mechanism and the connecting mechanism. [Figure 47] This is a frontal perspective view of the disassembled staging system. [Figure 48] This is a rear perspective view of the disassembled display device. [Figure 49] This is a partial cross-sectional view of the second operating unit in a plane extending horizontally through the columnar fastening portion of the support means. [Figure 50] This is a front view of the second operating unit. [Figure 51] This is a front view of the second operating unit. [Figure 52] This is a front view of the second operating unit. [Figure 53] (a) to (c) are front views of the rotating arm member and the end gear. [Figure 54] This is a front view of the second operating unit. [Figure 55] Figure 50 is a partial cross-sectional view of the second operating unit on the LV-LV line. [Figure 56] Figure 50 is a cross-sectional view of the second operating unit on the LVI-LVI line. [Figure 57] Figure 51 is a cross-sectional view of the second operating unit on the LVII-LVII line. [Figure 58] Figure 52 is a cross-sectional view of the second operating unit on the LVIII-LVIII line. [Figure 59] (a) and (b) are partial cross-sectional views of the game board in the second embodiment along line XX in Figure 9. [Figure 60] (a) is a front view of the second operating unit in the third embodiment, and (b) is a front perspective view of the small diameter collar. [Figure 61] This is a front view of the second operating unit. [Figure 62] This is an exploded front perspective view of the right-side display unit in the fourth embodiment. [Figure 63] This is a rear perspective view of the disassembled right-side performance unit. [Figure 64] This is a front view of the second operating unit in the fifth embodiment. [Figure 65] This is a front view of the second operating unit. [Figure 66] This is a front view of the second operating unit. [Figure 67] This is a front view of the second operating unit. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0012] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the attached drawings. First, with reference to Figures 1 to 58, one embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a pachinko game machine (hereinafter simply referred to as "pachinko machine") 10 will be described as the first embodiment. Figure 1 is a front view of the pachinko machine 10 in the first embodiment, Figure 2 is a front view of the game board 13 of the pachinko machine 10, and Figure 3 is a rear view of the pachinko machine 10.

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

[0014] As shown in Figure 1, the pachinko machine 10 comprises an outer frame 11 formed by a roughly rectangular wooden frame, and an inner frame 12 formed to be approximately the same external shape as the outer frame 11 and supported by the outer frame 11 so as to be openable and closable. Metal hinges 18 are attached to the outer frame 11 at two locations, upper and lower, on the left side in a front view (see Figure 1) to support the inner frame 12, and the inner frame 12 is supported so as to be openable and closable towards the front, with the side on which the hinges 18 are provided as the axis of opening and closing.

[0015] A game board 13 (see Figure 2), which has numerous nails and prize slots 63, 64, etc., is attached to the inner frame 12 in a way that it can be detachably mounted from the back side. The ball game is played by balls (game balls) flowing down the front of this game board 13. The inner frame 12 is also fitted with a ball launching unit 112a (see Figure 4) that launches balls into the front area of ​​the game board 13, and a launching rail (not shown) that guides the balls launched from the ball launching unit 112a to the front area of ​​the game board 13.

[0016] The front side of the inner frame 12 is provided with a front frame 14 that covers its upper front side and a lower tray unit 15 that covers its lower side. To support the front frame 14 and the lower tray unit 15, metal hinges 19 are attached to two locations, upper and lower, on the left side in a front view (see Figure 1). The side on which the hinges 19 are provided is used as the axis of opening and closing, allowing the front frame 14 and the lower tray unit 15 to open and close towards the front. The locking of the inner frame 12 and the locking of the front frame 14 are released by inserting a special key into the keyhole 21 of the cylinder lock 20 and performing a predetermined operation.

[0017] The front frame 14 is assembled with decorative resin parts and electrical components, and a roughly elliptical window section 14c is provided in its approximate center. A glass unit 16 having two glass plates is arranged on the back side of the front frame 14, and the front of the game board 13 is visible from the front side of the pachinko machine 10 through the glass unit 16.

[0018] The front frame 14 has a roughly box-like structure with an upper tray 17 that extends forward and has an open top surface for storing balls. Prize balls and loaned balls are dispensed into this upper tray 17. The bottom surface of the upper tray 17 slopes downward to the right when viewed from the front (see Figure 1), and this slope guides the balls placed in the upper tray 17 to the ball launching unit 112a (see Figure 4). A frame button 22 is also provided on the top surface of the upper tray 17. This frame button 22 is operated by the player, for example, to change the stage of the animation displayed on the third symbol display device 81 (see Figure 2) or to change the content of the super reach animation.

[0019] The front frame 14 is equipped with various light-emitting means such as lamps around its periphery (for example, the corners). These light-emitting means are controlled to change their illumination pattern by lighting up or flashing in response to changes in the game state, such as during a jackpot or a predetermined reach, thereby enhancing the visual effects during gameplay. The periphery of the window section 14c is provided with illuminated sections 29-33, each containing a light-emitting means such as an LED. In the pachinko machine 10, these illuminated sections 29-33 function as display lamps such as jackpot lamps, and during jackpots or reach sequences, the built-in LEDs light up or flash, indicating that a jackpot is in progress or that the player is one step away from a jackpot. In addition, the upper left of the front frame 14 (see Figure 1) is equipped with an indicator lamp 34 that contains a light-emitting means such as an LED and can display whether a prize ball is being dispensed or an error has occurred.

[0020] Furthermore, a small window 35 is formed on the lower side of the right-side illuminated section 32 by attaching transparent resin from the back side so that the back side of the front frame 14 can be seen, and the stickers etc. that are attached to the attachment space K1 (see Figure 2) on the front of the game board 13 can be seen from the front of the pachinko machine 10. In addition, in the pachinko machine 10, plated members 36 made of chrome-plated ABS resin are attached to the area around the illuminated sections 29 to 33 to create a more dazzling appearance.

[0021] Below the window section 14c, a ball dispensing operation unit 40 is provided. The ball dispensing operation unit 40 is equipped with a balance display unit 41, a ball dispensing button 42, and a return button 43. When the ball dispensing operation unit 40 is operated with banknotes or cards inserted into the card unit (ball dispensing unit) (not shown) located on the side of the pachinko machine 10, balls are dispensed according to the operation. Specifically, the balance display unit 41 is an area where the remaining balance information of the card, etc. is displayed, and a built-in LED lights up to display the remaining balance as a number. The ball dispensing button 42 is operated to obtain dispensed balls based on the information recorded on the card, etc. (recording medium), and dispensed balls are supplied to the upper tray 17 as long as there is a balance on the card, etc. The return button 43 is operated when requesting the return of the card, etc. inserted into the card unit. In pachinko machines where balls are dispensed directly to the upper tray 17 from a ball dispensing device without the use of a card unit, so-called cash machines, the ball dispensing operation unit 40 is unnecessary. In this case, the component configuration can be made common by adding decorative stickers or the like to the installation area of ​​the ball dispensing operation unit 40. This allows for the commonality of pachinko machines using a card unit and cash machines.

[0022] The lower tray unit 15, located below the upper tray 17, has a roughly box-shaped lower tray 50 on its left side, which is used to store balls that could not be stored in the upper tray 17. An operating handle 51 is provided on the right side of the lower tray 50, which is operated by the player to launch the balls into the front of the game board 13.

[0023] The operating handle 51 contains a touch sensor 51a for allowing the ball launching unit 112a to be driven, a launch stop switch 51b for stopping ball launching while the handle is being pressed, and a variable resistor (not shown) for detecting the amount of rotation (rotation position) of the operating handle 51 by a change in electrical resistance. When the operating handle 51 is rotated clockwise by the player, the touch sensor 51a is turned on and the resistance value of the variable resistor changes in accordance with the amount of rotation. The ball is then launched with a strength (launch intensity) corresponding to the resistance value of the variable resistor, and the ball is driven towards the front of the game board 13 with a distance corresponding to the player's operation. When the operating handle 51 is not being operated by the player, the touch sensor 51a and the launch stop switch 51b are turned off.

[0024] A ball release lever 52 is provided on the lower front of the lower tray 50 for operating when discharging the balls stored in the lower tray 50 downwards. This ball release lever 52 is always biased to the right, and by sliding it to the left against this bias, a bottom opening formed on the bottom surface of the lower tray 50 opens, and the balls fall out naturally from this bottom opening and are discharged. This ball release lever 52 is usually operated with a box (commonly called a "senryobako") placed below the lower tray 50 to receive the balls discharged from the lower tray 50. As described above, an operating handle 51 is provided to the right of the lower tray 50, and an ashtray 53 is attached to the left of the lower tray 50.

[0025] As shown in Figure 2, the game board 13 is constructed by assembling numerous nails (not shown) and windmills (not shown) for guiding the balls, as well as rails 61, 62, a general prize slot 63, a first prize slot 64, a second prize slot 640, a variable prize device 65, a through gate 67, a variable display unit 80, etc., onto a base plate 60 that is cut into a roughly square shape when viewed from the front, and its periphery is attached to the back side (or front side) of the inner frame 12 (see Figure 1).

[0026] The base plate 60 is formed from a wooden board. The general prize slot 63, the first prize slot 64, the second prize slot 640, and the variable display unit 80 are arranged in through holes formed in the base plate 60 by router processing (see, for example, Figure 5), and are fixed from the front side of the game board 13 with tapping screws or the like. The base plate 60 may also be made of a light-transmitting resin material. In this case, it becomes possible for the player to see the various structures arranged on the back side of the base plate 60 from the front side.

[0027] The central front portion of the game board 13 can be viewed from the front side of the inner frame 12 through the window portion 14c (see Figure 1) of the front frame 14. The configuration of the game board 13 will be described below, mainly with reference to Figure 2.

[0028] An outer rail 62, formed by bending a strip of metal plate into a roughly arc shape, is installed on the front of the game board 13, and an arc-shaped inner rail 61, also formed from a strip of metal plate, is installed inside the outer rail 62. The outer rail 61 and outer rail 62 surround the outer perimeter of the front of the game board 13, and the front and back are surrounded by the game board 13 and the glass unit 16 (see Figure 1), thus forming a game area on the front of the game board 13 where the game is played by the movement of balls. The game area is the area on the front of the game board 13 that is demarcated by the two rails 61 and 62 and the resin outer edge member 73 that connects the rails (an area where prize slots are provided and the launched balls flow down).

[0029] The two rails 61 and 62 are provided to guide the balls launched from the ball launching unit 112a (see Figure 4) to the top of the game board 13. A ball return prevention member 68 is attached to the tip of the inner rail 61 (upper left in Figure 2) to prevent the balls that have been guided to the top of the game board 13 from returning to the ball guidance passage. A return rubber 69 is attached to the tip of the outer rail 62 (upper right in Figure 2) at a position corresponding to the maximum flight distance of the ball. Balls launched with a force exceeding a predetermined amount will hit the return rubber 69, have their force reduced, and be bounced back towards the center.

[0030] In the lower left side of the game area (lower left side in Figure 2), there are two first symbol display devices 37A and 37B, each equipped with multiple LEDs and a 7-segment display, which serve as light-emitting means. The first symbol display devices 37A and 37B display information according to the various controls performed by the main control device 110 (see Figure 4), and primarily display the game status of the pachinko machine 10. In this embodiment, the first symbol display devices 37A and 37B are configured to be used differently depending on whether the ball enters the first prize slot 64 or the second prize slot 640. Specifically, when the ball enters the first prize slot 64, the first symbol display device 37A is activated, while when the ball enters the second prize slot 640, the first symbol display device 37B is activated.

[0031] Furthermore, the first symbol display devices 37A and 37B use LEDs to indicate whether the pachinko machine 10 is in a probability variation mode, a time reduction mode, or a normal mode, whether or not it is in a variation mode, whether or not the stopped symbol corresponds to a probability variation jackpot, a normal jackpot, or a losing symbol, and the number of reserved balls. In addition, a 7-segment display device is used to show the number of rounds during a jackpot and to display errors. Multiple LEDs are configured so that each LED emits a different color (for example, red, green, and blue), and by combining these colors, various game states of the pachinko machine 10 can be indicated with a small number of LEDs.

[0032] In this pachinko machine 10, a lottery is held when a ball enters the first prize slot 64 or the second prize slot 640. In this lottery, the pachinko machine 10 determines whether or not it is a jackpot (jackpot lottery), and if it is determined to be a jackpot, it also determines the type of jackpot. The types of jackpots that can be determined here are 15R probability variation jackpot, 4R probability variation jackpot, and 15R normal jackpot. The first symbol display devices 37A and 37B not only show whether or not the result of the lottery is a jackpot as the stopping symbols after the spin ends, but also show symbols corresponding to the type of jackpot if it is a jackpot.

[0033] Here, "15R probability variation jackpot" refers to a probability variation jackpot where the game transitions to a high-probability state after a jackpot with a maximum of 15 rounds, and "4R probability variation jackpot" refers to a probability variation jackpot where the game transitions to a high-probability state after a jackpot with a maximum of 4 rounds. Furthermore, "15R normal jackpot" refers to a jackpot where the game transitions to a low-probability state after a jackpot with a maximum of 15 rounds, and enters a time-saving state for a predetermined number of spins (for example, 100 spins).

[0034] Furthermore, "high probability state" refers to the state in which the probability of subsequent jackpots is increased as an added value after a jackpot has ended, also known as probability variation (probability variation), or in other words, a state of play in which it is easy to transition to a special game state. In this embodiment, the high probability state (probability variation) includes a state of play in which the probability of hitting the second symbol, as described later, is increased and it is easy for balls to enter the second prize slot 640. "Low probability state" refers to the time when it is not a probability variation, and the jackpot probability is in the normal state, that is, a state in which the jackpot probability is lower than when it is a probability variation. Furthermore, the time-saving state (time-saving) within the "low probability state" refers to a state of play in which the jackpot probability is in the normal state, and the jackpot probability remains the same, but only the probability of hitting the second symbol is increased, making it easy for balls to enter the second prize slot 640. On the other hand, when the pachinko machine 10 is in the normal state, it is a state of play in which it is neither a probability variation nor a time-saving state (a state in which neither the jackpot probability nor the probability of hitting the second symbol is increased).

[0035] During the bonus round or time-saving mode, not only is the probability of hitting the second symbol increased, but the time for which the electric mechanism 640a attached to the second prize slot 640 is open is also changed, and it is set to a longer time compared to normal mode. When the electric mechanism 640a is open (open state), it is easier for balls to enter the second prize slot 640 compared to when the electric mechanism 640a is closed (closed state). Therefore, during the bonus round or time-saving mode, it is easier for balls to enter the second prize slot 640, and the number of times the jackpot lottery is held can be increased.

[0036] Furthermore, during the probability variation or time reduction mode, instead of changing the opening time of the electric mechanism 640a associated with the second prize slot 640, or in addition to changing the opening time, the number of times the electric mechanism 640a opens per win may be increased compared to normal mode. Alternatively, during the probability variation or time reduction mode, the probability of winning with the second symbol may not be changed, but at least one of the opening time of the electric mechanism 640a associated with the second prize slot 640 and the number of times the electric mechanism 640a opens per win may be changed. Alternatively, during the probability variation or time reduction mode, the opening time of the electric mechanism 640a associated with the second prize slot 640 and the number of times the electric mechanism 640a opens per win may not be changed, and only the probability of winning with the second symbol may be increased compared to normal mode.

[0037] The game area is equipped with multiple general prize slots 63 from which 5 to 15 balls are dispensed as prize balls when a ball enters. A variable display unit 80 is also provided in the central part of the game area. The variable display unit 80 is equipped with a third symbol display device 81, which is composed of a liquid crystal display (hereinafter simply abbreviated as "display device") that displays the changing pattern of the third symbol in synchronization with the changing pattern of the first symbol display devices 37A and 37B, triggered by a ball entering the first prize slot 64 and the second prize slot 640 (start prize), and a second symbol display device (not shown) composed of LEDs that displays the changing pattern of the second symbol, triggered by a ball passing through the through gate 67. A center frame 86 is also provided in the variable display unit 80 so as to surround the third symbol display device 81 when viewed from the front.

[0038] The third symbol display device 81 is composed of a large liquid crystal display ranging from 9 inches to 19 inches in size. The display content is controlled by the display control device 114 (see Figure 4), so that, for example, three rows of symbols—top, middle, and bottom—are displayed. Each row of symbols consists of multiple symbols (third symbols), and these third symbols scroll horizontally for each row of symbols, so that the third symbols are variably displayed on the display screen of the third symbol display device 81. In this embodiment, the third symbol display device 81 displays decorative information corresponding to the display of the first symbol display devices 37A and 37B, while the display of the game state in accordance with the control of the main control device 110 (see Figure 4) is performed by the first symbol display devices 37A and 37B. Alternatively, the third symbol display device 81 may be configured using, for example, reels instead of a display device.

[0039] The second symbol display device performs a variable display by alternately lighting up the "○" symbol and the "×" symbol (second symbol (not shown)) for a predetermined time each time a ball passes through the through gate 67. In the pachinko machine 10, when it is detected that a ball has passed through the through gate 67, a winning lottery is held. If the winning lottery is successful, the second symbol display device will stop displaying the "○" symbol after the variable display of the second symbol. If the winning lottery is unsuccessful, the second symbol display device will stop displaying the "×" symbol after the variable display of the third symbol.

[0040] The pachinko machine 10 is configured such that when the variable display on the second symbol display device stops at a predetermined symbol (in this embodiment, the symbol "○"), the electric mechanism 640a attached to the second prize entry opening 640 becomes operational (opens) for a predetermined time.

[0041] The time required for the second symbol to change is set to be shorter during the probability variation or time reduction modes than during the normal game state. As a result, during the probability variation and time reduction modes, the second symbol changes in a shorter time, allowing for more winning draws than during normal gameplay. Therefore, the chances of winning in the winning draw increase, giving the player more opportunities to open the electric mechanism 640a of the second prize slot 640. Thus, during the probability variation and time reduction modes, it is possible to make it easier for balls to enter the second prize slot 640.

[0042] Furthermore, if, during a bonus round or time-saving mode, the probability of winning is increased, or if the opening time or number of openings of the electric mechanism 640a per win is increased, or if other methods are used to make it easier for balls to enter the second prize slot 640 during a bonus round or time-saving mode, the time required for the second symbol to change may be kept constant regardless of the game state. On the other hand, if the time required for the second symbol to change is set shorter during a bonus round or time-saving mode than during normal play, the probability of winning may be kept constant regardless of the game state, and the opening time or number of openings of the electric mechanism 640a per win may also be kept constant regardless of the game state.

[0043] The through gate 67 is assembled to the game board 13 in the area to the right of the variable display unit 80 and is configured to allow some of the balls launched onto the game board 13 to pass through. When a ball passes through the through gate 67, a lottery for the second symbol win is held. After the lottery, the second symbol display device performs a variable display. If the result of the lottery is a win, the symbol "○" is displayed as the stopping symbol on the variable display. If the result of the lottery is a loss, the symbol "×" is displayed as the stopping symbol on the variable display.

[0044] The number of times a ball passes through the through gate 67 is limited to a maximum of four times in total. The number of balls held is displayed by the first symbol display devices 37A and 37B described above, and is also indicated by the illumination of the second symbol hold lamps (not shown). Four second symbol hold lamps are provided, corresponding to the maximum number of balls held, and are arranged symmetrically below the third symbol display device 81.

[0045] In addition to the method used in this embodiment to switch the illumination and de-illumination of multiple lamps in the second symbol display device, the display of the second symbol variation may also be performed using parts of the first symbol display devices 37A and 37B and the third symbol display device 81. Similarly, the illumination of the second symbol hold lamp may be performed using parts of the third symbol display device 81.

[0046] Furthermore, the maximum number of balls held for passing through the through gate 67 is not limited to 4, but may be set to 3 or less, or 5 or more (for example, 8). Also, the number of through gates 67 assembled is not limited to one, but may be, for example, two.

[0047] Furthermore, the assembly position of the through gate 67 is not limited to the right side of the variable display unit 80, but may be, for example, to the left or right, or below, the variable display unit 80. Also, since the number of reserved balls is indicated by the first symbol display devices 37A and 37B, the second symbol reserved lamp may not be illuminated to indicate this.

[0048] Below the variable display unit 80, there is a first prize slot 64 into which a ball can enter. When a ball enters this first prize slot 64, a first prize slot switch (not shown) located on the back side of the game board 13 is turned on. This activation of the first prize slot switch triggers a jackpot lottery in the main control device 110 (see Figure 4), and the result of the lottery is displayed on the first symbol display device 37A.

[0049] On the other hand, a second prize slot 640 into which a ball can enter is located below the first prize slot 64 when viewed from the front. When a ball enters this second prize slot 640, a second prize slot switch (not shown) located on the back side of the game board 13 is turned on. This activation of the second prize slot switch triggers a jackpot lottery in the main control device 110 (see Figure 4), and the result of the lottery is displayed on the first symbol display device 37B.

[0050] Furthermore, the first prize slot 64 and the second prize slot 640 are also prize slots from which five balls are dispensed as prize balls when a ball enters them. In this embodiment, the number of prize balls dispensed when a ball enters the first prize slot 64 and the number of prize balls dispensed when a ball enters the second prize slot 640 are the same. However, the number of prize balls dispensed when a ball enters the first prize slot 64 and the number of prize balls dispensed when a ball enters the second prize slot 640 may be set to different numbers. For example, the number of prize balls dispensed when a ball enters the first prize slot 64 may be set to three, and the number of prize balls dispensed when a ball enters the second prize slot 640 may be set to five.

[0051] The second prize slot 640 is equipped with an electric mechanism 640a. This electric mechanism 640a is configured to open and close, and normally the electric mechanism 640a is in a closed state (reduced state), making it difficult for the ball to enter the second prize slot 640. On the other hand, if the second symbol is displayed on the second symbol display device as a result of the second symbol change display triggered by the ball passing through the through gate 67, the electric mechanism 640a opens (expands), making it easier for the ball to enter the second prize slot 640.

[0052] As mentioned above, during the bonus round and time-saving mode, the probability of hitting the second symbol is higher than during normal play, and the time it takes for the second symbol to change is also shorter. As a result, the "○" symbol is more likely to be displayed during the second symbol change, and the number of times the electric mechanism 640a opens (expands) increases. Furthermore, during the bonus round and time-saving mode, the time for which the electric mechanism 640a is open is also longer than during normal play. Therefore, during the bonus round and time-saving mode, it is possible to create a situation where it is easier for balls to enter the second prize slot 640 compared to normal play.

[0053] Here, the probability of hitting the jackpot is the same whether the ball enters the first prize slot 64 or the second prize slot 640, regardless of whether the state is low or high probability. However, the probability of selecting a 15R probability variation jackpot is set higher when the ball enters the second prize slot 640 than when the ball enters the first prize slot 64. On the other hand, the first prize slot 64 does not have an electric mechanism 640a like the second prize slot 640, and the ball can enter it at all times.

[0054] Therefore, under normal circumstances, the electric mechanism 640a associated with the second prize slot 640 is often in a closed state, making it difficult to enter the second prize slot 640. For this reason, it is more advantageous for the player to aim for the first prize slot 64, which does not have the electric mechanism 640a, by launching the ball so that it passes to the left of the variable display unit 80 (so-called "left-handed shooting"), thereby increasing the chances of winning the jackpot by entering the first prize slot 64.

[0055] On the other hand, during the probability variation mode or the time reduction mode, passing the ball through the through gate 67 makes it easier for the electric mechanism 640a attached to the second prize entry point 640 to open, making it easier for the ball to enter the second prize entry point 640. Therefore, it is advantageous for the player to aim for the second prize entry point 640 by shooting the ball so that it passes to the right of the variable display device 80 (so-called "right-handed shooting"), passing through the through gate 67 to open the electric mechanism 640a, and aiming for a 15R probability variation jackpot by entering the second prize entry point 640.

[0056] Unlike the pachinko machine 10 in this embodiment, if the game board 13 is symmetrical, the player can aim for the first prize slot 64 with a "right-handed" shot or the second prize slot 640 with a "left-handed" shot. Therefore, the pachinko machine 10 in this embodiment does not require the player to change the way they shoot the balls between "left-handed" and "right-handed" depending on the game state of the pachinko machine 10 (whether it is in a probability variation mode, a time reduction mode, or normal mode). Thus, the hassle of changing the way the balls are shot can be eliminated.

[0057] On the other hand, in the pachinko machine 10 of this embodiment, it is configured so that the first prize entry point 64 cannot be targeted when shooting to the right, and balls shot with a left-handed motion do not pass through the through gate 67. Therefore, the pachinko machine 10 of this embodiment can require the player to change the way they shoot the balls between "left-handed" and "right-handed" depending on the game state of the pachinko machine 10 (whether it is in a probability variation mode, a time reduction mode, or normal mode). Thus, by adding a gameplay feature that allows the player to change the way they shoot the balls, it is possible to prevent the game from becoming slow.

[0058] To the right of the first prize slot 64 is a variable prize slot 65 (see Figure 2), and a specific prize slot 65a is provided in its approximate center. In the pachinko machine 10, when a jackpot is won in a jackpot lottery conducted due to a ball entering the first prize slot 64 or the second prize slot 640, after a predetermined time (variation time) has elapsed, the first symbol display device 37A or the first symbol display device 37B is lit up to show the jackpot stop symbol, and the stop symbol corresponding to that jackpot is displayed on the third symbol display device 81 to indicate that a jackpot has occurred. After that, the game state transitions to a special game state (jackpot) in which balls are more likely to enter. In this special game state, the specific prize slot 65a, which is normally closed, is opened for a predetermined time (for example, until 30 seconds have elapsed, or until 10 balls have entered).

[0059] This specific prize slot 65a closes after a predetermined time has elapsed, and after closing, it is opened again for a predetermined time. This opening and closing operation of the specific prize slot 65a can be repeated up to, for example, 15 times (15 rounds). This state in which the opening and closing operation is performed is a form of special game state that is advantageous to the player, and the player receives a larger payout of prize balls than usual as a grant of game value.

[0060] Furthermore, the special game state is not limited to the configuration described above. A large opening that opens and closes separately from the specific prize entry point 65a may be provided in the game area, and when the LED corresponding to a jackpot lights up in the first symbol display devices 37A and 37B, the specific prize entry point 65a will be opened for a predetermined time, and when a ball enters the specific prize entry point 65a while it is open, the large opening provided separately from the specific prize entry point 65a will be opened for a predetermined time and a predetermined number of times, forming a special game state. In addition, the specific prize entry point 65a is not limited to one, and one or more (for example, three) may be provided, and the placement is not limited to the right of the first prize entry point 64, but may be, for example, to the lower right of the first prize entry point 64, to the lower left of the first prize entry point 64, to the left or right of the variable display device unit 80, or above it.

[0061] An attachment space K1 for attaching certificates, identification labels, etc., is provided in the lower right corner of the game board 13, and the certificates, etc., attached to the attachment space K1 can be viewed through the small window 35 (see Figure 1) of the front frame 14.

[0062] The game board 13 is provided with an out-out port 71. Balls that flow down the game area and do not enter any of the prize-winning ports 63, 64, 65a, or 640 are guided through the out-out port 71 to a ball discharge path (not shown). The out-out ports 71 are arranged in pairs on the left and right of the second prize-winning port 640.

[0063] The game board 13 has numerous nails embedded in it to appropriately distribute and adjust the direction in which the balls fall, and is also equipped with various components (mechanisms) such as windmills.

[0064] As shown in Figure 3, the rear side of the pachinko machine 10 is mainly equipped with control board units 90 and 91 and a back pack unit 94. The control board unit 90 is a unit in which a main board (main control device 110), an audio lamp control board (audio lamp control device 113), and a display control board (display control device 114) are mounted. The control board unit 91 is a unit in which a payout control board (payout control device 111), a launch control board (launch control device 112), a power supply board (power supply unit 115), and a card unit connection board 116 are mounted.

[0065] The back pack unit 94 is a unitized unit consisting of the back pack 92, which forms the protective cover, and the dispensing unit 93. In addition, each control board is equipped with an MPU as a single-chip microcontroller that manages each control, ports for communication with various devices, a random number generator used during various lotteries, a clock pulse generation circuit used for time counting and synchronization, etc., as needed.

