JP7720064B2 - gaming machines - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to gaming machines such as pachinko gaming machines (commonly referred to as "pachinko machines") and slot machine gaming machines (commonly referred to as "pachislot machines").

In gaming machines such as pachinko machines, a decorative film with a printed image has been attached to the rear surface of a transparent gaming panel that has a gaming area in front of it, so that the gaming area is decorated with the image on the decorative film that can be seen through the gaming panel (for example, Patent Document 1).

JP 2016-86943 A

However, in conventional gaming machines, wrinkles and cracks in the decorative film can cause poor appearance, which can lead to a decrease in interest in the game .

The present invention was made in consideration of the above circumstances, and its purpose is to provide a gaming machine that can improve the appearance of the gaming area and prevent players from losing interest.

Effective solutions for achieving the above-mentioned objectives are presented below. Where necessary, explanations of their operation will be provided. For ease of understanding, the corresponding configurations will also be shown in the embodiments of the invention, but are not intended to be limiting.

In order to achieve the above object, the invention according to claim 1 comprises:
In a gaming machine equipped with a gaming board attached to a main body frame,
The game board is
A ball flow-down area is formed in which the game balls can flow down, and the flow-down area portion has permeability;
A rear decorative portion provided behind the downflow area portion and having a decorative surface visible through the downflow area portion;
A specific support member that supports the back decorative part behind the flow-down area;
Equipped with
The specific support member has a predetermined main body portion and a mounting hole portion , and is supported behind the downflow area portion by inserting a mounting screw into the mounting hole portion ,
The back decorative portion is not attached to the rear of the downflow area, but is arranged between the front of the main body portion of the specific support member and the rear of the downflow area,
Furthermore, the rear decorative portion is formed smaller than the flow-down area portion,
Furthermore, the specific support member is formed to have transparency,
Furthermore, a light-emitting portion capable of emitting light is provided behind the back decorative portion,
The light emitting portion is arranged so as to be difficult to see by the back decorative portion,
The specific support member is configured such that a front surface of the mounting hole portion is located further forward of the gaming machine than a front surface of the main body portion,
The front surface of the main body is not in contact with the rear surface of the downflow area,
A gap larger than the thickness of the back decorative part is formed between the front of the main body part and the rear of the downflow area part of the specific support member, and the back decorative part is disposed in the gap.
It is characterized by:

In this way, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a gaming machine that can improve the appearance of the gaming area and prevent a decrease in the player's interest in the game.

1 is a front view of a pachinko machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a right side view of the pachinko machine. FIG. 2 is a left side view of the pachinko machine. FIG. 2 is a rear view of the pachinko machine. This is an oblique view of a pachinko machine seen from the front right. This is an oblique view of a pachinko machine seen from the front left. This is a perspective view of a pachinko machine seen from behind. This is a front view of a pachinko machine when the pressing operation part of the performance operation unit is in the raised position. This is an oblique view of the pachinko machine from the front right when the pressing operation part of the performance operation unit is in the raised position. This is an oblique view of a pachinko machine seen from the front with the door frame open from the main frame and the main frame open from the outer frame. This is an exploded oblique view of a pachinko machine disassembled into a door frame, a game board, a main body frame, and an outer frame, as seen from the front. This is an exploded oblique view of a pachinko machine disassembled into a door frame, a game board, a main body frame, and an outer frame, viewed from the rear. FIG. 2 is a front view of the outer frame of the pachinko machine. FIG. FIG. This is a perspective view of the outer frame from the front. This is a perspective view of the outer frame from behind. This is an exploded perspective view of the outer frame disassembled into its main components as seen from the front. This is an exploded oblique view of the left outer frame assembly and the right outer frame assembly of the outer frame, viewed from the front. This is an exploded oblique view of the lower outer frame assembly of the outer frame, viewed from the front. 1A is an exploded perspective view of the outer frame upper hinge assembly of the outer frame as viewed from above the front, and FIG. 1B is an exploded perspective view of FIG. 1A as viewed from below the front. FIG. 2 is a front view of a door frame in a pachinko machine. FIG. FIG. 10 is a left side view of the door frame. FIG. 10 is a right side view of the door frame. This is an oblique view of the door frame from the front right. This is an oblique view of the door frame from the front left. This is a perspective view of the door frame from behind. This is an exploded oblique view of the door frame, broken down into its main components, viewed from the front. This is an exploded perspective view of the door frame, broken down into its main components, viewed from the rear. FIG. 1A is a perspective view of a door frame base unit of a door frame as viewed from the front, and FIG. 1B is a perspective view of the door frame base unit as viewed from the rear. This is an exploded oblique view of the door frame base unit, broken down into its main components, viewed from the front. This is an exploded oblique view of the door frame base unit disassembled into its main components and viewed from behind. (a) is a perspective view of the cylinder lock of the door frame as seen from the front, (b) is a perspective view of the cylinder lock of (a) as seen from the rear-front, (c) is a perspective view of the cylinder lock of a conventional pachinko machine as seen from the front, and (d) is a perspective view of the cylinder lock of (a) as seen from the rear. 34(a) is an exploded perspective view of the cylinder lock of FIG. 34(a) as seen from the front, and FIG. 34(b) is an exploded perspective view of the cylinder lock of FIG. 34(a) as seen from the rear. (a) is an explanatory diagram showing the movable mechanism of the cylinder lock in Figure 34(a) from the front, (b) is an explanatory diagram of the cylinder lock shown in a state rotated 90 degrees counterclockwise from the state in (a), and (c) is an explanatory diagram of the cylinder lock shown in a state rotated 90 degrees clockwise from the state in (a). (a) is a perspective view of the ball feeding unit of the door frame base unit from the front, and (b) is a perspective view of the ball feeding unit from the back. (a) is an exploded oblique view of the ball feeding unit seen from the front, and (b) is an exploded oblique view of the ball feeding unit seen from the rear with the rear case and anti-tamper member removed. (a) is a perspective view of the fall cover unit of the door frame base unit as seen from the front, and (b) is a perspective view of the fall cover unit as seen from the back. FIG. 10 is a front view of the fall cover unit with the lid member removed. 1A is an enlarged front view showing the handle unit and handle cover unit portions of the door frame, and FIG. 1B is an enlarged perspective view showing the handle unit and handle cover unit portions of the door frame. FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the handle cover unit as seen from the front. FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the handle cover unit as seen from behind. FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the handle unit as seen from the front. FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the handle unit as seen from behind. This is a cross-sectional view taken along line I-I in Figure 41(a). FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line A in FIG. 1. This is an oblique view of the tray unit of the door frame. This is a perspective view of the plate unit from behind. (a) is a cross-sectional view of the door frame cut horizontally at the location of the lower tray ball supply port, showing the key parts; (b) is a cross-sectional view of a conventional door frame cut at the same location as (a), showing the key parts; and (c) is a table comparing the number of game balls stored in the lower tray of the product of this embodiment and the conventional product. This is an enlarged plan view showing the ball lending operation unit portion in the tray unit of the door frame. (a) is a perspective view of the performance operation unit seen from the front with the performance operation button facing upward, and (b) is a perspective view of the performance operation unit of (a) seen from the back. This is an exploded oblique view of the performance operation unit, broken down into its main components, viewed from above and the front. This is an exploded oblique view of the performance operation unit, broken down into its main components, viewed from below and in the front. (a) is a cross-sectional view of the performance operation unit when the performance operation unit is in a lowered position and the lower holding member of the lifting spring is at the upper end of its travel, and (b) is a cross-sectional view of the performance operation unit when the performance operation unit has moved from the position in (a) to the raised position. This is a cross-sectional view of the performance operation unit when the performance operation unit is in a lowered position and the lifting spring lower holding member is at the downward end of its travel position. This is an explanatory diagram showing the positional relationship between the decorative board on the outer periphery of the performance operation unit, the decorative board on the outer side of the button, and the decorative board inside the button in a plan view of the performance operation unit viewed from the pressing direction of the pressing operation unit. (a) is a front view of the dish unit in its normal state, and (b) is a front view of the dish unit when the performance control unit is in the raised position. This is a plan view of a performance operation unit showing an example in which multiple contact detection bodies are provided in the performance operation unit. (a) is an explanatory diagram showing a schematic example of an example in which multiple contact detection bodies are connected to one contact detection sensor main body, (b) is an explanatory diagram showing a schematic example in which a switching unit is provided between the contact detection sensor main body and multiple contact detection bodies in (a), and (c) is an explanatory diagram showing an example in which the left dish decorative unit, right dish decorative unit, and performance operation unit of the dish unit can be moved forward and backward, and contact detection bodies are provided on the front and rear of the performance operation unit, etc. FIG. 10A is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a decorative contact detection body, and FIG. 10B is an explanatory diagram showing a schematic diagram of another embodiment of the performance operation unit. (a) is a front view of the door frame left side unit of the door frame, (b) is a perspective view of the door frame left side unit from the front, and (c) is a perspective view of the door frame left side unit from the back. This is an exploded oblique view of the door frame left side unit as seen from the front. This is an exploded oblique view of the door frame left side unit as seen from behind. This is a cross-sectional view taken along line U-U in Figure 62(a). (a) is a front view of the door frame right side unit of the door frame, (b) is a right side view of the door frame right side unit, (c) is an oblique view of the door frame right side unit from the front, and (d) is an oblique view of the door frame right side unit from the back. This is an exploded oblique view of the door frame right side unit as seen from the front. This is an exploded oblique view of the door frame right side unit as seen from behind. This is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A in Figure 66(a). This is a cross-sectional view taken along line O-O in Figure 66(a). (a) is a right side view of the door frame right side unit, showing the two-color molded outer layer of the door frame in an opaque state, and (b) is a right side view of the door frame right side unit in (a), showing the outer layer in a transparent state while leaving the inner layer intact. A front view showing each decorative substrate of the door frame. This is a plan view showing the decorative board in the part of the door frame's performance operation unit. A rear view showing each decorative substrate provided around the door window of the door frame. FIG. 2 is a front view of the main body frame of the pachinko machine. FIG. 2 is a rear view of the main body frame of the pachinko machine. This is an oblique view of the main body frame from the front right. This is an oblique view of the main body frame from the front left. This is an oblique view of the main body frame as seen from behind. This is an exploded oblique view of the main body frame disassembled into its main components as seen from the front. This is an exploded perspective view of the main body frame disassembled into its main components and viewed from the rear. (a) is an enlarged oblique view showing the lower left corner of the front of the main body frame, and (b) is an enlarged oblique view showing the lower left corner of the front of the main body frame when the door frame is opened relative to the main body frame. 10A and 10B are explanatory diagrams showing the operation of the connection cable guide member of the main body frame when the door frame is opened and closed relative to the main body frame. 1A is a perspective view of the ball launcher in the main body frame as seen from the front, and FIG. 1B is a perspective view of the ball launcher as seen from the back. (a) is a perspective view of the dispensing base unit of the main frame as seen from the front, and (b) is a perspective view of the dispensing base unit as seen from the back. (a) is a perspective view of the dispensing unit in the main body frame as seen from the front, and (b) is a perspective view of the dispensing unit as seen from the back. FIG. 1A is an exploded perspective view of the dispensing unit as viewed from the front, with the dispensing unit disassembled into its main components, and FIG. 1B is an exploded perspective view of the dispensing unit as viewed from the rear, with the dispensing unit disassembled into its main components. This is a rear cross-sectional view of the dispensing device of the dispensing unit, cut at the center of the dispensing blade in the front-to-rear direction. (a) is a rear cross-sectional view of the dispensing device cut at the center of the dispensing blade in the front-to-back direction when the ball removal movable piece is in the open state, and (b) is a cross-sectional view cut along line A-A in (a). An explanatory diagram showing the relationship between the door frame fall cover unit and the lower full ball path unit. An explanatory diagram showing the flow of game balls in the main body frame. 1A is a perspective view of a board unit of a main body frame as seen from the front, and FIG. 1B is a perspective view of the board unit as seen from the back. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the board unit as seen from below and behind. FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the board unit, seen from the front, disassembled into its main components. FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the board unit disassembled into its main components and viewed from the rear. This is an enlarged side cross-sectional view showing the lower part of the pachinko machine cut in the center in the left-right direction. 1A is a perspective view of the locking unit of the main body frame as seen from the front, and FIG. 1B is a perspective view of the locking unit as seen from the rear. 1A is a plan view of the main body frame, and FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB in FIG. This is an enlarged view showing the upper part of the main body frame in a perspective view seen from behind. 1A is a perspective view of the spherical tank with tank rails and the like assembled thereto, as seen from above the front, and FIG. 1B is a perspective view of FIG. 1A from below the front. 100(a) is an exploded perspective view seen from the front. FIG. An explanatory diagram showing the area where game balls that overflow from the ball tank at the top of the main body frame circulate. An explanatory diagram showing the flow of game balls that have overflowed from the ball tank at the top of the main body frame. An explanatory diagram showing the flow of game balls into the bypass passage at the top of the main body frame. FIG. 10 is an enlarged perspective view of the main body frame as seen from behind the hinge side, showing the tank rail and its surroundings. This is an oblique view showing an enlarged portion of the tank rail when viewed from behind of a pachinko machine equipped with a tank rail of a second embodiment. 106 in assembled state with the spherical tank, (b) is a perspective view of the tank rail etc. of (a) seen from the front, and (c) is a perspective view of the tank rail etc. of (a) seen from the rear. 107, and (b) is an exploded perspective view of the tank rails and the like of FIG. 107, as seen from the rear. FIG. This is a cross-sectional view of the tank rail etc. taken along the kerch line in Figure 107(a). An explanatory diagram showing a cross section of the flow of game balls within the tank rail of Figure 107. FIG. 11 is an enlarged perspective view of a main body frame including a tank rail and the like according to a third embodiment, showing the tank rail portion as viewed from the rear right. FIG. 11 is an enlarged perspective view of a main body frame including a tank rail and the like according to a third embodiment, showing the tank rail portion as viewed from the rear left. 1A is a rear view of the main body frame showing an enlarged view of the external terminal board portion, and FIG. 1B is a left side view of the main body frame showing an enlarged view of the upper portion. 113(a) is a cross-sectional view taken along line DD in FIG. 113(b), and FIG. 113(b) is a cross-sectional view taken along line CC in FIG. 113(a). FIG. 114(b) is an explanatory diagram showing an enlarged view of the tank rail and its vicinity in FIG. 10A is a perspective view of the tank rail etc. of the third embodiment as seen from the front, FIG. 10B is a perspective view of the tank rail etc. of FIG. 10A as seen from the upper right rear, and FIG. 10C is a perspective view of the tank rail etc. of FIG. 10A as seen from the lower right rear. This is an exploded perspective view of the tank rails and the like in Figure 116 as seen from the front. This is an exploded perspective view of the tank rails and the like in Figure 116, seen from behind. (a) is a front view of a board unit of another embodiment, (b) is an oblique view of the board unit of (a) seen from the front right, and (c) is an oblique view of the board unit of (a) seen from the front left. 119(a) is a perspective view of the board unit of FIG. 119(a) seen from the upper right rear, and FIG. 119(b) is a perspective view of the board unit of FIG. 119(a) seen from the lower right rear. This is an exploded oblique view of the substrate unit of Figure 119(a) as seen from the front. This is an exploded oblique view of the substrate unit of Figure 119(a) as seen from behind. (a) is a cross-sectional view taken along the line K-K in Figure 119(a), (b) is a cross-sectional view taken along the line K-K in (a), and (c) is a cross-sectional view taken along the line K-K in (a). This is a bottom view showing the area behind the door frame in a pachinko machine equipped with the board unit of Figure 119(a). An explanatory diagram showing an example in which a guide piece is provided at the out ball discharge outlet of the out ball passage. 1A is an explanatory diagram showing an example in which the out-sensor is detachable, and FIG. 1B is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which the out-sensor in FIG. 1A has been detached. (a) is an oblique view of the board unit of the third embodiment, showing the power supply unit, dispensing control unit, and interface unit omitted, viewed from the front right, and (b) is an oblique view of the board unit of (a) viewed from the front left. 127A is a perspective view of the board unit of FIG. 127 seen from the upper right rear, and FIG. 127B is a perspective view of the board unit of FIG. 127A seen from the lower right rear. 127A is a plan view of the substrate unit of FIG. 127, FIG. 127B is a cross-sectional view taken along line KO-KO in FIG. 127A, and FIG. 127C is a cross-sectional view taken along line SA-SA in FIG. This is a cross-sectional view taken along line C-C in Figure 129(a). This is an exploded oblique view of the substrate unit of Figure 127 as seen from the front. This is an exploded oblique view of the board unit of Figure 127, seen from the rear. 128A is a perspective view of the ball path member of the base plate unit of FIG. 127 as seen from the front, and FIG. 128B is a perspective view of the ball path member of the base plate unit of FIG. 127 as seen from the back. An explanatory diagram showing the elimination of ball clogging in the board unit of Figure 127. 128 is an explanatory diagram showing the prevention of intrusion of linear illegal tools into the board unit of FIG. 127. 128 is an explanatory diagram showing how to remove dust from the board unit of FIG. 127. This is a front view of a game board in a pachinko machine, with the center gimmicks and other parts made opaque. This is an oblique view of the game board of Figure 137 as seen from the front right. FIG. 138 is an oblique view of the game board of FIG. 137 as seen from the front left. FIG. 138 is a perspective view of the game board of FIG. 137 from behind. This is a front view of the game board, showing the inside of the game area where game balls circulate, by cutting the front unit parallel to the surface of the game panel. This is an exploded perspective view of the game board disassembled into its main components and viewed from the front. This is an exploded perspective view of the game board disassembled into its main components and viewed from behind. This is a cross-sectional view taken along the soot line in Figure 137. This is a cross-sectional view taken along the line SE in Figure 137. An explanatory diagram showing the positions of the rear cells and cell fixing pieces from the front of the game board. (a) is an exploded oblique view seen from the front, with the rear cell and cell fixing piece disassembled from the front component and game panel, and (b) is an exploded oblique view seen from the back, with the rear cell and cell fixing piece disassembled from the front component and game panel. 1A is a four-sided view of a cell fixing piece, FIG. 1B is a perspective view of the cell fixing piece as seen from the front, and FIG. 1C is a perspective view of the cell fixing piece as seen from the rear. (a) is a perspective view of the crane in the center distribution unit of the center role object seen from the front, (b) is a plan view of the crane in (a), and (c) is a cross-sectional view cut along the so-so line in (b). (a) is an explanatory diagram showing a partial perspective view of the center allocation unit in the center device of the game board, and (b) is an explanatory diagram showing a partial plan view of the center allocation unit in the center device of the game board. (a) is an explanatory diagram showing a crane of a different embodiment from that shown in Figure 149, (b) is an explanatory diagram showing a crane of an even different embodiment, and (c) is an explanatory diagram showing a sorting unit of an even different embodiment. 1A is an exploded perspective view of the attacca unit of the center role piece, viewed from the front with part of the unit disassembled, and FIG. 1B is an exploded perspective view of the attacca unit, viewed from the back with part of the unit disassembled. This is an exploded oblique view of the attacca unit of the center role piece, viewed from the front. This is an exploded oblique view of the Attacca unit, a central part, seen from behind. (a) is an oblique view from the front of the second starting port opening/closing unit, first large prize opening/closing unit, second large prize opening/closing unit, and V-distribution unit in the Attacca unit, and (b) is an oblique view from the back of the second starting port opening/closing unit, first large prize opening/closing unit, second large prize opening/closing unit, and V-distribution unit in the Attacca unit. (a) is an exploded oblique view of the second starting port opening/closing unit in the attacca unit of the center role piece, viewed from the front, and (b) is an exploded oblique view of the second starting port opening/closing unit, viewed from the back. (a) is an oblique view of the second starting port opening/closing unit when the second starting port is closed, (b) is an oblique view of the second starting port opening/closing unit when the second starting port is open, (c) is an explanatory diagram showing the state of each component of the second starting port opening/closing unit when the second starting port is closed, and (d) is an explanatory diagram showing the state of each component of the second starting port opening/closing unit when the second starting port is open. (a) is an exploded oblique view of the first large prize opening opening/closing unit in the Attacca unit of the center role device, viewed from the front, and (b) is an exploded oblique view of the first large prize opening opening/closing unit, viewed from the back. (a) is an explanatory diagram showing the state of each component of the first major prize opening/closing unit when the first major prize opening is closed, and (b) is an explanatory diagram showing the state of each component of the first major prize opening/closing unit when the first major prize opening is open. (a) is an exploded oblique view of the second large prize opening opening/closing unit in the Attacca unit of the center role device, viewed from the front, and (b) is an exploded oblique view of the second large prize opening opening/closing unit, viewed from the back. (a) is an exploded oblique view of the V-distribution unit in the attacca unit of the center role piece, viewed from the front, and (b) is an exploded oblique view of the V-distribution unit, viewed from the back. (a) is an oblique view showing the relationship between the V distribution unit, V winning port sensor, losing port sensor, and center right bottom ball path, and (b) is an exploded oblique view showing (a) disassembled. 10A is a perspective view showing an installation state of an opening/closing unit according to a different embodiment, and FIG. 10B is an exploded perspective view showing FIG. This is an explanatory diagram showing an oblique view of the relationship between the Attacca front plate, second start port sensor, second large prize port sensor, V prize port sensor, loss port sensor, Attacca base plate, and center lower right ball passage in the Attacca unit of the center role device. (a) is an explanatory diagram showing a side cross section of a different embodiment of a door body applied to the first large prize opening opening and closing unit in the Attacka unit of the center role, and (b) is an explanatory diagram showing (a) in a plan view. (a) is a perspective view from the rear of the area near the attacca unit in the center role piece with the wiring omitted, and (b) is an exploded perspective view showing the binding base in (a) disassembled. This is an explanatory diagram showing the relationship between the center base of the main unit and the attacca base plate of the attacca unit in the center role device and the binding base. FIG. 1A is a perspective view of the binding base seen from the top front, FIG. 1B is a perspective view of the binding base seen from the top rear, and FIG. 1C is a perspective view of the binding base seen from the bottom front. (a) is an oblique view showing an enlarged view of the main parts of the center accessory with multiple wires bundled to the binding base with cable ties, and (b) is an exploded oblique view showing the binding base in (a) with the binding base separated. 169(a) is a perspective view showing a binding base of a different embodiment from the binding base of FIG. 168, and FIG. 169(b) is a perspective view showing a binding base of a further different embodiment. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing an oblique view of the wiring locking portion on the rear surface of the game board in use; FIG. This is an exploded oblique view of the back unit of the game board disassembled into the presentation unit, mounting supporter, and back box, viewed from the front. This is an exploded oblique view of the rear unit of the game board disassembled into the presentation unit, mounting supporter, and rear box, viewed from the rear. 1A is a six-sided view of the mounting supporter in the rear unit, FIG. 1B is a perspective view of the mounting supporter in FIG. 1A from the front, and FIG. 1C is a perspective view of the mounting supporter in FIG. 1A from the back. (a) is an oblique view showing an embodiment of a mounting supporter different from the mounting supporter of Figure 175, (b) is an explanatory diagram showing an oblique view of the main parts of a mounting supporter in which the shape of the main body is different from the mounting supporter of (a), and (c) is an explanatory diagram showing an oblique view of the main parts of an embodiment of a mounting supporter different from the mounting supporter of (a) as seen from behind. (a) is a perspective view of a mounting supporter having a different configuration from the mounting supporter in Figure 175, seen from the front left; (b) is a front view of the mounting supporter in (a); (c) is a perspective view of the mounting supporter in (a), seen from the front right; and (d) is a perspective view of the mounting supporter in (a), seen from the back. FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing an enlarged view of the mounting supporter as a main part with the rear box made transparent, and showing the rear unit from the rear. 175 in the rear unit, and (b) is a photograph of the rear unit of the mounting supporter in FIG. 177 in the rear unit. This is an exploded oblique view of the back unit of the game board, disassembled into individual units and viewed from the front. This is an exploded oblique view of the rear unit of the game board disassembled into individual units and viewed from behind. (a) is a front view of the rear front left performance unit in the rear unit, (b) is an oblique view of the rear front left performance unit from the front, (c) is an oblique view of the rear front left performance unit from the back, and (d) is a cross-sectional view of the rear front left performance unit cut along the sa-sa line in (a). This is an exploded oblique view of the rear front left performance unit in the rear unit, viewed from the front. This is an exploded oblique view of the rear front left performance unit in the rear unit, viewed from behind. This is a front view of the back rear performance unit in the back unit. (a) is an oblique view of the rear performance unit seen from the front, and (b) is an oblique view of the rear performance unit seen from the back. This is an exploded oblique view showing the unit base side, rear upper decorative body, and rear lower decorative body of the rear performance unit from the front. This is an exploded oblique view showing the unit base side, rear upper decorative body, and rear lower decorative body of the rear performance unit from the rear. (a) is an exploded oblique view of the locking mechanism of the rear upper decorative body in the rear performance unit, viewed from the front, and (b) is an exploded oblique view of the locking mechanism of the rear upper decorative body, viewed from the back. (a) is an explanatory diagram showing an oblique view of the locking mechanism in the locked position on the upper rear decorative body, and (b) is an explanatory diagram showing an oblique view of the locking mechanism in the unlocked position on the upper rear decorative body. This is an exploded oblique view of the rear lower decorative body of the rear performance unit, viewed from the front. This is an exploded oblique view of the rear lower decorative body of the rear performance unit, viewed from behind. An explanatory diagram showing the routing of wiring on the rear surface of the rear lower decorative body of the rear performance unit. (a) is an exploded oblique view of the first rotating decorative body in the rear lower decorative body disassembled and viewed from the front, and (b) is an exploded oblique view of the first rotating decorative body in the rear lower decorative body disassembled and viewed from the back. This is a front view of the rear performance unit showing the rear upper decorative body moved to the drop position. This is a front view of the rear performance unit showing the rear upper decorative body and the rear lower decorative body moved to the center position. (a) is a front view of the game board showing the display screen of the performance display device in a blacked-out state, and (b) is an explanatory diagram showing a schematic diagram of the relationship between the display screen of the performance display device and the back front left back decorative sheet of the back front left performance unit in the back unit. This is a front view of the game board showing the back right upper decorative body, back right middle decorative body, and back right lower decorative body of the back right performance unit in the back unit moved to their appearance positions. This is a front view of the game board showing the rear left decorative body of the rear left performance unit in the rear unit moved to the first appearance position. This is a front view of the game board showing the rear left decorative body of the rear left performance unit in the rear unit moved to the second appearance position. This is a front view of the game board showing the rear upper decorative body of the rear performance unit in the rear unit being dropped from the retracted position to the appearance position. This is a front view of the game board showing the rear upper decorative body and rear lower decorative body of the rear performance unit in the rear unit moved to the center position. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an outline of the control configuration of a pachinko machine. 10 is a flowchart of a vibration alarm process on a game board. FIG. 10 is a front view of the door frame of the second embodiment. FIG. 10 is a rear view of the door frame of the second embodiment. FIG. 10 is an oblique view of the door frame of the second embodiment as seen from the right front. FIG. 10 is an oblique view of the door frame of the second embodiment as seen from the front left. FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the door frame of the second embodiment as seen from behind. 1A is an exploded perspective view of the door frame of the second embodiment, disassembled into a door frame top add unit and other components, viewed from the front, and FIG. 1B is an exploded perspective view of FIG. 1A, viewed from the back. 1A is an exploded perspective view of the door frame top add unit as seen from the front, and FIG. 1B is an exploded perspective view of the door frame top add unit as seen from the rear. (a) is a side cross-sectional view of the upper part of the door frame of the second embodiment, and (b) is an exploded side cross-sectional view showing the door frame top add unit and other parts in (a). (a) is an exploded oblique view of the main parts of the door frame of the second embodiment, viewed from behind, with the right side panel and right side decorative sheet disassembled from the door frame right side unit, and (b) is an oblique view of the right side panel viewed from the left rear. 10 is a flowchart showing an example of a process when the main control side power is turned on. This is a flowchart showing the continuation of the processing when the main control side power is turned on in Figure 214. 10 is a flowchart showing an example of main control side timer interrupt processing. 10 is a flowchart showing an example of processing when the dispensing control unit is powered on. This is a flowchart showing the continuation of the power-on processing of the dispensing control unit in Figure 217. Following Figure 218, this is a flowchart showing the continuation of the processing when the dispensing control unit is powered on. 10 is a flowchart showing an example of a dispensing control unit timer interrupt process. 10 is a flowchart showing an example of a peripheral control unit power-on process; 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a peripheral control unit V blank interrupt process. 10 is a flowchart showing an example of a peripheral control unit 1 ms timer interrupt process. 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a peripheral control unit command reception interrupt process. 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a peripheral control unit power outage warning signal interrupt process. 10 is a flowchart showing the procedure for the special symbol and special electric device control processing (step S114). A flowchart showing the procedure for the first starting port passing process (step S232). 10 is a flowchart showing the procedure for the performance pre-determination process (step S245). A flowchart showing the procedure for the second starting port passing process (step S234). 10 is a flowchart showing the procedure for the first special symbol process processing (step S238). 10 is a flowchart showing the procedure for the first special symbol normal processing (step S280). 10 is a flowchart showing the procedure for hit determination processing (step S305). Various tables showing a hit determination table (A), a big hit pattern determination table (B), and a small hit pattern determination table (C). 10 is a flowchart showing the procedure for the first special symbol stop symbol setting process (step S281). A flowchart showing the procedure for the first variation pattern setting process (step S282). This is a flowchart showing the procedure for the first special pattern change processing (step S283). 10 is a flowchart showing the procedure for the first special symbol stop processing (step S284). This is a flowchart showing the procedure for the jackpot control processing (step S235A). 10 is a flowchart showing an example of a button effect execution process. (A) is a table showing an example of a button effect determination pattern, and (B) is a table showing an example of a button effect execution pattern. This is a specific example of a button effect. 10 is a flowchart showing an example of a process for executing a crazy effect when a ball goes in. 10 is a time chart showing an example of when a frenzy effect and a silence effect are executed. An explanatory diagram showing the light-emitting state of the door frame when the crazy effect and the mute effect are executed. 10 is a flowchart showing an example of a process for executing a suggestive effect when a ball is scored. An explanatory diagram showing the illuminated areas on the game area when a suggestive effect is executed.

[1. Overall structure of a pachinko machine]
A pachinko machine 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. First, the overall configuration of the pachinko machine 1 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 12. FIG. 1 is a front view of a pachinko machine according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a right side view of the pachinko machine, FIG. 3 is a left side view of the pachinko machine, and FIG. 4 is a rear view of the pachinko machine. FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the pachinko machine as seen from the right front, FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the pachinko machine as seen from the left front, and FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the pachinko machine as seen from the rear. FIG. 8 is a front view of the pachinko machine when the pressing operation unit of the effect operation unit is in the raised position, and FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the pachinko machine as seen from the right front when the pressing operation unit of the effect operation unit is in the raised position. Furthermore, FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the pachinko machine as seen from the front with the door frame opened from the main body frame and the main body frame opened from the outer frame. Figure 11 is an exploded perspective view of a pachinko machine disassembled into a door frame, a game board, a main frame, and an outer frame, as viewed from the front, and Figure 12 is an exploded perspective view of a pachinko machine disassembled into a door frame, a game board, a main frame, and an outer frame, as viewed from the back.

The pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment comprises a frame-shaped outer frame 2 that is installed in an island facility (not shown) in an amusement hall; a door frame 3 that opens and closes the front of the outer frame 2; a main frame 4 that supports the door frame 3 so that it can be opened and closed and is attached to the outer frame 2 so that it can be opened and closed; and a game board 5 that is detachably attached to the main frame 4 from the front and is visible to the player through the door frame 3, and has a game area 5a into which the player shoots a game ball B (see Figure 89).

The outer frame 2 has a rectangular shape that extends vertically when viewed from the front. The outer frame 2 comprises a left outer frame assembly 10 and a right outer frame assembly 20 that are spaced apart laterally and extend vertically; an upper outer frame member 30 that connects the upper ends of the left outer frame assembly 10 and the right outer frame assembly 20; a lower outer frame assembly 40 that connects the lower ends of the left outer frame assembly 10 and the right outer frame assembly 20; an upper outer frame hinge assembly 50 attached to the left end of the upper surface of the upper outer frame member 30; and a lower outer frame hinge member 60 attached to the lower right side of the left outer frame assembly 10 and the left end of the upper surface of the lower outer frame assembly 40.

The outer frame 2 is attached to the island equipment of the gaming hall where the pachinko machine 1 is installed, and the outer frame upper hinge assembly 50 and outer frame lower hinge member 60 coaxially support the main frame upper hinge member 510 and main frame lower hinge assembly 520 of the main frame 4, allowing the main frame 4 to be mounted so that it can be opened and closed forward around the left side when viewed from the front.

In addition, when the door frame 3 and the main frame 4 are closed, the lower outer frame assembly 40 cooperates with the speaker unit 620a of the board unit 620 in the main frame 4 to form part of the enclosure 624 for the main frame speaker 622, and by inverting the phase of the sound output to the rear of the main frame speaker 622 and radiating it forward, the player can hear a deeper bass sound.

The door frame 3 closes the play area 5a of the play board 5 into which the game balls B are shot so that it can be seen from the front, stores the game balls B to be shot into the play area 5a, and is equipped with a handle 195 that the player operates to shoot the stored game balls B into the play area 5a. The door frame 3 also decorates the entire front of the pachinko machine 1.

In addition, the door frame 3 is equipped with a performance operation unit 301 that can be operated by the player, separate from the handle 195. When a player-participation performance is executed, the player can participate in the performance by operating the performance operation unit 301, allowing the player to enjoy the game not only with the game ball B, but also by operating the performance operation unit 301.

The main frame 4 comprises a frame-shaped main frame base unit 500 whose rear can be inserted into the outer frame 2 and can support the outer periphery of the game board 5; an upper main frame hinge member 510 and a lower main frame hinge assembly 520 for opening and closing the main frame 4 relative to the outer frame 2 and for opening and closing the door frame 3; a main frame reinforcing frame 530 that reinforces the main frame base unit 500; a ball launcher 540 for shooting game balls B into the game area 5a of the game board 5; and a game ball supplied from the island equipment of the game hall. It comprises a payout base unit 550 that receives game balls B, a payout unit 560 that pays out the game balls B received by the payout base unit 550 to the player, a board unit 620 that has a power supply board 630 equipped with a power switch 630a that can turn on the power to the pachinko machine 1 as well as a payout control board 633, a back cover 640 that covers the rear side of the game board 5 attached to the main frame base 501, and a locking unit 650 that locks the outer frame 2 and main frame 4, and the door frame 3 and main frame 4.

The main frame 4 holds the game board 5, which has a play area 5a where play is carried out by hitting game balls B, and is used to pay out game balls B to the player and eject used game balls B to the rear of the pachinko machine 1 (towards the island equipment of the amusement hall). The main frame 4 is formed in a box shape with an open front, and the game board 5 is removably stored inside from the front. The main frame 4 is openably attached to a frame-shaped outer frame 2, which is attached to the island equipment of the amusement hall, at the top and bottom of the front end on the left side of the front, and a door frame 3 is openably attached to close the open front side.

The game board 5 comprises a game area 5a where the game ball B is thrown by the player, a front component 1000 that defines the outer periphery of the game area 5a and has a generally rectangular shape when viewed from the front, a plate-shaped game panel 1100 attached to the rear side of the front component 1000 and defines the rear end of the game area 5a, a board holder 1200 attached to the lower rear side of the game panel 1100, and a main control unit 1310 attached to the rear surface of the board holder 1200 and having a main control board 1310 and a setting change board. 300, a functional display unit 1400 that displays the game status based on control signals from the main control board 1310, a peripheral control unit 1500 (see Figure 12) located on the rear of the game panel 1100, an effect display device 1600 that is located in the center of the game area 5a when viewed from the front and is capable of displaying specified effect images, a front unit 2000 attached to the front of the game panel 1100, and a back unit 3000 attached to the rear of the game panel 1100. The back unit 3000 is equipped with various effect units that are capable of performing movable effects and light-emitting effects depending on the game status.

The game area 5a of the game board 5 is equipped with a plurality of obstacle pins that come into contact with the game ball B and are planted in a predetermined gauge arrangement, as well as a general prize opening 2001, a first lower start opening 2003, a first upper start opening 2004, a second start opening 2005, a first large prize opening 2006, a second large prize opening 2007, a V prize opening 2008, and a losing opening 2009, which grant a player a predetermined benefit (e.g., the payout of a predetermined number of game balls B) when a game ball B is received or passes through them. The obstacle pins are planted on the front surface of the game panel 1100. The general winning gate 2001, gate 2002, first lower starting gate 2003, first upper starting gate 2004, second starting gate 2005, first large winning gate 2006, second large winning gate 2007 (V winning gate 2008, losing gate 2009) are provided in the front unit 2000.

A player can shoot a game ball B into the game area 5a of the game board 5 by operating the handle 195 of the handle unit 180. This allows the player to enjoy operating the handle 195 so that the game ball B is accepted into or passes through the general prize opening 2001, gate 2002, first lower start opening 2003, first upper start opening 2004, second start opening 2005, first large prize opening 2006, second large prize opening 2007 (V prize opening 2008, losing opening 2009), etc. within the game area 5a.

In addition, the game board 5 can entertain the player by displaying predetermined effect images on the effect display device 1600 in response to the game state that changes when the game ball B is hit into the game area 5a, and by performing light-up effects and moving effects using the starting hole display unit 2110, back-front upper effect unit 3200, back-front left effect unit 3300, back-right effect unit 3400, back-rear effect unit 3600, etc.

[2. Overall structure of the outer frame]
The outer frame 2 of the pachinko machine 1 will be described with reference to Figures 13 to 18. Figure 13 is a front view of the outer frame of the pachinko machine, Figure 14 is a rear view of the outer frame, and Figure 15 is a right side view of the outer frame. Figure 16 is a perspective view of the outer frame seen from the front, and Figure 17 is a perspective view of the outer frame seen from the rear. Figure 18 is an exploded perspective view of the outer frame disassembled into its main components and seen from the front. The outer frame 2 is attached to an island facility (not shown) in an amusement hall or the like on which the pachinko machine 1 is installed. When viewed from the front, the outer frame 2 is formed into a rectangular frame that extends vertically.

As shown in the figure, the outer frame 2 comprises a left outer frame assembly 10 and a right outer frame assembly 20 that are spaced apart laterally and extend vertically; an upper outer frame member 30 that connects the upper ends of the left outer frame assembly 10 and the right outer frame assembly 20; a lower outer frame assembly 40 that connects the lower ends of the left outer frame assembly 10 and the right outer frame assembly 20; an upper outer frame hinge assembly 50 attached to the left end of the upper surface of the upper outer frame member 30; and a lower outer frame hinge member 60 attached to the lower right side of the left outer frame assembly 10 and the left end of the upper surface of the lower outer frame assembly 40.

When the main frame 4 is closed, the outer frame lower assembly 40 cooperates with the speaker unit 620a of the board unit 620 in the main frame 4 to form part of the enclosure 624 for the main frame speaker 622, and is able to invert the phase of sound output to the rear of the main frame speaker 622 and radiate it forward.

The outer frame 2 has an upper outer frame hinge assembly 50 that can detachably support the upper main frame hinge member 510 of the main frame 4. The outer frame 2 can coaxially rotatably support the upper main frame hinge member 510 and the lower main frame hinge assembly 520 of the main frame 4 using the upper outer frame hinge assembly 50 and the lower outer frame hinge member 60, allowing the main frame 4 to be attached so that it can be opened and closed forward around the left side when viewed from the front.

[2-1. Left outer frame assembly and right outer frame assembly]
The left outer frame assembly 10 and the right outer frame assembly 20 of the outer frame 2 will be described in detail mainly with reference to Figure 19. Figure 19 is an exploded perspective view of the left outer frame assembly and the right outer frame assembly of the outer frame, respectively, as seen from the front. The left outer frame assembly 10 and the right outer frame assembly 20 of the outer frame 2 each extend vertically and are spaced apart from each other on the left and right. The left outer frame assembly 10 and the right outer frame assembly 20 coaxially support the upper main frame hinge member 510 and the lower main frame hinge assembly 520 of the main frame 4 so that they can rotate about the same axis, thereby attaching the main frame 4 to the outer frame 2 so that it can be opened and closed.

First, the left outer frame assembly 10 comprises a left outer frame member 11 that extends vertically with a constant width (depth) in the front-to-rear direction, an upper-left connecting member 12 attached to the upper end of the right side surface of the left outer frame member 11, and a lower-left connecting member 13 attached to the lower end of the right side surface of the left outer frame member 11.

The left outer frame member 11 extends vertically with a constant cross-sectional shape and is formed from an extruded aluminum alloy. The left outer frame member 11 has a recess 11a that is flat and recessed to the right in the rear section of the left side surface, which is one of the three equal sections in the front-to-rear direction; a bulge 11b that bulges to the right from the section on the right side surface opposite the recess 11a; and a hollow 11c that runs vertically through the bulge 11b. The recess 11a and bulge 11b increase the strength and rigidity of the left outer frame member 11, while the hollow 11c reduces its weight.

Furthermore, the left outer frame member 11 has multiple grooves extending vertically formed on both the left and right side surfaces. The multiple grooves on the left side surface are V-shaped, while the multiple grooves on the right side surface are semicircular. The left outer frame member 11 is formed in a symmetrical shape to the right outer frame member 21 of the right outer frame assembly 20, which will be described later.

The upper left connecting member 12 connects the upper end of the outer frame left member 11 and the left end of the outer frame upper member 30. The upper left connecting member 12 comprises a flat horizontal fixing portion 12a extending horizontally, a flat upper horizontal fixing portion 12b extending upward from the middle of the left edge of the horizontal fixing portion 12a in the fore-and-aft direction, and a pair of flat lower horizontal fixing portions 12c extending downward from both the front and rear of the upper horizontal fixing portion 12b on the left edge of the horizontal fixing portion 12a. The upper left connecting member 12 is formed by bending a flat metal plate.

The upper left connecting member 12 is attached to the left outer frame member 11 by inserting the rear lower horizontal fixing portion 12c into the hollow portion 11c of the left outer frame member 11, abutting the horizontal fixing portion 12a against the upper end of the left outer frame member 11, and abutting the front and rear lower horizontal fixing portions 12c against the right side of the left outer frame member 11, and then screwing a screw into the lower horizontal fixing portion 12c from the outside of the left side of the left outer frame member 11. The upper left connecting member 12 is also attached to the upper outer frame member 30 by abutting the horizontal fixing portion 12a against the underside of the left end of the upper outer frame member 30, inserting the upper horizontal fixing portion 12b into the cutout portion 30a on the left side of the upper outer frame member 30, and then screwing a screw into the upper outer frame member 30 through the horizontal fixing portion 12a and upper horizontal fixing portion 12b.

The lower left connecting member 13 connects the lower end of the left outer frame member 11 to the left end of the lower outer frame assembly 40 (lower outer frame member 41). The lower left connecting member 13 comprises a flat horizontal fixing portion 13a extending horizontally, a flat upper lateral fixing portion 13b extending upward from the left edge of the horizontal fixing portion 13a and extending rearward beyond the horizontal fixing portion 13a, a flat lower lateral fixing portion 13c extending downward from a position on the lower edge of the upper lateral fixing portion 13b rearward of the horizontal fixing portion 13a, and a flat abutment portion 13d extending shortly to the right from the rear edge of the upper lateral fixing portion 13b. The lower left connecting member 13 is formed by bending a flat metal plate.

The lower left connecting member 13 is attached to the left outer frame member 11 by abutting the rear surface of the abutment portion 13d against the front surface of the bulge portion 11b of the left outer frame member 11, abutting the left surface of the upper horizontal fixing portion 13b against the right surface of the left outer frame member 11, and aligning the lower surface of the horizontal fixing portion 13a with the lower end of the left outer frame member 11, and then screwing a screw into the upper horizontal fixing portion 13b from the outside of the left side of the left outer frame member 11. The lower left connecting member 13 is also attached to the lower outer frame member 41 by abutting the horizontal fixing portion 13a against the upper surface of the left end of the lower outer frame member 41, and inserting the lower horizontal fixing portion 13c into the notch 41a on the left side of the lower outer frame member 41, and then screwing a screw into the lower outer frame member 41 through the horizontal fixing portion 13a and the lower horizontal fixing portion 13c.

Next, the right outer frame assembly 20 comprises a right outer frame member 21 that extends vertically with a constant width (depth) in the front-to-rear direction, a right upper connecting member 22 attached to the upper end of the left side of the right outer frame member 21, a right lower connecting member 23 attached to the lower end of the left side of the right outer frame member 21, an upper hook member 24 attached to the upper end of the left side of the right outer frame member 21, and a lower hook member 25 attached to the lower end of the left side of the right outer frame member 21.

The right outer frame member 21 extends vertically with a constant cross-sectional shape and is formed from an extruded aluminum alloy. The right outer frame member 21 has a recess 21a that is flat and recessed to the left in the rear portion of the right side surface, which is one of the three equal parts in the front-to-rear direction; a bulge 21b that bulges leftward from the portion of the left side surface opposite recess 21a; and a hollow portion 21c that runs vertically through bulge 21b. The recess 21a and bulge 21b increase the strength and rigidity of the right outer frame member 21, while the hollow portion 21c reduces its weight.

The right outer frame member 21 also has multiple grooves extending vertically on both the left and right side surfaces. The multiple grooves on the right side surface are V-shaped, while the multiple grooves on the left side surface are semicircular. The right outer frame member 21 is formed in a symmetrical shape to the left outer frame member 11 of the left outer frame assembly 10.

The upper right connecting member 22 connects the upper end of the outer frame right member 21 and the right end of the outer frame upper member 30. The upper right connecting member 22 comprises a flat horizontal fixing portion 22a extending horizontally, a flat upper horizontal fixing portion 22b extending upward from the middle of the right side of the horizontal fixing portion 22a in the fore-and-aft direction, and a pair of flat lower horizontal fixing portions 22c extending downward from both the front and rear of the upper horizontal fixing portion 22b on the right side of the horizontal fixing portion 22a. The upper right connecting member 22 is formed by bending a flat metal plate.

The upper right connecting member 22 is attached to the right outer frame member 21 by inserting the rear lower horizontal fixing portion 22c into the hollow portion 21c of the right outer frame member 21, abutting the horizontal fixing portion 22a against the upper end of the right outer frame member 21, and abutting the front and rear lower horizontal fixing portions 22c against the left side of the right outer frame member 21, and then screwing a screw into the lower horizontal fixing portion 22c from the outside of the right side of the right outer frame member 21. The upper right connecting member 22 is also attached to the upper outer frame member 30 by abutting the horizontal fixing portion 22a against the underside of the right end of the upper outer frame member 30, inserting the upper horizontal fixing portion 22b into the notch 30a on the right side of the upper outer frame member 30, and then screwing a screw into the upper outer frame member 30 through the horizontal fixing portion 22a and the upper horizontal fixing portion 22b.

The lower right connecting member 23 connects the lower end of the outer frame right member 21 to the right end of the outer frame lower assembly 40 (lower outer frame member 41). The lower right connecting member 23 comprises a flat horizontal fixing portion 23a extending horizontally, a flat upper horizontal fixing portion 23b extending upward from the right edge of the horizontal fixing portion 23a and extending rearward beyond the horizontal fixing portion 23a, a flat lower horizontal fixing portion 23c extending downward from a position on the lower edge of the upper horizontal fixing portion 23b rearward of the horizontal fixing portion 23a, and a flat abutment portion 23d extending a short distance to the left from the rear edge of the upper horizontal fixing portion 23b. The lower right connecting member 23 is formed by bending a flat metal plate.

The lower right connecting member 23 is attached to the right outer frame member 21 by screwing a screw into the upper horizontal fixing portion 23b from the outside of the right side of the right outer frame member 21, with the rear surface of the abutment portion 23d abutting against the front surface of the bulge portion 21b of the right outer frame member 21, the right side of the upper horizontal fixing portion 23b abutting against the left side of the right outer frame member 21, and aligning the lower surface of the horizontal fixing portion 23a with the lower end of the right outer frame member 21. The lower right connecting member 23 is also attached to the lower outer frame member 41 by screwing a screw into the lower outer frame member 41 through the horizontal fixing portion 23a and the lower horizontal fixing portion 23c with the upper surface of the right end of the lower outer frame member 41 abutting against the upper surface of the right end of the lower outer frame member 41 and inserting the lower horizontal fixing portion 23c into the notch 41a on the right side of the lower outer frame member 41.

The upper hook member 24 and the lower hook member 25 hook onto the outer frame hook 653 of the locking unit 650 in the main frame 4 (described below). The upper hook member 24 extends vertically with a constant width in the front-to-rear direction and includes a flat mounting portion 24a that is attached to the left side surface of the outer frame right member 21, and a flat hook piece 24b that extends leftward from the front edge of the mounting portion 24a and onto which the upper outer frame hook 653 hooks.

The lower hook member 25 has a flat mounting portion 25a that extends vertically with a constant width in the front-to-rear direction and is attached to the left side surface of the outer frame right member 21; a flat hooking piece 25b that extends leftward from the front edge of the mounting portion 25a and into which the lower outer frame hook 653 is attached; and an insertion opening 25c that passes through the hooking piece 25b in the front-to-rear direction and through which the lower outer frame hook 653 can be inserted.

[2-2. Upper outer frame member]
The upper outer frame member 30 of the outer frame 2 will be described in detail mainly with reference to Figure 18. The upper outer frame member 30 connects the upper ends of the left outer frame assembly 10 and the right outer frame assembly 20, which are spaced apart laterally. The upper outer frame member 30 has a width in the front-to-rear direction that is approximately the same as the width of the left outer frame member 11 and the right outer frame member 21 in the front-to-rear direction, a constant thickness in the up-down direction, extends in the left-to-right direction, and is made of wood. The upper outer frame member 30 is formed so that its length in the left-to-right direction is the same as the length in the left-to-right direction of the lower outer frame member 41 of the lower outer frame assembly 40, which will be described later.

The upper outer frame member 30 has cutouts 30a at the center of the front-to-rear direction on both the left and right sides, which penetrate vertically and are recessed toward the center in the left-to-right direction. The upper horizontal fixing portion 12b of the upper left connecting member 12 and the upper horizontal fixing portion 22b of the upper right connecting member 22 are inserted into these cutouts 30a on both ends.

The upper outer frame member 30 also has a mounting step 30b at its left end, with the top and front surfaces recessed from the general surface. The upper outer frame hinge assembly 50, described below, is attached to this mounting step 30b.

[2-3. Lower outer frame assembly]
The lower frame assembly 40 of the outer frame 2 will be described in detail mainly with reference to Figure 20. Figure 20 is an exploded perspective view of the lower frame assembly of the outer frame, viewed from the front. The lower frame assembly 40 connects the lower ends of the left and right frame assemblies 10 and 20, which are spaced apart on the left and right, and serves to close off and decorate the area below the door frame 3 in the pachinko machine 1.

The lower frame assembly 40 comprises a lower frame member 41 that extends laterally and connects the lower ends of the left and right outer frame assemblies 10 and 20, which are spaced apart laterally; a box-shaped front panel member 42 that is positioned in front of the lower frame member 41, extends laterally along the lower frame member 41, and is open at the rear; a box-shaped rear panel member 43 that is attached to the rear side of the front panel member 42 and to the top surface of the lower frame member 41, extends laterally, and is open at the front; and a ball-jamming prevention mechanism 44 formed at the left end of the top surface of the rear panel member 43.

The lower outer frame member 41 has a width in the front-to-rear direction that is approximately the same as the width of the left outer frame member 11 and the right outer frame member 21 in the front-to-rear direction, a constant thickness in the up-down direction, extends in the left-to-right direction, and is made of wood. The lower outer frame member 41 is formed so that its length in the left-to-right direction is the same as the length of the upper outer frame member 30 in the left-to-right direction.

The lower outer frame member 41 has cutouts 41a at the center of the front-to-rear direction on both the left and right sides, which penetrate vertically and are recessed toward the center in the left-to-right direction. The lower horizontal fixing portion 13c of the lower left connecting member 13 and the lower horizontal fixing portion 23c of the lower right connecting member 23 are inserted into these cutouts 41a on both ends. This allows the lower ends of the left outer frame member 11 and the right outer frame member 21 to be connected to each other.

The outer frame lower member 41 is recessed from the top surface and has a recess 41b into which the lower part of the back panel member 43 is inserted. The recess 41b extends left and right and extends from a position toward the rear of the center in the front-to-rear direction to the front end. This recess 41b maximizes the volume of the back panel internal space 40a formed by the front panel member 42 and the back panel member 43.

The front panel member 42 has the same left-right length as the outer frame lower member 41 and is formed like a horizontally long rectangular box with a short front-to-back depth relative to its height, with the entire rear side open. The open rear side of the front panel member 42 is closed by the rear panel member 43, which cooperates with the rear panel member 43 to form the front panel internal space 40a that forms part of the enclosure 624 of the main frame speaker 622. The front panel member 42 has a long hole-shaped opening 42a on the front surface near the right end that penetrates from front to back and extends left to right.

The rear panel member 43 has a length in the left-right direction slightly shorter than the outer frame lower member 41 and is box-shaped with an open front. By attaching the front panel member 42 to its front surface, the rear panel member 43 cooperates with the front panel member 42 to form the panel internal space 40a, which is part of the enclosure 624 of the main frame speaker 622. The rear panel member 43 has a cylindrical connecting tube portion 43a in the center of the left-right direction on its top surface, which extends left and right and protrudes upward, communicating with the panel internal space 40a. The connecting tube portion 43a is inclined so that its upper end is positioned higher from the front end, which is flush with the general top surface of the rear panel member 43, toward the rear. In this embodiment, the upper end of the connecting tube portion 43a is inclined at a 45-degree angle.

The connecting tube portion 43a has a length in the left-right direction that is approximately one-third the length of the entire rear header panel member 43, and a depth in the front-to-rear direction that is slightly shorter than the depth of the entire rear header panel member 43. The connecting tube portion 43a is provided with multiple ribs 43b that connect the front and rear ends. When the main frame 4 is closed against the outer frame 2, the upper end of the connecting tube portion 43a is connected to the connecting portion 621c of the speaker cover 621 of the speaker unit 620a of the board unit 620 in the main frame 4, thereby communicating with the internal space of the speaker unit 620a and forming an enclosure 624.

The ball jamming prevention mechanism 44 prevents the game ball B from becoming trapped between the outer frame 2 and the main frame 4 by retaining the game ball B at the left end of the top surface of the rear panel member 43, in the area of the outer frame lower hinge member 60.

The ball jam prevention mechanism 44 is formed on the left end of the top surface of the rear panel member 43 and includes a flat mounting portion 44a that is designed to accommodate the lower outer frame hinge member 60 (described below), a first discharge port 44b that opens upward at the left end of the mounting portion 44a, a second discharge port 44c that opens upward to the right of the first discharge port 44b on the mounting portion 44a, a standing wall portion 44d that extends upward from the rear and right sides of the mounting portion 44a, and an upper end protrusion 44e that protrudes forward from the upper end of the standing wall portion 44d and is sloped so that its upper surface is positioned upward as it extends rearward.

The first discharge opening 44b is formed in a position that coincides with the discharge hole 60d of the outer frame lower hinge member 60, which will be described later. The first discharge opening 44b and the second discharge opening 44c are formed to a size that allows game balls B to pass through. The first discharge opening 44b and the second discharge opening 44c do not communicate with the panel internal space 40a, but open to the rear surface of the panel rear member 43. Therefore, game balls B that enter the first discharge opening 44b and the second discharge opening 44c can be discharged to the rear of the panel rear member 43.

If an unauthorized tool such as piano wire is inserted through the gap between the outer frame lower hinge member 60 and the main frame lower hinge assembly 520 (described below), the ball-jamming prevention mechanism 44 can prevent the unauthorized tool from entering by using the upright wall portion 44d rising from the rear end of the mounting portion 44a. Even if the tip of the unauthorized tool abuts against the upright wall portion 44d and bends upward, it will abut against the upper end protrusion 44e that protrudes forward from the upper end of the upright wall portion 44d, preventing further entry. This prevents unauthorized activity from being carried out through the outer frame lower hinge member 60.

However, if the rear end of the mounting portion 44a is provided with a standing wall portion 44d, when the main frame 4 is opened relative to the outer frame 2, if a game ball B falls onto the mounting portion 44a for some reason, the standing wall portion 44d will prevent it from moving rearward from the outer frame 2, making it easier for the game ball B to remain on the mounting portion 44a. If a game ball B remains on the mounting portion 44a, the game ball B will become trapped between the outer frame 2 and the main frame 4 when the main frame 4 is closed relative to the outer frame 2, causing the main frame 4 to be unable to close.

In contrast, the ball jamming prevention mechanism 44 of this embodiment allows game balls B that have fallen onto the outer frame lower hinge member 60 or the mounting portion 44a to be discharged to the rear of the curtain board rear member 43 (rear of the outer frame 2) through the discharge hole 60d of the outer frame lower hinge member 60 and the first discharge outlet 44b, or through the second discharge outlet 44c, thereby preventing game balls B from becoming trapped between the outer frame 2 and the main frame 4.

The lower outer frame assembly 40 comprises a pair of guide members 45 arranged spaced apart on the left and right sides of the upper surfaces of the front panel member 42 and the rear panel member 43; a flat grill member 46 that closes the opening 42a of the front panel member 42 from the rear; a port member 47 with two cylinders extending forward and backward and attached to the inside of the front panel member 42 so as to sandwich the grill member 46 and close the opening 42a; and a frame-shaped seal member 48 that is arranged at the upper end of the connecting tube portion 43a of the rear panel member 43.

The pair of guide members 45 are against which the lower end of the door frame 3 abuts when the main frame 4 is closed against the outer frame 2. The guide members 45 are made of a low-friction material, which allows the lower end of the main frame 4 to slide easily, making opening and closing easier.

The grill member 46 is a strip-like member extending in the left-right direction and has multiple blades 46b spaced apart in the up-down direction. The blades 46b are inclined so that their front ends are higher than their rear ends (see Figure 47). This grill member 46 allows ventilation between the interior of the front panel member 42 (the panel internal space 40a) and the outside through the gaps between the blades 46b.

The port member 47 uses two cylinders to connect the interior space 40a of the panel (enclosure 624) to the front of the outer frame 2 via the gap between the blades 46b of the grill member 46. The port member 47 is made up of two cylinders with a specified inner diameter and length, and uses the principle of Helmholtz resonance to resonate and amplify the bass sounds emitted rearward (inside the enclosure 624) from the main frame speaker 622, radiating rich bass sounds forward (toward the player) of the outer frame 2. In other words, in this embodiment, the enclosure 624 of the main frame speaker 622 is a bass reflex type, allowing players to hear deep bass sounds.

When the main frame 4 is closed against the outer frame 2, the sealing member 48 is sandwiched and compressed between the upper end of the connecting tube portion 43a and the lower end of the connecting portion 621c of the speaker cover 621 on the main frame 4, preventing sound from leaking from inside the enclosure 624 of the main frame speaker 622 between the connecting tube portion 43a and the connecting portion 621c.

The grill member 46 of this embodiment allows the inclined blades 46b to direct air vibrations emitted from the main frame speaker 622 to the outside from the panel interior space 40a, through the notched opening 295b on the lower side of the handle cover 295 of the handle cover unit 290 diagonally upward and forward, into the front tube portion 291a of the handle cover base 291 housing the handle unit 180. As a result, when a player inserts their fingers inside the handle cover 295 (front tube portion 291a of the handle cover base 291) and rotates the handle 195 (the device for striking the game ball B), the main frame speaker 622 vibrates, blowing air into the front tube portion 291a, surprising the player and providing an unprecedented performance.

Furthermore, because the port member 47 opens forward, a portion of the sound pressure emitted from the port member 47 through the multiple blades 46b of the grill member 46 is released forward. As a result, the sound effects emitted from the port member 47 can be heard by players seated in front of the pachinko machine 1 and other players wandering around the gaming hall where the pachinko machine 1 is installed. This sound effect also attracts the attention of players, making it possible to provide a pachinko machine 1 that is highly appealing to players.

Furthermore, since the port member 47 is provided in the lower outer frame assembly 40 of the outer frame 2, the volume of the enclosure 624 of the main frame speaker 622, which is provided in the main frame 4, can be increased, allowing for the output of a deeper bass sound effect, which entertains the player and prevents a decline in interest.

[2-4. Outer frame upper hinge assembly]
The upper hinge assembly 50 of the outer frame 2 will be described in detail mainly with reference to Figure 21. Figure 21(a) is an exploded perspective view of the upper hinge assembly of the outer frame when viewed from above the front, and Figure 21(b) is an exploded perspective view of Figure 21(a) when viewed from below the front. The upper hinge assembly 50 is attached to the upper end of the left outer frame assembly 10 and the left end of the upper outer frame member 30, and is used to attach the main frame 4 to the outer frame 2 so that it can rotate about a hinge. The upper hinge assembly 50 includes an upper hinge member 51 attached to the upper end of the recess 11a of the left outer frame member 11 and the mounting step 30b of the upper outer frame member 30, a locking member 52 attached to the upper hinge member 51, and a mounting screw 53 that attaches the locking member 52 to the upper hinge member 51.

The upper outer frame hinge member 51 comprises a horizontally extending, flat upper fixing portion 51a attached to the upper surface of the mounting step 30b of the upper outer frame member 30; a flat forward extension portion 51b extending forward from the front edge of the upper fixing portion 51a; a bearing groove 51c extending forward from the middle of the right edge of the forward extension portion 51b to the center of the forward extension portion 51b and penetrating it vertically; a flat horizontal fixing portion 51d extending downward from the left edge of the upper fixing portion 51a; and a flat edge wall portion 51e extending downward from the edge of the forward extension portion 51b from the left edge around the front edge to the opening of the bearing groove 51c and continuing to the horizontal fixing portion 51d. The upper outer frame hinge member 51 is formed by stamping and bending a metal plate using a press molding process. The outer frame upper hinge member 51 can rotatably support the main body frame upper hinge pin 512 (described below) of the main body frame upper hinge member 510 within the bearing groove 51c.

The locking member 52 comprises a strip-shaped locking body 52a extending forward and backward, an operating piece 52b protruding to the right from the rear end of the locking body 52a, a resiliently deformable rod-shaped elastic portion 52c extending left from the rear end of the locking body 52a and then diagonally forward and left, and a mounting hole 52d penetrating vertically near the rear end of the locking body 52a. The locking member 52 is made of synthetic resin. The locking member 52 is rotatably attached by mounting screws 53 to the underside of the forward extension portion 51b of the outer frame upper hinge member 51, at a position rearward of the bearing groove 51c.

When the locking member 52 is attached to the outer frame upper hinge member 51, the locking body 52a can block the bearing groove 51c in a plan view, and extends forward so that the right side surface near the front end can abut against the portion of the edge wall portion 51e of the outer frame upper hinge member 51 that extends to the opening of the bearing groove 51c. Furthermore, the tip of the elastic portion 52c extending leftward from the rear end of the locking body 52a abuts against the inner circumferential surface of the edge wall portion 51e of the outer frame upper hinge member 51. The biasing force of the elastic portion 52c biases the locking member 52 in a direction that causes the front end to rotate leftward around the mounting hole 52d. Therefore, under normal conditions, the right side surface near the front end of the locking body 52a of the locking member 52 abuts against the edge wall portion 51e. In this state, a space capable of accommodating the upper body frame hinge pin 512 of the upper body frame hinge member 510 is formed in the bearing groove 51c in a position forward of the lock body 52a.

By operating the operating piece 52b of this locking member 52, the locking body 52a can be rotated against the biasing force of the elastic portion 52c. By operating the operating piece 52b, the locking body 52a can be rotated in a direction that moves its front end to the left, thereby retracting the locking body 52a from the bearing groove 51c in a plan view, thereby fully opening the bearing groove 51c. This allows the main body frame upper hinge pin 512 to be inserted into or removed from the bearing groove 51c.

[2-5. Lower outer frame hinge member]
The lower outer frame hinge member 60 of the outer frame 2 will be described in detail mainly with reference to Figure 18. The lower outer frame hinge member 60 has a flat horizontal portion 60a extending horizontally, a flat raised portion 60b rising upward from a position on the left side of the horizontal portion 60a rearward of the center in the front-to-rear direction, a lower outer frame hinge pin 60c protruding upward from near the front end of the horizontal portion 60a, and a discharge hole 60d that penetrates the horizontal portion 60a from top to bottom and is large enough to allow the passage of only one game ball B. This lower outer frame hinge member 60 is formed by punching and bending a metal plate using press molding.

In plan view, the horizontal portion 60a of the lower outer frame hinge member 60 is trapezoidal, with the left edge as the base. The lower outer frame hinge pin 60c is cylindrical and has a truncated cone shape with a narrowed top above the vertical center. This lower outer frame hinge pin 60c is attached to the left near the front end of the horizontal portion 60a. The discharge hole 60d is formed in the horizontal portion 60a so that it contacts the center of the rising portion 60b in the front-to-rear direction and extends in an inverted U shape from the left edge of the horizontal portion 60a to the right. This discharge hole 60d is formed to be approximately the same size as the first discharge port 44b of the ball jamming prevention mechanism 44 in the lower outer frame assembly 40.

When assembled to the outer frame 2, the rear of the horizontal section 60a of the lower outer frame hinge member 60 rests on the mounting section 44a of the rear header panel member 43 of the lower outer frame assembly 40 and is fixed to the rear header panel member 43 with screws (not shown). The raised section 60b is also attached with screws (not shown) to a position forward of the bulge section 11b on the right side of the left outer frame member 11. By inserting the lower outer frame hinge pin 60c into the lower outer frame hinge hole 521a in the lower main frame hinge assembly 520 of the main frame 4, the lower outer frame hinge member 60 can cooperate with the upper outer frame hinge member 51 to attach the main frame 4 so that it can be opened and closed.

Furthermore, when the outer frame 2 is assembled, the discharge hole 60d is aligned with the first discharge opening 44b of the ball jamming prevention mechanism 44 in the outer frame lower assembly 40. This allows the game ball B on the horizontal portion 60a to fall (discharge) to the rear of the outer frame 2 through the discharge hole 60d and the first discharge opening 44b. In more detail, when the main frame 4 is closed to the outer frame 2, the game ball B that falls between the outer frame 2 and the main frame 4 rolls toward the rear where the gap is wider, as the gap between the outer frame 2 and the main frame 4 gradually narrows as the main frame 4 is closed, allowing it to be discharged through the discharge hole 60d. In this case, when the main frame 4 is closed against the outer frame 2 while assembled to the pachinko machine 1, the discharge hole 60d is formed in a position that is approximately flush with the rear end of the main frame 4. Therefore, game balls B that fall between the outer frame 2 and the main frame 4 can be easily prevented from rolling rearward beyond the main frame 4 by being discharged through the discharge hole 60d, making it less likely that game balls B will become trapped in the area of the outer frame lower hinge member 60.

[3. Overall structure of the door frame]
The door frame 3 of the pachinko machine 1 will be described in detail mainly with reference to Figures 22 to 30. Figure 22 is a front view of the door frame in the pachinko machine, Figure 23 is a rear view of the door frame, Figure 24 is a left side view of the door frame, and Figure 25 is a right side view of the door frame. Figure 26 is a perspective view of the door frame as seen from the front right, Figure 27 is a perspective view of the door frame as seen from the front left, and Figure 28 is a perspective view of the door frame as seen from the rear. Figure 29 is an exploded perspective view of the door frame disassembled into its main components as seen from the front, and Figure 30 is an exploded perspective view of the door frame disassembled into its main components as seen from the rear.

The door frame 3 is formed in a rectangular shape that extends vertically when viewed from the front, and is roughly the same size as the interior of the outer frame 2. It is attached to the interior of the outer frame 2 via the main frame 4 so that it can be opened and closed from the front. The door frame 3 closes the play area 5a of the play board 5 into which game balls B are dropped so that it is visible from the front, stores game balls B to be dropped into the play area 5a, and is equipped with a handle 195 that the player operates to shoot the stored game balls B into the play area 5a. The door frame 3 also decorates the entire front of the pachinko machine 1.

The door frame 3 comprises a door frame base unit 100, which has a rectangular, frame-like shape extending vertically when viewed from the front; a glass unit 160 that is removably attached to the door frame base unit 100 and closes the playing area 5a of the game board 5 attached to the main frame 4 so that it can be seen from the front; a security cover 170 that is attached to the door frame base unit 100 so as to cover the lower part of the glass unit 160 from the rear; a handle unit 180 that is attached to the lower right corner of the front of the door frame base unit 100; and a handle that covers the outer periphery of the handle unit 180. It comprises a cover unit 290, a tray unit 200 attached to the lower front of the door frame base unit 100, a left side unit 420 attached to the left front of the door frame base unit 100 above the tray unit 200, a right side unit 430 attached to the right front of the door frame base unit 100 above the tray unit, and a top unit 450 attached to the upper front of the door frame base unit 100 above the left side unit 420 and right side unit 430.

The door frame base unit 100 includes a door frame base 101 having a vertically elongated quadrilateral (rectangle) exterior shape in front view and a door window 101a that runs through from front to back; a speaker duct 103 attached to the rear of the door frame base 101 in the lower right corner as viewed from the rear; a main relay board 104 attached to the lower rear side of the door frame base 101 near the right edge as viewed from the rear; a sub-relay board 105 attached to the left of the main relay board 104 as viewed from the rear; a rear-handle relay board 106 attached to the left of the sub-relay board 105 as viewed from the rear; a relay board cover 107 that covers the main relay board 104 and part of the sub-relay board 105 from the rear; a rear-handle relay board cover 108 that covers the rear-handle relay board 106; and a cable cover 109 that covers the wiring cable.

The door frame base unit 100 also includes a frame-shaped door frame reinforcement unit 110 attached to the rear side of the door frame base 101, an upper door frame hinge assembly 120 and a lower door frame hinge member 125 attached to the door frame reinforcement unit 110, a cylinder lock 130 for opening and closing attached to the door frame reinforcement unit 110, a ball feeding unit 140 attached above the rear handle relay board 106 on the rear side of the door frame base 101, and a foul cover unit 150 attached to the lower rear side of the door frame base 101 on the right side when viewed from behind.

The door frame reinforcement unit 110 is attached to the rear side of the door frame base 101 to reinforce and rigidify the door frame base 101. The upper door frame hinge assembly 120 and lower door frame hinge member 125 are used to attach the door frame 3 to the main frame 4 so that it can be opened and closed. The cylinder lock 130 works in conjunction with the locking unit 650 of the main frame 4 to lock and open the door frame 3 and main frame 4, and to lock and open the outer frame 2 and main frame 4.

The ball feeding unit 140 is used to supply game balls B in the upper tray 201 one by one to the ball launcher 540 on the main frame 4. The foul cover unit 150 is used to guide game balls B (foul balls) that are launched by the ball launcher 540 but do not reach the play area 5a of the game board 5 to the lower tray 202, and to guide game balls B paid out from the payout device 580 to the upper tray 201 or the lower tray 202.

The glass unit 160 has a transparent glass plate 162 and closes the door window 101a of the door frame base 101. The security cover 170 is attached to the door frame base 101 so as to cover the lower part of the glass unit 160 from the rear. The handle unit 180 has a handle 195 that can be rotated by the player, and by operating the handle cover unit 290 that covers the outer periphery of the handle unit 180, the game is played by shooting the game ball B in the upper tray 201 into the game area 5a of the game board 5 using the ball launcher 540.

[3-1. Overall configuration of door frame base unit]
The door frame base unit 100 of the door frame 3 will be described in detail mainly with reference to Figures 31 to 33. Figure 31(a) is a perspective view of the door frame base unit of the door frame as seen from the front, and Figure 31(b) is a perspective view of the door frame base unit as seen from the rear. Figure 32 is an exploded perspective view of the door frame base unit disassembled into its main components as seen from the front, and Figure 33 is an exploded perspective view of the door frame base unit disassembled into its main components as seen from the rear.

The door frame base unit 100 is hingedly attached to the main frame 4 on its left side when viewed from the front, allowing it to open and close the front of the main frame 4 and making the playing area 5a of the game board 5 attached to the main frame 4 visible from the front. The door frame base unit 100 comprises a flat, rectangular door frame base 101 with an elongated vertical outline, and a speaker duct 103 attached to the rear of the door frame base 101 in the lower right corner when viewed from behind.

The door frame base unit 100 also includes a door frame main relay board 104 attached to the lower rear side of the door frame base 101 near the right edge when viewed from behind; a door frame sub-relay board 105 attached to the left of the door frame main relay board 104 when viewed from behind at the lower rear side of the door frame base 101; a handle rear relay board 106 attached to the left of the handle rear relay board 105 when viewed from behind at the lower rear side of the door frame base 101; a handle rear relay board cover 107 attached to the rear side of the door frame base 101 and covering the handle main relay board 104 and part of the handle rear relay board 105 from the rear; a handle rear relay board cover 108 attached to the rear side of the door frame base 101 and covering the handle rear relay board 106 from the rear; and a cable cover 109 attached to the rear side of the door frame base 101 and covering the wiring cable.

The door frame base unit 100 further comprises a frame-shaped door frame reinforcement unit 110 attached to the rear side of the door frame base 101, an upper door frame hinge assembly 120 and a lower door frame hinge member 125 attached to the door frame reinforcement unit 110, a cylinder lock 130 for opening and closing attached to the door frame reinforcement unit 110, a ball feeding unit 140 attached above the rear handle relay board 106 on the rear side of the door frame base 101, and a foul cover unit 150 attached to the lower rear side of the door frame base 101 on the right side when viewed from behind.

This door frame base unit 100 has a handle unit 180 and a handle cover unit 290 attached to the lower front corners, a tray unit 200 attached to the lower front surface of the door window 101a, a door frame left side unit 420 attached to the left outer front surface of the door window 101a, a door frame right side unit 430 attached to the right outer front surface of the door window 101a, and a door frame top unit 450 attached to the upper outer front surface of the door window 101a.

In addition, a glass unit 160 is attached to the door frame base unit 100 so as to close the door window 101a from the rear, and a transparent security cover 170 is attached to cover the lower part of the glass unit 160 from the rear.

[3-1a. Door frame base]
The door frame base 101 of the door frame base unit 100 in the door frame 3 will be described in detail, mainly with reference to Figures 31 to 33. The door frame base 101 has a square (rectangle) outer shape extending vertically in a front view. The door frame base 101 is provided with a door window 101a that penetrates from front to back and has an inner periphery that is approximately square and extends vertically in a front view. The upper and left and right sides of the door window 101a that form the inner periphery are respectively close to the outer periphery of the door frame base 101, and the lower side that forms the inner periphery is located approximately one-third of the height in the vertical direction from the bottom end of the door frame base 101. In this way, the door frame base 101 is formed into a frame shape as a whole by the door window 101a that penetrates from front to back. The door frame base 101 is integrally molded from synthetic resin.

The door frame base 101 is provided with a handle mounting surface 101b (see Figure 42, etc.) formed in the lower right corner of the front surface when viewed from the front and inclined so that the left end protrudes slightly forward more than the right end; a cylinder insertion hole 101d that penetrates front to back between the handle mounting surface 101b and the door window 101a and into which the cylinder mounting frame 115 of the door frame reinforcement unit 110 is inserted; and a ball feed opening 101e that penetrates front to back on the left side of the cylinder insertion hole 101d and the handle mounting surface 101b when viewed from the front, allowing the entrance opening 141a and ball removal opening 141b of the ball feed unit 140 to be seen forward.

The door frame base 101 also has a lower tray ball passage port 101f that penetrates front to back, located to the left of the center in the left-right direction and at approximately the same height as the handle mounting seat surface 101b, and exposes the ball discharge port 150d of the fall cover unit 150 to the front; an upper tray ball passage port 101g that penetrates front to front adjacent to the lower edge of the door window 101a near the left end when viewed from the front, and exposes the through ball passage 150a of the fall cover unit 150 to the front; and a glass unit mounting portion 101h that is recessed from the rear to the front along the inner periphery of the door window 101a, and into which the glass frame 161 of the glass unit 160 is inserted.

The door frame base 101 also has multiple vertical slits 101i formed in the lower left corner when viewed from the front (below the ball passage opening 101g for the upper tray) that run from front to back. A speaker duct 103 is attached to the rear of the multiple slits 101i. When the pachinko machine 1 is assembled, the multiple slits 101i have the speaker opening 211b of the tray unit base 211 of the tray unit 200 located in front of them, and the main body frame speaker 622 of the speaker unit 620a of the main body frame 4 located behind them, allowing sound from the main body frame speaker 622 to be emitted forward.

Furthermore, the door frame base 101 has a through-hole 101j that penetrates from front to back below the door window 101a and above the handle mounting surface 101b. This through-hole 101j is for inserting a wiring cable (not shown) that connects the door frame base unit 100 side and the tray unit 200 side, and is formed to match the through-hole 114b of the intermediate reinforcing frame 114 in the door frame reinforcing unit 110, which will be described later.

[3-1b. Speaker duct]
The speaker duct 103 of the door frame base unit 100 will be described in detail mainly with reference to Figures 31 to 33. This speaker duct 103 is formed in a cylindrical shape and is attached to a portion of the rear side of the door frame base 101 where multiple slits 101i are formed. When the pachinko machine 1 is assembled, the rear end of the cylindrical portion of the speaker duct 103 is located in front of the main frame speaker 622 of the main frame 4. This allows sound radiated (output) from the main frame speaker 622 of the main frame 4 to be guided forward without being diffused, and can be effectively guided to the front of the pachinko machine 1 (toward the player) through the multiple slits 101i of the door frame base 101 and the speaker port 211b in the plate unit base 211 of the plate unit 200.

The speaker duct 103 also has a cable holder 103a on the rear surface below the cylindrical section that holds the connection cable 503. The cable holder 103a is located to the left of the door frame relay board cover 107 when viewed from the front, and holds the connection cable 503 connected to the door frame main relay board 104 and door frame sub-relay board 105 so that it extends to the left end of the door frame 3.

[3-1c. Door frame main relay board, door frame sub relay board, handle rear relay board]
The door frame main relay board 104, door frame sub-relay board 105, and handle rear relay board 106 of the door frame base unit 100 will be described mainly with reference to Figures 32 and 33. The door frame main relay board 104 has a rectangular shape that extends vertically, and is attached to the lower right corner of the rear lower part of the door frame base 101 when viewed from behind. The door frame main relay board 104 serves to relay the connection between the handle rear relay board 106 and the interface board 635 in the board unit 620 of the main body frame 4, and is connected to a portion of the connection cable 503 (see Figures 82 and 83) extending from the main body frame 4.

The door frame sub-relay board 105 has an inverted L-shaped exterior, with a vertically extending rectangle joined to the right of the upper part of the rectangle when viewed from the front. It is attached to the rear side of the door frame base 101 so that the vertically extending portion is adjacent to the left of the door frame main relay board 104 when viewed from the rear. The door frame sub-relay board 105 relays the connections between the interface board 635 of the main frame 4 and the handle decorative board 184 of the handle unit 180, the tray unit relay board 214 of the tray unit 200, the upper left-side decorative board 422 and lower left-side decorative board 423 of the left-side unit 420, the upper right-side decorative board 432 and lower right-side decorative board 433 of the right-side unit 430, and the door frame top relay board of the top unit 450. The remainder of the connection cable 503 extending from the main frame 4 is connected to this board.

The door frame main relay board 104 and door frame sub-relay board 105 are attached to the door frame base 101 so that the connection terminals protrude rearward. When the door frame base unit 100 is assembled, the rear sides of the door frame main relay board 104 and the parts extending up and down of the door frame main relay board 104 and door frame sub-relay board 105 are covered by the door frame relay board cover 107, and the rear side of the remaining part of the door frame sub-relay board 105 is covered by the fall cover unit 150.

The rear handle relay board 106 has a rectangular outer shape that extends left and right, and is attached to the rear of the handle mounting surface 101b below the ball feed opening 101e on the rear side of the door frame base 101. The rear handle relay board 106 relays the connection between the door frame main relay board 104 and the handle rotation detection sensor 189, handle touch sensor 192, single button operation sensor 194 of the handle unit 180, and the ball feed solenoid 145 of the ball feed unit 140. When the door frame base unit 100 is assembled, the rear side of the rear handle relay board 106 is covered by the rear handle relay board cover 108.

[3-1d. Door frame relay board cover, handle rear relay board cover, cable cover]
The frame relay board cover 107, the handle rear relay board cover 108, and the cable cover 109 of the frame base unit 100 will be described mainly with reference to Figures 31 to 33. The frame relay board cover 107 is attached to the rear of the frame base 101 to cover the rear sides of the frame main relay board 104 and part of the frame sub-relay board 105 (the inverted L-shaped portions extending up and down). The frame relay board cover 107 is box-shaped and open on the front and left sides when viewed from the front. When assembled to the frame base unit 100, the connection terminals of the frame main relay board 104 and the frame sub-relay board 105, which cover the rear sides, are exposed inside the frame relay board cover 107, and a connection cable 503 can be inserted into the open left side and connected to these terminals.

The handle rear relay board cover 108 is attached to the rear of the door frame base 101 so as to cover the rear of the handle rear relay board 106. The cable cover 109 is attached to the rear of the intermediate reinforcement frame 114 of the door frame reinforcement unit 110, and is intended to cover the wiring cable (not shown) that connects the door frame main relay board 104 and the ball dispensing operation unit 220 of the dish unit 200. The cable cover 109 is formed in a box shape that extends left and right, and has openings near the left end of the front surface and in the center of the bottom surface in the left-right direction for passing the wiring cable through.

[3-1e. Door frame reinforcement unit]
The door frame reinforcement unit 110 of the door frame base unit 100 will be described in detail mainly with reference to Figures 31 to 33. The door frame reinforcement unit 110 is attached to the rear side of the door frame base 101 to reinforce the flat door frame base 101 and provide rigidity to the door frame base unit 100. The door frame reinforcement unit 110 comprises a left reinforcement frame 111 and a right reinforcement frame 112 which extend vertically and are arranged at a distance from each other on the left and right, an upper reinforcement frame 113 which extends horizontally and connects the upper ends of the left reinforcement frame 111 and the right reinforcement frame 112, an intermediate reinforcement frame 114 whose left end is attached at a position above the lower end of the left reinforcement frame 111 and extends to the right near the right reinforcement frame 112, a cylinder mounting frame 115 which connects the right end of the intermediate reinforcement frame 114 to the right reinforcement frame 112, and multiple hook hook members 116 which are attached at a distance from each other on the rear side of the right reinforcement frame 112 on the left and right sides and on which door frame hooks 652 of the locking unit 650 of the main frame 4 are hooked.

The left reinforcement frame 111 and right reinforcement frame 112 have a constant width in the left-right direction and extend vertically for a length approximately equal to the vertical height of the door frame base 101. The right reinforcement frame 112 has multiple insertion holes that are spaced apart in the vertical direction and penetrate in the front-to-rear direction. The tips of the door frame hooks 652 of the locking unit 650 are inserted into these insertion holes when the door frame 3 is closed against the main frame 4. The upper reinforcement frame 113 has a constant width in the up-down direction and extends horizontally for a length approximately equal to the left-to-right width of the door frame base 101.

The intermediate reinforcement frame 114 extends left and right with a width wider than the vertical width of the upper reinforcement frame 113. The intermediate reinforcement frame 114 has a square cutout 114a cut downward from the top near the left end, and a through-hole 114b that penetrates from front to back near the right end. The cutout 114a is formed in a position that coincides with the upper tray ball passage port 101g of the door frame base 101, and the through-hole 114b is formed in a position that coincides with the through-hole 101j of the door frame base 101.

The cylinder mounting frame 115 comprises a pair of rear pieces arranged laterally and spaced apart, each formed as a rectangular flat plate extending up and down in front view; a pair of side pieces extending forward in a flat plate shape from each of the opposing edges of the pair of rear pieces; and a flat front piece connecting the front end edges of the pair of forward extending pieces. This cylinder mounting frame 115 has a convex shape that protrudes forward in plan view. The left rear piece of the cylinder mounting frame 115 is attached to the right end of the intermediate reinforcing frame 114, and the right rear piece is attached to the right reinforcing frame 112. The cylinder lock 130 is attached to the front piece of this cylinder mounting frame 115.

The hook members 116 are attached to the rear side of the right reinforcement frame 112 in the areas of the insertion holes that penetrate from front to back. These hook members 116 are hooked by the door frame hooks 652 of the locking unit 650.

The left reinforcement frame 111, right reinforcement frame 112, upper reinforcement frame 113, middle reinforcement frame 114, cylinder mounting frame 115, and hook member 116 that make up the door frame reinforcement unit 110 are formed by stamping and bending metal plates using a press molding process. They are assembled with rivets.

The door frame reinforcement unit 110 is composed of a left reinforcement frame 111, a right reinforcement frame 112, and an upper reinforcement frame 113 assembled along the left, right, and upper edges of the door frame base 101, and an intermediate reinforcement frame 114 assembled so as to be positioned below the door window 101a of the door frame base 101.

The door frame reinforcement unit 110 is attached to the rear side of the door frame base 101 with multiple screws (not shown). When this door frame reinforcement unit 110 is attached to the door frame base 101, the cutout 114a and through-hole 114b of the intermediate reinforcement frame 114 are aligned with the upper tray ball passage opening 101g and through-hole 101j of the door frame base 101, and the cylinder mounting frame 115 is inserted into the cylinder insertion hole 101d of the door frame base 101.

[3-1f. Door frame upper hinge assembly]
The upper door-frame hinge assembly 120 of the door frame base unit 100 will be described mainly with reference to Figures 31 to 33. The upper door-frame hinge assembly 120 is attached to the upper left corner of the door frame reinforcement unit 110 when viewed from the front. The upper door-frame hinge assembly 120 is used to attach the door frame 3 to the main frame 4 so that the door frame 3 can rotate about a hinge in cooperation with the lower door-frame hinge member 125. The upper door-frame hinge assembly 120 includes a hinge bracket 121 attached to the door frame reinforcement unit 110, a upper door-frame hinge pin 122 attached to the hinge bracket 121 so as to be movable in the vertical direction, a flange member 123 attached to the upper door-frame hinge pin 122, and a lock spring 124 that biases the upper door-frame hinge pin 122 to move upward.

The hinge bracket 121 has a flat mounting piece 121a that is rectangular when viewed from the front, and flat protruding pieces 121b that extend forward from the upper and lower edges of the mounting piece 121a. The mounting piece 121a of the hinge bracket 121 is attached to the door frame reinforcement unit 110. The hinge bracket 121 is formed by bending a metal plate.

The upper door frame hinge pin 122 is a cylindrical metal rod bent into an L-shape. When assembled into the upper door frame hinge assembly 120, the vertically extending portion of the upper door frame hinge pin 122 penetrates from below near the front ends of a pair of protruding pieces 121b on the hinge bracket 121, with the upper end extending upward beyond the upper protruding piece 121b, and the horizontally extending portion abutting the underside of the lower protruding piece 121b. The upper end of the upper door frame hinge pin 122 is rotatably inserted into the upper door frame hinge hole 511a of the upper hinge body 511 of the upper main frame hinge member 510 of the main frame 4.

The flange member 123 is an E-ring and is attached to the upper door frame hinge pin 122 at a location between the pair of protruding pieces 121b. The lock spring 124 is formed in a coil shape and is placed around the portion of the upper door frame hinge pin 122 that extends vertically between the flange member 123 and the lower protruding piece 121b of the hinge bracket 121. The lock spring 124 biases the upper door frame hinge pin 122 upward via the flange member 123.

In the upper door frame hinge assembly 120, the upper door frame hinge pin 122 is biased upward by the lock spring 124, and the horizontally extending portion of the lower end of the upper door frame hinge pin 122 abuts against the underside of the lower protruding piece 121b, restricting further upward movement. In this state, the upper end of the upper door frame hinge pin 122 protrudes a predetermined amount above the top surface of the upper protruding piece 121b.

When the horizontally extending portion of the lower end of the upper door-frame hinge pin 122 of the upper door-frame hinge assembly 120 is moved downward against the biasing force of the lock spring 124, the entire upper door-frame hinge pin 122 can be moved downward, and the upper end of the upper door-frame hinge pin 122 can be retracted below the upper surface of the upper protrusion 121b. Therefore, the upper end of the upper door-frame hinge pin 122 of the upper door-frame hinge assembly 120 can be inserted from below into the upper door-frame hinge hole 511a of the upper main-frame hinge member 510, and removed downward. By inserting the upper end of the upper door-frame hinge pin 122 into the upper door-frame hinge hole 511a of the upper main-frame hinge member 510, the upper left end of the door frame 3 in front view can be supported so as to be hinged and rotatable relative to the main frame 4.

In addition, the upper door frame hinge assembly 120 has a vertically extending portion of the upper door frame hinge pin 122 positioned coaxially with the lower door frame hinge pin 126 of the lower door frame hinge member 125 (described below). This allows the upper door frame hinge pin 122 and the lower door frame hinge pin 126 to hinge rotate the door frame 3 relative to the main frame 4 in a favorable condition.

[3-1g. Door frame bottom hinge member]
The lower door frame hinge member 125 of the door frame base unit 100 will be described mainly with reference to Figures 31 to 33. The lower door frame hinge member 125 is attached to the lower left corner of the door frame reinforcement unit 110 when viewed from the front. The lower door frame hinge member 125 cooperates with the upper door frame hinge assembly 120 to attach the door frame 3 to the main frame 4 so that the door frame 3 can rotate about the hinge.

The lower door frame hinge member 125 is attached to the door frame reinforcement unit 110 and comprises a flat mounting piece 125a that is rectangular in front view, a flat protruding piece 125b that extends forward from the lower edge of the mounting piece 125a, and a lower door frame hinge pin 126 (see Figure 22, etc.) that protrudes downward from the underside near the front end of the protruding piece 125b.

The mounting piece 125a and protruding piece 125b of the lower door frame hinge member 125 are formed by bending a metal plate. The lower door frame hinge pin 126 is a cylindrical metal rod with a tapered chamfer on the outer periphery of its lower end. When assembled to the door frame base unit 100, this lower door frame hinge pin 126 is attached to a portion of the protruding piece 125b that is coaxial with the portion of the upper door frame hinge pin 122 of the upper door frame hinge assembly 120 that extends vertically.

This door frame lower hinge member 125 can support the door frame 3 relative to the main frame 4 so that the door frame can rotate along the hinge by inserting the door frame lower hinge pin 126 into the door frame lower hinge hole 522a of the main frame lower hinge assembly 520.

[3-1h. Cylinder lock]
The cylinder lock 130 in the door frame base unit 100 of the door frame 3 will be described in detail mainly with reference to Figures 34 to 36. Figure 34(a) is a perspective view of the cylinder lock of the door frame as seen from the front, (b) is a perspective view of the cylinder lock of (a) as seen from the rear-front, (c) is a perspective view of the cylinder lock in a conventional pachinko machine as seen from the front, and (d) is a perspective view of the cylinder lock of (a) as seen from the rear. Figure 35(a) is an exploded perspective view of the cylinder lock of Figure 34(a) as seen from the front, and (b) is an exploded perspective view of the cylinder lock of Figure 34(a) as seen from the rear. Figure 36(a) is an explanatory diagram showing the movable mechanism of the cylinder lock of Figure 34(a) from the front, (b) is an explanatory diagram of the cylinder lock rotated 90 degrees counterclockwise from the state of (a), and (c) is an explanatory diagram of the cylinder lock rotated 90 degrees clockwise from the state of (a).

The cylinder lock 130 is attached to the cylinder mounting frame 115 of the door frame reinforcement unit 110 and works in conjunction with the locking unit 650 of the main frame 4 to open and close the door frame 3 and main frame 4, and to lock and open the outer frame 2 and main frame 4. The cylinder lock 130 comprises a cylindrical cylinder body 131 that extends forward and backward, a keyhole 132 formed in the front end face of the cylinder body 131, and a rotation transmission member 133 located at the rear of the cylinder body 131 that rotates when a regular key inserted in the keyhole 132 is rotated.

The cylinder body 131 of the cylinder lock 130 passes through the front piece of the cylinder mounting frame 115 from the rear, with its rear end attached to the front piece. The rotation transmission member 133 is cylindrical (more specifically, a conical cylinder with a diameter that increases toward the rear) with an open rear, and has a pair of notches cut from the rear end toward the front at opposing positions across the central axis. The rotation transmission member 133 is configured so that the transmission cylinder 654 of the locking unit 650 in the main frame 4 can be inserted from the rear; by inserting the pair of protrusions of the transmission cylinder 654 into the pair of notches, the rotation of the rotation transmission member 133 (the key inserted in the keyhole 132) can be transmitted to the transmission cylinder 654, causing it to rotate.

More specifically, the cylinder lock 130 comprises a first cam member 134 located at the rear end of the cylinder body 131 and which rotates when a genuine key inserted in the keyhole 132 is rotated; a second cam member 135 which is rotatably attached to the cylinder mounting frame 115 below the cylinder body 131 around an axis in the front-to-rear direction; a strip-shaped first arm 136 which has its upper end rotatably attached to the first cam member 134 at a position to the right of the center of rotation and its lower end rotatably attached to the second cam member 135 at a position to the right of the center of rotation; and a strip-shaped second arm 137 which has its upper end rotatably attached to the first cam member 134 below the center of rotation and its lower end rotatably attached to the second cam member 135 below the center of rotation.

The cylinder lock 130 also includes a rear cover 138 attached to the cylinder mounting frame 115 so as to cover the cylinder body 131, first cam member 134, first arm 136, and second arm 137 from the rear, excluding the second cam member 135 (rotation transmission member 133), and rivets 139 that attach the upper and lower ends of each of the first arm 136 and second arm 137 to the first cam member 134 and second cam member 135, respectively, so that they can rotate.

The first cam member 134 has the upper end of the first arm 136 attached to the rear side, and the upper end of the second arm 137 attached to the front side. The second cam member 135 is rotatably attached from the rear side by the cylinder mounting frame 115, and a rotation transmission member 133 is attached to the rear side of the front side of the cylinder mounting frame 115 so as to be rotatable integrally with it. The second cam member 135 has the lower end of the first arm 136 attached to the front side, and the lower end of the second arm 137 attached to the front side, forward of the first arm 136.

For each of the first cam member 134 and the second cam member 135, the portion where the first arm 136 is attached and the portion where the second arm 137 is attached are separated by a 90-degree angle around the respective rotation axes. Furthermore, for each of the first cam member 134 and the second cam member 135, the portion where the first arm 136 is attached is located farther from the center of rotation than the portion where the second arm 137 is attached.

The rear cover 138 is removably attached to the cylinder mounting frame 115 at its upper end with screws (not shown), with cylindrical shafts 138a that protrude outward from the lower ends of both the left and right sides engaging with L-shaped locking slits 115b in the cylinder mounting frame 115.

This cylinder lock 130 has a cylinder mounting frame 115, cylinder body 131, rotation transmission member 133, first cam member 134, second cam member 135, first arm 136, and second arm 137, all of which are made of metal.

When the cylinder lock 130 is assembled to the door frame 3, the front end of the cylinder body 131 is approximately aligned with the front end of the cylinder insertion opening 440b of the door frame right side unit 430.

Here, we will explain the conventional cylinder lock 130A. As shown in Figures 34(c) and (d), the conventional cylinder lock 130A has a cylinder body 131 that passes through the front piece of the cylinder mounting frame 115A from the rear, with its rear end attached to the front piece. This cylinder lock 130A has a rotation transmission member 133 mounted on the axis of the cylinder body 131.

Next, we will explain the operation of the cylinder lock 130 of this embodiment. In a conventional cylinder lock 130, as shown in Figures 34(c) and (d), the rotation transmission member 133 is provided on the axis of the cylinder body 131, whereas in the cylinder lock 130 of this embodiment, as shown in Figures 34(a) and (b), the rotation transmission member 133 is provided at a position spaced downward from the axis of the cylinder body 131.

In the normal state of this cylinder lock 130, as shown in Figure 36(a), the upper and lower ends of the first arm 136 are attached to the right of the rotation center of the first cam member 134 and the second cam member 135, respectively, and the upper and lower ends of the second arm 137 are attached to the lower of the rotation center of the first cam member 134 and the second cam member 135, respectively. The cylinder body 131 can be rotated 90 degrees clockwise and counterclockwise from the normal state using a genuine key.

In this state, when the first cam member 134 is rotated counterclockwise via the cylinder of the cylinder body 131 using a key inserted into the keyhole 132, the first arm 136 and the second arm 137 move upward. At this time, because the upper end of the first arm 136 is attached to the right of the center of rotation of the first cam member 134, a large force acts from the first arm 136 to rotate the second cam member 135 counterclockwise. However, because the upper end of the second arm 137 is attached below the center of rotation of the first cam member 134, almost no force acts from the second arm 137 to rotate the second cam member 135 counterclockwise.

In this way, when the first cam member 134 rotates counterclockwise from its normal state, force is transmitted mainly via the first arm 136, causing the second cam member 135 to rotate counterclockwise, and the rotation transmission member 133 to rotate together with the second cam member 135. The upward force acting due to this counterclockwise rotation of the first cam member 134 is proportional to the left-right distance between the positions where the first arm 136 and the second arm 137 are attached to the first cam member 134 and the center of rotation of the first cam member 134. Therefore, as the first cam member 134 rotates counterclockwise from its normal state, the upward force acting on the first arm 136 decreases, while the upward force acting on the second arm 137 increases.

Therefore, when the first cam member 134 rotates counterclockwise from its normal position by more than 45 degrees, the upward force acting on the second arm 137 becomes greater than that on the first arm 136, causing the second cam member 135 to rotate counterclockwise primarily via the second arm 137. This allows the key inserted into the keyhole 132 to be rotated counterclockwise up to 90 degrees from its normal position (see Figure 36(b)).

When using the key to rotate the key counterclockwise 90 degrees from its normal state and then clockwise 90 degrees to return it to its normal state, the operation is the reverse of the above.

On the other hand, when, from the normal state, the first cam member 134 is rotated clockwise via the cylinder of the cylinder body 131 using a key inserted into the keyhole 132, the first arm 136, whose upper end is attached to the right of the center of rotation of the first cam member 134, moves downward, and the second arm 137, whose upper end is attached below the center of rotation of the first cam member 134, moves upward. Because the upper end of the first arm 136 is attached to the right of the center of rotation of the first cam member 134, a large force acts on the first arm 136 to rotate the second cam member 135 clockwise. However, because the upper end of the second arm 137 is attached below the center of rotation of the first cam member 134, almost no force acts on the second arm 137 to rotate the second cam member 135 clockwise.

In this way, when the first cam member 134 rotates clockwise from its normal state, force is transmitted mainly via the first arm 136, causing the second cam member 135 to rotate clockwise, and the rotation transmission member 133 to rotate together with the second cam member 135. The force transmitting the rotation of the first cam member 134 by the first arm 136 and the second arm 137 to the second cam member 135 is proportional to the left-right distance between the positions where the first arm 136 and the second arm 137 are attached to the first cam member 134 and the center of rotation of the first cam member 134. Therefore, as the first cam member 134 rotates clockwise from its normal state, the force of the first arm 136 attempting to rotate the second cam member 135 decreases, while the force of the second arm 137 attempting to rotate the second cam member 135 increases.

Therefore, when the first cam member 134 rotates clockwise beyond 45 degrees from its normal position, the force tending to rotate the second cam member 135 from the second arm 137 becomes greater than that from the first arm 136, and the second cam member 135 rotates clockwise primarily via the second arm 137. This allows the key inserted into the keyhole 132 to be rotated clockwise up to 90 degrees from its normal position (see Figure 36(c)).

Note that when the key is used to rotate the lock 90 degrees clockwise from its normal position and then rotate it 90 degrees clockwise to return it to its normal position, the operation is the reverse of the above.

In this way, with the cylinder lock 130 of this embodiment, the first cam member 134 and the second cam member 135 are connected by the first arm 136 and the second arm 137, which are attached at a 90-degree angle from each other, to transmit rotation. Therefore, regardless of the rotational position of the first cam member 134 (the key inserted in the keyhole 132), rotation can be transmitted by at least one of the first arm 136 and the second arm 137, rotating the second cam member 135 (rotation transmission member 133), thereby enabling smooth locking and unlocking of the door frame 3 and main frame 4.

Furthermore, with the cylinder lock 130 of this embodiment, rotation is transmitted by the first arm 136 and second arm 137 as a rotation transmission mechanism, so the axis of the rotation transmission member 133 (transmission cylinder 654 of the locking unit 650 in the main body frame 4) can be positioned differently relative to the axis of the cylinder body 131. This makes it possible to change the position of the cylinder body 131 in the door frame 3 to any position without changing the locking unit 650. This allows the cylinder body 131 (keyhole 132) to be positioned in a location that does not interfere with the decoration of the door frame 3, making it possible to provide a pachinko machine 1 with a highly decorative door frame 3.

Furthermore, as mentioned above, even if the position of the cylinder body 131 is changed in the door frame 3, there is no need to change the locking unit 650 in the main body frame 4, so the locking unit 650 can be reused, thereby suppressing increases in costs associated with the pachinko machine 1.

In conventional cylinder locks 130A, the rotation transmission member 133 is located at the rear of the cylinder body 131, which could allow a fraudulent individual who is aware of this configuration to insert a tool into the rear of the cylinder body 131 from the front and use the tool to fraudulently rotate the rotation transmission member 133, thereby opening the door frame 3 and committing fraud. In contrast, the cylinder lock 130 of this embodiment has the rotation transmission member 133 located away from the axis (rear) of the cylinder body 131. Therefore, even if an individual inserts a tool into the rear of the cylinder body 131 to rotate the rotation transmission member 133, the rotation transmission member 133 cannot be rotated because it is not located in that position, preventing fraudulent activity such as opening the door frame 3 or main frame 4.

Furthermore, in the cylinder lock 130, the second arm 137 connects portions of the first cam member 134 and the second cam member 135 that are spaced apart by a 90-degree rotational angle relative to the first arm 136. Therefore, even if the portions of either the first arm 136 or the second arm 137 attached to the first cam member 134 and the second cam member 135 are positioned on a line connecting the center of the first cam member 134 and the center of the second cam member 135, the other of the first arm 136 or the second arm 137 connects the portions that are furthest from the line connecting the center of the first cam member 134 and the center of the second cam member 135. Therefore, even if one of the first arm 136 or the second arm 137 is positioned at the dead center of the first cam member 134 and the second cam member 135 and therefore rotation from the first cam member 134 cannot be transmitted to the second cam member 135, the other of the first arm 136 or the second arm 137 can transmit rotation from the first cam member 134 to the second cam member 135. As a result, there is no significant resistance to the rotation of the first cam member 134 and the key inserted in the keyhole 132 can be rotated smoothly, making it easy to lock and unlock the door, and also preventing the key inserted in the keyhole from being forcibly rotated, preventing damage to the key.

Furthermore, the rotation of the key inserted into the keyhole 132 is transmitted to the rotation transmission member 133, which is located in an eccentric position, by two arms, the first arm 136 and the second arm 137. Therefore, even if one arm is damaged for some reason, the rotation can be transmitted by the remaining arm, making it possible to provide a pachinko machine 1 with a highly reliable cylinder lock 130.

Furthermore, the rotation of the key inserted into the keyhole 132 is transmitted to the rotation transmission member 133, which is located at an eccentric position, by the smooth, rod-shaped (strip-shaped) first arm 136 and second arm 137. If rotation were transmitted by a gear, there is a risk that catching the tip of a tool on the gear teeth would cause the gear to rotate and rotate the rotation transmission member 133. However, by making the first arm 136 and second arm 137 rod-shaped with smooth surfaces, it is possible to make it difficult for the tip of a tool to become caught on the first arm 136 or second arm 137, preventing the rotation transmission member 133 from being rotated by moving the first arm 136 or second arm 137. This reliably prevents the door frame 3 or main frame 4 from being unlocked through unauthorized operation of the locking unit 650.

In the cylinder lock 130 of this embodiment, the first arm 136 and second arm 137 are used as the rotation transmission mechanism for transmitting the rotation of the first cam member 134 to the second cam member 135. However, this is not limited to this. For example, a rotation transmission mechanism using multiple gears, a rotation transmission mechanism using a gear and rack gear, a rotation transmission mechanism using a sprocket and chain, a rotation transmission mechanism using a pulley and belt, etc. may also be used.

[3-1i. Ball feeding unit]
The ball feeding unit 140 of the door frame base unit 100 will be described in detail, mainly with reference to Figures 37 and 38. Figure 37(a) is a perspective view of the ball feeding unit of the door frame base unit as seen from the front, and (b) is a perspective view of the ball feeding unit as seen from the rear. Figure 38(a) is an exploded perspective view of the ball feeding unit as seen from the front, and (b) is an exploded perspective view of the ball feeding unit as seen from the rear with the rear case and anti-tamper member removed. The ball feeding unit 140 can feed game balls B supplied from the upper tray 201 of the tray unit 200 one by one to the ball launcher 540 of the main frame 4, and can also eject game balls B stored in the upper tray 201 into the lower tray 202 by operating the upper tray ball ejection button 222.

The ball feeding unit 140 comprises a box-shaped front cover 141 that is open at the rear and has an entrance 141a that penetrates in the front-to-rear direction and through which game balls B are supplied from the upper tray 201 of the tray unit 200, and a ball ejection port 141b that opens below the entrance 141a; a rear cover 142 that is box-shaped and has an open front and closes the rear end of the front cover 141, and has a ball supply port 142a that supplies game balls B that enter through the entrance 141a of the front cover 141 that penetrates in the front-to-rear direction to the ball launching device 540; The ball removal member 143 is rotatably supported around an axis extending in the front-to-rear direction between the front cover 141 and the front cover 141, and has a partition 143a that separates the entrance 141a and the ball removal port 141b on the rear side of the front cover 141; a ball feeding member 144 is rotatably supported around an axis extending in the up-down direction between the front cover 141 and the rear cover 142, and sends the game balls B on the partition 143a of the ball removal member 143 one by one to the ball supply port 142a of the rear cover 142; and a ball feeding solenoid 145 that rotates the ball feeding member 144.

As shown in the figure, when viewed from the front, this ball feeding unit 140 has the ball feeding member 144 located to the right of the entrance 141a, the ball removal member 143 located to the left of the ball feeding member 144, and the ball feeding solenoid 145 located to the right of the ball feeding member 144.

The front cover 141 of the ball feeding unit 140 has an arc-shaped slit 141c formed concentrically with the center of rotation of the ball removal member 143 to the left of the ball removal opening 141b when viewed from the front, and the operating rod 143c of the ball removal member 143, described below, extends forward from this slit 141c. The upper side of the front cover 141 also extends upward from the upper edge of the entrance 141a, and is formed so that when the door frame 3 is assembled, it closes from the rear the rear-open portions of the ball feeding guide path 241b and ball removal guide path 241c on the upstream end of the rear of the rear base 241 of the upper tray ball removal unit 240.

The ball removal member 143 comprises a partition section 143a that is located below the entrance 141a and acts as a partition between the entrance 141a and the ball removal opening 141b, with the upper surface decreasing in size toward the ball feeding member 144; a pivoting rod section 143b that extends downward from the end of the partition section 143a opposite the ball feeding member 144 and bends in a V-shape from approximately the middle in the vertical direction toward the lower center of the ball removal opening 141b, with the lower end supported for rotation around an axis extending in the front-to-back direction; a rod-shaped operating rod 143c that protrudes forward from the upper end of the rotating rod section 143b; and a weight section 143d that protrudes below the operating rod 143c from the side of the rotating rod section 143b on the side opposite the partition section 143a. The operating rod 143c of the ball removal member 143 is formed to protrude forward through an arc-shaped slit 141c formed in the front cover 141 (see Figure 37(a)). The operating rod 143c abuts against the upper end (top surface) of the operating transmission part 242b of the upper tray ball removal slider 242, which moves downward when the upper tray ball removal button 222 of the tray unit 200 is pressed through the ball feed opening 101e of the door frame base 101.

The ball feeding member 144 includes a fan-shaped blocking portion 144a in a plan view, centered on the rotation axis and extending vertically toward the entrance 141a and the partition portion 143a of the ball extracting member 143; a ball holding portion 144b recessed in an arc from the rear end of the blocking portion 144a toward the rotation axis; and a rod-shaped shaft portion 144c extending downward from the rear end of the ball holding portion 144b. The blocking portion 144a and the ball holding portion 144b of the ball feeding member 144 are adjacently formed within an angular range of approximately 180° centered on the rotation axis. Furthermore, the ball holding portion 144b of the ball feeding member 144 is sized to hold one game ball B. The ball feeding member 144 rotates around the rotation axis when the shaft portion 144c, which is positioned eccentrically from the rotation axis, is moved left and right by the drive of the ball feeding solenoid 145.

This ball feeding member 144 is designed to rotate between a supply position in which the blocking portion 144a faces toward the partition portion 143a and the ball holding portion 144b faces in a direction communicating with the ball supply port 142a, and a holding position in which the ball holding portion 144b faces toward the partition portion 143a. When the ball feeding member 144 is in the supply position, the game ball B held in the ball holding portion 144b is supplied to the ball launching device 540 from the ball supply port 142a, and the game ball B that has entered the partition portion 143a from the entrance 141a is prevented from moving toward the ball holding portion 144b (ball supply port 142a) by the blocking portion 144a, and remains on the partition portion 143a. On the other hand, when the ball feeding member 144 rotates to the holding position, the ball holding portion 144b faces the partition portion 143a, and the end of the ball holding portion 144b on the shaft portion 144c side closes the ball supply port 142a, so that only one game ball B on the partition portion 143a is held within the ball holding portion 144b.

The ball feeding unit 140 also includes a ball feeding operating rod 146 whose tip swings up and down when driven (energized) by the ball feeding solenoid 145, and a ball feeding crank 147 which rotates around an axis extending in the front-to-back direction due to the movement of the tip of the ball feeding operating rod 146 swinging up and down, and which also rotates the ball feeding member 144 around an axis extending in the up and down direction.

The ball feed operating rod 146 is equipped with an iron plate 146a below the ball feed solenoid 145. The ball feed operating rod 146 extends left and right, and its end opposite the ball feed crank 147 (the right end) is attached to the front cover 141 and rear cover 142 so that it can rotate around an axis extending forward and backward. When the ball feed solenoid 145 is driven, the generated magnetic force pulls the iron plate 146a toward the ball feed solenoid 145 (upward), causing the ball feed operating rod 146 to rotate around the right end so that the left end closest to the ball feed crank 147 moves upward. When the ball feed solenoid 145 is then deactivated, the magnetic force disappears, causing the weight of the iron plate 146a to rotate around the right end so that the left end closest to the ball feed crank 147 moves downward, returning the rod to its original position. As a result, the ball feeding operating rod 146's left end (tip) closest to the ball feeding crank 147 swings up and down due to the ball feeding solenoid 145.

The ball feeding crank 147 comprises an engagement portion 147a extending in the left-right direction and capable of engaging with the tip of the ball feeding operating rod 146, which moves up and down; a shaft portion 147b located on the opposite side of the engagement portion 147a from the side that engages with the ball feeding operating rod 146 and rotatably supported around an axis extending in the front-to-rear direction between the front cover 141 and the rear cover 142; and a transmission portion 147c extending upward from the shaft portion 147b and engaging with a rod-shaped rod portion 144c (see Figure 38 (b)) that protrudes downward from a position eccentric to the rotation center of the ball feeding member 144.

This ball feeding unit 140 can rotate the ball feeding crank 147 around an axis extending forward and backward via the ball feeding operating rod 146 by moving the tip (left end) of the ball feeding operating rod 146 upward through the driving of the ball feeding solenoid 145.

When the ball feeding solenoid 145 is not driven (normally), the ball feeding unit 140 is in a state where the ball feeding operating rod 146 is separated from the lower end of the ball feeding solenoid 145 and its tip is positioned downward, and in this state the ball feeding member 144 is positioned in the feeding position. Furthermore, when the ball feeding solenoid 145 is driven, the ball feeding operating rod 146 is attracted to the lower end of the ball feeding solenoid 145 and its tip (left end) is positioned upward, and the ball feeding member 144 rotates to the holding position. In other words, when the ball feeding solenoid 145 is driven (ON state), the ball feeding member 144 receives one game ball B, and when the ball feeding solenoid 145 is deactivated (OFF state), the game ball B received by the ball feeding member 144 can be sent (supplied) to the ball launcher 540. The drive of the ball feed solenoid 145 in this ball feed unit 140 is controlled in synchronization with the drive control of the launch solenoid 542 by the launch control unit 633b (see Figure 203) of the payout control board 633.

The ball feeding unit 140 is also rotatably supported by the ball removal member 143 or the weight portion 143d, which applies a moment that rotates it counterclockwise when viewed from the front. However, the rotation of the ball removal member 143 is restricted when the operating rod 143c protruding forward of the ball removal member 143 abuts against the upper end of the operating transmission portion 242b of the upper tray ball removal slider 242, which operates when the upper tray ball removal button 222 of the tray unit 200 is pressed. Therefore, under normal conditions, the partition portion 143a of the ball removal member 143 is located between the entrance 141a and the ball removal opening 141b, separating them, and game balls B cannot enter the ball removal opening 141b side.

When the player presses the upper tray ball removal button 222 on the tray unit 200 downward, the upper tray ball removal slider 242 slides downward together with the actuation transmission unit 242b, and as the actuation transmission unit 242b moves downward, the actuation rod 143c also moves downward relatively. When the actuation rod 143c moves downward together with the actuation transmission unit 242b, the ball removal member 143 rotates counterclockwise when viewed from the front, and the partition unit 143a moves from between the entrance 141a and the ball removal opening 141b, releasing the partition. As a result, the game ball B that entered through the entrance 141a falls toward the ball removal opening 141b, is discharged from the ball removal opening 141b into the ball removal guide path 241c of the upper tray ball removal unit 240 in the tray unit 200, and can be discharged (supplied) to the lower tray 202 via the lower tray ball supply opening 211c.

The upper tray ball removal slider 242, which is formed with the actuation transmission part 242b that contacts the actuation rod 143c of the ball removal member 143, is biased upward by a spring. Therefore, even if a game ball B is supplied forcefully onto the partition part 143a, the impact can be absorbed by the spring via the actuation rod 143c, preventing damage to the ball removal member 143 and other components, and preventing the game ball B from bouncing off the partition part 143a.

The ball feeding unit 140 also has a rectangular mounting recess 142b (see Figure 38(b), etc.) recessed forward at the upper right when viewed from behind the ball supply port 142a in the rear cover 142, and an anti-tampering member 148 is attached to the mounting recess 142b. The anti-tampering member 148 of the ball feeding unit 140 is formed from a hard metal plate such as tool steel or stainless steel, and is detachably attached to the mounting recess 142b of the rear cover 142 from the rear side.

The anti-tamper element 148 has a rectangular shape extending left and right when viewed from the front. It comprises an upper piece 148a and a lower piece 148b that are separated vertically at approximately the center a predetermined distance to the left of the right edge, and inclined portions 148c that are C-chamfered at the tip ends (right ends when viewed from the front) of the opposing edges of the upper piece 148a and the lower piece 148b. The upper piece 148a of the anti-tamper element 148 is bent relative to the general surface of the anti-tamper element 148 so that its right end when viewed from the front protrudes rearward. The lower piece 148b extends flush with the general surface of the anti-tamper element 148. As a result, in a plan view, the upper piece 148a and the lower piece 148b form a V-shaped groove that widens toward the right.

When the anti-tampering member 148 is attached to the mounting recess 142b of the rear cover 142, the V-shaped groove formed by the upper piece 148a and the lower piece 148b is in communication with the inside of the ball supply port 142a.

This anti-fraud device 148 prevents fraudulent acts using illegal game balls B with strings attached by using the ball launcher 540 to launch an illegal game ball B from the upper tray into the game area 5a via the ball feeding unit 140, and then manipulate the string attached to the illegal game ball B to insert or remove it from the first lower starting opening 2003 or the first upper starting opening 2004. The momentum of the illegal game ball B launched (hit) by the ball launcher 540 causes the string attached to the illegal game ball B to be inserted between the upper piece 148a and the lower piece 148b, where it is then cut by the narrow V-shaped portion formed by the upper piece 148a and the lower piece 148b, thereby preventing fraudulent acts using illegal game balls B with strings attached.

[3-1j. Foul Cover Unit]
The foul cover unit 150 of the door frame base unit 100 will be described in detail, mainly with reference to Figures 39 and 40. Figure 39(a) is a perspective view of the foul cover unit of the door frame base unit as seen from the front, and Figure 39(b) is a perspective view of the foul cover unit as seen from the rear. Figure 40 is a front view of the foul cover unit with the cover member removed. The foul cover unit 150 is attached to the lower rear side of the door frame base 101 on the right side as viewed from the rear. The foul cover unit 150 guides game balls B (foul balls) that are launched by the ball launcher 540 but do not reach the game area 5a of the game board 5 to the lower tray 202, and also guides game balls B paid out from the payout device 580 to the upper tray 201 or the lower tray 202. As shown in the figure, the fall cover unit 150 comprises a shallow box-shaped unit body 151 attached to the rear side of the door frame base 101 and open at the front, and a flat lid member 152 attached to the front of the unit body 151.

The fall cover unit 150 has a through-ball passage 150a that penetrates from front to back at the upper left corner when viewed from the front and connects the lower normal dispensing passage 610a of the lower full ball path unit 610 of the main frame 4 with the upper tray ball supply port 211a of the tray unit 200, and a full ball receiving port 150b that opens toward the rear on the lower right side when viewed from the front of the through-ball passage 150a and can connect with the lower full dispensing passage 610b of the lower full ball path unit 610 of the main frame 4.

The foul cover unit 150 also has a foul ball receiving port 150c, which opens upward on the right side of the full ball receiving port 150b when viewed from the front, and receives game balls B (foul balls) that have been launched by the ball launcher 540 of the main frame 4 but have not reached the game area 5a; and a ball discharge port 150d, which opens forward near the lower right corner when viewed from the front, and discharges game balls B received in the full ball receiving port 150b and the foul ball receiving port 150c forward, and which communicates with the lower tray ball supply port 211c of the tray unit 200.

Furthermore, the foul cover unit 150 is provided with a storage passage 150e formed by the unit body 151 and the lid member 152 between the full ball receiving port 150b, the foul ball receiving port 150c, and the ball discharge port 150d, and which is large enough to store a predetermined amount of game balls B.

The through-ball passage 150a is formed across both the unit body 151 and the lid member 152. The full ball receiving port 150b and the foul ball receiving port 150c are formed in the unit body 151. The ball discharge port 150d is formed in the lid member 152. The storage passage 150e is formed by the unit body 151 and the lid member 152.

The fall cover unit 150 also includes a flat movable piece 153 that forms part of the inner wall of the storage passage 150e and whose lower end is rotatably attached to the unit body 151 and the cover member 152, a full tank detection sensor 154 that detects the rotation of the movable piece 153 away from the storage passage 150e, and a spring 155 that biases the movable piece 153 toward the storage passage 150e.

When the lower tray 202 of the tray unit 200 is filled with game balls B and game balls B are no longer released toward the lower tray 202 from the ball release port 150d, this foul cover unit 150 can store a certain number of game balls B in the storage passage 150e. When a certain number of game balls B are stored in the storage passage 150e, the weight of the game balls B causes the movable piece 153 to rotate so that the upper end of the movable piece 153 moves away from the storage passage 150e against the biasing force of the spring 155, and this rotation is detected by the full tank detection sensor 154. This allows it to be determined that the lower tray 202 is full of game balls B, so when the full tank detection sensor 154 detects that the lower tray 202 is full, the payout of any more game balls B is stopped and a notification of this fact is sent to the player, amusement hall staff, or the like, urging them to unclog the lower tray 202.

The foul cover unit 150 is attached to the rear of the unit body 151, below the through-ball passage 150a, and is equipped with a door opening/closing abutment 150f against which the operating protrusion 613a of the dispensing passage opening/closing door 613 of the lower full ball passage unit 610 in the dispensing unit 560 of the main body frame 4 (described later) can abut (see Figure 90). The door opening/closing abutment 150f is inclined so that it moves forward as its rear surface faces downward. When the operating protrusion 613a of the dispensing passage opening/closing door 613 abuts against this door opening/closing abutment 150f, the dispensing passage opening/closing door 613 can be rotated to open the downstream ends (front openings) of the lower normal dispensing passage 610a and the lower full dispensing passage 610b.

[3-2. Glass unit]
The glass unit 160 in the door frame 3 will be described in detail mainly with reference to Figures 29 and 30. The glass unit 160 is inserted into the glass unit mounting portion 101h from the rear and removably attached so as to close the door window 101a of the door frame base 101 in the door frame base unit 100. When the door frame 3 is closed against the main frame 4, this glass unit 160 makes the playing area 5a of the playing board 5 attached to the main frame 4 visible from the player's side (front) and also closes off the front of the playing area 5a.

The glass unit 160 comprises a frame-shaped glass frame 161 that is larger than the inner periphery of the door window 101a of the door frame base 101 and can be attached to the glass unit mounting portion 101h; two transparent glass plates 162 that enclose the interior of the glass frame 161 and have their outer peripheries attached to the glass frame 161; and a pair of glass unit mounting members 163 that are rotatably attached to the rear side of the door frame base 101 in the door frame base unit 100 and are used to mount the glass frame 161 to the door frame base 101.

The glass frame 161 has a pair of mounting pieces 161a that extend outward in a flat plate shape from positions below the upper left and right corners when viewed from the front, and a band-like locking piece 161b that protrudes downward from the bottom end and extends along the bottom edge. The mounting pieces 161a of the glass frame 161 can abut against the protrusions 163b of the glass unit mounting member 163. The locking piece 161b can be inserted into the space between the door frame base 101 and the intermediate reinforcing frame 114 of the door frame reinforcement unit 110 (see Figure 96). Two glass plates 162 are attached to the front and rear ends of the glass frame 161, respectively, and are spaced apart from each other so that a space is formed between them (see Figure 96).

The glass unit mounting member 163 has a disk-shaped base 163a that is rotatably attached around an axis extending forward and backward on the rear side of the door frame base 101, and a rod-shaped protrusion 163b that protrudes from the base 163a in a direction perpendicular to the axis of rotation. The glass unit mounting member 163 is rotatably attached to the outside of each of the two upper corners of the door window 101a on the rear surface of the door frame base 101.

To attach the glass unit 160 to the door frame base 101, first rotate the glass unit mounting member 163 attached to the door frame base 101 so that the protrusion 163b is positioned above the base 163a. Then, from the rear of the door frame base 101, insert the locking piece 161b of the glass frame 161 of the glass unit 160 from above into the gap between the door frame base 101 and the intermediate reinforcement frame 114 of the door frame reinforcement unit 110, and abut the front end of the glass frame 161 against the rear surface of the glass unit mounting portion 101h of the door frame base 101. Then, rotate the glass unit mounting member 163 so that the protrusion 163b is positioned below the base 163a, and abut the protrusion 163b against the rear surface of the mounting piece 161a of the glass frame 161. This attaches the glass unit 160 to the door frame base 101.

To remove the glass unit 160 from the door frame base 101, follow the steps above in reverse. This makes the glass unit 160 detachable from the door frame base 101 (door frame base unit 100).

In addition, in the glass unit 160, when the protrusion 163b of the glass unit mounting member 163 is in a rotational position where it is positioned lower than the base 163a, the protrusion 163b restricts the rearward movement of the glass frame 161. Therefore, even if vibration or the like acts on the glass unit mounting member 163, the protrusion 163b will not rotate to a position where it is higher than the base 163a. Therefore, the restriction on the rearward movement of the glass frame 161 will not be released naturally, and the glass unit 160 will not naturally come off the door frame base 101.

[3-3. Security cover]
The security cover 170 for the door frame 3 will be described in detail mainly with reference to Figures 29 and 30. The security cover 170 is attached to the rear side of the door frame base unit 100 so as to cover the lower rear surface of the glass unit 160, and is made of transparent synthetic resin. The security cover 170 includes a flat main body 171 having a predetermined outer periphery, a flat rear projection 172 that projects rearward along the outer periphery of the main body 171, and a pair of locking projections 173 that are spaced apart on the left and right, project forward beyond the main body 171, and are capable of being locked to the rear side of the door frame base 101.

The main body 171 of the security cover 170 is formed so that its lower end protrudes downward below the lower end of the glass unit 160 when attached to the door frame base unit 100. Furthermore, the upper end of the main body 171 is shaped to fit the lower edge of the playing area 5a on the playing board 5 when assembled to the pachinko machine 1. More specifically, the upper end of the main body 171 is shaped to fit a portion of the inner rail 1002, the out guide portion 1003, a portion of the lower right rail 1004, and the right rail 1005 of the component 1000 described below, and is formed so as not to protrude into the playing area 5a when assembled to the pachinko machine 1.

The rear protrusion 172 is formed around almost the entire outer periphery of the main body 171. Therefore, the security cover 170 is formed by the main body 171 and the rear protrusion 172 into a shallow box shape that is open to the rear, giving it high strength and rigidity. The rear protrusion 172 also protrudes rearward from a portion of the rear surface of the main body 171 that is different from the outer periphery of the main body 171. This rear protrusion 172 that protrudes rearward from a portion of the rear surface of the main body 171 is formed so as to align with a portion of the outer rail 1001 of the front component 1000 of the game board 5 when assembled into the pachinko machine 1.

When assembled into the pachinko machine 1, the rear protrusion 172 is not formed in the area of the game board 5 located between the outer rail 1001 and the inner rail 1002. As a result, game ball B (game ball B launched by the ball launcher 540) passing between the outer rail 1001 and the inner rail 1002 does not come into contact with the rear protrusion 172 of the security cover 170, and does not hinder the game ball B from being shot into the game area 5a.

The pair of locking pieces 173 are elastically locked to the rear side of the door frame base unit 100 (speaker duct 103 and cable cover 109). This allows the security cover 170 to be easily attached and detached to the door frame base unit 100.

When the security cover 170 is assembled to the pachinko machine 1, the front surface of the main body 171 abuts against the rear surface of the glass unit 160 (the rear end of the glass frame 161), and the rear projection 172, excluding the portion that protrudes rearward from the bottom edge of the main body 171, is inserted into the security recess 1009 of the component 1000. Furthermore, the security cover 170 is in a state where the rear projection 172 that protrudes rearward from the bottom edge of the main body 171 protrudes rearward beyond the front surface of the component 1000 so as to contact the underside of the component 1000. As a result, the space between the security cover 170 and the game board 5 (front component 1000) is bent in a complex manner by the rear projection 172 of the security cover 170 and the security recess 1009 of the front component 1000. Therefore, even if an attempt is made to insert an illegal tool such as piano wire into the game area 5a between the security cover 170 and the front component 1000 from below the front of the game board 5, the attempt will be blocked by the rear projection 172 and the security recess 1009, preventing the illegal tool from entering the game area 5a.

[3-4. Handle unit and handle cover unit]
The handle unit 180 and handle cover unit 290 in the door frame 3 will be described in detail, mainly with reference to Figures 41 to 47. Figure 41(a) is an enlarged front view showing the handle unit and handle cover unit portions in the door frame, and Figure 41(b) is an enlarged perspective view showing the handle unit and handle cover unit portions in the door frame. Figure 42 is an exploded perspective view of the handle cover unit disassembled from the front, and Figure 43 is an exploded perspective view of the handle cover unit disassembled from the rear. Figure 44 is an exploded perspective view of the handle unit disassembled from the front, and Figure 45 is an exploded perspective view of the handle unit disassembled from the rear. Figure 46 is a cross-sectional view taken along line E-I in Figure 41(a). Figure 47 is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A in Figure 1. Note that Figure 46 shows a cross-sectional view of only the door frame 3, omitting the outer frame 2 and main frame 4.

The handle unit 180 of this embodiment is attached to the door frame base unit 100 and tray unit 200 together with the handle cover unit 290 that covers the outer periphery, and when operated by a player, it allows the game ball B in the upper tray 201 to be shot into the game area 5a of the game board 5.

First, we will explain the handle unit 180. The handle unit 180 comprises a handle base 181, the rear end of which is attached to the handle mounting surface 101b of the door frame base 101 via a handle cover base 291 of a handle cover unit 290 (described below); a handle 195 rotatably attached to the front end of the handle base 181; multiple handle guides 196 attached to the rear side of the handle 195 and guided by the handle cover base 291 (described below); a disc-shaped cover base 183 attached to the handle base 181 so as to cover the center of the front end of the handle 195; a handle decoration board 184 attached to the front side of the cover base 183 and having multiple LEDs 184a mounted on its front surface; and a handle front lens 185 attached to the cover base 183 so as to cover the front side of the handle decoration board 184.

The handle unit 180 also includes an inner base 186 attached to the front of the handle base 181 behind the handle 195, a shaft member 187 having the handle 195 attached to its front end and rotatably attached by the inner base 186 and the handle base 181, and having a drive gear portion 187a on its outer periphery, a transmission gear 188 meshing with the drive gear portion 187a of the shaft member 187, and a handle rotation detection sensor 189 having a detection shaft 189a that rotates integrally with the transmission gear 188 and is sandwiched between the handle base 181 and the inner base 186.

Furthermore, the handle unit 180 is equipped with a handle return spring 190, one end of which is attached to the handle base 181 and the other end of which is attached to the handle 195, biasing the handle 195 to return it to its initial rotation position (the end of rotation in the counterclockwise direction when viewed from the front), and an auxiliary spring 191, one end of which is attached to the inner base 186 and the other end of which is attached to the transmission gear 188, biasing the detection shaft 189a of the handle rotation detection sensor 189 in the clockwise direction when viewed from the front via the transmission gear 188.

The handle unit 180 also includes a handle touch sensor 192 attached to the handle base 181 behind the inner base 186, a single button 193 whose tip end protrudes outward from the left side of the outer periphery of the front end of the handle base 181 when viewed from the front and whose base end is rotatably attached to the handle base 181 behind the inner base 186 around an axis extending forward and backward, and a single button operation sensor 194 attached to the handle base 181 and detects when the single button 193 is pressed.

The handle base 181 of the handle unit 180 comprises a cylindrical base 181a extending longitudinally, a disk-shaped front end 181b protruding radially from the front end of the base 181a, and three grooves 181c recessed from the outer surface of the cylindrical base 181a, extending axially, and formed at uneven intervals in the circumferential direction. The outer diameter of the base 181a of the handle base 181 is slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the rear cylindrical portion 291c of the handle cover base 291 in the handle cover unit 290. The three grooves 181c are formed at positions corresponding to three ridges 291d of the handle cover base 291, which will be described later. Therefore, with the three grooves 181c aligned with the three protrusions 291d, the base 181a can be inserted into the rear cylindrical portion 291c of the handle cover base 291, and by inserting the protrusions 291d into the three grooves 181c, the handle base 181 cannot rotate relative to the handle cover base 291.

The handle 195 comprises a disk-shaped central hub portion 195a, multiple (here, three) spokes 195b extending radially outward at intervals circumferentially from the central hub portion 195a, an annular outer ring portion 195c connecting the tips of the multiple spokes 195b, two slits 195d extending in an arc around the rotation axis (shaft member 187) and penetrating the central hub portion 195a in the front-to-rear direction, and a locking protrusion 195e that protrudes rearward from a position inward of the slits 195d relative to the center of rotation and engages with the other end of the handle return spring 190. The outer diameter of the central hub portion 195a is approximately the same as the outer diameter of the general outer surface of the handle of a conventional pachinko machine.

When the handle 195 is free (not rotating), one spoke 195b extends horizontally to the left from the central hub 195a, and two spokes 195b extend clockwise and counterclockwise from the center at angles of 120 degrees each. The three spokes 195b extend to such a length that a gap is formed between the central hub 195a and the outer ring 195c so that a player's fingers can be inserted.

The outer ring portion 195c of the handle 195 is located coaxially with the center of the central hub portion 195a. The outer ring portion 195c is formed in a circular ring shape with a constant cross-sectional shape, with the U-shaped radius facing forward.

The handle 195 is formed to be translucent throughout, and is partially plated with an electrically continuous plating from the central hub portion 195a to the outer ring portion 195c. This allows the handle touch sensor 192 to detect touches to the handle 195 even when only the outer ring portion 195c is being touched. Therefore, the game ball B can be shot in by turning the outer ring portion 195c.

The handle guide 196 has a U-shaped guide portion 196a that opens toward the center of the handle 195, and a flat mounting stay 196b that extends toward the center from the front end of the guide portion 196a. The three handle guides 196 are attached with the mounting stay 196b attached to the rear side of the spoke portion 195b of the handle 195 so that the guide portion 196a is located behind the outer ring portion 195c of the handle 195. The handle guide 196 is restricted from moving in the fore-and-aft direction by inserting a guide piece 291g of the handle cover base 291 (described below) into the guide portion 196a.

The cover base 183 is formed in a disk shape with a diameter smaller than the outer diameter of the central hub portion 195a of the handle 195, and is equipped with three mounting bosses 183a protruding rearward from its rear surface. The three mounting bosses 183a penetrate slits 195d in the handle 195 from the front and are attached to the front surface of the handle base 181. Because the mounting bosses 183a of the cover base 183 penetrate the slits 195d in the handle 195, the mounting bosses 183a abut against the circumferential ends of the slits 195d, restricting the rotation angle of the handle 195. In this example, the handle 195 can be rotated within a range of approximately 120 degrees.

The handle decoration board 184 is equipped with a total of 10 LEDs 184a (full-color LEDs) mounted in triple concentric circles: one in the center, three at regular intervals around the middle, and six at regular intervals around the outer periphery. These LEDs 184a are divided into five groups: one in the center, three in the middle, two at the top left of the outer periphery, two at the top right, and two at the bottom of the outer periphery (see Figure 72). The handle decoration board 184 is equipped with a 24-bit LED driver 184b with a unique address for illuminating each LED 184a. This LED driver 184b can control up to 24 systems, and controls 15 systems in total, with three systems per group, so that the five groups of 10 LEDs 184a can each emit full-color light.

Although not shown, this handle decoration board 184 is connected to a wiring cable consisting of four wires: two power lines (one is a ground line) that supply power to drive the LEDs 184a and LED driver 184b; one control signal line that receives signals such as commands and addresses from the peripheral control board 1510; and one clock line that synchronizes the LED driver 184b with the peripheral control board 1510. When the LED driver 184b of this handle decoration board 184 receives a command addressed to that address from the peripheral control board 1510 (performance control board) via the control signal line, it can cause the 10 LEDs 184a, divided into five groups, to emit light in the appropriate color and intensity for each group in accordance with the command.

As such, because this handle decorative board 184 has an LED driver 184b, it is possible to individually (here, by group) control the illumination of a greater number of LEDs 184a than the number of wires that make up the connected wiring cable, thereby reducing the number of wires and simplifying the electrical wiring configuration.

The front surface of the handle front lens 185 bulges forward in a rounded shape and is translucent. Inside the handle front lens 185, a three-dimensional lens element made of transparent material is provided. This handle front lens 185 can be illuminated and decorated by appropriately illuminating the LED on the front surface of the handle decorative board 184.

The handle rotation detection sensor 189 is a variable resistor, and when the handle 195 is rotated, the detection shaft 189a of the handle rotation detection sensor 189 rotates via the shaft member 187 and transmission gear 188. The internal resistance of the handle rotation detection sensor 189 changes depending on the rotation angle of this detection shaft 189a. Therefore, when the handle 195 is rotated to change the internal resistance of the handle rotation detection sensor 189, the driving force of the launch solenoid 542 in the ball launcher 540 (described below) changes depending on that internal resistance, allowing the game ball B to be shot into the game area 5a with a strength depending on the rotation angle of the handle 195.

The handle touch sensor 192 detects static electricity acting on the handle unit 180. When the player touches the handle 195, it detects the static electricity acting from the player and detects the player's contact with the handle 195. If the handle 195 is rotated while the handle touch sensor 192 detects the player's contact, the detection is accepted by the handle rotation detection sensor 189, and the drive of the launch solenoid 542 is controlled with a strength corresponding to the rotation angle of the handle 195, allowing the game ball B to be shot into the ball.

Therefore, even if a player attempts to rotate the handle 195 in some way to launch game ball B into the game area 5a without touching it, the handle touch sensor 192 does not detect the player's contact, so the launch solenoid 542 is not activated and game ball B cannot be launched. This prevents players from rotating the handle 195 in ways other than those intended and reduces the burden on the game hall where the pachinko machine 1 is installed.

The single-shot button operation sensor 194 detects the pressing of the single-shot button 193 by the player. When this single-shot button operation sensor 194 detects the operation of the single-shot button 193, the firing control unit 633b of the payout control board 633 stops the operation of the firing solenoid 542. Therefore, if the player presses the single-shot button 193 while rotating the handle 195, the firing of the game ball B can be temporarily stopped without returning the rotation of the handle 195. Furthermore, by releasing the pressing of the single-shot button 193, the game ball B can be again fired into the game area 5a with the same impact strength as before the single-shot button 193 was operated.

Next, the handle cover unit 290 will be described. The handle cover unit 290 comprises a handle cover base 291 that covers the outer periphery of the handle unit 180 behind the handle 195 and has its rear end attached to the handle mounting surface 101b of the door frame base 101; an inner 292 that covers the outer periphery of the handle cover base 291 and has its rear end attached to the dish unit main body 252 of the dish unit 200; a circular handle cover decorative board 293 that is provided in front of the inner 292 and has multiple LEDs 293a mounted on its front surface; a circular board cover 294 that covers the handle cover decorative board 293 from the front; and a handle cover 295 that covers the outer periphery of the inner 292 and has its rear end attached to the dish unit main body 252 of the dish unit 200.

The handle cover base 291 comprises a cylindrical front tube portion 291a extending forward and backward with an inner diameter approximately the same as the inner diameter of the outer peripheral ring portion 195c of the handle 195; a middle wall portion 291b extending forward from the rear end of the front tube portion 291a so that its inner diameter decreases as it extends forward; a cylindrical rear tube portion 291c penetrating the middle wall portion 291b and extending forward and backward with an inner diameter that allows the base portion 181a of the handle base 181 to be inserted; and multiple (here, three) ridges 291d protruding inward from the inner periphery of the rear tube portion 291c and extending forward and backward, at positions corresponding circumferentially to the grooves 181c of the handle base 181.

The handle cover base 291 also includes a flange portion 291e extending outward from a portion rearward of the front end of the outer periphery of the front tube portion 291a, a cylindrical outer tube portion 291f protruding forward from the middle of the flange portion 291e to the same position as the front end of the front tube portion 291a, a guide piece 291g protruding outward from the front tube portion 291a between the front end of the front tube portion 291a and the flange portion 291e, and an opening 291h penetrating the lower part of the front tube portion 291a.