[0066] The main control unit 110, the sound lamp control unit 113 and the display control unit 114, the payout control unit 111 and the launch control unit 112, the power supply unit 115, and the card unit connection board 116 are each housed in board boxes 100 to 104. Each board box 100 to 104 comprises a box base and a box cover that covers the opening of the box base, and the box base and box cover are connected to each other to house each control unit and each board.

[0067] Furthermore, the circuit board box 100 (main control device 110) and the circuit board box 102 (dispensing control device 111 and launch control device 112) are indestructibly connected (connected by a crimping structure) to the box base and box cover by a sealing unit (not shown). In addition, a sealing sticker (not shown) is attached to the connection between the box base and the box cover, spanning both the box base and the box cover. This sealing sticker is made of a brittle material, and if someone tries to peel off the sealing sticker to open the circuit board boxes 100 and 102, or tries to forcibly open the circuit board boxes 100 and 102, it will be cut on the box base side and the box cover side. Therefore, by checking the sealing unit or sealing sticker, it is possible to know whether the circuit board boxes 100 and 102 have been opened.

[0068] The dispensing unit 93 includes a tank 130 located at the top of the back pack unit 94 and opening upwards, a tank rail 131 connected below the tank 130 and gently sloping downstream, a case rail 132 connected vertically downstream of the tank rail 131, and a dispensing device 133 provided at the downstream end of the case rail 132, which dispenses balls by a predetermined electrical configuration of the dispensing motor 216 (see Figure 4). Balls supplied from the island equipment of the gaming hall are continuously replenished to the tank 130, and the required number of balls are dispensed as needed by the dispensing device 133. A vibrator 134 is attached to the tank rail 131 to add vibration to the tank rail 131.

[0069] Furthermore, the payout control device 111 is provided with a state reset switch 120, the firing control device 112 is provided with a variable resistor operating knob 121, and the power supply unit 115 is provided with a RAM erase switch 122. The state reset switch 120 is operated to clear a ball jam (return to a normal state) when a payout error occurs, such as a ball jam in the payout motor 216 (see Figure 4). The operating knob 121 is operated to adjust the firing force of the firing solenoid. The RAM erase switch 122 is operated when the power is turned on to return the pachinko machine 10 to its initial state.

[0070] Next, the electrical configuration of the pachinko machine 10 will be described with reference to Figure 4. Figure 4 is a block diagram showing the electrical configuration of the pachinko machine 10.

[0071] The main control unit 110 is equipped with an MPU 201, which is a single-chip microcontroller that acts as an arithmetic unit. The MPU 201 contains a ROM 202 that stores various control programs and fixed value data executed by the MPU 201, a RAM 203 which is a memory for temporarily storing various data when executing the control programs stored in the ROM 202, and various other circuits such as interrupt circuits, timer circuits, and data transmission and reception circuits. The main control unit 110 uses the MPU 201 to perform the main processes of the pachinko machine 10, such as the jackpot lottery, the setting of the display on the first symbol display devices 37A and 37B and the third symbol display device 81, and the lottery for the display result on the second symbol display device.

[0072] In addition, various commands are transmitted from the main control unit 110 to sub-control devices such as the payout control device 111 and the sound lamp control device 113 via a data transmission circuit in order to instruct them to operate. However, these commands are transmitted only in one direction from the main control unit 110 to the sub-control devices.

[0073] RAM203 has a stack area that stores various areas, counters, flags, the contents of the MPU201's internal registers, and the return address of the control program executed by the MPU201, as well as a work area (work region) that stores various flags, counters, I / O values, etc. Furthermore, RAM203 is configured to retain (back up) data even after the power to the pachinko machine 10 is cut off by a backup voltage supplied from the power supply unit 115, and all data stored in RAM203 is backed up.

[0074] When the power is cut off due to a power outage or other reason, the stack pointer and the values ​​of each register at the time of the power cutoff (including the time of the power outage; the same applies hereinafter) are stored in RAM203. On the other hand, when the power is turned on (including when the power is turned on after the power outage is resolved; the same applies hereinafter), the state of the pachinko machine 10 is restored to the state before the power cutoff based on the information stored in RAM203. Writing to RAM203 is performed by the main process (not shown) when the power is cut off, and the restoration of each value written to RAM203 is performed in the startup process (not shown) when the power is turned on. The NMI terminal (non-maskable interrupt terminal) of the MPU201 is configured to receive a power outage signal SG1 from the power outage monitoring circuit 252 when the power is cut off due to a power outage or other reason. When this power outage signal SG1 is input to the MPU201, the NMI interrupt process (not shown) as a power outage process is immediately executed.

[0075] The MPU 201 of the main control unit 110 is connected to an input / output port 205 via a bus line 204 consisting of an address bus and a data bus. The input / output port 205 is connected to solenoids 209, which include the payout control device 111, the sound lamp control device 113, the first symbol display devices 37A and 37B, the second symbol display device, the second symbol hold lamp, a large opening solenoid for opening and closing the opening / closing plate of the specific prize winning slot 65a in the front-to-back direction, and a solenoid for driving the electric mechanism 640a. The MPU 201 transmits various commands and control signals to these via the input / output port 205.

[0076] Furthermore, the input / output port 205 is connected to various switches 208, which include a group of switches (not shown) and a group of sensors including a slide position detection sensor S and a rotation position detection sensor R, as well as a RAM erase switch circuit 253 provided on the power supply unit 115 (described later). The MPU 201 performs various processes based on the signals output from the various switches 208 and the RAM erase signal SG2 output from the RAM erase switch circuit 253.

[0077] The payout control device 111 drives the payout motor 216 to control the payout of prize balls and loaned balls. The MPU 211, which is an arithmetic unit, has a ROM 212 that stores control programs and fixed value data executed by the MPU 211, and a RAM 213 that is used as work memory, etc.

[0078] The RAM 213 of the payout control device 111, like the RAM 203 of the main control device 110, has a stack area where the contents of the internal registers of the MPU 211 and the return address of the control program executed by the MPU 211 are stored, and a work area (work region) where various flags, counters, I / O values, etc. are stored. The RAM 213 is configured to retain (back up) data even after the power to the pachinko machine 10 is cut off by a backup voltage supplied from the power supply unit 115, and all data stored in the RAM 213 is backed up. In addition, similar to the MPU 201 of the main control device 110, the NMI terminal of the MPU 211 is configured to receive a power outage signal SG1 from the power outage monitoring circuit 252 when the power is cut off due to a power outage, etc. When the power outage signal SG1 is input to the MPU 211, an NMI interrupt process (not shown) as power outage processing is immediately executed.

[0079] The MPU 211 of the payout control device 111 is connected to an input / output port 215 via a bus line 214 consisting of an address bus and a data bus. The main control device 110, the payout motor 216, the launch control device 112, etc., are connected to the input / output port 215. Although not shown in the diagram, the payout control device 111 is also connected to a prize ball detection switch for detecting the prize balls that have been dispensed. Note that this prize ball detection switch is connected to the payout control device 111 but not to the main control device 110.

[0080] When the main control device 110 issues an instruction to launch a ball, the launch control device 112 controls the ball launching unit 112a such that the ball launching strength corresponds to the rotational operation amount of the operation handle 51. The ball launching unit 112a includes a launching solenoid and an electromagnet (not shown), and driving of the launching solenoid and the electromagnet is permitted when predetermined conditions are satisfied. Specifically, on condition that the touch sensor 51a detects that a player is touching the operation handle 51 and a launch stop switch 51b for stopping ball launching is off (not operated), the launching solenoid is excited in accordance with the rotational operation amount (rotational position) of the operation handle 51, and a ball is launched with a strength corresponding to the operation amount of the operation handle 51.

[0081] The sound and lamp control device 113 controls sound output from a sound output device (such as a speaker, not shown) 226, lighting and extinguishing output from a lamp display device (the illumination portions 29 to 33, the indicator lamp 34, etc.) 227, and setting of the display mode of the third symbol display device 81 performed by the display control device 114 for variable effects (variable display), notice effects, and the like. An MPU 221, which is an arithmetic device, includes a ROM 222 storing control programs executed by the MPU 221, fixed-value data, and the like, and a RAM 223 used as a work memory and the like.

[0082] An input / output port 225 is connected to the MPU 221 of the sound and lamp control device 113 via a bus line 224 including an address bus and a data bus. The main control device 110, the display control device 114, the sound output device 226, the lamp display device 227, another device 228, the frame button 22, and the like are connected to the input / output port 225, respectively. The other device 228 includes drive motors 441, 541, 731 and an electromagnetic solenoid 2086d.

[0083] The sound lamp control device 113 determines the display mode of the third symbol display device 81 based on various commands (variation pattern commands, stop type commands, etc.) received from the main control device 110, and notifies the display control device 114 of the determined display mode by command (display variation pattern command, display stop type command, etc.). The sound lamp control device 113 also monitors input from the frame button 22, and if the frame button 22 is operated by the player, it instructs the display control device 114 to change the stage displayed on the third symbol display device 81 or change the content of the super reach animation. If the stage is changed, it sends a back image change command, including information about the changed stage, to the display control device 114 in order to display a back image corresponding to the changed stage on the third symbol display device 81. Here, the back image is the image displayed on the back of the third symbol, which is the main image to be displayed on the third symbol display device 81. The display control device 114 displays various images on the third symbol display device 81 according to the commands sent from the sound lamp control device 113.

[0084] Furthermore, the audio lamp control device 113 receives a command (display command) from the display control device 114 that represents the display content of the third symbol display device 81. Based on the display command received from the display control device 114, the audio lamp control device 113 outputs sound corresponding to the display content of the third symbol display device 81 from the audio output device 226, and also controls the lighting and extinguishing of the lamp display device 227 in accordance with that display content.

[0085] The display control device 114 is connected to the sound lamp control device 113 and the third symbol display device 81, and controls the display of the third symbol on the third symbol display device 81, such as the variation effect of the third symbol, based on commands received from the sound lamp control device 113. The display control device 114 also sends display commands to the sound lamp control device 113 as appropriate to notify the display content of the third symbol display device 81. The sound lamp control device 113 outputs sound from the sound output device 226 in accordance with the display content indicated by this display command, thereby synchronizing the display of the third symbol display device 81 with the sound output from the sound output device 226.

[0086] The power supply unit 115 includes a power supply unit 251 for supplying power to each part of the pachinko machine 10, a power outage monitoring circuit 252 for monitoring power interruptions due to power outages, etc., and a RAM erase switch circuit 253 equipped with a RAM erase switch 122 (see Figure 3). The power supply unit 251 is a device that supplies the necessary operating voltage to each control device 110 to 114, etc., through a power supply path not shown. In general, the power supply unit 251 takes in a 24-volt AC voltage supplied from an external source and generates a 12-volt voltage for driving various switches such as various switches 208, solenoids such as solenoid 209, motors, etc., a 5-volt voltage for logic, a backup voltage for RAM backup, etc., and supplies these 12-volt voltage, 5-volt voltage and backup voltage to each control device 110 to 114, etc., as needed.

[0087] The power outage monitoring circuit 252 is a circuit that outputs a power outage signal SG1 to the NMI terminals of the MPU 201 of the main control unit 110 and the MPU 211 of the payout control unit 111 when the power supply is interrupted due to a power outage or the like. The power outage monitoring circuit 252 monitors the DC stable voltage of 24 volts, which is the maximum voltage output from the power supply unit 251, and determines that a power outage (power interruption, power cutoff) has occurred when this voltage falls below 22 volts, and outputs the power outage signal SG1 to the main control unit 110 and the payout control unit 111. Upon output of the power outage signal SG1, the main control unit 110 and the payout control unit 111 recognize the occurrence of a power outage and execute NMI interrupt processing. The power supply unit 251 is configured to maintain the output of the control system's drive voltage of 5 volts at a normal value for a sufficient amount of time for the execution of NMI interrupt processing, even after the DC stable voltage of 24 volts falls below 22 volts. Therefore, the main control unit 110 and the payout control unit 111 can successfully execute and complete the NMI interrupt processing (not shown).

[0088] The RAM erase switch circuit 253 is a circuit that outputs a RAM erase signal SG2 to the main control unit 110 to clear the backup data when the RAM erase switch 122 (see Figure 3) is pressed. When the main control unit 110 receives the RAM erase signal SG2 when the pachinko machine 10 is powered on, it clears the backup data and also sends a payout initialization command to the payout control unit 111 to clear the backup data.

[0089] Next, the structure of the game board 13 and the operating unit 300 will be described. Figure 5 is a disassembled front perspective view of the game board 13 and the operating unit 300. In explaining Figure 5, refer to Figure 2 as appropriate.

[0090] As described above, the game board 13 is constructed by assembling a base plate 60, which is cut into a roughly square shape when viewed from the front, with numerous nails (not shown) and windmills (not shown) for guiding balls, as well as rails 61, 62, a general prize slot 63, a first prize slot 64, a second prize slot 640, a through gate 67, a variable prize device 65, a variable display unit 80, a center frame 86 which is shaped to fit from the front into a window 60a opening in the base plate 60, a left-side performance unit 150 which is positioned in the lower left of the center frame 86 and is configured to guide balls into the general prize slot 63, a right-side performance unit 160 which is shaped to fit from the front into a small window 60b opening in the base plate 60 and has the variable prize device 65 installed, and a ball flow unit (not shown) which is configured to allow balls discharged from the game area to flow down, etc., and its peripheral edge is attached to the back side of the inner frame 12 (see Figure 1).

[0091] The center frame 86, the left-side performance unit 150, and the right-side performance unit 160 are installed in through holes formed in the base plate 60 by router processing, and are fixed to the base plate 60 from the front side of the game board 13 with tapping screws or the like.

[0092] The base plate 60 is made of plywood, which is formed by layering veneer sheets, and is configured to shield the various structures arranged on the back side of the base plate 60 from being visible to the player from the front side, except for openings such as the window section 60a and the small window section 60b.

[0093] As shown in Figure 5, the left-side performance unit 150 is a unit formed from a light-transmitting resin material and is arranged along the front surface of the base plate 60. It mainly comprises an upper plate portion 151 formed in the shape of a plate with the same width as the inner rail 61, a lower plate portion 152 extending downward from the left end of the upper plate portion 151 in the shape of a plate with the same width as the upper plate portion 151, an opposing plate portion 153 formed in the shape of a flat plate and connected to the rear end of the lower plate portion 152 and the rear end of the upper plate portion 151, and positioned opposite to the front surface of the base plate 60 in a state of surface contact, and a plurality of members fastened and fixed to the front side of the opposing plate portion 153, which are bottomed semi-cylindrical ball guide members 154 having a bottom on the front side and opening upward, and a plurality of protruding portions 155 formed in the shape of protrusions extending upward from the upper surface of the lower plate portion 152 at a position below the ball guide members 154.

[0094] In the area where the left-side display unit 150 is positioned opposite the base plate 60, no openings are formed in the base plate 60 except for the opening corresponding to the general prize winning opening 63. This allows the rigidity of the base plate 60 to be used to prevent displacement (deformation) of the opposing plate portion 153, and thus stabilizes the flow of balls down the front side of the opposing plate portion 153 regardless of the thickness of the opposing plate portion 153.

[0095] In addition, in this embodiment, the opposing plate portion 153 is positioned away from the ball guide member 154 and on the back side of the path through which balls that have been determined not to enter the general prize slot 63 (and the first prize slot 64 and the second prize slot 640) flow down. This reduces the influence of the opposing plate portion 153 on the flow pattern of balls that have the potential to enter the prize slots 63, 64, and 640.

[0096] In this embodiment, although the base plate 60 is formed from a wooden plate member, it is possible to show the light emitted from an illumination device (for example, the LED member 544 of the rotating unit 500, see Figure 25) positioned on the back side of the base plate 60 toward the front side to the player through an opening corresponding to the general prize winning opening 63. Therefore, it is easy to perform a lighting effect in which the surrounding opposing plate portion 153 and upper plate portion 151 etc. do not emit light, and only the ball guide member 154 positioned corresponding to the general prize winning opening 63 emits light.

[0097] In other words, for example, even if the distance between the light-emitting means and the ball guide member 154 is large, the light will be focused by the opening formed in the base plate 60 at the position corresponding to the general prize winning opening 63, so that a light-emitting effect can be performed that illuminates only the ball guide member 154. Therefore, even without providing a dedicated light-emitting means to illuminate the ball guide member 154, a light-emitting effect that illuminates the ball guide member 154 can be performed by directing the light emitted from the LED member 544 (see Figure 25) of the rotating unit 500 (described later) to the opening formed in the base plate 60 at the position corresponding to the general prize winning opening 63.

[0098] This makes it easy to highlight areas in the game area where the player may benefit if the ball reaches them (for example, the general prize entry point 63). The details of the left-side display unit 150 will be explained below.

[0099] Figure 6 is a front view of the left-side performance unit 150. As shown in Figure 6, the protruding portion 155 is a part that is formed to protrude in a ridge-like manner from the upper surface of the lower plate portion 152 in the front-rear direction, and comprises a first protruding portion 156 located further upstream and a second protruding portion 157 located downstream of the first protruding portion 156. Although the shape (projection pattern) of the first protruding portion 156 and the second protruding portion 157 are different, the underlying concept is the same, so the details of the shape of the first protruding portion 156 will be explained, and the differences between the second protruding portion 157 and the first protruding portion 156 will be explained, and further details will be omitted.

[0100] The first ridge portion 156 is configured with four ridges of substantially the same shape arranged in a stepped pattern. Since the ridges are formed with substantially the same shape in the front-to-back direction, they can come into contact with the sphere regardless of its front-to-back position, thereby causing a deceleration effect on the sphere.

[0101] Each protrusion is positioned within a range that divides the vertically downward area of ​​the ball guide member 154 into four equal parts in the left-right direction. That is, since the vertically downward area of ​​the ball guide member 154 is formed with a left-right width of approximately 16 mm, each protrusion is formed with a left-right width of approximately 4 mm.

[0102] Each projection is constructed such that its vertical dimension gradually decreases as it moves downstream. This difference in vertical length is achieved by adjusting the vertical length of the right-hand side 156c of the projection. Therefore, the upper side 156a and the curved side 156b of each projection have the same shape. Details of the upper side 156a, the curved side 156b, and the right-hand side 156c will be described later.

[0103] As described above, the difference in the vertical length of each protrusion is caused by adjusting the vertical length of the right-hand side portion 156c of the protrusion. Therefore, the first protrusion portion 156 is formed in a staircase shape, where the width of each step is equal, but the vertical dimension of each step decreases as you go down.

[0104] In particular, the difference between the vertical dimension of the leftmost projection and the vertical dimension of the adjacent projection to its right is the largest (approximately 0.35 mm), and thereafter, the difference in vertical dimension between adjacent projections is approximately half (approximately 0.16 to 0.18 mm). The vertical dimensions of each projection will be described later.

[0105] With this configuration, the deceleration effect on a ball flowing downstream from the upstream side of the first protrusion 156 can be maximized at the first protrusion (the leftmost protrusion) and gradually decreased at subsequent protrusions. As a result, a moderate load is applied to the ball at multiple points, allowing the ball to be sufficiently decelerated without causing localized overload (stress concentration). In addition, compared to the case where the deceleration effect is constant at each protrusion, it is easier to match the deceleration effect to the change in velocity (decrease in velocity) of the ball rolling on the first protrusion 156, thus avoiding excessive deceleration and making it easier to prevent the ball from stopping unintentionally.

[0106] Furthermore, in the second protruding section 157, which will be described later, the difference in vertical dimensions between adjacent protrusions is all equal (equal arithmetic) (approximately 0.11 mm), and the configuration in which the vertical dimension of the leftmost protrusion is dramatically larger is not adopted. The vertical dimensions of each protrusion will be described later. This is intended to ensure that the inclination of the lower plate section 152 relative to the horizontal is small enough that it is unnecessary to significantly decelerate the ball, and to prevent damage to the second protruding section 157, but the details will be described later.

[0107] Furthermore, the outline of the game ball B1 at the point where the vertical difference between adjacent protrusions is smallest, and where it contacts the curved portion 156b of the upstream protrusion and the upper edge portion 156a of the downstream protrusion, is illustrated by dashed lines. As shown in Figure 6, the center (center of gravity) of the game ball B1 is located to the right of the right end of the upper edge portion 156a.

[0108] By changing the contact ridge, the arrangement of the game balls that contact the same two points will result in the game balls being positioned further to the right, as the contact ridge is made on the upstream side, the greater the vertical dimension of the upstream ridge becomes. Consequently, the game balls will be positioned further to the right, and naturally, the center (center of gravity) of game ball B1 will be positioned to the right of the right end of the upper edge 156a.

[0109] Therefore, when game ball B1 is positioned between adjacent protrusions, its own weight causes it to roll downstream along the multiple protrusions, thus preventing the game ball from stopping while trapped between adjacent protrusions.

[0110] The details of the configuration of each protrusion of the first protrusion 156 will now be described. Each protrusion comprises an upper edge portion 156a that extends downward in the horizontal direction from the left end, a curved portion 156b that is continuously formed from the right end of the upper edge portion 156a, and a right edge portion 156c that extends downward in the vertical direction from the lower right end of the curved portion 156b.

[0111] The upper edge portion 156a is configured as a flat surface that slopes downward with respect to the horizontal when viewed from the front and extends in a planar manner in the front and back directions, making it easier to prevent a ball rolling on the upper surface from stopping unintentionally. The length of the upper edge portion 156a when viewed from the front is 3.15 [mm], the angle of inclination of the upper edge portion 156a with respect to the horizontal direction is approximately 7 degrees, and the angle with respect to the lower plate portion 152 is approximately 35 degrees.

[0112] The curved portion 156b is a curved surface with a radius of approximately 1 mm when viewed from the front, and it plays a role in assisting the rolling of the ball. In other words, compared to when the curved portion 156b is configured as a corner, it is possible to maintain contact between the ball and the protrusion and make it easier to maintain the rolling state, thus maintaining the effect of decelerating the ball.

[0113] The lower section 156c is designed to have lengths of approximately 1.42 mm, 1.58 mm, 1.76 mm, and 2.11 mm from downstream. As a result, the vertical dimensions of each projection are designed to be approximately 2.80 mm, 2.96 mm, 3.14 mm, and 3.49 mm from downstream.

[0114] The lower edge portion 156c is configured as a planar portion that extends vertically in a front view and in a planar manner in the front and back directions, thereby preventing the sphere from being displaced against the inclination of the lower plate portion 152. This makes it easier to direct the sphere, which is trying to displace away from the outlet 71 (see Figure 2), toward the outlet 71.

[0115] The angle of the lower edge portion 156c with respect to the horizontal is approximately 90 degrees, and the angle with respect to the lower plate portion 152 is approximately 56 degrees. Thus, the angle of inclination of the protrusion with respect to the lower plate portion 152 is configured such that the angle with respect to the lower plate portion 152 on the downstream side is larger than the angle with respect to the lower plate portion 152 on the upstream side.

[0116] This reduces the change in the inclination angle of the rolling surface for balls approaching the ridge from the upstream side, creating a small deceleration effect that does not cause the ball to stop. On the other hand, for balls approaching the ridge from the downstream side, the change in the inclination angle of the rolling surface is increased, effectively reducing the speed of the ball moving upstream and making it easier for the ball to flow downstream.

[0117] The second protrusion 157 is constructed with a shorter vertical width for each protrusion than the first protrusion 156, and this difference results in a difference in the length of the right-hand side 156c of the second protrusion 157. Therefore, the shape of the upper side 156a, the angle of inclination with respect to the horizontal direction (i.e., about 7 degrees), and the shape of the curved portion 156b are constructed similarly for each protrusion.

[0118] On the other hand, the lower plate portion 152 is composed of a curved shape with the center of the radius of curvature positioned on the upper right side. Since the angle of inclination near the second protrusion portion 157 (angle of inclination with respect to the horizontal direction) is smaller than the angle of inclination near the first protrusion portion 156 (angle of inclination with respect to the horizontal direction), the angle between each protrusion of the second protrusion portion 157 and the lower plate portion 152 is different from that described above for the first protrusion portion 156.

[0119] Specifically, the length of the upper edge 156a of the second protrusion 157 in a front view is 3.15 [mm], the angle of the upper edge 156a with respect to the lower plate 152 is approximately 19 degrees, and the angle of the right edge 156c with respect to the lower plate 152 is approximately 70 degrees. In this way, the inclination angle of the protrusion with respect to the lower plate 152 is configured to be greater for the downstream side of the protrusion than for the upstream side of the lower plate 152, compared to the values ​​mentioned above for the first protrusion 156.

[0120] As a result, the first protrusion 156, more than described above, reduces the change in the inclination angle of the rolling surface for balls arriving at the protrusion from the upstream side, creating a small deceleration effect that does not cause the ball to stop, while increasing the change in the inclination angle of the rolling surface for balls arriving at the protrusion from the downstream side effectively reduces the speed of balls heading upstream, making it easier for the balls to flow downstream.

[0121] The lower edge portion 156c of the second projection 157 is designed to have lengths of approximately 0.16 mm, 0.27 mm, 0.38 mm, and 0.49 mm, starting from the downstream side. As a result, the vertical dimensions of each projection are designed to be approximately 1.54 mm, 1.65 mm, 1.76 mm, and 1.87 mm, starting from the downstream side.

[0122] Each ridge in the second ridge section 157 has a shorter vertical dimension for each ridge compared to each ridge in the first ridge section 156, and the difference in vertical dimensions between adjacent ridges is all the same (equal arithmetic (approximately 0.11 mm)). In other words, since it does not employ a configuration in which the vertical dimension of the leftmost ridge is dramatically larger, the deceleration rate of the balls rolling on the top surface can be made uniform, and the durability of the second ridge section can be improved by addressing the weakness of the left end.

[0123] The left-side performance unit 150 includes a diffusion section 158 on the front end faces of the upper plate section 151 and the lower plate section 152, which has a light-diffusing shape. The diffusion section 158 diffuses light that reaches the left-side performance unit 150 from the front side via the glass unit 16 (see Figure 1), as well as light that reaches from above, below, left, right, or the back side, thereby showing linear light to the player and improving the performance effect.

[0124] Since the diffusion portion 158 is also formed on the front end faces of the first protrusion 156 and the second protrusion 157, the diffusion portion 158 can be made partially wider. This makes the width of the light visible at the first protrusion 156 and the second protrusion 157 larger than the width of the light visible in the surrounding area (where neither the first protrusion 156 nor the second protrusion 157 is formed).

[0125] Furthermore, the maximum width of light visible at the front-facing diffuser 158 of the first protrusion 156 can be made larger than the maximum width of light visible at the front-facing diffuser 158 of the second protrusion 157. More specifically, the width of light visible at the diffuser 158 can be changed in stages corresponding to the vertical dimensions of each protrusion as described above. Since the protrusion with the smallest vertical dimension in the first protrusion 156 has a larger vertical dimension than the protrusion with the largest vertical dimension in the second protrusion 157, the width of light visible at the front-facing diffuser 158 of the first protrusion 156 can be made larger than the width of light visible at the front-facing diffuser 158 of the second protrusion 157.

[0126] This makes it possible to vary the degree to which players focus their attention on the left-side display unit 150 depending on the area. In other words, the degree to which players focus their attention on the second protrusion 157 is higher than the degree to which they focus on areas other than the first protrusion 156, and the degree to which players focus their attention on the first protrusion 156 is higher than the degree to which they focus on the second protrusion 157.

[0127] A ball guide member 154 is positioned above the first and second protrusions 156 and 157, which are expected to attract attention, and is positioned to correspond to the general prize entry opening 63. The basic playing posture of a player is one in which they are looking down at the general prize entry opening 63 and the ball guide member 154 positioned in front of it, so there is a high probability that the first and second protrusions 156 and 157, positioned below the ball guide member 154, will be within their field of vision.

[0128] Furthermore, by increasing the visibility of the first protrusion 156 and the second protrusion 157 (by illuminating them with light), it becomes easier for the player to grasp the left-right position of the general prize entry opening 63. This makes it easier to draw attention to the general prize entry opening 63 and the ball guide member 154 located on its front side.

[0129] In other words, according to this embodiment, without directly illuminating or lavishly decorating the general prize slot 63 or the ball guide member 154, the attention given to the first protrusion 156 and the second protrusion 157 can be increased, thereby improving the attention-grabbing power (making them stand out) of the general prize slot 63 and the ball guide member 154.

[0130] Furthermore, the width of the light visible in the diffusion section 158 is configured to change depending on the vertical dimension of each protrusion, but since the vertical dimension of the leftmost protrusion of the first protrusion section 156 is configured to be significantly larger, it can produce an effect that strongly attracts the player's gaze. This makes it possible to increase the attention-grabbing effect of the leftmost protrusion of the first protrusion section 156 as the uppermost position where the ball flowing down from the upstream side of the upper plate section 151 lands.

[0131] Furthermore, the width of the light visible through the diffusion section 158 is configured to change depending on the vertical dimension of each protrusion, so the width of the light gradually decreases as you move downstream (to the right). This allows the light to gradually narrow towards the downstream of the game area and be visible through the diffusion section 158, thus enabling effects such as indicating the trajectory of the ball with light, or creating a sharp appearance by decorating the outer edge of the game area with light of different widths (light that tapers off).

[0132] Figure 6 illustrates two main examples of sphere flow paths: flow paths L1 and L2. Flow path L1 is the path taken by the sphere after it reaches the upper plate section 151 and falls from the right end of the upper plate section 151. The sphere that flows down flow path L1 reaches (lands on) the upper surface of the lower plate section 152 upstream of the first protrusion section 156.

[0133] The flow path L2 is the path taken by a ball that flows over a nail (not shown) and to the right without reaching the upper plate portion 151, as it flows between a pair of ball guide members 154. The ball that flows down the flow path L2 reaches (lands on) the upper surface of the lower plate portion 152 upstream of the second protrusion portion 157.

[0134] In this way, the first protrusion 156 and the second protrusion 157 are formed in a range different from the range in which the sphere, flowing down the sphere's path L1, L2, reaches (landes on) the lower plate 152, so that the impact of the sphere's arrival (landing) is avoided from being applied to the first protrusion 156 and the second protrusion 157.

[0135] In addition, since the first protrusion 156 and the second protrusion 157 are located downstream of the ball's reach (landing) range, the ball flowing down the flow paths L1 and L2 can be slowed down before reaching the outlet 71. This makes it easier to avoid damage to parts located along the path to the outlet 71 due to the load (impact) received from the ball.

[0136] When a ball rolling along the lower plate portion 152 begins to come into contact with the first protrusion portion 156, the repulsive force applied to the ball from the first protrusion portion 156 is directed to the right rather than towards the side the ball is reaching, thus preventing the ball from stopping. On the other hand, the direction of the repulsive force depends on the shape of each protrusion, and therefore varies greatly depending on the side the ball is reaching.

[0137] For example, when the ball reaches the first protrusion 156 from the upstream side (left side) (start of contact), the direction of the repulsive force is perpendicular to the upper edge 156a, resulting in an almost upward load F1. On the other hand, when the ball reaches the first protrusion 156 from the downstream side (right side) (start of contact), the direction of the repulsive force is perpendicular to the curved portion 156b, even though it is not in contact with the right edge 156c, resulting in an almost rightward load F2.

[0138] Therefore, for balls arriving from the upstream side, a gentle change in lateral velocity can be produced, while for balls arriving from the downstream side, a sharp change in lateral velocity can be produced (the velocity can be reversed).

[0139] A ball may bounce to the left by colliding with other balls positioned near the outlet 71 or with a component positioned on the front side of the outlet 71. This ball is unlikely to reach the first protrusion 156, but it is likely to reach the second protrusion 157, which is positioned lower and closer to the outlet 71.

[0140] Therefore, although the second protrusion 157 is formed on the lower side of the ball guide member 154 so that it is located away from the landing position of the ball as it flows down the flow paths L1 and L2, there is a possibility that the bounced ball may collide with the second protrusion 157 due to the circumstances described above. If the second protrusion 157 is fragile, it may be damaged by the impact of the ball collision.

[0141] In contrast, in this embodiment, each protrusion of the second protrusion 157 is configured such that the difference in vertical dimensions between adjacent protrusions is equal (equal arithmetic), and the configuration in which the vertical dimension of the leftmost protrusion is dramatically larger is not adopted. As a result, the second protrusion 157 can be made less susceptible to damage compared to the case in which a particular protrusion is made excessively sharp.

[0142] Furthermore, since each protrusion is formed to protrude in a ridge-like manner from the upper surface of the lower plate portion 152 in the front-to-back direction, the second protrusion portion 157 is less likely to be damaged compared to when the protrusions are formed in a horn-like shape.

[0143] Figure 7(a) is a cross-sectional view of the left-side performance unit 150 along the line VIIa-VIIa in Figure 6, and Figure 7(b) is a cross-sectional view of the left-side performance unit 150 along the line VIIb-VIIb in Figure 6.

[0144] As shown in Figures 7(a) and 7(b), the wall thickness of the first protrusion 156 and the second protrusion 157 are made to be the same, and grooves of a depth corresponding to the opposite side of the protrusion are formed. By making the wall thickness the same, the molding accuracy of the left-side performance unit 150, which is formed from resin material, can be maintained at a high level.

[0145] As described above, the first protrusion 156 and the second protrusion 157 are formed with equal thickness, while the diffusion portion 158 is formed to protrude below the first protrusion 156 and the second protrusion 157 so as to cover the groove from the front side. That is, the diffusion portion 158 is formed with a width dimension greater than or equal to the thickness of the first protrusion 156 and the second protrusion 157.

[0146] As described above, the vertical dimension of each ridge is longer in the first ridge section 156 than in the second ridge section 157, so the grooves are also deeper in the first ridge section 156 than in the second ridge section 157. Correspondingly, the width dimension (maximum value) of the diffusion section 158 is longer in the diffusion section 158 located on the front side of the first ridge section 156 than in the diffusion section 158 located on the front side of the second ridge section 157.

[0147] This allows the width of the diffusion portion 158 to be widened regardless of the thickness of the first protrusion 156 and the second protrusion 157, thereby widening the range of light visible through the diffusion portion 158.

[0148] This improves the ability to focus attention on the diffusion section 158 and the first and second protrusions 156 and 157 connected to the upper end of the diffusion section 158, and by viewing the direction toward the first and second protrusions 156 and 157, it is possible to determine whether or not a ball has entered the general prize-winning opening 63. This will be explained below.

[0149] As shown in Figure 7(a), the player's line of sight YE1 often follows lines (radial lines) that extend outward from the game area as they move towards the back. Therefore, the player's line of sight YE1 when viewing the protruding portion 155 corresponding to the lower edge of the game area is a downward-sloping line of sight as they move towards the back.

[0150] A player looking in the direction of line of sight YE1 can see not only the protruding portion 155 that intersects with line of sight YE1, but also the light reflected by the protruding portion 155. That is, the reflected light R1 that enters the protruding portion 155 via the opposing plate portion 153 and reflects along line of sight YE1 can be seen through the protruding portion 155.

[0151] The reflected light R1 is light that travels downward through the sphere guide member 154, is incident (reflected) by the opposing plate portion 153, and then travels to be incident (reflected) by the protruding portion 155. In other words, the light source of the reflected light R1 is positioned above the sphere guide member 154, and the opposing plate portion 153 acts as a reflective means (for example, a mirror), so that the reflected light R1 reaches the protruding portion 155.

[0152] Thus, the reflected light R1 is the light that passes through the ball's path to the general prize-winning opening 63 (see Figure 5), which is the ball guide member 154. Therefore, when viewing the protruding part 155 with line of sight YE1, the ball may be reflected in the protruding part 155, or the protruding part 155 may appear dark due to the light being blocked by the ball. As a result, the player can understand whether or not a ball has entered the general prize-winning opening 63 by observing the change in reflected light R1. Thus, it is possible to efficiently provide the player with beneficial information while reducing player fatigue. This will be explained below.

[0153] Traditionally, during normal gameplay, players often moved their gaze between the general prize entry point 63 and the area around the inner rail 61. This was to obtain useful information for gameplay from the flow of the balls within the game area.

[0154] Firstly, when a ball enters the general prize pocket 63, prize balls (5 to 15 balls in this embodiment) are dispensed. Therefore, the higher the frequency of balls entering the general prize pocket 63, the better the ball retention rate of the pachinko machine 10 during gameplay. Secondly, the higher the frequency of balls reaching the vicinity of the inner rail 61, the higher the frequency of balls being discharged from the out pocket 71 during gameplay. At first glance, it might seem that a lower frequency of balls reaching the vicinity of the inner rail 61 would result in a more advantageous pachinko machine 10 for the player, but this is not always the case.

[0155] This information is incomplete if only considered individually; it needs to be understood comprehensively. For example, just because the frequency of balls reaching the vicinity of the inner rail 61 is low does not mean that the pachinko machine 10 is beneficial to the player.

[0156] Even in this case, if the frequency of balls entering the general prize slot 63 is excessively high, the frequency of balls entering the first prize slot 64 will decrease, which means that the frequency of jackpot draws in the pachinko machine 10 during gameplay will be low. Therefore, it can be expected that it will take a long time to win a jackpot, making it unlikely to be suitable for players with limited playing time (it is unlikely to be beneficial for the player).

[0157] From this perspective, players need to move their eyes between the general prize entry point 63 and the area around the inner rail 61 to obtain information at each location. However, if players move their eyes too frequently, it can lead to fatigue and a decrease in their motivation to play.

[0158] In contrast, this embodiment is configured to allow information from multiple locations to be obtained without moving the gaze. That is, without moving the gaze YE1 from the line of sight YE1 that is looking at the protruding portion 155, it is possible to grasp the frequency of balls reaching the vicinity of the inner rail 61 and the frequency of balls entering the general prize pocket 63. This reduces player fatigue and prevents a decline in motivation to play, while efficiently allowing players to grasp information that is beneficial to them.

[0159] Furthermore, since the presence or absence of a ball entering the general prize-winning opening 63 can be determined by a change in the characteristics of the reflected light R1, the degree of light reflection through the opposing plate portion 153 is not limited in any way, and various characteristics can be exemplified. For example, it may be a shape with a textured finish that has low light reflection efficiency, or it may be a mirror finish, or a separate component with a mirror surface (such as a sealing component or a mirror-like component) may be provided to increase the light reflection efficiency.

[0160] Furthermore, the angle between the front surface of the opposing plate portion 153 and the front surface of the base plate 60 is not limited in any way, and various configurations are exemplified. For example, they may be parallel, or the front surface of the opposing plate portion 153 may be configured as an inclined surface. This allows for a suitable correspondence with the position of the light source of the reflected light R1.

[0161] Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view of the game board 13 along the line VIII-VIII in Figure 6. As shown in Figure 8, balls that reach (land on) the lower plate 152 flow down the flow path L3 toward the bottom of the game area.

[0162] As the balls flow down the flow path L3, they hit the glass unit 16 (front side) and the base plate 60 (rear side) as they reach the front side of the outlet 71, and then are discharged from the game area through the outlet 71.

[0163] If the ball is launched with sufficient force, it may fly out to the right from the lower end of the lower plate 152 and collide with the movable mechanism 640a. If the movable mechanism 640a is damaged by this collision, it will be difficult to continue playing the game normally, so it is desirable to avoid the ball colliding with the movable mechanism 640a.

[0164] Furthermore, a front design member FD1 made of light-transmitting resin is provided on the front side of the movable component 640a, and since the movable component 640a is covered by the front design member FD1, it is difficult to notice whether or not the movable component 640a is damaged. For this reason, it is necessary to prevent damage to the movable component 640a, and it is desirable to avoid the balls colliding with the movable component 640a.

[0165] In contrast, in this embodiment, a protruding section 155 is provided in the flow path L3 to decelerate the ball, thereby reducing the ball's momentum to less than the momentum required for the ball, which has been ejected to the right from the lower end of the lower plate section 152, to reach the movable component 640a. This prevents damage to the movable component 640a.

[0166] As shown in Figure 8, the protruding portion 155 is positioned within the left-right width of the ball guide member 154 in a top view. More specifically, the ball guide member 154 is configured such that the sum of the left-right width of the ball's passage path and the left-right width of the pair of fastening portions located on either side thereof is equal to or greater than the left-right width of the protruding portion 155 (approximately 16 mm).

[0167] This allows the ball guide member 154 to be used as a protective member for the protruding portion 155. In other words, when a ball falls toward the protruding portion 155, the ball guide member 154 will interfere with the ball's falling path, thereby changing the ball's falling path and making it easier to avoid (or reduce the frequency of) the ball colliding with) the protruding portion 155.

[0168] Therefore, since the contact between the ball and the protruding portion 155 can be easily limited to contact with the ball as it flows (rolls) down after landing on the lower plate portion 152, it is possible to prevent the protruding portion 155 from cracking or being damaged by the collision with the ball, and the ball deceleration effect of the protruding portion 155 can be maintained for a long period of time.

[0169] As described above, the variable display unit 80 has a center frame 86 arranged so as to surround the third pattern display device 81 when viewed from the front, and a window portion 60a is formed to match the size of the center frame 86. In this embodiment, the shape of the window portion 60a in relation to the shape of the center frame 86 is distinctive. This will be explained with reference to Figure 9.

[0170] Figure 9 is a front view of the base plate 60. In Figure 9, the shape of the center frame 86 when assembled to the base plate 60 is schematically shown by dashed lines.

[0171] Specifically, the center frame 86 is a member formed from a light-transmitting resin material and comprises a flat plate portion 86a positioned opposite the base plate 60 from the front side and having through holes for fastening screws, a boundary wall portion 86b that protrudes in a wall-like manner from the front side of the flat plate portion 86a and constitutes the boundary of the game area, and a flow divider plate portion 86c that protrudes in a plate-like manner from the front side of the flat plate portion 86a at approximately midway between the inner rail 61 and the lower left part of the boundary wall portion 86b and is provided parallel to the adjacent boundary wall portion 86b (see Figure 5). In Figure 9, the outer edge shape and inner edge shape of the flat plate portion 86a, the shape of the boundary wall portion 86b, and the shape of the flow divider plate portion 86c are illustrated with dashed lines.

[0172] As shown in Figure 9, in the area where the boundary wall 86b constitutes the rolling surface (downward flow surface) of the sphere (the area where the normal passing through the outer surface of the boundary wall points upward), the window portion 60a of the base plate 60 is provided in an area that extends to the outside of the boundary wall 86b when viewed from the front. Therefore, light can pass through the window portion 60a not only on the inside of the boundary wall 86b (towards the center of the window portion 60a) but also on the outside of the boundary wall 86b.

[0173] This allows light passing through the window 60a to shine on the ball rolling on the upper surface of the boundary wall 86b, enabling a light-emitting effect that illuminates the ball. The upper surface of the boundary wall 86b is a blind spot for players who play while paying attention to the third symbol display device 81 (see Figure 2), and the ball tends to be partially hidden and difficult to see. However, since the pattern of light passing through the window 60a changes depending on whether there is a ball or not, players can easily determine whether there is a ball or not by checking the pattern of light.

[0174] Furthermore, in this embodiment, this blind spot is used to improve the efficiency of the area where the performance is carried out, and this will be explained with reference to Figure 10.

[0175] Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view of the gaming machine 13 along the line corresponding to line XX in Figure 9. Figure 10 illustrates an example of the eye positioning of a player when playing the game while looking directly at the third symbol display device 81. In the eye positioning shown in Figure 10, the third symbol display device 81 can be seen with a line of sight YE2 in the front-to-back direction, while the boundary wall portion 86b located on the upper part of the center frame 86 is seen with a line of sight YE3 in an upward-looking direction.

[0176] When viewing the game area with line of sight YE3, at least a portion of the field of view is obstructed by the boundary wall 86b and the decorative portion located inside (below) it, making the obstructed area SE1 difficult to see (a blind spot). In this embodiment, the base plate 60 is deliberately opened and a window portion 60a is provided at a position that overlaps with this obstructed area SE1 in the front-to-back direction. In other words, by not treating the obstructed area SE1 as an area where patterns or figures are drawn, the blind spot area is effectively utilized. This will be explained below.

[0177] Traditionally, when the base plate 60 was constructed from wooden components, a decorative method was employed to create individuality for each gaming machine by applying stickers with patterns or shapes drawn (printed) to the back of the gaming area.

[0178] In this case, even if patterns or figures are drawn in areas that are easily blind spots, such as the boundary wall portion 86b and the decorative portion, it is difficult to make them visible to the player, making it difficult to enhance the visual effect.

[0179] One option is to not apply stickers to areas prone to blind spots, thereby reducing the sticker area and thus lowering the cost of sticker materials. However, since a player's gaze is not always fixed, if their line of sight changes and they see areas where the sticker is not applied and the base plate 60 (wooden board component) is exposed, it may give the player a cheap impression and potentially reduce their desire to play. Therefore, the option of not applying decorative stickers to areas prone to blind spots is not ideal, and improvement was desired.

[0180] Furthermore, when completing patterns and shapes within areas outside of blind spots, it was necessary to draw them within an even narrower area of ​​the already limited play area, making it difficult to achieve a high degree of freedom in decorating the play area.

[0181] In contrast, in this embodiment, by providing a window portion 60a on the base plate 60 in an area that overlaps with at least a part of the shielded area SE1, the shielded area SE1 is used not as a place to draw shapes or patterns, but as a path for light. That is, according to this embodiment, transmitted light R2 that is irradiated from a display means (for example, a pivot support means 760, see Figure 37) located on the back side of the base plate 60 and travels toward the front side can be configured to pass through the flat plate portion 86a in the shielded area SE1.

[0182] As a result, even if the option is chosen not to affix stickers with patterns or shapes to the shielded area SE1, the player viewing the shielded area SE1 can see the flat plate portion 86a that shines when illuminated by transmitted light R2, thus reducing the possibility of giving the player a cheap impression and preventing a decrease in their desire to play.

[0183] In addition, since the line of sight YE3 and the transmitted light R2 overlap, the player can see the patterns and figures drawn on the stickers attached to the base plate 60 superimposed on the transmitted light R2. At the very least, the appearance of the game area visible through the line of sight YE3 can be changed between the illuminated state and the unilluminated state of the transmitted light R2, thereby improving the freedom of decoration for the game area.

[0184] Thus, in this embodiment, the blind spot, the obscured area SE1, can be effectively utilized, increasing the degree of freedom in decorating the game board 13, and as a result, the visual effects of the game board 13 can be enhanced.

[0185] In this embodiment, the boundary wall portion 86b comprises a left boundary wall portion 86b1 extending from the upper end to the lower left and a right boundary wall portion 86b2 extending from the upper end to the lower right. Each of these portions has a linear light-transmitting area visible within the game area, but with different widths.

[0186] Specifically, on the right boundary wall 86b2 side, the gap between the outer rail 62 and the outer edge member 73 is narrow, and the path of the sphere is almost constant, so the width through which light passes is also configured to be narrow (approximately 5 mm or less). In contrast, on the left boundary wall 86b1 side, the landing point of the sphere varies depending on the launch intensity, and the way it bounces after landing also changes depending on whether or not it collides with a nail (not shown) before landing, so the path of the sphere is not constant (variation occurs). For this reason, in this embodiment, one of the purposes is to accommodate the variation in the sphere's flow path, so the width through which light passes is configured to be wide (maximum approximately 12 mm).

[0187] In particular, around the flow divider plate 86c, the window portion 60a is provided in such a manner that it extends to a position overlapping with both the left and right sides of the flow divider plate 86c, and the width through which light passes is greater than or equal to the diameter of the sphere (approximately 11 mm or more). This allows transmitted light R2 to be directed at spheres flowing down on either the left or right side of the flow divider plate 86c.

[0188] Thus, according to this embodiment, the shape of the window portion 60a is designed to easily illuminate the ball rolling along the boundary wall portion 86b with transmitted light R2, so that the transmitted light R2 can be efficiently illuminated onto the ball as it flows down the game area. Therefore, even when the ball flows down through areas that are easily obscured by the boundary wall portion 86b and become blind spots, the appearance of the transmitted light R2 can be changed in response to the presence or absence of a ball, making it easy for the player to understand whether or not there is a ball.

[0189] An example of the irradiation method of transmitted light R2 will be described. For example, when informing a player to play with left-handed shots, the light may be irradiated toward the left boundary wall 86b1, and when informing a player to play with right-handed shots, the light may be irradiated toward the right boundary wall 86b2. In this case, the player can easily determine whether to shoot the ball with left-handed or right-handed shots by looking at the boundary wall 86b.

[0190] Furthermore, the irradiation mode of transmitted light R2 is not limited in any way. For example, it could be an irradiation mode in which the light remains on continuously, or an irradiation mode in which the light repeatedly turns on and off (flashes).

[0191] Furthermore, the illumination method for lighting the area around the flow divider plate 86c is not limited in any way. For example, the illumination method may light both the left and right sides of the flow divider plate 86c, or it may light only one side of the flow divider plate 86c.

[0192] For example, if the game area is configured such that the balls flowing to the left of the diversion plate 86c almost always occurs only when the ball launch intensity has weakened below a certain standard, then in a control embodiment in which transmitted light R2 is irradiated to illuminate only the left side of the diversion plate 86c, the player can easily determine whether or not the ball launch intensity has weakened below a certain standard by checking the brightness of the transmitted light R2.

[0193] In other words, when the ball passes to the left of the flow divider plate 86c, the transmitted light R2 is blocked by the ball, and the left side of the flow divider plate 86c appears dark. This allows us to correlate the brightness of the transmitted light R2 with the fact that the ball's launch intensity is weaker than a certain standard. This reduces the stress that players feel when adjusting (maintaining) the ball's launch intensity compared to when they determine the ball's launch intensity by checking the ball's landing position.

[0194] Thus, according to this embodiment, by configuring the areas that are shielded by the boundary wall 86b and the flow divider plate 86c, creating blind spots, as pathways for transmitted light R2 traveling from the back to the front, the degree of freedom in lighting effects within the game area can be improved. It should be noted that the area where the blind spots are formed is not limited to above the boundary wall 86b or to the left of the flow divider plate 86c, but various configurations can be exemplified.

[0195] For example, it could be the area below the pair of plate-like parts extending downwards to the left and right of the first prize-winning opening 64, or the area outside the inner rail 61 or outer rail 62 (opposite side of the game area), or the area below the upper plate portion 151 of the left-side performance unit 150 (see Figure 5), or the area below the ball guide member 154 (see Figure 5) that guides the ball to the general prize-winning opening 63 located on the left side of the game area, or the area below the plate-like part extending downwards to the right of the general prize-winning opening 63 (see Figure 2) located on the right side of the game area, or the area outside the center frame 86 (opposite side of the third symbol display device 81 in a front view), or the area around other plate-like parts that protrude toward the front side of the base plate 60.

[0196] Let's return to Figure 5 for explanation. The right-side performance unit 160 is a unit equipped with a variable prize-winning device 65, which is fitted into the small window portion 60b of the base plate 60 from the front side. Balls that enter the specific prize-winning opening 65a (see Figure 2) of the variable prize-winning device 65 flow down the flow path FL1 (see Figure 11) formed on the rear side of the right-side performance unit 160 and are guided to a ball discharge path (not shown).

[0197] Figure 11 is a rear view of the right-side performance unit 160. The right-side performance unit 160 comprises a base member 161 having an opening that opens toward the rear and constituting the front side of the flow path FL1, a first flow path member 162 and a second flow path member 163 that constitute the rear side of the flow path FL1, an adjustment member 165 positioned on the front side of the second flow path member 163 and configured to be fitted with the second flow path member 163, and a plurality of lighting boards 168 on which light-emitting means such as LEDs that emit light toward the front are arranged.

[0198] After passing through the designated prize entry opening 65a and entering the flow path FL1, the game ball flows down the front side of the first flow path member 162, and then flows down the front side of the second flow path member 163. In other words, the first flow path member 162 constitutes the flow path FL1 upstream of the second flow path member 163.

[0199] The illuminated circuit board 168 comprises a first illuminated circuit board 168a positioned on the back side of the opening / closing plate of the variable prize winning device 65, a second illuminated circuit board 168b positioned on the back side of the area outside the ball flow path, and a third illuminated circuit board 168c fastened and fixed to the back side of the second flow path member 163 and positioned on the back side of the flow path FL1.

[0200] In Figure 11, the outlines of each LED (light-emitting means) are shown as hidden lines inside the illuminated circuit board 168. As shown in Figure 11, the LEDs are not arranged in a way that causes them to be densely packed or sparse in some areas, but are distributed almost uniformly across the illuminated circuit board 168.

[0201] The first lighting board 168a can perform a lighting effect that illuminates the opening and closing plate of the variable prize winning device 65 and the opening that allows game balls to enter when the opening and closing plate is open. The second lighting board 168b can perform a lighting effect that illuminates the front design portion of the right-side performance unit 160, regardless of the game balls flowing down into the right-side performance unit 160.

[0202] The third lighting board 168c can perform a lighting effect in which the way the lights illuminate changes in relation to the game ball flowing down the flow path FL1. Specifically, when a game ball is placed in the second flow channel member 163, the player can see the shadow created when the light emitted from the third lighting board 168c is blocked by the game ball. On the other hand, when no game ball is placed in the second flow channel member 163, the shadow of the game ball can be made invisible.

[0203] The light emitted from the third illuminated circuit board 168c passes through the second flow path member 163, the adjustment member 165, and the base member 161 in that order, and then passes to the front side of the right-side display unit 160, where it is visible to the player. The more members the light passes through, the more the amount of visible light tends to decrease.

[0204] In contrast, in this embodiment, the adjustment member 165 is positioned on the front side of the lower end of the second flow path member 163 (the end of the flow path FL1 that is visible to the player), so that the area where the light intensity is likely to attenuate can be limited to the vicinity of the end of the flow path FL1. As a result, the effect of the light emitted from the third illuminated board 168c can be improved compared to the case where the light intensity is attenuated at an intermediate position in the flow path FL1.

[0205] Furthermore, while the balls passing through the flow path FL1 are visible even from a frontal view, the player is usually looking down at the right-side display unit 160, which is located in the lower right of the game area. Therefore, the straight line connecting the player's line of sight to the third illuminated circuit board 168c (a straight line that slopes diagonally downward as the player approaches the pachinko machine 10 from their eyes) is unlikely to intersect with the line segment connecting the adjustment member 165 and the third illuminated circuit board 168c (a straight line that passes through a part of the adjustment member 165 and extends in the front-to-back direction).

[0206] This is an effect of positioning the adjustment member 165 away from the player's eyes (near the lower end of the window portion 14c (see Figure 2)), which reduces the likelihood that the player will focus on the area where the light intensity is attenuated by the adjustment member 165. Therefore, it is possible to avoid the adjustment member 165 reducing the light effect visible to the player due to the light emitted from the third illuminated circuit board 168c.

[0207] Figure 12 is an exploded rear view of the right-side performance unit 160, Figure 13 is an exploded front perspective view of the right-side performance unit 160, and Figure 14 is an exploded rear perspective view of the right-side performance unit 160. In Figure 12, for ease of understanding, the first flow path member 162 is assembled to the base member 161, and the second flow path member 163 and the adjustment member 165 are shown in a disassembled state.

[0208] The base member 161 includes a semi-formed portion 161a that is open toward the rear side and forms the front side surface of the flow path FL1; a pair of columnar fastening portions 161b that protrude cylindrically toward the rear side and into which fastening screws that are inserted into the first flow path member 162 are screwed; a specific columnar fastening portion 161c that has a longer protruding length than the columnar fastening portion 161b and protrudes cylindrically toward the rear side and into which fastening screws that are inserted into the second flow path member 163 are screwed into which fastening screws that are inserted into the second flow path member 163 are screwed; a plurality of protruding portions 161d that protrude radially outward in a thin plate shape toward the base end side of the specific columnar fastening portion 161c; and a recessed portion 161e that is recessed from the rear side to the front side of the base member 161 in the area including the specific columnar fastening portion 161c.