The middle wall portion 291b of the handle cover base 291 extends from the rear end of the front tubular portion 291a to near the center in the fore-and-aft direction, with a cross section bulging outward in an arc shape. The rear end of the rear tubular portion 291c is attached to the handle mounting surface 101b of the door frame base 101. This rear tubular portion 291c is formed to the same length as the base 181a of the handle base 181, and the base 181a of the handle base 181 is inserted into it. The three protrusions 291d correspond to the three grooves 181c of the handle base 181, and by inserting them into the grooves 181c, the handle base 181 cannot rotate relative to the flange portion 291e. The outer tubular portion 291f extends forward from a position outside the radial center of the flange portion 291e. This handle cover base 291 has multiple triangular ribs arranged circumferentially to connect the front surface of the flange portion 291e and the outer peripheral surface of the outer cylinder portion 291f.

The guide piece 291g protrudes from the outer periphery of the front tubular portion 291a from the center between the outer periphery of the front tubular portion 291a and the inner periphery of the outer tubular portion 291f to a position close to the front tubular portion 291a. The guide piece 291g extends circumferentially over a length ranging from approximately 110 degrees, and three guide pieces 291g are provided circumferentially, spaced 10 degrees apart. By inserting the rear end of the guide portion 196a of the handle guide 196 of the handle unit 180 between the guide pieces 291g and rearwardly beyond the guide piece 291g, and rotating the handle 195, the guide piece 291g is positioned within the U-shaped guide portion 196a, restricting the forward/rearward movement of the guide portion 196a (handle 195).

The opening 291h penetrates the front tubular portion 291a, with a length in the front-to-rear direction from the rear end of the front tubular portion 291a to near the flange portion 291e, and a circumferential range of approximately 90 degrees.

The inner 292 has an annular base 292a with an inner diameter slightly larger than the outer diameter of the front tubular portion 291a of the handle cover base 291 and an outer diameter larger than the flange portion 291e; legs 292b extending rearward from the outer periphery of the base 292a; and multiple (four in this case) notches 292c cut out from the rear end of the legs 292b to near the base 292a and spaced apart in the circumferential direction. The front tubular portion 291a of the handle cover base 291 is inserted into the base 292a from the front, and the base 292a is positioned rearward of the flange portion 291e. The legs 292b extend in a curved manner that bulges outward, and their rear ends are attached to the dish unit main body 252 of the dish unit 200. The notches 292c are provided at the top, bottom, left, and right ends of the legs 292b.

The handle cover decorative board 293 is annular in shape, with an inner diameter slightly larger than the outer diameter of the front tubular portion 291a of the handle cover base 291 and the same outer diameter as the flange portion 291e. The handle cover decorative board 293 is equipped with 12 LEDs 293a and an LED driver 293b with a unique address for illuminating each LED 293a. The 12 LEDs 293a (full-color LEDs) are arranged in a row with intervals in the circumferential direction. These 12 LEDs 293a are divided into six groups: two at the bottom left, two on the left, two at the top left, two at the top right, two at the right, and two at the bottom right (see Figure 72). The LED driver 293b can control up to 24 systems, and controls six groups of 10 LEDs 293a, each with three systems for full-color illumination, for a total of 18 systems.

Although not shown, this handle cover decorative board 293 is connected to a wiring cable consisting of four wires: two power lines (one is a ground line) that supply power to drive the LEDs 293a and LED driver 293b; one control signal line that receives signals such as commands and addresses from the peripheral control board 1510; and one clock line that synchronizes the LED driver 293b with the peripheral control board 1510. When the LED driver 293b of this handle cover decorative board 293 receives a command addressed to that address from the peripheral control board 1510 (performance control board) via the control signal line, it can cause the 12 LEDs 293a, divided into six groups, to emit light in the appropriate color and intensity for each group in accordance with the command.

The board cover 294 has an annular front plate 294a with an inner diameter slightly larger than the outer diameter of the front cylindrical portion 291a of the handle cover base 291 and an outer diameter approximately the same as the outer diameter of the base portion 292a of the inner casing 292, and a cylindrical side plate 294b with the outer edge of the front plate 294a extending slightly rearward. The front plate 294a of this board cover 294 is located between the flange portion 291e of the handle cover base 291 and the handle cover decorative board 293, and the side plate 294b extends to the base portion 292a of the inner casing 292.

The handle cover 295 has a front hole 295a at its front end with an inner diameter the same as the outer diameter of the outer cylindrical portion 291f of the handle cover base 291, and is formed in a cylindrical shape resembling a spindle truncated shape (snow igloo-shaped, bowl-shaped, etc.) that bulges out towards the rear, with multiple (four in this case) cutout openings 295b cut out from the rear end towards the front in the circumferential direction. The handle cover 295 is formed to cover the outer periphery of the inner casing 292, and the multiple cutout openings 295b are formed to coincide with the cutouts 292c. The rear end of the handle cover 295 is attached to the dish unit main body 252 of the dish unit 200 via the inner casing 292.

The handle cover 295 is two-color molded using synthetic resins with different colors and translucency (light transmittance). Specifically, the handle cover 295 is two-color molded using two types of resin: the inner layer 3a and the outer layer 3b. A portion of the inner layer 3a penetrates the outer layer 3b and appears on the outer surface, forming the circular and radial patterns. In other words, the circular and radial patterns appearing on the surface of the handle cover 295 are the inner layer 3a, and the circular and radial patterns are connected on the back side of the outer layer 3b (see Figure 71(a)). When molding the handle cover 295, either the inner layer 3a or the outer layer 3b may be injection molded first.

As shown in Figure 46 and other figures, when the handle unit 180 and handle cover unit 290 of this embodiment are assembled to the pachinko machine 1, the portion of the handle unit 180 rearward of the handle 195 is inserted inside the front cylindrical portion 291a of the handle cover base 291, with the handle 195 and handle front lens 185 positioned forward of the handle cover unit 290. The rear end of the handle base 181 of the handle unit 180 is attached to the handle mounting seat surface 101b of the door frame base 101, sandwiching the portion that closes the rear end of the rear cylindrical portion 291c of the handle cover base 291 of the handle cover unit 290.

The handle 195 of this handle unit 180 has a central hub portion 195a rotatably supported by the handle base 181. The outer peripheral ring portion 195c of the central hub portion 195a of the handle 195 is rotatably supported by the handle cover unit 290 via a handle guide 196 attached to the rear side. The rear end of the guide portion 196a of this handle guide 196 is inserted (engaged) between the front cylinder portion 291a and the outer cylinder portion 291f of the handle cover base 291, and between the flange portion 291e and the guide piece 291g, and is rotatably supported with movement in the fore-and-aft direction (axial direction) restricted.

The handle 195, and the handle cover base 291, inner 292, base cover 294, and handle cover 295 of the handle cover unit 290 are formed to be translucent. By illuminating the LED 293a on the handle cover decorative base 293, the outer ring portion 195c of the handle 195 can be illuminated and decorated, and the inside of the handle cover base 291 (front tubular portion 291a), the handle cover 295, etc. can also be illuminated and decorated.

The handle cover unit 290 has matching cutout openings 295b and cutouts 292c in the handle cover 295 and inner liner 292, so when viewed from the outside, it appears as if there are holes on both the left and right sides and the bottom that connect to the inside of the front tubular portion 291a of the handle cover base 291. This helps to ease the player's anxiety about sticking their hand (fingers) into the inside of the front tubular portion 291a of the handle cover base 291 through the gap between the central hub portion 195a and outer ring portion 195c of the handle 195.

The upper cutout opening 295b of the handle cover 295 (the upper cutout 292c of the inner cover 292) is closed by the right-side decorative unit 275 and the right-side door frame unit 430.

In the handle cover unit 290 of this embodiment, the interior of the front cylindrical portion 291a of the handle cover base 291, into which the rear of the handle unit 180 is inserted, is connected through the opening 291h to the lower notch 292c and notch opening 295b of the inner liner 292 and handle cover 295, respectively (see Figure 47). As a result, even if liquid such as a drink or game ball B enters the front cylindrical portion 291a of the handle cover base 291 through the gap between the central hub portion 195a and the outer peripheral ring portion 195c of the handle 195, it can be discharged downward through the lower opening 291h, notch 292c, and notch opening 295b to the bottom of the handle cover unit 290.

In addition, if liquid or game balls B enter the cutout openings 295b on both the left and right sides of the handle cover 295, they can pass through the gap between the front tubular portion 291a and the leg portions 292b of the inner casing 292 and be discharged downward through the lower cutout opening 295b.

In addition, the opening 291h of the handle cover base 291, the notch 292c on the lower side of the inner 292, and the notch opening 295b on the lower side of the handle cover 295 are located on an extension of the inclination direction of the blade portion 46b of the grill member 46 in the lower outer frame assembly 40 of the outer frame 2, as shown in Figure 47. This allows the wind (wind pressure) emitted diagonally upward and forward from the grill member 46 via the blade portion 46b due to vibration of the main frame speaker 622 to enter the front tubular portion 291a through the opening 291h, the notch 292c, and the notch opening 295b. Therefore, when a player inserts their fingers inside the handle cover 295 (front cylindrical portion 291a of the handle cover base 291) and rotates the handle 195 (the device for striking the game ball B), the main frame speaker 622 vibrates and sends air into the front cylindrical portion 291a, surprising the player and providing an unprecedented performance.

Furthermore, the handle cover 295 has a cutout opening 295b, so when opening the door frame 3 or main frame 4, you can hook your finger into the cutout opening 295b on the right side and pull it, which can be used as a handle when opening the door frame 3, etc.

In addition, the handle 195 is plated all the way up to the outer ring portion 195c, so the handle touch sensor 192 can detect touches to the handle 195, and the game ball B can be hit even when only the outer ring portion 195c is touched.

Furthermore, because the handle cover 295 has a cutout opening 295b, the rotational position of the handle 195 can be easily fixed by gripping the outer ring portion 195c of the handle 195 and the cutout opening 295b with the fingers, allowing the game ball B to be continuously shot into the game area 5a with a constant force without having to keep twisting the hand. In this way, the handle 195 can be rotated in a variety of ways to shoot the game ball B, making it possible to provide a pachinko machine 1 that allows the player to select the shooting operation that is most suitable for them.

The handle unit 180 is attached to the handle mounting surface 101b of the door frame base 101 via a handle cover unit 290 (handle cover base 291). The handle mounting surface 101b of the door frame base 101 is inclined so that the right end is located further back than the left end in a plan view, and faces outward (toward the open side). Therefore, the handle unit 180 attached via the handle cover base 291 is also inclined outward in a plan view (in other words, its tip is inclined toward the outside of the pachinko machine 1 relative to a line perpendicular to the front of the pachinko machine 1). This makes it easy for the player to grip the handle 195 of the handle unit 180, allowing for a comfortable rotation operation.

In this way, according to the handle unit 180 and handle cover unit 290 of this embodiment, a handle 195 having a disk-shaped central hub portion 195a, multiple spoke portions 195b protruding radially from the central hub portion 195a, and an annular outer ring portion 195c connecting the tips of the multiple spoke portions 195b is provided at the lower right corner of the door frame 3, which is arranged to be openable and closable around the left side as an axis and closes the playing area 5a of the playing board 5 so that it can be seen from the front, and a cylindrical handle cover unit 290 is provided extending rearward from the outer ring portion 195c. Because the handle cover unit 290 is provided, a handle 195 and handle cover unit 290 with a never-before-seen form can be seen in the area where a handle is usually provided on conventional pachinko machines, making a strong impact on the player and attracting the player's attention, as well as increasing the player's desire to play with the pachinko machine 1, making it easier for players wandering around the gaming hall where the pachinko machine 1 is installed to select the pachinko machine 1 as the machine to play.

In addition, the player's fingers can be inserted into the handle cover unit 290 (front tube portion 291a of the handle cover base 291) through the gap between the central hub portion 195a and the outer peripheral ring portion 195c of the handle 195. Therefore, when the player operates the handle 195 to shoot the game ball B into the play area 5a, if the player grasps the central hub portion 195a of the handle 195, the player's fingers become inserted into the handle cover unit 290. This gives the player a different feeling when operating the handle 195 than with the handles of conventional pachinko machines, and the new sensation of shooting the game ball B can be enjoyed by the player, preventing a decline in interest.

When the player operates the handle 195 and causes the main frame speaker 622 mounted on the speaker unit 620a in the base unit 620A of the main frame 4 to output a sound effect, the vibration of the main frame speaker 622 causes the air in the enclosure 624 formed by the speaker box 623 to vibrate, and the vibration of the air in the enclosure 624 is released forward as sound pressure (sound wind) through the internal space 40a of the curtain board of the outer frame lower assembly 40 in the outer frame 2, which is connected to the enclosure 624, and the port member 47. At this time, the multiple blade portions 46b of the grill member 46 provided at the front end of the port member 47 can guide the sound pressure (sound wind) from the main frame speaker 622 into the handle cover unit 290 (inside the front tube portion 291a of the handle cover base 291) through the cutout opening 295b of the handle cover 295 and the opening 291h of the handle cover base 291, and the sound pressure can stimulate the fingers of the player who is operating the handle 195 with their fingers inserted into the handle cover unit 290 through the gap between the central hub portion 195a and the outer ring portion 195c. Therefore, by supplying sound pressure from the port member 47 through the cutout opening 295b and the opening 291h to the player's fingers inserted into the handle cover unit 290 according to the game status within the game area 5a, it is possible to surprise the player, give them a sense of an upcoming opportunity, or change the amount of handle operation, thereby entertaining the player and preventing them from becoming bored and losing interest in the game.

In addition, sound pressure (sound wind) from the main frame speaker 622 can be supplied into the handle cover unit 290 (front cylindrical portion 291a of handle cover base 291) through the cutout opening 295b and opening 291h, making it possible to cool the inside of the handle cover unit 290 and creating a comfortable environment around the player's fingers as they operate the handle 195, thereby easing stress on the player and preventing a decline in interest in the game.

Furthermore, as described above, when a player operates the handle 195 with their fingers inserted into the handle cover unit 290 through the gap between the central hub portion 195a and the outer ring portion 195c, the sound pressure (sound wind) emitted forward from the port member 47 provided on the lower outer frame assembly 40 of the outer frame 2, which is different from the door frame 3 on which the handle 195 and handle cover unit 290 are attached, is guided by the multiple blade portions 46b of the grill member 46 to stimulate the player's fingers. Therefore, compared to a case in which a vibration device is provided on the handle 195, there is no damage to the various sensors (handle rotation detection sensor 189, handle touch sensor 192, single button operation sensor 194, etc.) and bearing mechanism provided on the handle 195, making it possible to make the handle unit 180 less susceptible to damage, thereby preventing the player from feeling uncomfortable due to damage to the handle unit 180 and suppressing a decrease in the player's interest in the game.

Furthermore, because the handle 195 has a central hub portion 195a, spoke portions 195b, and outer peripheral ring portion 195c, the handle 195 has an appearance similar to that of a car steering wheel. Therefore, even though the handle 195 looks significantly different from the handles of conventional pachinko machines, players can intuitively recognize that operating the handle 195 is the same as with conventional pachinko machines. Therefore, even players who are seeing this pachinko machine 1 for the first time can operate the handle 195 of this pachinko machine 1 without any confusion, making it easier for players to choose this pachinko machine 1 as the pachinko machine to play without hesitation.

In addition, cutout opening 295b and opening 291h are provided on the downward-facing portion of the outer surface of the handle cover unit 290, where a player can insert their fingers between the central hub portion 195a and outer peripheral ring portion 195c of the handle 195.This means that when looking inside the handle cover unit 290 (the front cylindrical portion 291a of the handle cover base 291) from the front, the area below the handle cover unit 290 can be seen through opening 291h and the lower cutout opening 295b, giving the cylindrical handle cover unit 290 a sense of openness, reducing the player's anxiety about inserting their fingers into the handle cover unit 290 and allowing the player to operate the handle 195 without hesitation.

In addition, the handle cover unit 290 has through-hole cutout openings 295b and openings 291h in the downward-facing portions of its outer peripheral surface, and the port member 47 of the outer frame 2 (lower outer frame assembly 40) opens forward. This means that even if liquids such as drinks or game balls B enter the handle cover unit 290, they can be discharged downward through the lower cutout openings 295b and openings 291h, and liquids discharged downward through the cutout openings 295b and openings 291h are less likely to enter the port member 47.

Furthermore, the handle 195 has a central hub portion 195a, spoke portions 195b, and an outer peripheral ring portion 195c, and the handle cover 295 of the handle cover unit 290, which has the same diameter at the front end as the outer peripheral ring portion 195c, is provided with multiple cutout openings 295b.As a result, the central hub portion 195a can be used to grasp and operate the handle in the same way as the handle of a conventional pachinko machine, the spoke portions 195b can be used to operate the handle with just the fingers, the outer peripheral ring portion 195c can be used to operate the handle like a steering wheel of a car, the outer peripheral ring portion 195c can be used to grasp the handle by hooking the fingers between the outer peripheral ring portion 195c and the cutout openings 295b, or the outer peripheral ring portion 195c can be straddled to pinch the inside and outside of the handle cover unit 290 with the fingers, thereby providing a pachinko machine 1 that allows for a variety of operations (handle operations) to shoot game balls B. Therefore, depending on the game situation and the player's condition, the player can shoot the game ball B into the game area 5a in a way that is easy for the player to operate, which prevents the player from getting bored and allows the player to enjoy the operation of shooting the game ball B, preventing a decline in interest in the game.

Furthermore, the operating position of the handle 195 can be fixed by hooking and gripping the outer ring portion 195c of the handle 195 and the notched opening 295b, or by straddling the outer ring portion 195c and pinching the inside and outside of the handle cover unit 290 with your fingers. Therefore, in addition to handle operations similar to those of conventional pachinko machines, handle operations that are not possible with conventional pachinko machines can also be performed, providing players with a variety of handle operations that make handle operation enjoyable and less likely to bore them.

In addition, because the diameter of the front end of the handle cover unit 290 is the same as the diameter of the outer ring portion 195c of the handle 195, the handle cover unit 290 extends rearward from the outer ring portion 195c, giving the handle cover unit 290 the appearance of being integrated with the handle 195, resulting in a pachinko machine 1 that looks good and is able to attract the attention of players.

In addition, because the diameter of the front end of the handle cover unit 290 is the same as the outer peripheral ring portion 195c, it is possible to prevent the vertical dimension of the handle cover unit 290 from becoming larger than necessary. This prevents the handle cover unit 290 from compressing the play area 5a (door window 101a) upward, preventing the play area 5a from becoming narrower. This allows the play area 5a to be relatively larger, and the large play area 5a makes the pachinko machine 1 stand out, resulting in a highly appealing pachinko machine 1 that strongly attracts the attention of players.

Furthermore, by appropriately illuminating the LEDs 293a on the handle cover decorative board 293, the handle cover unit 290 (the interior of the front tube portion 291a of the handle cover base 291 and the handle cover 295) and the outer ring portion 195c of the handle 195 can be illuminated and decorated. Therefore, even when a player is operating the handle 195, the illuminated decoration of the handle cover 295 and outer ring portion 195c is not obstructed by the player's hand, making the handle cover 295 and outer ring portion 195c stand out, providing a highly appealing pachinko machine 1 that is capable of strongly attracting the player's attention.

In addition, a handle 195 is provided in the lower right corner of the door frame 3, opposite the hinge side, and a cutout opening 295b is provided in the part of the outer surface of the handle cover 295 of the handle cover unit 290 facing right, so that the cutout opening 295b can be used as a handle when opening and closing the door frame 3. This eliminates the need to provide a handle that would unsightly the door frame 3, and improves the appearance of the door frame 3.

In addition, the handle cover unit 290 (handle cover base 291) supports the outer ring portion 195c (handle guide 196) of the handle 195 so that it can rotate circumferentially, and is equipped with flange portions 291e and guide pieces 291g that restrict movement in the front-to-rear direction. Even if the outer ring portion 195c of the handle 195 is pulled forward, the guide pieces 291g and other components can restrict the forward movement of the outer ring portion 195c. This prevents deformation of the outer ring portion 195c or the spokes 195b connecting the outer ring portion 195c to the central hub portion 195a, preventing damage to the handle 195.

In addition, the handle touch sensor 192 detects that the player is touching the handle 195, and then accepts the operation of the handle 195 to shoot the game ball B. Therefore, the game ball B can be shot even if the handle 195 is operated while touching only the spoke portion 195b or the outer ring portion 195c. This allows the pachinko machine 1 to perform a variety of shooting operations (handle operations) as described above, and also prevents the game ball B from being shot when the player is not touching the handle 195, preventing the handle from being operated using tools and reducing the burden on the gaming hall.

[3-5. Overall configuration of the plate unit]
The tray unit 200 in the door frame 3 will be described in detail mainly with reference to Figures 48 and 49. Figure 48 is a perspective view of the tray unit of the door frame, and Figure 49 is a perspective view of the tray unit from behind. The tray unit 200 is attached to a portion below the door window 101a on the front surface of the door frame base 101 of the door frame base unit 100. The tray unit 200 comprises an upper tray 201 that stores game balls B to be shot into the game area 5a, and a lower tray 202 that is positioned below the upper tray 201 and can store game balls B supplied from the upper tray 201 and the foul cover unit 150.

The dish unit 200 comprises a dish base unit 210 having an upper dish 201 and attached to the front of the door frame base 101 of the door frame base unit 100, a dish decoration unit 250 having a lower dish 202 attached to the front of the dish base unit 210, and a performance operation unit 300 attached to the front of the dish decoration unit 250 and dish base unit 210 and operable by the player.

The tray base unit 210 comprises a flat tray unit base 211 extending left and right, an upper tray main body 212 attached to the upper front of the tray unit base 211 and holding an upper tray 201, a mounting base (not shown) attached to the right of the upper tray main body 212 and protruding forward, a tray unit relay board (not shown) attached to the right of the mounting base, a ball lending operation unit 220 attached to the top surface of the mounting base, an upper tray pre-ball removal unit (not shown) attached below the mounting base, and an upper tray post-ball removal unit 240 attached to the rear of the upper tray pre-ball removal unit.

The dish decoration unit 250 comprises a lower dish main body 251 that is attached to the lower front of the dish unit base 211 and holds a lower dish 202; a dish unit main body 252 that is attached to the front of the dish unit base 211 so as to cover the outer periphery of the lower dish main body 251; a lower dish ball removal unit 260 that is attached to the underside of the lower dish main body 251; and a left dish decoration unit 270 and a right dish decoration unit 275 that are attached to the upper front of the dish unit main body 252, spaced apart from each other on the left and right.

The performance operation unit 300 is equipped with a performance operation section 301 that can be operated by the player, which includes a touch operation section 302 that can be operated by the player through touch, and a press operation section 303 that can be operated by the player through pressure. The performance operation unit 300 is equipped with a performance operation section cover unit 310 with a spherical outer surface, an operation section base 315 that is housed within the performance operation section cover unit 310 and attached to the front of the plate decoration unit 250, a circular performance operation section outer peripheral decorative board 320 attached to the top surface of the operation section base 315, an outer peripheral board cover 325 that covers the top of the performance operation section outer peripheral decorative board 320, and an operation section relay board unit 330 attached to the rear of the operation section base 315.

The performance operation unit 300 also includes a performance operation unit unit 350 that can protrude upward from the performance operation unit cover unit 310 and is provided with the performance operation unit 301; a performance operation unit lifting mechanism 360 that is attached to the operation unit base 315 and supports the performance operation unit unit 350 so that it can be raised and lowered; and a protrusion force adjustment mechanism 380 that adjusts the upward protrusion force of the performance operation unit unit 350 caused by the performance operation unit lifting mechanism 360.

The tray unit 200 bulges forward as a whole, with the performance operation unit 300 positioned in the center left-right so that the top surface of the performance operation unit 301 faces diagonally upward and forward. The upper tray 201 is positioned to the left of the performance operation unit 300 on the top surface, and the ball dispensing operation unit 220 is positioned to the right of the performance operation unit 300, while the lower tray 202 is positioned below the upper tray 201 and to the left of the performance operation unit 300.

[3-5a. Upper plate]
The upper tray 201 of the tray unit 200 will be described in detail, primarily with reference to Figures 48 and 49. The upper tray 201 is formed by a tray unit base 211 and an upper tray body 212. The left side of the upper tray 201 bulges forward more than the center when viewed from the front, forming an upwardly open container shape. The upper tray 201 (upper tray body 212) bulges forward most from the left end to the right, approximately one-third of the width of the door frame 3. The front end of the upper tray 201 recedes backward from the most bulging portion toward the right when viewed from the front, and includes a guide passage 201a (see Figure 73) whose depth in the front-to-back direction is slightly greater than the outer diameter of the game ball B. The entire bottom surface of the upper tray 201, including the guide passage 201a, is inclined so that the right end is lower, and the right end of the guide passage 201a when viewed from the front is recessed below the ball dispensing operation unit 220.

When assembled into the tray unit 200, the upper tray 201 has a bottom surface that slopes downward from a position below the upper tray ball supply port 211a of the tray unit base 211 to a position slightly below the outer diameter of the game ball B relative to the upper end of the upper tray ball delivery port (not shown). This allows game balls B released forward from the upper tray ball supply port 211a to be received and stored within the upper tray 201, and the received game balls B can be supplied from the right end of the guide passage portion 201a through the upper tray ball delivery port to the ball delivery unit 140 side.

In addition, the guide passage section 201a is equipped with a metal earthing fixture that is electrically grounded (earthed) in the pachinko machine 1, and when the game ball B comes into contact with (rolls around) this, the static electricity charged to the game ball B can be removed.

[3-5b. Lower plate]
The lower tray 202 of the tray unit 200 will be described in detail, mainly with reference to Figures 48 and 50. Figure 50(a) is a horizontal cross-sectional view of the door frame at the lower tray ball supply port, showing the main parts; (b) is a cross-sectional view of a conventional door frame at the same location as (a), showing the main parts; and (c) is a table comparing the number of game balls stored in the lower tray of this embodiment and a conventional product. The lower tray 202 is located below the upper tray 201, to the left of the center of the tray unit 200 (door frame 3) in the horizontal direction when viewed from the front. The lower tray 202 is formed by a lower tray main body 251 and a tray unit base 211. The lower tray 202 is shaped like a container capable of storing game balls B and has a lower tray ball removal hole 202a that penetrates the bottom wall vertically and allows game balls B to be discharged. The lower tray ball removal hole 202a of the lower tray 202 is closed and closable by the lower tray ball removal cover 265 of the lower tray ball removal unit 260.

The lower tray 202 has a roughly rectangular shape extending left and right in plan view, with the front end on the left side protruding further forward than the right side from the center in the left-right direction. The lower tray 202 has a lower tray ball removal hole 202a that penetrates from top to bottom, located near the front end near the right end. The bottom surface of the lower tray 202 is inclined so that it slopes lower toward the lower tray ball removal hole 202a. When assembled into the tray unit 200, the lower tray ball removal hole 202a of the lower tray 202 is located below the performance operation unit 300, to the left of the front of the lower tray ball supply port 211c.

When the lower tray ball removal hole 202a is closed, the lower tray 202 can store game balls B released forward from the lower tray ball supply port 211c, and by opening the lower tray ball removal hole 202a, the stored game balls B can be discharged below the tray unit 200 (e.g., to a cash box). Furthermore, when the lower tray ball removal hole 202a of the lower tray 202 is open, since the lower tray ball removal hole 202a is located in front of the lower tray ball supply port 211c, game balls B released forward from the lower tray ball supply port 211c can be quickly discharged downward from the lower tray ball removal hole 202a by moving the shortest distance.

In conventional pachinko machines, as shown in Figure 50 (b), a lower tray ball ejection hole 202b in the lower tray 202 is provided in front of the central axis of the lower tray ball supply port 211j of the tray unit base 211 in the tray base unit 210, which is connected to the ball ejection port 150d of the far cover unit 150. The lower tray ball supply port 211j is cylindrical and extends straight forward so that a game ball B released forward from the ball ejection port 150d will head straight toward the lower tray ball ejection hole 202b. This allows a game ball B released forward from the lower tray ball supply port 211j to be quickly ejected downward from the lower tray ball ejection hole 202b by moving the shortest distance.

However, if the lower tray ball supply port 211j is designed to guide game balls B straight toward the lower tray ball removal hole 202b, and the lower tray ball removal hole 202b is closed by the lower tray ball removal cover 265, there is a risk that game balls B will accumulate in the area to the right of the center of the lower tray 202, since the lower tray ball removal hole 202b and the lower tray ball supply port 211j are located near the right end of the lower tray 202. If game balls B concentrated in the right area of the lower tray 202 block the front of the lower tray ball supply port 211j, game balls B will no longer be released toward the lower tray 202 from the storage passage 150e of the fall cover unit 150, which may activate the full tank detection sensor 154 and determine that the lower tray 202 is full, even though there is still space in the left area of the lower tray 202.

In contrast, in this embodiment, as will be described in detail later, as shown in Figure 50(a), the left side wall (ball guide portion 213) of the lower tray ball supply port 211c is inclined so that it extends diagonally forward left. In more detail, the left side wall of the lower tray ball supply port 211c is inclined diagonally forward left at the location directly behind the lower tray ball removal hole 202a so that the distance between it and the front of the tray unit base 211 is long enough to allow at least one game ball B to circulate.

In addition, in this embodiment, as shown in Figure 50, the lower tray ball removal hole 202a is moved to the left of the central axis (line shown by the dashed dotted line) of the rear end of the lower tray ball supply port 211c (ball discharge port 150d).

As a result, by moving the lower tray ball removal hole 202a to the left, the lowest part of the lower tray 202 (the part of the lower tray ball removal hole 202a) moves to the left, thereby reducing the concentration and accumulation of game balls B on the right side of the lower tray 202 when the lower tray ball removal hole 202a is closed. Furthermore, even if multiple game balls B accumulate in the lower tray 202 from the lower tray ball removal hole 202a and reach the rear end of the lower tray 202 (the front of the tray unit base 211), the left side wall of the lower tray ball supply port 211c extends diagonally, forming a gap between it and the rear end of the lower tray 202 through which game balls B can flow.As a result, game balls B released from the foul cover unit 150 (ball release port 150d) or the upper tray ball removal unit 240 (ball removal guide path 241c) toward the lower tray ball supply port 211c can be guided along the diagonally extending left side wall to the left side of the lower tray 202 and released, allowing game balls B to be neatly stored throughout the entire lower tray 202.

This prevents the full tank detection sensor 154 from activating and reporting a full tank even when there is sufficient space remaining in the lower tray 202 to store game balls B, allowing more game balls B to be stored in the lower tray 202.

[3-5c. Dish base unit]
The dish base unit 210 in the dish unit 200 will be described in detail mainly with reference to Figures 48 and 49. The dish base unit 210 comprises a flat dish unit base 211 attached to the lower front of the door frame base unit 100 and extending to the left and right, an upper tray body 212 attached to the upper front of the dish unit base 211 and holding the upper tray 201, and a dish unit relay board 214 attached to the rear of the dish unit base 211 near the lower right corner.

The tray base unit 210 also includes a ball lending operation unit 220 attached to the upper front of the tray unit base 211, an upper tray pre-ball removal unit (not shown) attached to the front of the tray unit base 211 below the ball lending operation unit 220, and an upper tray post-ball removal unit 240 attached to the rear of the tray unit base 211 behind the upper tray pre-ball removal unit.

[3-5c-1. Dish unit base]
The dish unit base 211 of the dish base unit 210 will be described in detail mainly with reference to Figures 48 and 49. The dish unit base 211 is attached below the door window 101a on the front surface of the door frame base 101 of the door frame base unit 100, and is formed in the shape of a flat plate (a shallow box shape with an open rear) extending left and right across the entire width of the door frame base 101.

The tray unit base 211 is equipped with an upper tray ball supply port 211a that penetrates from front to back near the upper left corner when viewed from the front and extends cylindrically to the rear; a speaker port 211b that penetrates from front to back below the upper tray ball supply port 211a and has punched metal attached to the front; a lower tray ball supply port 211c that penetrates from front to front at the lower part to the left of the center when viewed from the front and extends cylindrically to the rear; a notch 211d that is cut out in the right wall of the part that extends cylindrically to the rear of the lower tray ball supply port 211c to a size that allows game ball B to pass through; and an upper tray ball delivery port (not shown) that penetrates from front to front on the upper right side of the lower tray ball supply port 211c when viewed from the front and extends vertically, with its upper part located at the right end of the upper tray main body 212.

When assembled to the door frame 3, the upper tray ball supply port 211a of the tray unit base 211 has its front end opening into the rear wall of the upper tray 201, and its cylindrical rear end passes through the upper tray ball passage port 101g of the door frame base 101 from the front and connects to the front end of the through ball passage 150a of the foul cover unit 150. This allows game balls B paid out from the payout device 580 of the payout unit 560 to be supplied (paid out) into the upper tray 201 through the upper tray ball supply port 211a.

When assembled to the door frame 3, the lower tray ball supply port 211c has its front end opening into the rear wall of the lower tray 202, and its cylindrical rear end passes through the lower tray ball passage port 101f of the door frame base 101 from the front and connects to the front end of the ball discharge port 150d of the foul cover unit 150. This allows game balls B circulating through the storage passage 150e of the foul cover unit 150 to be supplied into the lower tray 202 through the lower tray ball supply port 211c. In addition, the downstream end of the ball removal guide path 241c in the rear base 241 of the upper tray ball removal unit 240 is connected to the notch 211d formed in the cylindrically extending portion of the lower tray ball supply port 211c. As a result, by operating the upper tray ball removal button 222, the game balls B stored in the upper tray 201 are discharged from the lower tray ball supply port 211c into the lower tray 202 via the upper tray ball supply port, the entrance 141a and ball removal port 141b of the ball supply unit 140, the ball supply guide path 241b and ball removal guide path 241c of the upper tray post-ball removal unit 240, and the cutout portion 211d.

When assembled to the tray base unit 210, the upper tray ball supply port 211a is located in front of the ball receiving port (not shown) of the rear base 241 of the upper tray ball removal unit 240, and the game ball B in the upper tray 201 is supplied from the ball receiving port of the upper tray ball removal unit 240 to the ball supply guide path 241b.

In addition, the tray unit base 211 of this embodiment has a ball guide section 213 that guides the game ball B supplied into the lower tray 202 to a position far from the lower tray ball removal hole 202a. The ball guide section 213 guides the game ball B guided from the upper tray 201 by the ball removal guide path 241c to a position far from the lower tray ball removal hole 202a of the lower tray 202 (the left part of the lower tray 202). This ball guide section 213 forms part of the inner wall of the lower tray ball supply port 211c, as shown in Figure 50 (a). In detail, the ball guide section 213 forms the left inner wall opposite the right inner wall where the ball removal guide path 241c opens on the inner wall of the cylindrically formed lower tray ball supply port 211c, and is inclined so as to move leftward as it moves from the rear end to the front end. Due to the slope of this left-side inner wall (ball guide portion 213), a distance (gap) is formed between the front surface of the tray unit base 211 (rear end of the lower tray 202) and the area directly behind the lower tray ball removal hole 202a, allowing at least one game ball B to pass through. As a result, when a game ball B that has passed through the ball removal guide portion 241c from the upper tray 201 abuts the ball guide portion 213 from the right, the slope of the ball guide portion 213 guides the game ball B to the front left, allowing the game ball B to be guided to the left end of the lower tray 202, away from the lower tray ball removal hole 202a. In other words, the ball guide portion 213 allows the game ball B to be guided to a position far from the lowest point in the lower tray 202 (lower tray ball removal hole 202a).

As shown in Figure 50 (b), the lower tray ball supply port 211j in a conventional pachinko machine (also referred to as a conventional product) extends straight in the front-to-back direction, so when the game ball B guided by the ball removal guide path 241c hits the inner wall on the left side of the lower tray ball supply port 211j, it bounces to the right and rolls forward, and is not sent to a position far from the lower tray ball removal hole 202b within the lower tray 202, but is instead stored in the right-hand area within the lower tray 202 where the lower tray ball removal hole 202b is located. Therefore, in conventional products, game balls B (shown by the two-dot chain line in Figure 50 (b)) tend to accumulate in the area to the right of the center of the lower tray 202. If the game balls B concentrated in the right area of the lower tray 202 block the front of the lower tray ball supply port 211j, game balls B will no longer be released from the storage passage 150e of the fall cover unit 150 towards the lower tray 202, which may activate the full tank detection sensor 154 and result in the lower tray 202 being determined to be full even though there is still space in the left area of the lower tray 202.

In contrast, in this embodiment, as described above, the ball guide section 213 is provided, so that game balls B that have circulated through the ball removal guide section 241c can be guided to the left area within the lower tray 202. Furthermore, even if multiple game balls B are stored within the lower tray 202 from the area of the lower tray ball removal hole 202a and reach the rear end of the lower tray 202 (the front of the tray unit base 211), game balls B that have been released from the foul cover unit 150 (ball discharge port 150d) or the upper tray ball removal unit 240 (ball removal guide path 241c) toward the lower tray ball supply port 211c can be guided to the left side within the lower tray 202 through the gap between the left side wall (ball guide section 213) of the lower tray ball supply port 211c and the rear end of the lower tray 202, allowing game balls B to be stored throughout the entire lower tray 202. Therefore, even if there is sufficient space remaining in the lower tray 202 to store game balls B, the full tank detection sensor 154 can be prevented from activating and reporting a full tank, allowing more game balls B to be stored in the lower tray 202.

To support the above-mentioned effects, the inventors counted the number of game balls B stored in the lower tray 202 of each of the present embodiment and the conventional product when the full tank detection sensor 154 was activated. The game balls B were counted 10 times for each product. The results, as shown in the table in Figure 50 (c), showed that in every count, the lower tray 202 of this embodiment (this embodiment product) stored significantly more game balls B than the conventional product, confirming that it can store, on average, approximately 40% more game balls B than the conventional product.

[3-5c-2. Upper tray body]
The upper tray body 212 of the tray base unit 210 will be described in detail, mainly with reference to Figures 48 and 49. The upper tray body 212 is attached to the front of the tray unit base 211 and cooperates with the tray unit base 211 to form the upper tray 201. The upper tray body 212 is formed in a container-like (dish-shaped) shape with an open top and rear. The upper tray body 212 extends left and right, with the left side bulging forward more than the center when viewed from the front. The front end of the upper tray body 212 recedes rearward from the most forward-bulging part toward the right when viewed from the front, and the depth in the front-to-back direction is formed to be slightly larger than the outer diameter of the game ball B. The bottom surface of the upper tray body 212 is inclined so that the right end is lowest. The upper part of the upper tray body 212 near the right end is closed.

When the upper tray body 212 is assembled to the tray unit 200, the section that is closed at the top near the right end is attached so that it fits under the ball dispensing operation unit 220. Furthermore, the upper tray body 212 has a performance operation unit attachment portion 212a formed in the middle of the upper part in the left-right direction, and part of the performance operation unit 300 is attached to this performance operation unit attachment portion 212a.

[3-5c-3. Dish unit relay board]
The dish unit relay board 214 of the dish base unit 210 is intended to relay the connection between the door frame sub-relay board 105 in the door frame base unit 100 and the left dish decorative board 273, the right dish decorative board 278, and the operation unit relay board 332. The dish unit relay board 214 is attached near the lower right corner of the rear surface of the dish unit base 211. When attached to the dish unit base 211, the rear surface of this dish unit relay board 214 faces the rear side of the dish unit base 211.

[3-5c-4. Ball lending operation unit]
The ball dispensing operation unit 220 of the tray base unit 210 will be described mainly with reference to Figure 51. Figure 51 is an enlarged plan view showing the ball dispensing operation unit portion of the tray unit of the door frame. This ball dispensing operation unit 220 is used to discharge game balls B stored in the upper tray 201 to the lower tray 202, to dispense a predetermined number of game balls B into the upper tray 201 of the tray unit 200 after inserting cash or a prepaid card into a ball dispensing machine (not shown) installed adjacent to the pachinko machine 1, to display the remaining amount of cash or a prepaid card inserted into the ball dispensing machine, to return the cash or a prepaid card inserted into the ball dispensing machine minus the amount of dispensed game balls B, to adjust the volume, and to adjust the amount of light.

The ball lending operation unit 220 comprises a base 221 attached to the upper front of the tray unit base 211, an upper tray ball removal button 222 located near the left edge of the top surface of the base 221, a translucent, disc-shaped ball lending operation base 223 located to the right of the upper tray ball removal button 222 on the top surface of the base 221, a ball lending button 224 located on the front left side of the ball lending operation base 223, a return button 225 located on the front right side of the ball lending operation base 223, a ball lending display unit 226 located at the rear lower part of the ball lending operation base 223, a volume adjustment button 227 located in front of the ball lending button 224 on the outside of the base 221, and a light intensity adjustment button 228 located to the left of the volume adjustment button 227.

The upper tray ball removal button 222 protrudes upward in a cylindrical shape from the top surface of the base 221, and can be moved downward by the player pressing it. The ball lending button 224 is circular and has the character "ball" (ball) printed on its top surface. The return button 225 is triangular. The ball lending display 226 is composed of three 7-segment LEDs and one bullet-shaped LED, and can be easily seen by the player through the transparent ball lending operation base 223 when illuminated.

By pressing the upper tray ball removal button 222, the ball lending operation unit 220 can eject game balls B stored in the upper tray 201 into the lower tray. Furthermore, by inserting cash or a prepaid card with remaining balance into the ball lending machine and then pressing the ball lending button 224, a predetermined number of game balls B will be supplied to the upper tray 201. By pressing the return button 225, the amount of game balls B loaned will be deducted from the cash or prepaid card inserted into the ball lending machine and returned. The ball lending display unit 226 displays the remaining balance of the cash or prepaid card inserted into the ball lending machine. Furthermore, the ball lending display unit 226 also displays an error code if the ball lending machine malfunctions.

The volume adjustment button 227 is used to adjust the volume of music, voice, sound effects, and other sound effects output from the top center speaker and top side speakers of the door frame 3 and the bass main frame speaker 622 of the main frame 4. This volume adjustment button 227 is shaped like a gourd, with two circles combined. The volume adjustment button 227 has the letter "+" in the center of one (upper) circle and the letter "-" in the center of the other (lower) circle, and the area between the two circles has an image of sound coming from a speaker. The diameter of the circle on the "+" side of the volume adjustment button 227 is larger than the diameter of the circle on the "-" side. Pressing the "+" side of this volume adjustment button 227 increases the volume, and pressing the "-" side decreases the volume.

The light intensity adjustment button 228 is used to adjust the light intensity of the LEDs on the various decorative boards provided on the door frame 3 and game board 5, as well as the brightness of the display screen of the performance display device 1600. This light intensity adjustment button 228 is shaped like a gourd, with two circles combined. The light intensity adjustment button 228 has the letter "+" in the center of one (upper) circle and the letter "-" in the center of the other (lower) circle, and the area between the two circles has an image of a light bulb. The diameter of the circle on the "+" side of the light intensity adjustment button 228 is larger than the diameter of the circle on the "-" side. Pressing the "+" side of this light intensity adjustment button 228 makes it brighter, and pressing the "-" side makes it darker.

The volume adjustment button 227 and the light adjustment button 228 are different colors (for example, the volume adjustment button 227 is white and the light adjustment button 228 is black) to make it difficult for players to confuse them.

However, if the volume or light intensity is adjusted using the touch operation unit 302 or press operation unit 303 of the effect operation unit 301, when a player-participation effect that requires operation of the effect operation unit 301 is not being executed, the player must operate the effect operation unit 301 appropriately to display a settings menu on the effect display device 1600 for adjusting the volume or light intensity, select the item to be adjusted, and then operate the touch operation unit 302 to change the volume or brightness of the light intensity, etc., which can be time-consuming. In contrast, according to this embodiment, the volume and light intensity can be adjusted directly by operating the volume adjustment button 227 or light intensity adjustment button 228, making it possible to provide a pachinko machine 1 that simplifies the effort required to adjust the volume and light intensity and allows adjustments to be made in a short amount of time.

[3-5c-5. Upper tray ball removal unit]
The upper tray pre-ball removal unit and upper tray post-ball removal unit 240 in the tray base unit 210 will be described in detail mainly with reference to Figure 49. The upper tray post-ball removal unit 240 cooperates with the ball feeding unit 140 to eject the game balls B stored in the upper tray 201 to the lower tray 202 when the upper tray ball removal button 222 of the ball lending operation unit 220 is pressed.

The upper tray ball removal unit 240 comprises a rear base 241 attached to the rear surface of the tray unit base 211 so as to close the upper tray ball supply port from the rear, an upper tray ball removal slider 242 attached to the front surface of the rear base 241 so as to be able to slide up and down, a spring (not shown) that biases the upper tray ball removal slider 242 upward, and a rear cover 244 attached to the rear side of the rear base 241.

The rear base 241 is equipped with a ball receiving opening (not shown) that protrudes upward from the portion where the upper tray ball removal slider 242 is slidably attached and opens toward the front, allowing game ball B to pass through; a ball feed guide path 241b that guides game ball B received in the ball receiving opening downward on the rear surface of the rear base 241 and then rearward; and a ball removal guide path 241c that guides game ball B downward from a position lower than the ball feed guide path 241b on the rear surface of the rear base 241 and then to the right when viewed from behind.

When assembled to the tray base unit 210, the ball receiving port is formed at the downstream end (right end when viewed from the front) of the guide passage section 201a of the upper tray 201, in a position that opens forward through the upper tray ball supply port of the tray unit base 211. When assembled to the door frame 3, the ball supply guide path 241b is formed so that the entrance 141a of the ball supply unit 140 is located at the rear of the lower part. This allows game balls B supplied to the upper tray 201 to pass through the ball receiving port and ball supply guide path 241b and enter the entrance 141a of the ball supply unit 140.

The portion of the ball removal guideway 241c extending to the left and right protrudes further to the right as viewed from the rear than the portion where the upper tray ball removal slider 242 is slidably mounted, is inclined so that the right end is lower as viewed from the rear, and opens to the right side as viewed from the rear. The rear side of the portion of the ball removal guideway 241c extending to the left and right is closed by a rear cover 244. When assembled to the door frame 3, the upper part of the portion extending vertically below the ball feeding guideway 241b is located in front of the ball removal opening 141b of the ball feeding unit 140, and the right end of the portion extending to the left and right as viewed from the rear is connected to the cutout 211d of the lower tray ball supply opening 211c in the tray unit base 211. As a result, the game ball B discharged from the ball ejection port 141b of the ball feeding unit 140 is released into the lower tray 202 from the lower tray ball supply port 211c via the ball ejection guide path 241c and the notch 211d.

The upper tray ball removal slider 242 has a rectangular shape when viewed from the front, and is equipped with an actuation receiving part (not shown) that protrudes forward from the upper left corner, and an actuation transmitting part 242b that protrudes rearward from the rear surface behind the actuation receiving part. The actuation receiving part has a flat upper surface. The actuation transmitting part 242b is inclined so that its upper surface is positioned downward as it extends rearward, and its lower surface extends horizontally to connect with the rear end of the upper surface.

When the upper tray ball removal slider 242 is assembled to the door frame 3, the actuation receiving part protrudes forward through the tray unit base 211 from the rear, with the lower end of the upper tray ball removal button 222 abutting against the upper surface of the actuation receiving part. Furthermore, when the upper tray ball removal slider 242 is assembled to the door frame 3, the actuation transmission part 242b protrudes rearward from the rear base 241, with the actuation rod 143c of the ball removal member 143 of the ball feeding unit 140 abutting against its upper surface.

The spring has its upper end attached to the rear base 241 and its lower end attached to the upper tray ball removal slider 242, urging the upper tray ball removal slider 242 upward. Therefore, the upper tray ball removal slider 242 is positioned at the upper limit of its upward movement due to the spring's urging force, and can move downward by resisting the spring's urging force.

The upper tray ball removal unit 240 positions the upper tray ball removal slider 242 at its upper end of movement due to the spring force, and positions the upper tray ball removal button 222 at its upper end of movement via the actuation receiving part of the upper tray ball removal slider 242. Furthermore, because the spring force positions the upper tray ball removal slider 242 at its upper end of movement, the actuation rod 143c, which abuts the upper surface of the actuation transmission part 242b, is prevented from moving downward, and the partition part 143a of the ball removal member 143 is positioned between the entrance 141a and the ball removal opening 141b, separating the two.

Therefore, when the upper tray ball removal button 222 is not pressed, the entrance 141a and the ball removal port 141b in the ball feeding unit 140 are partitioned, and the game ball B sent from the upper tray 201 to the ball receiving port can be sent from the entrance 141a and the ball feeding member 144 to the ball supply port 142a and to the ball launching device 540 side.

On the other hand, when the upper tray ball removal button 222 is pressed downward against the spring force, the upper tray ball removal slider 242 moves downward, allowing the operating rod 143c of the ball removal member 143, which abuts the upper surface of the operating transmission part 242b of the upper tray ball removal slider 242, to move downward.The load of the weight part 143d of the ball removal member 143 causes the ball removal member 143 to rotate, and the partition part 143a moves back from between the entrance 141a and the ball removal opening 141b.As a result, the game ball B that has entered the entrance 141a from the upper tray 201 through the ball receiving opening and ball feed guide path 241b is ejected forward from the ball removal opening 141b, which opens below the entrance 141a. The game ball B discharged forward from the ball discharge port 141b passes through the ball discharge guide path 241c and is guided through the cutout 211d into the lower tray ball supply port 211c, and is then released from the lower tray ball supply port 211c into the lower tray 202, resulting in the game ball B in the upper tray 201 being discharged into the lower tray 202.

When the downward pressure on the upper tray ball removal button 222 is released, the spring force causes the upper tray ball removal slider 242 to move upward, causing the upper tray ball removal button 222 to rise, and the ball removal member 143 rotates due to the operating rod 143c abutting the operating transmission part 242b, positioning the partition part 143a between the entrance 141a and the ball removal opening 141b, returning to its original state.

In this way, the upper tray ball removal unit 240 can feed the game ball B in the upper tray 201 to the ball launcher 540 via the ball feeding unit 140, or eject it to the lower tray 202.

[3-5d. Plate decoration unit]
The plate decoration unit 250 in the plate unit 200 will be described in detail mainly with reference to Figures 22 to 48. The plate decoration unit 250 has a lower plate 202 and is attached to the front of the plate base unit 210, with the performance operation unit 300 attached from the front in the center in the left-right direction. The plate decoration unit 250 decorates almost the entire plate unit 200.

The dish decoration unit 250 comprises a lower dish main body 251 attached to the lower front of the dish unit base 211 and working together with the dish unit base 211 to form the lower dish 202, a dish unit main body 252 attached to the front of the dish unit base 211 so as to cover the outer periphery of the lower dish main body 251, a lower dish ball removal unit 260 attached to the underside of the lower dish main body 251, and a left dish decoration unit 270 and a right dish decoration unit 275 attached to the upper front of the dish unit main body 252, spaced apart from each other on the left and right.

[3-5d-1. Lower tray body]
The lower tray body 251 in the tray display unit 250 will be described in detail mainly with reference to Figures 48 and 50. The lower tray body 251 cooperates with the tray unit base 211 of the tray base unit 210 to form the lower tray 202. The lower tray body 251 extends left and right and is formed in a container shape (dish-like) with open top and rear ends. This lower tray body 251 is attached to the lower front of the tray unit base 211, to the left of the center in the left-right direction, so that the open rear end is closed.

The lower tray body 251 has a generally rectangular shape extending left and right in plan view, with the front end on the left side protruding further forward than the right side from the center in the left-right direction. A lower tray ball removal hole 202a that penetrates vertically is formed near the front end of the right end of the lower tray body 251 in plan view. The bottom surface of the lower tray body 251 is inclined so that it slopes lower toward the lower tray ball removal hole 202a. The lower tray ball removal hole 202a is openably and closably closed by the lower tray ball removal cover 265 of the lower tray ball removal unit 260.

When the lower tray body 251 is assembled to the tray decoration unit 250, the outer periphery and part of the underside are covered by the tray unit body 252. Furthermore, when the lower tray body is assembled to the tray unit 200, the bottom surface is located lower than the lower tray ball supply port 211c of the tray unit base 211, and the lower tray ball removal hole 202a is located in front of the lower tray ball supply port 211c. This allows game balls B released forward from the lower tray ball supply port 211c to be stored.

[3-5d-2. Dish unit body]
The dish unit main body 252 in the dish decoration unit 250 will be described in detail, mainly with reference to Figures 48 and 49. The dish unit main body 252 is attached to the front of the dish unit base 211 in the dish base unit 210 and decorates the front of the dish unit 200. The dish unit main body 252 bulges out so that the center in the left-right direction protrudes forward on the upper side, and bulges out so that the left side in the left-right direction protrudes forward on the lower side. In addition, the top surface of the dish unit main body 252 is curved so that the center in the left-right direction is lowest. The dish unit main body 252 is formed in a box shape that is open to the rear.

The dish unit main body 252 has upper side bulges 252a at the top that bulge forward from both the left and right ends toward the center in the left-right direction and extend downward, spaced apart on the left and right, and a lower front decorative portion 252b at the bottom that bulges forward on the left side of the center in the left-right direction to cover the outer periphery of the lower dish main body 251.

The left and right upper side bulges 252a have a left dish decorative unit 270 and a right dish decorative unit 275 attached to their respective front surfaces.

The tray unit main body 252 has a lower tray opening 252d that penetrates from front to back between the upper side bulge 252a on the left side and the lower front decorative portion 252b. The lower tray opening 252d is large enough to allow a player's fingers to be inserted, and is formed so that it becomes wider from top to bottom as it extends to the left. The lower tray opening 252d is formed into a cylindrical shape that extends from front to back by the lower tray main body 251 and the underside of the upper side bulge 252a on the left side.

Furthermore, although not shown in the figure, the dish unit main body 252 is provided with a performance operation unit mounting portion formed between a pair of upper side bulges 252a in the center in the left-right direction, to which the performance operation unit 300 is attached. The performance operation unit mounting portion is formed with a width that is approximately 1/3 of the left-right width of the dish unit main body 252.

When assembled to the dish unit 200, the dish unit main body 252 is formed to completely cover the front of the dish base unit 210, with the speaker port 211b facing forward through the lower dish opening 252d.

[3-5d-3. Bottom tray ball removal unit]
The lower tray ball removal unit 260 in the tray decoration unit 250 will be described in detail mainly with reference to Figures 27 and 50. The lower tray ball removal unit 260 is attached to the underside of the lower tray body 251, and is used to store game balls B in the lower tray 202 or discharge game balls B from the lower tray 202 by opening and closing the lower tray ball removal hole 202a.

The lower tray ball removal unit 260 is equipped with a lower tray ball removal button 263 and a lower tray ball removal cover 265 that opens and closes the through hole by operating the lower tray ball removal button 263.

When the lower tray ball removal unit 260 is assembled to the tray decoration unit 250, the lower tray ball removal button 263 is aligned with the front surface of the lower front decorative part 252b of the tray unit main body 252, and the lower tray ball removal lid 265 closes the lower tray ball removal hole 202a. In this normal state, the lower tray ball removal hole 202a is closed by the lower tray ball removal lid 265, allowing game balls B to be stored in the lower tray 202.

In the normal state, when the lower tray ball removal button 263 is pressed backward, the lower tray ball removal cover 265 moves, opening the lower tray ball removal hole 202a, allowing the game ball B in the lower tray 202 to be ejected below the tray unit 200 through the lower tray ball removal hole 202a.

Furthermore, when the lower tray ball removal lid 265 is moved by pressing the lower tray ball removal button 263, the lower tray ball removal lid 265 remains in the moved position, the lower tray ball removal hole 202a is kept open, and the game balls B in the lower tray 202 can be continuously discharged downward.

To close the lower tray ball removal hole 202a from this state, press the lower tray ball removal button 263, which is set back from the front of the lower front decorative part 252b, backward and then release the pressure. The lower tray ball removal cover 265 will return to its normal position and the lower tray ball removal hole 202a will be closed. This allows game balls B to be stored in the lower tray 202.

[3-5d-4. Left and right decorative units]
The left dish decorative unit 270 and right dish decorative unit 275 of the dish decorative unit 250 will be described in detail mainly with reference to Figure 48 etc. The left dish decorative unit 270 and right dish decorative unit 275 are attached to the upper front surface of the upper side bulge 252a of the dish unit main body 252. The left dish decorative unit 270 and right dish decorative unit 275 are located at the top of the dish unit 200 and decorate both the left and right sides of the performance operation unit 300.

The left-side decorative unit 270 comprises a semi-cylindrical left-side decorative body 271 that is translucent and extends left and right, a translucent left-side decorative lens 272 that passes through the left-side decorative body 271, and a left-side decorative substrate 273 that is located behind the left-side decorative lens 272 and has multiple LEDs mounted on its front surface.

The left decorative element 271 extends in a curved shape, moving forward and downward as it moves from the left end to the right end, and is attached to the top of the upper left side bulge 252a. The left decorative element 271 is formed as a semicircular arc that bulges forward, with the central axis extending diagonally upward and left at the left end and the central axis extending left and right at the right end, giving it the shape of a twisted semicylinder. The left decorative element 271 is milky white in color.

The left-hand decorative lens 272 extends longitudinally, coinciding with the front surface of the left-hand decorative body 271. The multiple LEDs mounted on the left-hand decorative board 273 are full-color LEDs, and when illuminated, can illuminate and decorate the left-hand decorative body 271.

When assembled to the door frame 3, the left end of the left decorative unit 270 is continuous with the bottom end of the left door frame unit 420. The left decorative unit 270 does not have ribs along the length of the left decorative body 271. Therefore, when the multiple LEDs on the left decorative board 273 are illuminated, the entire front of the left decorative body 271 can be illuminated and decorated in a generally uniform manner, giving the appearance of embedded fluorescent lights.

The right-hand dish decorative unit 275 comprises a translucent right-hand dish decorative body 276 that is semi-cylindrical and extends left and right, a translucent right-hand dish decorative lens 277 that passes through the right-hand dish decorative body 276, and a right-hand dish decorative substrate 278 that is provided behind the right-hand dish decorative lens 277 and has multiple LEDs mounted on the front surface.

The right decorative element 276 extends in a curved shape, moving forward and downward as it moves from the right end to the left end, and is attached to the top of the upper right side bulge 252a. The right decorative element 276 is formed as a semicircular arc that bulges forward, with the central axis extending diagonally upward and to the right at the right end and the central axis extending left and right at the left end, giving it the shape of a twisted semicylinder. The right decorative element 276 is milky white in color.

The right-hand decorative lens 277 extends longitudinally, coinciding with the front surface of the right-hand decorative body 276. The multiple LEDs mounted on the right-hand decorative board 278 are full-color LEDs, and when illuminated, can illuminate and decorate the right-hand decorative body 276.

When assembled to the door frame 3, the right end of the dish right decorative unit 275 is continuous with the lower end of the door frame right side unit 430. Because the dish right decorative unit 275 does not have ribs along the length of the dish right decorative body 276, when the multiple LEDs on the dish right decorative board 278 are illuminated, the entire front of the dish right decorative body 276 can be illuminated and decorated in a generally uniform manner, giving the appearance of embedded fluorescent lights.

When assembled to the door frame 3, the left and right tray decorative units 270 and 275 protrude upward in part beyond the front end of the upper side bulge 252a of the tray unit main body 252 of the tray decorative unit 250, forming a step between them that makes the left and right tray decorative units 270 and 275 higher. This allows players to use the step between the left and right tray decorative units 270 and 275 and the upper side bulge 252a to hook their fingers, providing a fingerhold when leveling the game balls B in the upper tray 201 or operating the performance operation unit 301, described below. Furthermore, the step between the left and right tray decorative units 270 and 275 and the upper side bulge 252a prevents game balls B on the upper side bulge 252a from spilling forward.

[3-5e. Overall configuration of the production operation unit]
The overall configuration of the performance operation unit 300 in the tray unit 200 will be described in detail, mainly with reference to Figures 52 to 56. Figure 52(a) is a perspective view of the performance operation unit as seen from the front with the performance operation button facing upward, and (b) is a perspective view of the performance operation unit of (a) as seen from the back. Figure 53 is an exploded perspective view of the performance operation unit disassembled into its main components as seen from above the front, and Figure 54 is an exploded perspective view of the performance operation unit disassembled into its main components as seen from below the front. Figure 55(a) is a cross-sectional view of the performance operation unit when the performance operation unit is in the lowered position and the lifting spring retainer is at its uppermost position, and (b) is a cross-sectional view of the performance operation unit when the performance operation unit has moved from the position of (a) to the upper position. Figure 56 is a cross-sectional view of the performance operation unit when the performance operation unit is in the lowered position and the lifting spring retainer is at its lowermost position.

The performance operation unit 300 is located in the center of the plate unit 200 in the left-right direction. It not only decorates the plate unit 200, but also allows players to operate it to participate in the performance when a player-participation performance is executed. The performance operation unit 300 is attached to the plate base unit 210 and the plate decoration unit 250.

The presentation operation unit 300 is equipped with a presentation operation section 301 that can be operated by the player. The presentation operation section 301 is composed of a touch operation section 302 that can be operated by the player through contact, and a pressure operation section 303 that can be operated by the player through pressure. The section 301 can accept player operations and move (vibrate) the presentation operation section 301, allowing the player to not only shoot the game ball B, but also to participate in the presentation during play. The presentation operation section 301 has the touch operation section 302 located above the pressure operation section 303. The presentation operation section 301 has the touch operation section 302 and pressure operation section 303 formed in a circular shape with a diameter that is approximately 5/8 the outer diameter of the presentation operation unit 300.

The performance operation unit 300 comprises a spherical performance operation cover unit 310 located on the front of the dish unit 200 in the center of the left-right direction; an operation unit base 315 to which the performance operation cover unit 310 is attached on the outside and which is attached to the front of the dish decoration unit 250; a performance operation outer peripheral decorative board 320 located on the top surface of the operation unit base 315 and equipped with multiple LEDs 320a for illuminating and decorating the upper part of the performance operation unit cover unit 310 (unit upper cover 312); an outer peripheral board cover 325 attached to the operation unit base 315 so as to cover the performance operation outer peripheral decorative board 320 from above; and an operation unit relay board unit 330 attached to the rear surface of the operation unit base 315.

The performance operation unit 300 also includes a performance operation unit 350 having a performance operation unit 301, a performance operation unit lifting mechanism 360 that raises and lowers the performance operation unit 350, and a protrusion force adjustment mechanism 380 that adjusts the protrusion force of the performance operation unit 350. The performance operation unit 350 is arranged so that it can be advanced and retreated upward from the top surface of the performance operation unit cover unit 310 by the performance operation unit lifting mechanism 360.

[3-5e-1. Cover unit for performance operation]
The performance operation unit cover unit 310 of the performance operation unit 300 will be described in detail mainly with reference to Figures 53 to 56. The performance operation unit cover unit 310 is attached to the performance operation unit attachment portion of the dish unit main body 252 of the dish decoration unit 250 via the operation unit base 315. The performance operation unit cover unit 310 decorates the outer periphery of the performance operation unit 300 (the periphery of the performance operation unit 350) at the center of the dish unit 200 in the left-right direction.

The performance operation unit cover unit 310 comprises a hemispherical unit lower cover 311 that is open upward and backward, and a circular unit upper cover 312 that is provided above the unit lower cover 311 and has an insertion opening 312a through which the performance operation unit 301 is inserted. The unit lower cover 311 is formed in a hemispherical shape to cover the front and bottom of the operation unit base 315. The unit upper cover 312 is formed to be continuous with the outer surface of the unit lower cover 311. In other words, the outer surface of the performance operation unit cover unit 310 is formed in a roughly spherical shape. Incidentally, the performance operation unit cover unit 310 in this embodiment is spherical in shape with a diameter of 216 mm.

The performance control unit cover unit 310 is installed at an angle so that the axis of the annular unit upper cover 312 is positioned forward as it extends upward. In this embodiment, it is inclined at an angle of approximately 18 degrees (18.65 degrees) relative to the vertical.

When the performance operation unit cover unit 310 is assembled to the door frame 3, its front end becomes the front end of the door frame 3, and the distance from the front of the door frame base 101 to the front end of the unit lower cover 311 is approximately half the total width of the door frame base 101 in the left-right direction.

At least the upper cover 312 of the performance control unit cover unit 310 is translucent, and can be illuminated by the multiple LEDs on the performance control unit outer periphery decorative board 320 (described below).

When assembled to the tray unit 200, the front end of the performance operation unit cover unit 310 protrudes further forward than the upper tray 201 and lower tray 202. The performance operation unit cover unit 310 is also connected so that the left tray decorative body 271 and the right tray decorative body 276 extend outward from both the left and right sides of the unit lower cover 311. This makes the performance operation unit 300 stand out, and the integrated decoration gives it a nice appearance.

[3-5e-2. Operation unit base]
The operation unit base 315 of the performance operation unit 300 will be described in detail mainly with reference to Figures 53 to 56. The rear side of the operation unit base 315 is attached to the performance operation unit mounting portion 212a of the upper tray body 212 in the tray base unit 210. The front and bottom of the operation unit base 315 are covered by the unit lower cover 311, and the top is covered by the unit upper cover 312 and the performance operation unit 301. The operation unit base 315 is formed in the shape of a container with an open top.

The operation unit base 315 comprises a main body 315a, which is roughly a cubic box with an open top, and a flange 315b, which extends outward from the top end of the main body and has a circular outer periphery. The main body 315a houses the performance operation unit 350. The bottom wall of the main body 315a is also fitted with the lower ends of a pair of guide shafts 362 and a central shaft 366 of the performance operation unit lifting mechanism 360 in the performance operation unit 350, which will be described later. The main body 315a also rotatably supports the lower end of the adjustment screw 384 of the protrusion force adjustment mechanism 380 on the upper surface of the bottom wall. The board base 331 of the operation unit relay board unit 330 is attached to the rear surface of the rear wall of the main body 315a.

The performance operation unit outer peripheral decorative board 320 is placed on the upper surface of the flange portion 315b. The annular outer peripheral board cover 325 is attached to the flange portion 315b so as to sandwich the performance operation unit outer peripheral decorative board 320. The unit upper cover 312 is attached to the outer peripheral board cover 325.

When the operation unit base 315 is assembled to the performance operation unit 300, the upper surface of the flange portion 315b is positioned approximately flush with the upper surface of the unit lower cover 311.

[3-5e-3. Operation unit relay board unit]
The operation unit relay board unit 330 of the performance operation unit 300 will be described in detail mainly with reference to Figures 53 to 56. The operation unit relay board unit 330 is attached to the rear surface of the operation unit base 315. The operation unit relay board unit 330 includes a board base 331 attached to the rear surface of the main body 315a of the operation unit base 315, an operation unit relay board 332 attached to the rear surface of the board base 331, and a board cover 333 attached to the board base 331 so as to cover the operation unit relay board 332 from behind.

The operation unit relay board 332 relays the connection between the performance operation unit outer decorative board 320 (front decorative board 321 and rear decorative board 322), button outer decorative board 355, vibration motor 356, contact detection sensor main body 358, button middle decorative board 364, operation button lifting drive motor 367, pressure detection sensor 373, lifting detection sensor 374, protrusion force detection sensor 375, and protrusion force adjustment drive motor 381 and the dish unit relay board 214 of the dish base unit 210.

[3-5e-4. Production operation unit]
The performance operation unit 350 in the performance operation unit 300 will be described in detail mainly with reference to Figures 53 to 56. The performance operation unit 350 is provided so as to face outward from the insertion opening 312a of the unit upper cover 312 in the performance operation unit cover unit 310, and can function as the touch operation unit 302 and the pressing operation unit 303.

The performance operation unit 350 comprises a cylindrical button body 351 with a closed top end, a disk-shaped contact detector 352 attached to the top of the button body 351, a cylindrical button sleeve 353 inserted into the button body 351 from below, a disk-shaped button base 354 attached to the bottom of the button sleeve 353 and supported so that it can be raised and lowered by a performance operation unit lifting mechanism 360, and an annular outer button decorative board 355 positioned above the button base 354 and with multiple LEDs 355a mounted on its top surface.

The performance operation unit 350 also includes a vibration motor 356 located between the button body 351 and the button sleeve 353, a motor cover 357 that attaches the vibration motor 356 to the button sleeve 353, and a contact detection sensor body 358 that is connected to the contact detection body 352 and attached to the outer periphery of the button sleeve 353.

The button body 351 is entirely transparent. It has a disk-shaped upper surface 351a that curves upward to bulge, a cylindrical portion 351b that extends downward from the outer periphery of the upper surface 351a, and a locking portion 351c that protrudes downward from the lower end of the cylindrical portion 351b. The upper surface 351a is shaped to form part of a sphere with the same diameter as the spherical surface of the performance operation unit cover unit 310. This upper surface 351a is decorated with a circular ornament that is approximately half the outer diameter. The outer diameter (diameter) of the upper surface 351a (cylindrical portion 351b) is approximately 5/8 the diameter of the performance operation unit cover unit 310. The length (height) of the cylindrical portion 351b is approximately 5/8 the diameter of the upper surface 351a. Four locking portions 351c are provided at equal intervals around the circumference of the cylindrical portion 351b. The locking portions 351c are locked to the button base 354. In this embodiment, the button body 351 has a diameter of approximately 127 mm.

The contact detector 352 has a circular outer periphery and is formed in a dish-like shape with a certain width of inner bulge upward from the outer periphery. The contact detector 352 is located below the circular decoration on the top surface 351a of the button body 351, and bulges upward at an angle with a flat inner surface. This makes the contact detector 352 appear to be part of the decoration on the button body 351. The contact detector 352 has flat downward extension pieces 352a that extend downward from both the left and right ends of the outer periphery and the rear end. The contact detector 352 is attached to the underside of the top surface 351a of the button body 351. The contact detector 352 is made of punched metal. The multiple holes in the punched metal reduce the capacitance of the contact detector 352 relative to its overall area, preventing false detection. Additionally, because the contact detector 352 is made of perforated metal, light from the LED 364a on the button center decorative substrate 364 located below can be transmitted upward, allowing the center of the top surface 351a of the button body 351 to be illuminated and decorated in excellent condition.