[0209] Multiple protrusions 161d are formed at angular positions corresponding to the notches 165e and outer diameter recesses 165g of the adjustment member 165. By aligning the notches 165e with the protrusions 161d, the orientation of the adjustment member 165 can be easily adjusted during assembly.

[0210] The recessed portion 161e is recessed in a shape corresponding to the plate-shaped portion 165a of the adjustment member 165 (larger by the amount of the adjustment width), and functions as a recess for positioning the plate-shaped portion 165a. In the assembled state in which the plate-shaped portion 165a is positioned in the recessed portion 161e (see Figure 11), the back surface of the plate-shaped portion 165a is positioned on the surface where the back surface of the base member 161 is positioned (in other words, the back surface of the base member 161 and the back surface of the plate-shaped portion 165a are positioned flush).

[0211] In other words, although the adjustment member 165 is positioned on the front side of the flow path FL1, differences in its position within the recessed portion 161e do not affect the shape of the flow path FL1. Therefore, as will be described later, even when the position of the adjustment member 165 is adjusted within the adjustment range between it and the recessed portion 161e, it is possible to prevent the shape of the flow path FL1 from changing due to that position adjustment.

[0212] In other words, regardless of the arrangement of the adjustment member 165, if the base member 161, the first flow path member 162, and the second flow path member 163 are assembled in an arrangement suitable for the sphere to flow down, the sphere will be configured to flow down the flow path FL1. Therefore, the difficulty of assembling the right-side performance unit 160 can be reduced compared to the case where a part of the flow path shape (for example, a half-pipe shape) is formed on the adjustment member 165, as seen in the semi-formed parts 161a, 162a, and 163a.

[0213] The first flow channel member 162 includes a semi-formed portion 162a that is open to the front and forms the rear side surface of the flow path FL1, a pair of insertion holes 162b through which fastening screws that are fastened and fixed to the columnar fastening portion 161b are drilled, and a columnar fastening portion 162c that protrudes cylindrically to the rear and into which fastening screws that are inserted into the second flow channel member 163 are screwed.

[0214] The second flow path member 163 includes a semi-formed portion 163a that is open to the front and forms the rear side surface of the flow path FL1, an insertion hole 163b through which fastening screws that are fastened and fixed to the columnar fastening portion 162b can be inserted, an insertion hole 163c through which fastening screws that are fastened and fixed to a specific columnar fastening portion 161c can be inserted, and a plurality of small-diameter cylindrical fitting protrusions 163d that protrude from the front end of the semi-formed portion 163a toward the front.

[0215] The adjustment member 165 is a member formed from a light-transmitting resin material, and comprises a plate-shaped portion 165a formed in a plate shape with an outer shape slightly smaller than the outer shape of the recessed portion 161e and a thickness equal to the recess depth of the recessed portion 161e, a plurality of fitting holes 165b drilled in the plate-shaped portion 165a at positions corresponding to the fitting projection 163d and with a diameter slightly larger than the diameter of the fitting projection 163d, and a chamfered portion 165c formed at the corner where the upper surface and back surface of the plate-shaped portion 165a intersect. The plate-shaped portion 165a comprises a dish portion 165d formed on a deep dish with an open front side at the right end of the plate-shaped portion 165a, a notched portion 165e formed by tapering from the edge of the dish portion 165d toward the bottom of the dish, an adjustment hole 165f drilled in the front-rear direction at the center of the bottom of the dish portion 165d with an inner diameter sufficiently larger than the diameter of the specific columnar fastening portion 161c, and a plurality of outer diameter recesses 165g recessed into the adjustment hole 165f toward the outer diameter direction.

[0216] The fitting hole 165b is configured to fit with the fitting projection 163d of the second flow channel member 163 in the assembled state (see Figure 11), and this fitting can enhance the rigidity of the second flow channel member 163.

[0217] More specifically, the second flow channel member 163 is preferably formed with a thin wall, not only from the standpoint of material cost, but also for the purpose of making the light emitted from the light-emitting means such as LEDs arranged on the front of the third illuminated circuit board 168c easily visible to the player (in order to suppress light attenuation).

[0218] On the other hand, if the second flow channel member 163 is formed with a thin wall, without countermeasures, there is a risk that the second flow channel member 163 will deform outward from the flow channel due to the load applied by the flowing game balls. In contrast, in this embodiment, by fitting the fitting projection 163d of the second flow channel member 163 into the fitting hole 165b, a resistance force against the load directed outward from the flow channel can be generated. This prevents deformation of the second flow channel member 163.

[0219] The chamfered portion 165c is a processed portion designed to prevent the corner from colliding with the sphere flowing down the flow path FL1. Therefore, it is sufficient to form it only in the minimum number of locations (for example, the area between the pair of fitting holes 165b) that are positioned opposite the sphere flowing down the flow path FL1, and by forming it in this manner, extra processing costs can be reduced.

[0220] By forming a chamfered portion 165c at the corner opposite to the sphere flowing down the flow path FL1, even if the adjustment member 165 protrudes from the recessed portion 161e of the base member 161 to the back side due to dimensional errors, the collision point between the sphere and the adjustment member 165 can be formed as a surface. This reduces the possibility of damage to the adjustment member 165 and also reduces the flow resistance of the sphere.

[0221] The plate portion 165d protrudes further to the rear compared to the plate portion 165a, making it easier to grasp and functioning as a handle when removing the adjustment member 165 during assembly or maintenance. During assembly, the tapered notch portion 165e makes it easier to guide the notch portion 165e into the protruding portion 161d, thus making it easy to align the position of the adjustment member 165. Therefore, the assembly work of inserting the specific columnar fastening portion 161c into the adjustment hole 165f can be easily performed.

[0222] With the specific columnar fastening portion 161c inserted through the adjustment hole 165f, the orientation of the adjustment member 165 can be changed (adjusted) up to the limit of the gap dimension between the notch portion 165e and the outer diameter recessed portion 165g and the protruding portion 161d. The method of adjustment will be described later.

[0223] Here, the purpose of configuring the adjustment member 165 as a variable member will be explained. In this embodiment, both the upstream first flow channel member 162 and the downstream second flow channel member 163 utilize the back side shape of the base member 161 to form the front side shape of the flow path FL1. Compared to the case where other members constituting the front side shape of the flow path FL1 are individually prepared for the first flow channel member 162 and the second flow channel member 163, the number of members constituting the flow path FL1 can be reduced. This reduces material costs.

[0224] On the other hand, due to variations in dimensions during resin molding, it is not possible to produce flow channel members with exactly the same shape. Depending on how the dimensional variations of the flow channel members occur, it may not be possible for a sphere to pass through the flow path FL1. Therefore, in the actual assembly process, when fastening and fixing the first flow channel member 162 to the base member 161, it is confirmed that the sphere can pass through the flow path FL1, and the first flow channel member 162 is fastened and fixed at a position where the sphere can pass. After that, the second flow channel member 163 is fastened and fixed to the columnar fastening portion 162c of the first flow channel member 162 and the specific columnar fastening portion 161c of the base member 161.

[0225] Thus, it is preferable to provide a certain range of adjustment for the fixing position of the first flow path member 162 with respect to the base member 161. In this embodiment, the difference between the inner diameter of the insertion hole 162b and the outer diameter of the fastening screw inserted into the insertion hole 162b can be used as the adjustment range. Regardless of the size of this adjustment range, the second flow path member 163 is directly fastened and fixed to the first flow path member 162 near the connection position of the flow path FL1, making it easier to secure the shape of the flow path FL1.

[0226] In this case, the adjustment range of the first flow path member 162 also affects the second flow path member 163. As mentioned above, fitting the second flow path member 163 to the base member 161, rather than just positioning it opposite the base member 161, can improve the rigidity of the second flow path member 163. However, if the fitting portion is fixedly positioned on the base member 161, the adjustment range of the first flow path member 162 may cause a misalignment between the fitting portion on the base member 161 and the fitting portion on the second flow path member 163, potentially leading to assembly defects.

[0227] Taking this misalignment into consideration, the fitting portion on the base member 161 side and the fitting portion on the second flow channel member 163 side may be fitted together with a gap fit; however, the larger the gap, the less effective the effect of reinforcing the rigidity of the second flow channel member 163 becomes, which is undesirable.

[0228] In contrast, in this embodiment, the fitting portion on the base member 161 side is provided on the adjustment member 165, and the adjustment member 165 is configured to be able to adjust its position with an adjustment range that exceeds the adjustment range of the first flow path member 162. This makes it possible to offset the misalignment of the fitting portion caused by the position adjustment of the first flow path member 162, thereby avoiding assembly defects.

[0229] In this case, it is not necessary to ensure a sufficient gap between the fitting hole 165b of the adjustment member 165 and the fitting projection 163d of the second flow channel member 163. By fitting them with a small gap, the rigidity of the second flow channel member 163 can be sufficiently strengthened.

[0230] According to this embodiment, as shown in Figure 12, the difference between the dimensions of the base member 161 and the dimensions of the adjustment member 165 is used as the adjustment range. For example, by making the width wa1 of the protruding portion 161d of the base member 161 shorter than the width wa2 of the outer diameter recessed portion 165g of the adjustment member 165, the adjustment range can be secured (wa1 <wa2)。

[0231] Furthermore, for example, by configuring the width wb1 of the recessed portion 161e of the base member 161 to be longer than the width wb2 of the plate-shaped portion 165a of the adjustment member 165, the adjustment range can be ensured (wb1 > wb2).

[0232] Furthermore, as the second flow channel member 163 is fastened and secured, the adjustment member 165 is fixed between the base member 161 and the second flow channel member 163 by the adjustment hole 165f being supported by the specific columnar fastening portion 161c in a way that prevents it from falling out, the fitting projection 163b being inserted through the fitting hole 165b, and the back surface of the plate-shaped portion 165a being supported so as to be able to abut against the front end of the semi-formed portion 163a of the second flow channel member 163.

[0233] Therefore, since a dedicated fastener for fastening and securing the adjustment member 165 is not required, product costs can be reduced by eliminating the need for fasteners, and assembly man-hours can be reduced.

[0234] Let's return to Figure 5 for explanation. The operating unit 300 is located on the back side of the game board 13, and various light-emitting means and various operating units are housed inside. The operating unit 300 will be described below.

[0235] Figures 15 and 16 are front views of the operating unit 300, and Figure 17 is a front perspective view of the operating unit 300. Figures 15 and 17 show the state in which the movable members (movable parts) of the first operating unit 400 and the second operating unit 700 are positioned in standby positions, while Figure 16 shows the state in which the movable members (movable parts) of the first operating unit 400 and the second operating unit 700 are positioned in an extended position that extends in front of the third symbol display device 81.

[0236] As shown in Figures 15, 16, and 17, the operating unit 300 has movable parts arranged vertically on the front side of the third symbol display device 81, and the movable parts arranged vertically have different shapes and operating modes from each other.

[0237] The movable components positioned above and below are configured to be independently drivable, and both are positioned in an extended position so as to obscure most of the display area of ​​the third symbol display device 81. In other words, if either the movable component positioned above or below is positioned in an extended position, the other area of ​​the third symbol display device 81 is not obscured by the movable component, and this area can be used to perform LCD effects. Furthermore, it is possible to perform effects that combine the LCD effects with the movable component positioned in an extended position.

[0238] Furthermore, as will be described in more detail later, the movable parts positioned at the bottom consist of multiple (four in this embodiment) movable parts arranged horizontally, each configured to move up and down independently. Therefore, in addition to the state in which all movable parts are positioned in the extended position (see Figure 16), it is also possible to configure states in which only some (for example, the leftmost) movable parts are positioned in the extended position, or states in which movable parts are positioned at different vertical heights between the extended position and the standby position.

[0239] Figure 18 is an exploded front perspective view of the operating unit 300. The operating unit 300 comprises a bottom wall portion 311 and a rear case 310 which is formed in a box shape with the front side open from the outer wall portion 312 that is erected from the outer edge of the bottom wall portion 311.

[0240] The rear case 310 is formed in a rectangular frame shape when viewed from the front, by forming a rectangular opening 311a in the center of the bottom wall portion 311. The opening 311a is formed to a size that corresponds to the outer shape (outer edge) of the display area of ​​the third pattern display device 81 (i.e., a size that allows the display area of ​​the third pattern display device 81 to be demarcated when viewed from the front).

[0241] The operating unit 300 houses, within the internal space of the rear case 310, a first operating unit 400 in which a movable component is disposed so as to be displaceable along a path including the lower side of the opening 311a, left and right performance units 600 disposed on both the left and right sides of the opening 311a to perform lighting effects, etc., and a second operating unit 700 in which a movable component is disposed so as to be displaceable along a path including the upper side of the opening 311a. These are all arranged as one unit.

[0242] Specifically, the first operating unit 400 is positioned below the opening 311a, and the second operating unit 700 is positioned above the opening 311a, both located on the bottom wall portion 311 of the rear case 310. Figure 18 shows the first operating unit 400 and the second operating unit 700 disassembled from the rear case 310.

[0243] The left and right display units 600 are equipped with an illuminated circuit board that has light-emitting means such as LEDs inside, but the illuminated circuit board is arranged at an angle, and the optical axis of the light-emitting means is tilted inward to the left and right as it approaches the player. As a result, the optical axes of the light-emitting means intersect on the side in front of the player, allowing the light emitted from the left and right display units 600 to be perceived three-dimensionally.

[0244] The rear case 310 is provided with a support plate portion 313 that extends from the front end of the outer wall portion 312 as a flat plate that runs along the back of the game board 13 (for example, arranged parallel to it), and provides surface support for the game board 13 in the assembled state (see Figure 2).

[0245] The support plate portion 313 includes a positioning projection 313a that protrudes toward the front and is shaped to fit into a fitting recess (not shown) formed in the base plate 60 of the game board 13, and a plurality of through holes 313b that are drilled so that fastening screws to be fastened to the base plate 60 can be inserted through them.

[0246] By fitting the positioning projection 313a into the fitting recess of the base plate 60, the back case 310 is positioned relative to the base plate 60, and by inserting the fastening screws through the insertion holes 313b and screwing them into the base plate 60, the game board 13 and the operating unit 300 can be fixed together, thereby improving the overall rigidity of the game board 13 and the operating unit 300.

[0247] However, the shape of the positioning convex portion 313a is not limited in any way, and various aspects are exemplified. For example, the convex portion may have an outer shape slightly smaller than the inner shape of the fitting concave portion of the base plate 60 (circular or oval in the present embodiment), or may be a protrusion having a shape (further smaller outer shape) that increases the fitting gap in consideration of workability during assembly. Naturally, when the inner shape of the fitting concave portion is formed in a rectangular shape, it is naturally assumed that the shape of the positioning convex portion 313a is also correspondingly rectangular.

[0248] As shown in Figures 5 and 18, in the present embodiment, a large number of support plate portions 313 are densely arranged on the left side and upper side of the back case 310, while fewer support plate portions 313 are formed on the right side and lower side. This is the result of design in consideration of the balance between the improvement of the overall rigidity of the game board 13 and the operation unit 300 and space efficiency.

[0249] That is, when the base plate 60 of the game board 13 is formed of plywood obtained by laminating veneer boards as in the present embodiment, the movable member disposed on the back side of the game board 13 cannot be visually recognized through the thick portion of the base plate 60. Therefore, the entire back side of the region that can be formed with an opening (or formed as a recess from the side surface) in the base plate 60 of the game board 13 as an effect region for arranging the movable member to be visible is effective.

[0250] On the other hand, at the location where the support plate portion 313 is formed, the internal space of the back case 310 is eroded inward by the area corresponding to the area of the support plate portion 313 in front view, so the region where the movable member can be disposed is narrowed accordingly. Therefore, if the strength problem can be maintained and resolved even if the support plate portion 313 is omitted, omitting the support plate portion 313 can avoid the restriction on the arrangement range of the movable member.

[0251] In the present embodiment, the fact that a large number of support plate portions 313 are arranged on the left side and upper side of the back case 310 is related to the range of the region where a player can visually recognize a ball launched into the game area or the like. That is, the support plate portion 313 is formed at a location outside the range where the launched ball is visually recognized.

[0252] To explain in more detail, in the present embodiment, a ball fired from the ball firing unit 112a (see FIG. 4) passes between the inner rail 61 and the outer rail 62, is introduced into the game area after passing through the return ball prevention member 68 (see FIG. 2), and is configured to flow down the game area thereafter. In a pinball game, the portion that is generally considered to attract the most attention is the portion through which the balls pass, and normally, attention is low toward other outer regions (for example, the region on the opposite side of the third symbol display device 81 across the outer rail 62 or the inner rail 61).

[0253] For this reason, it is considered that a player's attention is low toward the lower left and upper left areas, which are defined based on the leftward-convex circular arc formed by the outer rail 62 as an area that balls cannot reach, and the upper left and upper right areas defined based on the upward-convex circular arc.

[0254] In addition, in the present embodiment, the aforementioned outer edge member 73 and the block-shaped member 74, which is disposed on the front side of the game board 13 and has a surface facing the outer rail 62 at the lower left portion and upper left portion of the outer rail 62 formed in a shape along the outer rail 62, are formed of a light-impermeable resin material. In addition to the fact that the game board 13 itself is formed of a plywood that hardly transmits light, the configuration is such that the back side of the game board 13 cannot be visually recognized from the front side of the game board 13 through the outer edge member 73 and the block-shaped member 74, so it is considered that the player's attention is further reduced.

[0255] In the present embodiment, the support plate portions 313 are preferentially disposed in these portions that attract low attention and portions that cannot be visually recognized. Actually, even in the left side portion and upper side portion where many support plate portions 313 are formed, the support plate portions 313 are formed near the corners of the back case 310 while avoiding the central portion which is the overhanging end portion of the outer rail 62.

[0256] In other words, by selecting areas where space is encroached upon by forming the support plate portion 313 from areas with inherently low visibility (low performance capabilities), it is possible to ensure the rigidity of the entire operating unit 300 and game board 13 while maintaining a high degree of design freedom for the area within the player's field of vision when they focus on the ball.

[0257] From this perspective, since pachinko machines share a common configuration in which balls launched by the ball launching unit 112a (see Figure 4) are rolled along the outer rail 62 and introduced into the game area, areas where balls do not flow down can be easily arranged in the lower left, upper left, and upper right sections.

[0258] In this embodiment, the support plate portion 313 extending from the lower outer wall portion 312 is positioned offset to the rear side compared to the support plate portions 313 extending from the left, right, and upper outer wall portions 312. With this configuration, the positioning protrusions 313a formed on the left, right, and upper support plate portions 313 are fitted into fitting recesses formed on the back surface of the base plate 60, while the positioning protrusions 313a formed on the lower support plate portion 313 are not directly fitted to the base plate 60, but rather fit into a shaped portion corresponding to a spherical flow unit (not shown) disposed on the back side of the base plate 60. That is, the positioning protrusions 313a located on the lower side of the back case 310 are indirectly fixed to the base plate 60 via the spherical flow unit.

[0259] Figure 19 is a front perspective view of the first operating unit 400, and Figure 20 is a rear perspective view of the first operating unit 400. The first operating unit 400 includes a base member 401 that is fitted into the rear case 310 from the front and fastened and secured, and four composite operating units 402, each with substantially the same configuration, are fastened and secured to the front side of the base member 401 in a row from left to right.

[0260] The combined motion unit 402 comprises a rotary unit 500 that is roughly cube-shaped and rotatable on a left-right axis, and a mechanism for moving the rotary unit 500 up and down. The details of the combined motion unit 402 will be described below.

[0261] Figures 21(a) and 21(b) are front perspective views of the combined motion unit 402, and Figures 22(a) and 22(b) are rear perspective views of the combined motion unit 402. Figures 21(a) and 22(a) show the rotary unit 500 in the raised position, while Figures 21(b) and 22(b) show the rotary unit 500 in the lowered position.

[0262] The combined operating unit 402 has a columnar member 431 that guides the rotating unit 500 in the vertical direction, and a drive motor 441 that generates a driving force to move the rotating unit 500 up and down. The electrical wiring DK1 guided inside the rotating unit 500 is composed of bundles of multiple wires and is configured to hang down and sag as it passes on the left and right sides opposite to the side where the columnar member 431 is installed, allowing it to enter the wiring support means 460. The various components of the combined operating unit 402 will be described below.

[0263] Figures 23 and 24 are disassembled front perspective views of the combined operating unit 402. Note that Figures 23 and 24 show the rotary unit 500 in a state where disassembly is omitted.

[0264] As shown in Figures 23 and 24, the combined operating unit 402 mainly comprises a support means 410 that supports the rotating unit 500, a stacking means 420 that is stacked and fixed on the support means 410, a guide means 430 that guides the movement of the support means 410 by limiting the direction of movement of the stacking means 420 to one direction (up and down in this embodiment), a drive means 440 having a drive motor 441 that generates a driving force to move the support means 410, a divided base member 442 that supports the drive motor 441, a transmission means 450 that is meshed with the drive gear 441a of the drive motor 441 and configured to transmit driving force, and a wiring auxiliary means 460 configured to allow electrical wiring DK1 of a length corresponding to the amount of movement of the support means 410 to be arranged (housed) without entanglement or pinching.

[0265] The support means 410 comprises a flat plate portion 411 formed in a flat plate shape, an annular projection 412 projecting in an annular shape from the upper surface of the flat plate portion 411, an irregularly shaped hole 413 formed as a through hole that opens in the vertical direction in the center of the annular projection 412, a front overhang portion 414 formed by bending downward from the front edge of the flat plate portion 411, a plate-like portion connected to the left end of the front overhang portion 414 and formed by bending downward from the left edge of the flat plate portion 411, and a connecting plate portion 416 having a through-hole 416a drilled as an elongated hole extending in the front-rear direction at the lower end of the left overhang portion 415, through which the connecting member 454 of the transmission means 450 is inserted.

[0266] The stacking means 420 mainly comprises an end plate member 421 configured as a plate-shaped member that is substantially symmetrical front to back, recessed portions 422 formed at the front and rear ends of the end plate member 421, a cylindrical guide tube portion 423 configured to be sized to fit into the recessed portions 422, and a right cover member 424 disposed between the end plate member 421 and the support means 410, fastened and fixed to the end plate member 421, and covering the recessed portions 422 from the right.

[0267] The guide tube portion 423 is housed only in the recessed portion 422 at the front end of the end plate member 421, and is not provided in the recessed portion 422 at the rear end (its provision is omitted).

[0268] This minimizes the attitude displacement that occurs at the front end furthest from the rear end (see Figure 34(c)) supported by the transmission means 450 when the rotating unit 500 is positioned in the lowered or raised position, similar to the case where the guide cylindrical portion 423 is provided in both the front and rear recessed portions 422. Therefore, the position of the rotating unit 500 can be stabilized.

[0269] Furthermore, compared to the case where the guide tube portion 423 is provided in both the front and rear recessed portions 422, the gap between the recessed portion 422 and the columnar member 431 can be made larger at the rear end supported by the transmission means 450, thereby reducing the resistance generated when the stacking means 420 moves up and down.

[0270] The right cover member 424 includes a pair of through holes 424a through which fastening screws that are fastened and fixed to the end plate member 421 are inserted, a plurality of openings 424b formed to allow fastening screws that are inserted from the end plate member 421 side through the right cover member 424 and fastened and fixed to the left side overhang 415 of the support means 410 to be inserted, and a recessed support portion 424c recessed to receive the guide cylindrical portion 423 of the stacking means 420 in a shape that prevents it from falling out in the vertical direction.

[0271] The guide means 430 mainly comprises a pair of metal columnar members 431 arranged front to back so as to pass through at least one of the guide cylindrical portion 423 or the recessed portion 422; a metal plate portion 432 made of a metal plate and positioned on the left side of the columnar member 431; an upper bent portion 433 formed by bending to the right from the upper part of the metal plate portion 432; a lower bent portion 434 formed by bending to the right from the lower part of the metal plate portion 432; and a rear bent portion 435 formed by bending to the right from the rear part of the metal plate portion 432.

[0272] The metal plate portion 432 is notched downward from the upper portion and formed into a U-shape when viewed from the left side. This allows an assembly operator or a maintenance operator to reach the front-rear intermediate portion of the end plate member 421 (the portion between the pair of front and rear recessed portions 422) through the notched range, thereby improving the efficiency of assembly work or maintenance work. Details will be described later.

[0273] The metal plate portion 432 is disposed close to the end plate member 421 in the left-right direction at a portion excluding the central portion in the front-rear direction. Accordingly, even if the end plate member 421 is displaced in the left-right direction, the displacement can be restricted not only by contact with the columnar member 431 but also by contact with the metal plate portion 432.

[0274] This can suppress displacement of the laminating means 420 in the left-right direction, and thus can suppress displacement in the left-right direction of the supporting means 410 fastened and fixed to the laminating means 420 and the transmitting means 450 connected to the supporting means 410.

[0275] The upper bent portion 433 and the lower bent portion 434 are each provided with support holes 433a and 434a, which are through holes drilled at overlapping positions when viewed in the vertical direction and formed to have a size that allows the columnar member 431 to be inserted and supported therethrough.

[0276] In an assembled state, the columnar member 431 is inserted through the support holes 433a and 434a, and is formed to have a length such that end portions slightly project from the upper side of the upper bent portion 433 and the lower side of the lower bent portion 434 (see Fig. 21(a)). A so-called "E-ring" is fitted into a groove recessed from the outer diameter direction in this slightly projecting portion, thereby preventing the columnar member 431 from coming off from the support holes 433a and 434a.

[0277] The lower bent portion 434 stably supports the divided base member 442 while supporting it from below. In this supported state, the rear side plate portion of the divided base member 442 overlaps with the rear bent portion 435 in the front-rear direction, and fastening screws inserted from the rear side through the base member 401 (see Figure 20) disposed on the rear side of the divided base member 442 are fastened and fixed to the female screw portion formed in the rear bent portion 435, thereby integrally fixing the base member 401, the divided base member 442, and the guide means 430.

[0278] The drive mechanism 440 is divided into left and right sections according to function by a partition plate portion 442a of the divided base member 442. Specifically, the left side of the partition plate portion 442a contains components for transmitting driving force (transmission means 450, etc.), while the right side of the partition plate portion 442a contains components for power supply or components that receive power (main body of the drive motor 441, wiring auxiliary means 460 that houses the electrical wiring DK1, etc.). Although the electrical wiring DK1 used for power supply is not shown in Figures 23 and 24, the relationship between the electrical wiring DK1 and the wiring auxiliary means 460 and the details of its displacement will be described later.

[0279] The drive motor 441 is attached to the partition plate portion 442a from the right side, and the drive gear 441a protrudes to the left side of the partition plate portion 442a through an opening drilled in the partition plate portion 442a. In the assembled state (see Figure 21), when the drive motor 441 is driven and the drive gear 441a rotates, the driving force is transmitted to the transmission means 450 via the transmission gear 451 which meshes with the drive gear 441a.

[0280] The partition plate portion 442a mainly comprises a plurality of protruding portions 442b projecting columnarly from the left side to the left, a cylindrical metal portion 442c fixed above the uppermost protruding portion 442b and having an axis parallel to the direction of projection of the protruding portion 442b, a photocoupler type detection sensor 442d fastened and fixed in a position where the detection groove is positioned opposite the cylindrical metal portion 442c, and an opening 442e formed in the left-right direction.

[0281] Each of the protruding portions 442b is configured to support the transmission gear 451 and the intermediate gear 452, and a female thread is formed at the tip of the protruding portion. By fastening a flanged fastening screw to this female thread, the transmission gear 451 and the intermediate gear 452 can be supported in a way that prevents them from falling out. The metal cylindrical portion 442c is formed with a diameter that allows it to support the rotating arm member 453.

[0282] The detection sensor 442d is configured to detect when the detected plate portion 453d of the rotating arm member 453 is positioned in the detection groove. This allows the position of the rotating arm member 453 to be detected.

[0283] The opening 442e is for guiding the electrical wiring DK1, which has reached the space between the divided base member 442 and the wiring support means 460, through in the left-right direction and towards the rear side. Further details will be described later.

[0284] The transmission means 450 mainly comprises a transmission gear 451 that meshes with the drive gear 441a, an intermediate gear 452 positioned above the transmission gear 451 (opposite the drive gear 441a) and meshing with the transmission gear 451, a rotating arm member 453 having a gear portion 453a that meshes with the intermediate gear 452, and a connecting member 454 that is supported so as not to fall off at the rotating tip of the rotating arm member 453.