The contact detector 352 is connected to the external electrode terminal of the connector in the contact detection sensor main body 358. This allows the contact detector 352 to function as a sensor electrode for detecting capacitance, and to detect contact or approach of a detection target (the player's hand) with the top or side surface of the button main body 351. In other words, the contact detector 352 and the contact detection sensor main body 358 allow the button main body 351 to function as the contact operation unit 302.

The button sleeve 353 has a cylindrical sleeve body 353a that extends vertically, and an annular flange portion 353b that extends outward from the lower end of the sleeve body 353a. The button sleeve 353 is formed to be entirely transparent. The outer diameter of the sleeve body 353a is approximately 4/7 of the inner diameter of the button body 351, and its length is approximately the same as the length of the cylindrical portion 351b of the button body 351. The button sleeve 353 allows light from the multiple LEDs 355a on the button outer decorative substrate 355 to pass upward through the flange portion 353b.

The button base 354 is disk-shaped and has approximately the same diameter as the outer diameter of the button body 351. It is attached to the lower end of the button body 351 so as to close the open lower end of the button body 351. The button base 354 has a pair of guide holes 354a that penetrate vertically at positions symmetrical about the center, a central hole 354b that penetrates vertically at the center, and a pair of guide pins 354c that protrude from the inner surface of the central hole toward the center. The guide shafts 362 of the performance operation unit lifting mechanism 360 are slidably inserted into the pair of guide holes 354a. The central hole 354b has an inner diameter large enough to allow the lifting cam member 371 to pass through. The pair of guide pins 354c face each other on the same axis and are attached so that they can rotate around the axis.

The button base 354 extends downward and further has a flat detection piece 354d that is detected by the pressure detection sensor 373 of the effect operation unit lifting mechanism 360. The locking portion 351c of the button body 351 is locked to the outer peripheral surface of the button base 354. A pair of guide shafts 362 is inserted into a pair of guide holes 354a, thereby guiding the button base 354 so that it can be raised and lowered in the vertical direction. Furthermore, the button base 354 is moved in the vertical direction by the pair of guide pins 354c being guided by the cam portion 371a of the lifting cam member 371. The upper ends of a pair of lifting springs 365 of the effect operation unit lifting mechanism 360 abut against the underside of the button base 354, and the button base is biased upward by the pair of lifting springs 365.

The button exterior decorative substrate 355 has multiple LEDs 355a mounted on its top surface. The multiple LEDs 355a are arranged in a row on two concentric circles. More specifically, the multiple LEDs 355a are provided in a section slightly outside the sleeve body 353a of the button sleeve 353 and in a section near the center of the width of the flange portion 353b. By appropriately illuminating the LEDs 355a on the button exterior decorative substrate 355, the section on the top surface of the button body 351 outside the contact detector 352 and the side (circumferential surface) of the button body 351 can be illuminated and decorated.

The vibration motor 356 has an eccentric weight attached to its rotation shaft, and can generate vibrations by rotating the weight. The vibration motor 356 is positioned so that its rotation shaft extends in the left-right direction. In other words, the vibration motor 356 is positioned so that its rotation shaft extends in a direction perpendicular to the forward and backward movement direction of the performance operation unit 301. The vibration motor 356 is also located on a straight line that passes through a pair of guide shafts 362 that guide the performance operation unit 301 (performance operation unit 350) in the up-down direction. This allows vibrations from the vibration motor 356 to be efficiently transmitted to the performance operation unit 301. The impact of vibrations from the vibration motor 356 on the pair of guide holes 354a (pair of guide shafts 362) can also be reduced.

The contact detection sensor body 358 is a capacitance sensor. While not shown in detail, the contact detection sensor body 358 includes a sensor IC with a surge protection circuit, a transmitter circuit, a detection and smoothing circuit, and a comparison circuit, an output circuit, a constant-voltage circuit that supplies power to the sensor IC and output circuit, sensor electrodes, and a connector. The contact detection sensor body 358 can detect the capacitance of the internal sensor electrode. The connector of the contact detection sensor body 358 also includes an external electrode terminal connected to the sensor electrode, which is connected to the contact detection element 352. In other words, the contact detection sensor body 358 allows the contact detection element 352 to function as an external sensor electrode. The contact detection sensor body 358 detects capacitance with the sensor electrode and outputs an ON signal when the capacitance exceeds a predetermined capacitance set by an external resistor. In this embodiment, the contact detection sensor body 358 outputs an ON signal when the capacitance exceeds a predetermined capacitance, but it may also output multiple signals depending on the capacitance.

In this embodiment, the effect operation unit 350 is provided with a contact detector 352 on the underside of the upper surface 351a of the button body 351. The contact detector 352 functions as a sensor electrode for detecting capacitance using the contact detection sensor body 358. This allows the contact detector 352 to detect contact or approach of a detectable object (a player's hand) with the top surface of the button body 351. Furthermore, the contact detector 352 of the effect operation unit 350 has multiple downward extension pieces 352a that extend downward. This allows the effect operation unit 350 to detect contact or approach of a detectable object (a player's hand) with the side of the button body 351 when the effect operation unit 350 is protruding upward. Therefore, the effect operation unit 350, together with the contact detector 352 and the contact detection sensor body 358, allows the button body 351 to function as the contact operation unit 302.

This performance operation unit 350 is supported by the performance operation unit lifting mechanism 360 so that it can be raised and lowered in the vertical direction. When the performance operation unit 350 is moved to its lowest position (normal state), the upper surface 351a of the button body 351 is flush with the upper surface of the unit upper cover 312 of the performance operation unit cover unit 310, making the performance operation unit 300 appear as a single sphere. When the performance operation unit 350 is moved upward from its normal position by the performance operation unit lifting mechanism 360, the upper surface 351a of the button body 351 protrudes above the upper surface of the unit upper cover 312, and can function as the pressing operation unit 303 by pressing downward against the biasing force of the lifting spring 365.

More specifically, when the performance operation unit 350 is in its lowest position (normal state), it will not move any further downwards even if pressed, and no pressing operation can be performed. In this normal state, the detection piece 354d of the button base 354 is detected by the pressure detection sensor 373 of the performance operation unit lifting mechanism 360. When the performance operation unit 350 is moved higher than its normal position by the performance operation unit lifting mechanism 360, the detection piece 354d of the button base 354 moves away from the pressure detection sensor 373 and becomes undetectable. When the top surface of the performance operation unit 350 is pressed downward and the performance operation unit 350 is lowered to the lower limit of movement against the biasing force of the lifting spring 365, the detection piece 354d of the button base 354 is detected by the pressure detection sensor 373. This detects the pressing operation of the performance operation unit 350 (pressing operation unit 303).

In addition, the effect operation unit 350 has the button body 351 covering the top of the contact detection element 352, which is made of perforated metal. Therefore, when operating the contact operation element 302, the player comes into contact with the smooth, spherical top surface of the button body 351. Instead, the player does not directly touch the surface of the perforated metal, which has irregularities caused by the multiple holes, allowing the player to smoothly operate the contact operation element 302. Furthermore, because the contact detection element 352 is covered by the button body 351, it is possible to impart any desired tactile sensation to the contact operation element 302 by forming fine irregularities or multiple ridges on the surface (top) of the button body 351. This increases the design freedom for the contact operation element 302, making it possible to provide a pachinko machine 1 that is even more enjoyable for players.

In the above, the button body 351 is transparent, but this is not limiting. The button body 351 may be opaque or translucent, so that the lower side is difficult to see through. This makes it difficult to see the contact detection body 352 made of punched metal through the button body 351, improving the appearance of the effect operation unit 350. Furthermore, if the button body 351 is opaque, it is desirable to make it translucent. This allows the button body 351 to be illuminated and decorated by light from the LED 355a on the outer button decorative board 355 and the LED 364a on the inner button decorative board 364 located below, and the player can be entertained by the illuminated effect of the button body 351.

[3-5e-5. Performance operation unit lifting mechanism]
The performance operation unit lifting mechanism 360 in the performance operation unit 300 will be described in detail mainly with reference to Figures 53 to 56. The performance operation unit lifting mechanism 360 is attached to the operation unit base 315 and can raise and lower the performance operation unit 350. The performance operation unit lifting mechanism 360 comprises a lifting mechanism base 361 having an approximately circular outer periphery and attached within the main body 315a of the operation unit base 315 below the performance operation unit unit 350; a pair of cylindrical guide shafts 362 arranged symmetrically about the central axis of the lifting mechanism base 361, with their lower ends attached to the bottom wall of the main body 315a of the operation unit base 315 and their upper ends extending upward through the operation unit base 315 and the button base 354; a disk-shaped upper base 363 connecting the upper ends of the pair of guide shafts 362 and having an outer periphery smaller than the inner diameter of the button sleeve 353; and a button interior decorative board 364 attached to the upper surface of the upper base 363 and equipped with a plurality of LEDs 364a capable of emitting light upward.

The performance operation unit lifting mechanism 360 also includes a pair of lifting springs 365, through which a pair of guide shafts 362 are inserted, and which urge the button base 354 upward, and a central shaft 366 that passes vertically through the center of the lifting mechanism base 361 and the button base 354, with its lower end attached to the bottom wall of the main body 315a and its upper end attached to the upper base 363.

Furthermore, the performance operation unit lifting mechanism 360 comprises an operation button lifting drive motor 367 attached to the underside of the lifting mechanism base 361 so that its rotation shaft protrudes upward; a spur gear-shaped lifting drive gear 368 attached to the rotation shaft of the operation button lifting drive motor 367; a spur gear-shaped driven gear 369 meshing with the lifting drive gear 368 and rotatably attached to the upper side of the lifting mechanism base 361; and a lifting cam drive gear member 370 rotated by the driven gear 369 and rotatably attached with the central shaft 366 inserted therethrough.

The performance operation unit lifting mechanism 360 also includes a lifting cam member 371, the lower end of which is connected to the lifting cam drive gear member 370 and to which the central shaft 366 is inserted and rotatably attached, which lifts and lowers the button base 354 by rotating, and a disk-shaped gear cover 372 attached to the top of the lifting mechanism base 361 so as to cover the lifting drive gear 368, driven gear 369, and lifting cam drive gear member 370 from above.

The performance operation unit lifting mechanism 360 also includes a pressure detection sensor 373 attached to the lifting mechanism base 361 that detects the pressing operation of the pressure operation unit 303, a lifting detection sensor 374 attached to the lifting mechanism base 361 that detects the lifting of the performance operation unit 350 by detecting the rotational position of the lifting cam drive gear member 370 (lifting cam member 371), and a protruding force detection sensor 375 attached to the lifting mechanism base 361 that detects the lifting force of the performance operation unit 350 by detecting the lifting of the lifting spring lower holding member 385 of the protruding force adjustment mechanism 380.

The lifting mechanism base 361 includes a disk-shaped base body 361a, multiple legs 361b protruding downward from the base body 361a, and a pair of through-holes 361c that penetrate the base body 361a and allow the lifting spring 365 to pass through together with a pair of guide shafts 362. The base body 361a of the lifting mechanism base 361 has an outer diameter slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the main body 315a of the operation unit base 315. A driven gear 369, a lifting cam drive gear member 370, a gear cover 372, a pressure detection sensor 373, and an ejection force detection sensor 375 are attached to the upper surface of the base body 361a. Additionally, an operation button lifting drive motor 367, a lifting detection sensor 374, and an ejection force adjustment drive motor 381 are attached to the lower surface of the base body 361a. The lower ends of the legs 361b of the lifting mechanism base 361 are attached to the bottom wall of the main body 315a of the operation unit base 315. This forms a space in which the ejection force adjustment mechanism 380 is disposed between the bottom wall of the main body 315a of the operation unit base 315 and the base main body 361a of the lifting mechanism base 361. A pair of through holes 361c are provided in the base main body 361a of the lifting mechanism base 361, respectively, at positions half the diameter of the base main body 361a toward the front and rear from the center.

The pair of guide shafts 362 pass through a pair of through-holes 361c located at a distance half the diameter of the base body 361a from the center forward and backward in the base body 361a of the lifting mechanism base 361. The central shaft 366 passes through the center of the base body 361a of the lifting mechanism base 361. The pair of guide shafts 362 and central shaft 366 have their respective lower ends attached to the bottom wall of the main body 315a of the operation unit base 315, and their respective upper ends attached to the upper base 363. The pair of guide shafts 362 and central shaft 366 are formed from metal rods.

The outer diameter of the upper base 363 is approximately half the outer diameter of the base body 361a of the lifting mechanism base 361. The upper base 363 has a lower protrusion that protrudes downward. By abutting the lower protrusion of the upper base 363 against the upper protrusion of the gear cover 372, a space capable of accommodating the lifting cam member 371 can be formed between the upper base 363 and the lifting mechanism base 361.

The button center decorative substrate 364 has multiple full-color LEDs 364a mounted on its top surface. By appropriately illuminating the multiple LEDs 364a, the button center decorative substrate 364 can illuminate and decorate the central portion of the top surface of the button body 351.

The pair of lifting springs 365 are coil springs, each having a guide shaft 362 inserted therethrough. The lower ends of the pair of lifting springs 365 abut against the lifting spring lower holding member 385 of the ejection force adjustment mechanism 380, and the upper ends abut against the button base 354.

The lifting cam drive gear member 370 comprises a spur gear-shaped gear portion 370a that meshes with the driven gear 369, a connecting portion 370b that protrudes upward from the gear portion 370a and is connected to the lower end of the lifting cam member 371, and a lifting detection piece 370c that protrudes downward from the gear portion 370a in a cylindrical shape, has two opposing notches cut out, and is detected by the lifting detection sensor 374. The lifting cam drive gear member 370 is rotatably attached by inserting the central shaft 366 into the center of the gear portion 370a.

The lifting cam member 371 is cylindrical and rotatably attached by inserting the central shaft 366 through its center. The lifting cam member 371 passes through the gear cover 372 and is located between the upper base 363 and the lifting mechanism base 361. The lifting cam member 371 has a pair of cam portions 371a that protrude outward and are spaced 180 degrees apart in the circumferential direction on the cylindrical outer surface. The pair of cam portions 371a guide the guide pin 354c of the button base 354.

The cam portion 371a includes a first cam 371b extending perpendicular to the axis near its lower end, a locking portion 371c recessed upward in the middle of the first cam 371b, a second cam 371d extending upward parallel to the axis from one end of the first cam 371b, and a third cam 371e extending spirally upward from the end of the first cam 371b opposite the second cam 371d (see Figure 55, etc.). The second cam 371d and the third cam 371e extend upward to the same height, and adjacent cam portions 371a are separated by a distance smaller than the diameter of the guide pin 354c of the button base 354.

The lifting cam member 371 also has a connected portion 371f at its lower end that connects to the connecting portion 370b of the lifting cam drive gear member 370.

The lifting/lowering cam member 371 is formed so that the second cam 371d of the cam portion 371a extends upward from the rear end of the first cam 371b when the lifting/lowering cam member 371 is rotated counterclockwise in a plan view. By rotating, the lifting/lowering cam member 371 can guide the guide pin 354c of the button base 354 with the cam portion 371a, thereby raising and lowering the button base 354 (performance operation unit 350), which is biased upward by the lifting spring 365.

The gear cover 372 has a through hole through which the lifting spring 365 and lifting cam member 371 can pass. The gear cover 372 also has an upper protrusion that protrudes upward at a location facing the lower protrusion of the upper base 363. By abutting the upper protrusion of the gear cover 372 against the lower end of the lower protrusion of the upper base 363, a space capable of accommodating the lifting cam member 371 can be formed between the upper base 363 and the lifting mechanism base 361.

The pressure detection sensor 373 detects the pressure operation of the performance operation unit 350 (pressure operation unit 303) by detecting the detection piece 354d of the button base 354 in the performance operation unit 350. When the performance operation unit 350 is moved to the lowest position (normal state), the pressure detection sensor 373 constantly detects the detection piece 354d of the button base 354. When the performance operation unit 350 is moved upward by the performance operation unit lifting mechanism 360 from the normal state, the detection piece 354d of the button base 354 moves away, and this pressure detection sensor 373 enters a non-detecting state. When the top surface of the performance operation unit 350 is pressed downward and the performance operation unit 350 is lowered to the lower limit of movement against the biasing force of the lift spring 365, the pressure detection sensor 373 detects the detection piece 354d of the button base 354 and can detect a pressure operation on the performance operation unit 350 (pressure operation unit 303).

The lifting/lowering detection sensor 374 detects the lifting/lowering detection piece 370c of the lifting/lowering cam drive gear member 370, thereby detecting the rotational position of the lifting/lowering cam member 371 via the connected portion 371f, which is connected to the connecting portion 370b of the lifting/lowering cam drive gear member 370.

The protrusion force detection sensor 375 detects the detection piece 385d of the lifting spring lower holding member 385 in the protrusion force adjustment mechanism 380.

The performance operation unit lifting mechanism 360 can support the performance operation unit unit 350 so that it can be raised and lowered via the button base 354 using a pair of guide shafts 362 aligned front to back, and can urge the performance operation unit unit 350 upward via the button base 354 using a pair of lifting springs 365. The performance operation unit lifting mechanism 360 can also raise and lower the performance operation unit unit 350 (performance operation unit 301) relative to the performance operation unit cover unit 310 by rotating the lifting cam member 371 using the operation button lifting drive motor 367. The performance operation unit lifting mechanism 360 can also illuminate and decorate the central portion of the top surface of the button body 351 by appropriately illuminating multiple LEDs 364a mounted on the button inner decorative board 364.

In the normal state of the performance operation unit lifting mechanism 360, the guide pin 354c of the button base 354 is engaged with the engagement portion 371c provided on the lower end of the lifting cam member 371 (see Figure 55 (a)). In this normal state, the performance operation unit 350 is positioned at the downward end of its travel via the button base 354, and even if the performance operation unit 350 (pressing operation unit 303) is pressed downward, the performance operation unit 350 will not move downward. Therefore, in the normal state, the pressing operation of the pressing operation unit 303 is not detected. Also, in the normal state, the surface (top surface) of the unit upper cover 312 of the performance operation unit cover unit 310 and the top surface of the button body 351 of the performance operation unit unit 350 are aligned, and the performance operation unit cover unit 310 and the button body 351 form a single sphere.

When the operation button lift drive motor 367 rotates the lift drive gear 368 counterclockwise in a plan view in the normal state (when the performance operation unit 350 is in the lowered position), the lift cam drive gear member 370 rotates counterclockwise in a plan view via the driven gear 369 that meshes with the lift drive gear 368, and the lift cam member 371 connected to the lift cam drive gear member 370 also rotates in the same direction. When this lift cam member 371 rotates counterclockwise, the cam portion 371a visible from the front in Figure 55(a) moves to the right, and the guide pin 354c of the button base 354 rolls from the locking portion 371c to the portion of the first cam 371b to the left of the locking portion 371c. At the same time, the button base 354 moves slightly downward via the guide pin 354c against the biasing force of the lift spring 365.

As the lifting cam member 371 rotates, the guide pin 354c, which rolls relatively leftward along the first cam 371b, moves from the left end of the first cam 371b toward the second cam 371d. Because the second cam 371d extends upward perpendicularly to the first cam 371b, the force of the lifting spring 365 causes the guide pin 354c to move upward along the second cam 371d, and the button base 354 rises together with the guide pin 354c, bringing the performance operation unit 350 into its raised position. In this state, the detection piece 354d moves away from the pressure detection sensor 373, so the pressure detection sensor 373 is in a non-detecting state.

The lifting spring lower holding member 385 of the protruding force adjustment mechanism 380, which the lower end of the lifting spring 365 abuts, can be moved to various positions in the vertical direction by the protruding force adjustment drive motor 381, as will be described in detail below. The amount of compression of the lifting spring 365 can be changed depending on the vertical position of the lifting spring lower holding member 385, so the performance operation unit 350 can be protruded to the raised position with a protruding force that corresponds to the amount of compression of the lifting spring 365.

When the performance operation unit 350 is in the raised position, as shown in Figure 55 (b), the guide pin 354c of the button base 354 is in contact with the second cam 371d of one cam portion 371a and the third cam 371e of the remaining cam portion 371a. In this state, the operation of the operation button lifting drive motor 367 is temporarily stopped.

When the performance operation unit 350 is in the raised position, the upper surface of the button base 354 abuts against the lower surface of the upper base 363, restricting further upward movement of the button base 354. Furthermore, when the performance operation unit 350 is in the raised position, the entire performance operation unit 350 (performance operation unit 301) moves upward, and the upper surface 351a of the button main body 351 protrudes above the upper surface of the unit upper cover 312.

When the button body 351 (pressing operation unit 303) of the performance operation unit 350 is pressed downward with a force stronger than the biasing force of the lifting spring 365 in this raised position, the performance operation unit 350 moves downward against the biasing force of the lifting spring 365, and the button base 354 comes into contact with the gear cover 372. When the button base 354 comes into contact with the gear cover 372, the button base 354 moves to the lowered position, and together with the button base 354, the performance operation unit 350 (pressing operation unit 303) also moves to the lowered position.

In this way, when the button base 354 abuts against the gear cover 372, the detection piece 354d protruding downward from the button base 354 is detected by the pressure detection sensor 373, and pressure on the button body 351 (pressure operation unit 303) of the performance operation unit is detected.

To return the performance operation unit 350 (pressing operation unit 303) from the raised position to the lowered position, the operation button lifting/lowering drive motor 367 rotates the lifting/lowering cam member 371 counterclockwise in plan view. In Figure 55(b), the third cam 371e, which abuts the upper left of the guide pin 354c of the button base 354, moves to the right (towards the guide pin 354c). As a result, the guide pin 354c is pressed downward by the third cam 371e, and the button base 354 moves downward via the guide pin 354c against the biasing force of the lifting/lowering spring 365.

When returning the performance operation unit 350 to the lowered position, the protrusion force adjustment drive motor 381 of the protrusion force adjustment mechanism 380 moves the lifting spring lower holding member 385 downward, reducing the amount of compression of the lifting spring 365 (see Figure 56). This weakens the force of the lifting spring 365 that urges the performance operation unit 350 upward, and therefore weakens the force acting on the third cam 371e of the lifting cam member 371 via the guide pin 354c of the button base 354. This reduces the load on the operation button lifting drive motor 367 that rotates the lifting cam member 371, reducing damage (failure) of the operation button lifting drive motor 367. Furthermore, an inexpensive motor with low torque can be used as the operation button lifting drive motor 367.

When the guide pin 354c moves from the lower end of the third cam 371e toward the first cam 371b as the lifting cam member 371 rotates, the downward movement of the button base 354 stops and the guide pin 354c rolls along the first cam 371b. When the guide pin 354c subsequently reaches the locking portion 371c midway along the first cam 371b, the biasing force of the lifting spring 365 inserts the guide pin 354c into the upwardly recessed locking portion 371c, and the rotation of the lifting cam member 371 by the operation button lifting drive motor 367 is stopped, causing the performance operation unit 350 to return to its original lowered position.

In the above example, the operation button lifting/lowering drive motor 367 rotates the lifting cam member 371 counterclockwise in the performance operation unit lifting/lowering mechanism 360, moving the guide pin 354c of the button base 354 from the first cam 371b (locking portion 371c) to the second cam 371d and causing the button base 354 (button body 351) to immediately protrude from the lowered position to the raised position. However, in the normal state where the guide pin 354c of the button base 354 is locked with the locking portion 371c of the lifting cam member 371 and the button body 351 (performance operation unit 350) is moved to the lowered position, the operation button lifting/lowering drive motor 367 may also rotate the lifting cam member 371 clockwise in a plan view. Incidentally, in this embodiment, the lifting distance of the button body 351 (performance operation unit 350) by the performance operation unit lifting/lowering mechanism 360 is approximately 40 mm.

When the lift-down cam member 371 is rotated clockwise under normal conditions, the guide pin 354c moves from the first cam 371b to the third cam 371e, and the urging force of the lift-down spring 365 causes the guide pin 354c to move upward along the third cam 371e. Then, by stopping the rotation of the lift-down cam member 371 when the guide pin 354c is halfway along the third cam 371e, the upward protrusion of the button body 351 can be stopped at any position between the lowered and raised positions. Then, by protruding the button body 351 to a position above the lowered position, it becomes possible to press the button body 351 downward against the urging force of the lift-down spring 365, allowing the button body 351 to function as the pressing operation unit 303.

When the third cam 371e is used to protrude the button body 351 upward, it is desirable to move the lifting spring lower holding member 385 of the protrusion force adjustment mechanism 380 downward to weaken the biasing force of the lifting spring 365. This reduces the load on the rotation of the lifting cam member 371 (operation button lifting drive motor 367) and also makes the button body 351 feel lighter when pressed.

In this way, the amount of protrusion of the button body 351 (effect operation unit 350) can be changed depending on the rotational position of the lifting cam member 371. Therefore, by varying the amount of protrusion of the button body 351 depending on the game status (for example, depending on the result of the lottery for the special pattern that is drawn when game ball B is received in the first lower start opening 2003, the first upper start opening 2004, or the second start opening 2005), it is possible to suggest to the player the degree of expectation for the game.

In addition, at least one shallow recess in which the guide pin 354c can be engaged may be provided midway on the third cam 371e of the lifting cam member 371. This allows the button body 351 (performance operation unit 350) to be stably protruded to a position with the same amount of protrusion, preventing variations in the amount of protrusion. Furthermore, if a recess is provided in at least one location midway on the third cam 371e, the guide pin 354c can be engaged in the recess, eliminating the need to keep the lifting cam member 371 stopped from rotating by the operation button lifting drive motor 367, and reducing the load on the operation button lifting drive motor 367.

[3-5e-6. Ejection force adjustment mechanism]
The protruding force adjustment mechanism 380 in the performance operation unit 300 will be described mainly with reference to Figures 53 to 56. The protruding force adjustment mechanism 380 can change the momentum (protruding force) with which the performance operation unit 350 (pressure operation unit 303) protrudes upward by changing the compression amount of the lifting spring 365 that urges the performance operation unit 350 upward. The protruding force adjustment mechanism 380 is provided between the bottom wall of the main body 315a in the operation unit base 315 and the base main body 361a of the lifting mechanism base 361.

The ejection force adjustment mechanism 380 includes an ejection force adjustment drive motor 381 attached to the underside of the base body 361a of the elevator mechanism base 361; a spur gear-shaped pinion gear 382 attached to the rotation shaft of the ejection force adjustment drive motor 381; a transmission gear 383 meshed with the pinion gear 382 and rotatably attached to the underside of the base body 361a; an adjustment screw 384 having a spur gear-shaped gear portion 384a meshed with the transmission gear 383 and a screw portion 384b extending cylindrically downward from the gear portion 384a and having a spiral groove formed on its outer periphery, through which the central shaft 366 is inserted and rotatably supported; and an elevator spring lower retaining member 385 meshed with the screw portion 384b of the adjustment screw 384, through which a pair of guide shafts 362 pass and against which the lower ends of a pair of elevator springs 365 abut.

The protrusion force adjustment drive motor 381 is attached to the underside of the base body 361a of the lifting mechanism base 361 so that a gap is formed between it and the underside of the base body 361a. The protrusion force adjustment drive motor 381 has a rotation shaft that protrudes into the gap between it and the base body 361a.

The adjustment screw 384 is formed with a length that extends from the bottom wall of the main body portion 315a of the operation unit base 315 to the base main body 361a of the lifting mechanism base 361. The screw portion 384b of the adjustment screw 384 is formed in a cylindrical shape with a larger diameter than the gear portion 384a.

The lifting spring lower holding member 385 has a main body portion 385a extending forward and backward, a screw hole 385b that penetrates vertically in the center of the main body portion 385a and screws into the screw portion 384b, downwardly recessed spring holding recesses 385c provided at both the front and rear ends of the main body portion 385a and capable of accommodating the lower end of the lifting spring 365, and a flat detection piece 385d extending upward from the front end of the main body portion 385a. The guide shafts 362 pass through the center of each of the pair of spring holding recesses 385c of the lifting spring lower holding member 385. The detection piece 385d is detected by the protrusion force detection sensor 375 of the performance operation unit lifting mechanism 360.

When the pinion gear 382 is rotated by the ejection force adjustment drive motor 381, the ejection force adjustment mechanism 380 can rotate the adjustment screw 384 around the central shaft 366 via the transmission gear 383 and gear portion 384a. Then, by rotating the adjustment screw 384 using the ejection force adjustment drive motor 381, the ejection force adjustment mechanism 380 can move the lifting spring lower holding member 385 up and down via the threaded hole 385b that engages with the screw portion 384b.

When the lifting spring lower holding member 385 is moved upward, the lower end of the lifting spring 365 held in the spring holding recess 385c moves upward, increasing the amount of compression of the lifting spring 365. On the other hand, when the lifting spring lower holding member 385 is moved downward, the lower end of the lifting spring 365 held in the spring holding recess 385c moves downward, decreasing the amount of compression of the lifting spring 365 (see Figure 56). In other words, moving the lifting spring lower holding member 385 upward increases the force exerted by the lifting spring 365 on the performance operation unit 350, while moving the lifting spring lower holding member 385 downward decreases the force exerted by the lifting spring 365 on the performance operation unit 350. This allows the lifting force adjustment mechanism 380 to adjust the upward protruding force of the performance operation unit 350.

The detection piece 385d of the lifting spring lower holding member 385 is detected by the protruding force detection sensor 375 when the lifting spring lower holding member 385 is raised to its highest position. In other words, the detection piece 385d is detected by the protruding force detection sensor 375 when the lifting spring 365 is compressed to its greatest extent. As a result, if the protruding force detection sensor 375 detects the detection piece 385d while the lifting spring lower holding member 385 is being moved upward by the protruding force adjustment drive motor 381, the upward movement of the lifting spring lower holding member 385 by the protruding force adjustment drive motor 381 is stopped, thereby preventing further compression of the lifting spring 365 and damage to the protruding force adjustment mechanism 380.

Furthermore, as described above, the protruding force adjustment mechanism 380 can appropriately adjust the protruding force of the effect operation unit 350. Therefore, when the effect operation unit 350 is in the lowered position, the contact detector 352 detects contact or proximity of a detectable object (e.g., a player's finger) with the button body 351, and the effect operation unit lifting mechanism 360 is used to protrude the effect operation unit 350 so that it abuts against the detectable object, the vertical position of the lifting spring lower retaining member 385 can be appropriately selected to vary the protruding force of the button body 351. This makes it possible to vary the strength of the force applied to the player's finger when the button body 351 protrudes upward. Therefore, when the button body 351 abuts strongly, the player can be made to believe that something good is about to happen, heightening the player's anticipation for the game. Therefore, the protruding force adjustment mechanism 380 can indicate to the player the degree of expectation for the game by increasing or decreasing the protruding force of the button body 351 depending on the game status (for example, depending on the result of the lottery for the special symbol that is drawn when game ball B is received in the first lower starting hole 2003, the first upper starting hole 2004, or the second starting hole 2005).

One way to change the spring's biasing force is to twist the spring. However, to protrude the performance operation unit 350, a compressed spring (compression coil spring) must be used, and twisting the compression coil spring to change the biasing force would apply excessive stress to the compression coil spring, which could cause premature deterioration and damage to the internal structure. In contrast, the protrusion force adjustment mechanism 380 of this embodiment adjusts the protrusion force (biasing force) of the performance operation unit 350 by changing the amount of compression of the lifting spring 365 through vertical movement of the lifting spring lower holding member 385. This prevents excessive stress from being applied to the lifting spring 365, reduces premature deterioration of the lifting spring 365, and allows the performance operation unit 350 to protrude stably over the long term.

[3-5e-7. Action of the Production Operation Unit]
Next, the operation of the effect operation unit 300 will be described in detail, mainly with reference to Figures 57 and 58. Figure 57 is an explanatory diagram showing the positional relationship of the effect operation unit outer decorative board, the button outer decorative board, and the button inner decorative board in a plan view of the effect operation unit as viewed from the pressing direction of the pressing operation unit. Figure 58(a) is a front view of the turntable unit shown in its normal state, and (b) is a front view of the turntable unit when the effect operation unit is in the raised position. The effect operation unit 300 is formed spherically as a whole and is equipped with an effect operation unit 301 on its top surface that can be operated by a player. The effect operation unit 301 is composed of a touch operation unit 302 that can be operated by contact or approach with the player's hand, etc., and a press operation unit 303 that can be pressed. The touch operation unit 302 is provided on the top of the press operation unit 303 (button body 351).

The effect operation unit 300 is assembled to the tray unit 200 with the protruding direction of the upwardly protruding pressing operation unit 303 (effect operation unit 350) tilted so that the top is positioned forward relative to the vertical direction. In other words, the center of the effect operation unit 301 is located forward of the apex of the spherical effect operation unit 300. This makes the effect operation unit 301 easier to see for players seated in front of the pachinko machine 1.

In the normal state of the performance operation unit 300, the pressing operation unit 303 (performance operation unit 350) is in the lowered position, and the curved upper surface of the button body 351 of the performance operation unit 350 is aligned with the spherical surface of the performance operation unit cover unit 310. Furthermore, in the normal state, pressing the pressing operation unit 303 downward does not cause the pressing operation unit 303 (performance operation unit 350) to move downward. Therefore, in the normal state, the performance operation unit 300 appears to the player as simply a spherical decorative object, making it difficult for the player to recognize that it can be operated.

As shown in Figure 57, the performance operation unit 300 has a performance operation unit outer periphery decorative board 320 arranged below the unit upper cover 312 that surrounds the outer periphery of the pressing operation unit 303 (performance operation unit 350). A circular button outer decorative board 355 is arranged inside the outer edge of the pressing operation unit 303, and a button inner decorative board 364 is arranged further inside that. The performance operation unit 300 is arranged with the button outer decorative board 355 and the performance operation unit outer periphery decorative board 320 arranged outward from the button inner decorative board 364 in that order. The LEDs 355a inside the button inner decorative board 364 and the button outer decorative board 355 are arranged below the contact detector 352, but because the contact detector 352 is made of punched metal and is therefore translucent, light from them can be easily transmitted upward (towards the player).

The performance operation unit 300 can illuminate and decorate the annular unit upper cover 312 using the LEDs 320a on the performance operation outer decorative board 320. Additionally, the LEDs 355a on the button outer decorative board 355 can illuminate and decorate the periphery and outer surface of the top surface of the button body 351. Furthermore, the LEDs 364a on the button inner decorative board 364 can illuminate and decorate the central portion of the top surface of the button body 351.

The multiple LEDs 320a on the effect operation unit outer decorative board 320, the multiple LEDs 355a on the button outer decorative board 355, and the multiple LEDs 364a on the button inner decorative board 364 are each arranged in a circular row, so by sequentially illuminating them in the circumferential direction, the player can see an illumination effect in which light rotates around the center of the pressing operation unit 303. Furthermore, because the multiple LEDs 320a, LEDs 355a, and LEDs 364a are arranged concentrically, the player can see an illumination effect in which light spreads from the center of the pressing operation unit 303 to the outside, or an illumination effect in which light converges from the outside to the center of the pressing operation unit 303.

In the normal state, as shown in Figure 58 (a), the presentation operation unit 300 is in a lowered position with the pressing operation unit 303 (presentation operation unit 350) in such a way that its upper surface is flush with the surface of the unit upper cover 312. In this state, the pressing operation unit 303 cannot be pressed. On the other hand, the touch operation unit 302 can be touched depending on the player participation presentation being executed.

In the normal state when the pressing operation unit 303 (effect operation unit 350) is not protruding, an effect (player participation effect) may be produced by, for example, displaying an effect image on the effect display device 1600 encouraging the player to touch the top surface of the effect operation unit 300, or outputting voice or sound effects. When the contact detector 352 detects contact with (or proximity to) the button body 351, the effect proceeds to the next stage. When contact is detected, the button body 351 may be illuminated by the LED 355a on the outer button decorative board 355 or the LED 364a on the inner button decorative board 364, thereby allowing the player to recognize that a touch operation has been accepted and providing a sense of operation of the touch operation unit 302. The color, brightness, and pattern of the light emitted by the button body 351 may be used to suggest to the player the degree of expectation for the game (for example, the occurrence of a favorable game state that gives the player an advantage, such as a "jackpot" game).

Alternatively, when the contact detector 352 detects contact with (or proximity to) the button body 351, the vibration motor 356 may be driven to vibrate the button body 351. This provides a sense of operation to the contact operation unit 302, making the player more aware that their contact operation has been accepted. At this time, the vibration motor 356 may impart strong vibrations, weak vibrations, or vibrations with a predetermined rhythm to indicate to the player how excited they are about the game.

In addition, in the normal presentation (player participation type presentation), a presentation image encouraging the player to touch the top surface of the presentation operation unit 300 is displayed on the presentation display device 1600, and voice, sound effects, etc. are output, and then when the contact detector 352 detects contact of the player (hand or fingers) with the top surface of the button body 351, the presentation operation unit lifting mechanism 360 causes the button body 351 (presentation operation unit 350) to protrude upward (pop up) due to the force of the lifting spring 365. More specifically, when the operation button lifting drive motor 367 rotates the lifting cam member 371 counterclockwise in a plan view under normal conditions, the guide pin 354c of the button base 354 disengages from the cam portion 371a (first cam 371b), and the biasing force of the pair of lifting springs 365 causes the effect operation unit 350 (button body 351, pressing operation portion 303) together with the button base 354 to vigorously project upward into the raised position (see FIG. 55(b)). In this raised position, the top surface of the button body 351 is positioned significantly higher than the top surface of the unit upper cover 312, and the button body 351 projects upward. As the button body 351 projects upward as described above, fingers touching the button body 351 are pushed upward along with the button body 351, greatly surprising the player and strongly attracting their attention.

Then, the device transitions to an effect in which the button body 351 (pressing operation unit 303) is pressed, allowing the player to enjoy pressing the pressing operation unit 303. More specifically, when the button body 351 (pressing operation unit 303) is in the raised position and the button body 351 is pressed downward against the biasing force of the lifting spring 365, the button body 351 (effect operation unit 350) moves downward, so that the top surface of the button body 351 is flush with the top surface of the unit upper cover 312, and the detection piece 354d of the button base 354 is detected by the pressure detection sensor 373. This detects the pressing of the button body 351 (pressing operation unit 303), and the pressing operation is used as an opportunity to change the effect, allowing the player to enjoy a player-participation effect.

In addition, during the above-mentioned effects, the protruding force (momentum) with which the button body 351 is protruded may be increased or decreased using the protruding force adjustment mechanism 380, thereby suggesting to the player the degree of expectation for the game depending on the strength of the protruding force. In addition, when the button body 351 pops up or is pressed, the vibration motor 356 may vibrate the button body 351.

In an effect in which the effect operation unit 350 is protruded, the button body 351 (effect operation unit 350) may be made to protrude upward when the contact detector 352 detects that the player's fingers or the like have approached within the movement range (protrusion range) of the upward-protruding button body 351. This causes the button body 351 to come into contact with the player's fingers or the like, causing an impact, which can surprise the player and strongly attract their attention. Even in this case, the protrusion force adjustment mechanism 380 can be used to increase or decrease the protrusion force of the button body 351, so that the strength of the protrusion force can indicate to the player how much anticipation there is for the game.

In addition, in an effect in which the effect operation unit 350 is protruded, the button body 351 (effect operation unit 350) may be made to protrude upward when the contact detector 352 detects that the player's fingers, etc., have approached within a predetermined distance of the protruding button body 351, outside the protruding range of the upwardly protruding button body 351. This allows the wind pressure generated by the protruding button body 351 to hit the player's fingers, etc., surprising the player and strongly attracting their attention. Even in this case, the protruding force adjustment mechanism 380 may be used to increase or decrease the protruding force of the button body 351, so that the strength of the wind pressure hitting the player's fingers, etc., can suggest to the player how excited they are about the game.

Furthermore, as an effect of protruding the effect operation unit 350, the button body 351 (effect operation unit 350) may be protruding upward regardless of the detection of the player's finger or the like by the contact detector 352. In this case, if the protruding force adjustment mechanism 380 causes the button body 351 to protrude with a strong protruding force, the button body 351 will protrude forcefully, generating a sound (protruding sound), which can surprise the player. Also, if the protruding force adjustment mechanism 380 causes the button body 351 to protrude with a weak protruding force, the button body 351 will protrude quietly, making it difficult for the player to notice that the button body 351 has protruded, and the player can be surprised by the button body 351 protruding without them noticing.

As an effect after the effect operation unit 350 (button body 351) is protruded, the force of the lifting spring 365 may be weakened by the protrusion force adjustment mechanism 380, so that the button body 351 (pressing operation unit 303) is pressed in the same way as a regular press button. Alternatively, the force of the lifting spring 365 may be increased by the protrusion force adjustment mechanism 380, so that the effect is such that the player is forced to press the button body 351 with a strong force.

Furthermore, after the effect operation unit 350 (button body 351) is protruded, an effect may be executed in which the protruding button body 351 is contacted. In this case, since the contact detection body 352 has a downward extension piece 352a that extends downward, the side of the button body 351 may be contacted. In this case, it is also desirable to increase the biasing force of the lifting spring 365 using the protrusion force adjustment mechanism 380, which makes it difficult for the protruding button body 351 to move and makes it easier to contact the button body 351 (touch operation unit 302).

In the above example, the effect of protruding the effect operation unit 350 is achieved by rotating the lifting cam member 371 counterclockwise using the operation button lifting drive motor 367 in the effect operation unit lifting mechanism 360, thereby moving the guide pin 354c of the button base 354 from the first cam 371b (locking portion 371c) to the second cam 371d, causing the button base 354 (button body 351) to protrude from the lowered position to the raised position in one go, but this is not limited to this example.

For example, in the normal state where the guide pin 354c of the button base 354 is engaged with the engagement portion 371c of the lifting cam member 371 and the button body 351 (performance operation unit 350) is moved to the lowered position, the operation button lifting drive motor 367 can rotate the lifting cam member 371 clockwise in a plan view, moving the guide pin 354c from the first cam 371b to the third cam 371e, stopping the rotation of the lifting cam member 371 midway through the third cam 371e and stopping the button body 351 from protruding upward at a position between the lowered and raised positions. At this time, the lifting spring lower holding member 385 of the protrusion force adjustment mechanism 380 can be moved downward to weaken the biasing force of the lifting spring 365.

In this way, even when the third cam 371e of the lifting cam member 371 causes the button body 351 to protrude partway, the button body 351 can be pressed, and the button body 351 can function as the pressing operation unit 303, allowing the player to enjoy a player-participation presentation. In this case, the amount by which the button body 351 protrudes upward can be varied depending on the rotational position of the lifting cam member 371, so the degree of expectation for the game can be suggested depending on the amount by which the button body 351 protrudes, entertaining the player.

Furthermore, to produce an effect in which the protruding effect operation unit 350 (button body 351) is pressed, after the effect operation unit 350 is protruding, the lifting spring lower holding member 385 is moved downward to minimize the compression of the lifting spring 365. This results in the lifting spring 365 having its biasing force at its weakest, allowing the effect operation unit 350 to be pressed with a light (weak) force, improving the operability of the pressing operation and making the pressing operation more enjoyable. Furthermore, to produce an effect in which the effect operation unit 350 (button body 351) is pressed, the lifting spring lower holding member 385 may be positioned appropriately in the vertical direction, depending on the results of the special pattern drawn, so that the biasing force of the lifting spring 365 is set to any strength between strongest and weakest. This allows the player to press the effect operation unit 350 firmly or lightly, which allows the player to enjoy different effects depending on the operating force of the effect operation unit 350, and also makes it possible to present a wider variety of effects, making it less likely that the player will get bored.

Furthermore, as an effect using the effect operation unit 300, multiple threshold levels may be set according to the capacitance of the contact detector 352 so that contact of the player's finger, etc. with the contact operation unit 302 (button body 351) can be detected at multiple contact stages (approach stages), and the effect may be changed according to each stage. In other words, by focusing on the fact that the capacitance of the contact detector 352 increases as the player's finger, etc. approaches the button body 351 (contact detector 352), multiple threshold levels may be set for the magnitude of that capacitance to enable multi-stage detection and use in the effect. Specifically, by dividing the stage into stages such as when the player's fingers are more than a predetermined distance away from the button body 351, when the player's fingers are within a predetermined distance from the button body 351 but are not in contact with the button body 351, and when the player's fingers are in contact with the button body 351, and changing the presentation according to each stage, it is possible to present a variety of presentations to the player with just one contact detection sensor body 358, making it less likely that the player will get bored and preventing a decline in interest.

In the above embodiment, the normal state of the performance operation unit 300 is shown as being in a state in which the performance operation unit 350 (button body 351) is in the lowered position and the lifting spring lower holding member 385 is moved upward, as shown in FIG. 55(a). However, this is not limited to this, and the performance operation unit 350 may be in the lowered position and the lifting spring lower holding member 385 may be moved downward, as shown in FIG. 56(a). As a result, in the normal state, the lifting spring 365 is not strongly compressed, and early deterioration (fatigue) of the lifting spring 365 can be suppressed. Furthermore, the biasing force of the strongly compressed lifting spring 365 can suppress early deterioration (fatigue) of the button base 354 and the lifting spring lower holding member 385.

In this way, the presentation operation unit 300 of this embodiment can be used for a variety of player-participation presentation patterns, allowing players to enjoy a wide variety of presentations, preventing players from becoming bored and reducing a decline in interest.

The performance operation unit 300 has a circular (two arcs joined together) performance operation unit outer periphery decorative board 320 mounted on top of the spherical performance operation unit cover unit 310, and a contact detection sensor main body 358 mounted on the performance operation unit unit 350, which rises and falls inside the performance operation unit outer periphery decorative board 320. A fixed-positioned button middle decorative board 364 is also mounted inside the button sleeve 353 of the performance operation unit 350. This contact detection sensor main body 358 is equipped with a sensor electrode for detecting capacitance. Therefore, when the performance operation unit 350 is moved from the lowered position to the raised position, the contact detection sensor main body 358 (sensor electrode) approaches the performance operation unit outer periphery decorative board 320 and the button middle decorative board 364. This proximity of the performance operation unit outer periphery decorative board 320 and the button middle decorative board 364 changes the capacitance of the sensor electrode, which could result in a false detection by the contact detection sensor main body 358.

Conductive shields (e.g., punched metal, metal plate, expanded metal, wire mesh, metal wire, metal foil, etc.) connected to ground (GND) may be provided between the performance operation unit outer peripheral decorative board 320 and the contact detection sensor main body 358, and between the button inner decorative board 364 and the contact detection sensor main body 358. As a result, even if the distance between the performance operation unit outer peripheral decorative board 320 and the button inner decorative board 364 changes when the performance operation unit unit 350 is moved up and down, the distance between the contact detection sensor main body 358 and the performance operation unit outer peripheral decorative board 320 or the button inner decorative board 364 does not change. The shields connected to ground (GND) between the contact detection sensor main body 358 and the performance operation unit outer peripheral decorative board 320 or the button inner decorative board 364 do not change, reducing the effect of changes in capacitance due to the proximity of the performance operation unit outer peripheral decorative board 320 or the button inner decorative board 364, and preventing false detection by the contact detection sensor main body 358.

[3-5f. Another embodiment of the tray unit]
Next, a different embodiment of the plate unit 200 will be described, mainly with reference to Figures 59 to 61. Figure 59 is a plan view of a performance operation unit showing an example in which multiple contact detectors are provided in the performance operation unit of the performance operation unit. Figure 60(a) is an explanatory diagram showing an example in which multiple contact detectors are connected to a single contact detection sensor body, (b) is an explanatory diagram showing an example in which a switching unit is provided between the contact detection sensor body and the multiple contact detectors in (a), and (c) is an explanatory diagram showing an example in which the left plate decorative unit, right plate decorative unit, and performance operation unit of the plate unit can be moved forward and backward, and contact detectors are provided on the front and rear sides of the performance operation unit. Figure 61(a) is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a decorative contact detector, and (b) is an explanatory diagram showing another embodiment of the performance operation unit. Note that in Figures 59 to 61, components similar to those described above are designated by the same reference numerals.

In the embodiment shown in Figure 59, the contact detector 352 is divided into a left contact detector 390L and a right contact detector 390R on the underside of the button body 351 of the effect operation unit 350, and a left contact detection sensor main body 391L and a right contact detection sensor main body 391R are connected to the left contact detector 390L and the right contact detector 390R, respectively. According to this embodiment, if a player moves a finger or the like from left to right on the top surface of the button body 351, when the player's finger or the like is positioned on the left side of the button body 351, the capacitance of the left contact detector 390L changes, causing the left contact detection sensor main body 391L to become detected, while the capacitance of the right contact detector 390R does not change, causing the right contact detection sensor main body 391R to remain undetected. When the player's finger or the like moves to the center of the button body 351, the capacitance of both the left contact detection body 390L and the right contact detection body 390R changes, causing both the left contact detection sensor body 391L and the right contact detection sensor body 391R to detect. Furthermore, when the player's finger or the like moves to the right side of the button body 351, the capacitance of the left contact detection body 390L returns to its original state, causing the left contact detection sensor body 391L to become non-detecting, while the capacitance of the right contact detection body 390R changes, causing the right contact detection sensor body 391R to remain detecting.

In this way, the movement of the player's fingers, etc. can be detected by the combination of detection/non-detection by the left contact detection element 390L and the right contact detection element 390R of the left contact detection sensor main body 391L and the right contact detection sensor main body 391R, and the pattern of these changes. This makes it possible to detect a wider variety of contact operations, presenting the player with a player-participation presentation that allows them to perform a wider variety of contact operations on the contact operation unit 302, and making the player-participation presentation of operating the contact operation unit 302 even more enjoyable. Furthermore, by adding more contact detection elements, even more complex movements can be detected.

The embodiment shown in Figure 60 (a) is an example in which multiple contact detection bodies 393 are connected to one contact detection sensor main body 392. According to this embodiment, with multiple contact detection bodies 393 provided at multiple different locations, one contact detection sensor main body 392 can detect contact with a human body or the like at any of the contact detection bodies 393.

For example, by distributing multiple contact detectors 393 on the inside (underside) of the button body 351, even if the player's fingers or the like come into contact with any part of the surface of the button body 351, the contact can be detected by any of the contact detectors 393, thereby improving the detection accuracy for contact with the contact operation unit 302.

In addition, multiple contact detectors 393 may be provided in areas of the pachinko machine 1 that should not be touched by players (for example, areas where a player may be injured, areas where a player may be inconvenienced by other players, areas where fraudulent activity may occur, etc.), and when any of the contact detectors 393 detects a human body or the like, a caution or warning may be issued.

The embodiment shown in Figure 60(b) is an example in which a switching unit 394 is provided between one contact detection sensor main body 392 and multiple contact detection bodies 393, connecting only one of the contact detection bodies 393 to the contact detection sensor main body 392. According to this embodiment, by switching the connection to one of the multiple contact detection bodies 352 using the switching unit 394, it is possible to detect contact by a human body or the like only at the desired location (contact detection body 352). Examples of switching units 394 include those that "switch using a switching circuit using a relay or transistor," "those that switch using other electronic circuits," and "those that switch in response to the movement of a movable member (for example, the movable left plate decorative unit 270, right plate decorative unit 275, and performance operation unit 300 as shown in Figure 60(c))."

For example, when a player participation type effect is executed in which multiple contact detectors 393 are dispersed in the effect operation unit 301 (touch operation unit 302) and the player touches the areas detected by each contact detector 393 in sequence, the contact detectors 393 connected to the contact detection sensor main body 392 can be switched in touch order by the switching unit 394, and the contact detector 393 can detect whether or not the player's fingers or the like have made contact. This makes it possible to present the player with a highly game-like player participation type effect using multiple contact detectors 393, entertaining the player and preventing a decline in interest.

Furthermore, as shown in Figure 60 (c), if the left dish decorative unit 270, right dish decorative unit 275, and performance operation unit 300 are able to move forward and backward, a first contact detection body 393a can be provided on the front side of the performance operation unit 300, and a second contact detection body 393b can be provided on the rear side of the left dish decorative unit 270, right dish decorative unit 275, and performance operation unit 300.When the performance operation unit 300, etc. is extended forward, the first contact detection body 393a can be connected to the contact detection sensor main body 392 by the switching unit 394, and when the performance operation unit 300, etc. is retracted, the switching unit 394 can be switched to connect the second contact detection body 393b to the contact detection sensor main body 392.

As a result, when the presentation operation unit 300 etc. is protruded (moved) forward, the first contact detector 393a detects contact or approach by the player, and the forward movement of the presentation operation unit 300 etc. is stopped. This prevents the presentation operation unit 300 etc. from unnecessarily pressing on a player seated in front of the pachinko machine 1, and avoids causing discomfort to the player.

On the other hand, when the presentation operation unit 300, etc., is extended forward, a gap may be formed behind the presentation operation unit 300, etc. If a player's fingers, etc., are inserted into this gap and the presentation operation unit 300, etc. is then retracted to its original position, there is a risk that the player's fingers, etc., may become trapped and be injured. Therefore, in this embodiment, when the presentation operation unit 300, etc., which has been moved forward, is moved backward, the switching unit 394 switches the second contact detection body 393b so that it is connected to the contact detection sensor main body 392. Then, if the second contact detection body 393b detects the player's fingers, etc., the backward movement of the presentation operation unit 300, etc. is stopped, and a message is sent to the player instructing them to remove their fingers, etc. from the rear of the presentation operation unit 300, etc. Only when the second contact detection body 393b is not detecting the player's fingers, the presentation operation unit 300, etc. is moved backward to return to its initial state. This prevents players from being injured by gaps behind the performance operation unit 300, etc., and improves the safety of the pachinko machine 1.

In the embodiment shown in Figure 61(a), the contact detector 395 that detects contact with a player's finger or the like has a star-shaped outer shape, giving it decorativeness (design). The shape of the decorative contact detector 395 is not limited to a star, and may be a circle, a polygon, a geometric pattern, a shape imitating a specific character, a shape imitating a specific item, a shape imitating a specific logo, a picture frame, or the like. As a result, the contact detector 395 that can be seen through the transparent button body 351 has decorativeness (design), and the contact detector 395 itself can improve the appearance of the button body 351 and, ultimately, the pachinko machine 1, making it possible to provide a pachinko machine 1 that is highly appealing to players.

Furthermore, while the above embodiment shows the contact detector 352 formed from punched metal, this is not limited to this, and the contact detector may be formed from metal plate, expanded metal, wire mesh, metal wire, plating, metal vapor deposition, foil stamping, etc., and the same effects as those described above can be achieved. It is desirable to provide the contact detector on the back side of a transparent surface member so that it does not come into direct contact with the player's fingers, etc. This prevents wear on the contact detector and also makes the surface member smooth to the touch.

Furthermore, while the above embodiment shows an in-button decorative substrate 364 (LED 364a) provided below the contact detector 352, this is not limited to this. As shown in Figure 61 (b), a contact detector 397 may be provided below a transparent surface member 396, with a decorative body 398 provided below that. This allows the decorative body 398 to be seen through the surface member 396 and the contact detector 397, thereby enhancing the decorativeness of the performance operation unit on which the surface member 396 is provided and improving the appearance of the pachinko machine 1.

In the embodiment of Figure 61 (b), the contact detector 397 is formed by metal vapor deposition, and under normal conditions, the metallic luster of the contact detector 397 makes the decorative element 398 located below it invisible. However, when contact with the surface member 396 is detected, the decorative element 398 is illuminated by an LED located below the contact detector 397, making it possible to make the decorative element 398 visible through the surface member 396 and the contact detector 397.

The contact detector 352 may also be formed so as to be unnoticeable to the player. Examples of unnoticeable contact detectors include those formed from a transparent material and those formed to appear integrated with the decoration of the surface of the button body, etc. This makes the contact detector 352 unnoticeable to the effect operation unit 301 on which the contact detector 352 is mounted, giving the player the illusion that it does not detect or operate contact with fingers, etc. For example, when a specified player-participation effect is executed and the player's finger, etc., touches or approaches the button body 351, the effect operation unit lifting mechanism 360 causes the button body 351 to protrude upward, allowing the player to become aware of the presence of the contact detector 352 (touch operation unit 302) for the first time, greatly surprising the player and entertaining them while preventing a decline in interest.

[3-6. Door frame left side unit]
The door frame left side unit 420 of the door frame 3 will be described in detail mainly with reference to Figures 62 to 65. Figure 62(a) is a front view of the door frame left side unit of the door frame, (b) is a perspective view of the door frame left side unit seen from the front, and (c) is a perspective view of the door frame left side unit seen from the rear. Figure 63 is an exploded perspective view of the door frame left side unit seen from the front, and Figure 64 is an exploded perspective view of the door frame left side unit seen from the rear. Figure 65 is a cross-sectional view taken along line U-U in Figure 62(a). The door frame left side unit 420 is attached to the front left part of the door frame base unit 100 above the tray unit 200 and decorates the left outer side of the play area 5a when viewed from the front.

The door frame left side unit 420 comprises a door frame left side base 421 attached to the left outer side of the door window 101a on the front surface of the door frame base 101 of the door frame base unit 100, a door frame left side upper decorative board 422 attached to the upper part of the front surface of the door frame left side base 421 and equipped with a plurality of first LEDs 422a arranged vertically at regular intervals on the front surface, and a door frame left side upper decorative board 422 attached to the lower part of the front surface of the door frame left side base 421 and equipped with a plurality of first LEDs 423a arranged vertically at regular intervals on the front surface. The door frame includes a lower left side decorative board 423 mounted on the left side of the door frame, an upper left side reflector 424 attached to the left side base 421 of the door frame so as to cover the front side of the upper left side decorative board 422, a lower left side reflector 425 attached to the left side base 421 of the door frame so as to cover the front side of the lower left side decorative board 423, and a left side decorative body 426 attached to the left side base 421 of the door frame so as to cover the front sides of the upper left side reflector 424 and lower left side reflector 425.

The door frame left side unit 420 also includes an upper left side light-guiding member 427 that guides light forward from the first LED 422a on the upper left side decorative board 422 of the door frame, a middle left side light-guiding member 428 that guides forward light from the first LED 423a above the vertical center on the lower left side decorative board 423 of the door frame, and a lower left side light-guiding member 429 that guides forward light from the first LED 423a below the vertical center on the lower left side decorative board 423 of the door frame.

The door frame left side base 421 is formed in a box shape that extends vertically and is open to the front. The door frame left side base 421 is two-color molded using synthetic resins with different colors and translucency (light transmittance). More specifically, like the handle cover 295 described above, the door frame left side base 421 is two-color molded using two types of resin, an inner layer 3a and an outer layer 3b. A portion of the inner layer 3a penetrates the outer layer 3b and appears on the outer surface, forming a circular or radial pattern. In other words, the circular or radial pattern appearing on the surface of the door frame left side base 421 is the inner layer 3a, and the circular or radial pattern is connected on the back side of the outer layer 3b (see Figure 71 (a)). When molding the door frame left side base 421, either the inner layer 3a or the outer layer 3b may be injection molded first.

The door frame upper left side decorative board 422 is formed in the shape of a strip that extends vertically. Multiple first LEDs 422a are mounted on the front surface of the door frame upper left side decorative board 422 at regular intervals in the vertical direction, and second LEDs 422b are mounted two by two, vertically aligned between the first LEDs 422a. The door frame upper left side decorative board 422 also has a 24-bit LED driver 422c with a unique address for illuminating the first LEDs 422a and second LEDs 422b.

This door frame upper left side decorative board 422 is equipped with a total of 12 full-color LEDs: four first LEDs 422a and eight second LEDs 422b. The first LEDs 422a, which have second LEDs 422b on both the top and bottom, are located in the center (the center between) of the second LEDs 422b. At least the second LEDs 422b are wide-angle, top-view LEDs capable of emitting light within a 130-degree angle around an optical axis perpendicular to the front surface.

As shown in Figure 72, on the decorative board 422 on the upper left side of the door frame, the four first LEDs 422a are divided into two groups: the top two and the remaining two. The eight second LEDs 422b are divided into three groups: the top two, the third to fifth three from the top, and the sixth to eighth three from the top. The LED driver 422c can control up to 24 systems, and controls the two groups of four first LEDs 422a and the three groups of eight second LEDs 422b with three systems per group, for a total of 15 systems, so that they can each emit full color light.

Although not shown, this door frame upper left side decorative board 422 is connected to a wiring cable consisting of four wires: two power lines (one is a ground line) that supply power to drive the first LED 422a, second LED 422b, and LED driver 422c; one control signal line that receives signals such as commands and addresses from the peripheral control board 1510; and one clock line that synchronizes the LED driver 422c with the peripheral control board 1510. When the LED driver 422c on this door frame upper left side decorative board 422 receives a command addressed to that address via the control signal line from the peripheral control board 1510 (performance control board), it can, in accordance with the command, cause two sets of four first LEDs 422a and three sets of eight second LEDs 422b to emit light of the appropriate color and intensity for each set.

The door frame left-side lower decorative board 423 is shaped like a strip extending vertically, with an uneven right edge. Multiple first LEDs 423a are mounted on the front surface of the door frame left-side lower decorative board 423 at regular intervals in the vertical direction, and second LEDs 423b are mounted two by two, vertically aligned between the first LEDs 423a. The door frame left-side lower decorative board 423 also has a 24-bit LED driver 423c with a unique address for illuminating the first LEDs 423a and second LEDs 423b.

This door frame lower left side decorative board 423 is equipped with a total of 18 full-color LEDs: six first LEDs 423a and 12 second LEDs 423b. The first LEDs 423a, which have second LEDs 423b on both the top and bottom, are located in the center (the center between) of the second LEDs 423b. At least the second LEDs 423b are wide-angle, top-view LEDs capable of emitting light within a 130-degree angle around an optical axis perpendicular to the front surface.

As shown in Figure 72, on the decorative board 423 on the lower left side of the door frame, the six first LEDs 423a are divided into three groups, with two LEDs in each group starting from the top. The 12 second LEDs 423b are divided into four groups: three from the top (1st to 3rd), three from the top (4th to 6th), three from the top (7th to 9th), and three from the top (10th to 12th). The LED driver 423c can control up to 24 systems, and controls the three groups of six first LEDs 423a and the four groups of 12 second LEDs 423b with three systems per group, for a total of 21 systems, so that they can each emit full color light.

Although not shown, this decorative board 423 on the lower left side of the door frame is connected to a wiring cable consisting of four wires: two power lines (one is a ground line) that supply power to drive the first LED 423a, second LED 423b, and LED driver 423c; one control signal line that receives signals such as commands and addresses from the peripheral control board 1510; and one clock line that synchronizes the LED driver 423c with the peripheral control board 1510. When the LED driver 423c on this decorative board 423 on the lower left side of the door frame receives a command addressed to that address via the control signal line from the peripheral control board 1510 (performance control board), it can, in accordance with the command, cause three sets of six first LEDs 423a and four sets of twelve second LEDs 423b to emit light of the appropriate color and intensity for each set.

The upper left side reflector 424 has a through-hole 424a that penetrates from front to back at a position corresponding to the second LED 422b mounted on the upper left side decorative board 422 of the door frame, and a cylindrical retaining tube 424b that extends from front to back at a position corresponding to the first LED 422a. The upper left side reflector 424 is formed so that the rear end around the through-hole 424a abuts against the front surface of the upper left side decorative board 422 of the door frame, and the area around the front side of the through-hole 424a is formed in a dish shape that widens forward. This allows the light from the second LED 422b to be diffused widely forward.

The retaining tube 424b of the upper left side reflector 424 holds the cylindrical light guide shaft 427a of the upper left side light guide member 427 (described later) in a straight position in the front-to-rear direction by inserting it into the retaining tube 424b. This retaining tube 424b is located in the center between the through-holes 424a. As a result, the light guide shaft 427a of the upper left side light guide member 427 protrudes forward through the retaining tube 424b. Light from the second LED 422b on the upper left side decorative board 422 of the door frame, which is exposed through the through-holes 424a on both the top and bottom, is irradiated with an equal amount of light from above and below the light guide shaft 427a, preventing the shadow of the light guide shaft 427a from being cast on the back side of the left side door frame decorative body 426.

In addition, the upper left side reflector 424 has a mounting hole in the center (on the center line) between the through holes 424a for mounting to the left door frame base 421. This prevents the shadow of the head of the screw inserted into the mounting hole from being cast on the back side of the left door frame decorative body 426.

The lower left side reflector 425 has a through-hole 425a that penetrates from front to back at a position corresponding to the second LED 423b mounted on the lower left side decorative board 423 of the door frame, and a cylindrical retaining tube 425b that extends from front to back at a position corresponding to the first LED 423a. The lower left side reflector 425 is formed so that the rear end around the through-hole 425a abuts against the front surface of the lower left side decorative board 423 of the door frame, and the area around the front side of the through-hole 425a is formed in a dish shape that widens forward. This allows the light from the second LED 423b to be diffused widely forward.

The retaining tube 425b of the lower left side reflector 425 receives the cylindrical light guide shaft 428a of the middle left side light guide member 428 and the cylindrical light guide shaft 429a of the lower left side light guide member 429 (described later), thereby holding the light guide shaft 428a and the light guide shaft 429a straight in the front-to-rear direction. This retaining tube 425b is located in the center between the through holes 425a. As a result, light from the second LED 423b on the door frame left side lower decorative board 423, which is visible through the through holes 425a on both the upper and lower sides of the light guide shaft 428a of the left side middle light guide member 428 and the light guide shaft 429a of the left side lower light guide member 429 that protrude forward through the retaining tube 425b, is irradiated with an equal amount of light from both the top and bottom onto the light guide shaft 428a and light guide shaft 429a, preventing the shadow of the light guide shaft 428a and light guide shaft 429a from being cast on the back side of the door frame left side decorative body 426.

In addition, the left side lower reflector 425 has a mounting hole in the center (on the center line) between the through holes 425a for mounting to the door frame left side base 421. This prevents the shadow of the head of the screw inserted into the mounting hole from being cast on the back side of the door frame left side decorative body 426.

The door frame left side decorative body 426 is formed in a translucent milky white color. It is formed in the shape of a semicircular arc that bulges forward and extends vertically. This gives the door frame left side decorative body 426 a semi-tubular shape that opens to the rear. This door frame left side decorative body 426 has multiple openings 426a that penetrate from front to back at regular intervals in the vertical direction along the center of its width in the left-right direction. The multiple openings 426a are located in positions corresponding to the retaining tube 424b of the upper left side reflector 424 and the retaining tube 425b of the lower left side reflector 425. The respective tips of the light guide shaft 427a of the upper left side light guide member 427, the light guide shaft 428a of the middle left side light guide member 428, and the light guide shaft 429a of the lower left side light guide member 429 are inserted into these openings 426a from the rear. This door frame left side decorative body 426 is made of a synthetic resin with higher light transmittance than the door frame left side base 421. The door frame left side decorative body 426 also has a decorative portion 426b that is recessed in an arc shape to avoid the multiple openings 426a and extends along the center of the width in the left-right direction.

The upper left-side light-guiding member 427 is made of a transparent material and has four cylindrical light-guiding shafts 427a extending forward and backward, and a runner 427b connecting the lower ends of the four light-guiding shafts 427a. The four light-guiding shafts 427a are spaced apart vertically to correspond to the four retaining tubes 424b of the upper left-side reflector 424. Furthermore, the light-guiding shafts 427a extend forward and backward with a diameter roughly equal to the inner diameter of the retaining tubes 424b. Each light-guiding shaft 427a passes through the retaining tubes 424b of the upper left-side reflector 424 from the rear and is inserted into a corresponding opening 426a in the left-side door frame decorative body 426, with its tip surface flush with the surface of the left-side door frame decorative body 426. This left side upper light guiding member 427 uses the light guiding shaft 427a to guide light from the first LED 422a on the door frame left side upper decorative board 422 forward and radiate it outward from the tip, allowing the opening 426a of the door frame left side decorative body 426 to glow brightly.

The left-side central light-guiding member 428 is made of a transparent material and has three cylindrical light-guiding shafts 428a extending forward and backward, and a runner 428b connecting the lower ends of the three light-guiding shafts 428a. The three light-guiding shafts 428a are spaced apart vertically to correspond to the three upper retaining tubes 425b of the left-side lower reflector 425. Furthermore, the light-guiding shafts 428a extend forward and backward with a diameter roughly equal to the inner diameter of the retaining tubes 425b. Each light-guiding shaft 428a passes through the retaining tube 425b of the left-side lower reflector 425 from the rear and is inserted into a corresponding opening 426a in the left-side door frame decorative body 426, with its tip surface flush with the surface of the left-side door frame decorative body 426. This left side center light-guiding member 428 uses the light-guiding shaft 428a to guide light from the first LED 423a on the door frame left side lower decorative board 423 forward and radiate it outward from the tip, brightly illuminating the opening 426a in the door frame left side decorative body 426.

The lower left side light guide member 429 is made of a transparent material and has three cylindrical light guide shafts 429a extending forward and backward, and a runner 429b connecting the lower ends of the three light guide shafts 429a. The three light guide shafts 429a are spaced apart vertically to correspond to the three retaining tubes 425b below the lower left side reflector 425. Furthermore, the light guide shafts 429a extend forward and backward with a diameter approximately equal to the inner diameter of the retaining tubes 425b. Each light guide shaft 429a passes through the retaining tube 425b of the lower left side reflector 425 from the rear and is inserted into a corresponding opening 426a in the left side door frame decorative body 426, with its tip surface flush with the surface of the left side door frame decorative body 426. This left-side lower light-guiding member 429 uses the light-guiding shaft 429a to guide light from the first LED 423a on the door frame left-side lower decorative board 423 forward and radiate it outward from the tip, brightly illuminating the opening 426a in the door frame left-side decorative body 426.