[0285] The rotating arm member 453 is a member that is rotatably supported on the metal cylindrical portion 442c of the partition plate portion 442a, and comprises a gear portion 453a formed in the shape of gear teeth along an arc centered on the axis of rotation, an extended arm portion 453b extending radially outward at a position offset in the axial direction from the gear portion 453a, a support hole 453c formed at the extended tip of the extended arm portion 453b in a direction parallel to the axis of rotation, and a plate portion to be detected 453d extending from the extended arm portion 453b along the direction of rotation.

[0286] The connecting member 454 mainly comprises a brass cylindrical supported portion 454a whose tip is inserted into the through-hole 416a, and a synthetic resin fitting cover portion 454b which is fitted to the base end of the 454a and has a flange portion 454c that protrudes in a flange-like manner from the base end.

[0287] A well-known E-ring (not shown) is fitted to the tip of the supported portion 454a. This prevents the connecting member 454 from falling out to the left through the elongated hole 416a. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the connecting member 454 from falling out and being lost before the stacking means 420 and the guide means 430 are assembled to the divided base member 442 (during the assembly process).

[0288] In the assembled state (see Figure 22(a)), the right cover member 424 is positioned opposite the left side of the connecting member 454 (they are positioned to overlap in the left-right direction), which physically prevents the connecting member 454 from falling off to the left.

[0289] The outer diameter of the fitting cover portion 454b is formed to be shorter than the vertical width of the through-hole 416a, and the outer diameter of the flange portion 454c is formed to be longer than the vertical width of the through-hole 416a. As a result, by positioning the resin fitting cover portion 454b between the through-hole 416a and the metal supported portion 454a, deformation of the through-hole 416a can be suppressed. In addition, because the flange portion 454c is configured to be too small to pass through the through-hole 416a, the connecting member 454 can be prevented from falling out to the right from the through-hole 416a.

[0290] The wiring support means 460 is constructed in the shape of a bottomed container from two members that are arranged correspondingly in the left-right direction. Specifically, the wiring support means 460 mainly comprises a left-side member 461 which is positioned opposite to the right side of the partition plate portion 442a and fastened and fixed to the partition plate portion 442a, and a right-side member 468 which is positioned opposite to the right side of the left-side member 461 and has a shape that can cover the internal shape of the left-side member 461 when viewed from the left-right direction and is fastened and fixed to the left-side member 461.

[0291] The left-side member 461 is fastened and fixed to a portion of the partition plate portion 442a that is raised to the right at the front-rear position and mainly comprises a plate-shaped opposing plate 462 that is positioned opposite to it, a strip-shaped extension portion 463 that extends to the right in a strip shape from the front-rear and lower edges of the opposing plate 462, a support column portion 464 that protrudes to the right in a column shape near the upper end of the opposing plate 462 and has a female screw formed at the tip of the protruding portion, and a wiring support portion 465 that is diagonally above and rear of the support column portion 464 and is shaped to allow insertion of a small diameter member such as a cable tie that supports the electrical wiring DK1.

[0292] As described above, the opposing plate 462 is fastened and fixed to the raised portion of the partition plate 442a, so a gap is created between the opposing plate 462 and the partition plate 442a at an intermediate position between the front and rear of the partition plate 442a (a position other than the raised portion). This gap functions as a gap through which the electrical wiring DK1 passes.

[0293] The electrical wiring DK1 (see Figures 21 and 22) will be described in detail later, but it passes through the opening 442e, through the gap between the partition plate 442a and the wiring support means 460, through the wiring support part 465, from the rear to the bottom of the support column part 464, and upward on the front side of the support column part 464, and is supported by the support means 410 and the rotating unit 500.

[0294] Therefore, the electrical wiring DK1 needs to be long enough (extra length) to accommodate the vertical movement of the support means 410 and the rotating unit 500. When the support means 410 and the rotating unit 500 are positioned in the lowered position, this extra length of electrical wiring DK1 is loosely wrapped around the support column 464 and housed in the wiring support means 460.

[0295] In this embodiment, the shape of the wiring support means 460 is designed to reduce the load on the electrical wiring DK1 that is loosely wrapped around the support column 464. That is, when the electrical wiring DK1 is wrapped around the support column 464, the longer the length of the wrapped electrical wiring DK1, the larger the maximum diameter of the electrical wiring DK1 centered on the support column 464 becomes. If the distance between the strip-shaped extension 463 and the electrical wiring DK1 is short, there is a possibility that a load as a reaction force will be generated on the electrical wiring DK1 from the strip-shaped extension 463. In this embodiment, the strip-shaped extension 463 is arranged with a sufficient gap in the radial direction of the support column 464.

[0296] In particular, as will be described later, in this embodiment, the downward extension 519, which supports the electrical wiring DK1 in the rotating unit 500 at a position close to the wiring support means 460, is positioned on the front side of the support column 464. Therefore, the excess length of the electrical wiring DK1 that becomes excessive as the support means 410 and the rotating unit 500 move to the lowered position is mainly positioned on the front side of the support column 464.

[0297] In response to this, the strip-shaped extension 463 is designed so that the internal space is larger on the front side of the support column 464, with the support column 464 as the reference in the front-rear direction. Furthermore, the strip-shaped extension 463 is provided below the support column 464 with a functional curved surface 463a, which is a curved surface that is displaced downward toward the front and has its center of the radius of curvature located on its lower side.

[0298] The functional curved surface 463a, due to its shape, can apply a diagonally upward and forward load as a reaction force to the nearby electrical wiring DK1. This makes it easier for the electrical wiring DK1 to converge in the area in front of the support column 464.

[0299] In addition, the functional curved surface 463a is curved to protrude inward from the wiring support means 460, making it easier to secure space for arranging the drive motor 441. That is, the curved shape of the functional curved surface 463a stabilizes the arrangement of the electrical wiring DK1, and allows the wiring support means 460 and the drive motor 441 to be arranged in a minimal space.

[0300] Figure 25 is an exploded front perspective view of the rotating unit 500, and Figure 26 is an exploded rear perspective view of the rotating unit 500. As shown in Figures 25 and 26, the rotating unit 500 mainly comprises a fixing means 510 fastened and fixed to the support means 410 (see Figure 23) and formed in a U-shape when viewed from the front, fixing means 520 at both ends fixed inside the fixing means 510 and constituting the center of rotation, shaft configuration means 530 fixed to the fixing means 520 at both ends and disposed inside the U-shape of the fixing means 510, a rotating left cover portion 550 disposed inside the U-shape of the fixing means 510 and to the left of the shaft configuration means 530, a rotating body 560 fastened and fixed to the rotating left cover portion 550 and having an outer shape that is substantially rectangular, and a rotating right cover portion 570 fastened and fixed to the right side of the rotating body 560 and disposed inside the U-shape of the fixing means 510.

[0301] To give an overview of the rotating unit 500, it mainly consists of a rotating body 560, which is a rotating part that rotates and displaces around a left-right axis, and a fixing means 510, which is a fixing part that supports the rotating part.

[0302] The rotating part consists of a rotating body 560, a rotating left plate 550, a motor gear 542 that meshes with the rotating left plate 550, and a driven plate 575 of the rotating right cover 570. The other components excluding these (fixing means 510, fixing means 520 at both ends, shaft configuration means 530 excluding the motor gear 542, and the attitude fixing bush 571 of the rotating right cover 570) constitute the fixed part.

[0303] The fixing means 510 mainly comprises a U-shaped metal plate 511 formed in a U-shape when viewed from the front by bending a metal plate at a right angle, left and right fixing covers 514 positioned opposite the U-shaped metal plate 511 and having a shape that can form a closed cross section with the U-shaped metal plate 511, and a guide member 516 that is fastened and fixed from below the U-shaped metal plate 511 and guides the electrical wiring DK1.

[0304] In the description of the left and right fixed covers 514, the closed cross section does not necessarily mean a complete seal (tight fit), but rather any closing method that suits the purpose of this embodiment is acceptable. That is, in this embodiment, the electrical wiring DK1 will pass through the closed cross section, so any opening that prevents the electrical wiring DK1 from passing through (for example, an opening with a diameter smaller than the thickness of the electrical wiring DK1, or an opening with a width larger than the thickness of the electrical wiring DK1, where the direction of the opening is aligned with the longitudinal direction of the electrical wiring DK1, thereby maintaining the accommodation of the electrical wiring DK1) is acceptable. Details of the path of the electrical wiring DK1 will be described later.

[0305] The U-shaped metal plate 511 has female screws and positioning through holes formed at appropriate locations on its elongated plate-like section, and is used for aligning and fastening it with the left and right fixing covers 514 and the guide members 516.

[0306] The U-shaped metal plate 511 has opposing ends, and each end is cut out in a different shape. Specifically, a roughly circular first opening 512 is formed on the left side, while a roughly gourd-shaped second opening 513 and a pair of circular holes 513a are formed on the right side.

[0307] The guide member 516 mainly comprises an irregularly shaped hole 517 drilled in a roughly gourd shape in the vertical direction at the center position in the left-right direction, a lowered bottom portion 518 configured to create a gap between the irregularly shaped hole 517 and the U-shaped metal plate 511 to the right of the irregularly shaped hole 517, and a downward extension portion 519 extending downward from the right rear end of the lowered bottom portion 518.

[0308] The irregularly shaped hole 517 is located above the irregularly shaped hole 413 (see Figure 23) and is formed to a size that can guide the electrical wiring DK1. The electrical wiring DK1 that has passed above the irregularly shaped hole 517 is positioned between the lowered bottom portion 518 and the U-shaped metal plate 511, bends upward, is positioned between the U-shaped metal plate 511 and the left and right fixing covers 514, is positioned on the inner diameter side of the right fixing bush 522 of the end fixing means 520, and is positioned inside the U-shaped metal plate 511. The state of the electrical wiring DK1 along its path will be described later.

[0309] The downward extension portion 519 is a part that is shaped to support the electrical wiring DK1 on the side that moves up and down with a cable tie in accordance with the vertical movement. Specifically, a forming portion 411a is formed directly to the right of the irregularly shaped hole 413 of the flat plate portion 411 in a shape that allows a cable tie to be fixed. The electrical wiring DK1 is fixed to the forming portion 411a with a cable tie, and is fixed to the downward extension portion 519, which is located behind and below the forming portion 411a, with a cable tie.

[0310] This allows the electrical wiring DK1 to be moved towards the rear side, thus preventing it from being displaced towards the front and getting caught between the front upper edge of the strip-shaped extension 463 and the front overhang 414 of the support means 410 (see Figure 23).

[0311] Of the components of the downward extension 519, the plate portion that constitutes the right side functions as a restricting portion to prevent the cable tie from rising. That is, the cable tie is maintained in a state where it is fixed to the U-shaped portion that protrudes downward at the lower end of the downward extension 519, and by restricting the upward movement of the cable tie, the fixing position of the electrical wiring DK1 to the downward extension 519 can be limited to the vicinity of the lower end of the downward extension 519.

[0312] The end fixing means 520 includes a left fixing bush 521 that is fitted into the first opening 512 of the U-shaped metal plate 511 from the left side, and a right fixing bush 522 that is fitted into the second opening 513 from the right side.

[0313] The left fixing bush 521 and the right fixing bush 522 are equipped with forming parts (protrusions) that fit into notches (recesses) formed above and below both the first opening 512 and the second opening 513, respectively. The fitting of these protrusions and recesses ensures stability of the posture, and the flange-like parts, which are formed in a flange shape with a diameter larger than the inner diameter of the first opening 512 and the second opening 513, are used to position them in the axial direction (left-right direction).

[0314] In other words, in the assembled state (see Figure 21), the left fixing bush 521 and the right fixing bush 522 are supported by their flange-like portions being positioned between the U-shaped metal plate 511 and the left and right fixing covers 514, and their position is fixed by interlocking grooves.

[0315] The left fixing bush 521 has a support hole 521a with a D-shaped cross-section drilled at the rotation axis position. The support hole 521a is the part that supports one end of the shaft configuration means 530, but the details will be described later.

[0316] The right fixing bush 522 mainly comprises a pair of through holes 523 formed to allow fastening screws inserted into the circular hole 513a to be inserted, an irregularly shaped annular projection 524 that can be fitted into the second opening 513 and protrudes to the left, and an omitted portion 525 in which the formation of a flange-like portion is omitted in the lower half to secure a passage path for the electrical wiring DK1.

[0317] The annular projection 524 is formed with a projection length exceeding the thickness of the U-shaped metal plate 511. This makes it easy to align the orientation of the projection fastening portion 532 of the shaft structure means 530, but the details will be described later.

[0318] The shaft configuration means 530 mainly comprises a right shaft body portion 531 which is fastened and fixed to a U-shaped metal plate 511 by fastening screws that are inserted through holes 523, a left shaft body portion 535 which is positioned opposite to the left side of the right shaft body portion 531 and fastened and fixed to the right shaft body portion 531, a drive motor 541 which is fastened and fixed to the left shaft body portion 535, a motor gear 542 which is fixed to the drive shaft of the drive motor 541, an illuminated circuit board 543 which is arranged on the front side of the right shaft body portion 531 and the left shaft body portion 535, a light diffuser plate 545 which is stacked on the front side of the illuminated circuit board 543 and has a light-diffusing shape formed on its back surface, and is positioned by being sandwiched between the right shaft body portion 531 and the left shaft body portion 535 from the front, back, left, right, top and bottom, and a photocoupler type detection sensor 547 which is fastened and fixed to the right shaft body portion 531 from the right side.

[0319] As described above, the shaft configuration means 530 includes multiple components that require an electrical supply (i.e., the drive motor 541, the lighting circuit board 543, and the detection sensor 547). Therefore, it is considered that a challenge is to arrange the electrical wiring DK1 compactly. In this embodiment, all of the connection terminals 541a and 547a of the electrical wiring DK1 are grouped together in the area between the right shaft body 531 and the left shaft body 535.

[0320] Specifically, the connection terminal 541a of the drive motor 541 is located on the motor body, which is surrounded by the right shaft body 531 and the left shaft body 535; the connection terminal (not shown) of the lighting circuit board 543 is located on the rear side facing the opposite sides of the right shaft body 531 and the left shaft body 535; and the connection terminal 547a of the detection sensor 547 is located extending outwards to the left side of the right shaft body 531 (towards the left shaft body 535) through the opening 533a of the right shaft body 531.

[0321] As a result, by simply guiding the electrical wiring DK1 into the area between the opposing right main body 531 and the left main body 535, it is possible to supply electricity without excess or deficiency, thus allowing the electrical wiring DK1 to be contained within the area between the opposing right main body 531 and the left main body 535 (the area on the inner diameter side of the arc-shaped wall extending toward the other side).

[0322] Furthermore, the fastening directions of the shaft configuration means 530 and the U-shaped metal plate 511, the fastening of the right shaft body portion 531 and the left shaft body portion 535, the fastening of the left shaft body portion 535 and the drive motor 541, and the fastening of the right shaft body portion 531 and the detection sensor 547 are all unified in the left-right direction (parallel to the rotation axis). Therefore, it is possible to make the radial dimension of the shaft configuration means 530 smaller.

[0323] In this way, the shaft configuration means 530 allows for the integration of the main functional parts, and also enables the compact storage of the electrical wiring DK1. The details of each component of the shaft configuration means 530 will be described below.

[0324] The right shaft body portion 531 mainly comprises a pair of protruding fastening portions 532 that protrude to the right and have female threads formed at their protruding ends, an opening 533a drilled in the left-right direction at a position below the protruding fastening portions 532 that is large enough for the connection terminal 547a of the detection sensor 547 to pass through, a wiring opening 533b drilled in the left-right direction at a position above the protruding fastening portions 532 that is large enough for the electrical wiring DK1 (and the connector disposed at the end) to be inserted, and a pair of claw-shaped locking claw portions 534 that protrude in a claw shape at a gap on the front side of the front plate portion of the right shaft body portion 531.

[0325] The protruding fastening portion 532 is fixed in position by loosely fitting with the annular projection 524 of the right fixing bush 522, and its tip abuts against the U-shaped metal plate 511, and fastening screws inserted through the circular hole 513a and the insertion hole 523 are screwed in to fasten and fix it to the U-shaped metal plate 511. The protruding fastening portion 532 is also inserted through the insertion hole 572 of the position fixing bush 571, but the details will be described later.

[0326] The locking claw portion 534 is a part that supports the illuminated circuit board 543 and the light diffuser plate 545 by sandwiching them from the left and right directions in the assembled state (see Figure 21). In addition, the illuminated circuit board 543 and the light diffuser plate 545 are sandwiched (directly or indirectly) by a pair of restricting protrusions 534a that protrude from the front side at the upper and lower ends of the front plate portion, thereby restricting vertical displacement.

[0327] The left shaft body portion 535 mainly comprises a plate-shaped portion 536 formed in a plate shape that intersects the rotation axis (left-right axis) at a right angle, a pair of protruding fastening portions 537 that protrude cylindrically to the right from the plate-shaped portion 536 and have female threads formed at the protruding tips, a shaft support portion 538 that protrudes cylindrically to the left from the plate-shaped portion 536 along the rotation axis, and a pair of locking claw portions 539 that protrude claw-shaped at a gap on the front side of the front plate portion of the left shaft body portion 535.

[0328] The protruding fastening portion 537 protrudes to the same plane as the plane on which the right tip of the arc-shaped wall of the left shaft main body portion 535 is located. In this case, the arc-shaped wall of the left shaft main body portion 535 and the protruding fastening portion 537 can be brought into contact with the plate portion of the right shaft main body portion 531, which is a component plate portion and is arranged parallel to the plate-shaped portion 536, on the same plane.

[0329] This allows the right shaft body portion 531 to be stably positioned relative to the left shaft body portion 535, and the fastening screw, which is inserted through the through hole formed in the right shaft body portion 531, can be easily screwed into the female thread at the tip of the protruding fastening portion 537, so that the right shaft body portion 531 can be easily fastened and fixed to the left shaft body portion 535.

[0330] The pivot support portion 538 is configured as a cylindrical shape with a diameter slightly shorter than the circular opening drilled in the center of the flanged gear 551 of the left rotating cover portion 550, thereby rotatably supporting the flanged gear 551. In addition, the pivot support portion 538 is configured to fit into the support hole 521a by forming the tip of the pivot support portion 538 into a D shape that is slightly smaller than the support hole 521a.

[0331] In other words, in the assembled state (see Figure 21), the pivot support portion 538 is supported so as not to rotate by fitting into the support hole 521a, and functions as a part that rotatably pivots the left rotating cover portion 550.

[0332] The locking claw portion 539 is constructed to be substantially the same shape as the locking claw portion 534 of the right shaft body portion 531, and in the assembled state (see Figure 21), it supports the illuminated circuit board 543 and the light diffuser plate 545 by sandwiching them from the left and right directions. At this time, by sandwiching the illuminated circuit board 543 and the light diffuser plate 545 between the front plate portion, which is positioned with a gap on the rear side, and the locking claw portions 534 and 539, displacement in the front-to-back direction can also be restricted.

[0333] In addition, the vertical displacement is restricted by (directly or indirectly) sandwiching the illuminated circuit board 543 and the light diffuser plate 545 between a pair of restricting protrusions 539a that protrude from the front side at the upper and lower ends of the front panel.

[0334] As a result, without having to prepare separate fixing means (for example, fastening screws) for fixing the illuminated circuit board 543 and the light diffuser plate 545, the illuminated circuit board 543 and the light diffuser plate 545 can be fixed to the right shaft body 531 and the left shaft body 535 by fastening and fixing the right shaft body 531 and the left shaft body 535, by utilizing the shape of the right shaft body 531 and the left shaft body 535.

[0335] The illuminated circuit board 543 includes a plurality of LED members 544 arranged vertically at its left end, with the LED members 544 positioned so that their optical axes extend to the right along the surface of the illuminated circuit board 543. The plurality of LED members 544 are configured so that each LED emits a different color (for example, red, green, and blue), and by combining these colors, it is possible to perform multi-color illumination effects with a small number of LEDs.

[0336] The light-diffusing plate 545 has a light-diffusing shape formed on its back surface, and this light-diffusing shape is formed so that light can be emitted from the surface perpendicular to the surface of the light-diffusing plate 545. As a result, the rotating body 560 that is illuminated by light transmitted through the light-diffusing plate 545 can be illuminated evenly while reducing the number of LED components 544.

[0337] The detection sensor 547 is positioned on the right side of the rotating body 560, opposite to the left side where the drive motor 541 and transmission gear 552, and other components for transmitting driving force, are located. This allows for efficient use of the space inside the rotating body 560 and enables a compact arrangement.

[0338] By positioning the detection sensor 547 inside the rotating body 560, the displacement of the detection sensor 547 in conjunction with the vertical displacement of the rotating body 560 can be easily achieved. In other words, when the detection sensor 547 is positioned outside the rotating body 560, the member supporting the detection sensor 547 is almost always positioned outside the rotating body 560. In this case, in order to move the detection sensor 547 vertically in conjunction with the vertical displacement of the rotating body 560, the member supporting the detection sensor 547 must also be moved accordingly.

[0339] In contrast, in this embodiment, when the detection sensor 547 is arranged inside the rotating body 560, by arranging the detection sensor 547 on a member constituting the rotation axis of the rotating body 560, the detection sensor 547 can be configured to move up and down in conjunction with the vertical displacement of the rotating body 560 (the vertical displacement of the member constituting the rotation axis).

[0340] The detection sensor 547 is positioned such that the detection groove faces tangentially to a circle centered on the rotation axis of the rotating body 560. This allows the detected portion 577, which protrudes axially from an eccentric position on the rotating body 560, to pass through the detection groove.

[0341] The rotating left cover portion 550 mainly comprises a flanged gear 551 pivotally supported by the pivot portion 538 and a driven plate 555 fixed to the flanged gear 551 in the rotational direction.

[0342] The flanged gear 551 mainly comprises a transmission gear 552 arranged to mesh with the motor gear 542, a stepped disc portion 553 extending radially outward from the axial end of the transmission gear 552 and formed in a stepped disc shape, and a plurality of protruding portions 554 projecting from specific positions on the outer circumference of the small diameter circle of the stepped disc portion 553 (in this embodiment, positions at 120-degree intervals that divide the circumference into three equal parts) toward the outer circumference of the large diameter circle.

[0343] The driven plate 555 is provided with an irregularly shaped opening 556 that is slightly larger than the shape that continuously connects the small diameter circle and the outer shape of the protruding portion 554 of the stepped disc portion 553 in a view along the rotation axis.

[0344] The irregularly shaped opening 556 fits onto the small diameter circle and protruding portion 554 of the stepped disc portion 553, thereby preventing the driven plate 555 from being misaligned in the rotational direction relative to the flanged gear 551.

[0345] Furthermore, since the large-diameter circle of the stepped disc portion 553 is larger than the irregularly shaped opening 556, the flanged gear 551 is prevented from passing through the irregularly shaped opening 556 to the right.

[0346] The left side of the flanged gear 551 is designed to have a gap between it and the U-shaped metal plate 511 when it is in contact with the protruding portion that extends in an annular shape to the right from around the support hole 521a of the left fixing bush 521.

[0347] As a result, when the rotating body 560 rotates, the left side of the flanged gear 551 can be configured to rub only against the annular protrusion of the left fixing bush 521, thereby avoiding friction between the flanged gear 551 and the U-shaped metal plate 511. Therefore, wear of the flanged gear 551 can be suppressed.

[0348] The rotating body 560 is made of a light-transmitting resin material and comprises four plate-like members on which different or identical patterns or figures are formed on their surfaces. It is fastened and fixed to the rotating left cover 550 and the rotating right cover 570 to form a roughly cubic shape, but further details will be described later.

[0349] The rotating right cover portion 570 mainly comprises a posture-fixing bush 571 having a pair of insertion holes 572 through which the protruding fastening portion 532 of the shaft configuration means 530 can be inserted, and a driven plate 575 that is rotatably supported by the posture-fixing bush 571.

[0350] The attitude-fixing bush 571 is configured such that its outer diameter differs from that of the flanged gear 551, similar to the stepped disc portion 553. Specifically, the right end is configured to have a larger diameter than its left side, thereby defining the limit position for the driven plate 575 when it is displaced to the right relative to the attitude-fixing bush 571. This prevents the driven plate 575 from falling off the attitude-fixing bush 571.

[0351] The driven plate 575 mainly comprises a pivoted support hole 576 drilled in its central part in a circular shape slightly larger than the small diameter circle of the attitude fixing bush 571, and a detected portion 577 projecting to the left along a circular arc shape concentric with the central axis of the pivoted support hole 576.

[0352] The driven plate 575 is positioned in the gap between the right end of the arc-shaped portion located on the right side of the shaft right main body portion 531 and the flange-shaped portion of the attitude fixing bush 571 (see Figure 30(a)), thereby restricting displacement in the rotation axis direction (left-right direction).

[0353] Furthermore, since the driven plate 575 is supported in a manner that it slides against the outer circumferential surface of the large-diameter cylindrical portion of the attitude fixing bush 571, the attitude during rotation can be stabilized compared to when it is supported by a small-diameter rotating shaft.

[0354] The detected part 577 is positioned in the assembled state (see Figure 21) so as to be able to enter the detection groove of the detection sensor 547. The detection sensor 547 determines the presence or absence of the detected part 577 (whether the detected part 577 is in a position where it is entering the detection groove of the detection sensor 547, or whether the unformed area of ​​the detected part 577 is facing the detection sensor 547 and the detected part 577 is not entering it), thereby causing the MPU 221 of the sound lamp control device 113 to determine the position of the rotating body 560.

[0355] Figure 27 is an exploded front perspective view of the rotating left cover 550 and the rotating body 560, and Figure 28 is an exploded front perspective view of the rotating body 560 and the rotating right cover 570. In Figure 27, the opposing surfaces of the rotating left cover 550 and the rotating body 560 are shown facing the front, and in Figure 28, the opposing surfaces of the rotating right cover 570 and the rotating body 560 are shown facing the front. That is, the opposing surfaces are shown separated by an axis at the rear.

[0356] Since the rotating body 560 is formed in a rectangular cylindrical shape by multiple (four in this embodiment) surface components 560a to 560d composed of similar shapes, surface component 560a will be described in detail, and only the differences between the other surface components 560b to 560d will be described, with detailed explanations omitted.

[0357] The surface component 560a comprises a substantially square plate-like portion 561 having a decorative pattern formed on its outer surface and constituting the outer wall of the rotating body 560, and a pair of symmetrical protruding portions 562 that are formed to protrude inward from the left and right ends of the plate-like portion 561 in a shape that is rotationally symmetric with respect to the center point of the plate-like portion 561.

[0358] The symmetrical protruding portion 562 mainly comprises an opposing plate portion 563 positioned opposite to the driven plate 555 or driven plate 575, left and right opposing portions 564 stacked on the left and right inner sides of the opposing plate portion 563 and extending outward from the front and rear of the opposing plate portion 563, fastening auxiliary portions 565 stacked on the left and right inner sides of the left and right opposing portions 564 to ensure screw-in thickness, and a position-aligning portion 566 drilled in the opposing plate portion 563.

[0359] The plate-shaped portion 561 has different decorative patterns on its surface constituent members 560a to 560d. As a result, when the rotating body 560 rotates, the surface constituent members 560a to 560d facing the player change (periodically), allowing the shapes and patterns visible through the rotating body 560 to be changed to multiple types (four types in this embodiment).

[0360] More specifically, a decorative pattern consisting of a "△" (triangle) shape is formed on the surface of the plate-shaped portion 561 of the surface component 560a, a decorative pattern consisting of a "?" (question mark) shape is formed on the surface of the plate-shaped portion 561 of the surface component 560b, a decorative pattern consisting of an "!" (exclamation mark) shape is formed on the surface of the plate-shaped portion 561 of the surface component 560c, and a decorative pattern consisting of a "○" (circle) shape is formed on the surface of the plate-shaped portion 561 of the surface component 560d.