In this embodiment, the color of the circular or radial patterned areas on the door frame left side base 421 is the same as the color of the circular or radial patterned areas on the handle cover 295, and the color of the areas outside the circular or radial patterned areas on the door frame left side base 421 is the same as the color of the areas outside the circular or radial patterned areas on the handle cover 295.

In this embodiment, the portion of the door frame left side unit 420 above the vertical center protrudes slightly forward more than the portion below, and the portion near the bottom edge is gently curved to the right. The upper end of this door frame left side unit 420 is located above the door window 101a and below the door frame upper hinge assembly 120, and the lower end is located below the door window 101a and above the speaker port 211b in the dish unit base 211 of the dish base unit 210. The upper portion of the door frame left side unit 420 is located on the left outer side of the door frame top unit 450. When assembled to the door frame 3, the door frame left side unit 420 decorates the left outer side of the door window 101a of the door frame base 101, giving the appearance of an embedded cylindrical fluorescent lamp.

In the door frame left side unit 420 of this embodiment, the door frame left side upper decorative board 422 and the door frame left side lower decorative board 423 are located at a position some distance behind the front of the door frame left side decorative body 426. This allows the light from the second LED 422b and second LED 423b mounted on them to be irradiated to the back side of the door frame left side decorative body 426 in a sufficiently spread state, allowing the door frame left side decorative body 426 to be uniformly illuminated and decorated.

In addition, light from the first LED 422a on the upper left-side decorative board 422 and the first LED 423a on the lower left-side decorative board 423, which are located away from the front surface of the left-side door frame decorative body 426 and are guided forward (light guided) by the light guide shaft 427a of the upper left-side light guide member 427, the light guide shaft 428a of the middle left-side light guide member 428, and the light guide shaft 429a of the lower left-side light guide member 429, causing the opening 426a of the left-side door frame decorative body 426 to emit light in a spot-like manner that is brighter than other areas.

In addition, the first LED 422a on the upper decorative board 422 on the left side of the door frame and the first LED 423a on the lower decorative board 423 on the left side of the door frame, the light guide shaft portion 427a of the upper left side light guide member 427, the light guide shaft portion 428a of the middle left side light guide member 428 and the light guide shaft portion 429a of the lower left side light guide member 429 are arranged in the center between the two adjacent second LEDs 422b and second LEDs 423b. As a result, the light guide shaft 427a, light guide shaft 428a, and light guide shaft 429a are illuminated with an equal amount of light from the second LEDs 422b and 423b on both sides, so even if the shadows of the light guide shaft 427a, light guide shaft 428a, and light guide shaft 429a are cast from behind onto the door frame left side decorative body 426, these shadows are less visible, allowing the door frame left side decorative body 426 to be illuminated and decorated in an even, planar manner.

Furthermore, the door frame left side decorative body 426 has a decorative portion 426b that extends along the center of the width in the left-right direction so as to connect the multiple openings 426a. As a result, even if the shadows of the light guide shafts 427a, 428a, and 429a are projected onto the door frame left side decorative body 426 by the light from the second LEDs 422b and 423b, the presence of the decorative portion 426b in the area where the shadows are projected makes the shadows of the light guide shafts 427a, 428a, and 429a less noticeable, improving the appearance of the illuminated decoration of the door frame left side decorative body 426.

[3-7. Door frame right side unit]
Next, the right-side door frame unit 430 of the door frame 3 will be described in detail, mainly with reference to Figures 66 to 70. Figure 66(a) is a front view of the right-side door frame unit of the door frame, (b) is a right-side view of the right-side door frame unit, (c) is a perspective view of the right-side door frame unit from the front, and (d) is a perspective view of the right-side door frame unit from the rear. Figure 67 is an exploded perspective view of the right-side door frame unit from the front, and Figure 68 is an exploded perspective view of the right-side door frame unit from the rear. Figure 69 is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-E in Figure 66(a). Figure 70 is a cross-sectional view taken along line O-O in Figure 66(a). The right-side door frame unit 430 is attached to the right front of the door frame base unit 100 above the tray unit 200, and decorates the outer right side of the play area 5a when viewed from the front.

The right-side door frame unit 430 comprises a right-side door frame base 431 attached to the right outer side of the door window 101a on the front surface of the door frame base 101 of the door frame base unit 100; an upper right-side door frame decorative board 432 attached to the upper part of the front surface of the right-side door frame base 431 and equipped with a plurality of first LEDs 432a arranged vertically at regular intervals on the front surface; a lower right-side door frame decorative board 433 attached to the lower part of the front surface of the right-side door frame base 431 and equipped with a plurality of first LEDs 433a arranged vertically at regular intervals on the front surface; a right-side door frame reflector 434 attached to the right-side door frame base 431 so as to cover the front sides of the upper right-side door frame decorative board 432 and the lower right-side door frame decorative board 433; and a right-side door frame decorative body 435 attached to the right-side door frame base 431 so as to cover the front side of the right-side door frame reflector 434.

The door frame right side unit 430 also includes an upper right side light-guiding member 436 that guides light forward from the first LED 423a on the upper right side decorative board 432 of the door frame, and a lower right side light-guiding member 437 that guides light forward from the first LED 433a on the lower right side decorative board 433 of the door frame.

Furthermore, the door frame right side unit 430 includes a door frame right side left side decorative body 438 that is attached to cover the left side of the door frame right side base 431 and has multiple decorative holes 438a that penetrate from side to side in a predetermined shape; a right side left lens 439 that is provided between the right side left side decorative body 438 and the door frame right side base 431 and has a translucent decorative portion 439a that fits to close the decorative hole 438a in the right side left side decorative body 438; a right side right side decorative body 440 that is attached to cover the right side of the door frame right side base 431 and has multiple decorative holes 440a that penetrate from side to side in a predetermined shape; and a right side right lens 441 that is attached between the right side right side decorative body 440 and the door frame right side base 431 and has a translucent decorative portion 441a that fits to close the decorative hole 440a in the right side right side decorative body 440.

The door frame right side base 431 extends vertically with a roughly constant width on both sides. The rear end of the door frame right side base 431 extends vertically across its entire height, and the front end extends roughly straight downward from the top to near the center in the vertical direction, then curves rearward and extends diagonally backward, before curving vertically near the bottom and continuing vertically to the bottom.

The door frame right side base 431 has multiple reflector portions 431a recessed from the left and right side surfaces and extending forward to their front ends at a height where the decorative hole 438a on the left side decorative body 438 of the right side of the door frame and the decorative hole 440a on the right side decorative body 440 of the right side of the door frame (decorative portion 439a on the left lens 439 of the right side and decorative portion 441a on the right lens 441 of the right side) are located. The rear ends of these reflector portions 431a, which are inside the decorative portions 439a and 441a, are inclined toward the side surfaces, and the bottom surfaces are curved.

Furthermore, the door frame right side base 431 has reflector portions 431a that correspond to decorative holes 438a and 440a (decorative portion 439a on the right side left lens 439 and decorative portion 441a on the right side right lens 441) located rearward of the center in the fore-and-aft direction on the door frame right side left side decorative body 438 and door frame right side decorative body 440, respectively. The front portions, excluding the portions inside decorative portions 439a and 441a, penetrate in the left-right direction (they are recessed from the left and right side surfaces and connected to each other).

The reflector portions 431a of the door frame right side base 431 reflect light irradiated rearward from the third LED 432c on the door frame right side upper decorative board 432 and the third LED 433c on the door frame right side lower decorative board 433 (described below) in the left and right directions, causing the decorative portion 439a on the right side left lens 439 and the decorative portion 441a on the right side right lens 441 to illuminate and decorate (see Figure 70, etc.).

The door frame right-side upper decorative board 432 is formed in the shape of a strip that extends vertically. Multiple first LEDs 432a are mounted on the front surface of the door frame right-side upper decorative board 432 at regular intervals in the vertical direction, and second LEDs 432b are mounted two by two, vertically spaced between the first LEDs 432a. Additionally, multiple third LEDs 432c are mounted on the rear surface of the door frame right-side upper decorative board 432 at intervals in the vertical direction. Furthermore, the door frame right-side upper decorative board 432 is equipped with a 24-bit LED driver 432d with a unique address for illuminating the first LEDs 432a, second LEDs 432b, and third LEDs 432c.

This door frame upper right side decorative board 432 is equipped with a total of 16 full-color LEDs: four first LEDs 432a, eight second LEDs 432b, and four third LEDs 432c. The first LED 432a, which has second LEDs 432b on both the top and bottom, is located in the center (the center between) of the second LEDs 432b. At least the second LED 432b and third LED 432c are wide-angle, top-view LEDs capable of emitting light within a 130-degree angle around an optical axis perpendicular to the front surface.

As shown in Figure 72, on the decorative board 432 on the upper right side of the door frame, the four first LEDs 432a are divided into two groups: the top two and the remaining two. The eight second LEDs 432b are divided into three groups: the top two, the third to fifth three from the top, and the sixth to eighth three from the top. The four third LEDs 432c are further divided into two groups: the top two and the remaining two.

This door frame upper right side decorative board 432 is divided into two sets of first LEDs 432a, three sets of second LEDs 432b, and two sets of third LEDs 432c, and each of the first LEDs 432a, second LEDs 432b, and third LEDs 432c is illuminated in full color, for a total of 21 systems, with three systems per set. In contrast, the LED driver 432d on the door frame upper right side decorative board 432 can control up to 24 systems, so in addition to the 21 systems mentioned above, it also controls three systems for the upper set of third LEDs 433c, which are divided into two sets on the door frame lower right side decorative board 433 (described below), for a total of 24 systems.

Although not shown, this upper decorative board 432 on the right side of the door frame is connected to a wiring cable consisting of four electrical wires: two power lines (one is an earth wire) that supply power to drive the first LED 432a, second LED 432b, third LED 432c, the two third LEDs 433c on the lower decorative board 433 on the right side of the door frame, and the LED driver 432d; one control signal line for receiving signals such as commands and addresses from the peripheral control board 1510; and one clock line for synchronizing the LED driver 432d with the peripheral control board 1510. When the LED driver 432d on the upper right door frame decorative board 432 receives a command addressed to that address via a control signal line from the peripheral control board 1510 (performance control board), it can, in accordance with that command, cause the four first LEDs 432a divided into two sets, the eight second LEDs 432b divided into three sets, the four third LEDs 432c divided into two sets, and the two third LEDs 433c in the upper set of two sets on the lower right door frame decorative board 433 to emit light in the appropriate color and intensity for each set.

The door frame right-side lower decorative board 433 is formed in the shape of a strip that extends vertically. Multiple first LEDs 433a are mounted on the front surface of the door frame right-side lower decorative board 433 at regular intervals in the vertical direction, and second LEDs 433b are mounted two by two, vertically spaced between the first LEDs 433a. Additionally, multiple third LEDs 433c are mounted on the rear surface of the door frame right-side lower decorative board 433 at intervals in the vertical direction. Furthermore, the door frame right-side lower decorative board 433 is equipped with a 24-bit LED driver 433d with a unique address for illuminating the first LEDs 433a, second LED 433b, and third LED 433c.

This door frame lower right side decorative board 433 is equipped with a total of 22 full-color LEDs: six first LEDs 433a, 12 second LEDs 433b, and four third LEDs 433c. The first LEDs 433a, which have second LEDs 433b on both the top and bottom, are located in the center (the center between) of the second LEDs 433b. At least the second LEDs 433b and third LEDs 433c are wide-angle, top-view LEDs capable of emitting light within a 130-degree angle around an optical axis perpendicular to the front surface.

As shown in Figure 72, on the decorative board 433 on the lower right side of the door frame, the six first LEDs 433a are divided into three groups, with two LEDs in each group starting from the top. The 12 second LEDs 433b are divided into four groups: three from the top (1st to 3rd), three from the top (4th to 6th), three from the top (7th to 9th), and three from the top (10th to 12th). The four third LEDs 433c are further divided into two groups: the top two and the remaining two.

This door frame right-side lower decorative board 433 is divided into three sets of first LEDs 433a, four sets of second LEDs 433b, and two sets of third LEDs 433c. Each first LED 433a, second LED 433b, and third LED 433c is illuminated in full color, for a total of 27 systems (three systems per set). However, the LED driver 433d of the door frame right-side lower decorative board 433 can only control a maximum of 24 systems. Therefore, the upper set of three systems of the third LEDs 433c, which are divided into two sets, is controlled by the LED driver 432d of the door frame right-side upper decorative board 432, and the remaining 24 systems (all of the front first LEDs 433a and second LEDs 433b and the lower two rear third LEDs 433c) are controlled by the LED driver 433d of the door frame right-side lower decorative board 433. This helps prevent an increase in the number of LED drivers.

Although not shown, this decorative board 433 on the lower right side of the door frame is connected to a wiring cable consisting of four wires: two power lines (one is a ground line) that supply power to drive the first LED 433a, second LED 433b, two lower third LEDs 433c, and LED driver 433d; one control signal line that receives signals such as commands and addresses from the peripheral control board 1510; and one clock line that synchronizes the LED driver 433d with the peripheral control board 1510. When the LED driver 433d on this decorative board 433 on the lower right side of the door frame receives a command addressed to that address via the control signal line from the peripheral control board 1510 (performance control board), it can, in response to that command, illuminate the six first LEDs 433a divided into three groups, the twelve second LEDs 433b divided into four groups, and the two third LEDs 433c in the lower group of two groups with the appropriate color and intensity for each group.

The right side reflector 434 has a through-hole 434a that penetrates from front to back at a position corresponding to the second LED 432b on the upper right door frame decorative board 432 and the second LED 433b on the lower right door frame decorative board 433, and a cylindrical retaining tube 434b that extends from front to back at a position corresponding to the first LED 432a and the first LED 433a. The right side reflector 434 is formed so that the rear end around the through-hole 434a abuts against the front surface of the upper right door frame decorative board 432 and the lower right door frame decorative board 433, and the area around the front side of the through-hole 434a is formed in a dish shape that widens forward. This allows the light from the second LED 432b and the second LED 433b to be diffused widely forward.

The retaining tube 434b of the right side reflector 434 receives the cylindrical light guide shaft 436a of the upper right side light guide member 436 and the cylindrical light guide shaft 437a of the lower right side light guide member 437 (described later), thereby holding the light guide shaft 436a and the light guide shaft 437a straight in the front-to-rear direction. This retaining tube 434b is located in the center between the through holes 434a. As a result, light from the second LED 432b on the upper right door frame decorative board 432 and the second LED 433b on the lower right door frame decorative board 433, which are visible through the through holes 434a on both the top and bottom of the light guide shafts 436a and 437a that protrude forward through the retaining tube 434b, is irradiated onto the light guide shafts 436a and 437a with an equal amount of light from both the top and bottom, preventing the shadow of the light guide shafts 436a and 437a from being cast on the back side of the door frame right side decorative body 435.

The right side reflector 434 also has a mounting hole in the center (on the center line) between the through holes 434a for mounting to the door frame right side base 431. This prevents the shadow of the head of the screw inserted into the mounting hole from being cast on the back side of the door frame right side decorative body 435.

The door frame right-side decorative body 435 is formed in a translucent milky white color. It is formed in the shape of a semicircular arc that bulges forward and extends vertically. This gives the door frame right-side decorative body 435 a semi-tubular shape that opens rearward. The door frame right-side decorative body 435 has multiple openings 435a that penetrate the center of its width in the left-right direction at regular intervals. The multiple openings 435a are located in positions corresponding to the retaining tube 434b of the right-side reflector 434. The respective tips of the light-guiding shaft 436a of the upper right-side light-guiding member 436 and the light-guiding shaft 437a of the lower right-side light-guiding member 437 are inserted into these openings 435a from the rear. The door frame right-side decorative body 435 is formed from a synthetic resin with higher light transmittance than the door frame left-side decorative body 438 and the door frame right-side decorative body 440. The door frame right side decorative body 435 has the same light transmittance as the door frame left side decorative body 426. In addition, the door frame right side decorative body 435 further has a decorative portion 435b that is recessed in an arc shape to avoid the multiple openings 435a and extends along the center of the width in the left-right direction.

The upper right-side light-guiding member 436 is made of a transparent material and has four cylindrical light-guiding shafts 436a extending forward and backward, and a runner 436b connecting the lower ends of the four light-guiding shafts 436a. The four light-guiding shafts 436a are spaced apart vertically from the top of the right-side reflector 434, corresponding to the four retaining tubes 434b. Furthermore, the light-guiding shafts 436a extend forward and backward with a diameter roughly equal to the inner diameter of the retaining tubes 434b. Each light-guiding shaft 436a passes through the retaining tube 434b of the right-side reflector 434 from the rear and is inserted into a corresponding opening 435a in the right-side door frame decorative body 435, with its tip flush with the surface of the right-side door frame decorative body 435. This upper right side light-guiding member 436 uses the light-guiding shaft 436a to guide light from the first LED 432a on the upper right side decorative board 432 of the door frame forward and radiate it outward from the tip, brightly illuminating the opening 435a of the right side door frame decorative body 435.

The lower right-side light-guiding member 437 is made of a transparent material and has six cylindrical light-guiding shafts 437a extending forward and backward, and runners 437b connecting the lower ends of the six light-guiding shafts 437a. The six light-guiding shafts 437a are spaced apart vertically from below the right-side reflector 434, corresponding to the six retaining tubes 434b. Furthermore, the light-guiding shafts 437a extend forward and backward with a diameter roughly equal to the inner diameter of the retaining tubes 434b. Each light-guiding shaft 437a passes through the retaining tubes 434b of the right-side reflector 434 from the rear and is inserted into a corresponding opening 435a in the right-side door frame decorative body 435, with its tip flush with the surface of the right-side door frame decorative body 435. This right-side lower light-guiding member 437 uses the light-guiding shaft 437a to guide light from the first LED 433a on the door frame right-side lower decorative board 433 forward and radiate it outward from the tip, brightly illuminating the opening 435a in the door frame right-side decorative body 435.

The door frame right-side left-side decorative body 438 is formed as a plate extending vertically, with multiple decorative holes 438a penetrating left and right in a predetermined shape (radial pattern shape). The front end of the door frame right-side left-side decorative body 438 is formed in a shape that follows the rear end of the door frame right-side decorative body 435. The door frame right-side left-side decorative body 438 is molded in two colors using synthetic resins with different colors and translucency (light transmittance). More specifically, like the handle cover 295 and door frame left-side base 421 described above, the door frame right-side left-side decorative body 438 is molded in two colors using two types of resin, an inner layer 3a and an outer layer 3b, and a portion of the inner layer 3a penetrates the outer layer 3b and appears on the outer surface, forming a circular or radial pattern. In other words, part of the circular and radial patterns appearing on the surface of the door frame right-side left-side decorative body 438 are the inner layer 3a, and the circular and radial patterns are connected on the back side of the outer layer 3b (see Figure 71 (a)). When molding the door frame right-side left-side decorative body 438, either the inner layer 3a or the outer layer 3b may be injection molded first.

The right-side left lens 439 is formed in a flat plate shape that conforms to the inner (right) surface of the door frame's right-side left-side decorative body 438, and has a decorative portion 439a that protrudes to the left and fits into the decorative hole 438a of the door frame's right-side left-side decorative body 438 from the inside (right side). When fitted into the decorative hole 438a, the surface of the decorative portion 439a coincides with the outer (left) surface of the door frame's right-side left-side decorative body 438 (see Figure 70). This right-side left lens 439 is formed from a synthetic resin with higher light transmittance than the door frame's right-side left-side decorative body 438. The decorative portion 439a of this right-side left lens 439 is located to the left of the reflector portion 431a on the door frame's right-side base 431, and can be illuminated and decorated with light from the third LED 432c on the door frame's right-side upper decorative board 432 and the third LED 433c on the door frame's right-side lower decorative board 433.

The right-side left lens 439 is also formed in the same color as the inner layer 3a of the door frame right-side left-side decorative body 438. As a result, in the assembled state, the decorative portion 439a visible through the decorative hole 438a of the door frame right-side left-side decorative body 438 looks the same as the radial pattern molded in two colors on the door frame right-side left-side decorative body 438, making it difficult to distinguish from the decorative portion 439a illuminated by the third LED 432c and third LED 433c.

The right-side decorative body 440 on the right side of the door frame is formed as a plate that extends vertically and has multiple decorative holes 440a that run horizontally in a predetermined shape (radial pattern). The right-side decorative body 440 on the right side of the door frame also has a cylinder insertion opening 440b into which a cylindrical portion with a keyhole 132 at the front end of the cylinder body 131 of the cylinder lock 130 is inserted. The right-side decorative body 440 on the right side of the door frame is formed to be approximately the same height as the door frame 3 in the vertical direction. The front end of the right-side decorative body 440 on the right side of the door frame, from its top end to the cylinder insertion opening 440b, is shaped to follow the rear end of the right-side decorative body 435 on the right side of the door frame.

The door frame right side decorative body 440 is molded in two colors using synthetic resins with different colors and translucency (light transmittance). More specifically, like the handle cover 295, door frame left side base 421, and door frame left side decorative body 438, the door frame right side decorative body 440 is molded in two colors using two types of resin: an inner layer 3a and an outer layer 3b. A portion of the inner layer 3a penetrates the outer layer 3b and appears on the outer surface, forming a circular or radial pattern. In other words, part of the circular or radial pattern appearing on the surface of the door frame right side decorative body 440 is the inner layer 3a, and the circular or radial pattern is connected on the back side of the outer layer 3b (see Figure 71(a)). When molding the door frame right side decorative body 440, either the inner layer 3a or the outer layer 3b may be injection molded first.

The right-side lens 441 is formed in a flat plate shape that conforms to the inner (right) surface above the cylinder insertion opening 440b of the right-side decorative body 440 on the right side of the door frame, and has a decorative portion 441a that protrudes to the right and fits into the decorative hole 440a of the right-side decorative body 440 on the right side of the door frame from the inside (left side). When fitted into the decorative hole 440a, the surface of the decorative portion 441a coincides with the outer (right) surface of the right-side decorative body 440 on the right side of the door frame (see Figure 70). This right-side lens 441 is formed from a synthetic resin with a higher light transmittance than the right-side decorative body 440 on the right side of the door frame. The decorative portion 441a of this right lens 441 on the right side is located to the right of the reflector portion 431a on the right side base 431 of the door frame, and can be illuminated and decorated with light from the third LED 432c on the upper decorative board 432 on the right side of the door frame and the third LED 433c on the lower decorative board 433 on the right side of the door frame.

The right lens 441 on the right side is formed in the same color as the inner layer 3a of the decorative body 440 on the right side of the door frame. As a result, in the assembled state, the decorative portion 441a visible through the decorative hole 440a on the decorative body 440 on the right side of the door frame looks the same as the radial pattern molded in two colors on the decorative body 440 on the right side of the door frame, making it difficult to distinguish from the decorative portion 441a illuminated by the third LED 432c and third LED 433c.

In this embodiment, the door frame right side unit 430 has the circular or radial patterned parts on the left side decorative body 438 on the right side of the door frame and the right side decorative body 440 on the right side of the door frame formed in the same color as the circular or radial patterned parts on the handle cover 295 and the left side base 421 of the door frame, and the parts outside the circular or radial patterned parts on the left side decorative body 438 on the right side of the door frame and the right side decorative body 440 on the right side of the door frame formed in the same color as the parts outside the circular or radial patterned parts on the handle cover 295 and the left side base 421 of the door frame.

In this embodiment, the portion of the door frame right side unit 430 above the vertical center protrudes further forward than the portion of the opposite door frame left side unit 420 at the same height. This door frame right side unit 430 is formed at approximately the same height as the door frame 3 from its top to bottom. The upper part of the door frame right side unit 430 is located on the outer right side of the door frame top unit 450.

When assembled to the door frame 3, the door frame right side unit 430 decorates the right outer side of the door window 101a of the door frame base 101, and the door frame right side decorative body 435 appears to have a cylindrical fluorescent lamp embedded in it.

The door frame right side unit 430 protrudes forward from the top to roughly half its height, forming a screen. This makes it difficult for players seated in front of the pachinko machine located adjacent to the right side of the island equipment in the gaming hall to see inside the door window 101a (playing area 5a). Therefore, because the door frame right side unit 430 is shaped like a screen, it can block the line of sight of nearby players, making it difficult for other players to see the entire playing area 5a. This reduces the feeling that other players are watching, allowing players to play without worrying about other players.

In the door frame right side unit 430 of this embodiment, the door frame right side upper decorative board 432 and the door frame right side lower decorative board 433 are located at a position some distance behind the front of the door frame right side decorative body 435. This allows the light from the second LEDs 432b and 433b mounted on them to be irradiated to the back side of the door frame right side decorative body 435 in a sufficiently spread state, allowing the door frame right side decorative body 435 to be uniformly illuminated and decorated.

In addition, the door frame right side unit 430 guides (guides) light forward from the first LED 432a on the upper right side decorative board 432 and the first LED 433a on the lower right side decorative board 433, which are located away from the front surface of the door frame right side decorative body 435, using the light guiding shaft 436a of the upper right side light guiding member 436 and the light guiding shaft 437a of the lower right side light guiding member 437, causing the opening 435a of the door frame right side decorative body 435 to emit light in a spot-like manner that is brighter than other areas.

Furthermore, by illuminating the third LED 432c on the upper right-side decorative board 432 and the third LED 433c on the lower right-side decorative board 433, the door frame right-side unit 430 can illuminate the decorative portion 439a of the left right-side lens 439, which is fitted into the decorative hole 438a of the left side decorative body 438 on the right side of the door frame, and the decorative portion 441a of the right right-side lens 441, which is fitted into the decorative hole 440a of the right side decorative body 440 on the right side of the door frame, via the reflector portion 431a of the right-side door frame base 431. Furthermore, because portions of the left and right sides of the screen-shaped door frame right-side unit 430 (the areas of decorative portion 439a and decorative portion 441a) can be illuminated, the pachinko machine 1 can be made to stand out to other players, providing a pachinko machine 1 that is highly appealing to players.

In addition, according to the door frame right side unit 430 of this embodiment, the first LED 432a and second LED 432b on the front side of the door frame right side upper decorative board 432 and the first LED 433a and second LED 433b on the front side of the door frame right side lower decorative board 433 illuminate and decorate the front end side door frame right side decorative body 435, and the third LED 432c on the rear side of the door frame right side upper decorative board 432 and the third LED 433c on the rear side of the door frame right side lower decorative board 433 illuminate and decorate the door frame right side left side decorative body 435 behind the door frame right side decorative body 435. 8 and the right-side door frame decorative element 440 on the right side are illuminated, and therefore the presence of the upper right-side door frame decorative board 432 and the lower right-side door frame decorative board 433 prevents light from the first LED 432a, the second LED 432b, the first LED 433a, and the second LED 433b from illuminating the rear left-side door frame decorative element 438 and the right-side door frame decorative element 440, causing them to be illuminated, or light from the third LED 432c and the third LED 433c from illuminating the front right-side door frame decorative element 435, causing them to be illuminated. This allows the right-side door frame decorative element 435 and the rear left-side door frame decorative element 438 and the right-side door frame decorative element 440 to be illuminated completely independently, making it possible to provide a pachinko machine 1 that can present players with more effective illumination effects.

In addition, the door frame right-side unit 430 has the first LED 432a on the door frame right-side upper decorative board 432 and the first LED 433a on the door frame right-side lower decorative board 433, and the light guide shaft 436a of the right-side upper light-guiding member 436 and the light guide shaft 437a of the right-side lower light-guiding member 437, located in the center between the two adjacent second LEDs 432b and 433b. This allows the light guide shaft 436a and light guide shaft 437a to be irradiated with an equal amount of light from the second LEDs 432b and 433b on both sides. Therefore, even if a shadow of the light guide shaft 436a and light guide shaft 437a is cast from behind onto the door frame right-side decorative body 435, the shadow is less visible, allowing the door frame right-side decorative body 435 to be illuminated in an even, planar manner.

Furthermore, the door frame right-side unit 430 is configured so that the door frame right-side decorative body 435 has a decorative portion 435b that extends along the center of the left-right width so as to connect the multiple openings 435a. As a result, even if the shadows of the light guide shafts 436a and 437a are projected onto the door frame right-side decorative body 435 by the light from the second LEDs 432b and 433b, the presence of the decorative portion 435b in the area where the shadows are projected makes the shadows of the light guide shafts 436a and 437a less noticeable, thereby improving the appearance of the illuminated decoration of the door frame right-side decorative body 435.

[3-8. Door frame top unit]
The door frame top unit 450 in the door frame 3 will be described mainly with reference to Figures 29 and 30. The door frame top unit 450 is attached to the upper front surface of the door frame base unit 100 so as to be sandwiched between the upper portions of the left and right side units 420, 430.

The door frame top unit 450 comprises a door frame top base 451 attached to the front surface of the door frame base 101 of the door frame base unit 100, above the door window 101a; a top upper cover 452 attached to the door frame top base 451 so as to cover both the left and right sides and the upper front surface of the door frame top base 451; a door frame top decorative body 453 attached to the front end of the top upper cover 452; and a door frame top bottom plate (not shown) connecting the lower end of the door frame top decorative body 453 to the lower end of the door frame top base 451.

The door frame top unit 450 also includes a door frame top central decorative board 455 that is attached to the center of the front of the top upper cover 452 behind the door frame top decorative body 453 and has multiple LEDs mounted on its front surface; a door frame top left decorative board 456 that is attached to the left of the door frame top central decorative board 455 on the front of the top upper cover 452 behind the door frame top decorative body 453 and has multiple LEDs mounted on its front surface; and a door frame top right decorative board 457 that is attached to the right of the door frame top central decorative board 455 on the front of the top upper cover 452 behind the door frame top decorative body 453 and has multiple LEDs mounted on its front surface (see Figure 72).

The door frame top unit 450 also includes a pair of top center speakers (not shown) mounted on the front of the door frame top base 451, a pair of top side speakers (not shown) mounted on the left and right outer sides of the pair of top center speakers, a box-shaped speaker box in which the top center speaker and top side speakers are mounted facing diagonally downward and forward, a top lower cover 465 attached to the underside of the door frame top decorative body 453 so as to cover the front of the top center speaker and top side speakers, a door frame top relay board (not shown) attached near the right end of the front of the door frame top base 451, and a door frame top plate 468 attached to the top upper cover 452 so as to cover the top of the door frame top base 451.

The door frame top base 451 extends left and right for a length approximately equal to the distance between the door frame left side unit 420 and the door frame right side unit 430. The top upper cover 452 protrudes forward in a semicircular arc shape in a plan view, and has an opening 452a that is cut out significantly from the rear end toward the front. This opening 452a is closed by the door frame top plate 468.

The door frame top decorative body 453 is formed in a translucent milky white color. In a plan view, the door frame top decorative body 453 extends left and right in a semicircular arc shape along the front edge of the top upper cover 452. The front surface of the door frame top decorative body 453 is formed in a semicircular arc shape so that the center in the vertical direction protrudes forward. As a result, the door frame top decorative body 453 is formed in a semi-tube shape that is open to the rear.

The door frame top central decorative board 455 is formed in the shape of a strip extending to the left and right. The door frame top central decorative board 455 has multiple full-color LEDs 455a mounted on the front surface. By appropriately illuminating the multiple LEDs 455a, this door frame top central decorative board 455 can illuminate and decorate the center of the door frame top decorative body 453.

The door frame top left decorative board 456 is formed in the shape of a strip extending to the left and right. The door frame top left decorative board 456 has multiple full-color LEDs 456a mounted on the front surface. By appropriately illuminating the multiple LEDs 456a, this door frame top left decorative board 456 can illuminate and decorate the left portion of the door frame top decorative body 453.

The door frame top right decorative board 457 is formed in the shape of a strip extending to the left and right. The door frame top right decorative board 457 has multiple full-color LEDs 457a mounted on the front surface. By appropriately illuminating the multiple LEDs 457a, this door frame top right decorative board 457 can illuminate and decorate the right portion of the door frame top decorative body 453.

A pair of top center speakers are located on the left and right, spaced apart. The pair of top center speakers are full-range speakers that output sounds such as voice and music over a wide frequency range. The pair of top side speakers are tweeters that output high-frequency sounds such as voice and music.

The top lower cover 465 is made of punched metal, a metal plate with numerous through-holes. Sound output from the top center speaker and top side speakers is emitted forward and downward through the top lower cover 465.

The door frame top relay board is used to relay the connection between the door frame top center decorative board 455, door frame top left decorative board 456, door frame top right decorative board 457, top center speaker, and top side speaker and the door frame sub-relay board 105 of the door frame base unit 100.

The door frame top plate 468 closes the opening 452a of the top upper cover 452, and its front end is engaged with the top upper cover 452 while its rear end is attached to the door frame base unit 100.

When assembled to the door frame 3, the door frame top unit 450 decorates the upper outside of the door window 101a of the door frame base 101. The door frame top unit 450 is connected so that both the left and right ends of the door frame top decorative body 453 sink from the front to a position rearward of the inside of the upper part of the left door frame side decorative body 426 and the right door frame side decorative body 435. The door frame top unit 450 can also output sounds such as voice and music to the player using a pair of top center speakers and a pair of top side speakers.

[3-9. Door frame decoration]
Next, the decoration (exterior) of the door frame 3 will be described in detail, mainly with reference to Figures 22 to 28 and Figure 71. Figure 71(a) is a right side view of the door frame right side unit, showing the two-color molded outer layer of the door frame in an opaque state, and Figure 71(b) is a right side view of the door frame right side unit in Figure 71(a), showing the outer layer in a transparent state while the inner layer remains the same. As shown in the figures, the door frame 3 has a generally rectangular door window 101a extending vertically in the center when viewed from the front, which is closed by a transparent glass plate 162 of a glass unit 160. The door frame 3 is surrounded on the entire periphery of the door window 101a by the left dish decorative body 271 and right dish decorative body 276 of the dish unit 200, the unit upper cover 312 and button body 351 of the performance operation unit 300, the left door frame side decorative body 426 of the left door frame unit 420, the right door frame side decorative body 435 of the right door frame unit 430, and the top door frame decorative body 453 of the top door frame unit 450.

The left dish decorative body 271, right dish decorative body 276, left door frame decorative body 426, right door frame decorative body 435, and top door frame decorative body 453 that surround the outer periphery of the door window 101a are formed in a semi-tubular shape, allowing players to see the entire periphery of the door window 101a as if it were surrounded by fluorescent lights.

In the door frame 3, behind or below the left dish decorative body 271, right dish decorative body 276, upper unit cover 312, left door frame decorative body 426, right door frame decorative body 435, and top door frame decorative body 453 that surround the outer periphery of the door window 101a, are the left dish decorative board 273, right dish decorative board 278, outer effect control unit decorative board 320, upper left door frame decorative board 422 and lower left door frame decorative board 423, upper right door frame decorative board 432 and lower right door frame decorative board 433, center top door frame decorative board 455, top left door frame decorative board 456, and top right door frame decorative board 457. By appropriately illuminating the LEDs on these decorative boards, the entire outer periphery of the door window 101a can be illuminated, or the player can be shown an illuminated effect as light moves along the outer periphery of the door window 101a.

A spherical performance operation unit 300 with a diameter larger than the front-to-back distance of the upper tray 201 is attached to the left-to-right center of the tray unit 200 of the door frame 3. This increases the visual impact of the large spherical performance operation unit 300, as it is positioned in the center of the tray unit 200, and makes the performance operation section 301 (touch operation section 302 and pressing operation section 303) of the performance operation unit 300 stand out.

In addition, under normal conditions, the top surface of the button body 351 serving as the effect operation unit 301 is flush with the top surface of the unit upper cover 312, forming a single sphere. This makes it difficult for players to recognize that the effect operation unit 301 (button body 351) is operable, and the effect operation unit 300, which is a giant sphere, makes it possible for players to recognize at a glance that the pachinko machine 1 is different from other pachinko machines, strongly attracting the player's attention and increasing its appeal to players, making it easier for them to select this pachinko machine 1 as the machine to play.

In addition, in the spin unit 200, the center (centre) of the performance operation section 301 of the performance operation unit 300 is positioned forward of the apex of the spherical performance operation unit 300, so that the top surface of the performance operation section 301 (touch operation section 302 and pressing operation section 303) faces towards the head (face) of the player seated in front of the pachinko machine 1. Therefore, for a player who recognizes that the giant sphere located in the center of the spin unit 200 is the performance operation section 301, the entirety of the performance operation section 301 can be easily seen, making the performance operation section 301 appear larger. Furthermore, this can make the player want to try operating the giant spherical effect operation unit 301, heightening their anticipation for the execution of a player-participation effect in which they operate the effect operation unit 301, and when a player-participation effect is executed, it can make the player actively operate the effect operation unit 301, allowing them to enjoy the player-participation effect by operating the effect operation unit 301 and preventing a decline in interest.

Next, as shown in Figures 2 to 5, the exterior of the door frame 3 in this embodiment has multiple circular and radial patterns on its outer surface. Figure 71 shows the door frame right side unit 430 as an example of part of the exterior of the door frame 3.

More specifically, the multiple circular and radial patterns on the exterior surface of the door frame 3 are formed by two-color molding using two types of synthetic resin with different colors and translucency (light transmittance). The patterned exterior portion of the door frame 3 is two-color molded using two types of resin, the inner layer 3a and the outer layer 3b, and the circular and radial patterns are formed by portions of the inner layer 3a penetrating the outer layer 3b and appearing on the outer surface.

For example, taking the door frame right side unit 430 as an example, as shown in Figure 71(a), if a honeycomb pattern is applied to the inner layer 3a and the outer layer 3b is made opaque, the honeycomb pattern of the inner layer 3a will be visible in the circular patterned areas, and the opaque outer layer 3b will be visible in areas other than the pattern, resulting in an exterior appearance that emphasizes the circular and radial patterns.

In contrast, as shown in Figure 71(b), if the outer layer 3b is made transparent, the honeycomb pattern on the inner layer 3a can be seen through the outer layer 3b, making the circular and radial patterns relatively difficult to see. In other words, the exterior has an appearance that emphasizes the honeycomb pattern on the inner layer 3a.

In Figure 71, the decorative element 441a fitted into the decorative hole 440a of the door frame right side right side decorative element 440, which is molded in two colors as part of the exterior, is part of the right lens 441 on the right side and is a separate component from the door frame right side right side decorative element 440. Therefore, even if the outer layer 3b is made transparent, the pattern of the decorative hole 440a (decorative element 441a) does not change.

As such, according to this embodiment, the main components that make up the exterior of the door frame 3 are formed using two-color molding. By appropriately selecting and combining the colors and light transmittance of the materials (synthetic resins) used for the inner layer 3a and outer layer 3b, the appearance can be significantly different even if the shape remains the same.

Therefore, for example, when making minor changes, the exterior of the pachinko machine 1 can be changed at no additional cost by making the outer layer 3b transparent so that the pattern on the inner layer 3a is visible.

Alternatively, by changing the color of the inner layer 3a and outer layer 3b for each production lot and shipping pachinko machines 1 from different lots to the same gaming hall and installing them in island equipment, it is possible to create a colorful look that will increase their appeal to players.

In the above embodiment, two-color molding is shown, but this is not limited to this, and multi-color molding such as three-color molding or four-color molding may also be used. Specifically, in the above embodiment, the exterior is formed by combining a two-color molded door frame right side decorative body 440 with a right side lens 441, but three-color molding may be used, in which the door frame right side decorative body 440 and the right side lens 441 are formed as a single unit.

Furthermore, while the above embodiment shows circular and radial patterns, this is not limited to these and patterns of various shapes may be formed.

In this way, with the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, the decorative elements, such as the handle cover 295, door frame left side base 421, door frame right side left side decorative element 438, and door frame right side right side decorative element 440, which are located on the outside of the door window 101a through which the game area 5a of the door frame 3 faces forward, are molded in two colors (multi-color molding) using two synthetic resins with different light transmittances, and the polka dot decoration is applied using this two-color molding.As a result, the decorative elements are formed into the desired shape and the desired decoration is applied to them at the same time, eliminating the need to form the decorative elements into the desired shape and then apply the desired decoration by painting, etc., as is the case with decorative elements in conventional pachinko machines.This eliminates the effort required for decoration and reduces costs.

Furthermore, because the decoration of the decorative body is formed by two-color molding, the appearance (appearance) of the decorative body can be easily changed by changing the color of the synthetic resin used. Specifically, when forming a polka dot decoration using two-color molding, if the inner layer 3a constituting the inside of the polka dot circles and the outer layer 3b constituting the outside of the circles are formed using the same color but with different light transmittances, the polka dot circles will be difficult to see because the inner layer 3a and outer layer 3b are the same color, resulting in an appearance that appears as if the polka dots are not present. On the other hand, if the inner layer 3a constituting the inside of the polka dot circles is white and the outer layer 3b constituting the outside of the circles is pink, the polka dot circles will be clearly visible due to the difference in color between the inner layer 3a and outer layer 3b, resulting in an appearance of white polka dots on a pink background. In this way, by appropriately selecting the light transmittance (including color) of the synthetic resin used when forming the decorative body, the appearance of the decorative body can be easily changed, thereby reducing the costs associated with changing the appearance.

Furthermore, as mentioned above, when forming the decorative body, the appearance of the decorative body can be easily changed by appropriately selecting the light transmittance (including color) of the synthetic resin used. Therefore, if the combination of synthetic resins used is changed for each production lot and different lots of this pachinko machine 1 are shipped to the same gaming hall and installed in a row in an island facility, the island facility can be made to have a colorful feel, which can make a strong impact on players wandering around the gaming hall and provide a pachinko machine 1 that is highly appealing and can attract players.

Furthermore, the area of the door frame 3 outside the door window 101a facing the play area 5a is provided with decorative elements such as a handle cover 295, a door frame left side base 421, a door frame right side left side decorative element 438, and a door frame right side right side decorative element 440, which are two-tone molded from multiple synthetic resins with different light transmittances, allowing the exterior of the door window 101a to be decorated with these decorative elements, improving its appearance.

In addition, the outer layer 3b of the two-color molded decorative body is made of a synthetic resin with lower light transmittance than the remaining inner layer 3a, making it difficult to see the inner layer 3a through the outer layer 3b. This makes the boundaries of the decoration (polka dot pattern) made up of the inner layer 3a relatively clear, making the decoration clearly visible.

Furthermore, by making the light transmittance of the outer layer 3b lower than that of the remaining inner layer 3a, it is possible to make it difficult to see the inner layer 3a through the outer layer 3b. Therefore, in the initial model, the outer layer 3b has a low light transmittance so that the inner layer 3a cannot be seen from the outside. When changing the model, a synthetic resin with a high light transmittance is used for the outer layer 3b, allowing the inner layer 3a to be seen through. This allows for a significant change in the way the decoration of the decorative body is viewed, and makes it easy to change the appearance (decoration) without changing the shape of the decorative body.

Furthermore, as mentioned above, the outer layer 3b with low light transmittance makes it difficult to see the inner layer 3a, so a pattern (a pattern based on shape, or a pattern formed by painting, printing, or applying a sticker, etc.) can be applied to the surface of the inner layer 3a. In the initial model, the opaque outer layer 3b with low light transmittance prevents the pattern of the inner layer 3a from being visible through the outer layer 3b. When a model change is made, a transparent synthetic resin can be used for the outer layer 3b, allowing the pattern of the inner layer 3a to be visible through the outer layer 3b. This allows the appearance (decoration) of the decorative body to be significantly changed without changing the shape of the decorative body, thereby minimizing the increase in costs associated with model changes.

Furthermore, the left-side decorative element 438 on the right side of the door frame and the right-side decorative element 440 on the right side of the door frame are provided with a third LED 432c on the upper decorative substrate 432 on the right side of the door frame and a third LED 433c on the lower decorative substrate 433 on the right side of the door frame, which are capable of emitting light. The inner layer 3a is made of a synthetic resin with higher light transmittance than the other layers, so that the third LED 432c and the third LED 433c provided on the inside of the left-side decorative element 438 on the right side of the door frame and the right-side decorative element 440 on the right side of the door frame are illuminated. This allows the inner layer 3a (polka dot area) of the decorations formed on the surface of the left side decorative body 438 on the right side of the door frame and the right side decorative body 440 on the right side of the door frame to be brightly illuminated, and by illuminating the outside of the door window 101a overlooking the playing area 5a, it not only improves the appearance but also allows players to enjoy the illuminated decorations on the left side decorative body 438 on the right side of the door frame and the right side decorative body 440 on the right side of the door frame, preventing a decline in player interest.

Furthermore, depending on the light transmittance of the outer layer 3b, the light from the third LED 432c and the third LED 433c irradiated onto the outer layer 3b through the inner layer 3a can also be used to illuminate the outer layer 3b, making it possible to illuminate the entire left side decorative body 438 on the right side of the door frame and the right side decorative body 440 on the right side of the door frame, making the left side decorative body 438 on the right side of the door frame and the right side decorative body 440 look beautiful and creating a highly appealing pachinko machine 1 that can strongly attract the attention of players.

Furthermore, as described above, the decorations of the decorative elements, such as the door frame right-side left-side decorative element 438 and the door frame right-side right-side decorative element 440, are formed by two-color molding (multicolor molding) using multiple synthetic resins with different light transmittances. Therefore, depending on the number of layers up to the surface and the light transmittance of the synthetic resins used, the decorations visible when the LEDs (light-emitting means), such as the third LED 432c and the third LED 433c, are not illuminated can be made different from the decorations visible when the LEDs are illuminated. The change in decorations can strongly attract the player's attention. To explain in more detail, taking two-color molding as an example of multicolor molding, if a hole of a predetermined shape is formed in the inner layer 3a in a portion covered by the outer layer 3b, only the portion of the inner layer 3a exposed to the surface will be visible when the LEDs are not illuminated. On the other hand, when the LED is illuminated, the light from the LED is irradiated directly onto the outer layer 3b without passing through the inner layer 3a in the areas where holes are formed in the inner layer 3a, making the shape of the holes in the inner layer 3a visible on the surface of the outer layer 3b. This allows the exposed areas of the inner layer 3a and the holes to be seen, resulting in a different appearance of the decoration than when the LED is not illuminated. For example, if the inner layer 3a is yellow and the outer layer 3b is blue, illuminating the LED yellow will illuminate only the inner layer 3a in the surface decoration. On the other hand, illuminating the LED green (or white) will illuminate both the inner layer 3a and the outer layer 3b. Therefore, the illuminated areas of the decoration can be varied by changing the color of the light emitted by the LED, thereby changing the illuminated decoration. In this way, the illumination of the LED can be varied to attract and entertain players. Furthermore, by making the LEDs illuminate according to the game status, changes in the decoration of the decorative body can suggest to the player that an opportunity has arrived or that the player's hitting operation has changed (for example, "hit right"), making it possible to provide a pachinko machine 1 that is capable of a variety of presentations.

Furthermore, the left door frame decorative body 426 and the right door frame decorative body 435, which are located on the left and right outer sides of the door window 101a (play area 5a), have different amounts of protrusion in the front-to-rear direction, which makes it possible to create different impressions (appearances) when viewed from the front left and the front right of the pachinko machine 1.As a result, even if a player wandering around the gaming hall in which the pachinko machine 1 is installed passes in front of the pachinko machine 1, when they approach the pachinko machine 1 from the opposite side, the machine will look different from when they last walked around, attracting the player's attention to the pachinko machine 1.This makes the pachinko machine 1 highly appealing, capable of luring players wandering around the gaming hall to choose which pachinko machine to play.

[3-10. LED placement and system on door frame]
Next, the arrangement and control system of each LED provided on the door frame 3 will be described in detail, mainly with reference to Figures 72 and 73. Figure 72 is a front view showing each decorative board of the door frame, and Figure 73 is a plan view showing the decorative board of the part of the door frame's performance operation unit. As shown in Figure 72, the door frame 3 has a handle 195 in the lower right corner when viewed from the front, which the player rotates to launch the game ball B into the play area 5a of the game board 5. This handle 195 has a central hub portion 195a, three spoke portions 195b extending outward from the central hub portion 195a, and an annular outer ring portion 195c connecting the tips of each spoke portion 195b, and has an appearance similar to that of an automobile steering wheel.

The front side of the central hub portion 195a of the handle 195 is covered by a handle front lens 185, and a handle decoration board 184 with multiple LEDs 184a mounted on its front surface is provided between the handle front lens 185 and the central hub portion 195a. Additionally, a handle cover decoration board 293 with multiple LEDs 293a mounted on its front surface is provided behind the outer ring portion 195c of the handle 195.

The handle decorative board 184 has a total of 10 LEDs 184a (full-color LEDs) mounted in triple concentric circles: one in the center, three in the middle spaced at regular intervals around the circumference, and six spaced at regular intervals around the outer periphery. These LEDs 184a are divided into five groups: the central one, the three in the middle connected by dashed lines in Figure 72, and two at the top left of the outer periphery, two at the top right, and two at the bottom of the outer periphery, all connected by dashed lines. These five groups of LEDs 184a are controlled by an LED driver 184b in 15 systems, allowing each group of LEDs 184a to emit full-color light as appropriate.

On the other hand, twelve LEDs 293a are arranged in a row at intervals in the circumferential direction on the handle cover decorative substrate 293. These twelve LEDs 293a are divided into six groups, as connected by dashed lines in Figure 72, with two LEDs from the center at the bottom left, two on the left, two at the top left, two at the top right, two at the right, and two at the bottom right. These six groups of LEDs 293a are controlled by an LED driver 293b in 18 systems, allowing each group of LEDs 293a to emit light in a full range of appropriate colors.

In this way, because the handle 195 is provided with the handle decoration board 184 and the handle cover decoration board 293, the player can see illumination effects such as light rotating around the handle 195, light concentrating toward the center of the handle 195, and light spreading out toward the outside of the handle 195. Furthermore, the LEDs 293a on the handle cover decoration board 293 can be used to illuminate and decorate the outside and inside of the handle cover 295.

As shown in the figure, the door frame 3 has a generally rectangular door window 101a extending vertically in the center when viewed from the front, which is closed by the transparent glass plate 162 of the glass unit 160. The door frame 3 has the door window 101a completely surrounded by the left dish decorative body 271 and right dish decorative body 276 of the dish unit 200, the performance operation unit 300, the left door frame decorative body 426 of the left door frame unit 420, the right door frame decorative body 435 of the right door frame unit 430, and the top door frame decorative body 453 of the top door frame unit 450.

The left dish decorative body 271, right dish decorative body 276, left door frame decorative body 426, right door frame decorative body 435, and top door frame decorative body 453 that surround the outer periphery of the door window 101a are formed in a semi-tubular shape, allowing players to see a decoration that looks as if the door window 101a is surrounded almost entirely by fluorescent lights.

As shown in Figure 72, in this door frame 3, the following are arranged facing forward: a left-hand decorative board 273 behind the left-hand decorative body 271 that surrounds the outer periphery of the door window 101a; a right-hand decorative board 278 behind the right-hand decorative body 276; an upper left-hand decorative board 422 and a lower left-hand decorative board 423 behind the left-hand side decorative body 426; an upper right-hand decorative board 432 and a lower right-hand side decorative board 433 behind the right-hand side decorative body 435; and a central top-hand decorative board 455, a top-left decorative board 456, and a top-right decorative board 457 behind the top decorative body 453.

More specifically, the left-hand dish decorative board 273 is equipped with four LEDs 273a mounted on the front surface in a row running horizontally, and an LED driver (not shown) for illuminating the LEDs 273a and the LEDs 273a on the right-hand dish decorative board 278 (described below). These four LEDs 273a are divided into two sets of two on the left and two on the right, as connected by dashed lines in Figure 72. These two sets of LEDs 273a are controlled by an LED driver in six systems, and each set of LEDs 273a can emit light in a full range of colors as appropriate.

The right-hand plate decorative board 278 is equipped with four LEDs 278a mounted on the front surface in a row running left to right. These four LEDs 278a are divided into two sets of two on the left and two on the right, as connected by dashed lines in Figure 72. These two sets of LEDs 278a are controlled by six LED drivers on the left-hand plate decorative board 273, allowing each set of LEDs 278a to emit light in a full range of appropriate colors.

The door frame upper left side decorative board 422 is equipped with four first LEDs 422a mounted at regular intervals in the vertical direction, eight second LEDs 422b mounted in pairs vertically between the first LEDs 422a, and an LED driver 422c for illuminating the 12 first LEDs 422a and second LEDs 422b. The first LEDs 422a and second LEDs 422b are mounted on the front surface. The four first LEDs 422a on the door frame upper left side decorative board 422 are divided into two sets of two: the top two and the remaining two, as connected by the two-dot chain line in Figure 72. The eight second LEDs 422b are also divided into three sets: the top two, the third through fifth LEDs from the top, and the sixth through eighth LEDs from the top, as connected by the dash-dot line in Figure 72. The four first LEDs 422a divided into two groups and the eight second LEDs 422b divided into three groups are controlled by an LED driver 422c in 15 systems, allowing each group of first LEDs 422a and second LEDs 422b to emit light in a full range of appropriate colors.

The decorative board 423 on the lower left side of the door frame is equipped with six first LEDs 423a mounted at regular intervals in the vertical direction, twelve second LEDs 423b mounted in pairs vertically between the first LEDs 423a, and an LED driver 423c for illuminating a total of 18 first LEDs 423a and second LEDs 423b. The first LEDs 423a and second LEDs 423b are mounted on the front surface. The six first LEDs 423a are divided into three groups, with two LEDs in each group starting from the top, as connected by the two-dot chain lines in Figure 72. The twelve second LEDs 423b are also divided into four groups, with three LEDs from the top (first to third), three LEDs from the top (fourth to sixth), three LEDs from the top (seventh to ninth), and three LEDs from the top (tenth to twelfth). The six first LEDs 423a divided into three groups and the twelve second LEDs 423b divided into four groups are controlled by an LED driver 423c in 21 systems, allowing each group of first LEDs 423a and second LEDs 423b to emit light in a full range of appropriate colors.

The door frame right-side upper decorative board 432 is equipped with four first LEDs 432a mounted on the front surface at regular intervals in the vertical direction, eight second LEDs 432b mounted on the front surface in pairs vertically spaced apart, and four third LEDs 432c mounted on the rear surface at intervals in the vertical direction. The door frame right-side upper decorative board 432 is also equipped with an LED driver 432d for illuminating a total of 16 first LEDs 432a, second LEDs 432b, and third LEDs 432c, as well as the two third LEDs 433c on the door frame right-side lower decorative board 433. The four first LEDs 432a are divided into two groups: the top two and the remaining two, as connected by the dashed double-dashed line in Figure 72. The eight second LEDs 432b are divided into three groups: the top two, the third through fifth, and the sixth through eighth, as connected by dashed lines in Figure 72. The four third LEDs 432c are divided into two groups: the top two and the remaining two, as connected by dashed lines in Figure 72. The two groups of first LEDs 432a, the three groups of second LEDs 432b, the two groups of third LEDs 432c, and the upper group of third LEDs 433c on the lower right door frame decorative board 433 are controlled by an LED driver 432d in 24 systems, allowing each group of first LEDs 432a, second LEDs 432b, third LEDs 432c, and third LEDs 433c to emit light in a full color as appropriate.

The door frame right lower decorative board 433 is equipped with six first LEDs 433a mounted on the front surface at regular intervals in the vertical direction, twelve second LEDs 433b mounted on the front surface in pairs vertically spaced apart between the first LEDs 433a, four third LEDs 433c mounted on the rear surface at intervals in the vertical direction, and an LED driver 433d for illuminating the first LEDs 433a, second LEDs 433b, and the two lower third LEDs 433c. The six first LEDs 433a are divided into three groups, with two LEDs in each group arranged in order from the top, as connected by dashed double-dashed lines in Figure 72. The 12 second LEDs 433b are divided into four groups of three from the top, as connected by dashed lines in FIG. 72: the first to third LEDs (three), the fourth to sixth LEDs (three), the seventh to ninth LEDs (three), and the tenth to twelfth LEDs (three). The four rear third LEDs 433c are divided into two groups, consisting of the top two and the remaining two, as connected by dashed lines in FIG. 72. The three groups of six first LEDs 433a, the four groups of 12 second LEDs 433b, and the lower group of two third LEDs 433c are controlled by an LED driver 433d in 24 systems, allowing each group of first LEDs 433a, second LEDs 433b, and third LEDs 433c to emit light in a full color as appropriate.

In this embodiment, the upper left-side decorative board 422 and lower left-side decorative board 423, which are provided on the left side of the door window 101a, and the upper right-side decorative board 432 and lower right-side decorative board 433, which are provided on the right side of the door window 101a, are formed in asymmetric shapes with the center of the door window 101a in the left-right direction as the boundary. Furthermore, the upper left-side decorative board 422 and lower left-side decorative board 423, and the upper right-side decorative board 432 and lower right-side decorative board 433 also have different shapes in the front-to-back direction.

The door frame left-side upper decorative board 422 and left-side lower decorative board 423, and the door frame right-side upper decorative board 432 and right-side lower decorative board 433, respectively, have the same number of first LEDs 422a, second LEDs 422b, first LEDs 423a, second LEDs 423b, and first LEDs 432a, second LEDs 432b, first LEDs 433a, second LEDs 433b mounted on their front surfaces, and their arrangement and systems (systems connected by dashed lines and dashed double-dot lines in Figure 72) are symmetrical. This makes it easy to create data for the LED lighting patterns used to create light-emitting effects.

The door frame top center decorative board 455 is equipped with six LEDs 455a mounted on the front surface at intervals in the left-right direction, and an LED driver (not shown) for illuminating the LEDs 455a, the LEDs 456a on the door frame top left decorative board 456, and the LEDs 457a on the door frame top right decorative board 457. The six LEDs 455a are divided into three groups of two from the left, as connected by dashed lines in Figure 72. The six LEDs 455a divided into three groups are controlled by the LED driver in nine systems, and each group of LEDs 455a can emit light in a full range of colors as appropriate.

The door frame top left decorative board 456 is equipped with four LEDs 456a mounted on the front, spaced apart in the left and right directions. The four LEDs 456a are divided into two sets of two on the left and two on the right, as connected by dashed lines in Figure 72. The four LEDs 456a divided into two sets are controlled in six systems by the LED driver on the door frame top center decorative board 455, allowing each set of LEDs 456a to emit light in a full range of appropriate colors.

The door frame top right decorative board 457 is equipped with four LEDs 457a mounted on the front, spaced apart in the left and right directions. The four LEDs 457a are divided into two sets of two on the left and two on the right, as connected by dashed lines in Figure 72. The four LEDs 457a divided into two sets are controlled in six systems by the LED driver on the door frame top center decorative board 455, and each set of LEDs 457a can emit light in a full range of appropriate colors.

According to the door frame 3 of this embodiment, light from the first LED 422a on the upper decorative board 422 on the left side of the door frame, the first LED 423a on the lower decorative board 423 on the left side of the door frame, the first LED 432a on the upper decorative board 432 on the right side of the door frame, and the first LED 433a on the lower decorative board 433 on the right side of the door frame is guided by the light guiding shaft 427a of the upper left side light guiding member 427, the light guiding shaft 428a of the middle left side light guiding member 428, the light guiding shaft 429a of the lower left side light guiding member 429, the light guiding shaft 436a of the upper right side light guiding member 436, and the light guiding shaft 437a of the lower right side light guiding member 437 to the opening 426a in the left side decorative body 426 of the door frame and the opening 435a in the right side decorative body 435 of the door frame, and is irradiated outward (forward). This allows players to see bright, dot-like light-emitting effects on the front of the door frame left side decorative body 426 and door frame right side decorative body 435, and the bright, dot-like light-emitting effects, which have not been seen in previous pachinko machines, can take players by surprise.

In addition, in the door frame 3, the LED 273a on the left dish decorative board 273, the LED 278a on the right dish decorative board 278, the second LED 422b on the upper left side decorative board 422 of the door frame, the second LED 423b on the lower left side decorative board 423 of the door frame, the second LED 432b on the upper right side decorative board 432 of the door frame, the second LED 433b on the lower right side decorative board 433 of the door frame, the LED 455a on the top center decorative board 455 of the door frame, the LED 456a on the top left door frame decorative board 456, and the LED 457a on the top right door frame decorative board 457, which surround the outer periphery of the door window 101a, can be appropriately illuminated to illuminate the entire outer periphery of the door window 101a, or the player can be shown a lighting effect as light moves along the outer periphery of the door window 101a.

In other words, in the door frame 3, the LED system connected by the two-dot chain line in Figure 72 can produce a lighting effect in which spots are emitted on the front of the door frame left side decorative body 426 and the door frame right side decorative body 435, and the LED system connected by the one-dot chain line in Figure 72 can produce a lighting effect in which the door frame left side decorative body 426 and the door frame right side decorative body 435 emit light in a planar manner (surface emission).

In addition, according to the door frame 3, the light from the first LED 422a, the first LED 423a, the first LED 432a, and the first LED 433a is guided by the light guide shaft 427a, the light guide shaft 428a, the light guide shaft 429a, the light guide shaft 436a, and the light guide shaft 437a to the front end inserted into the opening 426a of the left side door frame decorative body 426 and the opening 435a of the right side door frame decorative body 435, and is then irradiated forward from there.Therefore, compared to the general surfaces of the left side door frame decorative body 426 and the right side door frame decorative body 435, the areas of the opening 426a and the opening 435a can be illuminated with high brightness and spot light. In this case, because the door frame left side decorative body 426 and the door frame right side decorative body 435 are positioned outside the door window 101a overlooking the game area 5a, even if the opening 426a of the door frame left side decorative body 426 and the opening 435a of the door frame right side decorative body 435 are illuminated with high brightness spot light, the glare does not make it difficult to see inside the game area 5a as seen through the door window 101a, and the game ball B, effect images, decorative bodies, etc. within the game area 5a can be clearly seen through the door window 101a.

Furthermore, according to the door frame 3, the left-side door frame decorative body 426 and the right-side door frame decorative body 435 protrude forward beyond the door window 101a (play area 5a), and the openings 426a and 435a that emit high-intensity spotlights are located at the ridges that form the front ends of the forward-protruding left-side door frame decorative body 426 and right-side door frame decorative body 435 (on the vertical line connecting the front ends that protrude forward in an arc shape in a plan view). This prevents the spotlight from being irradiated rearward (toward the door window 101a). Therefore, the spotlight from the left-side door frame decorative body 426 and the right-side door frame decorative body 435 is reflected toward the player by the glass plate 162 provided in the door window 101a, preventing it from obscuring the view of the play area 5a behind the door window 101a, and the high-intensity spotlight illumination helps to draw the attention of other players to the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, according to the door frame 3, the spot-emitting portions are located on the left-side door frame decorative body 426 and the right-side door frame decorative body 435, which protrude forward outside the door window 101a of the door frame 3, so the spot-emitting portions are located approximately at the same position as the outer periphery of the pachinko machine 1. Therefore, even if a player is seated in front of the pachinko machine 1, the spot-emitting portions are located outside the player, so the player does not block the spot-emitting light. As a result, when the left-side door frame decorative body 426 and the right-side door frame decorative body 435 are illuminated, the high-brightness spot-emitting light is visible to other players who are not seated in front of the pachinko machine 1, making the presence of the pachinko machine 1 appealing to other players and attracting their attention. This also makes the pachinko machine 1 highly appealing, as it can attract players wandering around the gaming hall looking for a pachinko machine to play.

It is desirable that the surface LEDs (second LED 422b, second LED 423b, second LED 432b, second LED 433b) on both sides of the spot LEDs (first LED 422a, first LED 423a, first LED 432a, first LED 433a) for spotlighting the front of the left door frame decorative body 426 and the right door frame decorative body 435 belong to the same family. This ensures that the surface LEDs on both sides of the light guide pin (light guide shaft 427a, light guide shaft 428a, light guide shaft 429a, light guide shaft 436a, light guide shaft 437a) that guides the light of the spot LEDs have the same lighting pattern, so that the same amount of light is emitted from both sides of the light guide pin at the same time, making the shadow of the light guide pin less visible on the left door frame decorative body 426 and the right door frame decorative body 435.

Furthermore, as shown in Figure 73, the door frame 3 is provided below the touch operation section 302 of the performance operation section 301 of the performance operation unit 300, and is equipped with a circular performance operation section outer periphery decorative board 320 with 31 LEDs 320a mounted on its top surface. This performance operation section outer periphery decorative board 320 is equipped with two LED drivers for illuminating the 31 LEDs 320a. The performance operation section outer periphery decorative board 320 is divided into two parts: a front decorative board 321 and a rear decorative board 322.

Eighteen of the 31 LEDs 320a are mounted on the front decorative board 321 of the performance operation unit outer decorative board 320. Of the 18 LEDs 320a on the front decorative board 321, six are spaced apart on a circumference close to the inner circumference, three are spaced apart on a circumference midway between the inner and outer circumferences, and the remaining nine are spaced apart on a circumference close to the outer circumference.

The remaining 13 LEDs 320a are mounted on the rear decorative board 322 of the performance operation unit outer decorative board 320. Of the 13 LEDs 320a on the rear decorative board 322, four are arranged in pairs spaced apart near both ends of the arc on a circumference close to the inner circumference, three are arranged in pairs spaced apart on a circumference midway between the inner and outer circumferences, and the remaining six are arranged in pairs spaced apart near both ends of the arc on a circumference close to the outer circumference.

The 18 LEDs 320a on the front decorative board 321 are divided into nine groups, as shown by the dashed lines in Figure 73: six LEDs on the inner circumference are divided into three groups of two each, three LEDs on the middle circumference are divided into three groups of one each, and nine LEDs on the outer circumference are divided into three groups of three each, for a total of nine groups. Also, the 18 LEDs 320a on the rear decorative board 322 are divided into seven groups, as shown by the dashed lines in Figure 73: four LEDs on the inner circumference are divided into two groups of two each near both ends, three LEDs on the middle circumference are divided into three groups of one each, and nine LEDs on the outer circumference are divided into two groups of three each near both ends. In other words, on the performance control unit outer peripheral decorative board 320, the 31 LEDs 320a are divided into 16 groups. These 16 sets of LEDs 320a are controlled by two LED drivers in 48 systems, allowing each set of LEDs 320a to emit light in a full range of appropriate colors.

This decorative board 320 around the outer periphery of the effect operation unit can appropriately illuminate 31 LEDs (48 systems) 320a, allowing players to see light-emitting effects such as rotating light in the effect operation unit 301, light-emitting effects where light is concentrated at the center, and light-emitting effects where light spreads outward.

Furthermore, according to the door frame 3, a door frame left side decorative body 426 of the door frame left side unit 420 and a door frame right side decorative body 435 of the door frame right side unit 430 are provided on the outside of one side and the other side of the door window 101a facing the game area 5a, extending up and down along the door window 101a so that the amount of protrusion in the front-to-back direction differs. Behind the door frame left side decorative body 426 and the door frame right side decorative body 435, respectively, there is a door frame left side upper decorative board 422 on which a plurality of first LEDs 422a and second LEDs 422b are mounted, a door frame left side lower decorative board 423 on which a plurality of first LEDs 423a and second LEDs 423b are mounted, and The door frame right side upper decorative board 432 is provided with a plurality of first LEDs 432a and second LEDs 432b mounted thereon, and the door frame right side lower decorative board 433 is provided with a plurality of first LEDs 433a and second LEDs 433b mounted thereon. The door frame left side upper decorative board 432 is provided with a plurality of first LEDs 432a and second LEDs 432b mounted thereon, and the door frame right side lower decorative board 433 is provided with a light guide shaft 427a of the left side upper light guide member 427, a light guide shaft 428a of the left side middle light guide member 428, a light guide shaft 429a of the left side lower light guide member 429, and a light guide shaft 429b of the right side upper light guide member 436, which guide the light from the first LEDs 422a, 423a, 432a, and 433a to the vicinity of the front surface of the door frame left side decorative body 426 and the door frame right side decorative body 435 and irradiate it forward. The light guide shaft portion 437a of the lower right-side light guide member 437 is provided, so that the first LED 422b, the second LED 423b, the second LED 432b, and the second LED 433b of the upper left-side door frame decorative board 422, the lower left-side door frame decorative board 423, the upper right-side door frame decorative board 432, and the lower right-side door frame decorative board 433 can be illuminated to illuminate the left-side door frame decorative body 426 and the right-side door frame decorative body 435 in a planar light-emitting decoration (surface emission). When first LED 432a, first LED 433a are illuminated, the light emitted forward is guided by columnar light guiding shaft 427a, light guiding shaft 428a, light guiding shaft 429a, light guiding shaft 436a, light guiding shaft 437a to the front of the left door frame decorative body 426 and right door frame decorative body 435, and then radiated forward from their front ends (front end surfaces), causing the areas on the left door frame decorative body 426 and right door frame decorative body 435 corresponding to the tips of light guiding shaft 427a, light guiding shaft 428a, light guiding shaft 429a, light guiding shaft 436a, light guiding shaft 437a to emit point-like illuminated decoration (spot illumination).

Therefore, by appropriately illuminating the first LED 422a and the second LED 422b, the first LED 423a and the second LED 423b, the first LED 432a and the second LED 432b, and the first LED 433a and the second LED 433b on the upper decorative board 422 on the left side of the door frame, the lower decorative board 423 on the left side of the door frame, the upper decorative board 432 on the right side of the door frame, and the lower decorative board 433 on the right side of the door frame, the left side decorative body 426 and the door frame, which are located outside the play area 5a (door window 101a), The entire right-side frame decorative body 435 can be decorated with a surface-like illuminating effect, or parts of the left-side door frame decorative body 426 and the right-side door frame decorative body 435 can be decorated with point-like illuminating effect, or the entire left-side door frame decorative body 426 and the right-side door frame decorative body 435 can be decorated with a surface-like illuminating effect while parts can be decorated with point-like illuminating effect, allowing players to see a variety of illuminating effects, preventing players from getting bored and keeping them entertained, preventing a decline in interest in the game.

In this case, the system in which the multiple first LEDs 422a, second LEDs 422b, first LEDs 423a, and second LEDs 423b on the door frame left side upper decorative board 422 and door frame left side lower decorative board 423 are separated is symmetrical to the system in which the multiple first LEDs 432a, second LEDs 432b, first LEDs 433a, and second LEDs 433b on the door frame right side upper decorative board 432 and door frame right side lower decorative board 433 are separated, and in each system, the multiple first LEDs 422a, first LED 423a, first LED 432a, first LED 433a and the multiple second LEDs 422b, second LED 423b, second LED 432b, second LED 433b are separated from each other. Therefore, the first LEDs 422a, second LEDs 422b, first LED 423a, and second LED 423b on the door frame left side decorative body 426 side and the first LEDs 432a, second LEDs 422b, first LED 423a, and second LED 423b on the door frame right side decorative body 435 side are separated from each other. When creating data for the lighting patterns of ED 432a, second LED 432b, first LED 433a, and second LED 433b, for example, data for the left door frame decorative body 426 can be reused as data for the right door frame decorative body 435, or the data flow can be made similar for the left door frame decorative body 426 and the right door frame decorative body 435. This reduces the effort required to create lighting pattern data and makes it easier to create more complex lighting pattern data (with the same creation time), allowing players to see a variety of lighting patterns with a variety of lighting effects that have a high performance effect, thereby providing a pachinko machine 1 that can demonstrate sufficient performance effects for the lighting effects on the left door frame decorative body 426 and right door frame decorative body 435 on both the left and right sides of the door window 101a.

In addition, since the two second LEDs 422b, 423b, 432b, and 433b, which are arranged between the first LED 422a, 423a, 432a, and 433a, are in the same system, the two second LEDs 422b, 423b, 432b, and 433b, which are arranged to sandwich the first LED 422a, 423a, 432a, and 433a (light guide axis portion 427a, light guide axis portion 428a, light guide axis portion 429a, light guide axis portion 436a, light guide axis portion 437a), are always lit at the same time. By irradiating light from both sides of light guide shaft portion 429a, light guide shaft portion 436a, and light guide shaft portion 437a, the shadows of light guide shaft portion 427a, light guide shaft portion 428a, light guide shaft portion 429a, light guide shaft portion 436a, and light guide shaft portion 437a cast by light from second LED 422b, second LED 423b, second LED 432b, and second LED 433b are canceled out and become thinner, making it difficult to see the shadows of light guide shaft portion 427a, light guide shaft portion 428a, light guide shaft portion 429a, light guide shaft portion 436a, and light guide shaft portion 437a projected onto left door frame decorative body 426 and right door frame decorative body 435, and allowing the left door frame decorative body 426 and right door frame decorative body 435 to be illuminated and decorated in an even, planar manner.

Furthermore, the left door frame decorative body 426 and the right door frame decorative body 435, which are illuminated in a planar manner using the second LED 422b, second LED 423b, second LED 432b, and second LED 433b, can illuminate the areas corresponding to the front ends of the light guide shafts 427a, 428a, 429a, 436a, and 437a in a point-like manner using the first LED 422a, first LED 423a, first LED 432a, and first LED 433a. This allows players to see illumination effects that have not been seen in previous pachinko machines, such as surface illumination with partial point illumination. This can strongly attract the player's attention with illumination effects that emit bright point-like illumination, and can startle players with illumination effects that emit sparkling point-like illumination, not available in previous pachinko machines, making the pachinko machine 1 highly appealing to players.

Furthermore, the door frame upper left side decorative board 422 and door frame lower left side decorative board 423 on one side (left side) in the left-right direction, and the door frame upper right side decorative board 432 and door frame lower right side decorative board 433 on the other side (right side) are asymmetrical in shape relative to each other. This makes it possible to distinguish between the door frame upper left side decorative board 422, door frame lower left side decorative board 423, door frame upper right side decorative board 432, and door frame lower right side decorative board 433 at a glance. This prevents mistakes when assembling the pachinko machine 1, thereby improving assembly workability and suppressing increases in costs.

[3-11. Identification of decorative substrate]
Next, the identification of the various decorative boards on which LEDs are mounted in this pachinko machine 1 will be described in detail, using the door frame 3 as an example, mainly with reference to Figure 74 etc. Figure 74 is a rear view showing the decorative boards provided around the door window of the door frame. Here, the left dish decorative board 273, the right dish decorative board 278, the upper left door frame decorative board 422, the lower left door frame decorative board 423, the upper right door frame decorative board 432, the lower right door frame decorative board 433, the top center door frame decorative board 455, the top left door frame decorative board 456, and the top right door frame decorative board 457, which are provided around the door window 101a in the door frame 3, will be described in detail as examples.

In the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, a white board is used for the decorative board on which the LEDs are mounted, and the non-white LED drivers, connection connectors, etc. attached to the decorative board are attached to the rear side of the board. This allows the light from the LEDs mounted on the front side of the decorative board to be reflected forward, making the front decorations and other objects more brightly illuminated and decorative, while also making the decorative board less noticeable from the front (player's side).

The white decorative board may be coated with white solder resist (protective material), or the board material itself may be white.

Since pachinko machine 1 has many decorative boards, a different identification section 7 is provided on the rear surface of each decorative board to make it easy to identify each one (see Figure 74). This identification section 7 has a character identification section 7a with characters such as kanji, kana, alphabet, symbols, numbers, model numbers, etc., and a color identification section 7b with different colors (shown in Figure 74 with different shades of shading).

More specifically, the character identification section 7a has the characters "bottom left" on the left decorative board 273, "bottom right" on the right decorative board 278, "top left" on the upper left side decorative board 422 of the door frame, "bottom left" on the lower left side decorative board 423 of the door frame, "top right" on the upper right side decorative board 432 of the door frame, "bottom right" on the lower right side decorative board 433, "top center" on the top center decorative board 455 of the door frame, "top left" on the top left decorative board 456 of the door frame, and "top right" on the top right decorative board 457 of the door frame.

The color identification portion 7b is a different color for each decorative board and is applied across almost the entire front surface of the rear surface. In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 74, the color identification portion 7b is applied only partially, rather than across the entire rear surface, so as not to interfere with the soldering of LEDs and other components mounted on the decorative board.

The identification portion 7 is applied to the decorative substrate by printing (silk printing), attaching a sticker, applying paint, etc.

In the above, we have used the decorative board provided around the door window 101a in the door frame 3 as an example, but identification units 7 such as character identification units 7a and color identification units 7b may also be provided on various decorative boards provided on the handle unit 180, the performance operation unit 300, the game board 5, etc.

In addition, in the above embodiment, the identification unit 7 is shown to have both a character identification unit 7a and a color identification unit 7b, but this is not limited to this, and it may also be the character identification unit 7a only, or the color identification unit 7b only.

In the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, the decorative board on which the LEDs are mounted is provided with an identification section 7 (character identification section 7a and color identification section 7b), making it easy to distinguish between decorative boards of similar shapes, preventing the wrong decorative board from being installed during assembly work and improving assembly workability.

Furthermore, with the pachinko machine 1, the identification unit 7 is provided on the rear surface of the decorative board, allowing the front side of the decorative board to be as white as possible. This allows the light from the LEDs mounted on the front side of the decorative board to be reflected forward by the front surface of the decorative board, making the decorative objects in front more brightly illuminated and decorative, and also makes the decorative board less noticeable from the front (player's side), improving its appearance.

Furthermore, according to the pachinko machine 1, the color identification portion 7b serving as the identification portion 7 is applied over almost the entire decorative board, so it is possible to determine whether the decorative board is the desired one (desired color) just by looking at a portion of the decorative board. Therefore, even when multiple types of decorative boards are stacked on top of each other during assembly, the desired decorative board can be easily found as long as a portion of the decorative board is visible, simplifying the effort required for assembly.

Furthermore, according to the pachinko machine 1, the color of the color identification portion 7b is different for each decorative board. Therefore, when preparing the decorative boards required for one pachinko machine 1 during assembly, if there are decorative boards with the same color identification portion 7b, it is easy to recognize that duplicate decorative boards have been prepared. Alternatively, if there are not enough colors in the color identification portion 7b of the prepared decorative boards, it is easy to recognize that there are decorative boards that have not been prepared. Therefore, when preparing the decorative boards required for assembling the pachinko machine 1, it is easy to recognize whether excess decorative boards have been prepared or if the prepared decorative boards are insufficient. This allows for reliable preparation of only the necessary number of decorative boards, resulting in a pachinko machine 1 that is easy to set up during assembly. Therefore, the assembly work of the pachinko machine 1 can be carried out smoothly, shortening the assembly time and suppressing increases in costs.

Furthermore, according to the pachinko machine 1, the rear surface of the decorative board is provided with a character identification section 7a as an identification section 7 to distinguish it from other boards. By reading the characters on the character identification section 7a, an operator can easily determine which part the decorative board belongs to, achieving the same effect as described above.

Furthermore, according to the pachinko machine 1, the front and back of each decorative board are white, and an identification part 7 is provided on the back. This makes the decorative board less noticeable from the front (player's side) even if the decorative body provided in front of the decorative board is highly transparent, improving the appearance of the decorative body. In addition, the white front of the decorative board allows the light from the LED to be reflected forward, allowing the decorative body to emit more bright light, and the highly effective light-emitting effect entertains the player and prevents a decline in interest.

Furthermore, with the pachinko machine 1, functional components such as LED drivers are mounted on the rear surface of the decorative substrate, making them invisible from the front (player side). This prevents the functional components from being visible through the decorative body, which would otherwise spoil the appearance, and improves the appearance of the decorative body (gaming machine). Furthermore, because the functional components are hidden by being mounted on the rear surface of the decorative substrate, there is no need to color the functional components white (or yellow) to make them less noticeable, and the functional components can be used as is, eliminating the need to color the functional components and reducing the cost of the pachinko machine 1.

[3-12. Action and effect of door frame]
According to this embodiment, the switching unit 394 is used to switch between a plurality of contact detection bodies 393 provided at different positions in the pachinko machine 1 so that the contact detection body 393 provided at the desired location where it is desired to detect the player's approach or contact is connected to the contact detection sensor main body 392. When a player approaches or contacts the contact detection body 393 at the desired location, the capacitance of the contact detection body 393 changes, and the change in capacitance can be detected by the contact detection sensor main body 392 connected to the contact detection body 393. As a result, the player's approach to or contact with the desired location can be detected, and predetermined control can be performed by control means such as the main control board 1310, peripheral control board 1510, peripheral control unit 1511, and performance display control unit 1512 in accordance with the detection by the contact detection sensor main body 392. On the other hand, when the contact detection element 393 at the desired location is connected to the contact detection sensor main body 392 by the switching unit 394, the connection between the contact detection elements 393 at other locations and the contact detection sensor main body 392 is severed. Therefore, even if the capacitance of the contact detection elements 393 at other locations changes when a player approaches or touches the other locations, the change in capacitance of the contact detection element 393 is not detected because the connection of the contact detection element 393 has been severed by the switching unit 394, and only the capacitance of the contact detection element 393 at the desired location can be reliably detected, preventing erroneous detection.

In this way, the switching unit 394 appropriately selects and switches the contact detection element 393 connected to the contact detection sensor main body 392 for multiple contact detection elements 393 located in different positions. This makes it possible to detect the capacitance of multiple contact detection elements 393 with a single contact detection sensor main body 392. This reduces the number of channels required to detect the player's approach or contact in control means such as the main control board 1310, peripheral control board 1510, peripheral control unit 1511, and effect display control unit 1512, thereby increasing the number of channels available for effect presentation. Therefore, since more effect presentation means (e.g., movable decorative elements, luminous decorative elements, effect display devices, etc.) can be controlled by the control means, the increased number of effect presentation means allows for a wider variety of presentations to be presented to players, preventing players from becoming bored and providing sufficient enjoyment, thereby preventing a decline in interest in the game.

In addition, contact detectors 393 can be provided in multiple locations on the pachinko machine 1 that should not be touched by the player, and the contact detectors 393 provided in the desired locations can be connected to the contact detection sensor main body 392 by the switching unit 394 depending on the game status. This detects the player's approach to or contact with the desired location, and control means such as the main control board 1310, peripheral control board 1510, peripheral control unit 1511, and effect display control unit 1512 can then issue a specified warning or alarm. This allows a single contact detection sensor main body 392 to monitor a wide area of the pachinko machine 1, while relatively increasing the number of channels available for effects, achieving the same effects as those described above.

Furthermore, because the capacitance of multiple contact detectors 393 is detected by a single contact detection sensor main body 392, each contact detector 393 is located at a distance from the contact detection sensor main body 392. This means that the sensor main body, which contains electronic components such as the sensor IC and output circuit, can be located in a location that is difficult for players to see, improving the appearance of the pachinko machine 1 and increasing its appeal to players.

Furthermore, the contact detection sensor main body 392 is pre-equipped with connection terminals for electrically connecting multiple contact detection bodies 393. Therefore, simply by connecting the wiring from the contact detection body 393 to the connection terminals of the contact detection sensor main body 392, the capacitance of the contact detection body 393 can be detected by the contact detection sensor main body 392. This simplifies the assembly of the pachinko machine 1 and helps prevent increases in the cost of the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, the contact detection sensor main body 392 is provided with a connection terminal in advance, and the contact detection sensor main body 392 and the contact detection body 393 can be connected simply by connecting the wiring from the contact detection body 393 to the connection terminal of the contact detection sensor main body 392.This reduces the number of parts compared to when a conductive member is brought into contact with the sensor electrode of the contact detection sensor main body 392 and connected to the contact detection body 393 via the conductive member, thereby reducing the cost of the pachinko machine 1 and eliminating the need to design the routing of the conductive member for connection to the contact detection body 393.This increases the degree of freedom in the placement of the contact detection body 393 and the contact detection sensor main body 392, making it easier to realize a pachinko machine 1 that achieves the above-mentioned effects.

In addition, a switching unit 394 is provided that switches the contact detectors 393 connected to the contact detection sensor main body 392, and the switching unit 394 can be used to select the contact detector 393 to be detected.For example, when a player-participation effect is performed in which multiple contact detectors 393 are dispersed and the dispersed contact detectors 393 are touched in a predetermined order, the switching unit 394 switches the contact detectors 393 connected to the contact detection sensor main body 392 when the player touches them in order, making it possible to detect whether the player touched the contact detectors 393 in the correct order.This makes it possible to realize a highly game-like player-participation effect using a single contact detection sensor main body 392, and provides a pachinko machine 1 that is even more enjoyable for players.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, in the effect operation unit 300 in the tray unit 200 of the door frame 3, when a player's finger or the like approaches or comes into contact with the button body 351 of the effect operation unit 350, which can be pressed by the player, the player approaches the contact detection body 352, which is made of a punched metal plate and whose player-side is covered by the button body 351, causing a change in the capacitance of the contact detection body 352. Because the capacitance of this contact detection body 352 is detected by the contact detection sensor body 358, it is possible to detect changes in the capacitance of the contact detection body 352, and therefore it is possible to detect the player's approach to or contact with the button body 351 (effect operation unit 350) via the contact detection body 352.

In this way, when the contact detector 352 and contact detection sensor main body 358 detect the player's approach to or contact with the effect operation unit 350, a predetermined effect is output to the player through the contact detector 352 and button main body 351 by effect means such as the outer button decorative board 355, vibration motor 356, effect operation unit lifting mechanism 360, inner button decorative board 364, and protrusion force adjustment mechanism 380, thereby entertaining the player and preventing a decline in the player's interest in the game. In this case, when the player approaches or contacts the effect operation unit 350, a predetermined effect is output, allowing the effect operation unit 350 to function as a non-contact operation unit or a contact operation unit using the contact detector 352 and contact detection sensor main body 358. Furthermore, because the effect operation unit 350, which functions as a non-contact operation unit and a contact operation unit, can be pressed by the player when it is extended, a variety of effect operations such as non-contact operation, contact operation, and press operation can be performed with the effect operation unit 350. This makes it easier to realize a pachinko machine 1 with an appearance that differs from conventional pachinko machines that have operation buttons that can only be pressed, and by differentiating it from other pachinko machines, it is possible to provide a pachinko machine 1 that is highly appealing to players.

In addition, a predetermined effect is output to the player in response to the detection of the capacitance of the contact detector 352 by the contact detection sensor main body 358. Because the capacitance varies depending on the distance between the contact detector 352 (button main body 351) and the player, multiple capacitance thresholds can be set and different effects can be output for each threshold. Therefore, the time (distance) from when the player approaches the button main body 351 (effect operation unit 350) to when they make contact can be detected in multiple stages, and by outputting effects according to each stage, a wider variety of effects can be presented to the player, preventing the player from becoming bored and reducing a decline in interest.

In addition, because the contact detection sensor main body 358, which detects the capacitance of the contact detection body 352, is located away from the contact detection body 352, the contact detection sensor main body 358, which contains electronic components such as a sensor IC and output circuit, can be located in a part of the performance operation unit 350 that is difficult for players to see, improving the appearance of the pachinko machine 1 and increasing its appeal to players.

Furthermore, as mentioned above, the operation unit can perform a variety of presentation operations such as non-contact operations, contact operations, and pressing operations. By implementing player-participation presentations that allow players to control the presentations, it is possible to enjoy a variety of presentation operations, making it less likely for players to become bored, and allowing players to enjoy player-participation presentations, which can prevent players from losing interest in the game.

Furthermore, the contact detection body 352, whose capacitance is detected by the contact detection sensor main body 358, is made of a perforated metal consisting of a metal plate with multiple holes formed therein. This reduces the capacitance of the contact detection body 352 when the player is not approaching or touching the button main body 351 due to the multiple holes, thereby preventing false detection by the contact detection sensor main body 358. Therefore, by appropriately selecting the number, size, and arrangement of the multiple holes, it is possible to increase the area of the contact detection body 352 while suppressing an increase in capacitance, thereby widening the range over which the contact detection body 352 detects the player's approach to or contact with the button main body 351 (effect operation unit 350). This allows the contact detector 352 to be made larger and the detection range to be wider. Therefore, if the button body 351 (effect operation unit 350) that the player can press is made larger and the contact detector 352 is made the same size as the upper surface 351a of the button body 351, as in the above embodiment, when the player is required to approach or contact the effect operation unit 350 (button body 351) to execute a player participation effect, the contact detector 352 covered by the button body 351 is as large as the upper surface 351a of the button body 351, so the movement distance required for the player's fingers to approach or contact the effect operation unit 350 is shorter, allowing the effect operation unit 350 to be operated quickly, making it less likely that the timing for operation will be missed in a player participation effect and ensuring that the player can participate in the player participation effect. This entertains the player and prevents a decline in interest.

In addition, because the contact detector 352 is made of perforated metal, the LEDs 364a on the decorative button board 364, which acts as a presentation device and is located on the opposite side of the contact detector 352 from the player side, can be output to the player through the multiple holes formed in the contact detector 352, ensuring that the player can enjoy the light-emitting effects and preventing a decline in interest.

Furthermore, since the effect operation unit 350 (button body 351), which can be operated by pressing, is provided with a contact detector 352, which is made of punched metal, a metal plate with a certain degree of strength and rigidity, the effect operation unit 350 can be reinforced, making the effect operation unit 350 less likely to deform or break even if the player presses or hits the effect operation unit 350 (button body 351) hard when performing a pressing operation. Therefore, because the contact detector 352 makes the effect operation unit 350 less likely to be damaged, the player can press the effect operation unit 350 without any worries, making the player-participation type effect of operating the effect operation unit 350 more enjoyable and preventing a decline in interest.

Furthermore, the contact detector 352 is made of punched metal, which allows the plate thickness of the contact detector 352 to be thinner than when the contact detector 352 is made of expanded metal processed from a metal plate of the same plate thickness. This makes it easier to secure space for the contact detector 352, facilitating the installation of the contact detector 352 and increasing design freedom, making it easier to design a pachinko machine 1 that is more appealing to players.

Furthermore, because the contact detector 352 is made of punched metal, it has a consistent plate thickness compared to expanded metal, making it easy to process the contact detector 352 into the desired three-dimensional shape by pressing. This makes it easier to create a shape that is optimal for detecting a player's approach to or contact with the button body 351 (effect operation unit 350), ensuring the above-mentioned effects are realized.

In addition, in the effect operation unit 350, the button body 351 covers the player side of the contact detector 352, which is made of punched metal with multiple holes formed in it. This prevents the player from directly touching the contact detector 352, which is made of punched metal with multiple holes formed in it. This prevents the player from feeling uncomfortable when touching the contact detector 352 with multiple holes formed in it, and also allows the button body 351 to be operated without any discomfort in player-participation effects that use the button body 351 as an operation unit, allowing the player to enjoy the effect and preventing a decline in interest.

Furthermore, because the player side of the contact detector 352, which is made of perforated metal, is covered by the button body 351, the multiple holes formed in the contact detector 352 do not become contaminated with dust, food, drink, or other contaminants, making cleaning easier and reducing the burden on the gaming hall that installs the pachinko machine 1 as an easy-to-clean pachinko machine 1.

In addition, presentation means such as the outer button decorative board 355, vibration motor 356, presentation operation unit lifting mechanism 360, inner button decorative board 364, and protrusion force adjustment mechanism 380 are provided on the opposite side of the contact detector 352 from the player side, allowing predetermined presentations to be output to the player through the contact detector 352 and button body 351. When the contact detection sensor body 358 detects the player's approach to or contact with the button body 351 (presentation operation unit 350), the predetermined presentation is output through the multiple holes formed in the contact detector 352 and the transparent button body 351, strongly attracting the player's attention to the presentation operation unit 350 and ensuring that the player enjoys the presentation output through (via) the presentation operation unit 350, preventing a decline in interest.

Furthermore, because the presentation means, such as the outer button decorative board 355, vibration motor 356, presentation operation unit lifting mechanism 360, inner button decorative board 364, and protrusion force adjustment mechanism 380, are located on the side of the contact detector 352 opposite the player, the presentation means are covered by the contact detector 352, and the contact detector 352 (presentation operation unit 350) and presentation means can be compactly combined. This makes it easier to install the presentation operation unit 350 and presentation means, which have the above-mentioned effects, in the desired location on the pachinko machine 1, making it easier to provide a pachinko machine 1 that is highly appealing and can be differentiated from other pachinko machines.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, when a player approaches or comes into contact with the effect operation unit 350 (button body 351), which is mounted on the tray unit 200 of the door frame 3 and is movable up and down, the capacitance of the contact detector 352 of the effect operation unit 350 changes. Therefore, the contact detection sensor main body 358 can detect the capacitance of the contact detector 352, thereby detecting the player's approach to or contact with the effect operation unit 350. When the contact detection sensor main body 358 detects the player's approach to or contact with the effect operation unit 350, the force of the lifting spring 365 of the effect operation unit lifting mechanism 360 causes the effect operation unit 350 to protrude upward. Therefore, if the effect operation unit 350 protrudes when the player is not in contact with the effect operation unit 350, it will abut (collide) with the player. If the effect operation unit 350 protrudes when the player is in contact with the effect operation unit 350, it is possible to present the player with an effect created by a physical force pushing the player. This makes a strong impact on players with effects not seen in previous pachinko machines, strongly drawing the player's attention to the effect operation unit 350 and ensuring that the player notices that the effect operation unit 350 is protruding.

When protruding this effect operation unit 350, moving the lift spring lower holding member 385 of the protrusion force adjustment mechanism 380 toward the upper end of the lift spring 365 (upward) increases the compression of the lift spring 365, thereby increasing the biasing force; moving it away from the upper end of the lift spring 365 (downward) decreases the compression of the lift spring 365, thereby decreasing the biasing force. By moving the lift spring lower holding member 385 to an appropriate position, the biasing force of the effect operation unit 350 by the lift spring 365 can be changed. In this way, because the effect operation unit 350 can be protruded with various protrusion forces, the variety of effects created by physical force can be increased, preventing players from getting bored, and allowing players to enjoy the effects created by the protrusion of the effect operation unit 350, preventing a decline in player interest in the game.

In addition, the thrust force of the effect operation unit 350 is changed depending on the game state. Therefore, when a player approaches or touches the effect operation unit 350 with their fingers, etc., and the effect operation unit 350 makes contact with the force, a strong impact is given to the player, making them feel strongly that something good is about to happen (for example, the occurrence of a favorable game state that gives the player an advantage), increasing anticipation for the game and preventing a decline in interest.

In addition, because the effect operation unit 350 is a pressure operation unit 303 that can be pressed, when a player-participation effect is executed, the player can be made to press the effect operation unit 350, allowing the player to participate in the player-participation effect, and allowing the player to enjoy pressing the effect operation unit 350, thereby preventing a decline in interest.

In addition, because the effect operation unit 350 can be operated by pressing it, players who place their fingers or the like on the effect operation unit 350 (the top surface of the button body 351) can operate it at any time. When a player-participation effect is executed by pressing the effect operation unit 350, the effect operation unit lifting mechanism 360 causes the effect operation unit 350 to protrude, allowing the player to quickly recognize the start of the player-participation effect without having to be notified by effect images, sounds, etc., which increases the player's motivation to press the effect operation unit 350 and makes the player-participation effect even more enjoyable.

Furthermore, because the performance operation unit 350 is caused to protrude by the biasing force of the lifting spring 365 in the performance operation unit lifting mechanism 360, the performance operation unit 350 can be easily and forcefully protruded compared to when the performance operation unit 350 is protruded using a drive motor, making it easier to achieve the effects described above.

Furthermore, the contact detection sensor main body 358 detects the capacitance of the contact detection body 352, thereby detecting the player's approach to or contact with the effect operation unit 350. Because the capacitance of the contact detection body 352 varies depending on the distance between the effect operation unit 350 and the player, multiple capacitance thresholds can be set, making it possible to protrude the effect operation unit 350 with a different protrusion force for each threshold. Therefore, the contact detection sensor main body 358 can detect the distance from when the player's fingers, etc., approach the effect operation unit 350 to when it makes contact in multiple stages, and by protruding with a protrusion force appropriate for each stage, it is possible to present a wider variety of effects to the player, preventing the player from becoming bored and preventing a decline in interest.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, when the tray unit 200 of the door frame 3 is caused to pop up by executing a player participation effect, and the effect operation unit 350, which is arranged so that the player can move forward and backward, approaches or comes into contact with the effect operation unit 350, causing a change in the capacitance of the contact detection element 352 located on the back side of the button main body 351 that the player touches on the effect operation unit 350. Meanwhile, the contact detection sensor main body 358, which is located away from the contact detection element 352 on the effect operation unit 350, detects the capacitance of the contact detection element 352 and can therefore capture the change in capacitance of the contact detection element 352 due to the player's approach or contact, thereby detecting the player's approach to or contact with the button main body 351 on the effect operation unit 350, and the contact detection sensor main body 358 can detect the player by capacitance. Then, when the contact detection sensor main body 358 detects a situation or the player moves the effect operation unit 350 forward or backward (presses it), a predetermined effect is executed by effect means such as the effect operation unit outer decorative board 320, the button outer decorative board 355, the effect operation unit lifting mechanism 360, the button inner decorative board 364, the protrusion force adjustment mechanism 380, and the effect display device 1600. In other words, a predetermined effect is executed when the player moves the effect operation unit 350 forward or backward or approaches or touches the effect operation unit 350, so that the player can be entertained by this effect and prevent a decline in the player's interest in the game.

In this case, when the player approaches or touches the effect operation unit 350, an effect is executed, allowing the effect operation unit 350 (button body 351) to function as an effect operation unit (non-contact operation unit, contact operation unit). On the other hand, when the player moves the effect operation unit 350 forward or backward (presses), an effect is executed, allowing the effect operation unit 350 to function as an effect operation unit (press operation unit). As a result, players can perform a variety of effect operations, and by executing player-participation effects that allow players to operate the effects, they can enjoy a variety of effect operations, making it less likely that players will get bored, and allowing players to enjoy player-participation effects, which can prevent a decline in the player's interest in the game.

The player is detected by the capacitance of the contact detector 352, which is located near the part of the button body 351 on the effect operation unit 350 that the player touches (below the upper surface 351a). The capacitance of the contact detector 352 varies depending on the distance between the contact detector 352 (button body 351) and the player. Therefore, it is possible to set multiple capacitance thresholds for executing a specific effect, and to execute a different effect for each threshold. Therefore, it is possible to detect the time (distance) between the approach of the player's finger or other object to the effect operation unit 350 and contact, in multiple stages. By presenting effects according to each stage, a wider variety of effects can be presented to the player, preventing players from becoming bored and reducing a decline in interest.

In addition, a predetermined effect is executed when the contact detector 352 and the contact detection sensor main body 358 detect the player, and this effect can impart a sense of control to the effect operations (non-contact operations, contact operations) using the contact detector 352 and the contact detection sensor main body 358, allowing the player to enjoy the effect operations even more.

Furthermore, the device is equipped with a presentation operation unit 350 that can be advanced and retreated (pressed) by the player, and a contact detector 352 and contact detection sensor main body 358 that can detect the player's approach or contact with the presentation operation unit 350. This allows the player to perform a variety of operations during player participation-type presentations, such as moving the presentation operation unit 350 forward and backward (pressing operations) or bringing their fingers or other objects close to or into contact with the presentation operation unit 350 (non-contact operations, contact operations). These various operations can increase the player's motivation to participate in player participation-type presentations, making it easier for them to participate in player participation-type presentations. Furthermore, when a player participates in a player participation-type presentation, the various operations using the presentation operation unit 350, contact detector 352, and contact detection sensor main body 358 can prevent the player from becoming bored and allow them to enjoy the player participation-type presentation, preventing a decline in the player's interest.

Furthermore, by engaging the guide pin 354c of the button base 354 of the effect operation unit 350 with the locking portion 371c of the lifting cam member 371 of the effect operation unit lifting mechanism 360, the effect operation unit 350 can be locked so that it cannot move forward or backward. Therefore, by keeping the effect operation unit 350 immovable by the guide pin 354c and the lifting cam member 371 until an effect is executed that moves the effect operation unit 350 forward or backward, it is possible to prevent the effect operation unit 350 from moving or shaking on its own. This makes it possible to avoid the effect operation unit 350 moving or shaking on its own, which could cause distrust or anxiety in the player, and makes the effect produced by the effect operation unit 350 more enjoyable.

Furthermore, in the performance operation unit 350, the contact detection sensor main body 358 is located away from the contact detection body 352. This allows the contact detection sensor main body 358, which contains electronic components such as a sensor IC and output circuit, to be located in a location that is difficult for players to see, improving the appearance of the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, because the contact detector 352 for detecting capacitance and the contact detector sensor main body 358, which has a sensor IC and output circuit that detects the capacitance of the contact detector 352, are separate entities, the shape and material of the contact detector 352 can be selected as appropriate, regardless of the contact detector sensor main body 358. This allows the contact detector 352 to be made to optimally match the shape, form, and specifications of the button main body 351 of the performance operation unit 350, ensuring the realization of a pachinko machine 1 that provides the effects described above.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, in the effect operation unit 300 of the door frame 3, when a player approaches or touches the button body 351 or surface member 396 covering the outer button decorative substrate 355, inner button decorative substrate 364, or decorative body 398 with their fingers, etc., the capacitance of the contact detector 352 or contact detector 397 located between the button body 351 or surface member 396 and the outer button decorative substrate 355, inner button decorative substrate 364, or decorative body 398 changes, and in response to this change, a predetermined effect is executed in which light is irradiated towards the player by the outer button decorative substrate 355, inner button decorative substrate 364, or decorative body 398.Therefore, the light irradiated towards the player can strongly attract the player's attention to the outer button decorative substrate 355, inner button decorative substrate 364, or decorative body 398, and the executed effect can entertain the player. In this case, the contact detector 352 or contact detector 397 located between the button body 351 or surface member 396 and the outer button decorative substrate 355 or inner button decorative substrate 364 or decorative body 398 is formed to fit the decorative portion located on the button body 351 or surface member 396, giving the player the illusion that the contact detector 352 or contact detector 397 is part of the decorative portion, making it impossible for the player to recognize that the contact detector 352 or contact detector 397 is intended to detect the player.

In this way, because the contact detector 352 or contact detector 397 is not visible to the player, even if the contact detector 352 or contact detector 397 blocks part of the outer button decorative board 355, inner button decorative board 364, or decorative body 398 (effect), the player will not be bothered by the contact detector 352 or contact detector 397. Furthermore, even if the contact detector 352 or contact detector 397 is located in front of the outer button decorative board 355, inner button decorative board 364, or decorative body 398, the presence of the contact detector 352 or contact detector 397 will not cause the player to feel uncomfortable. Therefore, the effect of the outer button decorative board 355, inner button decorative board 364, or decorative body 398 can be clearly seen by the player, entertaining the player and preventing a decline in interest.

In addition, by detecting the approach or contact of the player's fingers or the like to the button body 351 or surface member 396 using the contact detector 352 or contact detector 397, an effect is executed in which light is irradiated towards the player on the outer button decorative substrate 355, inner button decorative substrate 364 or decorative body 398, which are covered by the button body 351 or surface member 396. This allows the button body 351 or surface member 396 to function like an effect operation unit 301 (touch operation unit 302), and also gives the player the feeling of operating using light. Therefore, for example, when a player participation type effect is executed, the player's fingers or the like approach or contact the button body 351 or surface member 396, and when the contact detector 352 or contact detector 397 detects the approach or contact of the fingers or the like, an effect is executed by the outer button decorative board 355, inner button decorative board 364 or decorative body 398, allowing the player to take part in the player participation type effect and enjoy it.

Furthermore, since the contact detector 352 or contact detector 397 detects the player's approach to or contact with the button body 351 or surface member 396, it is possible to vary the presentation of the button outer decorative board 355, button inner decorative board 364 or decorative body 398 depending on the distance between the button body 351 or surface member 396 and the player's fingers, etc., so the presentation of the button outer decorative board 355, button inner decorative board 364 or decorative body 398 can be changed depending on the movement (position) of the player's fingers, etc., allowing the player to see a more diverse presentation, which makes it less likely that the player will tire of the game and prevents the player's interest from declining.

In addition, changes in the capacitance of the contact detector 352 or contact detector 397 are detected, and when a player approaches or touches the button body 351 or surface member 396, the capacitance of the contact detector 352 or contact detector 397, which is located between the button body 351 or surface member 396 and the outer button decorative substrate 355, inner button decorative substrate 364, or decorative body 398, changes. This makes it easy to detect the approach or contact of the player's fingers, etc., with the button body 351 or surface member 396, thereby reliably realizing a pachinko machine 1 that provides the above-mentioned effects.

Furthermore, because contact detector 352 or contact detector 397 detects changes in capacitance, contact detector 352 or contact detector 397 can be made of a conductive material. For example, if contact detector 397 is made of a metal vapor-deposited film, the vapor-deposited film can be made thin to make it transparent, or thickened to give it a metallic luster, making it appear as if it were part of the decoration. Alternatively, if contact detector 352 and contact detector 395 are made of punched metal with a decorative outer shape such as a star or heart, contact detector 352 and contact detector 395 can be made to appear as if they were part of the decoration. As a result, contact detector 352, contact detector 395, and contact detector 397 can be made invisible to the player, ensuring the above-mentioned effects.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, in the effect operation unit 300 of the door frame 3, the capacitance changes when the player's fingers or the like approach or touch the transparent button body 351 covering the top side (surface side), and this change causes the contact detectors 395 etc. (including contact detector 352, left contact detector 390L, right contact detector 390R, contact detector 393, contact detector 397, etc.) to present a predetermined effect using effect presentation means such as the outer button decorative board 355, vibration motor 356, effect operation unit lifting mechanism 360, inner button decorative board 364, protrusion force adjustment mechanism 380, and effect display device 1600.Since these contact detectors 395 etc. are formed into a predetermined outer peripheral shape with a design feature, the pachinko machine 1 can be decorated with the contact detectors 395 themselves, making it possible to provide a pachinko machine 1 that looks good and is highly appealing to players. Furthermore, the surface side of the contact detector 395 etc. is covered with the transparent button body 351, and a predetermined effect is presented by the effect presenting means via the button body 351 and the contact detector 395 etc. in response to a change in the capacitance of the contact detector 395 etc. due to the approach of the player's finger or the like to the contact detector 395, so that a predetermined effect is presented in response to the approach or contact of the player's finger or the like to the button body 351, allowing the button body 351 to function as the effect operation unit 301. And, because the contact detector 395 etc. visible through the button body 351 have a design feature, the effect operation unit 301 appears to have a design feature, making a strong impact on players as a pachinko machine 1 equipped with an effect operation unit 301 not found in previous pachinko machines, and making it possible to provide a highly appealing pachinko machine 1 that can be differentiated from other pachinko machines. Furthermore, as mentioned above, the design of the contact detector 395 etc. can make a strong impact on the player, thereby generating a strong interest in the contact detector 395 etc. (button body 351), heightening anticipation for operating the button body 351 (effect operation unit 301), and also making it fun to operate the button body 351 when a player-participation effect in which the player operates the button body 351 is executed, thereby preventing a decline in the player's interest.

In addition, the contact detector 395, which detects the approach or contact of a player's fingers or the like with the button body 351, is formed into an outer periphery with a design that makes it difficult for some players to notice, at first glance, the presence of the effect operation unit 301 (button body 351) that presents effects using the effect presentation means. Therefore, when a player-participation effect is executed by operating the effect operation unit 301, the player is prompted to approach or touch the button body 351, which makes it clear for the first time that the button body 351 is the effect operation unit 301 using the contact detector 395, etc., adding an element of surprise to the player and making the player-participation effect more enjoyable. Alternatively, when a player-participation effect is being executed by operating the effect operation unit 301, if the player approaches or touches the button body 351 with a finger or the like without realizing that it is the effect operation unit 301, the capacitance of the contact detector 395 or the like will change and an effect will be presented by the effect presentation means, surprising the player and entertaining the player with the presented effect, preventing a decline in interest.

Furthermore, because effects are presented by the effect presentation means in response to changes in the capacitance of the contact detector 395, etc., it is possible to easily detect the approach or contact of a player's fingers, etc. with the button body 351 covering the contact detector 395, etc., making it easier to realize a pachinko machine 1 that achieves the above-mentioned effects. Also, because effects are presented in response to changes in the capacitance of the contact detector 395, etc., it is possible to detect the time (distance) from when a player's fingers, etc. approach the button body 351 covering the contact detector 395, etc., to when they make contact in multiple stages. By presenting effects according to each stage, it is possible to present a wider variety of effects to the player, preventing the player from becoming bored and reducing a decline in interest.

Furthermore, because the outer periphery of the contact detector 395, etc. is formed into a predetermined shape, even if inorganic materials such as punched metal, expanded metal, or wire mesh are used as the conductive contact detector 395, etc., it is possible to impart design features to the contact detector 395, etc., preventing the contact detector 395, etc. from compromising the appearance and making the contact detector 395, etc. more noticeable, making it easier to realize a pachinko machine 1 that achieves the above-mentioned effects.

In addition, because the outer periphery of the contact detector 395 and other elements is formed into a predetermined shape, it is possible to create an aesthetically pleasing design without forming the contact detector 395 and other elements into a three-dimensional shape. Therefore, the contact detector 395 and other elements can be formed into a flat shape or a simple three-dimensional shape, reducing the cost of manufacturing the contact detector 395 and other elements.

Furthermore, because the surface side of the contact detector 395, etc. is covered with the transparent button body 351, dirt such as dust and food and drink does not adhere to the contact detector 395, etc., making cleaning easier. More specifically, because the contact detector 395, etc., is made of an uneven material such as punched metal, dirt such as dust and food and drink easily adheres to the unevenness, making cleaning of the dirt more difficult. However, because the surface side of the contact detector 395, etc. is covered with the button body 351, even if the contact detector 395, etc., is made of an uneven material such as punched metal, the button body 351 prevents dirt from adhering, making the machine easier to clean and reducing the burden on the gaming hall that installs the pachinko machine 1.

In addition, the surface of the contact detector 395, etc. is covered with the transparent button body 351 to prevent the player from touching the contact detector 395, etc. Therefore, if the contact detector 395, etc., is made of a material with a high design quality, such as a metal vapor deposition film or foil stamping, it is possible to prevent premature wear due to contact by the player, thereby increasing the durability of the contact detector 395, etc.

Furthermore, the surface side of the contact detector 395, etc. is covered with the transparent button body 351. As described above, the transparent button body 351 prevents the player from directly touching the contact detector 395, etc., so it is possible to use contact detectors 395, etc. that are unpleasant to the touch or that may cause discomfort to the player. This increases the degree of freedom in the materials used for the contact detector 395, etc., and allows the contact detector 395, etc. to be formed from materials tailored to needs.

Furthermore, when the capacitance of the contact detector 395 etc. is changed by bringing the player's finger etc. close to or into contact with the button body 351 which covers the contact detector 395 etc., a predetermined effect is presented to the player via the button body 351 and the contact detector 395 etc. The effect presented via the button body 351 and the contact detector 395 etc. allows the player to intuitively recognize that the player has brought their finger etc. close to or into contact with the button body 351, allowing the player to enjoy the movement of their finger etc.

In addition, effects are presented to the player via the button body 351 and the contact detector 395, etc., and when the player's fingers, etc., approach or touch the button body 351, which covers the contact detector 395, etc., the effects presented to the player via the button body 351 and the contact detector 395, etc. are executed. This allows the button body 351 to function like a touch operation unit, and the presented effects can give the player a sense of operation, allowing the player to enjoy operations using the button body 351 (player-participation effects).

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, in order to operate the button body 351 of the effect operation unit 350, which is capable of multiple operations, the player approaches or touches the button body 351 with their fingers, etc., and when the contact detector 352 (contact detection sensor body 358) detects that the fingers, etc. have entered the detection area, various effects are executed, such as a light-emitting effect in which light is irradiated onto the player through the button body 351 by the multiple LEDs 355a on the outer button decorative board 355 and the multiple LEDs 364a on the inner button decorative board 364, a vibration motor 356 vibrating the player's fingers, etc. that are in contact through (via) the button body 351, and an effect in which the button body 351 is protruded upward by the effect operation unit lifting mechanism 360, thereby applying impact, upward pressure, wind pressure, etc. to the player through (via) the button body 351, allowing the button body 351 to function as the contact operation unit 302, providing entertainment to the player. At this time, effects such as light, vibration, impact, upward pressure, and wind pressure are imparted to the player through the button body 351, which can surprise and entertain the player and increase their enthusiasm for operating the button body 351. When the player's fingers or the like are in contact with the button body 351 and they move their fingers or the like appropriately to press the button body 351 downward, the button body 351 functions as the pressing operation unit 303. Therefore, the contact operation caused by the contact detector 352 detecting the approach or contact of the player's fingers or the like, and the pressing operation of the button body 351, can provide the player with a variety of exciting operations, preventing the player from becoming bored and preventing a decline in interest.

In addition, the detection means for detecting the approach or contact of a player's fingers, etc., is composed of the contact detection element 352 and the contact detection sensor main body 358, and the contact detection element 352 is located near the back surface of the top surface 351a of the button main body 351. Therefore, even if the contact detection sensor main body 358, which has a detection circuit, is located on the flange portion 353b of the button sleeve 353, away from the top surface 351a of the button main body 351, the contact detection element 352 can detect the approach or contact of a player's fingers, etc., with the top surface 351a of the button main body 351, achieving the same effects as those described above.

Furthermore, the detection means for detecting the approach or contact of a player's fingers or the like is composed of the contact detection body 352 and the contact detection sensor main body 358. Therefore, the contact detection sensor main body 358, which is equipped with a detection circuit, can be positioned on the flange portion 353b of the button sleeve 353, away from the top surface portion 351a (contact detection body 352) of the button main body 351. This allows the contact detection sensor main body 358 to be positioned in a less noticeable location, improving the appearance of the pachinko machine 1.

In addition, the back (bottom) of the button body 351 is provided with an outer button decorative board 355, an inner button decorative board 364, and an effect operation unit lifting mechanism 360, which make it easier for the player to experience effects such as light, vibration, impact, lifting, and wind pressure through the button body 351, achieving the same effects as those described above.

[4. Overall configuration of the main body frame]
The overall configuration of the main body frame 4 in the pachinko machine 1 will be described in detail mainly with reference to Figures 75 to 81. Figure 75 is a front view of the main body frame in the pachinko machine, and Figure 76 is a rear view of the main body frame in the pachinko machine. Figure 77 is a perspective view of the main body frame as seen from the front right, Figure 78 is a perspective view of the main body frame as seen from the front left, and Figure 79 is a perspective view of the main body frame as seen from the rear. Figure 80 is an exploded perspective view of the main body frame disassembled into its main components as seen from the front, and Figure 81 is an exploded perspective view of the main body frame disassembled into its main components as seen from the rear.

The main frame 4 holds the game board 5, which has a play area 5a where play is carried out by hitting game balls B, and is used to pay out game balls B to the player and eject used game balls B to the rear of the pachinko machine 1 (towards the island equipment in the game hall). As shown in the figure, the main frame 4 is formed in a box shape with an open front, and the game board 5 is removably stored inside from the front. The main frame 4 is openably attached to a frame-shaped outer frame 2, which is attached to the island equipment in the game hall, at the top and bottom of the front end on the left side of the front, and a door frame 3 is openably attached to close the open front side.

The main frame 4 comprises a frame-shaped main frame base unit 500 whose rear can be inserted into the outer frame 2 and can support the outer periphery of the game board 5; an upper main frame hinge member 510 attached to the upper left end of the main frame base unit 500 when viewed from the front, which is rotatably attached to the upper outer frame hinge assembly 50 of the outer frame 2 and to which the upper door frame hinge assembly 120 of the door frame 3 is rotatably attached; and a lower main frame hinge assembly 520 attached to the lower left end of the main frame base unit 500 when viewed from the front, which is rotatably attached to the lower outer frame hinge member 60 of the outer frame 2 and to which the lower door frame hinge member 125 of the door frame 3 is rotatably attached.

The main frame 4 also includes a main frame reinforcement frame 530 attached to the left side of the main frame base unit 500 when viewed from the front; a ball launcher 540 attached to the lower front side of the main frame base unit 500 for shooting game balls B into the game area 5a of the game board 5; an inverted L-shaped payout base unit 550 attached to the rear side of the main frame base unit 500 along the upper and left sides when viewed from the front; a payout unit 560 attached to the rear side of the payout base unit 550 for paying out game balls B to the player; a base unit 620 attached to the lower rear side of the main frame base unit 500; a back cover 640 attached to the rear side of the main frame base unit 500 in an openable and closable manner to cover the rear side of the game board 5 attached to the main frame base 501; and a locking unit 650 attached to the right side of the main frame base unit 500 when viewed from the front, for locking the outer frame 2 and main frame 4, and the door frame 3 and main frame 4.

The main frame base unit 500 includes a main frame base 501, which is formed into a vertically extending rectangular frame shape when viewed from the front, a connection cable guide member 502 that guides a connection cable 503 for connection to the door frame 3, and a game board locking member 505 that detachably holds the game board 5.

The dispensing base unit 550 comprises a dispensing base 551 attached to the rear of the main frame base 501 of the main frame base unit 500; a ball tank 552 attached to the dispensing base 551, shaped like a box extending left and right and open at the top; a tank rail 553 attached to the left side of the ball tank 552 and extending leftward in the shape of a groove open at the top; a first rail cover 554 attached to the upper end of the tank rail 553; a second rail cover 555 attached to the upper end of the tank rail 553, spaced apart from the first rail cover 554 to the left when viewed from the front; a ball straightening member 556 attached to the upper end of the tank rail 553 between the first rail cover 554 and the second rail cover 555; and a ball stop member 557 attached to the downstream end of the tank rail 553.

The payout unit 560 comprises a ball guiding unit 570 that guides game balls B from the tank rail 553 downward in a serpentine manner, a payout device 580 that pays out game balls B guided by the ball guiding unit 570 one by one based on instructions from the payout control board 633, an upper full ball path unit 600 that guides game balls B that have passed through the payout device 580 downward, and a lower full ball path unit 610 that guides game balls B that have passed through the upper full ball path unit 600 toward the door frame 3 or the board unit 620.

The board unit 620 comprises a speaker unit 620a attached to the main frame base 501 of the main frame base unit 500, a base unit 620b attached to the rear surface of the main frame base 501, a power supply unit 620c attached to the rear side of the base unit 620b, a dispensing control unit 620d attached to the rear side of the power supply unit 620c, and an interface unit 620e attached to the rear surface of the speaker unit 620a.

The locking unit 650 comprises a unit base 651 attached to the main frame base 501, multiple door frame hooks 652 that protrude forward from the unit base 651 and can engage with the door frame 3, multiple outer frame hooks 653 that protrude rearward from the unit base 651 and can engage with the outer frame 2, a transmission cylinder 654 that moves the door frame hooks 652 or outer frame hooks 653 up and down, a lock spring 655 that urges the door frame hooks 652 downward and the outer frame hooks 653 upward, and an outer frame unlocking lever 656 that moves the outer frame hooks 653 downward.

[4-1. Main frame base unit]
The main frame base unit 500 in the main frame 4 will be described in detail mainly with reference to Figures 75 to 83. Figure 82(a) is an enlarged perspective view showing the lower left corner of the front of the main frame, and (b) is an enlarged perspective view showing the lower left corner of the front of the main frame when the door frame is opened relative to the main frame. Figure 83 is an explanatory diagram showing the operation of the connection cable guide member of the main frame when the door frame is opened or closed relative to the main frame. The main frame base unit 500 has its rear inserted into the outer frame 2 from the front, and holds the outer periphery of the game board 5 inserted from the front.

The main frame base unit 500 comprises a main frame base 501, which is formed into a rectangular frame shape extending vertically when viewed from the front; a connection cable guide member 502 attached to the lower left corner of the front of the main frame base 501 to guide the connection cable 503; and a game board locking member 505 rotatably attached to the lower front of the main frame base 501 around an axis extending forward and backward to detachably hold the game board 5.

The main frame base 501 of the main frame base unit 500 comprises a base body 501a which has a vertically elongated rectangular shape when viewed from the front; a game board insertion opening 501b which penetrates the base body 501a from a position slightly below the top end to a height of approximately 3/4 of the total height and through which the game board 5 is inserted from the front; a game board placement section 501c which forms the lower edge of the game board insertion opening 501b and on which the game board 5 is placed; and a game board restriction section 501d which protrudes upward from the center of the game board placement section 501c in the left-right direction and restricts left-right and rearward movement of the bottom end of the game board 5.

The main frame base 501 also has a launcher mounting section 501e, which is recessed rearward on the lower right side of the game board mounting section 501c on the front surface of the base main body 501a when viewed from the front, for mounting the ball launcher 540; a cylinder insertion port 501f, which penetrates from front to back on the right side of the launcher mounting section 501e when viewed from the front, and through which the transmission cylinder 654 of the locking unit 650 is inserted; a circular speaker opening 501g, which penetrates from front to back on the lower left side of the game board mounting section 501c when viewed from the front, and which allows the main frame speaker 622 of the speaker unit 620a in the board unit 620 to face forward; a cable mounting recess 501h, which is recessed rearward below the speaker opening 501g and extends left and right, and into which the connection cable guide member 502 is attached; and a cable insertion port 501i, which penetrates from front to back at the upper right end of the cable mounting recess 501h when viewed from the front.

Furthermore, the main body frame base 501 extends rearward in a plate-like shape from the right edge of the game board insertion slot 501b of the base main body 501a when viewed from the front. The locking unit 650 is attached to the right side, and the rear extension portion 501j has a rear end to which the rear cover 640 is rotatably attached. Also, an upper hinge mounting portion 501k and a lower hinge mounting portion 501l are formed near the upper and lower ends of the left end of the rear surface of the base main body 501a when viewed from the front, and are used to mount the main body frame upper hinge member 510 and the main body frame lower hinge assembly 520.

The main frame base 501 is also equipped with a door frame opening switch for detecting the opening of the door frame 3 relative to the main frame 4, mounted on the front surface of the base body 501a below the cylinder insertion opening 501f through which the transmission cylinder 654 of the locking unit 650 is inserted. When the door frame 3 is opened (released) relative to the main frame 4, the door frame opening switch is released, allowing the opening of the door frame 3 to be detected. The detection signal from the door frame opening switch is input to the main control board 1310 via the dispensing control board 633. The main frame base 501 is also equipped with a main frame opening switch for detecting the opening of the main frame 4 relative to the outer frame 2, mounted on the rear surface of the base body 501a below the position where the door frame opening switch is mounted. When the main frame 4 is opened (released) relative to the outer frame 2, the main frame opening switch is released, allowing the opening of the main frame 4 to be detected. The detection signal from the main frame open switch is input to the main control board 1310 via the dispensing control board 633.

A game board locking member 505 is rotatably attached to the main frame base 501 around an axis extending forward and backward, below the game board placement portion 501c on the front side and to the right of the speaker opening 501g. The game board locking member 505 restricts the forward movement of the game board 5 inserted into the game board insertion opening 501b, thereby allowing the game board 5 inserted into the game board insertion opening 501b to be attached and detached.

The cable mounting recess 501h of the main frame base 501 extends laterally from the right end of the lower hinge mounting portion 501l to a position below the portion where the game board locking member 505 is mounted, to the right of the speaker opening 501g. The cable mounting recess 501h is sized to accommodate the connection cable guide member 502, and the right end of the connection cable guide member 502 can be attached to it so that it can rotate around an axis extending vertically.

The connection cable guide member 502 of the main frame base unit 500 comprises a flat guide body 502a extending laterally, a pair of band-like frame pieces 502b that protrude forward from the upper and lower sides of the guide body 502a and extend further to the right than the right end of the guide body 502a, a cylindrical mounting shaft 502c that connects the right ends of the pair of frame pieces 502b, and a plurality of through-holes 502d that penetrate the guide body 502a from front to back at both the upper and lower ends and are arranged in a row in the left-right direction.

The connection cable guide member 502 has a left-right length that is slightly shorter than the left-right length of the cable mounting recess 501h of the main frame base 501, and is sized to fit within the cable mounting recess 501h. The connection cable guide member 502 is attached so that its mounting shaft 502c can rotate around an axis extending vertically near the right end within the cable mounting recess 501h. This allows the connection cable guide member 502 to rotate (hinge rotate) so that the left end protrudes forward.

This connection cable guide member 502 is used to guide the connection cable 503. The connection cable 503 consists of multiple wiring cords, one end of which is connected to the interface board 635 of the board unit 620, and the opposite end of which is connected to the door frame main relay board 104 and door frame sub-relay board 105 of the door frame 3.

Next, we will explain the effect of the connection cable guide member 502. As shown in Figure 83, etc., the connection cable guide member 502 is attached to the main frame base 501 so that its end (right end) opposite the side (left side) where the door frame 3 is hingedly rotatably attached in the left-right direction is rotatable around an axis extending parallel to the hinge axis of the door frame 3.

The connection cable 503 connecting the interface board 635 of the main frame 4 to the door frame main relay board 104 and door frame sub-relay board 105 of the door frame 3 is attached to the guide body 502a by fastening it together with the guide body 502a with a cable tie 504 inserted through a pair of through holes 502d formed on the upper and lower ends of the guide body 502a that are in the same position left and right, with the side connected to the interface board 635 abutting the front surface of the guide body 502a so as to extend from right to left of the guide body 502a.

When the door frame 3 is assembled to the pachinko machine 1 and closed relative to the main frame 4, the connection cable guide member 502 of the main frame 4 is located behind the main relay board 104 and the auxiliary relay board 105 of the door frame 3 (see Figure 83 (a)). In this state, the connection cable 503 extends leftward from the connection cable guide member 502, then bends back in front of the lower hinge mounting portion 501l, passes through the cable holder 103a of the door frame 3, and extends into the relay board cover 107. The cable holder 103a of the door frame 3 is positioned to the left of the left end of the connection cable guide member 502.

In this state, when the door frame 3 is hingedly rotated so as to open relative to the main frame 4, the left end of the connection cable guide member 502 is pulled forward by the side of the connection cable 503 attached to the door frame 3, causing the connection cable guide member 502 to rotate around the attachment shaft 502c at the right end. In this embodiment, the relationship between the opening angle α of the door frame 3 and the opening angle β of the connection cable guide member 502 satisfies α/2 ≧ β (preferably α/3 ≧ β) (see Figure 83 (b)).

The opening angle β of the connection cable guide member 502 is 0 degrees when the door frame 3 is closed (when the opening angle α of the door frame 3 is 0 degrees). The opening angle β of the connection cable guide member 502 increases as the door frame 3 is opened and the opening angle α increases, but once the opening angle α exceeds a certain value (for example, approximately 90 degrees), the increase stops. In this embodiment, the maximum opening angle β is set to less than 45 degrees.

In this way, when the door frame 3 is opened, the connection cable guide member 502 rotates so that the left end of the connection cable guide member 502 moves forward of the main frame base 501. The connection cable 503 is guided by the connection cable guide member 502, preventing the connection cable 503 from dangling between the door frame 3 and the main frame 4.

When closing the open door frame 3, the portion of the connection cable 503 attached to the door frame 3 moves relatively backward, causing the connection cable 503 to press the left end of the connection cable guide member 502 backward, causing the connection cable guide member 502 to rotate around the mounting axis 502c so that the left end moves backward. Because the connection cable guide member 502 opens at an opening angle β of less than 45 degrees, the connection cable guide member 502 does not impede the movement of the door frame 3 in the closing direction, allowing the door frame 3 to close smoothly. Furthermore, because the connection cable 503 is guided by the connection cable guide member 502, the connection cable 503 will not become pinched between the door frame 3 and the main frame 4 when the door frame 3 is closed, preventing any malfunction of the connection cable 503.

In addition, when the door frame 3 is closed against the main frame 4, the connection cable 503 guided by the connection cable guide member 502 is folded back 180 degrees, creating a crease in the folded portion of the connection cable 503. As a result, when the door frame 3 is opened and the 180-degree folded portion of the connection cable 503 changes to open, the crease acts on the connection cable 503 to close it. Therefore, when the door frame 3 is closed, the crease prevents the connection cable 503 (connection cable guide member 502) from moving in the opening direction and also guides the connection cable 503 (connection cable guide member 502) in the closing direction, allowing the door frame 3 to close smoothly.

Furthermore, on the door frame 3 side, the folded connection cable 503 is held by the cable holder 103a at a position closer to the central axis (axial core) of the upper door frame hinge pin 122 and the lower door frame hinge pin 126 than the tip of the connection cable guide member 502. Therefore, when the door frame 3 is closed relative to the main frame 4, the connection cable 503 held by the cable holder 103a can pull the tip side of the connection cable guide member 502 toward the central axis (axial core) of the upper door frame hinge pin 122 and the lower door frame hinge pin 126.

In addition, in this embodiment, the angle between a tangent to a circle that passes through the center of rotation of the connection cable guide member 502, is centered on the central axis (axial core) of the upper door frame hinge pin 122 and the lower door frame hinge pin 126, and passes through a portion (pressing portion) of the speaker duct 103 that protrudes rearward on the central axis (axial core) side of the upper door frame hinge pin 122 and the lower door frame hinge pin 126 relative to the cable holder 103a, and the front surface of the main body frame 4 is 45 degrees or less. As a result, when the door frame 3 is closed relative to the main body frame 4, the pressing portion abuts against the connection cable 503, thereby pressing the tip of the open connection cable guide member 502 in the closing direction via the connection cable 503. This allows the connection cable guide member 502 to close smoothly as the door frame 3 moves in the closing direction, ensuring reliable closure of the door frame 3. Furthermore, the maximum opening angle β of the connection cable guide member 502, which rotates (opens and closes) as the door frame 3 opens and closes, can be set to 45 degrees or less, so when the door frame 3 is closed, the connection cable guide member 502 can be reliably rotated in the closing direction, achieving the same effects as described above.

[4-2. Main body frame upper hinge member]
The main body frame upper hinge member 510 in the main body frame 4 will be described in detail mainly with reference to Figures 80 and 81. The main body frame upper hinge member 510 is attached to the upper hinge attachment portion 501k in the main body frame base 501 of the main body frame base unit 500, and is rotatably attached to the outer frame upper hinge assembly 50 of the outer frame 2, and also rotatably attaches the door frame upper hinge assembly 120 of the door frame 3.

The main frame upper hinge member 510 comprises an upper hinge body 511, which is a horizontally extending flat plate material with the rear portion bent downward in an L-shape, and a main frame upper hinge pin 512 that protrudes upward in a cylindrical shape from the front end of the upper hinge body 511 and is journaled on the outer frame upper hinge assembly 50. The upper hinge body 511 has a door frame upper hinge hole 511a that penetrates vertically on the left side of the main frame upper hinge pin 512 in a front view at the horizontally extending portion and journals the door frame upper hinge assembly 120.

The upper hinge body 511 of the main frame upper hinge member 510 is bent downward and attached to the upper hinge mounting portion 501k of the main frame base 501 of the main frame base unit 500 at its portion that extends vertically. The upper hinge body 511 of the main frame upper hinge member 510 is supported by its upper hinge pin 512, which is inserted into the bearing groove 51c of the upper hinge member 51 of the upper hinge assembly 50. The upper hinge pin 122 of the upper hinge assembly 120 of the door frame 3 is rotatably inserted from below into the upper hinge hole 511a for the door frame of the upper hinge body 511.

This upper main frame hinge member 510 cooperates with the lower main frame hinge assembly 520 to attach the main frame 4 to the outer frame 2 in a hinged manner, and also to attach the door frame 3 to the main frame 4 in a hinged manner.

[4-3. Main body frame lower hinge assembly]
The main body frame lower hinge assembly 520 in the main body frame 4 will be described in detail mainly with reference to Figures 80 and 81. The main body frame lower hinge assembly 520 is attached to the lower hinge attachment portion 501l in the main body frame base 501 of the main body frame base unit 500, and is rotatably attached to the outer frame lower hinge member 60 of the outer frame 2, and the door frame lower hinge member 125 of the door frame 3 is rotatably attached to it.

The main body frame lower hinge assembly 520 comprises a lower hinge first body 521, which is a horizontally extending, flat plate-like material with its rear portion bent upward into an L-shape, and a lower hinge second body 522, which is arranged above the lower hinge first body 521 and is a horizontally extending, flat plate-like material with its rear portion bent upward into an L-shape. The main body frame lower hinge assembly 520 has the horizontally extending portion of the lower hinge second body 522 arranged at a distance above the horizontally extending portion of the lower hinge first body 521, and the vertically extending portion of the lower hinge second body 522 abuts against the front surface of the vertically extending portion of the lower hinge first body 521.

The lower hinge first body 521 has a lower hinge hole 521a for the outer frame that penetrates vertically near the front end of the horizontally extending portion and into which the lower hinge pin 60c of the lower hinge member 60 of the outer frame 2 is inserted from below. The lower hinge hole 521a for the outer frame is formed coaxially with the upper hinge pin 512 of the upper hinge member 510 of the main frame.

The second lower hinge body 522 has a lower door frame hinge hole 522a that penetrates vertically near the front end of the horizontally extending portion and into which the lower door frame hinge pin 126 of the lower door frame hinge member 125 of the door frame 3 is inserted from above, and a restriction piece 522b that extends upward from a position rearward of the lower door frame hinge hole 522a on the left edge of the horizontally extending portion and restricts the rotation range of the door frame 3. The lower door frame hinge hole 522a is formed coaxially with the upper door frame hinge hole 511a in the upper hinge body 511 of the main body frame upper hinge member 510.

The main frame lower hinge assembly 520 is attached to the lower hinge mounting portion 501l of the main frame base 501 of the main frame base unit 500 at the vertically extending portions of the lower hinge first body 521 and the lower hinge second body 522. The main frame lower hinge assembly 520 cooperates with the main frame upper hinge member 510 to attach the main frame 4 to the outer frame 2 so that it can rotate about a hinge, and to attach the door frame 3 to the main frame 4 so that it can rotate about a hinge.

[4-4. Main body reinforcement frame]
The main body frame reinforcement frame 530 in the main body frame 4 will be described in detail mainly with reference to Figures 80 and 81. The main body frame reinforcement frame 530 is attached to the left side surface of the main body frame base 501 in the main body frame base unit 500. The main body frame reinforcement frame 530 has a U-shaped cross section in plan view that is open on the right side, and extends vertically with a constant cross section. In this embodiment, the main body frame reinforcement frame 530 is formed from an extruded metal profile.

Two left position restriction members 531 are attached to the main frame reinforcement frame 530, spaced apart vertically, at the rear of the section extending rightward from the front end. These members restrict the forward and vertical movement of the game board 5 inserted into the game board insertion port 501b of the main frame base 501.

The main frame reinforcement frame 530 has a U-shaped front side that is open on the right side in plan view. It has a groove 530a that is open to the right and extends vertically. The rear left end of the left reinforcement frame 111 of the door frame reinforcement unit 110 in the door frame 3 is inserted into this groove 530a when the door frame 3 is closed against the main frame 4. By inserting the left reinforcement frame 111 into the groove 530a, the gap between the main frame reinforcement frame 530 and the left reinforcement frame 111 becomes serpentine in plan view, preventing the insertion of illegal tools into the pachinko machine 1 from the left side. The main frame reinforcement frame 530 reinforces the left side (hinge side) of the main frame base 501 of the main frame base unit 500 and prevents the insertion of illegal tools into the main frame 4 (game board 5) from the left side through the gap between the outer frame 2 and main frame 4.

[4-5. Ball launcher]
The ball launcher 540 in the main body frame 4 will be described in detail, mainly with reference to Figure 84 and other figures. Figure 84(a) is a perspective view of the ball launcher in the main body frame as seen from the front, and (b) is a perspective view of the ball launcher as seen from the rear. The ball launcher 540 is attached to the lower front of the main body frame base unit 500 and is used to shoot game balls B stored in the upper tray 201 of the tray unit 200 in the door frame 3 into the game area 5a of the game board 5 attached to the main body frame 4. The ball launcher 540 can shoot game balls B with a force corresponding to the rotation angle of the handle 195 of the handle unit 180 in the lower right corner of the front of the door frame 3.

The ball launcher 540 comprises a flat launch base 541 attached to the launcher mounting portion 501e of the main frame base 501 of the main frame base unit 500; a launch solenoid 542 consisting of a rotary solenoid attached to the rear surface of the right part of the launch base 541 when viewed from the front, with the rotation axis passing through the launch base 541 and extending forward; a striking hammer 543 whose base end is attached to the rotation axis of the launch solenoid 542; and a launch rail 544 attached to the front of the launch base 541 so as to extend diagonally upward to the left from near the tip of the striking hammer 543, along which the game ball B can roll.

The ball launching device 540 is designed so that game ball B is supplied from the ball supply unit 140 of the door frame 3 to the right end of the upper surface of the launching rail 544. When the handle 195 is rotated while game ball B is supplied to the right end of the upper surface of the launching rail 544, the launch solenoid 542 is driven with a strength corresponding to the angle of rotation, causing the striking hammer 543 to strike the game ball B. The game ball B struck by the striking hammer 543 then travels through the launching rail 544 and is guided to the outer rail 1001 and inner rail 1002 of the game board 5, and is then struck into the play area 5a.

If the hit game ball B does not reach the play area 5a due to factors such as the impact strength of the game ball B, it will fall from between the launch rail 544 and the game board 5 (outer rail 1001 and inner rail 1002) into the foul ball receiving port 150c of the foul cover unit 150 below, pass through the foul cover unit 150, and be ejected into the lower tray 202.

[4-6. Dispense base unit]
The dispensing base unit 550 in the main frame 4 will be described in detail mainly with reference to Figure 85 etc. Figure 85(a) is a perspective view of the dispensing base unit of the main frame as seen from the front, and (b) is a perspective view of the dispensing base unit as seen from the rear. The dispensing base unit 550 is formed in an inverted L shape and is attached to the rear side of the main frame base unit 500.

The dispensing base unit 550 is equipped with a dispensing base 551 attached to the rear side of the main frame base 501 of the main frame base unit 500. The dispensing base 551 comprises a top panel 551a extending left and right with a substantially constant width in the front-to-back direction, a left panel 551b extending downward from the left edge of the top panel 551a when viewed from the front with a length that is substantially the same width as the top panel, a right panel 551c extending downward from the right edge of the top panel 551a when viewed from the front with a short length that is substantially the same width as the top panel 551a, an upper back panel 551d extending downward from the rear edge of the top panel 551a to the same position as the bottom edge of the right panel 551c, and a left panel 551b extending downward from the right edge of the top panel 551a when viewed from the front with a short length that is substantially the same width as the top panel 551a. The dispensing base 551 comprises a left back panel 551e extending to the right from a position forward of the rear edge of 551b at a substantially constant width to the bottom, an inner panel 551f extending rearward from the right edge of the left back panel 551e to the same position as the rear edge of the left side panel 551b, a bottom panel 551g extending rightward from the front of the lower edge of the left side panel 551b to a position substantially coincident with the right edge of the left back panel 551e, and a connecting panel 551h connecting the right edge of the bottom panel 551g to the lower edge of the inner panel 551f. The dispensing base 551 is formed in an inverted L shape when viewed from the front, and is formed like a box that is open forward and inward of the L shape.

The payout base 551 has a top plate 551a that extends left and right with a length approximately equal to the left-right width of the game board insertion opening 501b of the main frame base 501, and a left plate 551b that extends up and down with a length approximately equal to the up-down height of the game board insertion opening 501b. The front ends of the top plate 551a, left plate 551b, and right plate 551c of the payout base 551 are attached to the rear side of the main frame base 501.

The dispensing base 551 also has a shallow recessed area that is open to the rear and extends vertically, defined by the left side plate 551b, the left back plate 551e, and the inner plate 551f, to which the dispensing unit 560 is attached. The dispensing base 551 also has a rear cover attachment portion 551i that protrudes to the right at the top of the right side of the inner plate 551f when viewed from the front, and to which the rear cover 640 is attached.