[0361] In the composite operating unit 402, which consists of four units arranged side by side (see Figure 19), a common decorative pattern is formed on the surface components 560a, 560b, and 560d, while a different decorative pattern is formed on the surface component 560c.

[0362] Specifically, a decorative pattern consisting of a figure representing "H" is formed on the surface of the plate-shaped portion 561 of the surface component 560c of the leftmost composite operation unit 402; a decorative pattern consisting of a figure representing "I" is formed on the surface of the plate-shaped portion 561 of the second composite operation unit 402 from the left; a decorative pattern consisting of a figure representing "T" is formed on the surface of the third composite operation unit 402 from the left; and a decorative pattern consisting of a figure representing "!" (exclamation mark) is formed on the surface of the plate-shaped portion 561 of the rightmost composite operation unit 402. Their uses will be described later.

[0363] The opposing plate portion 563 is formed from an arc shape on the rotation axis side of the central part, with the surface constituent members 560a to 560d forming part of the same circle. A convex portion 563a is formed on one side of the front and rear ends (the front side of the surface constituent member 560a), and a concave portion 563b is formed on the other side (the rear side of the surface constituent member 560a).

[0364] The concave portion 563b is formed from a shape that allows it to be fitted when the convex portion 563a is rotated 90 degrees around the left-right axis. For example, the convex portion 563a on the lower side of the surface component 560a fits into the concave portion 563b on the left side of the surface component 560a, which corresponds to the surface component 560a rotated 90 degrees around the left-right axis. At the same time, the concave portion 563b on the lower side of the surface component 560b fits into the convex portion 563a on the left side of the surface component 560a.

[0365] Furthermore, the shapes of the convex portion 563a and the concave portion 563b can be arbitrarily set as long as the above conditions are met. For example, they can be angular, semicircular, or inclined. In this embodiment, the convex portion 563a is configured to be the part that exerts the fastening force of the fastening screw by making it large enough to form an internal screw.

[0366] In a similar manner, adjacent surface components 560a to 560d can be fitted together to align them into a rectangular cylindrical shape. Lateral misalignment of surface components 560a to 560d is prevented by the left and right opposing portions 564.

[0367] That is, when the surface components 560a to 560d form a rectangular cylindrical shape, the left and right opposing portions 564 abut against the concave portions 563b of adjacent surface components 560a to 560d from the inside in the left-right direction (they are arranged opposite each other).

[0368] For example, the right side of the surface component 560d, which is continuous with the concave portion 563b located below it, comes into contact with (is positioned opposite to) the left-right opposing portion 564 located on the front side of the surface component 560a (outside in the left-right direction of the rotating body 560). That is, after arranging the components to form a rectangular cylindrical shape, the left-right position of the surface component 560d can be aligned with that of the surface component 560a by displacing the surface component 560d to the right of the surface component 560a.

[0369] Furthermore, the left side of the surface component 560d, which is continuous with the concave portion 563b located on the front side of the surface component 560a from its right side (outer side in the left-right direction of the rotating body 560), abuts against the left-right opposing portion 564 located on the lower side (lower right side) of the surface component 560d (they are positioned opposite each other). In other words, after arranging them to form a rectangular cylindrical shape, the left-right position of the surface component 560d can be aligned with that of the surface component 560a by displacing the surface component 560d to the right of the surface component 560a.

[0370] Thus, in this embodiment, by making the shape of the symmetrical protrusion 562 rotationally symmetric with respect to the center point of the plate-like portion 561, the left-right position of one surface component relative to one surface component (for example, surface component 560d) can be aligned by displacing the other surface component (for example, surface component 560d) in one direction to the left or right relative to one surface component (for example, surface component 560a).

[0371] The orientation adjustment portion 566 is formed as orientation adjustment portions 566a to 566d on each of the surface components 560a to 560d, and is configured as a through hole of a different shape on each of the surface components 560a to 560d.

[0372] Specifically, the orientation alignment portion 566a formed in the surface component 560a is drilled in a circular cross-section, the orientation alignment portion 566b formed in the surface component 560b is drilled in a rectangular shape with a shorter length in the direction along the extending direction of the plate-like portion 561, the orientation alignment portion 566c formed in the surface component 560c is drilled in a rectangular shape with a longer length in the direction along the extending direction of the plate-like portion 561, and the orientation alignment portion 566d formed in the surface component 560d is drilled in an equilateral triangular cross-section.

[0373] The driven plate 555 is provided with a plurality of fitting protrusions 555a to 555d that protrude from a position that allows insertion into the orientation adjustment sections 566a to 566d, and have a shape corresponding to the orientation adjustment sections 566a to 566d.

[0374] Specifically, the pair of fitting protrusions 555a are provided with a circular cross-section, the pair of fitting protrusions 555b are provided with a rectangular shape in which the side in the direction along the adjacent side of the driven plate 555 is shorter, the pair of fitting protrusions 555c are provided with a rectangular shape in which the side in the direction along the adjacent side of the driven plate 555 is longer, and the pair of fitting protrusions 555d are provided with an equilateral triangular cross-section.

[0375] The driven plate 575 is provided with a plurality of fitting protrusions 575a to 575d that protrude from a position that allows insertion into the orientation adjustment sections 566a to 566d, and have a shape corresponding to the orientation adjustment sections 566a to 566d.

[0376] Specifically, the pair of fitting protrusions 575a are provided with a circular cross-section, the pair of fitting protrusions 575b are provided with a rectangular shape in which the side in the direction along the adjacent side of the driven plate 575 is shorter, the pair of fitting protrusions 575c are provided with a rectangular shape in which the side in the direction along the adjacent side of the driven plate 575 is longer, and the pair of fitting protrusions 575d are provided with an equilateral triangular cross-section.

[0377] In this way, by configuring the orientation alignment portions 566a to 566d and the fitting projections 555a to 555d and 575a to 575d with corresponding shapes, the rotating left cover portion 550, the rotating body 560, and the rotating right cover portion 570 can be fitted together and fastened in an appropriate relative angle.

[0378] In the actual assembly procedure, all four surface components 560a to 560d of the rotating body 560 are assembled and fitted into a rectangular cylindrical shape. After aligning the left and right positions, the fitting protrusions 555a to 555d of the rotating left cover 550 are fitted into the orientation alignment sections 566a to 566d of the rotating body 560. The fastening screws, which are inserted through the insertion holes formed at the four corners, are then screwed into the female threads of the protruding section 563a, thereby fastening and securing the rotating body 560 and the rotating left cover 550. Next, the rotating right cover 570 can also be fastened and secured to the rotating body 560 by screwing in the fastening screws using the same procedure.

[0379] In this embodiment, the direction of fitting and fastening of the left rotating cover portion 550 and the right rotating cover portion 570 to the orientation alignment portions 566a to 566d of the rotating body 560 is designed to be in the left-right direction (parallel to the axis of rotation).

[0380] This eliminates the need for fastening screws on the outer surfaces (display surfaces) of each of the surface components 560a to 560d of the rotating body 560, thus preventing the fastening screws from being visible on the display surface. In this case, a sealing member to conceal the fastening screws becomes unnecessary, and a decorative pattern can be formed using the entire area (total surface area) of the outer surfaces (display surfaces) of each of the surface components 560a to 560d, thus increasing the size (area, i.e., density) of the decorative pattern relative to the size (area) of each component 560a to 560d.

[0381] Here, for example, if one surface component (e.g., surface component 560a) is fastened and fixed to the rotating left cover portion 550, and then an attempt is made to assemble another surface component (e.g., surface component 560d), the fitting projection 555d of the rotating left cover portion 550, which is fastened and fixed to the first surface component 560a, interferes with the opposing plate portion 563 of the other surface component 560d. As a result, the concave portion 563b of the other surface component 560d cannot be slid between the left and right opposing portions 564 of the first surface component 560a and the driven plate 555, and therefore cannot be assembled.

[0382] Thus, in this embodiment, the left rotating lid 550 and the right rotating lid 570 can only be fastened and fixed after all the surface components 560a to 560d have been assembled into a rectangular cylindrical shape, thus preventing assembly errors (for example, assembling with one of the surface components 560a to 560d missing).

[0383] In other words, in this embodiment, the fitting protrusions 555a to 555d and 575a to 575d can simultaneously achieve the following effects: strengthening the rigidity of the rotating left cover 550, the rotating body 560, and the rotating right cover 570 through fitting; enabling the rotating left cover 550, the rotating body 560, and the rotating right cover 570 to be assembled in the appropriate orientation by matching the shape with the orientation matching parts 566a to 566d which are the objects to be fitted; and preventing the forgetting to assemble each surface component 560a to 560d by limiting the assembly procedure.

[0384] Figures 29(a) and 29(b) are exploded front perspective views of the composite operation unit 402 of the first operation unit 400. Figures 29(a) and 29(b) also show perspective views from a different direction, in which the rotation unit 500 is positioned with its lower surface facing the front.

[0385] The annular projection 412 is a C-shaped projection in top view with a dividing portion 412a (cut) on the right side, and a protruding portion 516a corresponding to this dividing portion 412a is formed on the lower surface of the guide member 516.

[0386] In the assembled state (see Figure 21), the position of the rotating unit 500 relative to the support means 410 is defined by the placement of the protruding portion 516a on the divided portion 412a. With the position of the rotating unit 500 defined, the fastening screw inserted through the insertion hole 413a is screwed into the fastening portion 517a where the female thread is formed, thereby fastening and fixing the guide member 516 to the support means 410.

[0387] In the assembled state (see Figure 21), the irregularly shaped holes 413 and 517 are connected as passage paths for the electrical wiring DK1, but their internal shapes, which form the outer frame of the passage paths, are different. This difference in shape corresponds to the difference in the configuration of the electrical wiring DK1 (see Figure 21) guided through the irregularly shaped holes 413 or 517.

[0388] More specifically, below the irregularly shaped hole 413, the electrical wiring DK1 is displaced vertically in accordance with the vertical movement of the support means 410, while above the irregularly shaped hole 517 (on the rotating unit 500 side), it is fixed in place regardless of the arrangement of the support means 410. Therefore, below the irregularly shaped hole 413, it is preferable to have a configuration that easily accommodates vertical displacement, and above the irregularly shaped hole 517, it is preferable to have a configuration that easily accommodates the path for fixing the electrical wiring DK1. The configuration of the electrical wiring DK1 in this embodiment from this perspective will be described below.

[0389] In this embodiment, below the irregularly shaped hole 413, the electrical wiring DK1, which consists of bundles of multiple wires, is bundled into a member (a so-called spiral tube) which is a tubular member made of a flexible resin material with spiral cuts, thereby forming a wire bundle with a cross-sectional area close to circular.

[0390] In this embodiment, the spiral tube is wrapped around at least the portion of the electrical wiring DK1 that is accessible to (accessible to) the wiring support means 460.

[0391] By configuring the electrical wiring DK1 as a bundle of wires with a nearly circular cross-section, it is possible to ensure that, regardless of the direction in which the electrical wiring DK1 bends as the support means 410 moves up and down, there is no significant difference in the resistance to bending of the electrical wiring DK1 or the load applied as a result of the bending.

[0392] The irregularly shaped hole 413 has a shorter front-to-back width in the left-to-right direction compared to the irregularly shaped hole 517, making it easier to arrange the electrical wiring DK1 into a wire bundle with a nearly circular cross-section. This prevents the individual wires of the electrical wiring DK1 from spreading out in the front-to-back direction, while making it easier to arrange them spreading out in the left-to-right direction even when there are many wires. Therefore, when guiding the electrical wiring DK1 from the irregularly shaped hole 413 to the right and fixing it in the forming part 411a with a fixing member such as a cable tie, it is easier to form a wire bundle with a shorter front-to-back width and a nearly circular cross-section.

[0393] The cross-sectional shape of the wire bundle of the electrical wiring DK1 does not need to be circular, and various forms are exemplified. For example, as the number of wires constituting the electrical wiring DK1 increases, the cross-section of the wire bundle tends to become an elongated ellipse shape from left to right. Even in this case, the resistance and load can be reduced when the electrical wiring DK1 is curved in the front-to-back direction compared to when it is curved from side to side. Curving in the front-to-back direction is a form of curvature that is likely to occur in this embodiment, but the details will be described later.

[0394] Figure 30(a) is a front exploded perspective view of a part of the configuration of the rotating unit 500, and Figure 30(b) is a schematic perspective view showing the harness constituting the electrical wiring DK1. As shown in Figure 30(b), the electrical wiring DK1 is configured such that multiple insulated flexible wires are connected and fixed at approximately equal intervals to a connector which serves as the connection end.

[0395] In the rotating unit 500 of this embodiment, connectors are connected to the drive motor 541, the detection sensor 547, and the lighting circuit board 543, and the total number of wires extending from each connector is 16.

[0396] In Figure 30(a), the rotating unit 500 is shown, including the U-shaped metal plate 511, the right left and right fixing lids 514, the guide member 516, the fixing means 520 at both ends, the right shaft body 531, the left shaft body 535, the drive motor 541, the detection sensor 547, and the attitude fixing bush 571. The left and right fixing lids 514 and the guide member 516 are shown spaced apart from the U-shaped metal plate 511, and only the left and right fixing lids 514 are shown in a different orientation.

[0397] Figure 30(a) mainly describes the guidance of the electrical wiring DK1 to the rotating unit 500. The electrical wiring DK1 that passes upward through the irregularly shaped hole 517 is routed through a gap that is long in the front-to-back direction and short in the up-to-down direction between the U-shaped metal plate 511 and the lowered bottom portion 518. Therefore, it is preferable that the wires constituting the electrical wiring DK1 are arranged so that they are aligned front-to-back rather than stacked on top of each other.

[0398] In contrast, in this embodiment, the guide member 516 is formed at the right end of the irregularly shaped hole 517 so as to be lowered by one step in a fan shape when viewed from above from the lowered bottom portion 518, and is equipped with a fan-shaped adjustment portion 517b for adjusting the degree of spread of the multiple electric wires constituting the electrical wiring DK1 in the front-rear direction. The function of this fan-shaped adjustment portion 517b will be explained with reference to Figure 31.

[0399] Figure 31(a) is a top view of the guide member 516, Figure 31(b) is a cross-sectional view of the guide member 516 and electrical wiring DK1 along the line XXXIb-XXXIb in Figure 31(a), Figure 31(c) is a cross-sectional view of the guide member 516 and electrical wiring DK1 along the line XXXIc-XXXIc in Figure 31(a), Figure 31(d) is a cross-sectional view of the guide member 516 along the line XXXId-XXXId in Figure 31(a), and Figure 31(e) is a cross-sectional view of the guide member 516 and electrical wiring DK1 along the line XXXIe-XXXIe in Figure 31(d).

[0400] Figures 31(a) and 31(d) schematically illustrate some of the paths of the wires of the electrical wiring DK1 guided through the irregularly shaped hole 517 using dashed lines, while Figures 31(b), 31(c), and 31(e) illustrate an example of the arrangement of the wires of the electrical wiring DK1.

[0401] In other words, each wire of the electrical wiring DK1 is curved so as to be positioned close to (contacting) the lower corner portion where the irregularly shaped hole 517 and the fan-shaped adjustment portion 517b form two surfaces, and the upper corner portion located to the right of the lower corner portion, where the lowered bottom portion 518 and the fan-shaped adjustment portion 517b form two surfaces. In this state, the front and rear walls of the fan-shaped adjustment portion 517b restrict the dispersion (spreading) in the front and rear direction (see Figures 31(a) and 31(c)).

[0402] In other words, the degree of dispersion of the electrical wiring DK1 can be adjusted by adjusting the formation angle of the front and rear walls of the fan-shaped adjustment section 517b. From this perspective, in this embodiment, the front and rear walls of the fan-shaped adjustment section 517b are configured such that the extension line 517x, which extends linearly from the ends of the front and rear walls of the fan-shaped adjustment section 517b in a top view, becomes a straight line that reaches the corner of the lowered bottom section 518.

[0403] This maximizes the degree of dispersion of the electrical wiring DK1 while it is arranged on a single plane (the plane between the U-shaped metal plate 511 and the lowered bottom portion 518) above the irregularly shaped hole 517. In other words, near the right end of the lowered bottom portion 518, each wire of the electrical wiring DK1 can be easily dispersed across the front-to-back width of the lowered bottom portion 518 (see Figure 31(b)).

[0404] In this embodiment, the fan-shaped adjustment section 517b is designed with a front-to-back spacing of approximately 6.4 mm at its left end, and the inclination angle of the front and rear inclined walls with respect to the left-to-right direction is 35 degrees (central angle of 70 degrees).

[0405] As shown in Figure 31(b), the wires of the electrical wiring DK1 can be arranged in a manner in which each wire is in contact with the bottom surface of the lowered base 518, rather than overlapping vertically, from the right end of the lowered base 518 to the center of the fastening portion 516b. In other words, a front-to-back width (approximately 15.4 mm in this embodiment) is secured that is greater than the dimension required for each wire with an outer diameter (approximately 0.7 mm in this embodiment) to be arranged side by side on the same plane (approximately 11.2 mm for 16 wires in this embodiment).

[0406] This makes it easier to prevent compressive loads from being applied to the electrical wiring DK1 from the components assembled around the electrical wiring DK1, even if the depth of the lowered bottom portion 518 (the gap dimension between it and the lower surface of the U-shaped metal plate 511) is designed to be small (approximately 2 mm in this embodiment).

[0407] Various shapes can be exemplified for the fan-shaped adjustment section 517b. For example, if the front-to-back width is larger than that of this embodiment, the wires of the electrical wiring DK1 can be spread out from near the left-right center of the lowered base section 518 to the front-to-back width of the lowered base section 518, and the width of the wire passage path can be widened, which has the advantage of reducing the load on the wires from the fan-shaped adjustment section 517b even when there are many wires. However, there is also the disadvantage that the wires may approach the front and rear walls of the guide member 516 before reaching the right end of the lowered base section 518, and the wires may bend (bend) in the plane between the U-shaped metal plate 511 and the lowered base section 518.

[0408] Furthermore, for example, if the front-to-back width is smaller compared to the shape of this embodiment, there is an advantage in that the possibility of the electric wire bending (curving) in the plane between the U-shaped metal plate 511 and the lowered bottom portion 518 can be reduced. On the other hand, since the width of the electric wire's passage path is narrowed, there is a disadvantage that the load applied to the electric wire from the fan-shaped adjustment portion 517b tends to increase when there are many electric wires.

[0409] Therefore, the shape of the fan-shaped adjustment section 517b in this embodiment is preferable because it allows for the widest possible path for the electric wires while maintaining the advantage of reducing the possibility of the electric wires bending in the plane between the U-shaped metal plate 511 and the lowered bottom section 518 (the advantage of allowing the electrical wiring DK1 to reach the right end of the lowered bottom section 518 along a horizontal straight line).

[0410] Furthermore, the extension line 517x serves as a guideline for the placement range of each wire in the electrical wiring DK1, mainly indicating the outer edge of that placement, but it is configured to intersect slightly to the right of the center of the irregularly shaped hole 517. In other words, the extension line 517x intersects slightly to the right of the straight line connecting the centers of the pair of upper and lower fastening parts 517a.

[0411] This allows the position where each wire of the electrical wiring DK1 gathers below the irregularly shaped hole 517 to be positioned slightly to the right of the center of the irregularly shaped hole 517 (see Figure 31(e)). Therefore, as schematically illustrated in Figure 31(d), even if the electrical wiring DK1 passes only through the right-hand side of the irregularly shaped hole 517 in relation to the arrangement of the forming section 411a, the electrical wiring DK1 can be guided to the forming section 411a (see Figure 23) with each wire sufficiently gathered together.

[0412] Thus, the irregularly shaped holes 517 are formed in a shape that can assist in the change in the degree (state) of dispersion of the electrical wiring DK1 before and after passage. Therefore, compared to the case where the degree (state) of dispersion of each wire in the electrical wiring DK1 changes abruptly, the possibility of each wire bending can be reduced, and the load on the electrical wiring DK1 can be reduced.

[0413] The guide member 516 is equipped with multiple fastening portions 516b, each consisting of a positioning pin used for fastening to the U-shaped metal plate 511 and through holes for inserting fastening screws that are fastened to the U-shaped metal plate 511.

[0414] Since the fastening portion 516b is also located in the lowered bottom portion 518 where the electrical wiring DK1 is placed, the area where the electrical wiring DK1 can be placed is somewhat limited. However, in this embodiment, the arrangement is designed to minimize this limitation.

[0415] First, multiple fastening parts 516b are placed on the opposite side (left side) of the lowered base 518, in a position that does not interfere with the electrical wiring DK1, thereby ensuring fastening force and minimizing the number of fastening parts 516b on the lowered base 518.

[0416] While it is also possible to omit the fastening portion 516b in the lowered base portion 518, in that case, the weight of the electrical wiring DK1 fixed to the downward extension portion 519, and the vibrations and loads generated when the rotating unit 500 moves up and down, may cause the U-shaped metal plate 511 and the lowered base portion 518 to shift position. To avoid this, the guide member 516 may be made thicker, but in that case, the thickness of the guide member 516 in the front view will be larger, making it more difficult to see the rotating body 560, which is detrimental to the overall appearance.

[0417] In other words, in this embodiment, by arranging the fastening portion 516b in the lowered bottom portion 518 with the minimum number of fastening portions 516b, the effect of securing the arrangement width for the electrical wiring DK1 can be maintained, while the effect of enhancing the presence of the rotating body 560 in a front view by making the guide member 516 thin-walled can be achieved.

[0418] Furthermore, by making the remaining fastening portion 516b the fastening portion 516b furthest from the right end of the lowered bottom portion 518, the degree to which the arrangement width of the electrical wiring DK1 is reduced can be minimized.

[0419] The fastening portion 516b located on the lowered bottom portion 518 is equipped with a positioning pin 516c, similar to the fastening portion 516b located on the left side of the guide member 516 (see Figure 30(a)). However, the positioning pin 516c is positioned in a location where the placement of the electrical wiring DK1 is already impossible due to the fastening portion 516b. Specifically, it is positioned on a straight line drawn from the irregularly shaped hole 517 that coincides with the fastening portion 516b, and on the opposite side of the irregularly shaped hole 517 with respect to the fastening portion 516b.

[0420] This prevents the positioning pin 516c from narrowing the installation range (installation width) of the electrical wiring DK1. Therefore, while ensuring ease of placement when assembling the guide member 516 to the U-shaped metal plate 511 using the positioning pin 516c, the wiring range (installation width) of the electrical wiring DK1 can be secured.

[0421] Let's return to Figure 30(a) for explanation. The electrical wiring DK1, having reached the right end of the lowered bottom 518, curves upward along the left side of the left and right fixed cover 514, and is then positioned between the U-shaped metal plate 511 and the left and right fixed cover 514.

[0422] The left and right fixed covers 514 mainly comprise a main plate portion 514a formed in the shape of a flat plate, an extended frame portion 514b that extends along the outer shape of the main plate portion 514a to a position facing the front, rear, upper and lower surfaces of the U-shaped metal plate 511, a space-retaining portion 514c formed to fill the corner formed by the extended frame portion 514b and the main plate portion 514a and recessed toward the main plate portion 514a side than the extended frame portion 514b, a fastening portion 514d formed in a part of the space-retaining portion 514c and consisting of a positioning pin used for fastening to the U-shaped metal plate 511 and an insertion hole for fastening screws to be fastened to the U-shaped metal plate 511, and a jig hole 514e drilled in the main plate portion 514a at the front and rear positions of the fastening portion 514b.

[0423] The space-reserving portion 514c is formed in a position that abuts the U-shaped metal plate 511 in the left-right direction, and the electrical wiring DK1 is routed through the gap between the U-shaped metal plate 511 and the main plate portion 514a that is equal to the thickness of the space-reserving portion 514c.

[0424] The fastening portion 514d is positioned on the front side, similar to the fastening portion 516b positioned on the lowered bottom portion 518. This ensures that the area where the electrical wiring DK1 is continuously routed from the lowered bottom portion 518 to the left and right fixed covers 514 is secured on the rear side.

[0425] Here, by positioning the fastening parts 514d and 516b on the front side, the degree to which the performance deteriorates due to the loosening of the fastening screws can be reduced. For example, if the fastening parts 514d and 516b were positioned on the rear side, the displacement of the U-shaped metal plate 511 would be greater in the front part, which is easily visible to the player, when the fastening screws loosen, which could lead to a deterioration in the performance.

[0426] In contrast, if the fastening screws of the fastening parts 514d and 516b located on the front side loosen, the displacement of the U-shaped metal plate 511 will be greater in the rear part where no fastening screws are located. However, since the rear part is difficult for the player to see, the player is unlikely to notice that the fastening screws have loosened. Therefore, the degree of deterioration in performance can be reduced.

[0427] Furthermore, since the positioning pins of the fastening portion 514d are positioned to overlap the through-hole (in the longitudinal direction of the electrical wiring DK1), the degree to which the through-hole and positioning pins narrow the installation range of the electrical wiring DK1 can be minimized.

[0428] The jig hole 514e is an opening for inserting a jig (not shown) from the outside to adjust the placement of the electrical wiring DK1 in order to prevent the electrical wiring DK1 from getting pinched (crushed) between the U-shaped metal plate 511 and the space-securing portion 514c when assembling the left and right fixing covers 514 to the U-shaped metal plate 511.

[0429] From this perspective, the jig holes 514e become unnecessary after the assembly work is completed. In contrast, in this embodiment, the jig holes 514e are formed in left and right positions that are difficult for the player to see, thus preventing a decrease in the performance effect due to the jig holes 514e being visible to the player.

[0430] The electrical wiring DK1, positioned between the U-shaped metal plate 511 and the left and right fixing covers 514, passes through the inner diameter side of the right fixing bush 522 of the end fixing means 520 and is arranged inside the U-shaped metal plate 511. Each wire of the electrical wiring DK1 arranged inside the U-shaped metal plate 511 is connected to the drive motor 541, the lighting circuit board 543, and the detection sensor 547, thereby enabling power supply.

[0431] Here, the electrical wiring DK1 passes not only inside the right fixing bush 522, but also inside the right shaft body 531, the left shaft body 535, and the attitude fixing bush 571. This physically prevents the electrical wiring DK1 from coming into contact with the rotating parts of the rotating unit 500 (the rotating body 560, the left rotating plate 550, the motor gear 542 that meshes with the left rotating plate 550, and the driven plate 575 of the right rotating cover 570).

[0432] Furthermore, the electrical wiring DK1 passes inside the right shaft body 531, which is located on the right side opposite to the left shaft body 535 to which the drive motor 541 is fastened and fixed, and is positioned inside the U-shaped metal plate 511. It is positioned on the opposite side of the drive motor 541 from the protruding fastening portion 537, that is, between the protruding fastening portion 537 and the arc-shaped extension portion 535a that extends to the right along the outer shape of the left shaft body 535.

[0433] This allows the electrical wiring DK1 to be positioned away from the drive motor 541, thus preventing the electrical wiring DK1 from becoming overheated and damaged by the heat emitted from the drive motor 541. Furthermore, this effect is achieved by routing the electrical wiring DK1 with respect to the protruding fastening portion 537, which acts as a fastening portion, and can be done without adding any separate dedicated components to position the electrical wiring DK1 away from the drive motor 541, thus reducing product costs.

[0434] Referring to Figures 32 to 34, the vertical movement of the combined motion unit 402 of the first motion unit 400 will be explained. In Figures 32 to 34, the vertical movement of the first motion unit 400 is illustrated in chronological order. Specifically, Figure 32 shows the state in which the rotation unit 500 is positioned in the lowered position, Figure 33 shows the state in which the rotation unit 500 is positioned in the middle of the vertical movement range, and Figure 34 shows the state in which the rotation unit 500 is positioned in the raised position.

[0435] Figure 32(a) is a left side view of the composite operation unit 402, Figure 32(b) is a front view of the composite operation unit 402, and Figure 32(c) is a right side view of the composite operation unit 402. In Figure 32(a), for ease of understanding, the area behind the metal plate portion 432 is shown through it, and the outer shape of the metal plate portion 432 is shown with dashed lines. In Figure 32(c), the right-side member 468 is omitted from the illustration.

[0436] Furthermore, Figure 33(a) is a left side view of the composite operation unit 402, Figure 33(b) is a front view of the composite operation unit 402, and Figure 33(c) is a right side view of the composite operation unit 402. Note that in Figure 33(a), for ease of understanding, the area behind the metal plate portion 432 is shown through it, and the outer shape of the metal plate portion 432 is shown with dashed lines, and in Figure 33(c), the right-side member 468 is omitted from the illustration.

[0437] Furthermore, Figure 34(a) is a left side view of the composite operation unit 402, Figure 34(b) is a front view of the composite operation unit 402, and Figure 34(c) is a right side view of the composite operation unit 402. Note that in Figure 34(a), for ease of understanding, the area behind the metal plate portion 432 is shown through it, and the outer shape of the metal plate portion 432 is shown with dashed lines, and in Figure 34(c), the right-side member 468 is omitted from the illustration.

[0438] First, the operation of the transmission means 450 by the driving means 440 will be explained with reference to Figures 32(a), 33(a), and 34(a). As the drive shaft of the drive motor 441 of the driving means 440 rotates, the drive gear 441a rotates, causing the transmission gear 451 meshed with the drive gear 441a, the intermediate gear 452 meshed with the transmission gear 451, and the rotating arm member 453, whose gear portion 453a meshes with the intermediate gear 452, to rotate simultaneously.

[0439] From the state shown in Figure 32(a), when the drive gear 441a is rotated clockwise in a left-view perspective, the rotating arm member 453 rotates counterclockwise in a left-view perspective and stops at a position where it contacts the rotation restricting portion 442f, which extends to the left from the upper end of the partition plate portion 442a of the divided base member 442, as shown in Figure 34(a).

[0440] Conversely, when the drive gear 441a is rotated counterclockwise in a left-view perspective from the state shown in Figure 34(a), the rotating arm member 453 rotates clockwise in a left-view perspective, and as shown in Figure 32(a), the detected plate portion 453d is inserted into the detection sensor 442d, detecting that the rotating arm member 453 is in the rotation end position (see Figure 32(a)), and the drive of the drive motor 441 is stopped.

[0441] Furthermore, at the end of this operation, the connecting member 454 connected to the rotating tip of the rotating arm member 453 contacts the inner wall of the through-hole 416a of the support means 410 in the left-right direction (a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the displacement of the support means 410 is permitted), thereby restricting the rotation of the rotating arm member 453. Therefore, no additional contact points (for example, a part corresponding to the rotation restricting part 442f) are provided.

[0442] As shown in Figures 32(a), 33(a), and 34(a), the detected plate portion 453d is formed in an arc shape centered on the rotation axis of the rotating arm member 453, and the detection sensor 442d is positioned so that the detection groove overlaps with the arc, with the base end side of the detection groove positioned radially outward relative to the arc.

[0443] This allows the detection sensor 442d to detect the plate portion 453d, and also prevents the plate portion 453d from colliding with the base end side of the detection groove of the detection sensor 442d, even if the rotating arm member 453 rotates beyond its rotational end position (position in Figure 32(a)).

[0444] As shown in Figure 34(a), when the rotating unit 500 is in the raised position, the fastening screw insertion holes of the end plate member 421 are located inside the notches of the metal plate portion 432, so that the fastening screws can be turned with a screwdriver.

[0445] In other words, during assembly, the rotating unit 500 can be positioned in the raised position to fix the stacking means 420 and the support means 410, and during maintenance, the rotating unit 500 can be positioned in the raised position to release the fixation between the stacking means 420 and the support means 410.

[0446] The assembly sequence of the combined operating unit 402 and the rotary unit 500 of the first operating unit 400 will be described below. Figures 23, 24, 25, 26, 30(a), and 31 will be referenced as appropriate in the description of the assembly sequence.

[0447] First, the rotating unit 500 is assembled. At this time, the components of the shaft configuration means 530 are assembled and integrated with one end of the electrical wiring DK1 corresponding to the drive motor 541, the lighting circuit board 543, and the detection sensor 547 connected. At this time, the other end of the electrical wiring DK1 is left outside through the wiring opening 533b (see Figures 25 and 30(a)).

[0448] Next, the left rotating cover 550, the rotating body 560, and the right rotating cover 570 are assembled and integrated with the shaft configuration means 530. At this time, the other end of the electrical wiring DK1 is left to protrude outwards through the opening in the center of the attitude fixing bush 571 (see Figures 25 and 30(a)).

[0449] With the rotating left cover 550, the rotating body 560, and the rotating right cover 570 integrated, the distance between the left surface of the flanged gear 551 and the right surface of the attitude fixing bush 571 is slightly shorter than the distance between the plate portions that are positioned opposite each other as the tip of the U-shaped metal plate 511.

[0450] Therefore, the assembly comprising the rotating left cover 550, the rotating body 560, and the rotating right cover 570 can be positioned between the opposing plate sections as the tip of the U-shaped metal plate 511. At this time, the protruding fastening portion 532 is positioned in line with the circular hole 513a.

[0451] Next, the end fixing means 520 are fitted onto the left and right outer sides of the U-shaped metal plate 511. At this time, the other end of the electrical wiring DK1 is left to protrude outwards through the central opening of the right fixing bush 522 (see Figure 30(a)).

[0452] The shapes of the end fixing means 520 and the U-shaped metal plate 511 are such that the rotation of the end fixing means 520 relative to the U-shaped metal plate 511 can be restricted (for example, a concave-concave fitting), and the shapes of the end fixing means 520 and the shaft configuration means 530 are such that the rotation of the shaft configuration means 530 relative to the end fixing means 520 can be restricted (for example, a fitting with a D-shaped cross-section). Therefore, the rotation of the shaft configuration means 530 relative to the U-shaped metal plate 511 can be restricted (see Figure 25).

[0453] The shaft component 530 can be fastened and fixed to the U-shaped metal plate 511 by inserting a fastening screw through the insertion hole 523 and screwing the fastening screw into the protruding fastening portion 532. This allows the U-shaped metal plate 511, the end-end fixing means 520, the shaft component 530, the rotating left cover 550, the rotating body 560, and the rotating right cover 570 to be integrated. Of the end-end fixing means 520, the left fixing bush 521 is prevented from coming off by the left and right fixing covers 514, and the installation of a fastening screw is omitted.

[0454] Next, the left and right fixing covers 514 and the guide member 516 are fastened and fixed to the U-shaped metal plate 511. At this time, the other end of the electrical wiring DK1 is left to protrude downwards through the irregularly shaped hole 517 of the guide member 516 (see Figure 30(a)).

[0455] In order to make the gap between the U-shaped metal plate 511 and the left and right fixed covers 514 narrow, it is preferable to distribute the multiple wires constituting the electrical wiring DK1, which is placed between the U-shaped metal plate 511 and the left and right fixed covers 514, in a front-to-back arrangement (see Figure 31(b)).

[0456] In the assembly process of this embodiment, a dedicated jig (rod-shaped, string-shaped, or specially shaped jig) can be inserted through the jig hole 514e to assemble the left and right fixing covers 514 to the U-shaped metal plate 511 while adjusting the arrangement of the electrical wiring DK1. This reduces the difficulty of the assembly process, which involves distributing the multiple wires that make up the electrical wiring DK1.

[0457] When fastening the guide member 516 to the U-shaped metal plate 511, the electrical wiring DK1 is pulled downwards while assembling the guide member 516 to the U-shaped metal plate 511, so that the electrical wiring DK1 is naturally drawn inward into the fan-shaped adjustment section 517b (see Figure 31(c)). This reduces the difficulty of the assembly process while positioning the electrical wiring DK1 in the appropriate location.

[0458] When assembling the rotating unit 500, which has been integrally assembled using the above procedure, to the support means 410, be sure to leave the other end of the electrical wiring DK1 facing downwards through the irregularly shaped hole 413. Wrap a spiral tube around the electrical wiring DK1 that is facing downwards through the irregularly shaped hole 413.

[0459] Of the composite operating unit 402 of the first operating unit 400, the components excluding the wiring support means 460 can be assembled separately from the rotating unit 500. Therefore, they are assembled integrally before the rotating unit 500 is assembled, and after fixing the rotating unit 500 to the support means 410 in that state, the other end of the electrical wiring DK1 is fixed in place.

[0460] Specifically, the electrical wiring DK1 is secured with a fixing member such as a cable tie inserted through the forming portion 411a of the support means 410, secured to the downward extension portion 519 of the guide member 516 in the same manner, passed under the support column portion 464 of the wiring auxiliary means 460, secured with a fixing member such as a cable tie inserted through the wiring support portion 465, and passed through the opening 442e of the divided base member 442 to the rear side (see Figure 23).

[0461] By fastening the left-side member 461 to the split base member 442 with the electrical wiring DK1 passed through the opening 442e, the electrical wiring DK1 can be positioned in the gap between the partition plate 442a and the left-side member 461. Compared to the case where the position of the electrical wiring DK1 is determined with the left-side member 461 fixed to the split base member 442, this assembly method allows the electrical wiring DK1 to be positioned in a gap narrower than the size of the connector at the end of the electrical wiring DK1, thus enabling a narrower design for the gap between the partition plate 442a and the left-side member 461.

[0462] Subsequently, by fastening and fixing the right-side member 468 to the left-side member 461, the assembly of the composite operating unit 402 of the first operating unit 400 can be completed. In this embodiment, the wiring auxiliary means 460 is formed separately as the left-side member 461 and the right-side member 468, rather than as a single integrated unit. This improves the work efficiency of arranging the electrical wiring DK1 inside the wiring auxiliary means 460.

[0463] Next, with reference to Figures 32(b), 32(c), 33(b), 33(c), 34(b), and 34(c), the relationship between the wiring support means 460, the electrical wiring DK1, the support means 410 that support the electrical wiring DK1, and the guide member 516 will be explained.

[0464] As shown in Figure 32(b), when the rotating unit 500 is in its lowered position, the front vertical portion 414 of the support means 410 abuts against the upper end of the left-side member 461 of the wiring support means 460, providing downward support. In other words, the wiring support means 460 also functions as a means of supporting the rotating unit 500.

[0465] In other words, while employing a configuration in which only the left side of the rotating unit 500 is supported by the stacking means 420 and the guiding means 430 (see Figure 23), the rotating unit 500 can be supported on both the left and right sides only when the rotating unit 500 is positioned in the lowered position.

[0466] This allows the upper limit of the rotational speed of the rotating body 560, while the wobble of the rotating unit 500 remains within an acceptable range, to be increased when the rotating unit 500 is in the lowered position compared to other states (for example, when the rotating unit 500 is in the raised position).

[0467] As shown in Figure 32(c), when the rotating unit 500 is in the lowered position, the lower end of the front overhang 414 abuts against the front upper end of the strip-shaped extension 463 of the wiring support means 460. This allows the upper opening of the wiring support means 460 to be shielded from the player's line of sight (viewing diagonally downwards). As a result, when the rotating unit 500 is in the lowered position, the electrical wiring DK1 housed in the wiring support means 460 cannot be seen by the player.

[0468] The electrical wiring DK1 is fixed to the forming portion 411a (see Figure 23) with a fixing member such as a cable tie, and below that, it is fixed to the lower end of the downward extension portion 519 with a fixing member such as a cable tie, and the portion hanging down below is supported (housed) inside the wiring support means 460.

[0469] The length of the electrical wiring DK1 (see Figure 32(c)) housed inside the wiring support means 460 is designed to be such that the portion positioned between the strip extension 463 and the support column 464 floats when the rotating unit 500 is in the raised position (see Figure 34(c)).

[0470] Furthermore, the shape of the strip-shaped extension 463 is designed to be such that the electrical wiring DK1, which is arranged in a roughly arc shape in front of the functional curved surface 463a, reaches the downward extension 519 without excessive slack (see Figure 32(a)).

[0471] In this way, by designing the electrical wiring DK1 to be long enough to avoid putting stress on it, the electrical wiring DK1 can be positioned with ample space inside the wiring support means 460. Furthermore, since the electrical wiring DK1 reaches the downward extension portion 519 without excessive slack, it is possible to prevent the electrical wiring DK1 from being pinched between the strip extension portion 463 and the front overhang portion 414.

[0472] The spiral tube (not shown) wrapped around the electrical wiring DK1 is made of flexible silicone resin, but its shape makes it slightly more rigid than the electrical wiring. Therefore, it can suppress variations in the displacement of the electrical wiring DK1 caused by the vertical movement of the rotating unit 500.

[0473] Furthermore, the rigidity of the spiral tube allows the electrical wiring DK1 to be supported (the spiral tube can support the electrical wiring DK1 from below), so even when the electrical wiring DK1 is suspended from the wiring support section 465 and the downward extension section 519, it is possible to prevent the electrical wiring DK1 from sagging under its own weight, thereby stabilizing the placement of the electrical wiring DK1.

[0474] The electrical wiring DK1, supported inside the wiring support means 460, is fixed to the wiring support portion 465 with a fixing member such as a cable tie, and is guided through the space between the left-side member 461 and the partition plate portion 442a, and then to the rear through the opening 442e (see Figure 23). In other words, in this embodiment, the electrical wiring DK1 is supported and suspended by the downward extension portion 519 and the wiring support portion 465.

[0475] Of the lower extension portion 519 and the wiring support portion 465, the wiring support portion 465 is fixed, while the lower extension portion 519 is configured to be movable up and down. Since the arrangement of electrical wiring DK1 is more likely to vary on the lower extension portion 519 side (front side), the configuration is designed to secure a larger space above the strip-shaped extension portion 463 on the lower extension portion 519 side (front side).

[0476] Specifically, the shape of the front side is lowered compared to the shape of the back side, and it is configured as an arc shape with its center inside (above) the wiring support means 460, thereby securing a large space in which the electrical wiring DK1 can be placed.

[0477] As shown in Figure 33(b), the rotating arm member 453 is located on the left side of the composite operation unit 402, and the electrical wiring DK1 is located on the right side of the composite operation unit 402, with each location separated by a partition plate 442a.

[0478] Here, the partition plate portion 442a is an essential component as it supports the drive motor 441 and the transmission means 450. In other words, the arrangement range between the rotating arm member 453 and the electrical wiring DK1 can be separated without adding any dedicated components, thereby reducing material costs and avoiding interference between the rotating arm member 453 and the electrical wiring DK1.

[0479] As shown in Figure 34(c), when the rotating unit 500 is in the raised position, the extension direction of the extended arm portion 453b of the rotating arm member 453 is vertical, originating from the axis of rotation, and intersects the longitudinal direction (front-back direction) of the through-hole 416a at a right angle when viewed from the left or right. In other words, the line connecting the axis of rotation of the rotating arm member 453 and the center of the connecting member 454 is vertical and intersects the longitudinal direction (front-back direction) of the through-hole 416a at a right angle when viewed from the left or right.

[0480] As a result, the weight of the rotating unit 500 is directed toward the rotation axis of the rotating arm member 453, preventing its weight from being applied as a load in the rotational direction of the rotating arm member 453 (creating a so-called dead center effect). Therefore, even if the driving force of the drive motor 441 is released while the rotating unit 500 is in the raised position, the vertical position of the rotating unit 500 can be maintained. This reduces the operating time of the drive motor 441 and makes it easier to suppress heat generation.

[0481] Furthermore, the extension direction of the extended arm portion 453b of the rotating arm member 453 and the through-hole 416a intersect at a right angle when viewed from the left and right directions, and this remains the same even when the rotating unit 500 is positioned in the lowered position (see Figure 32(a)).

[0482] As a result, when the rotating unit 500 is in the lowered position and then experiences a bounce displacement (rebound displacement), the upward load will be directed towards the rotation axis of the rotating arm member 453. This prevents the load from being applied in the rotational direction of the rotating arm member 453 (creating a so-called dead-point effect), making it easier to prevent bounce displacement (rebound displacement) even when the rotating unit 500 is moved to the lowered position at high speed.

[0483] Therefore, since it is partially unnecessary to generate a load in the drive motor 441 to prevent bounce displacement (rebound displacement), the operating time of the drive motor 441 can be reduced, and heat generation can be suppressed more easily.

[0484] As shown in Figure 34(c), when the rotating unit 500 is positioned in the raised position, the connecting member 454 of the rotating arm member 453 is positioned at the rear end of the through-hole 416a, that is, in a position that overlaps with the rear columnar member 431 in the left-right direction. Therefore, the support force through the rotating arm member 453 is concentrated on the rear side of the support means 410, making it easy for the support means 410 and the front side of the rotating unit 500 to wobble.

[0485] In contrast, in this embodiment, the front columnar member 431 is configured to support the stacking means 420 via the guide cylindrical portion 423 (see Figure 23). This increases the area (surface area) over which the stacking means 420 is supported by the columnar member 431, thereby suppressing wobbling of the front part of the stacking means 420, the support means 410, and the rotating unit 500.

[0486] The displacement of the electrical wiring DK1 when the rotating unit 500 moves from the raised position to the lowered position will be described. As shown in Figure 34(c), the electrical wiring DK1 is guided from the lower side of the support column 464, through the front side, and upward, and is fixed to the downward extension 519.

[0487] As shown in Figure 34(c), the downward extension 519 is positioned on the front side of the support column 464, so the portion of the electrical wiring DK1 hanging down from the downward extension 519 (the excess portion) is positioned on the front side of the support column 464.

[0488] The excess portion of the electrical wiring DK1 is displaced vertically as the downward extension 519 moves up and down. For example, when the downward extension 519 moves downward from the state shown in Figure 34(c), the excess portion of the electrical wiring DK1 also moves downward and begins to come into contact with the functional curved surface 463a of the strip-shaped extension 463 (see Figure 33(c)).

[0489] As the downward extension 519 approaches the position of the rotating unit 500 in its lowered position, the length of the electrical wiring DK1 that is housed in the wiring auxiliary means 460 increases, and the diameter of the arc formed by the electrical wiring DK1 increases.

[0490] In this embodiment, the electrical wiring DK1 is displaced towards the front due to the load received from the functional curved surface 463a. To counteract this, the upper region of the strip-shaped extension 463 is configured to be larger on the front side than on the back side, thereby reducing the load applied to the electrical wiring DK1 from the strip-shaped extension 463.

[0491] Furthermore, by positioning the electrical wiring DK1 near the functional curved surface 463a (the electrical wiring DK1 near the bottom of the wiring support means 460) that is subjected to a load due to contact between the electrical wiring DK1 and the functional curved surface 463a towards the front, while configuring it so that the electrical wiring DK1 hangs down from the downward extension 519 which is located far from the front end of the wiring support means 460 before contacting the functional curved surface 463a, it is possible to prevent the electrical wiring DK1 from protruding from the front end of the wiring support means 460 towards the front.

[0492] As a result, while adopting a configuration in which the front vertical portion 414 and the wiring support means 460 come into contact (partially closing the opening of the wiring support means 460) when the rotating unit 500 is in the lowered position, as in this embodiment (see Figure 32(c)), it is possible to avoid the electrical wiring DK1 being caught in the contact portion (closed portion).

[0493] Thus, in this embodiment, the shape of the functional curved portion 463a is configured as an inclined surface that slopes downward towards the front, so that the main direction of displacement of the electrical wiring DK1 is the front-to-back direction. As a result, an appropriate shape for the wiring support means 460 can be selected from shapes that are short (narrow) in the left-to-right direction where displacement of the electrical wiring DK1 is less likely to occur, and long (wide) in the front-to-back direction where displacement of the electrical wiring DK1 is more likely to occur.

[0494] By partially restricting the direction of displacement of the electrical wiring DK1 and by selecting a shape for the wiring support means 460 that is narrow in the left-right direction, the left-right width of the composite operation unit 402 can be reduced.

[0495] Therefore, even in a configuration where multiple composite operation units 402 are arranged on the left and right sides, as in this embodiment (see Figure 19), the shape of the wiring support means 460, which has the auxiliary role of housing the electrical wiring DK1, is a limiting factor, and this prevents a reduction in the degree of freedom in arranging the rotating unit 500, which plays a leading role as a performance device visible to the player.

[0496] To prevent misalignment of the electrical wiring DK1 in the left-right direction, firstly, a gap is secured between the left and right upper ends of the wiring support means 460 and the support means 410 (see Figure 32(c)), thereby preventing pinching stress from being applied to the electrical wiring DK1.

[0497] Secondly, the opposing plate 462 is provided with an inclined portion 462a at its upper end that slopes away from the right-side member 468 as it moves upward, and the right-side member 468 is provided with an inclined portion 468a at its upper end that slopes away from the opposing plate 462 as it moves upward, thereby configuring the electrical wiring DK1 to easily slide into the wiring support means 460.

[0498] In other words, the inclined portions 462a and 468a are configured in an inverted V-shape when viewed from the front, with the opening width increasing as they approach the side that receives the electrical wiring DK1. This makes it easier to guide the electrical wiring DK1 into the wiring support means 460 regardless of whether the electrical wiring DK1 is misaligned to the left or right. This makes it easier to avoid a situation where the electrical wiring DK1 gets caught on the upper edge of the wiring support means 460, is not guided into the wiring support means 460, and becomes trapped between the support means 410 and the wiring support means 460.

[0499] Thirdly, the wiring support section 465 and the downward extension section 519, which suspend and fix the electrical wiring DK1, are designed to align in the left and right directions (see Figures 33(b) and 34(b)). In other words, by arranging the positions for fixing the electrical wiring DK1 on the same plane perpendicular to the left and right directions, it is possible to suppress the left-right displacement of the electrical wiring DK1 caused by the vertical displacement of the rotating unit 500.

[0500] Referring to Figure 35, an example of an action animation using the first operation unit 400 will be described. Figures 35(a), 35(b), 35(c), 35(d), 35(e), and 35(f) are schematic front views of the third pattern display device 81 and the first operation unit 400.

[0501] Figures 35(a), 35(b), 35(c), and 35(d) illustrate an example of changes in the first operating unit 400 during gameplay in chronological order, while Figures 35(e) and 35(f) illustrate an example of a performance in which multiple rotating units 500 work in conjunction to deliver different notifications.

[0502] In this embodiment, the lighting or extinguishing of the rotating unit 500 is controlled to correspond to the number of reserved balls that fluctuate as a ball enters the first prize slot 64 (or the second prize slot 640, through gate 67). That is, each time a ball enters the first prize slot 64 (or the second prize slot 640, through gate 67) before the currently ongoing fluctuation stops (each time the number of reserved balls increases), the rotating unit 500 lights up (the LED member 544 lights up) in order from the left end. In other words, Figure 35(a) shows a state where there are 3 reserved balls.

[0503] The light-emitting color of the rotating unit 500 can be changed according to the light-emitting color of the LED component 544, and the difference in this light-emitting color may be used to inform the player of the difference in the expected probability of a big win (or the expected probability of a small win, the expected probability of a win, or the expected profit the player can obtain) of the corresponding variation.

[0504] Multiple LED components 544 are configured so that each LED emits a different color (for example, red, green, and blue), and by combining these colors, it is possible to create a multi-color lighting effect with a small number of LEDs.

[0505] When the currently ongoing fluctuation stops, the leftmost rotating unit 500 turns off (see Figure 35(b)), and the corresponding hold indicators shift one position to the left (see Figure 35(c)).

[0506] Since the rotating unit 500 can be displaced between the raised position and the lowered position as described above, it can be controlled to rotate in the raised position while partially obscuring the third pattern display device 81, as shown in Figure 35(b).

[0507] This can increase attention to the rotating unit 500. In addition, by controlling the decorative patterns placed on the front side of the rotating unit 500 in correspondence with indicators of the magnitude of the expected big win (or small win, win, or expected profit for the player) of the corresponding variation, attention to the rotating unit 500 can be further increased.

[0508] For example, in Figure 35(b), the third rotating unit 500 from the left rises and rotates, and then the surface component 560b is positioned on the front side, allowing the player to see the "?" decorative pattern. This informs the player that the probability of a big win (or small win, winning, or expected profit for the player) is unknown, thereby piquing the player's interest.

[0509] Furthermore, the methods for attracting attention are not limited to these. For example, it could be by continuously rotating the rotating body 560, or by rapidly flashing the LED component 544.

[0510] Subsequently, as the corresponding hold indicators shift one position to the left, the surface component 560a is positioned on the front side of the second rotating unit 500 from the left, allowing the player to see the "△" decorative pattern. If the "△" decorative pattern is controlled to have a higher probability of a big win (or a small win, a win, or an expected profit for the player) compared to the "○" decorative pattern, it is possible to increase the player's attention to the variation corresponding to the second rotating unit 500 from the left.

[0511] Furthermore, the probability of a big win (or the probability of a small win, the probability of a win, or the expected profit the player can obtain) may be notified by changing the color or shape of the reserve display shown on the third symbol display device 81 in accordance with the number of reserved balls. Alternatively, the reserve display shown on the third symbol display device 81 may be controlled to correspond with the state of the rotation unit 500. Additionally, a time lag may be introduced between the change in the reserve display and the change in the state of the rotation unit 500.

[0512] As shown in Figure 35(c), as the corresponding hold indicators shift one position to the left, the third rotating unit 500 from the left turns off and moves to a lowered position. This displacement makes the previously hidden area of ​​the third symbol display device 81 visible. By displaying an indicator that increases the player's expectations (for example, an indicator showing "coins") within this area, it is possible to increase the player's attention to the third symbol display device 81 after the rotating unit 300 has moved to a lowered position.

[0513] Thus, according to this embodiment, the rotation unit 500 can be controlled in relation to the variation of the symbols and the number of held balls to improve the player's attention, and can also be configured to partially hide the display area of ​​the third symbol display device 81, thereby functioning as a screen when changing the display of the third symbol display device 81.

[0514] In this case, as an auxiliary effect to improve attention to the rotating unit 500 that partially obscures the third symbol display device 81, by moving the rotating unit 500 away from the state where attention is focused on the rotating unit 500 positioned on the front side of the third symbol display device 81 (see Figure 35(b)) (see Figure 35(c)), the player's gaze can be kept directed toward the third symbol display device 81. As a result, the player's gaze can be guided toward the third symbol display device 81, thereby improving attention to the third symbol display device 81.

[0515] From the state shown in Figure 35(c), if the corresponding hold display shifts two positions to the left, and the variation corresponding to the hold with the "△" decorative pattern shown in Figure 35(c) is a jackpot, then, while the variation is still in progress, multiple rotating bodies 560 are positioned in the raised position as shown in Figure 35(d), and the surface component 560c is positioned on the front side, allowing the player to see the string "HIT!" (a string of characters that suggests a change to a state where the player can gain some kind of benefit, such as a jackpot).

[0516] In this case, it is preferable to light up the LED component 544 regardless of the number of balls held. This makes the rotating unit 500 shine brightly, creating an effect that heightens the player's anticipation.

[0517] Thus, according to this embodiment, it is possible to configure both a presentation that allows multiple rotating bodies 560 to be viewed individually and a presentation that allows multiple rotating bodies 560 to be viewed together. Here, the presentation that allows multiple rotating bodies 560 to be viewed together is not limited to the embodiment shown in Figure 35(d), but various embodiments are exemplified.

[0518] For example, as shown in Figure 35(e), by positioning the third rotating body 560 from the left in a downward position and the remaining rotating bodies 560 in an upward position, the player can see the string "HI!" (a string of characters that evokes a greeting).

[0519] By controlling the system so that the state shown in Figure 35(e) occurs periodically during the waiting state before the player starts playing, it is possible to attract the player's interest.

[0520] Furthermore, for example, as shown in Figure 35(f), if only the rotating body 560 on the right end has its surface component 560b facing the front, the string "HIT?" can be made visible to the player.

[0521] In this case, the expectation that it might soon change to "HIT!" can attract the player's interest. It is also possible to present it in this way. That is, the system may be configured to allow control to change from the state in Figure 35(f) to the state in Figure 35(d) by controlling the rotation of the rotating body 560 on the right end.

[0522] Figures 36(a) and 36(b) are left side views of the detection sensor 547 and the driven plate 575 of the rotating right cover portion 570. Figure 36(a) shows the detection sensor 547 positioned at one end of the non-formed area of ​​the detected portion 577 (the front end in Figure 36(a)), and Figure 36(b) shows the detection sensor 547 positioned at the opposite end of the non-formed area of ​​the detected portion 577 (the rear end in Figure 36(b)).