The dispensing base unit 550 comprises a ball tank 552, which is attached to the top surface of the top plate portion 551a of the dispensing base 551, is box-shaped and extends left and right, and is open at the top, and a tank rail 553, which is attached to the left side of the ball tank 552 above the part of the dispensing base 551 that extends leftward and is groove-shaped and open at the top.

The dispensing base unit 550 also includes a first rail cover 554 attached midway in the left-right direction at the top end of the tank rail 553, a second rail cover 555 attached to the top end of the tank rail 553, spaced to the left of the first rail cover 554 when viewed from the front, and extending to the left end of the tank rail 553, a ball straightening member 556 attached to the top end of the tank rail 553 between the first rail cover 554 and the second rail cover 555, and a ball stop member 557 attached to the bottom end of the tank rail 553 near the left end when viewed from the front.

The ball tank 552 is formed with a length in the left-right direction that is approximately half the left-right width of the top plate portion 551a of the dispensing base 551, and a length in the front-to-back direction that is shorter than the front-to-back depth of the top plate portion 551a. The ball tank 552 is attached to the top surface of the top plate portion 551a, at a position towards the right in the left-to-right direction. The bottom surface of the ball tank 552 is inclined so that the left end is lower. The left end of the ball tank 552 is connected to the tank rail 553.

The tank rail 553 is attached to the top surface of the top plate 551a of the payout base 551, near the rear end on the left side of the center in the left-right direction. In a plan view, the tank rail 553 extends diagonally left and rearward from the right end, which is connected to the ball tank 552, so that its front-to-rear depth changes from several times the outer diameter of the game ball B to approximately one time, and then extends straight to the left, with its front-to-rear depth slightly larger than the outer diameter of the game ball B. The bottom of the tank rail 553 is sloped so that the left end is lower, and the left end of the bottom opens downward and is slightly larger than the outer diameter of the game ball B. The opening at the left end of the bottom of the tank rail 553 communicates with the upper opening of the guide passage 570a in the ball guide unit 570 of the payout unit 560.

The upper end of the tank rail 553, which extends straight to the left, is inclined at a steeper angle to the horizontal than the bottom, so that the left end is lower at a height slightly greater than the outer diameter of the game ball B. The tank rail 553 is attached to the upper surface of the top plate 551a so that the rear end of the portion extending straight to the left roughly coincides with the rear edge of the top plate 551a. A first rail cover 554, a second rail cover 555, a ball rectifying member 556, and a ball stopping member 557 are attached to the upper end of the portion of the tank rail 553 extending straight to the left.

The first rail cover 554 and the second rail cover 555 are attached to the upper end of the portion of the tank rail 553 that extends straight to the left. The first rail cover 554 and the second rail cover 555 are intended to prevent the front-to-rear depth of the upper end of the tank rail 553 from expanding or narrowing due to the pressure of the game ball B inside the tank rail 553.

The ball straightening member 556 is attached to the upper end of the tank rail 553, between the first rail cover 554 and the second rail cover 555, so that its end on the first rail cover 554 side can rotate around an axis extending in the front-to-rear direction. The ball straightening member 556 is equipped with a straightening piece 556a that protrudes into the tank rail 553 and extends in the left-to-right direction (see Figure 91). This straightening piece 556a slows the flow of game balls B on the upper tier of game balls B circulating in two tiers, and straightens them so that they flow in a single tier on the downstream side, preventing ball clogging even when the height inside the tank rail 553 is low.

The ball stopping member 557 is attached to the underside of the tank rail 553 near the left end when viewed from the front, so that it can slide left and right. By sliding it to the left, the opening at the left end of the bottom surface of the tank rail 553 is closed, preventing game balls B from flowing from the tank rail 553 to the downstream payout unit.

The payout base unit 550 also includes an external terminal board 558 attached to the left of the ball tank 552 when viewed from the front, on the upper surface of the portion extending to the left and right of the payout base 551. The external terminal board 558 is used to make an electrical connection between the pachinko machine 1 and the island equipment of the gaming hall in which the pachinko machine 1 is installed. Although not shown, the external terminal board 558 includes an earth connection portion facing the game board insertion port 501b of the main frame base 501. A ground wire extending from the game board 5 is connected to the earth connection portion.

[4-7. Overall configuration of dispensing unit]
The overall configuration of the dispensing unit 560 in the main body frame 4 will be described in detail mainly with reference to Figures 86 and 87. Figure 86(a) is a perspective view of the dispensing unit in the main body frame as seen from the front, and (b) is a perspective view of the dispensing unit as seen from the rear. Figure 87(a) is an exploded perspective view of the dispensing unit as seen from the front, with its main components disassembled, and (b) is an exploded perspective view of the dispensing unit as seen from the rear, with its main components disassembled. The dispensing unit 560 is attached to the rear surface of the left portion 551e of the back panel of the dispensing base 551 of the dispensing base unit 550.

The payout unit 560 comprises a ball guide unit 570 that guides game balls B from the tank rail 553 downward in a serpentine manner, a payout device 580 that is arranged below the ball guide unit 570 and pays out game balls B guided by the ball guide unit 570 one by one based on instructions from the payout control board 633, an upper full ball path unit 600 that guides game balls B that have passed through the payout device 580 downward, and a lower full ball path unit 610 that guides game balls B that have passed through the upper full ball path unit 600 toward the door frame 3 or the board unit 620.

The ball guiding unit 570 supplies game balls B, aligned in a row by the tank rail 553, to the payout device 580. The payout device 580 has a payout passage 580a through which game balls B supplied from the ball guiding unit 570 can flow, and a ball removal passage 580b that branches off from the payout passage 580a. Under normal conditions, game balls B are released from the payout passage 580a toward the upper full ball path unit 600 based on instructions from the payout control board 633, and are released from the ball removal passage 580b toward the upper full ball path unit 600 when the ball removal lever 593 is operated.

The upper full ball path unit 600 separates and guides downward game balls B released from the payout path 580a of the payout device 580 and game balls B released from the ball removal path 580b. The lower full ball path unit 610 guides game balls B released from the payout path 580a of the payout device 580 toward the door frame 3 via the upper full ball path unit 600, and guides game balls B released from the ball removal path 580b toward the base unit 620.

[4-7a. Ball Guidance Unit]
The ball guiding unit 570 in the payout unit 560 will be described in detail mainly with reference to Figures 86 and 87. The ball guiding unit 570 is attached from the rear to the upper rear surface of the left part 551e of the back panel of the payout base 551 in the payout base unit 550, and is for receiving the game ball B from the tank rail 553 and guiding the game ball B toward the payout device 580.

The ball guide unit 570 comprises a box-shaped guide unit base 571 that is open to the front and has a meandering guide passage 570a through which game balls B can flow, a flat guide passage front cover 572 that closes the front of the guide unit base 571, a movable piece member 573 that is movable by game balls B flowing through the guide passage 570a, and a ball out detection sensor 574 that detects the presence or absence of game balls B in the guide passage 570a by detecting the movement of the movable piece member 573 (see Figure 91).

The ball guide unit 570 has a guide unit base 571 and guide path front cover 572 that are shaped like a rectangle extending vertically when viewed from the front. The guide path 570a opens upward near the left edge of the top surface of the guide unit base 571, extends vertically downward from the top edge to near the center of the height of the guide unit base 571, then bends to the right and extends downward in a serpentine manner, repeatedly folding back across the width of the guide unit base 571, before opening downward near the left edge of the bottom surface of the guide unit base 571.

The guide passage 570a is formed so that its depth in the front, back, right, and left directions and its width in the left and right directions are slightly larger than the outer diameter of the game balls B, allowing the game balls B to be guided in a single file.

A movable piece member 573 is attached near the top of the ball guide unit 570 so that it can move forward and backward into the guide passage 570a. More specifically, the upper part of the movable piece member 573 is attached to the outer right part of the guide passage 570a when viewed from the front so that it can rotate around an axis extending forward and backward, and is formed so that a portion of its lower end protrudes into the guide passage 570a due to its own weight. When the game ball B abuts against the part of this movable piece member 573 that protrudes into the guide passage 570a, the protruding part is pushed by the game ball B and retracts from the guide passage 570a, so that it no longer protrudes.

The out-of-ball detection sensor 574 does not detect the movable piece member 573 when part of the movable piece member 573 protrudes into the guide passage 570a, but detects the movable piece member 573 when part of the movable piece member 573 retracts from the guide passage 570a and does not protrude. Therefore, the out-of-ball detection sensor 574 is in a detecting state when a game ball B is present in the guide passage 570a, and is in a non-detecting state when a game ball B is not present in the guide passage 570a.

When the ball guide unit 570 is assembled to the main frame 4, the upstream end of the guide passage 570a is connected to the downstream end of the tank rail 553, and the downstream end of the guide passage 570a is connected to the upstream end of the payout passage 580a of the payout device 580. The ball guide unit 570 has a serpentine guide passage 570a that guides game balls B, so the guide passage 570a extends longer than the overall height of the ball guide unit 570, allowing many game balls B to be stored within the guide passage 570a. Furthermore, the ball guide unit 570 can detect the presence or absence of game balls B in the guide passage 570a using the ball out detection sensor 574, and can therefore detect the presence or absence of game balls B in the ball tank 552 via the guide passage 570a.

[4-7b. Dispensing device]
The dispensing device 580 in the dispensing unit 560 will be described in detail mainly with reference to Figures 86 to 89. Figure 88 is a rear cross-sectional view of the dispensing device of the dispensing unit, cut at the center of the dispensing blade in the fore-and-aft direction. Figure 89(a) is a rear cross-sectional view of the dispensing device cut at the center of the dispensing blade in the fore-and-aft direction when the ball removal movable piece is in the open state, and (b) is a cross-sectional view cut along line A-A in (a). The dispensing device 580 is detachably attached from the rear to the underside of the ball guide unit 570 on the rear surface of the left part 551e of the back panel of the dispensing base 551 of the dispensing base unit 550.

The payout device 580 comprises a payout device main body 581, which is box-shaped and open to the rear, and has a payout passage 580a through which game balls B can flow and a ball removal passage 580b that branches off midway from the payout passage 580a; a flat payout device rear cover 582 that closes the payout device main body 581 from the rear; and a shallow, box-shaped payout device front cover 583 that is attached to the front of the payout device main body 581 and is open to the rear.

The dispensing device 580 also includes a dispensing motor 584 attached to the rear surface of the dispensing device main body 581, with its rotation shaft protruding between the dispensing device main body 581 and the dispensing device front cover 583; a spur gear-shaped drive gear 585 attached to the rotation shaft of the dispensing motor 584; a spur gear-shaped first transmission gear 586 meshing with the drive gear 585 and rotatably attached by the dispensing device main body 581 and the dispensing device front cover 583; a spur gear-shaped second transmission gear 587 meshing with the first transmission gear 586 and rotatably attached by the dispensing device main body 581 and the dispensing device front cover 583; The device comprises a dispensing gear member 588 which has a spur gear-shaped dispensing gear 588a meshing with the transmission gear 587 and multiple detection pieces 588b extending outward from the dispensing gear 588a and is rotatably attached between the dispensing device main body 581 and the dispensing device front cover 583, a dispensing blade 589 which rotates integrally with the dispensing gear member 588 between the dispensing device main body 581 and the dispensing device rear cover 582 and has multiple blade pieces 589a which protrude into the dispensing passage 580a, and a blade rotation detection sensor 590 which is attached to the rear side of the dispensing device main body 581 and detects the detection pieces 588b of the dispensing gear member 588.

Furthermore, the payout device 580 is equipped with a payout detection sensor 591 that detects game balls B and is attached by the payout device main body 581 and the payout device rear cover 582 at the downstream end of the payout passage 580a, a ball removal movable piece 592 that is attached by the payout device main body 581 and the payout device rear cover 582 at the point where it branches off from the payout passage 580a and can open and close the ball removal passage 580b, and a ball removal lever 593 that is attached by the payout device main body 581 and the payout device rear cover 582 so that it can slide up and down and can be held in a position where the ball removal movable piece 592 closes the ball removal passage 580b.

The dispensing device 580 has a rectangular shape that extends vertically in a plan view. The width of the dispensing device 580 in the left-right direction is greater to the right when viewed from the front than the width of the ball guiding unit 570 in the left-right direction.

As shown in Figure 88, when viewed from behind, the dispensing passage 580a of the dispensing device 580 has an upstream end that opens upward at a position to the left of the center in the left-right direction, and a downstream end that opens downward at a position near the right edge in the left-right direction. The dispensing passage 580a extends diagonally downward from the top for about one-third of its total height, gradually moving leftward as it moves downward from the upstream end, then bending slightly diagonally downward to the right, before bending at about one-third of its width and extending approximately vertically downward toward the center (axis of rotation) of the dispensing blade 589. Then, above the center of the payout blade 589, it bends to the right when viewed from behind at a width slightly larger than the outer diameter of the game ball B, then extends downward in an arc concentric with the payout blade 589 so that a gap slightly larger than the game ball B is formed between it and the outer periphery of the payout blade 589, and then extends vertically downward to the downstream end at a position to the right of the center of the payout blade 589 when viewed from behind.

A dispensing detection sensor 591 is located within the dispensing passage 580a, below the dispensing blade 589 and directly above the downstream end.

The ball removal passage 580b extends diagonally downward from the upstream end of the dispensing passage 580a, branches off at a point where it bends to the right, extends vertically along the left edge as viewed from the rear, and opens downward near the left end of the bottom as viewed from the rear.

The payout device main body 581 and the payout device rear cover 582 face each other at the side where the ball removal movable piece 592 is attached at the point where the payout passage 580a and the ball removal passage 580b branch off, protruding rearward and forward from each other to form a gap narrower than the outer diameter of the game ball B. They are each equipped with a main body guide wall 581a and a rear cover guide wall 582a that are formed to connect with the left side walls of the payout passage 580a and the ball removal passage 580b in a rear view. The main body guide wall 581a and the rear cover guide wall 582a are formed to the left of the point where the payout passage 580a branches off from the ball removal passage 580b and extends to the right in a rear view at a height approximately one-third of the way up. The main body guide wall 581a and the rear cover guide wall 582a are curved diagonally upward and left in a rear view, and are formed to mainly constitute the side walls of the ball removal passage 580b. The ball removal movable piece 592 rotates between the main body side guide wall 581a and the rear cover side guide wall 582a.

The dispensing motor 584 is attached to the right side of the dispensing passage 580a of the dispensing device main body 581 when viewed from behind, at the point where it extends diagonally downward from the upstream end. The drive gear 585, first transmission gear 586, second transmission gear 587, and dispensing gear member 588 are located in front of the dispensing device main body 581, and the front side is covered by the dispensing device front cover 583. The dispensing gear member 588 has three flat plate-shaped detection pieces 588b extending outward, spaced circumferentially at 120-degree intervals.

The payout blade 589 is positioned between the payout device main body 581 and the payout device rear cover 582. The payout blade 589 has three blade pieces 589a extending outward in a flat plate shape, spaced circumferentially at 120-degree intervals. The blade pieces 589a extend from above within the payout passage 580a toward the rotation axis, and then extend to the right when viewed from behind, protruding into the payout passage 580a so that the distance between the blade piece 589a and the side wall of the payout passage is narrower than the outer diameter of the game ball B. Between the three blade pieces 589a, the payout blade 589 has a ball containing portion 589b recessed toward the center in the shape of an arc with a radius slightly larger than the radius of the game ball B. This ball containing portion 589b is designed to contain only one game ball B. As a result, the vane 589 can restrict the game ball B in the payout passage 580a from moving downstream of the payout vane 589 by using the vane piece 589a, and can also move the game ball B contained in the ball container 589b downstream by rotating clockwise when viewed from the rear.

The dispensing gear member 588 and dispensing blade 589 are attached to the dispensing device rear cover 582 and the dispensing device front cover 583 so that they can rotate together on the same axis. The blade rotation detection sensor 590 is located to the left of the rotation axis of the dispensing gear member 588 when viewed from the rear. The blade rotation detection sensor 590 detects the detection piece 588b of the dispensing gear member 588, which rotates together with the dispensing blade 589, thereby detecting the rotation of the dispensing blade 589.

The upper end of the ball removal movable piece 592 is rotatably attached around an axis extending forward and backward at the upper ends of the main body side guide wall 581a and the rear cover side guide wall 582a. The ball removal movable piece 592 is bent in an L-shape and is attached so that its recessed side faces into the dispensing passage 580a. The ball removal movable piece 592 is formed so that its depth in the forward and backward directions is smaller than the gap between the main body side guide wall 581a and the rear cover side guide wall 582a, and it can pass through the gap between the main body side guide wall 581a and the rear cover side guide wall 582a and protrude into or retract out of the ball removal passage 580b.

The ball removal lever 593 is attached to the dispensing device main body 581 and the dispensing device rear cover 582 so that it can slide up and down near the top end of the ball removal movable piece 592, to the left when viewed from behind. A portion of the ball removal lever 593 protrudes rearward, penetrating the dispensing device rear cover 582, and can be slid by operating this protruding portion. When the ball removal lever 593 is positioned at its lower end, its lower portion can abut against the ball removal movable piece 592, restricting the ball removal movable piece 592 from rotating clockwise when viewed from behind, allowing the ball removal movable piece 592 to close the ball removal passage 580b. When the ball removal lever 593 is positioned at its upper end, the ball removal movable piece 592 can be rotated outward from the ball removal passage 580b, opening the ball removal passage 580b (see Figure 89).

When the ball removal lever 593 is raised and the ball removal movable piece 592 is made rotatable, the game balls B that had been strung together upstream of the ball removal movable piece 592 pass over the ball removal movable piece 592 and flow down toward the ball removal passage 580b. At this time, because the ball removal passage 580b extends in a straight line from the upstream side of the payout passage 580a, the game balls B that have flowed down from upstream of the payout passage 580a flow straight down toward the ball removal passage 580b. Furthermore, because the downstream side of the ball removal passage 580b is connected to the island equipment, there is nothing to restrict the flow of the game balls B, such as the payout vane 589, so the game balls B flow down faster than toward the payout passage 580a.

In this way, when the ball removal movable piece 592 is rotatable, the game ball B flows down the ball removal passage 580b at high speed, causing the game ball B to forcefully abut against the lower end of the ball removal movable piece 592 protruding into the ball removal passage 580b. However, since the ball removal movable piece 592 can move outside the inner surface of the ball removal passage 580b through the gap between the main body side guide wall 581a of the payout device main body 581 and the rear cover side guide wall 582a of the payout device rear cover 582, the force of this abutment causes the ball removal movable piece 592 to move outside the ball removal passage 580b. Therefore, the ball removal movable piece 592 will not be pinched between the wall surface of the ball removal passage 580b and the game ball B. This prevents the game ball B from acting with strong force on the ball removal movable piece 592, and suppresses a decrease in durability or damage to the ball removal movable piece 592 due to a collision with the game ball B.

As a result, the ball removal movable piece 592 is less likely to be damaged, allowing more game balls B to be discharged more quickly to the island equipment downstream of the ball removal passage 580b, thereby minimizing the increase in time required for replacement and maintenance of the pachinko machine 1 and reducing the burden on the gaming hall.

In addition, when the ball removal movable piece 592 is in a rotatable state, it moves out of the ball removal passage 580b through the gap between the main body side guide wall 581a and the rear cover side guide wall 582a, which is spaced closer than the game ball B. Therefore, when the game ball B comes into contact with the ball removal movable piece 592 protruding into the ball removal passage 580b and the ball removal movable piece 592 moves outward through the gap between the main body side guide wall 581a and the rear cover side guide wall 582a, even if the game ball B moves between the main body side guide wall 581a and the rear cover side guide wall 582a along with the ball removal movable piece 592, only the game ball B can be prevented from moving outward by the gap between the main body side guide wall 581a and the rear cover side guide wall 582a, which is spaced closer than the game ball B.

The game ball B is prevented from moving outward by the gap between the main body guide wall 581a and the rear cover guide wall 582a, causing the game ball B to separate from the ball removal movable piece 592. The subsequent movement of the ball removal movable piece 592 is due to inertial force, so no strong force acts on the ball removal movable piece 592, making it less likely to be damaged. Furthermore, the game ball B will not fly out of the ball removal passage 580b from between the main body guide wall 581a and the rear cover guide wall 582a, ensuring that the game ball B can flow reliably downstream of the ball removal passage 580b.

[4-7c. Upper full ball path unit]
The upper full ball path unit 600 in the payout unit 560 will be described in detail mainly with reference to Figures 86 and 87. The upper full ball path unit 600 is attached from the rear to the underside of the payout device 580 at the lower rear surface of the left part 551e of the back plate of the payout base 551 in the payout base unit 550. The upper full ball path unit 600 is used to guide game balls B released downward from the payout device 580 to the lower full ball path unit 610. The upper full ball path unit 600 is formed in a rectangular shape that extends vertically when viewed from the front.

The upper full ball path unit 600 comprises a box-shaped upper full base 601 attached to the dispensing base 551 and open at the rear, a box-shaped upper full cover 602 attached to the rear of the upper full base 601 and open at the front, and a dispensing device pressing member 603 rotatably attached near the top end of the upper full cover 602 and capable of pressing the dispensing device 580 upward. The upper full base 601 protrudes to the right from the right edge when viewed from the front, and comprises a rear cover mounting portion 601a for mounting the rear cover.

The upper full-ball path unit 600 also has an upper payout ball receiving passage 600a that opens upward near the left end of the top surface when viewed from the front and extends downward along the left edge from the bottom to a height of approximately 2/3 of the total height, an upper ball storage passage 600b that is connected to the upper payout ball receiving passage 600a, extends to the right when viewed from the front to about 3/4 of the total width, and extends downward from the bottom to a height of approximately 1/6 of the total height, and an upper ball storage passage 600b that is connected to the upper payout ball receiving passage 600a and extends to the right when viewed from the front to about 3/4 of the total width, and extends downward from the bottom to a height of approximately 1/6 of the total height, and an upper ball storage passage 600b that is connected to the left side of the center of the left-right direction of the upper ball storage passage 600b when viewed from the front. It is equipped with an upper normal dispensing passage 600c that extends downward and opens downward at the underside, an upper full-tank dispensing passage 600d that is adjacent to the upper normal dispensing passage 600c and extends downward from the right side of the center of the upper ball storage passage 600b when viewed from the front and opens downward at the underside, and an upper ball removal passage 600e that opens upward near the right end of the upper surface when viewed from the front, extends downward approximately vertically, and then opens downward near the right end of the lower surface (see Figure 91).

On the underside of the upper full ball path unit 600, from the left side when viewed from the front, the upper normal payout path 600c, the upper full payout path 600d, and the upper ball removal path 600e are lined up in this order and open downward. When the upper full ball path unit 600 is assembled to the payout unit 560, the upstream end of the upper payout ball receiving path 600a opens directly below the downstream end of the payout path 580a in the payout device 580, and the upstream end of the upper ball removal path 600e opens directly below the downstream end of the ball removal path 580b in the payout device 580. As a result, game balls B released (paid out) from the payout path 580a of the payout device 580 pass through the upper payout ball receiving path 600a and the upper ball storage path 600b, and are released downward from either the upper normal payout path 600c or the upper full payout path 600d. In addition, game balls B released downward from the ball removal passage 580b of the payout device 580 are released downward through the upper ball removal passage 600e.

[4-7d. Lower full ball path unit]
The lower full ball path unit 610 in the payout unit 560 will be described in detail mainly with reference to Figures 86 and 87. The lower full ball path unit 610 is placed on the bottom plate portion 551g of the payout base 551 in the payout base unit 550, and is attached to the lower part of the upper full ball path unit 600. The lower full ball path unit 610 guides game balls B released downward from the upper full ball path unit 600 toward the door frame 3 or toward the base unit 620. The lower full ball path unit 610 extends in the front-to-rear direction so that the front end is lower, and the rear end extends upward.

The lower full ball path unit 610 is equipped with a lower full base 611 that has a lower normal dispensing path 610a, a lower full dispensing path 610b, and a lower ball removal path 610c, extends in the front-to-back direction, and is open upward; a lower full cover 612 attached to the upper side of the lower full base 611; a dispensing path opening/closing door 613 that is rotatably attached to the front end of the lower full base 611 around an axis extending front-to-back and that can open and close the downstream end openings of the lower normal dispensing path 610a and the lower full dispensing path 610b; and a closing spring 614 that biases the dispensing path opening/closing door 613 in the direction of closing the downstream end openings of the lower normal dispensing path 610a and the lower full dispensing path 610b.

The lower full ball path unit 610 has, on the upper surface of the portion extending upward at the rear end, the lower normal dispensing path 610a, the lower full dispensing path 610b, and the lower ball removal path 610c, lined up in order from left to right when viewed from the front, with their upstream ends opening upward. The lower normal dispensing path 610a and the lower full dispensing path 610b extend forward side by side and open forward at the front end of the lower full ball path unit 610. The lower full dispensing path 610b extends forward slightly lower than the lower normal dispensing path 610a. The lower ball removal path 610c extends forward along the right side of the lower full dispensing path 610b when viewed from the front, and opens to the right halfway in the fore-and-aft direction.

The dispensing passage opening/closing door 613 is pivotally mounted between the front end openings of the lower normal dispensing passage 610a and the lower full dispensing passage 610b. This dispensing passage opening/closing door 613 is biased in a clockwise direction when viewed from the front by a closing spring 614, and in its normal state closes the front end openings (downstream end openings) of the lower normal dispensing passage 610a and the lower full dispensing passage 610b. The dispensing passage opening/closing door 613 is equipped with an operating protrusion 613a that protrudes forward. When viewed from the front, the operating protrusion 613a is shaped like a short arc centered on the rotation center of the dispensing passage opening/closing door 613, and its front end surface is inclined so as to protrude forward as it approaches the counterclockwise end. This operating protrusion 613a is formed to abut against the door opening/closing abutment 150f of the door cover unit 150 on the door frame 3 when the door frame 3 is closed against the main frame 4.

When the lower full ball path unit 610 is assembled to the payout unit 560, the lower normal payout path 610a, lower full payout path 610b, and lower ball removal path 610c, which open upward at the upper rear end, are located directly below the downstream ends of the upper normal payout path 600c, upper full payout path 600d, and upper ball removal path 600e of the upper full ball path unit 600, respectively. As a result, game balls B released downward from the upper normal payout path 600c flow through the lower normal payout path 610a, game balls B released downward from the upper full payout path 600d flow through the lower full payout path 610b, and game balls B released downward from the upper ball removal path 600e flow through the lower ball removal path 610c.

When the lower full ball path unit 610 is assembled to the pachinko machine 1, the front ends (downstream ends) of the lower normal payout passage 610a and the lower full payout passage 610b open immediately after the through ball passage 150a and full ball receiving port 150b of the fall cover unit 150 in the door frame 3. The downstream end of the lower ball removal passage 610c opens to face the ball removal guide section 627, which opens to the left in the base unit 620b of the board unit 620.

When the lower full ball path unit 610 is in its normal state (when the door frame 3 is closed relative to the main frame 4), the operating protrusion 613a of the dispensing path opening/closing door 613 abuts against the door opening/closing abutment 150f of the fall cover unit 150, causing it to rotate counterclockwise when viewed from the front against the biasing force of the closing spring 614. As a result, the openings at the downstream ends of the lower normal dispensing path 610a and the lower full dispensing path 610b are open, and they are connected to the through ball path 150a and full ball receiving port 150b of the fall cover unit 150.

On the other hand, when the door frame 3 is opened relative to the main frame 4, the operating protrusion 613a of the payout passage opening/closing door 613 moves away from the door opening/closing abutment 150f of the fall cover unit 150, and the payout passage opening/closing door 613 rotates clockwise when viewed from the front due to the biasing force of the closing spring 614, closing the openings at the downstream ends of the lower normal payout passage 610a and the lower full payout passage 610b. In this state, game balls B in the lower normal payout passage 610a and the lower full payout passage 610b can no longer move forward from their respective front-end openings. As a result, even when the door frame 3 is opened relative to the main frame 4, game balls B will not spill out of the lower normal payout passage 610a and the lower full payout passage 610b.

[4-7e. Flow of gaming ball B in the payout unit]
Next, the flow of game balls B in the payout unit 560 will be described in detail, mainly with reference to Figure 91. Figure 91 is an explanatory diagram showing the flow of game balls in the main frame. When assembled to the main frame 4, the payout unit 560 is attached to the rear surface of the payout base 551. In the normal state, the ball removal lever 593 of the payout device 580 is positioned at the lower end, closing the ball removal path 580b branching off from the payout path 580a at the branching point. In addition, in the lower full-ball path unit 610, the payout path opening/closing door 613 is in the open state.

A predetermined number of game balls B are supplied to the ball tank 552, which is open upward, from the gaming hall island equipment in which the pachinko machine 1 is installed, for example, based on the detection of a ball shortage by the ball exhaustion detection sensor 574 of the ball guidance unit 570. The game balls B supplied and stored in the ball tank 552 are aligned in a row by the tank rail 553 and sent through the guide passage 570a of the ball guidance unit 570 into the payout passage 580a of the payout device 580. When the payout motor 584 is not rotating, the game balls B cannot move (flow down) downstream of the payout blade 589, and multiple game balls B become trapped upstream of the payout blade 589.

Then, the game ball B in the guide passage 570a of the ball guide unit 570 presses against the movable piece member 573, causing the ball cut detection sensor 574 to detect the movable piece member 573. This indicates that the game ball B is stored at least in the passage between the movable piece member 573 and the dispensing blade 589.

In this state, when the payout motor 584 rotates the payout blade 589 in a clockwise direction when viewed from the rear, the game ball B stored in the ball storage section 589b moves in a clockwise direction when viewed from the rear and is released downstream of the payout blade 589 in the payout passage 580a. The game ball B released from the payout blade 589 (ball storage section 589b) is then detected by the payout detection sensor 591 and sent to the upper payout ball receiving passage 600a of the upper full ball passage unit 600.

Under normal conditions, game balls B sent to the upper payout ball receiving passage 600a of the upper full ball path unit 600 flow through the upper ball storage passage 600b and down to the upper normal payout passage 600c located directly below the upper payout ball receiving passage 600a. Game balls B that flow down to the upper normal payout passage 600c then pass through the lower normal payout passage 610a of the lower full ball path unit 610 and the through ball passage 150a of the fall cover unit 150 of the door frame 3, before being released into the upper tray 201 from the upper tray ball supply port 211a of the tray unit base 211 in the tray unit 200.

When a large number of game balls B are paid out from the payout device 580 and the upper tray 201 becomes full of game balls B, it becomes impossible to release the game balls B forward from the upper tray ball supply port 211a, and the game balls B paid out from the payout device 580 become stuck in the lower normal payout passage 610a of the lower full ball path unit 610.As more game balls B are paid out, they also become stuck in the upper normal payout passage 600c of the upper full ball path unit 600, which is connected upstream to the lower normal payout passage 610a. When the upper normal payout passage 600c is filled with game balls B and more game balls B are paid out, the game balls B begin to accumulate in the upper ball storage passage 600b, which is connected to the upper normal payout passage 600c on the upstream side, and begin to flow down the upper full payout passage 600d, which is adjacent to the upper normal payout passage 600c.

The game balls B that flow down the upper full payout passage 600d then pass through the lower full payout passage 610b of the lower full ball path unit 610 and are received by the full ball receiving port 150b in the foul cover unit 150 of the door frame 3. The game balls B received in the full ball receiving port 150b are then released into the lower tray 202 through the storage passage 150e, ball discharge port 150d, and lower tray ball supply port 211c of the tray unit base 211. This means that if the upper tray 201 is full of game balls B and more game balls B are paid out, the game balls B can be automatically paid out to the lower tray 202.

When the lower tray 202 is full of game balls B and further game balls B cannot be released forward from the lower tray ball supply port 211c, if more game balls B are dispensed, the game balls B will become trapped and stored in the storage passage 150e of the far cover unit 150 upstream of the lower tray ball supply port 211c. When a certain number of game balls B have accumulated in the storage passage 150e, the movable piece 153 moves and is detected by the full tank detection sensor 154. This notifies the player by voice (e.g., "Please remove the balls!") that the upper tray 201 and lower tray 202 are full of game balls B, and the payout motor 584 of the payout device 580 is temporarily stopped until the full tank detection sensor 154 is no longer in detection mode.

When the game balls B stored in the ball tank 552 need to be removed from the pachinko machine 1 during maintenance or replacement, the ball removal lever 593 of the payout device 580 is slid upward from its lowest position to its highest position. The lower end of the ball removal movable piece 592 is then pushed by the game ball B, causing it to rotate clockwise when viewed from the rear, and the ball removal movable piece 592 passes between the main body guide wall 581a and the rear cover guide wall 582a and is pushed out of the ball removal passage 580b. This allows the game ball B to enter the ball removal passage 580b, which branches off from the payout passage 580a, and the game balls B on the upstream side are released downward through the ball removal passage 580b.

At this time, the game ball B flowing down contacts the main body side guide wall 581a and the rear cover side guide wall 582a more strongly than it does the ball removal movable piece 592, making the ball removal movable piece 592 less likely to be damaged.

The game ball B released downward from the ball removal passage 580b of the payout device 580 passes through the upper ball removal passage 600e of the upper full ball path unit 600 and the lower ball removal passage 610c of the lower full ball path unit 610, and is released from the downstream end opening of the lower ball removal passage 610c to the ball removal guide section 627 of the base unit 620, and then passes through the discharged ball receiving section 628 and the ball discharge port 629 to be discharged to the rear outside of the pachinko machine 1 (towards the island equipment of the gaming hall).

[4-8. Board unit]
The board unit 620 in the main body frame 4 will be described in detail mainly with reference to Figures 92 to 96. Figure 92(a) is a perspective view of the board unit of the main body frame as seen from the front, and (b) is a perspective view of the board unit as seen from the rear. Figure 93 is a perspective view of the board unit as seen from below and behind. Figure 94 is an exploded perspective view of the board unit as seen from the front, with each main component disassembled, and Figure 95 is an exploded perspective view of the board unit as seen from the rear, with each main component disassembled. Figure 96 is an enlarged side cross-sectional view of the lower part of the pachinko machine, cut at the center in the left-right direction. The board unit 620 is attached to the lower part of the rear surface of the main body frame base unit 500.

The board unit 620 comprises a speaker unit 620a attached to the rear surface of the main frame base 501 of the main frame base unit 500, below the game board mounting portion 501c; a base unit 620b attached to the rear surface of the main frame base 501 so as to cover part of the speaker unit 620a from behind; a power supply unit 620c attached to the rear side of the base unit 620b; a payout control unit 620d attached to the rear side of the power supply unit 620c; and an interface unit 620e attached to the rear surface of the speaker unit 620a so as to cover part of the payout control unit 620d from behind.

The speaker unit 620a comprises a speaker cover 621 attached to the rear surface of the main frame base 501 of the main frame base unit 500, below the game board mounting section 501c; a main frame speaker 622 attached to the rear surface of the speaker cover 621 near the left edge when viewed from the front, facing forward; and a container-shaped speaker box 623 attached to the rear of the speaker cover 621 so as to cover the rear side of the main frame speaker 622, and open to the front.

The speaker cover 621 extends left and right and is equipped with a circular speaker mounting portion 621a that penetrates from front to back near the left edge when viewed from the front and is composed of multiple slits that extend up and down; a front space recess 621b that is recessed so that it bulges forward from the rear on the right side of the speaker mounting portion 621a when viewed from the front; and a connection portion 621c that protrudes downward from the underside of the front space recess 621b, extends left and right, and opens diagonally downward and rearward.

The main frame speaker 622 is attached to the speaker mounting portion 621a of the speaker cover 621 from the rear side, facing forward. The connection portion 621c of the speaker cover 621 is inclined at a 45-degree angle so that its lower end coincides with the upper end of the connecting tube portion 43a of the rear panel member 43 of the lower outer frame assembly 40 of the outer frame 2. The main frame speaker 622 is a cone-type speaker that mainly outputs low-frequency sounds.

The speaker box 623 is shaped like a container that is open to the front, with the part behind the main frame speaker 622 protruding rearward the most, and is formed so that the protrusion decreases in a stepped manner toward the right as viewed from the front. This ensures that there is sufficient space behind the speaker box 623 to the right of the center as viewed from the front, allowing the placement of the base unit 620b, power supply unit 620c, etc. The speaker box 623 is formed to cover (close) the entire rear surface except for the connection part 621c of the speaker cover 621.

The speaker unit 620a, together with the speaker cover 621 and speaker box 623, forms part of an enclosure 624 that contains the sound output rearward from the main frame speaker 622. This enclosure 624 has a front recessed space 621b formed in the speaker cover 621 that bulges forward to the right of the speaker mounting portion 621a when viewed from the front. Therefore, even though the speaker box 623 is formed in a stepped shape so that the amount of rearward protrusion decreases as it moves to the right, a sufficiently large space is secured to the right of the main frame speaker 622.

When the main frame 4 is closed against the outer frame 2, the connecting portion 621c of the speaker cover 621 of the speaker unit 620a is connected to the connecting tube portion 43a with the sealing member 48 sandwiched therebetween, thereby connecting the space behind the main frame speaker 622 with the interior space 40a of the outer frame 2's curtain board. Therefore, a spacious enclosure 624 can be formed behind the main frame speaker 622 by the speaker cover 621, speaker box 623, front curtain board member 42, and rear curtain board member 43, allowing sound output rearward from the main frame speaker 622 to be output (radiated) forward from the opening 42a in the front curtain board member 42.

In more detail, as described above, in speaker unit 620a, the space behind the main frame speaker 622 (part of the enclosure 624) extends to the right when viewed from the front with a relatively wide depth and is connected to the lower frame assembly 40 via the connection portion 621c and the connecting tube portion 43a. This means that sound output rearward from the main frame speaker 622 can be transmitted to the lower frame assembly 40 without attenuation, particularly in the low-frequency range. The transmitted low-frequency range can then be resonated and amplified by passing through the two port members 47 and radiated forward from the opening 42a in the front panel member 42.

In this case, the sound emitted forward from the opening 42a of the front panel member 42 is emitted in an inverted phase, so that it resonates to amplify the sound output from the front of the main frame speaker 622 and emitted from the speaker port 211b of the dish unit 200. This allows for the output of a loud sound with deep bass even though the diameter of the main frame speaker 622 is small.

In other words, in this embodiment, the enclosure 624 of the main frame speaker 622 is a bass reflex type, allowing the player to hear deep bass sounds. This allows the player to hear a rich bass sound from the sound output from the front of the main frame speaker 622 and radiated from the speaker port 211b of the platter unit 200, and the sound output from the rear of the main frame speaker 622 and radiated from the grill member 46 of the outer frame 2.

The speaker unit 620a also has a through hole 621d formed in the speaker cover 621, penetrating in the front-to-rear direction at a position between the lower part of the speaker mounting portion 621a and the front recessed portion for space 621b, and a through tube 623a formed in the speaker box 623, which extends cylindrically and penetrates in the front-to-rear direction, communicating with the through hole 621d. When assembled into the speaker unit 620a, the through hole 621d and the through tube 623a communicate with each other, and the enclosure 624 is independent. The connection cable 503 is inserted through the through hole 621d and the through tube 623a.

The base unit 620b of the board unit 620 comprises a front base 625 attached to the rear surface of the main frame base 501 so as to cover part of the speaker box 623 from the rear, and a rear base 626 attached to the rear side of the front base 625, with the power supply unit 620c attached to its rear surface.

The base unit 620b is formed by the front base 625 and rear base 626 working together, and is equipped with a ball removal guide section 627 that receives game balls B released from the lower ball removal passage 610c of the lower full ball path unit 610 and guides them to the right when viewed from the front, a discharged ball receiving section 628 that opens upward to the right when viewed from the front, downstream of the ball removal guide section 627, and receives game balls B discharged downward from the game board 5, and a ball discharge outlet 629 that discharges game balls B downward after passing through the ball removal guide section 627 and the discharged ball receiving section 628.

The upstream end of the ball removal guide section 627 opens to the left at the top of the left side when viewed from the front, and the downstream end opens to the left end of the discharged ball receiving section 628. When assembled to the main body frame 4, the opening of the upstream end of the ball removal guide section 627 faces and coincides with the downstream end opening of the lower ball removal passage 610c of the lower full ball path unit 610, and can receive game balls B released from the lower ball removal passage 610c and guide them to the discharged ball receiving section 628.

The ejected ball receiving section 628 is open upward and extends left and right. The bottom surface of the ejected ball receiving section 628 is continuous with the bottom surface of the ball removal guide section 627 at the left end when viewed from the front, and is sloped downward toward the right.

The base unit 620b guides game balls B removed from the ball tank 552 and game balls B ejected from the game board 5 to the right when viewed from the front using the ball guide section 627 and ejected ball receiver 628, before ejecting them downward from the ball ejection port 629, making it easier to secure a larger space to the left of the center when viewed from the front. This allows for a larger space in the enclosure 624 of the speaker unit 620a, allowing players to hear a sound with richer bass than conventional pachinko machines.

The power supply unit 620c of the board unit 620 includes a power supply board 630 attached to the rear side of the rear base 626 of the base unit 620b, and a power supply board cover 631 attached to the rear base 626 so as to cover the rear side of the power supply board 630.

The payout control unit 620d comprises a box-shaped payout control board box 632 that is detachably attached to the rear side of the power supply board cover 631 of the power supply unit 620c, and a payout control board 633 (see Figure 96) housed within the payout control board box 632. The payout control board 633 controls the payout motor 584 of the payout device 580 in response to payout commands from the main control board 1310 of the gaming board 5, such as pressing the ball lending button 224 of the ball lending operation unit 220 of the tray unit 200, to pay out the specified number of game balls B to the player (upper tray 201 or lower tray 202). The payout control board box 632 is designed to leave traces of opening and closing. This makes it possible to detect any unauthorized modifications to the payout control board 633, thereby providing a greater deterrent to fraudulent activity.

The interface unit 620e comprises a board base 634 attached to the rear side of the speaker box 623 in the speaker unit 620a, an interface board 635 attached to the rear surface of the board base 634, and an interface board cover 636 attached to the board base 634 so as to cover the rear side of the interface board 635.

The board base 634 is attached to the rear surface of the speaker box 623 at the portion that protrudes furthest to the rear, behind the main frame speaker 622. One end (on the main frame 4 side) of the connection cable 503 is connected to the interface board 635. The interface board 635 is connected to the power supply board 630, payout control board 633, main control board 1310, peripheral control board 1510, etc., as well as to a CR unit installed outside the pachinko machine 1. The interface board cover 636 extends to the right of the board base 634 (interface board 635) when viewed from the front, covering part of the payout control unit 620d.

[4-9. Back cover]
The rear cover 640 of the main body frame 4 will be described in detail mainly with reference to Figures 75 to 81. The rear cover 640 covers the rear side of the game board 5 that is inserted from the front into the game board insertion port 501b of the main body frame base 501 of the main body frame base unit 500 and attached. The right side of the rear cover 640 in a front view is rotatably attached around an axis that extends vertically to the rear end that extends vertically of the rear extension portion 501j of the main body frame base 501, and the left side is attached to the rear cover attachment portion 551i of the payout base 551 and the rear cover attachment portion 601a of the upper full ball path unit 600.

The rear cover 640 is formed in the shape of a flat plate that extends vertically and horizontally, with the right edge bent forward when viewed from the front. When assembled to the main body frame 4, the rear surface is positioned approximately flush with the rear surface of the upper back plate 551d of the payout base 551. The rear cover 640 has multiple slits 641 that penetrate from front to back and extend vertically. In this embodiment, the rear cover 640 is made of transparent synthetic resin, allowing the inside of the main body frame 4 to be seen from the rear of the pachinko machine 1.

[4-10. Locking unit]
The locking unit 650 in the main frame 4 will be described in detail mainly with reference to Figure 97. Figure 97(a) is a perspective view of the locking unit of the main frame as seen from the front, and (b) is a perspective view of the locking unit as seen from the rear. The locking unit 650 is attached to the main frame base 501 of the main frame 4 and locks the main frame 4 and the door frame 3, and the main frame 4 and the outer frame 2.

The locking unit 650 comprises a unit base 651 that is attached to the right side of the rear extension 501j of the main frame base 501 and extends vertically; multiple door frame hooks 652 that protrude forward from the unit base 651 and can engage with the door frame 3; multiple outer frame hooks 653 that protrude rearward from the unit base 651 and can engage with the outer frame 2; and a transmission cylinder 654 that protrudes forward from the lower front end of the unit base 651 and moves the door frame hooks 652 or outer frame hooks 653 up and down depending on the direction of rotation.

The locking unit 650 also includes a lock spring 655 that urges the door frame hook 652 downward and the outer frame hook 653 upward, and an outer frame unlocking lever 656 that protrudes forward from a position above the transmission cylinder 654 at the front end of the unit base 651 and slides downward to move the outer frame hook 653 downward.

When the locking unit 650 is assembled to the main frame 4, the multiple (three) door frame hooks 652, transmission cylinder 654, and outer frame unlocking lever 656 protrude forward from the front surface of the main frame base 501. The transmission cylinder 654 protrudes forward through the cylinder insertion opening 501f of the main frame base 501, and when the door frame 3 is closed against the main frame 4, its front end engages with the rotation transmission member 133 of the cylinder lock 130 of the door frame 3, transmitting the rotation of the key inserted in the keyhole 132 and causing it to rotate.

The locking unit 650 has multiple (three) door frame hooks 652 that engage with the hook member 116 of the door frame reinforcement unit 110 in the door frame base unit 100 of the door frame 3, and multiple (two) outer frame hooks 653 that engage with the upper hook member 24 and lower hook member 25 of the outer frame right assembly 20 in the outer frame 2.

When the locking unit 650 is assembled to the pachinko machine 1, inserting a key that corresponds to the keyhole 132 of the cylinder lock 130 and rotating it counterclockwise as viewed from the front causes the multiple door frame hooks 652 to move upward via the transfer cylinder 654, unlocking the door frame 3 from the main frame 4. On the other hand, when the key is rotated clockwise as viewed from the front, the multiple outer frame hooks 653 move downward via the transfer cylinder 654, unlocking the main frame 4 from the outer frame 2. With the door frame 3 open relative to the main frame 4, sliding the outer frame unlock lever 656 downward causes the multiple outer frame hooks 653 to move downward, unlocking the main frame 4 from the outer frame 2. In this way, the lock between the main frame 4 and door frame 3, or between the main frame 4 and outer frame 2, can be unlocked.

When locking the gap between the main frame 4 and the door frame 3, or between the main frame 4 and the outer frame 2, the door frame hook 652 and the outer frame hook 653 are tapered at their tips. Therefore, when the door frame 3 is closed against the main frame 4, or the main frame 4 is closed against the outer frame 2, the door frame hook 652 and the outer frame hook 653 move downward or upward to overcome the hook member 116, upper hook member 24, and lower hook member 25, and then enter a locked state due to the biasing force of the lock spring 655.

[4-11. Detailed configuration of the upper part of the main body frame]
Next, the detailed configuration of the upper part of the main body frame 4 will be described in detail, mainly with reference to Figures 98 to 105. Figure 98(a) is a plan view of the main body frame, and (b) is a cross-sectional view taken along line B-B in (a). Figure 99 is an enlarged view of the upper part of the main body frame in a perspective view from the rear. Figure 100(a) is a perspective view of the ball tank assembled with the tank rail, etc., as seen from the front and bottom, and (b) is a perspective view of (a) as seen from the front and bottom. Figure 101 is an exploded perspective view of Figure 100(a) as seen from the front. Figure 102 is an explanatory diagram showing the area through which game balls overflowing from the ball tank in the upper part of the main body frame flow. Figure 103 is an explanatory diagram showing the flow of game balls overflowing from the ball tank in the upper part of the main body frame. Figure 104 is an explanatory diagram showing the flow of game balls into the bypass passage in the upper part of the main body frame. Figure 105 is an enlarged view of the tank rail area in a perspective view of the main body frame seen from the rear of the hinge side.

As described above, the main frame 4 comprises a frame-shaped main frame base 501 whose rear portion can be inserted into the outer frame 2 and which is detachably and hinge-rotatably attached to the outer frame 2 by the main frame upper hinge member 510 and the main frame lower hinge assembly 520, and which can support the outer periphery of the game board 5; an inverted L-shaped payout base 551 attached along the upper and left edges of the rear side of the main frame base 501 when viewed from the front; a box-shaped (container-shaped) ball tank 552 attached to the payout base 551, extending left and right, and open upward; and a groove-shaped tank 552 attached to the left side of the ball tank 552, extending leftward and open upward. It comprises a tank rail 553, a first rail cover 554 attached to part of the upper end of the tank rail 553, a second rail cover 555 attached to the upper end of the tank rail 553 spaced to the left of the first rail cover 554 when viewed from the front, a ball straightening member 556 attached to the upper end of the tank rail 553 between the first rail cover 554 and the second rail cover 555, a ball stopping member 557 attached to the downstream end of the tank rail 553, and a payout device 580 attached to the downstream side of the tank rail 553 behind the payout base 551 for paying out game balls B to the player.

The ball tank 552 has a rectangular shape extending in the left-right direction when viewed from above, a bottom wall 552a that slopes so that the left side is lower when viewed from the front, a front wall 552b and a rear wall 552c that extend upward from the front and rear edges of the bottom wall 552a, respectively, and a left wall 552d and a right wall 552e that extend upward from both the left and right edges of the bottom wall 552a, respectively, and is formed like a container with an open top. The ball tank 552 stores game balls B supplied from island facilities such as an amusement hall where the pachinko machine 1 is installed.

The spherical tank 552 also has an overflow section 552f that is cut out from above in the front wall 552b and is formed lower than the remaining upper outer edge. This overflow section 552f is formed over approximately three-quarters of the left-right length of the front wall 552b, from the end of the left side wall 552d to the end on the opposite side (the right side wall 552e).

When viewed from the front, the right end (upstream side) of the tank rail 553 is connected to the interior of the ball tank 552, and the downstream side extends to one side (left) in the left-right direction, away from the ball tank 552. The tank rail 553 has a gutter-shaped main guide section 553a that extends from the upstream side to the downstream end at its bottom and is shaped so that only one game ball B can pass through in the width direction perpendicular to the flow direction of the game ball B. The main guide section 553a is inclined so that it becomes lower toward the left when viewed from the front. In plan view, the main guide section 553a extends parallel to an axis extending leftward from the right end to a position that is approximately 1/10 of the total length in the left-right direction, then extends diagonally from the right end to a position that is approximately 4/10 of the total length in the left-right direction, moving rearward as it moves leftward, and then extends from there in a crank shape that extends parallel to the axis extending left-right to the left end. In the main guide section 553a of the tank rail 553, a section extending parallel to the axis extending laterally from the left end to the right extends to the top end with the same width, and the upper side is closed off by attaching a first rail cover 554, a second rail cover 555, and a ball rectifying member 556 to the upper end of this section. Furthermore, in the section where the upper side is closed off, the tank rail 553 is formed so that the height of the flow path through which game ball B flows decreases toward the downstream end (left end), and at the downstream end it is formed to a height (slightly higher than the outer diameter of game ball B) that allows the flow of only one game ball B.

The tank rail 553 extends from its upstream end above the main guide section 553a to a location where the upper side is closed. It bulges out wider than the width of the main guide section 553a so that multiple game balls B are lined up in a width direction perpendicular to the flow direction of the game balls B, and has a bulging section 553b that narrows in width from the upstream end toward the downstream side to match the width of the main guide section 553a. This bulging section 553b allows multiple game balls B, which are spread out in width on the upstream side, to be aligned in width so that the width is the width of a single game ball B as they move downstream. The bulging section 553b is also formed so that its width narrows from the upper end toward the lower main guide section 553a. As a result, the tank rail 553 can align multiple game balls B flowing through the bulging section 553b in a single line in the width direction as they move downstream and downward.

The bulge portion 553b of the tank rail 553 has a three-dimensionally curved shape with its center of curvature located on the inner side. Because the center of curvature of the bulge portion 553b is located higher than the main guide portion 553a, a slightly chamfered corner is formed at the boundary between the main guide portion 553a and the bulge portion 553b on the tank rail 553. Furthermore, the bulge portion 553b is curved with a greater curvature downstream than upstream. For this reason, when a game ball B flows through the three-dimensionally curved bulge portion 553b, the direction of the reaction force from the bulge portion 553b acting on it changes depending on the position of the bulge portion 553b it abuts, thereby suppressing ball jamming within the bulge portion 553b. In more detail, if bulge portion 553b were formed into a shape that extends uniformly, a reaction force would always act in a constant direction from the inner surface of bulge portion 553b on game balls B circulating within bulge portion 553b, making it difficult for the reaction force to disperse. As a result, game balls B inside are always pushed in a constant direction, making it difficult for the game balls B to escape and making ball jamming more likely to occur. In contrast, because bulge portion 553b has a three-dimensional curved surface, the direction of the reaction force acting from the inner surface of bulge portion 553b varies depending on the position of the game ball B. This distributes the pushing direction of multiple game balls B circulating inside, making it easier for the pushed game balls B to escape and making ball jamming less likely to occur.

The tank rail 553 is also made of a transparent material, allowing the interior to be viewed from the outside. This means that even if ball jamming occurs within the tank rail 553, the state of the game balls B within the tank rail 553 can be seen from the outside, allowing the location of the jammed balls to be quickly identified. This allows ball jamming within the tank rail 553 to be quickly resolved, minimizing interruptions to gameplay due to ball jamming and preventing a loss of interest in the game due to interruptions. Furthermore, because the tank rail 553 is transparent, the rear side (back unit 3000) of the game board 5 attached to the main frame 4 can be viewed from behind through the tank rail 553. Therefore, if a malfunction occurs in the movable presentation unit of the game board 5, the status of the transmission mechanism, such as the drive motor, gears, and belts, can be confirmed while the game board 5 is still attached to the main frame 4, achieving the same effects as those described above.

The main frame 4 is provided in front of the ball tank 552, extending in the front-to-rear direction, and extending outward (to the left) from the left side wall 552d of the ball tank 552 on the same side as the downstream side of the tank rail 553 in the left-to-right direction (the left side when viewed from the front).It is equipped with an overflow surface portion 501m, whose rear end is at the same height as the overflow portion 552f and whose front end is higher in order to return game balls B that have overflowed forward from the ball tank 552 to the ball tank 552, and a bypass passage 552g, which extends rearward from the outside of the left side wall 552d of the ball tank 552 at the rear end of the overflow surface portion 501m to above the bulge portion 553b on the tank rail 553, whose upper side is open, and which is sloped so that its rear end is lower and also sloped so that the side facing away from the ball tank 552 (the left side) is lower in the left-to-right direction, and which guides some of the game balls B that have overflowed from the ball tank 552 to the overflow surface portion 501m.

The main body frame 4 also includes a discharge section 551j, which is located on either the left or right outer side of the bypass passage 552g, opposite the left wall 552d of the ball tank 552, and has a width greater than the outer diameter of the game ball B and a bottom surface lower than the open upper portion of the tank rail 553; an external terminal board 558, which is located on the opposite side of the bypass passage 552g across the discharge section 551j and lower than the overflow surface 501m, and has multiple wire connection terminals 558a to which electrical wiring can be connected from the rear; and a terminal cover 551k which covers the upper sides of the multiple wire connection terminals 558a (external terminal board 558) and has an upper surface which extends horizontally at a position higher than the overflow surface 501m.

The overflow surface 501m is formed on the main frame base 501. The overflow surface 501m extends rearward in a flat plate shape from a low position two to four times the outer diameter of the game ball B from the upper edge of the rear surface of the base main body 501a, which has a vertically extending rectangular shape when viewed from the front. The overflow surface 501m is formed with a left-right length that is approximately one-third of the left-right length of the main frame base 501, and its left end when viewed from the front is located to the right of one-third of the total length in the left-right direction from the left end of the main frame base 501. The overflow surface 501m is formed so that its height from the front end to the rear end is approximately one-half the outer diameter of the game ball B. When the main frame 4 is closed to the outer frame 2, a gap approximately twice the outer diameter of the game ball B is formed between this overflow surface 501m and the outer frame upper member 30.

The main frame base 501 is located on both the left and right sides of the overflow surface 501m and has flat left and right step portions 501n and 501o that extend approximately horizontally at the same height as the front end of the overflow surface 501m, and a plurality of ribs 501p that extend in the front-to-rear direction on both the left and right outer sides of the left and right step portions 501n and 501o, with their upper ends higher than those of the left and right step portions 501n and 501o, and are arranged in a row in the left-to-right direction at intervals narrower than the outer diameter of the game ball B. The left step portion 501n is shorter in the left-to-right direction than its length in the front-to-rear direction. Furthermore, the left step portion 501n is inclined so that the rear right corner is slightly lower than the horizontal plane when viewed from the front. The right step portion 501o is longer in the left-to-right direction than its length in the front-to-rear direction. Additionally, the right step 501o is inclined so that the rear left corner is slightly lower than the horizontal plane when viewed from the front.

The multiple ribs 501p on the main frame base 501 are formed higher than the upper surface of the terminal cover 551k, and when the main frame 4 is closed against the outer frame 2, the gap between the outer frame 2 and the lower surface of the outer frame upper member 30 is formed at a height narrower than the outer diameter of the game ball B.

When the main frame base 501 is assembled to the main frame 4, in a front view, the right end of the overflow surface 501m is aligned left-right with the right end of the overflow section 552f of the spherical tank 552, the left end of the overflow surface 501m is aligned left-right with the left end of the bypass passage 552g, and the right end of the right step 501o is aligned left-right with the right side wall 552e of the spherical tank 552.

The bypass passage 552g is formed integrally with the spherical tank 552. Note that, below, the container-like area surrounded by the bottom wall 552a, front wall 552b, rear wall 552c, left side wall 552d, and right side wall 552e will be referred to simply as the spherical tank 552. The bypass passage 552g has a passage surface 552h that extends leftward from the outside of the left side wall 552d of the spherical tank 552 in a flat plate-like shape. The passage surface 552h is sloped so that its front end is at the same height as the overflow portion 552f and its rear end is lower, and a weir portion that extends upward from the edge of the passage surface 552h opposite the left side wall 552d to the same height as the left side wall 552d. The rear edge of the passage surface 552h of the bypass passage 552g extends rearward at its left end (toward the weir portion 552i) in a front view to the same position as the rear wall 552c of the spherical tank 552, and extends obliquely forward from the left end to the right end. Note that the passage surface 552h of the bypass passage 552g may be horizontal rather than inclined left and right.

When assembled to the main frame 4, the rear end of the bypass passage 552g extends along the front end of the portion of the tank rail 553 that extends diagonally in the left-right direction, in a crank-like shape. In other words, the rear end of the bypass passage 552g extends diagonally in the left-right direction. As a result, the flow direction of the game ball B guided rearward by the bypass passage 552g changes from the diagonal rear end to a direction perpendicular to the diagonal rear end. The diagonally extending rear end of the bypass passage 552g extends approximately parallel to the diagonally extending portion of the tank rail 553 (the flow direction of the game ball B within the tank rail 553). Therefore, the game ball B is released from the rear end of the bypass passage 552g in a direction approximately perpendicular to the flow direction (width direction) of the tank rail 553, allowing the game ball B from the bypass passage 552g to be received by a wider portion of the tank rail 553. Furthermore, because game balls B are supplied from the bypass passage 552g into the tank rail 553 in a direction approximately perpendicular (perpendicular to) the direction in which the game balls B flow, it is less likely that game balls B from the bypass passage 552g will clog the tank rail 553.

The bypass passage 552g extends diagonally from left to right so that its rear end moves rearward as it approaches the downstream side of the tank rail 553. Therefore, when a game ball B is released from the bypass passage 552g toward the tank rail 553, the diagonally extending rear end allows the game ball B to be released toward the upstream side, where the tank rail 553 is wider, rather than the downstream side, where the tank rail 553 is narrower. By releasing the game ball B into the wider section, it is possible to prevent ball jamming within the tank rail 553.

In addition, the area on the tank rail 553 where the game balls B are guided by the bypass passage 552g corresponds to the rear of the left side wall 552d of the ball tank 552 and the outside of the left part of the rear wall 552c when viewed from the front. Game balls B that pass under the guide surface 552j of the ball tank 552 (the ceiling side of the opening 552k) from inside the ball tank 552 flow through this area. For this reason, in the area behind the bypass passage 552g on the tank rail 553, the height of multiple game balls B stacked vertically does not exceed the height of the ceiling of the opening 552k (the height of the wall of the tank rail 553). Therefore, space (empty space) can be secured downstream of the ball tank 552 on the tank rail 553, that is, at the rear end of the bypass passage 552g, allowing game balls B to be stacked upward. As a result, game balls B guided rearward by the bypass passage 552g can be reliably received by the tank rail 553, and game balls B will not spill rearward from the tank rail 553.

The spherical tank 552 has a flat guide surface 552j that extends downward to the right from a position slightly lower than the overflow section 552f on the left wall 552d within the area surrounded by the front wall 552b, rear wall 552c, and left side wall 552d. The guide surface 552j extends from the front wall 552b to the rear wall 552c in the front-to-rear direction. Additionally, the guide surface portion 552j is formed in such a way that, in a front view, its right edge extends diagonally rearward from a position approximately one-third of the total length of the front wall 552b from the left end of the front wall 552b, to a position approximately one-ninth of the total length of the front wall 552b in the left-right direction, and to a position approximately one-half of the total length of the front wall 552b from the front wall 552b to the left side wall 552d, and then extends parallel to the left side wall 552d to the vicinity of the rear wall 552c, and from there extends parallel to the rear wall 552c with a constant width in the front-to-rear direction from the left end of the rear wall 552c to a position approximately one-third of the total length of the rear wall 552c in the left-to-right direction.

In plan view, the spherical tank 552 has an opening 552k formed vertically in an area enclosed by the right edge of the guide surface portion 552j, which is shaped as described above, and a straight line connecting the end of the right edge on the front wall 552b side and the end on the rear wall 552c side. The spherical tank 552 also has flat flange portions 552l extending outward in the left-right and up-down directions on the same plane as the front wall 552b at the front end of the right wall 552e and at the front end of the weir portion 552i of the bypass passage 552g. The upper edge of the front wall 552b excluding the overflow portion 552f and the upper edges of the two flange portions 552l are higher than the upper edges of the left wall 552d and the rear wall 552c (the upper surfaces of the left step 501n and right step 501o of the main frame base 501).

When the spherical tank 552 and tank rail 553 are assembled, the upstream end (right end in front view) of the tank rail 553 is connected to the opening 552k of the spherical tank 552. Furthermore, the diagonally extending portion of the tank rail 553, which extends left and right in a crank-like shape in a plan view, and the portion to its left that extends straight left and right, are located rearward (protruding) from the spherical tank 552. The rear end edge of the left-hand bypass passage 552g of the left side wall 552d of the spherical tank 552 is located at the front end of the diagonally extending portion of the tank rail 553, which extends left and right in a crank-like shape.

The discharge section 551j is formed on the upper surface of the dispensing base 551. When assembled to the main body frame 4, the discharge section 551j extends rearward from the rear side of the flange section 552l on the left side of the spherical tank 552 (as viewed from the front) to the tank rail 553, so that it descends in a stepped manner rearward from a height lower than the bypass passage 552g to the same height as the bottom wall 552a of the spherical tank 552. Then, it extends leftward along the tank rail 553 to a position higher than the upper end of the tank rail 553 (a position near the center of the second rail cover 555 in the left-right direction), and then extends rearward.

The external terminal board 558 has multiple wire connection terminals 558a attached to its rear surface, lined up in the left-right direction. These wire connection terminals 558a are one-touch terminals whose gripping portion opens by operating a lever to grasp the tip of an electrical wire. When assembled to the main body frame 4, the external terminal board 558 is located in front of the area on the tank rail 553 where the upper side is closed by the first rail cover 554, second rail cover 555, and ball straightening member 556. A terminal cover 551k, which covers the upper side of the external terminal board 558 (multiple wire connection terminals 558a), is formed on the upper surface of the dispensing base 551. The upper surface of the terminal cover 551k is formed at approximately the same height as the upper end of the flange portion 552l of the ball tank 552.

Next, the effects of the upper part of the main body frame 4 of the pachinko machine 1 will be explained. First, as shown by the white arrows in Figure 102, the overflow surface 501m, left step 501n, right step 501o, and bypass passage 552g are inclined so that the rear ends of the overflow surface 501m and bypass passage 552g are lower, and the rear right corner of the left step 501n and the rear left corner of the right step 501o are respectively lower. Furthermore, the bottom wall 552a and tank rail 553 (main guide section 553a) of the ball tank 552 are inclined so that the left end is lower when viewed from the front. Furthermore, the guide surface 552j of the ball tank 552 is inclined so that the right end, opposite the bottom wall 552a, is lower.

As the amount of game balls B stored in the ball tank 552 increases due to supply from the island equipment, they first flow out over the overflow section 552f, which is the lowest part of the outer periphery's upper edge, and out the outside (front) of the ball tank 552. The game balls B that overflow from the ball tank 552 can escape into the overflow surface section 501m, and the game balls B that flow out from the ball tank 552 to the front overflow surface section 501m can be returned into the ball tank 552 due to the slope of the overflow surface section 501m (see Figure 103). Therefore, since it is possible to prevent any further increase in game balls B within the ball tank 552, it is possible to suppress game balls B from pressing against each other strongly within the ball tank 552 (increase in ball pressure), and it is possible to prevent blockages (so-called ball jamming) caused by game balls B interlocking with each other within the ball tank 552.

In addition, since the bypass passage 552g is provided, as shown in FIG. 104, game balls B that have overflowed from the ball tank 552 onto the overflow surface 501m can be sent to the tank rail 553 via the bypass passage 552g. This prevents the game balls B accumulated on the overflow surface 501m from exerting a strong backward pressure on the game balls B in the ball tank 552, preventing the game balls B from clogging inside the ball tank 552. In addition, because the game balls B can be sent to the tank rail 553 via the bypass passage 552g, game balls B that have overflowed from the ball tank 552 or the overflow surface 501m can be prevented from spilling outside (to the rear) of the main body frame 4. This prevents game balls B that have spilled outside the main body frame 4 from becoming trapped between the outer frame 2 and the main body frame 4, preventing the main body frame 4 from opening or closing.

Furthermore, some of the game balls B that overflow from the ball tank 552 onto the overflow surface 501m can be guided downstream of the tank rail 553 by the bypass passage 552g, and the game balls B can be sent to the tank rail 553 from a fixed position along the left side away from the ball tank 552.This means that the flow (pressure) of the game balls B sent to the tank rail 553 by the bypass passage 552g can be directed downstream of the tank rail 553, preventing the game balls B from pressing against each other too strongly within the tank rail 553 and preventing the game balls B from clogging.

In addition, the height of the remaining upper edge of the outer periphery of the ball tank 552 other than the overflow section 552f is made higher than the overflow section 552f, so that the upper edge of the left side wall 552d on one side of the ball tank 552 in the left-right direction between the ball tank 552 and the bypass passage 552g is higher than the overflow section 552f, i.e., the rear end of the overflow surface 501m. As a result, game balls B that overflow from the ball tank 552, overflow into the overflow surface 501m, and then flow from the overflow surface 501m to the bypass passage 552g are blocked by the left side wall 552d on one side of the ball tank 552, preventing them from returning from the bypass passage 552g to the ball tank 552 side. This prevents the game balls B on the bypass passage 552g side from pressing against the game balls B inside the ball tank 552 and causing clogging of the game balls B inside the ball tank 552.

Furthermore, as described above, the upper edge of the left side wall 552d between the ball tank 552 and the bypass passage 552g is higher than the rear end of the overflow surface 501m (the passage surface 552h along which the game balls B roll in the bypass passage 552g), preventing the game balls B from overflowing from the ball tank 552 into the bypass passage 552g without passing through the overflow surface 501m. This prevents the game balls B from flowing into the bypass passage 552g from the side (ball tank 552), allowing the flow of the game balls B in the bypass passage 552g to flow in a fixed direction from the overflow surface 501m at the front end toward the tank rail 553 at the rear end, thereby ensuring a fixed pressure on the game balls B guided from the bypass passage 552g to the tank rail 553. Therefore, the direction of pressure applied to the game balls B within the tank rail 553 is varied, preventing the game balls B from pushing against each other and becoming stuck, and preventing the game balls B from becoming jammed.

In addition, the bottom of the tank rail 553 is provided with a main guide section 553a that extends to the downstream end. When the game balls B in the tank rail 553 reach the main guide section 553a, they line up in a row in the left-right direction. This allows the game balls B in the tank rail 553 to be aligned, ensuring that the game balls B can be reliably guided to the downstream payout device 580. Furthermore, the open upper section of the tank rail 553 is provided with a wide bulge section 553b that can accommodate multiple game balls B. Therefore, game balls B released from the rear end of the bypass passage 552g can be reliably received, ensuring the above-mentioned effects.

Furthermore, the bulging portion 553b of the tank rail 553 extends from the upstream end to the closed-top portion, and narrows in width from the upstream end toward the downstream side to match the width of the main guide portion 553a. This allows multiple game balls B to be aligned in a single line in the width direction as they move downstream within the bulging portion 553b. Furthermore, the closed-top portion of the tank rail 553 is configured so that the height of the flow path through which the game balls B flow decreases toward the downstream end. This allows multiple game balls B that are stacked in multiple layers in the height direction on the upstream side (toward the ball tank 552) to flow downstream through the closed-top portion of the tank rail 553, reducing the number of layers in the height direction and aligning them in a single line. Therefore, the tank rail 553 allows multiple game balls B to be guided downstream (toward the payout device 580) in a single line.