[0523] The states shown in Figures 36(a) and 36(b) both represent a state of waiting to rotate (stopped state). Specifically, Figure 36(a) shows the state in which the drive motor 541 is stopped after the detected part 577 has retracted from the detection groove of the detection sensor 547 while the rotating body 560 is rotating, and the detected part 577 has been rotated by half an angle (30 degrees in this embodiment) of the non-formed range angle α1 (60 degrees in this embodiment). Figure 36(b) shows the state in which the drive motor 541 is stopped immediately after the detected part 577 enters the detection groove of the detection sensor 547 while the rotating body 560 is rotating counterclockwise in a left view.

[0524] The angular difference in the states shown in Figures 36(a) and 36(b) depends on the angle of the unformed portion of the detected portion 577. In this embodiment, the detected portion 577 is formed such that the angle α1 of the unformed portion is 60 degrees, and the angular difference in the states shown in Figures 36(a) and 36(b) is approximately 45 degrees.

[0525] This angle difference is designed to correspond to the direction of the player's line of sight, which changes as the rotating unit 500 moves up and down. That is, when the rotating unit 500 is positioned in the raised position, the player's line of sight to the rotating unit 500 is directed approximately horizontally. Therefore, stopping the rotating body 560 in the position shown in Figure 36(a) makes it easier to see the decorative pattern of the rotating body 560 and enhances the visual effect of the rotating body 560.

[0526] On the other hand, when the rotating unit 500 is positioned in a lowered position, the player's line of sight to the rotating unit 500 will be looking downwards. Therefore, stopping the rotating body 560 in the position shown in Figure 36(b) makes it easier to see the decorative pattern of the rotating body 560, thereby enhancing the visual effect of the rotating body 560.

[0527] Thus, in this embodiment, by configuring multiple stopping positions for the rotating unit 500 based on the relationship with the player's line of sight to view the rotating unit 500, the rotating body 560 can be stopped in a position that makes it easy for the player to see the decorative pattern of the rotating body 560, regardless of whether the rotating unit 500 is positioned in an upward or downward position.

[0528] The reason why the correspondence between the detection sensor 547 and the detected unit 577 differs between the state shown in Figure 36(a) and the state shown in Figure 36(b) is due to the difference in the performance mode using the rotating body 560 (for example, the rotation speed of the rotating body 560).

[0529] In other words, the state shown in Figure 36(a) is the stopping position when the rotating unit 500 is in the raised position. When the rotating unit 500 is in the raised position, the player's attention is sufficiently focused on the rotating unit 500, so by slowing down the rotation speed of the rotating body 560 and letting it come to a gradual stop, it is possible to enhance the player's enjoyment over a longer period of time.

[0530] For example, by slowly rotating the rotating body 560 to simulate the change from the state shown in Figure 35(f) to the state shown in Figure 35(d), the period during which the player's anticipation is heightened can be extended, and the attention of the rotating body 560 can be maintained. Therefore, even if the position is determined by the detection sensor 547 and the rotating body 560 is rotated by half the angle of the non-formed range of the detected part 577 (approximately 30 degrees in this embodiment) before being stopped, the possibility of the stopping posture of the rotating body 560 being misaligned is low, and the rotating body 560 can be easily stopped in the posture shown in Figure 36(a).

[0531] According to this control method, the rotating body 560 can be stopped in the position shown in Figure 36(a) using the same control method regardless of the direction of rotation of the rotating body 560. Therefore, it is possible to select between a control method that stops after forward rotation and a control method that stops after reverse rotation, depending on the situation, making it difficult to predict the operation of the rotating body 560 until it stops. This can enhance the player's enjoyment.

[0532] The state shown in Figure 36(b) is the stopping position when the rotating unit 500 is in the lowered position. However, when the rotating unit 500 is in the lowered position, the player's attention is often not sufficiently focused on the rotating unit 500. Therefore, increasing the rotation speed of the rotating body 560 makes it easier to improve the player's enjoyment.

[0533] In the case of high-speed rotation, if the control is performed to stop the rotating body 560 after the detection sensor 547 has determined the position and rotated it by half the angle of the non-formed range of the detected part 577 (approximately 30 degrees in this embodiment), there is a risk that the stopping position of the rotating body 560 may be shifted. Therefore, as shown in Figure 36(b), by stopping the drive motor 541 immediately after the detected part 577 enters the detection groove of the detection sensor 547, the shift in the stopping position of the rotating body 560 can be suppressed.

[0534] The rotation control of the rotating unit 500 allows it to stop in a position where one of the surface components 560a to 560d is visible to the player, by rotating it at rotation angles set at 90-degree intervals (90 degrees, 180 degrees, 270 degrees) from the above-mentioned multiple stopping positions and then stopping it.

[0535] As described above, the postures shown in Figures 36(a) and 36(b) are designed to accommodate changes in the player's line of sight, while ensuring that the drive motor 541 (see Figure 25) is not visible to the player in any of these positions.

[0536] In other words, since the drive motor 541 is located inside the rotating body 560, the rotating body 560 can block the player's line of sight regardless of the direction of the player's gaze, thus preventing the drive motor 541 from being seen by the player.

[0537] As shown in Figures 36(a) and 36(b), in the rotating unit 500, the components for detecting the angle of the rotating body 560 are located inside the rotating body 560. Therefore, decorative patterns can be applied to most of the outer surface of the rotating body 560, thereby improving the visual effect of the rotating body 560.

[0538] Furthermore, the rotating body 560 can be configured to rotate by one or more revolutions while omitting the provision of a concealing section (a structure to prevent the angle detection structure from being visible) that may be necessary when the angle detection structure is placed on the outside of the rotating body 560.

[0539] Figures 37 and 38 are front perspective views of the second operating unit 700, and Figures 39 and 40 are rear perspective views of the second operating unit 700. Figures 37 and 39 show the standby state of the second operating unit 700 with the displacement base member 720 and the display means 780 positioned in the standby position (upward end position), while Figures 38 and 40 show the state with the displacement base member 720 and the display means 780 positioned in the overhang position (downward end position) that extends in front of the third pattern display device 81.

[0540] The second operating unit 700 has the characteristic that each movable part is displaced in such a way that the amount of displacement of the electrical wiring DK2, DK3 guided to each movable part for power supply is reduced, and that it is equipped with a spring cover SC1 that hides the coil spring SP1 so that it is not visible from the front view, and that the spring cover SC1 enters the inside of the displacement base member 720 and the performance means 780, but the details will be described later. The coil spring SP1 is schematically shown as a curved rectangular prism.

[0541] Figure 41 is an exploded front perspective view of the second operating unit 700, and Figure 42 is an exploded rear perspective view of the second operating unit 700. Furthermore, Figure 43 is an exploded front perspective view of the fixed base member 701, displacement base member 720, driving means 730, transmission means 740, and biasing means 750, and Figure 44 is an exploded rear perspective view of the fixed base member 701, displacement base member 720, driving means 730, transmission means 740, and biasing means 750. In other words, a part of Figure 41 is shown in an enlarged view in Figure 43, and a part of Figure 42 is shown in an enlarged view in Figure 44.

[0542] Furthermore, Figure 45 is an exploded front perspective view of the supported shafts 760L, 760R and the connecting shaft 770, and Figure 46 is an exploded rear perspective view of the supported shafts 760L, 760R and the connecting shaft 770. In other words, a part of Figure 41 is shown in an enlarged view in Figure 45, and a part of Figure 42 is shown in an enlarged view in Figure 46.

[0543] Furthermore, Figure 47 is an exploded front perspective view of the performance device 780, and Figure 48 is an exploded rear perspective view of the performance device 780. That is, in Figure 47, a part of Figure 41 is shown in an enlarged view, and in Figure 48, a part of Figure 42 is shown in an enlarged view.

[0544] Furthermore, Figure 49 is a partial cross-sectional view of the second operating unit 700 in a plane extending horizontally through the columnar fastening portion 705c of the support means 705. In describing Figures 41 to 49, Figures 37 to 40 will be referred to as appropriate.

[0545] As shown in Figures 41 to 44, the second operating unit 700 includes two long fixed base members 701 fastened to the bottom wall portion 311 of the rear case 310, a displacement base member 720 positioned in front of the base member 701 and configured to be displaceable in the vertical direction relative to the fixed base member 701, a driving means 730 that generates a driving force to displace the displacement base member 720, and a transmission means configured to transmit the driving force generated from the driving means 730 to the displacement base member 720. The system mainly comprises a means 740, a biasing means 750 that applies an upward biasing force to the displacement base member 720, a pair of pivoted means 760L and 760R arranged on the left and right of the displacement base member 720, with one end (the left and right central end) rotatably pivoted, a pair of connecting means 770 that connect the other ends (left and right outer ends) of the pivoted means 760L and 760R to the left and right ends of the fixed base member 701, and a display means 780 that is fastened and fixed to the front side of the displacement base member 720 for the purpose of decoration in a front view.

[0546] The fixed base member 701 is formed from a synthetic resin material and comprises a main plate portion 702 formed as a long plate shape on the left and right, a plurality of cover support protrusions 703 that protrude from the main plate portion 702 toward the front side at the same length and have their tips formed so that the spring cover SC1 can be fastened and fixed, a spring support portion 704 that extends toward the front side from the main plate portion 702 above the left end cover support protrusion 703, a support means 705 that supports gear members such as the transmission gear 734 and terminal gear 745 for driving force transmission, and a portion that pivotally supports the rotating arm member 743 of the transmission means 740 and is approximately circular in front view toward the front The main components include a circular overhang 708 that protrudes outwards, a metal slide rail 711 to which the rear plate is fixed to the left and right center of the main plate portion 702 in a position that allows for vertical sliding displacement, a pair of cylindrical overhangs 714 that protrude in a cylindrical shape when viewed from the front from a position raised to the front of the circular overhang 708, a pair of left and right upper end stoppers 717 arranged parallel to the cylindrical overhang 714 above the cylindrical overhang 714, and a pair of left and right lower end stoppers 719 formed with a plane along the radial direction of the cylindrical overhang 714, located behind the front-to-back position where the connecting means 770 of the cylindrical overhang 714 is pivotally supported.

[0547] The support means 705 mainly comprises a columnar fastening portion 705a that protrudes from the back surface of the plate of the fixed base member 701 in a cylindrical shape with a diameter slightly shorter than the opening of the transmission gear 734 and has a female screw formed at its tip; an annular recess portion 705b that is recessed in a double annular shape from the front surface of the plate of the fixed base member 701; a columnar fastening portion 705c that protrudes from the front surface of the plate of the fixed base member 701 in a cylindrical shape at the center of the annular recess portion 705b and has a female screw formed at its tip; a plurality of protruding portions 705d that are formed as protrusions extending in the front-rear direction on the side surface of the annular recess portion 705b; and a gearing opening 705e drilled in the inner surface of the outermost circumference of the annular recess portion 705b.

[0548] The annular recess 705b is formed with a diameter and width that allows for the placement of the annular portion (the annular portion on which the gear is formed around the outer circumference) of the end gear 745. The end gear 745 is rotatably supported by fastening screws that are inserted through an opening drilled in the center of the end gear 745 and screwed into the columnar fastening portion 705c.

[0549] The protruding portions 705d are arranged at eight locations at 45-degree intervals and are formed with a protruding height that allows their tips to abut against the inner circumference of the annular portion of the end gear 745. This reduces the contact area between the annular portion of the end gear 745 and the annular recessed portion 705b, while maintaining the function of stabilizing the rotation axis of the end gear 745 (stability of the pivot state) compared to when the circles are fitted together. As a result, the driving force required to rotate the end gear 745 can be reduced.

[0550] The gear engagement opening 705e is formed across the inner circumference of the annular recess 705b and the bottom of the rear side. On the bottom of the rear side, an opening is formed at least where it coincides with the circle centered on the columnar fastening portion 705a (the outermost diameter circle of the transmission gear 734) when viewed from the rear. This allows the transmission gear 734 to be pivotally supported on the columnar fastening portion 705a with its protrusion extending inward from the gear engagement opening 705e (towards the inner diameter side of the annular recess 705b).

[0551] In this embodiment, the gear teeth portion of the transmission gear 734, which protrudes through the gear opening 705e towards the inner diameter side of the annular recess 705b, is configured to mesh with the gear teeth portion of the end gear 745. As a result, the transmission gear 734 is attached to the fixed base member 701 from the rear side and pivotally supported, while the end gear 745 is attached to the fixed base member 701 from the front side and pivotally supported. In this configuration, driving force can be transmitted by the gear meshing between the transmission gear 734 and the end gear 745.

[0552] The gear engagement opening 705e is formed only where necessary to allow the transmission gear 734 to protrude toward the inner diameter side of the annular recess 705b, and no openings are formed in other areas. This prevents the strength of the fixed base member 701 near the support means 705 from becoming excessively insufficient.

[0553] The circular protruding portion 708 includes a plurality of alignment pins 709 protruding from the front end face and a plurality of protrusions 710 protruding radially outward along the length of the protrusion.

[0554] The protrusion 710 is positioned between the rotating arm member 743 and the circular overhang 708, and functions to reduce the contact area between the rotating arm member 743 and the circular overhang 708. In this case, the frictional resistance of the pivot support portion, which tends to be a problem when the circular overhang 708 is made with a large diameter, can be reduced, thereby stabilizing the pivot support state of the rotating arm member 743 while reducing the frictional resistance generated with the displacement of the rotating arm member 743. This makes it possible to suppress the driving force required to displace the second operating unit 700.

[0555] The metal slide rail 711 has multiple metal plates stacked front to back, and the metal plate at the front end is connected and fixed to the displacement base member 720. That is, the displacement base member 720 is guided to be displaced in the vertical direction by the metal slide rail 711.

[0556] The cylindrical protruding portion 714 is configured to have a circular outer shape when viewed from the front, thereby pivotally supporting the connecting means 770 in a rotatable manner. It comprises an opening 714a that penetrates in the front-rear direction, a plurality of protruding pins 715 for alignment that protrude from the front end toward the front, and a plurality of fastening portions 716 with female threads formed on the front end in the portion where the protruding pins 715 are not present.

[0557] The opening 714a serves as the passage path for the electrical wiring DK2. Specifically, the electrical wiring DK2 is guided to the front side through the opening 714a and secured by fastening cable ties or other wiring fastening members to the fixing-shaped portion 718 at the front ends of the left and right upper stoppers 717.

[0558] In this embodiment, of the left upper end stoppers 717, a fixing portion 718 is formed that protrudes from the front end surface of the left upper end stopper 717, allowing a cable tie to be passed through it, while the right upper end stopper 717 does not have a fixing portion 718 formed thereon.

[0559] In this way, by forming a fixing shape portion 718 only on the left side of the left end upper stopper 717, where the electrical wiring DK2 is guided, and omitting its formation on the opposite side, the shape of the fixing base member 701 can be simplified. Furthermore, by not forming the fixing shape portion 718 in unnecessary places, the work efficiency of the assembly worker can be improved.

[0560] Since the openings 714a are arranged in pairs on the left and right, the electrical wiring DK2 can be guided to the front side at both the left and right ends. However, in this embodiment, the electrical wiring DK2 is guided only through the left opening 714a, and the electrical wiring DK2 is not installed in the right opening 714a.

[0561] As a result, there is no need to design the right cylindrical protrusion 714 and the right connecting means 770 pivotally supported by the right cylindrical protrusion 714 in relation to the electrical wiring DK2, thus improving the design flexibility of the right cylindrical protrusion 714, the right connecting means 770 and the surrounding configuration.

[0562] Regardless of this, the electrical wiring DK2 may also be routed through both of the left and right openings 714a to the front and guided to the left and right pivot support means 760L and 760R, respectively. In this case, it is easier to make the load applied to the pivot support means 760L and 760R via the electrical wiring DK2 the same on both sides, making it easier to make the displacement of the pivot support means 760L and 760R, which are displaced in accordance with the displacement of the displacement base member 720, symmetrical on both sides.

[0563] The protruding pin 715 and the fastening portion 716 are formed to protrude toward the center of the circle (circumscribed circle of the opening 714a) formed by connecting the surfaces that constitute the shape of the opening 714a but on which neither the protruding pin 715 nor the fastening portion 716 is disposed. That is, the inner circumference shape of the cylindrical protrusion 714 differs from the outer circumference shape (circular), and is shaped in such a way that the circle is recessed toward the central axis at multiple points on the circumference.

[0564] Here, for example, if the inner circumference of the cylindrical protrusion 714 is perfectly circular, the durability of the electrical wiring DK2 may decrease. That is, since the electrical wiring DK2 inserted through the opening 714a is connected to the lighting circuit board 764 of the pivot support means 760L, it may be displaced in accordance with the displacement of the pivot support means 760L. If the degree of friction with the edge of the cylindrical protrusion 714 is large due to this displacement, the insulation of the electrical wiring DK2 may be damaged prematurely, or the electrical wiring DK2 may break prematurely.

[0565] As a countermeasure, a slidable tubular intermediate member (collar) can be provided between the tubular protrusion 714 and the electrical wiring DK2, or a separate covering member can be wrapped around the electrical wiring DK2. However, the cost of the separate member would increase, leading to an increase in product cost.

[0566] In contrast, by making the inner circumference of the cylindrical protrusion 714 recessed toward the central axis at multiple points along the circle, the displacement of the electrical wiring DK2, which is prone to displacement along the edge of the opening 714a, can be restricted at the locations of the protruding pin 715 and the fastening portion 716, thereby reducing the degree of friction of the electrical wiring DK2 against the edge of the cylindrical protrusion 714.

[0567] This improvement does not require any additional components and solves the problem simply by modifying the inner circumferential shape of the opening 714a. Therefore, it is possible to improve the durability of the electrical wiring DK2 while suppressing an increase in product cost.

[0568] While wrapping a spiral tube around the electrical wiring DK2 can restrict its free movement, this may increase the resistance to displacement of the second operating unit 700 due to the rigidity of the spiral tube. In contrast, this embodiment omits the spiral tube to reduce displacement resistance, while simultaneously restricting the free movement of the electrical wiring DK2 through a change in the posture of the pivoted support means 760, as described later.

[0569] The left and right upper stoppers 717 are configured to abut against the short-side surfaces of the connecting means 770, which is pivotally supported by the cylindrical protruding portion 714, and this abutment defines the end of the upward displacement of the connecting means 770. This makes it possible to limit the displacement angle of the connecting means 770.

[0570] The left and right lower end stoppers 719 are configured to abut against the rotational side surface of the arc-shaped projection 775 of the connecting means 770, which is pivotally supported by the cylindrical protrusion 714, and this abutment defines the end of the downward displacement of the connecting means 770. This makes it possible to limit the displacement angle of the connecting means 770.

[0571] Thus, the upper left and right end stoppers 717 and the lower left and right end stoppers 719 are configured to contact the connecting means 770 in the rotational direction of the connecting means 770, but the front and rear positions at which they contact the connecting means 770 are different. This makes it possible to avoid the accumulation of load (fatigue) due to contact at a specific position (front and rear position) of the connecting means 770, and improves the durability of the connecting means 770.

[0572] The contact position corresponding to the displacement direction of the connecting means 770 can be selected according to the purpose. For example, in this embodiment, the upward displacement is the displacement of the display means 780 toward the upward of the third symbol display device 81 (see Figure 15), and at the end position of the upward displacement, the connecting means 770 is positioned on the back side of the game board 13 and is difficult for the player to see (see Figure 2), so fine adjustment of the displacement end position is unnecessary. Therefore, it is possible to adopt the option of defining the displacement by having it come into contact with an outer part that is difficult to redesign due to the strength and structural relationship of the connecting means 770.

[0573] In addition, during upward displacement, gravity acts in a direction that suppresses the displacement of the connecting means 770, thus reducing the displacement velocity of the connecting means 770. Therefore, it is possible to adopt the option of defining the displacement by contacting the thin-walled portion of the connecting means 770.

[0574] On the other hand, the downward displacement is the opposite: the performance means 780 is displaced toward the front of the third symbol display device 81 (see Figure 15). At the end of the downward displacement, the connecting means 770 and the pivot support means 760L, 760R, whose placement is determined by the connecting means 770, are positioned on the front side of the third symbol display device 81 and are easily visible to the player (see Figure 16). Therefore, it is considered that fine adjustment of the displacement end position will be necessary during the design and prototyping stage. Accordingly, adopting the option of defining the displacement by contacting the easily modifiable arc-shaped projection 775 rather than the external shape will minimize the design changes required for fine adjustment of the displacement end position of the connecting means 770 and the pivot support means 760L, 760R during the design and prototyping stage.

[0575] In other words, by changing the shape and arrangement of the arc-shaped projection 775, the displacement end positions of the connecting means 770 and the pivot-supported means 760L, 760R can be changed.

[0576] In addition, during downward displacement, gravity is directed in the same direction as the displacement of the connecting means 770, and there is a high possibility of employing a performance that rapidly displaces the display means 780 toward the front side of the third pattern display device 81. Therefore, the downward displacement of the connecting means 770 tends to be high, and the load at the time of contact is likely to be large.

[0577] Therefore, since the connecting means 770 may be damaged if the thin-walled portion is brought into contact with the other, adopting the option of making the arc-shaped projection 775 longer to secure a large contact area and reduce the pressure applied to the connecting means 770 can improve the durability of the connecting means 770.

[0578] Thus, in this embodiment as well, the contact positions of the connecting means 770 and the upper left and right end stoppers 717 and the lower left and right end stoppers 719 are set according to the purpose. Therefore, if the purpose changes due to the arrangement of the second operating unit 700 relative to the third pattern display device 81 or a change in the direction of displacement, the options for the contact positions of the connecting means 770 and the options adopted may change.

[0579] The displacement base member 720 mainly comprises a main plate portion 721 to which the metal slide rail 711 is fastened and fixed to the rear side; a protruding fastening portion 722 that protrudes columnarly from the left-right center of the main plate portion 721 toward the front, with a female thread formed at the tip of the protrusion into which a screw member for fixing the end of the coil spring SP1 can be screwed; an elongated opening 723 drilled in the left half of the main plate portion 721 in a left-right elongated shape; a pair of cylindrical protrusions 724 that protrude from the main plate portion 721 toward the front in a cylindrical shape when viewed from the front; upper and lower stoppers 727 that protrude toward the front from the main plate portion 721 at upper and lower positions on the left-right outer side of the cylindrical protrusions 724 and restrict the displacement angle of the pivot support means 760L, 760R; and an interference avoidance component 728 formed in a left-right pair in the lower half of the main plate portion 721, one of which is to avoid interference between the electrical wiring DK3 and other components.

[0580] The elongated opening 723 is an opening through which the connecting column portion 743b and collar C1 of the transmission means 740 are inserted, and is formed with a width and length that allows the connecting column portion 743b and collar C1 to be displaced.

[0581] The cylindrical protrusion 724, like the cylindrical protrusion 714 described above, is a part of the fixed base member 701 that rotatably supports the pivoted support means 760L, 760R by having an outer circumference shape that is circular when viewed from the front, and comprises an opening 724a that penetrates in the front-rear direction, a plurality of alignment pins 725 projecting from the front end toward the front, and a plurality of fastening parts 726 with female threads formed on the front end in the portion where the protrusion pins 725 are not projecting.

[0582] The opening 724a serves as the passage path for the electrical wiring DK3. That is, the electrical wiring DK3 is guided in the front-rear direction through the opening 724a. The electrical wiring DK3 is connected to the pivot support means 760L, 760R and the performance means fixed to the displacement base member 720, but details will be described later.

[0583] The protruding pin 725 and the fastening portion 726 are formed to protrude toward the center of a circle (circumscribed circle of the opening 724a) formed by connecting the surfaces that constitute the shape of the opening 724a but on which neither the protruding pin 725 nor the fastening portion 726 is disposed. That is, the inner circumference shape of the cylindrical protrusion 724 differs from the outer circumference shape (circular), and is a shape in which the circle is recessed toward the central axis at multiple points on the circumference.

[0584] Here, for example, if the inner circumference of the cylindrical protrusion 724 is perfectly circular, the durability of the electrical wiring DK3 may decrease. That is, since the electrical wiring DK3 inserted through the opening 724a is connected to the lighting circuit board 764 of the pivot support means 760L, it may be displaced in accordance with the displacement of the pivot support means 760L. If the degree of friction with the edge of the cylindrical protrusion 724 is large due to this displacement, the insulation of the electrical wiring DK3 may be damaged prematurely, or the electrical wiring DK3 may break prematurely.

[0585] As a countermeasure, a slidable tubular intermediate member (collar) could be provided between the tubular protrusion 724 and the electrical wiring DK3, or a separate covering member could be wrapped around the electrical wiring DK3. However, the cost of the separate member would increase, leading to an increase in product cost.

[0586] In contrast, by making the inner circumference of the cylindrical protrusion 724 recessed toward the central axis at multiple points along the circle, the displacement of the electrical wiring DK3, which is prone to displacement along the edge of the opening 724a, can be restricted at the locations of the protruding pin 725 and the fastening portion 726. That is, the displacement of the electrical wiring DK3 can be blocked by the protruding pin 725 and the fastening portion 726, and the displacement angle of the electrical wiring DK3 can be limited to a small size, thereby reducing the degree of friction of the electrical wiring DK3 against the edge of the cylindrical protrusion 724.

[0587] This improvement does not require any additional components and solves the problem simply by modifying the inner circumferential shape of the opening 724a. Therefore, it is possible to improve the durability of the electrical wiring DK3 while suppressing an increase in product cost.

[0588] The upper and lower stoppers 727 are configured to restrict the displacement of the supported shafts 760L and 760R, but when the displacement base member 720 is positioned at the end of the vertical displacement and stopped, neither the upper nor lower side of the upper and lower stoppers 727 necessarily comes into contact with the supported shafts 760L and 760R.

[0589] In other words, in this embodiment, when the displacement base member 720 is positioned at the upper end position, the lower stopper is configured to come into contact with the supported shaft means 760L, 760R (the lower end position of rotation of the supported shaft means 760L, 760R), while the upper stopper is positioned such that a gap is created between the displacement base member 720 and the supported shaft means 760L, 760R even when the displacement base member 720 is positioned at the lower end position.

[0590] As a result, when the displacement base member 720 is displaced at high speed toward the lowering end position, even if the supported shafts 760L and 760R are displaced at high speed in conjunction, the supported shafts 760L and 760R and the upper upper and lower stoppers 727 will not come into contact when the displacement base member 720 reaches the lowering end position. Therefore, compared to the case where the upper stopper is installed without any gap between it and the supported shafts 760L and 760R, the load applied from the supported shafts 760L and 760R to the upper upper and lower stoppers 727 can be reduced.

[0591] In this embodiment, the rotational ends of the supported shafts 760L and 760R are defined by their relationship with the connecting shaft 770 (see Figure 54), and even when the supported shafts 760L and 760R are ...

Claims

[Claim 1] A first flow region is configured to be visible to the player and allow the game balls to flow down, A first component member that constitutes one side of the first flow region, A second component member that constitutes the other side of the first flow region, The first component constitutes one side, and a second flow region is configured to be visible to the player and allow game balls to flow down, A gaming machine comprising a third component member that constitutes at least a part of the other side of the second flow region, The first flow region and the second flow region are configured in a continuous manner. The third component is a component separate from the second component, and is fastened to the second component. The gaming machine is, It is configured to irradiate light from the rear of the second flow region toward a predetermined region of the second flow region, Above the position where the second component and the third component overlap in a front view, a first inclined portion is formed on one side of the second component, capable of displacing a game ball that has flowed down the first flow region in a predetermined manner toward the first component. The predetermined surface of the first component constituting the one side is non-parallel to the first inclined portion, and a game ball that comes into contact with the first inclined portion is displaced toward the predetermined surface, while a game ball that flows down toward the predetermined surface is displaced toward the second inclined portion formed on the third component side. A specific portion of the second component is provided into which a predetermined portion of the third component fits, and the third component is not fitted to the first component. The gaming machine is characterized in that the third component does not have an operating member that can come into contact with the game ball flowing down the second flow region.

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