Furthermore, since it is equipped with an overflow surface portion 501m and a bypass passage 552g, it is possible to store a certain number of game balls B therein, and since the tank rail 553 is equipped with a bulge portion 553b, the volume within the tank rail 553 can be increased, so that, together with the ball tank 552, a larger number of game balls B can be stored.

In addition, on the opposite side of the ball tank 552, with the bypass passage 552g and discharge section 551j in between, there is an external terminal board 558 equipped with multiple wire connection terminals 558a to which electrical wiring is connected, and a terminal cover 551k covering the upper side of the multiple wire connection terminals 558a (external terminal board 558). Therefore, the wire connection terminals 558a and terminal cover 551k can be positioned farther away from the ball tank 552 to which game balls B are supplied from the island equipment. Therefore, even if the game balls B supplied from the island equipment bounce or are supplied with force at the ball tank 552 or overflow surface section 501m, they are less likely to reach (contact) the wire connection terminals 558a, etc., and problems such as short circuits or loose electrical wiring due to the game balls B contacting them will not occur.

In addition, by directing the multiple wire connection terminals 558a toward the rear and making the top surface of the terminal cover 551k higher than the overflow surface 501m, even if game balls B supplied from the island equipment to the ball tank 552 bounce off the ball tank 552 or the overflow surface 501m, they are less likely to land on the top surface of the terminal cover 551k. Even if game balls B land on the top surface of the terminal cover 551k, they are less likely to fall off the rear side, making it easier to avoid the occurrence of the above-mentioned problems.

Furthermore, game balls B returned from the overflow surface 501m to the guide surface 552j of the ball tank 552 are sent upstream of the ball tank 552 (to the right in Figure 103) due to the inclination of the guide surface 552j. This prevents the game balls B on the guide surface 552j from pressing downstream against the game balls B in the ball tank 552, preventing clogging of the game balls B within the ball tank 552.

In addition, even if game balls B supplied to the ball tank 552 from the island equipment bounce off the ball tank 552 or the overflow surface 501m and land on the left step 501n or right step 501o on both sides of the overflow surface 501m, as shown in Figure 103, the slope of these elements can guide the game balls B to the overflow surface 501m or the bypass passage 552g, preventing problems caused by game balls B spilling outside the main frame 4.

In addition, because the game balls B pass under the guide surface 552j when they flow from the ball tank 552 to the tank rail 553, the guide surface 552j can regulate the amount (height) of game balls B stacked on the upper side of the tank rail 553 so that it does not exceed the lower surface of the guide surface 552j. Therefore, on the downstream side of the ball tank 552 (guide surface 552j) on the tank rail 553, that is, on the rear end side of the bypass passage 552g, space (empty space) can be secured in which game balls B can be stacked on the upper side, and game balls B guided by the bypass passage 552g can be reliably received.

Furthermore, since the multiple electric wire connection terminals 558a and terminal cover 551k are positioned in front of the portion of the tank rail 553 whose upper side is closed, even if a game ball B falls rearward from the terminal cover 551k, the game ball B will not be received by the tank rail 553, preventing the game ball B from affecting the game ball B inside the tank rail 553 and causing malfunctions.

[4-12-1. Second embodiment of tank rail etc.]
Next, a second embodiment of the tank rail 553 in the main body frame 4 will be described in detail, mainly with reference to Figures 106 to 110. Figure 106 is an enlarged perspective view of the tank rail portion of a pachinko machine equipped with a tank rail of the second embodiment, viewed from the rear. Figure 107(a) is a plan view showing the tank rail of Figure 106 assembled with a ball tank, (b) is a perspective view of the tank rail of (a) viewed from the front, and (c) is a perspective view of the tank rail of (a) viewed from the rear. Figure 108(a) is an exploded perspective view of the tank rail of Figure 107 viewed from the front, and (b) is an exploded perspective view of the tank rail of Figure 107 viewed from the rear. Figure 109 is a cross-sectional view of the tank rail taken along the kercher line in Figure 107(a). Figure 110 is an explanatory diagram showing the flow of game balls in the tank rail of Figure 107 in cross section. In the second embodiment, which is different from the above, in addition to the tank rail 553A, the tank rail 553A, etc., has a first rail cover 554A, a second rail cover 555A, and a ball straightening member 556A that are different from the tank rail 553, first rail cover 554, second rail cover 555, and ball straightening member 556 of the above embodiment, and similar configurations will be described using the same symbols.

In this embodiment, the tank rail 553A rectifies the game balls B stored in the ball tank 552 and delivers them to the ball guide unit 570 of the payout unit 560. This tank rail 553A extends to the left in the shape of a groove that is open upward. Attached to the tank rail 553A are a first rail cover 554A that closes the upper end, a second rail cover 555A that is located to the left of the first rail cover 554A when viewed from the front, and a ball rectifying member 556A that is located above the second rail cover 555A. Attached to the downstream end of the tank rail 553A is a ball stopper member 557 that can prevent the flow of game balls B.

As shown in Figure 107(a) and other figures, the tank rail 553A has a serpentine portion 553c that snakes back and forth downstream of the bulge portion 553b. This serpentine portion 553c serves to reduce the circulation speed of the game balls B. The first rail cover 554A is attached upstream of the serpentine portion 553c (towards the ball tank 552).

The second rail cover 555A extends laterally from the first rail cover 554A to the downstream end (left end in front view) of the open upper end of the tank rail 553A, including the serpentine portion 553c. The second rail cover 555A has a plate-shaped cover portion 555a that closes the upper end of the tank rail 553A, a pair of protective walls 555b that extend upward from the front and rear ends of the cover portion 555a upstream of the center in the lateral direction, and an opening 555c that penetrates the cover portion 555a between the pair of protective walls 555b. At the location of the serpentine portion 553c of the tank rail 553A, the pair of protective walls 555b are formed in a serpentine shape that mimics the serpentine portion 553c. A flow straightening piece 556a of the spherical flow straightening member 556A (described later) is inserted into the opening 555c from above.

The ball straightening member 556A has an upstream end that extends forward and backward and is mounted rotatably around an axis. The ball straightening member 556A is located above the cover portion 555a of the second rail cover 555A, between a pair of protective walls 555b, and has a flat straightening piece 556a that penetrates the opening 555c of the second rail cover 555A and protrudes into the tank rail 553A. This ball straightening member 556A abuts from above against game balls B stacked in multiple layers within the tank rail 553A, breaking up the layers of game balls B and making it easier to align them in a single row. It also prevents the uppermost game ball B from moving downstream too quickly, preventing ball jamming on the downstream side of the tank rail 553A.

In the tank rail 553A and other components of this embodiment, when assembled, the ball rectifying member 556A is located between a pair of protective walls 555b on the second rail cover 555A and below the upper ends of the protective walls 555b. This prevents the electric wire (shown by a dashed line in FIG. 106 ) connected to the electric wire connection terminal 558a of the external terminal board 558, which is located on the upper front side of the portion of the tank rail 553A where the ball rectifying member 556A is attached, from contacting the ball rectifying member 556A from above. However, if the electric wire connected to the electric wire connection terminal 558a contacts the ball rectifying member 556A from above, the weight of the electric wire may prevent the ball rectifying member 556A from rotating upward even when the game ball B abuts the rectifying piece 556a of the ball rectifying member 556A. This may prevent the ball rectifying member 556A from fully rectifying the game ball B. In contrast, in this embodiment, the pair of protective walls 555b of the second rail cover 555A prevent the electric wire connected to the electric wire connection terminal 558a from coming into contact with the ball rectifying member 556A. Therefore, when a game ball B comes into contact with the rectifying piece 556a of the ball rectifying member 556A, the ball rectifying member 556A can rotate upward, fully exerting its rectifying effect and preventing ball jamming or clogging within the tank rail 553A.

Furthermore, since the tank rail 553A is provided with a serpentine portion 553c, the serpentine portion 553c can suppress the flow speed of the game balls B. However, in the tank rail 553A, which narrows in height toward the downstream side, if the upper game balls B of the game balls B stacked in multiple layers move downstream first, ball jamming is likely to occur. In contrast, in this embodiment, as described above, the serpentine portion 553c can suppress the flow speed of the game balls B, preventing the upper game balls B from moving downstream first, thereby reducing the occurrence of ball jamming.

Furthermore, as described above, the protective wall 555b of the second rail cover 555A prevents the electric wires from coming into contact with the ball straightening member 556A, preventing ball clogging. This allows the tank rail 553A to be positioned near a terminal board (e.g., external terminal board 558) or control board to which many electric wires are connected, or a terminal board or control board to which many electric wires are connected to be positioned near the tank rail 553A, thereby providing a pachinko machine 1 with a high degree of freedom in the placement of the tank rail 553A (ball tank 552), terminal board, etc.

[4-12-2. Third embodiment of tank rail etc.]
Next, a third embodiment of the tank rail 553 and the like in the main body frame 4 will be described in detail, mainly with reference to Figures 111 to 118. Figure 111 is an enlarged perspective view of the main body frame equipped with the tank rail and the like of the third embodiment, viewed from the right rear. Figure 112 is an enlarged perspective view of the main body frame equipped with the tank rail and the like of the third embodiment, viewed from the left rear. Figure 113(a) is a rear view of the main body frame, showing an enlarged view of the external terminal board portion, and Figure 113(b) is a left side view of the main body frame, showing an enlarged view of the upper portion. Figure 114(a) is a cross-sectional view taken along line D-D in Figure 113(b), and Figure 114(b) is a cross-sectional view taken along line C-C in Figure 113(a). Figure 115 is an explanatory view showing an enlarged view of the tank rail and its vicinity in Figure 114(b). Fig. 116(a) is a perspective view of the tank rail etc. of the third embodiment as seen from the front, (b) is a perspective view of the tank rail etc. of (a) as seen from the upper right rear, and (c) is a perspective view of the tank rail etc. of (a) as seen from the lower right rear. Fig. 117 is an exploded perspective view of the tank rail etc. of Fig. 116 as seen from the front, and Fig. 118 is an exploded perspective view of the tank rail etc. of Fig. 116 as seen from the rear.

The tank rail etc. of the third embodiment is the same as the tank rail etc. of the first embodiment (sphere tank 552, tank rail 553, first rail cover 554, second rail cover 555, sphere straightening member 556, and sphere stopping member 557), with the addition of a protective cover 559 that covers the sphere straightening member 556 from above. Components similar to those described above will be described using the same reference numerals.

The tank rails, etc. of this embodiment include a ball tank 552, which is attached to the top surface of the top plate portion 551a of the dispensing base 551, is box-shaped and extends left and right, and is open at the top, and a tank rail 553, which is attached to the left side of the ball tank 552 above the part of the dispensing base 551 that extends left and right, is open at the top, and extends leftward in a groove-like shape.

The ball tank 552 is formed with a length in the left-right direction that is approximately half the left-right width of the top plate portion 551a of the dispensing base 551, and a length in the front-to-back direction that is shorter than the front-to-back depth of the top plate portion 551a. The ball tank 552 is attached to the top surface of the top plate portion 551a, at a position towards the right in the left-to-right direction. The bottom surface of the ball tank 552 is inclined so that the left end is lower. The left end of the ball tank 552 is connected to the tank rail 553.

The tank rail 553 is attached to the top surface of the top plate 551a of the payout base 551, near the rear end on the left side of the center in the left-right direction. In a plan view, the tank rail 553 extends diagonally left and rearward from the right end, which is connected to the ball tank 552, so that its front-to-rear depth changes from several times the outer diameter of the game ball B to approximately one time, and then extends straight to the left, with its front-to-rear depth slightly larger than the outer diameter of the game ball B. The bottom of the tank rail 553 is sloped so that the left end is lower, and the left end of the bottom opens downward and is slightly larger than the outer diameter of the game ball B. The opening at the left end of the bottom of the tank rail 553 communicates with the upper opening of the guide passage 570a in the ball guide unit 570 of the payout unit 560.

The upper end of the section of the tank rail 553 that extends straight to the left is inclined at a steeper angle to the horizontal than the bottom surface, so that the height of the left end is slightly greater than the outer diameter of the game ball B. The rear end of the section of the tank rail 553 that extends straight to the left is attached to the top surface of the top plate 551a so that it roughly coincides with the rear edge of the top plate 551a.

The tank rail 553 has multiple openings 553d formed on the bottom of the section extending straight to the left (the section becoming lower in height as it moves downstream), through which debris and dust can fall. These openings 553d are located below the first rail cover 554, second rail cover 555, and ball straightening member 556, which will be described later. The openings 553d open downward and toward the rear of the tank rail 553, extend to the left and right, and are large enough to prevent a game ball B from passing through. When a game ball B is present in the tank rail 553, a portion of the game ball B can be directly seen from behind through the openings 553d. Furthermore, the game ball B in the tank rail 553 can be touched through the openings 553d by an operator using a finger or a thin stick. This allows ball jams in that area to be cleared through the openings 553d. Furthermore, through the opening 553d, the ball rectifying member 556 can be lifted via the game ball B in that area, allowing the operation of the ball rectifying member 556 to be confirmed.

The tank rail, etc. also includes a first rail cover 554, located to the left of the ball tank 552, enclosing a predetermined area above the tank rail 553 from the right end to the left of the section that extends leftward at a substantially constant depth in the front-to-rear direction; a second rail cover 555, enclosing the tank rail 553 from a section spaced apart from the first rail cover 554 to the left end; a ball straightening member 556 located between the first rail cover 554 and the second rail cover 555 at the top end of the tank rail 553; a ball stop member 557 located near the left end of the underside of the tank rail 553; and a protective cover 559, covering the upper portion from midway across the first rail cover 554 to midway across the ball straightening member 556 and the second rail cover 555.

The first rail cover 554 and the second rail cover 555 are attached to the upper end of the portion of the tank rail 553 that extends straight to the left. The first rail cover 554 and the second rail cover 555 prevent the front-to-rear depth of the upper end of the tank rail 553 from expanding or narrowing due to the pressure of the game ball B inside the tank rail 553.

The spherical rectifier 556 is attached to the upper end of the tank rail 553, between the first rail cover 554 and the second rail cover 555, so that the end on the first rail cover 554 side is rotatable around an axis extending in the front-to-rear direction. The spherical rectifier 556 has a rectifier piece 556a that protrudes into the tank rail 553 and extends in the left-to-right direction (see Figure 114(a) etc.).

The tank rail 553 is designed to align game balls B stacked vertically in a single layer, but when the number of stacked game balls B is reduced from two layers to one, if a game ball B in the upper layer tries to overtake a game ball B in the lower layer, the game balls B may become interlocked and unable to move (a phenomenon known as ball jamming). In contrast, the ball straightening member 556 of this embodiment is designed so that when game balls B flow through the tank rail 553 in two layers, the game ball B in the upper layer abuts the straightening piece 556a, slowing the flow of the game ball B and preventing it from overtaking the game ball B in the lower layer. This allows the game balls B in the lower layer to move downstream first, followed by the game balls B in the upper layer, allowing the game balls B to be aligned in a single layer. At this time, the game ball B on the upper level presses against the rectifying piece 556a from below, causing the ball rectifying member 556 to move so that the rectifying piece 556a moves upward, and its own weight presses the game ball B on the upper level downward. The up and down swing of the ball rectifying member 556 (rectifying piece 556a) encourages the game ball B on the upper level to move downward, and also prevents ball clogging in that part of the tank rail 553 (the part that becomes lower in height the further downstream).

The ball stopping member 557 is attached to the underside of the tank rail 553 near the left end when viewed from the front, so that it can slide left and right. By sliding it to the left, the opening at the left end of the bottom surface of the tank rail 553 is closed, preventing game balls B from flowing from the tank rail 553 to the downstream payout unit.

The protective cover 559 has a strip-shaped top plate 559a extending laterally, a flat rear plate 559b extending downward from part of the rear edge of the top plate 559a, a flat front plate 559c extending downward from the front and left edges of the top plate 559a, and a flat guide plate 559d extending forward from the front plate 559c. The top plate 559a and guide plate 559d are inclined so that the left end is lower. The guide plate 559d is formed so that the left side of the top plate 559a wraps around from the front to the left, and the rear end of this portion is aligned in the front-to-rear direction with the rear end of the top plate 559a.

When this protective cover 559 is assembled to the main body frame 4, the top plate portion 559a is positioned to cover the upper part of the first rail cover 554 from halfway across in the left-right direction to halfway across in the left-right direction of the second rail cover 555, forming a space between it and the ball straightening member 556, allowing the ball straightening member 556 to swing up and down. The rear plate portion 559b extends to a position below the upper end of the tank rail 553 so as to cover the rear of the ball straightening member 556.

The right end of the front plate portion 559c extends further to the right than the top plate portion 559a, and extends along the tank rail 553 to the ball tank 552. The guide plate portion 559d, in front of the top plate portion 559a, protrudes forward from the front plate portion 559c by a length greater than the diameter of the game ball B, and is formed to be able to guide the game ball B to the left. The guide plate portion 559d is inclined more gently than the upper end of the tank rail 553. The front end of the guide plate portion 559d forms a small gap between the rear surface of the payout base 551 and the guide plate portion 559d, which prevents the game ball B from entering.

When assembled to the pachinko machine 1, the protective cover 559 can prevent external contact with the ball rectifying member 556. The operation of the ball rectifying member 556 can be confirmed by inserting a thin rod into the opening 553d of the tank rail 553 and contacting it from below, or by pressing upward with an operator's finger or the like through the opening 553d to lift up the game ball B inside the tank rail 553.

In addition, the protective cover 559 has a guide plate portion 559d that guides a game ball B that, for some reason, has entered the rear of the external terminal board 558 to the left, allowing it to be discharged outside from the left side of the main body frame 4.

In this embodiment, the ball tank 552, tank rail 553, first rail cover 554, second rail cover 555, ball straightening member 556, and protective cover 559 are made of transparent materials, allowing the game balls B inside the tank rail 553 to be seen from the outside.

In addition, the top of the tank rail 553 is covered with the first rail cover 554, second rail cover 555, and protective cover 559, preventing dirt, dust, etc. from entering the tank rail 553 from above.

Furthermore, because the first rail cover 554, second rail cover 555, and protective cover 559 cover the top of the tank rail 553, it is impossible to touch the ball rectifying member 556 or the game ball B from above. Therefore, if dirt or dust is attached to the game ball B, etc., it is necessary to remove the first rail cover 554, second rail cover 555, protective cover 559, etc. However, in this embodiment, the provision of multiple openings 553d at the bottom of the tank rail 553 is significant. More specifically, if dirt or dust is attached to the ball rectifying member 556 or the game ball B inside the tank rail 553, it is possible to touch the game ball B inside through the opening 553d and shake the game ball B or the ball rectifying member 556 via the game ball B, thereby removing the dirt or dust attached to the game ball B, etc. Then, the dirt or dust that has fallen from the game ball B, etc. can be discharged to the outside through the opening 553d.

However, in the main frame 4, a section of the tank rail 553 extending to the left at a substantially constant depth in the front-to-rear direction is located behind the external terminal board 558. Therefore, if the electric wire connected to the electric wire connection terminal 558a of the external terminal board 558 comes into contact with the ball rectifying member 556 from above, the weight of the electric wire may prevent the ball rectifying member 556 from rotating upward even if the game ball B abuts the rectifying piece 556a of the ball rectifying member 556, and the ball rectifying member 556 may not be able to fully rectify the game ball B.

Furthermore, since the wire connection terminal 558a of the external terminal board 558 is connected to an electric wire with the coating stripped from the tip, if a game ball B remains behind the external terminal board 558 for some reason, there is a risk that a short circuit will occur due to the remaining game ball B if the electric wire is not connected (inserted) properly into the wire connection terminal 558a.

In contrast, in this embodiment, the protective cover 559 covers the top of the ball rectifying member 556, preventing the electric wire connected to the electric wire connection terminal 558a from coming into contact with the ball rectifying member 556. As a result, when a game ball B comes into contact with the rectifying piece 556a of the ball rectifying member 556, the ball rectifying member 556 can rotate upward, fully exerting its rectifying effect and preventing ball jamming or clogging within the tank rail 553.

However, if for some reason an electrical wire becomes unplugged from the external terminal board 558 and its tip comes into contact with a gaming ball B located behind the external terminal board 558, a short circuit will occur, preventing the amusement hall's computer from receiving necessary information, resulting in counting errors at the amusement hall. In contrast, according to this embodiment, the protective cover 559 is provided with a guide plate portion 559d, which allows a gaming ball B that for some reason has entered the rear of the external terminal board 558 to be guided to the left and ejected outside through the left side of the main body frame 4. This prevents gaming balls B from remaining behind the external terminal board 558, thereby preventing a short circuit caused by a remaining gaming ball B. Therefore, by preventing a short circuit in the electrical wire, the amusement hall's computer (hall computer) can reliably receive necessary information, providing a pachinko machine 1 that can reduce counting errors at the amusement hall.

In addition, according to this embodiment, the guide plate portion 559d of the protective cover 559 causes the game ball B to be discharged to the left side of the main body frame 4, thereby preventing the game ball B from coming into contact with the various electrical wires and wiring provided on the rear side of the main body frame 4, causing problems such as disconnection or short circuits.

[4-13. Another embodiment of the board unit]
Next, a board unit 620A of another embodiment (second embodiment) different from the above will be described in detail mainly with reference to Figures 119 to 124, etc. Figure 119(a) is a front view of the board unit of another embodiment, (b) is a perspective view of the board unit of (a) seen from the right front, and (c) is a perspective view of the board unit of (a) seen from the left front. Figure 120(a) is a perspective view of the board unit of Figure 119(a) seen from the upper right rear, and (b) is a perspective view of the board unit of Figure 119(a) seen from the lower right rear. Figure 121 is an exploded perspective view of the board unit of Figure 119(a) seen from the front, and Figure 122 is an exploded perspective view of the board unit of Figure 119(a) seen from the rear. Fig. 123(a) is a cross-sectional view taken along line KII in Fig. 119(a), (b) is a cross-sectional view taken along line KII in Fig. 119(a), and (c) is a cross-sectional view taken along line KII in Fig. 119(a). Fig. 124 is a bottom view showing the area behind the door frame in a pachinko machine equipped with the board unit of Fig. 119(a).

The board unit 620A of this embodiment replaces the board unit 620 described above and is attached to the lower rear surface of the main frame base unit 500. In the board unit 620A of this embodiment, the configuration of the base unit 660 is significantly different from the base unit 620b of the board unit 620 described above. Here, components similar to those of the board unit 620 described above are given the same reference numerals and detailed descriptions are omitted.

The board unit 620A comprises a speaker unit 620a attached to the rear surface of the main frame base 501 of the main frame base unit 500, below the game board mounting portion 501c; a base unit 660 attached to the rear surface of the main frame base 501 so as to cover part of the speaker unit 620a from behind; a power supply unit 620c attached to the rear side of the base unit 660; a payout control unit 620d attached to the rear side of the power supply unit 620c; and an interface unit 620e attached to the rear surface of the speaker unit 620a so as to cover part of the payout control unit 620d from behind.

The base unit 660 is comprised of a front base 661 attached to the rear surface of the main frame base 501 so as to cover part of the speaker box 623 from the rear, a rear base 662 attached to the rear side of the front base 661 and having the power supply unit 620c attached to its rear surface, and an out ball passage 663 provided between the front base 661 and the rear base 662, through which game balls B discharged downward from the game board 5 flow, and a detection unit 664 for detecting game balls B flowing through the out ball passage 663 one by one. an out sensor 664 that detects the presence of a ball; a ball removal guide section 627 that receives game balls B released from the lower ball removal passage 610c of the lower full ball path unit 610 and guides them to the right when viewed from the front; a ball removal and discharge passage 665 that is located behind the out ball passage 663 in the rear base 662 and through which game balls B guided by the ball removal and discharge section 627 flow; and a passage wall member 666 that is attached to the rear base 662 so as to close the rear side of the ball removal and discharge passage 665.

The front base 661 is formed in a box shape that is long from side to side and open to the front. The rear base 662 has a flat partition wall portion 662a that extends left and right at a roughly constant height in the vertical direction. An out ball passage 663 and a ball removal guide portion 627 are formed in front of the partition wall portion 662a, and a ball removal discharge passage 665 is formed behind the partition wall portion 662a. The rear base 662 is formed in a box shape that is open to the rear behind the partition wall portion 662a.

The base unit 660 has a front base 661, a rear base 662, and a passage wall member 666 formed from transparent materials. Therefore, the ball removal guide section 627, the out ball passage 663, and the ball removal and discharge passage 665 are also formed transparent. Therefore, the inside of the ball removal guide section 627, the out ball passage 663, and the ball removal and discharge passage 665 can be clearly seen from the top and bottom of the base unit 660, making it easy to check for clogging balls, etc.

The out-ball passage 663 is formed in front of a flat partition wall portion 662a on the rear base 662, which extends left and right at a substantially constant height in the vertical direction, with the front end open, and the open front end is closed by the front base 661.

The out ball passage 663 has a ball discharge receiving portion 663a that opens upward and extends left and right at approximately the center of the pachinko machine 1 in the left-right direction, an out ball rectifying portion 663b that straightens the game balls B received in the ball discharge receiving portion 663a into a single line while causing them to snake widely left and right, a downward guide portion 663c that guides the game balls B straightened into a single line by the out ball rectifying portion 663b downward, and an out ball discharge port 663d that opens downward at the lower end of the downward guide portion 663c and discharges the game balls B downward from the underside of the base unit 660. The out ball discharge port 663d of the out ball passage 663 is located rearward of the outer frame 2 (see Figure 124).

The ball discharge receiving portion 663a of the out ball passage 663 is formed so that its depth in the front-to-rear direction is approximately 2.5 times the outer diameter of the game ball B. The ball discharge receiving portion 663a is inclined at a gentle angle so that the right end is lower.

The out ball rectification section 663b is inclined at a gentle angle from a position to the right of the right end of the ball discharge receiving section 663a toward the bottom of the ball discharge receiving section 663a, with the left end becoming lower. Furthermore, the front-to-back depth of the out ball rectification section 663b narrows as it moves downstream (to the left), with the depth near the downstream end below the ball discharge receiving section 663a being slightly larger than the diameter of game ball B. Furthermore, the height of the portion of the out ball rectification section 663b to the left of the right end of the ball discharge receiving section 663a decreases as it moves downstream (to the left), with the height near the downstream end being slightly larger than the diameter of game ball B. This allows game balls B to be aligned in a row in the out ball rectification section 663b.

The downward guide section 663c extends downward from the downstream end of the out-ball straightening section 663b, which is below the ball discharge receiving section 663a. Midway up and down, it curves rearward in a small crank shape so that its front wall is flush with the rear wall (compartment wall). As a result, the downstream end of the downward guide section 663c (out-ball discharge port 663d) is located rearward of the front surface of the partition wall 662a of the rear base 662. An out-sensor 664 is located upstream of the cranked portion of the downward guide section 663c. The cranked portion of the downward guide section 663c is curved so that it does not have a horizontally extending portion. Therefore, even if a game ball B passes through the out-sensor 664 and hits the cranked portion, it will not bounce up toward the out-sensor 664 above. This prevents the out-sensor 664 from detecting a single game ball B twice.

Out sensor 664 uses a non-contact electromagnetic proximity switch that is highly durable and has a long lifespan, as game ball B passes through it frequently.

The ball removal guide section 627 is located to the left of the ball discharge receiving section 663a in the out ball passage 663. The upstream end of the ball removal guide section 627 opens to the left at the top of the left side when viewed from the front, and the downstream side bends rearward and extends to the rear side of the partition wall section 662a of the rear base 662, where it is connected to the upstream end of the ball removal and discharge passage 665 (see Figure 123(a), etc.).

The ball ejection/discharge passage 665 is formed on the rear side of the partition wall portion 662a of the rear base 662. The ball ejection/discharge passage 665 is formed in the rear base 662 in a state that is open to the rear, and its rear end is closed by a passage wall member 666. The rear end of this ball ejection/discharge passage 665 is located approximately one outer diameter of a game ball B forward of the rear end of the rear base 662. In other words, a gap of at least one game ball B is formed between the ball ejection/discharge passage 665 and the power supply board 630 of the power supply unit 620c attached to the rear side of the rear base 662.

The ball removal and discharge passage 665 has its upstream end (left end) connected to the downstream end of the ball removal and discharge guide section 627, and is equipped with a horizontal guide section 665a that extends to the right of the ball discharge receiving section 663a at the same inclination as the ball discharge receiving section 663a of the out ball passage 663, a vertical guide section 665b that extends vertically downward from the downstream end (right end) of the horizontal guide section 665a to the underside of the rear base 662, and a ball removal and discharge outlet 665c that opens downward at the downstream end (lower end) of the vertical guide section 665b. The ball removal and discharge outlet 665c is located slightly rearward of the out ball discharge outlet 663d of the out ball passage 663 (see Figure 124).

The ball ejection/discharge passage 665 also has multiple protrusions 665d that protrude inward alternately at regular intervals in the vertical direction on the left and right inner walls of the vertical guide section 665b. The ball ejection/discharge passage 665 allows game balls B flowing through the vertical guide section 665b, which extends vertically downward, to alternately come into contact with the multiple protrusions 665d, causing the game balls B to flow downward in a zigzag pattern, suppressing an increase in their flow speed and suppressing the speed of the game balls B as they are discharged downward from the ball ejection/discharge opening 665c.

This ball removal and discharge passage 665 is a simple L-shaped passage consisting of a horizontal guide section 665a and a vertical guide section 665b, so when the ball removal lever 593 is operated to discharge the game balls B in the ball tank 552, many game balls B can be smoothly guided and discharged.

In this embodiment of the board unit 620A, a game ball B that is shot into the game area 5a and ejected from the game board 5 is received by the ball ejection receiving portion 663a of the out ball passage 663, detected by the out sensor 664, and ejected to the island equipment side of the game hall. Meanwhile, to eject (remove) a game ball B from the ball tank 552, etc., the ball ejection lever 593 of the payout device 580 is operated to eject the game ball B to the ball ejection passage 580b side, and the game ball B is then ejected to the island equipment side of the game hall through the ball ejection guide portion 627 and ball ejection ejection passage 665, which are separate and independent from the out ball passage 663. This allows only game balls B ejected from the game board 5 to be detected by the out sensor 664 provided in the out ball passage 663, so that only game balls B ejected from the game board 5 can be accurately counted. Therefore, the pachinko machine 1 can calculate an accurate payout rate (ball output rate) for game balls B based on the number of game balls B (safe balls) counted by the payout detection sensor 591 of the payout device 580 and the number of game balls B (out balls) counted by the out sensor 664.

The number of game balls B (number of out balls) counted by the out sensor 664 is the sum of the number of game balls B that were shot into the game area 5a and received by a prize slot such as the general prize slot 2001, the first lower start slot 2003, the first upper start slot 2004, the second start slot 2005, the first large prize slot 2006, the second large prize slot 2007 (V prize slot 2008, losing slot 2009), and were ejected from the game board 5, plus the number of game balls B that were shot into the game area 5a but were not received by any prize slot and were instead received by the out slot 2020 or the sub-out slot 2021 and were ejected from the game board 5. This is the number of game balls B shot into the game area 5a (number of fired balls).

Note that the payout rate (ball output rate) changes depending on the game status, so the payout rate within a specified period (for example, per unit time, per specified time, per day, etc.) is calculated as follows: "Number of payouts within specified period ÷ Number of balls out within specified period = Payout rate within specified period."

In addition, according to this embodiment, the base unit 620A of the main frame 4, to which the game board 5 is detachably attached, is provided with an out ball passage 663 through which game balls B ejected from the game board 5 flow, and the out sensor 664 detects game balls B flowing through the out ball passage 663.Since game balls B ejected from the game board 5 can be detected, there is no need to provide an out ball detection unit on the game board 5 to detect "out balls," simplifying the configuration of the game board 5 and reducing costs.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, a gap larger than the outer diameter of a game ball B is formed between the rear end of the ball ejection/discharge passage 665 and the power supply board 630 of the power supply unit 620c attached to the rear side of the rear base 662. This means that the out ball passage 663 and the ball ejection/discharge passage 665 are located away from the power supply board 630 and payout control board 633, etc. This reduces the impact on the power supply board 630 and payout control board 633, etc., of electrical noise caused by static electricity and induced currents generated by the flow of many game balls B through the out ball passage 663 and the ball ejection/discharge passage 665, resulting in a pachinko machine 1 that is less likely to malfunction due to the flow of game balls B.

In addition, according to this embodiment, the out sensor 664 detects the game ball B, whose circulation speed has been suppressed by the out ball straightening section 663b of the out ball passage 663. This reduces the impact on the out sensor 664 caused by the circulation of the game ball B, thereby reducing the risk of the out sensor 664 being worn out and damaged early.

Furthermore, if the payout rate (ball payout rate) per specified time calculated from the number of safe balls per specified time and the number of out balls per specified time is displayed so that it can be seen by the player, players will want many game balls B paid out, so if the displayed payout rate is high, they will immediately recognize that the pachinko machine 1 is likely to pay out many game balls B, making it easier for them to select the pachinko machine 1 to play on. Furthermore, if the payout rate is displayed so that it can be seen by the player, if a player commits fraudulent acts that result in many game balls B being paid out, the displayed payout rate will be higher than usual, making it easier for other players and staff at the amusement hall where the pachinko machine 1 is installed to notice the fraudulent acts, which will discourage players from committing fraudulent acts and result in the pachinko machine 1 having a high deterrent effect against fraudulent acts.

Furthermore, if the payout rate calculated from the number of safe balls and the number of out balls is displayed in a location that is not visible to the player, amusement hall staff can see it and detect fraudulent activity for the same reasons as above. Furthermore, when performing maintenance on the pachinko machine 1, if the displayed payout rate differs from the normal value, this may indicate a malfunction within the pachinko machine 1 (for example, a blocking pin, the main control board 1310, the payout control board 633, the relay board, connectors, wiring cables, various sensors, etc.), which allows for early response to the malfunction and reduces the burden on the amusement hall.

Furthermore, because an out sensor 664 is provided in the out ball passage 663 through which game balls B ejected from the game board 5 flow, there is no need to provide a structure (e.g., an out ball detection unit) for detecting game balls B ejected onto the game board 5, which reduces the cost of the game board 5 and makes it possible to secure space on the game board 5 for the structure for detecting ejected game balls B. By providing a presentation device in the secured space, the pachinko machine 1 (game board 5) can be made even more entertaining to players.

In addition, the ball ejection/discharge passage 665 has a vertical guide section 665b with multiple protrusions 665d protruding alternately, and as the game balls B flow through this vertical guide section 665b, the speed at which the game balls B flow can be reduced, preventing damage to the ball ejection/discharge passage 665 caused by the impact of the circulating game balls B, as well as damage to the island equipment in the amusement hall that receives the game balls B discharged from the ball ejection/discharge passage 665.

In addition, the out ball passage 663 is provided with a serpentine out ball straightening section 663b, and the ball removal and discharge passage 665 is provided with a vertical guide section 665b with multiple protrusions 665d protruding from it. These features enable the circulation speed of game balls B to be suppressed, thereby reducing the electrical noise emitted from game balls B circulating within the out ball passage 663 and the ball removal and discharge passage 665. This reduces the impact on nearby power supply board 630, payout control board 633, etc., and results in a pachinko machine 1 that is less likely to malfunction due to the circulation of game balls B.

In addition, because the out ball discharge port 663d and the ball ejection/discharge port 665c of the out ball passage 663 and the ball ejection/discharge passage 665, respectively, are designed to open downward, game balls B are discharged downward from the out ball passage 663 and the ball ejection/discharge passage 665, making it less likely that game balls B will collide with other pachinko machines or walls located behind the pachinko machine 1 in the island equipment, preventing damage to the other pachinko machines or walls. In addition, because game balls B are discharged downward from the out ball passage 663 and the ball ejection/discharge passage 665, discharged game balls B are less likely to scatter, making it easier for the island equipment to collect game balls B discharged from the out ball passage 663 and the ball ejection/discharge passage 665.

Furthermore, a base unit 660 having a ball ejection passage 665 and an out ball passage 663 is provided below the portion of the main frame 4 where the game board 5 is attached. Therefore, game balls B that have been shot into the game area 5a on the game board 5 can be handed over to the out ball passage 663 of the base unit 660 simply by ejecting them downward. This allows for a simple (easy) configuration for ejecting game balls B from the game board 5, thereby reducing the cost of the game board 5.

In addition, by providing the ball ejection/discharge opening 665c of the ball ejection/discharge passage 665 and the out ball discharge opening 663d of the out ball passage 663 behind the outer frame 2, game balls B discharged from the ball ejection/discharge passage 665 or the out ball passage 663 can be prevented from colliding with the outer frame 2. This prevents game balls B flowing forcefully through the ball ejection/discharge passage 665 or the out ball passage 663 from colliding with the outer frame 2, which could result in damage to the outer frame 2, making it possible to provide a pachinko machine 1 that is less likely to be damaged.

In addition, because the ball ejection/discharge opening 665c of the ball ejection/discharge passage 665 and the out ball discharge opening 663d of the out ball passage 663 are located behind the outer frame 2, there is no need to advance the part of the island equipment that collects game balls B (out receiving part, bucket, etc.) to a position that overlaps with the outer frame 2, reducing the effort required to install and move the pachinko machine 1.

[4-13a. Another embodiment of ball discharge in the base unit]
Next, another embodiment of ball discharge in the above-mentioned substrate unit 620A will be described in detail with reference to Figures 125 and 126. Figure 125 is an explanatory diagram showing an example in which a guide piece is provided at the out-ball discharge port of the out-ball passage. Figure 126(a) is an explanatory diagram showing an example in which the out sensor is detachable, and Figure 126(b) is an explanatory diagram showing the state in Figure 126(a) with the out sensor removed.

The embodiment shown in Figure 125 has a guide piece 667 that guides the game ball B rearward, located at the out ball discharge port 663d at the downstream end of the out ball passage 663 in the base unit 660. In more detail, in this embodiment, the out ball passage 663 has a junction 663e near the downstream end where it merges with the ball removal and discharge passage 665. The junction 663e opens downward, and its open end forms the out ball discharge port 663d (ball removal and discharge port 665c). The guide piece 667 protrudes rearward a short distance from the front wall of the out ball discharge port 663d.

According to the embodiment shown in Figure 125, when a game ball B is discharged downward from the out ball discharge port 663d, it comes into contact with the guide piece 667, causing the discharge direction of the game ball B to be directed diagonally downward and rearward. This makes it easier for the game ball B to be released toward the area for collecting the game ball B (out receiver, bucket, etc.) located behind the front of the island equipment (inside the island equipment) when the pachinko machine 1 is installed in an amusement hall, ensuring that the game ball B can be reliably collected on the island equipment side.

In addition, according to the embodiment shown in FIG. 125, the guide piece 667 can direct the release direction of the game ball B diagonally downward and rearward, so even if the out-ball discharge port 663d of the out-ball passage 663 is located close to directly below the playing area 5a of the game board 5 attached to the main body frame 4 (close to the front of the island equipment), the game ball B can be reliably received in a bucket or the like within the island equipment. Therefore, since the out-ball passage 663 (out-ball discharge port 663d) can be located as far forward as possible, the space behind the out-ball passage 663 on the main body frame 4 can be made larger. Therefore, the out-ball passage 663 is located farther away from the power supply board 630, payout control board 633, etc., which reduces the impact on the power supply board 630, payout control board 633, etc. of electrical noise caused by static electricity and induced currents generated by the flow of many game balls B through the out-ball passage 663, resulting in a pachinko machine 1 that is less prone to malfunction due to the flow of game balls B.

Next, in the embodiment shown in Figure 126, the out sensor 664 is attachable and detachable from below to the out ball discharge port 663d in the out ball passage 663. This embodiment includes a sensor mounting recess 663f formed at the downstream end of the downward guide section 663c in the out ball passage 663, which is open downward and can accommodate the out sensor 664, and a sensor cover 668 which restricts downward movement of the out sensor 664 accommodated in the sensor mounting recess 663f.

The sensor mounting recess 663f is formed at the lower end of the downward guide section 663c, which is connected to the downstream end of the out-ball rectifying section 663b in the out-ball passage 663 of the base unit 660. In this embodiment, the base unit 660 is also made of a transparent material, so that the inside of the out-ball passage 663 can be seen from above and below the base unit 660.

The sensor cover 668 has a main body 668a that extends longer than the sensor mounting recess 663f and whose base end is rotatably attached to the base unit 660, a through-hole 668b that passes through the game ball B at a position that coincides with the detection hole of the out sensor 664 housed in the sensor mounting recess 663f in the main body 668a, and an elastically deformable locking claw 668c that is provided on the opposite side of the base end of the main body 668a.

The base end of this sensor cover 668 is rotatably attached to the outer side of the sensor mounting recess 663f on the base unit 660, opposite the outgoing ball rectification section 663b. The locking claw 668c of the sensor cover 668 is engaged with the locking section 663g located on the outer side of the outgoing ball rectification section 663b side of the sensor mounting recess 663f on the base unit 660.

The sensor cover 668 is rotated so that the locking claw 668c moves upward and engages with the locking portion 663g, closing the sensor cover 668 with the out sensor 664 housed within the sensor mounting recess 663f so that the detection hole of the out sensor 664 is aligned with the out ball passage 663. The main body 668a then contacts the underside of the out sensor 664, restricting its downward movement and allowing the out sensor 664 to be attached to the base unit 660 (see Figure 126(a)). In this state, the through-hole 668b of the sensor cover 668 is aligned with the detection hole of the out sensor 664. After being detected by the out sensor 664, the game ball B that has flowed through the out ball passage 663 is discharged downward through the through-hole 668b. The through-hole 668b of the sensor cover 668 also serves as the out ball discharge port 663d of the out ball passage 663.

To replace (remove) the out sensor 664, the locking claw 668c of the sensor cover 668 is operated to elastically deform the locking claw 668c and release it from the locking portion 663g. Then, by rotating the sensor cover 668 around the base end of the main body 668a and opening it so that the locking claw 668c moves downward, the main body 668a of the sensor cover 668 moves away from the underside of the out sensor 664, allowing the out sensor 664 to be removed from the sensor mounting recess 663f (see Figure 126 (b)).

As shown in Figure 126 (b), in this embodiment, when the sensor cover 668 is rotated open, there is a certain amount of gap between the bottom end of the sensor cover 668 and the top end of the object at risk of contact, as indicated by the two-dot chain line (for example, the top surface of the outer frame lower assembly 40 of the outer frame 2, the top end of the connecting tube portion 43a of the rear panel member 43, etc.), or between the sensor cover 668 and the bottom end of the main frame 4. As a result, even if the main frame 4 is opened or closed relative to the outer frame 2 while the sensor cover 668 is open, the sensor cover 668 will not come into contact with the object at risk of contact, preventing damage to the sensor cover 668.

In the embodiment shown in Figure 126, the out sensor 664 detects all game balls B that are shot into the game area 5a of the game board 5, so there is a risk that the out sensor 664 will wear out quickly and become damaged as many game balls B are circulated. However, as described above, the out sensor 664 can be attached and detached from below by opening the sensor cover 668, making it easy to replace the out sensor 664.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, even if the main frame 4 is opened or closed relative to the outer frame 2 while the sensor cover 668 is open, the sensor cover 668 will not come into contact with objects that may come into contact with it, such as the outer frame 2, preventing damage to the sensor cover 668. Specifically, the sensor cover 668 supports the out sensor 664 from below. However, since many game balls B come into contact with the out sensor 664 from above, there is a risk that the vibrations caused by the contact of many game balls B may cause the locking claw portion 668c of the sensor cover 668 to come loose, causing the sensor cover 668 to open. If the sensor cover 668 opens during play and the out sensor 664 falls downward, the out sensor 664 will no longer detect the game ball B, even though the game ball B has been shot into the play area 5a. This will result in the main control board 1310 or the like reporting an abnormality. When this abnormality is reported, an amusement hall attendant will open the main frame 4 relative to the outer frame 2 to check for the abnormality. However, because there is a gap between the bottom end of the open sensor cover 668 and objects that could come into contact with it, such as the outer frame 2, the main frame 4 can be opened without the sensor cover 668 coming into contact with those objects, preventing damage to the sensor cover 668.

Furthermore, according to the embodiment of Figure 126, the base end side of the sensor cover 668 is rotatably attached to the base unit 660 at the outer portion of the sensor mounting recess 663f opposite the out ball straightening portion 663b, and since the base unit 660 is transparent, by opening the sensor cover 668 and removing the out sensor 664, the inside of the out ball passage 663 can be clearly seen from below. Therefore, when game ball B becomes stuck in the out ball passage 663, the inside of the out ball passage 663 can be seen from the outside, so the location where game ball B is stuck can be identified at a glance and the jammed game ball B can be quickly resolved.

Furthermore, according to the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, the upper surface of the door frame top unit 450 of the door frame 3 is formed so as to be approximately flush with the upper surface of the outer frame upper member 30 of the outer frame 2. This means that the pachinko machine 1 can be turned upside down and stood upright, making it easy to replace the out sensor 664 by opening and closing the sensor cover 668, and to check the inside of the out ball passage 663 and the ball removal and discharge passage 665 from the bottom side through the transparent base unit 660.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, even if the out sensor 664 is damaged, it can be easily replaced, allowing play that was interrupted due to damage to the out sensor 664 to be resumed quickly, thereby easing the player's frustration due to the interruption of play and preventing a decline in interest, as well as preventing a decline in the operating rate of the pachinko machine 1, thereby reducing the burden on the gaming hall.

Furthermore, one end of the sensor cover 668 is rotatably attached to the base unit 660. Therefore, even if the sensor cover 668 is opened when replacing the out sensor 664, the sensor cover 668 remains suspended from the base unit 660 and will not fall off, preventing the sensor cover 668 from being lost.

Furthermore, the sensor cover 668, which holds the out sensor 664 from below, is rotatably attached around a longitudinal (horizontal) axis at an outer portion of the base unit 660 near the out ball passage 663 through which many game balls B pass. Therefore, the distribution of the downward force exerted on the sensor cover 668 via the out sensor 664 due to the flow of game balls B is greater on the side rotatably attached to the base unit 660 (one end) and relatively smaller on the side of the locking claw 668c that is locked to the locking portion 663g of the base unit 660 (the other end). Therefore, even if a downward force acts on the sensor cover 668 via the out sensor 664 as many game balls B pass through the out sensor 664, most of the force can be received by the rotatably attached one end, making it difficult for the locking claw 668c on the other end to be released, reducing the likelihood of the sensor cover 668 opening and the out sensor 664 falling off.

[4-14. Third embodiment of board unit]
Next, a third embodiment of the board unit 700, which differs from the above, will be described in detail with reference to Figures 127 to 136. Figure 127(a) is a perspective view of the third embodiment of the board unit, with the power supply unit, dispensing control unit, and interface unit omitted, as seen from the front right, and Figure 127(b) is a perspective view of the board unit of Figure 127 as seen from the front left. Figure 128(a) is a perspective view of the board unit of Figure 127 as seen from the rear right above, and Figure 128(b) is a perspective view of the board unit of Figure 127 as seen from the rear right below. Figure 129(a) is a plan view of the board unit of Figure 127, Figure 129(b) is a cross-sectional view taken along line KO-KO in Figure 127(a), Figure 129(c) is a cross-sectional view taken along line SA-SA in Figure 129(a), and Figure 130 is a cross-sectional view taken along line SI-SH in Figure 129(a).

Figure 131 is an exploded perspective view of the board unit of Figure 127 when disassembled and viewed from the front, and Figure 132 is an exploded perspective view of the board unit of Figure 127 when disassembled and viewed from the rear. Figure 133 (a) is an oblique view of the ball path member of the board unit of Figure 127 when viewed from the front, and (b) is an oblique view of the ball path member of the board unit of Figure 127 when viewed from the rear. Figure 134 is an explanatory diagram showing how ball jams are cleared in the board unit of Figure 127. Figure 135 is an explanatory diagram showing how linear illegal tools are prevented from entering the board unit of Figure 127. Figure 136 is an explanatory diagram showing how to remove debris from the board unit of Figure 127.

The board unit 700 of the third embodiment differs from the board unit 620 and board unit 620A described above only in the configuration of the base unit 710, and is otherwise identical in configuration. Therefore, here, the same components as those of the board unit 620 and board unit 620A described above are given the same reference numerals and detailed descriptions are omitted. Also, in Figures 127 to 136, the power supply unit 620c, dispensing control unit 620d, and interface unit 620e are not shown.

The board unit 700 of this embodiment replaces the board unit 620 or board unit 620A described above and is attached to the lower rear surface of the main frame base unit 500. The board unit 700 includes a speaker unit 620a attached to the rear surface of the main frame base 501 of the main frame base unit 500, below the game board mounting portion 501c; a base unit 710 attached to the rear surface of the main frame base 501 so as to cover a portion of the speaker unit 620a from behind; a power supply unit 620c attached to the rear side of the base unit 710; a payout control unit 620d attached to the rear side of the power supply unit 620c; and an interface unit 620e attached to the rear surface of the speaker unit 620a so as to cover a portion of the payout control unit 620d from behind.

This base unit 700 is equipped with a first ball path 701 through which game balls B released downward from the game board 5 can pass, a second ball path 702 located behind the first ball path 701 and through which game balls B released downward from the game board 5 can pass, a first ball sensor 703 that detects game balls B passing through the first ball path 701, a second ball sensor 704 that detects game balls B passing through the second ball path 702, and a ball removal path 705 through which game balls B released from the lower ball removal path 610c of the lower full ball path unit 610 pass. The first ball path 701 and the second ball path 702 each have an entrance that opens upward, and the first ball sensor 703 and the second ball sensor 704 detect game balls B one by one before discharging them downward.

In this embodiment, the game board 5 is configured so that game balls B received into the out port 2020 or sub-out port 2021 circulate through the first ball path 701, and game balls B received into the general prize port 2001, first lower start port 2003, first upper start port 2004, second start port 2005, first large prize port 2006, and second large prize port 2007 (V prize port 2008, losing port 2009) circulate through the second ball path 702. In other words, the game board 5 is configured so that out balls circulate through the first ball path 701 and safe balls circulate through the second ball path 702, and the first ball sensor 703 can count the number of all out balls, while the second ball sensor 704 can count the number of all safe balls. As a result, if fraudulent activity is committed against a prize port (prize port sensor) on the game board 5, such as the general prize port 2001, first lower start port 2003, first upper start port 2004, second start port 2005, first large prize port 2006, second large prize port 2007 (V prize port 2008, losing port 2009), the number of safe balls on the game board 5 will differ from the number of safe balls counted by the second ball sensor 704, making it possible to detect fraudulent activity against a prize port.

In more detail, the base unit 710 of the board unit 700 comprises a front base 711 attached to the rear side of the speaker cover 621 so as to cover part of the speaker box 623 from the rear; a rear base 712 attached to the rear side of the front base 711 and having a power supply unit 620c attached to its rear surface and a ball removal passage 705; a ball path member 713 provided between the front base 711 and the rear base 712 and having a first ball path 701 and a second ball path 702; a security cover 714 provided on the front base 711 and the rear base 712 in an openable and closable manner to eliminate clogging of game balls B in the first ball path 701 and the second ball path 702 and to prevent the intrusion of illegal tools; a passage wall member 715 attached to the rear side of the rear base 712 and closing the rear end of the ball removal passage 705; and a frame relay board 716 attached to the rear side of the rear base 712. In the base unit 710, the front base 711, rear base 712, ball path member 713, and passage wall member 715 are made transparent.

The front base 711 is shaped like a long box that is open rearward and upward. The ball path member 713 is housed inside the front base 711 from the rear. The front wall of the front base 711 closes the front end of the first ball path 701 of the ball path member 713. The front base 711 has a ball receiving opening 711a that opens long in the left-right direction on the upper peripheral wall, and a release opening 711b that opens at a position to the right of the left-right center on the lower peripheral wall. When the ball path member 713 is housed inside the front base 711, the first ball path 701 and second ball path 702 of the ball path member 713 face upward from the ball receiving opening 711a. The front base 711 also supports a security cover 714 at the front end of the release opening 711b so that it can rotate around an axis extending left-right.

The rear base 712 is shaped like a long box that is open to the rear. The rear base 712 closes the rear end of the second ball path 702 of the ball path member 713 with its front wall. The rear base 712 has a ball removal path 705 that receives game balls B released from the lower ball removal path 610c of the lower full-ball path unit 610, guides them to the right when viewed from the front, and then guides them downward for discharge. The ball removal path 705 is located within the box-shaped rear base 712 and is entirely open to the rear. The rear end of the ball removal path 705 is closed by a path wall member 715. The portion of the ball removal path 705 of the rear base 712 located above the speaker box 623 (the portion on the left end when viewed from the front) is perforated in the front-to-rear direction, and is closed at the front end by the front base 711 and at the rear by the path wall member 715.

The rear base 712 also has a first discharge guide section 712a that receives a game ball B that has flowed through the first ball path 701 of the ball path member 713, guides it rearward, and then discharges it downward, and a second discharge guide section 712b that receives a game ball B that has flowed through the second ball path 702 of the ball path member 713, guides it rearward, and then discharges it downward. The inlet sides of the first discharge guide section 712a and the second discharge guide section 712b protrude forward beyond the front wall of the rear base 712, with the inlet of the first discharge guide section 712a opening forward and the inlet of the second discharge guide section 712b opening upward. The outlets of the first discharge guide section 712a and the second discharge guide section 712b are located at the same position in the front-to-back direction. The rear sides of the first discharge guide section 712a and the second discharge guide section 712b are open rearward beyond the front wall, and the rear ends are closed by the passage wall member 715.

In the rear base 712, the outlets of the ball removal passage 705, first discharge guide section 712a, and second discharge guide section 712b are located to the left of the discharge opening 711b of the front base 711 when viewed from the front, and are arranged in order from left to right. Compared to the outlets of the first discharge guide section 712a and second discharge guide section 712b, the outlet of the ball removal passage 705 is wider forward at the front end and narrower rearward at the rear end (see Figure 128 (b)). In other words, the outlet of the ball removal passage 705 is wider (larger) in the front-to-rear direction than the outlets of the first discharge guide section 712a and second discharge guide section 712b.

The ball path member 713 is inserted into the box-shaped front base 711 from the rear and accommodated therein. The ball path member 713 has a first ball path 701 and a second ball path 702. The ball path member 713 comprises a left wall portion 713a extending vertically downward from the upper end at the right end, an upper left shelf portion 713b sloping downward from the lower end of the left wall portion 713a toward the right, a stepped wall portion 713c extending vertically downward from the right end of the upper left shelf portion 713b, an upper right shelf portion 713d sloping downward from the lower end of the stepped wall portion 713c toward the right, a straightening wall portion 713e extending diagonally downward and left from the right end of the upper right shelf portion 713d, and a straightening wall portion 713e extending diagonally downward and left from the lower end of the straightening wall portion 713e. It has a lower shelf 713f that increases in height toward the right from a position spaced to the right of the upper right shelf 713d and extends further to the right than the upper right shelf 713d, a right wall 713g that extends vertically upward from the right end of the lower shelf 713f to approximately the same height as the upper end of the left wall 713a, an upper wall 713h that extends leftward from the upper end of the right wall 713g to the same position as the right end of the upper right shelf 713d, and a U-shaped groove wall 713i that is connected to the left end of the upper wall 713h and opens upward. The left end of groove wall 713i is located to the right of the center of the upper right shelf 713d in the left-right direction.

The ball path member 713 also has an upper lower wall portion 713j extending leftward from the lower end of the straightening wall portion 713e, a middle wall portion 713k extending vertically upward from the left end of the upper lower wall portion 713j to the underside of the upper left shelf portion 713b, a visor portion 713l extending leftward from the middle of the left side of the middle wall portion 713k, a hanging wall portion 713m extending vertically downward from near the left end of the lower shelf portion 713f, and a lower lower wall portion 713n extending leftward from the lower end of the hanging wall portion 713m parallel to the upper lower wall portion 713j. The portion of the lower lower wall portion 713n located below, between the lower end of the straightening wall portion 713e and the left end of the lower shelf portion 713f, is notched at the top and bottom to a size that allows the game ball B to pass through.

Furthermore, the ball path member 713 has multiple obstruction ribs 713o that extend downward from the underside of the upper left shelf portion 713b, lower shelf portion 713f, and upper wall portion 713h and are spaced apart in the left-right direction. The ball path member 713 also has a flat partition wall portion 713p that separates the space surrounded by the left wall portion 713a, upper left shelf portion 713b, step wall portion 713c, upper right shelf portion 713d, straightening wall portion 713e, lower shelf portion 713f, right wall portion 713g, groove wall portion 713i, upper lower wall portion 713j, middle wall portion 713k, hanging wall portion 713m, and lower lower wall portion 713n into front and rear portions.

Furthermore, the ball path member 713 has multiple notches 713q in the upper left shelf portion 713b, upper right shelf portion 713d, and lower shelf portion 713f, which are recessed from the front and rear ends of each toward the partition wall portion 713p. Each notch 713q is arranged so that when assembled to the board unit 700, a gap smaller in the front-to-rear direction than the radius of the game ball B is formed between the front base 711 and the rear base 712, and dirt and dust from within the first ball path 701 and the second ball path 702 can be discharged downward through this gap.

The ball path member 713 is located on the front surface of the partition wall portion 713p, between the flow straightening wall portion 713e and the lower shelf portion 713f, and has multiple guide ridges 713r extending to the left and right.

Furthermore, the ball path member 713 has a front sensor housing section 713s, which is surrounded by an upper lower wall section 713j, a hanging wall section 713m, and a lower lower wall section 713n, in front of the partition wall section 713p, and houses the first ball sensor 703; and a rear sensor housing section 713t, which is surrounded by an upper lower wall section 713j, a hanging wall section 713m, and a lower lower wall section 713n, in back of the partition wall section 713p, and houses the second ball sensor 704.

The first and second ball sensors 703 and 704 are housed in the front and rear sensor housing sections 713s and 713t, respectively, with their detection holes positioned below the area between the straightening wall section 713e and the lower shelf section 713f, i.e., with the detection holes facing right. Although not shown, the wiring cables extending from the first and second ball sensors 703 and 704 extend from the front and rear sensor housing sections 713s and 713t to the left of the middle wall section 713k.

The ball path member 713 is provided on the underside of the lower wall portion 713n in a position forward of the partition wall portion 713p and has a first ball guide portion 713u that protrudes downward and is open to the rear. When assembled to the base unit 700, the right half of the rear end of the first ball guide portion 713u is closed by the front face of the rear base 712, and the left half faces the entrance side of the first discharge guide portion 712a of the rear base 712. The first ball guide portion 713u can guide a game ball B that flows downward from between the straightening wall portion 713e and the lower shelf portion 713f in front of the partition wall portion 713p to the right and then rearward, where it can be delivered to the first discharge guide portion 712a of the rear base 712.

On the other hand, behind the partition wall portion 713p of the ball path member 713, below the portion of the lower wall portion 713n that opens downward (the portion of the detection hole of the second ball sensor 704 housed in the rear sensor housing portion 713t), there is an inlet that opens upward to the second discharge guide portion 712b of the rear base 712. This allows game balls B that flow downward from between the straightening wall portion 713e and the lower shelf portion 713f behind the partition wall portion 713p to be handed over to the second discharge guide portion 712b of the rear base 712.

The right end of the upper left shelf 713b is located slightly to the right of the left end of the dissolving opening 711b in the front base 711. The right end of the upper right shelf 713d is located to the right of the right end of the dissolving opening 711b in the front base 711. The left end of the lower shelf 713f is located to the left of the left end of the dissolving opening 711b in the front base 711. Therefore, the area directly above the dissolving opening 711b in the front base 711 is covered by the flow-straightening wall 713e. The upper left shelf 713b, upper right shelf 713d, and lower shelf 713f are linearly inclined. On the other hand, the flow-straightening wall 713e is inclined in a curved manner, with its left end pointing vertically downward. The distance (height) between the flow-regulating wall portion 713e and the lower shelf portion 713f is sloped to narrow as it goes to the left, so that the left end is high enough for a single game ball B to pass through. This flow-regulating wall portion 713e and lower shelf portion 713f allows multiple game balls B to be regulated in a single line and guided downward.

As mentioned above, the vertical dimension between the flow straightening wall portion 713e and the lower shelf portion 713f narrows toward the left (the downstream direction of the flow of game balls B). Depending on the volume of game balls B circulating, multiple game balls B may become caught between the flow straightening wall portion 713e and the lower shelf portion 713f, resulting in a ball jam (see Figure 134). Because the flow straightening wall portion 713e is located above the release opening 711b, if a ball jam occurs between the flow straightening wall portion 713e and the lower shelf portion 713f, the security cover 714 can be opened to open the release opening 711b. A rod-shaped tool can then be inserted from below between the flow straightening wall portion 713e and the lower shelf portion 713f through the release opening 711b and the notch 713q in the lower shelf portion 713f, and the tool can be used to poke the trapped game balls B and release the ball jam.

However, since the lower shelf portion 713f is provided with a notch 713q for clearing jammed balls and allowing dirt and dust to fall downward, there is a risk that a linear illegal tool such as a piano wire or catheter could be inserted from below through the notch 713q into the upper part of the lower shelf portion 713f (first ball path 701 or second ball path 702), and the tip of the illegal tool could then be extended upward from the ball path member 713 (first ball path 701 or second ball path 702), thereby committing an illegal act on the game board 5 located above. The insertion of such illegal tools is not limited to the lower shelf portion 713f, and there is a similar risk in the upper left shelf portion 713b and upper right shelf portion 713d, which are also provided with the notch 713q.

In contrast, in this embodiment, the undersides of the upper left shelf portion 713b, the lower shelf portion 713f, and the upper wall portion 713h are provided with multiple flat, downward-extending blocking ribs 713o spaced apart in the left-right direction. Therefore, even if the tip of a linear illegal tool attempts to move along the undersides of the upper left shelf portion 713b, the lower shelf portion 713f, and the upper wall portion 713h, it abuts against the blocking ribs 713o, preventing the tip from moving and preventing further insertion of the illegal tool (see FIG. 135). This prevents the execution of illegal acts on the game board 5 through the ball path member 713 (first ball path 701 and second ball path 702), reducing the burden on the amusement hall that installs this pachinko machine 1 and providing a pachinko machine 1 that is highly deterrent to illegal acts.

In addition, the areas to the right of the middle wall 713k on the upper right shelf 713d and upper left shelf 713b are closed off below and on both sides by the flow-regulating wall 713e, the upper lower wall 713j, and the middle wall 713k, which do not have the notch 713q. Therefore, unauthorized tools cannot be inserted from below through the notch 713q in the corresponding areas of the upper right shelf 713d and upper left shelf 713b, and unauthorized acts cannot be committed through the notch 713q in these areas.

As described above, the ball path member 713 has multiple notches 713q in the upper left shelf portion 713b, upper right shelf portion 713d, and lower shelf portion 713f, allowing debris and dust to be discharged downward through the notches 713q (see Figure 136). Debris and dust discharged downward through the notches 713q located above the front sensor housing portion 713s and rear sensor housing portion 713t in the upper left shelf portion 713b is contained within the space surrounded by the straightening wall portion 713e, the upper lower wall portion 713j, and the middle wall portion 713k. This prevents debris and dust from adhering to the first ball sensor 703 and the second ball sensor 704 housed in the front sensor housing portion 713s and rear sensor housing portion 713t.

In addition, a wiring cable is connected by a connector to the left end of the first ball sensor 703 and the second ball sensor 704 housed in the front sensor housing section 713s and the rear sensor housing section 713t, and the wiring cable and connector protrude to the left from the front sensor housing section 713s and the rear sensor housing section 713t. In other words, the wiring cable and connector of the first ball sensor 703 and the second ball sensor 704 protrude to the left beyond the middle wall section 713k. In this middle wall portion 713k, a visor portion 713l extends to the left from above the front sensor housing portion 713s and the rear sensor housing portion 713t on the left side surface. Therefore, dirt and dust that falls downward through the cutout portion 713q formed in the upper left shelf portion 713b is guided to the left by the slope of the visor portion 713l, preventing it from falling onto the wiring cables and connectors of the first ball sensor 703 and second ball sensor 704, which protrude further to the left than the middle wall portion 713k, thereby avoiding problems caused by dirt, etc.

The base unit 710 forms a first ball path 701 by the left wall portion 713a, upper left shelf portion 713b, step wall portion 713c, upper right shelf portion 713d, straightening wall portion 713e, lower shelf portion 713f, right wall portion 713g, groove wall portion 713i, first ball guide portion 713u on the front side of the partition wall portion 713p of the ball path member 713, and the first discharge guide portion 712a of the rear base 712. The base unit 710 also forms a second ball path 702 by the left wall portion 713a, upper left shelf portion 713b, step wall portion 713c, upper right shelf portion 713d, straightening wall portion 713e, lower shelf portion 713f, right wall portion 713g, groove wall portion 713i on the rear side of the partition wall portion 713p of the ball path member 713, and the second discharge guide portion 712b of the rear base 712.

The security cover 714 is formed in a flat plate shape and is attached near the front end of the removal opening 711b of the front base 711, with its front end rotatable around a left-right axis. The security cover 714 also has an elastic locking portion 714a at its rear end that locks to the rear base 712. As shown in Figure 130, when the security cover 714 is in a horizontal position with the elastic locking portion 714a locked to the rear base 712, it closes the removal opening 711b. However, when the elastic locking portion 714a is released and the security cover 714 is rotated so that its rear end is positioned downward and it is in a vertical position, it opens the removal opening 711b. In other words, the security cover 714 can open and close the removal opening 711b.

When the security cover 714 is closed, it can close the clearance opening 711b in the front base 711, preventing a linear illegal tool from being inserted into the ball path member 713 (first ball path 701 or second ball path 702) through the clearance opening 711b. Furthermore, when a ball jam occurs between the straightening wall portion 713e and the lower shelf portion 713f of the ball path member 713, the security cover 714 can be opened to open the clearance opening 711b in the front base 711. Therefore, a rod-shaped tool can be inserted from below through the clearance opening 711b and the notch 713q in the lower shelf portion 713f between the straightening wall portion 713e and the lower shelf portion 713f to clear the jammed game ball B. This ball jam clearing operation is performed with the main frame 4 open forward relative to the outer frame 2.

When the release opening 711b is open (vertical), the lower end (the end on the elastic locking portion 714a side) of this security cover 714 is located below the height (here, the height indicated by the dashed line in Figure 130) of the object at risk of contact (here, the connecting tube portion 43a of the rear panel member 43 of the outer frame 2). Therefore, even if the main frame 4 is opened forward relative to the outer frame 2 to release game balls B stuck in the ball path member 713, and then an attempt is made to close the main frame 4 relative to the outer frame 2 while the security cover 714 is still open, the open security cover 714 will come into contact with the object at risk of contact (the connecting tube portion 43a of the rear panel member 43), preventing the main frame 4 from being closed. This prevents the security cover 714 from being left unclosed, ensuring that the security cover 714 is reliably closed and providing its security function.

In addition, in this embodiment, if the security cover 714 opens for some reason while the main frame 4 is closed relative to the outer frame 2, opening the main frame 4 relative to the outer frame 2 in that state will result in a hazardous object coming into contact with the open security cover 714 from the front. However, because the front end of the security cover 714 is attached so that it can rotate about a left-right axis, when a hazardous object comes into contact with it from the front, the security cover 714 rotates in the closing direction. This allows the main frame 4 to be opened without the security cover 714 getting caught on a hazardous object, preventing damage to the security cover 714 or the hazardous object.

In addition, in this embodiment, the security cover 714 is designed to remain closed because it is rare for game balls B to become stuck between the straightening wall portion 713e and the lower shelf portion 713f. Therefore, the elastic locking portion 714a is designed to lock tightly to make it difficult to open.

The passage wall member 715 is attached to the rear side of the rear base 712 and closes the rear end of the ball removal passage 705, which is open to the rear. The passage wall member 715 also closes the rear-open portions of the rear base 712 at the outlet sides of the first discharge guide section 712a and the second discharge guide section 712b, allowing game balls B that have circulated through the first discharge guide section 712a and the second discharge guide section 712b to be discharged downward. Furthermore, the passage wall member 715 and the rear base 712 sandwich the frame relay board 716 and cover the rear side of the frame relay board 716.

The frame relay board 716 is sandwiched between the rear base 712 and the passage wall member 715. The frame relay board 716 relays the connections between the handle touch sensor 192, single button operation sensor 194, first ball sensor 703, and second ball sensor 704 of the door frame 3 and the main control board 1310.

As shown in FIG. 129(a), in this embodiment, the base unit 710 has the upper left shelf 713b and a portion of the upper right shelf 713d of the ball path member 713 facing upward from the ball receiving opening 711a of the front base 711, and can receive all game balls B released downward from the game board 5. Game balls B that fall onto the upper left shelf 713b or upper right shelf 713d through the ball receiving opening 711a roll to the right and flow down from the right end of the upper right shelf 713d onto the lower shelf 713f. Game balls B that flow down to the lower shelf 713f then roll leftward across the lower shelf 713f. At this time, if multiple game balls B are stacked vertically on the lower shelf 713f, they are broken up by the upper straightening wall 713e so that they form a single line as they move to the left.

After rolling leftward on the lower shelf 713f, the game ball B falls downward from the left end of the lower shelf 713f. If the game ball B is in front of the partition wall 713p, it is detected by the first ball sensor 703 housed in the front sensor housing 713s, passes through the first ball guide 713u, and is then discharged downward through the first discharge guide 712a of the rear base 712. On the other hand, if the game ball B is behind the partition wall 713p, it is detected by the second ball sensor 704 housed in the rear sensor housing 713t, and is then discharged downward through the second discharge guide 712b of the rear base 712.

In this way, in the base unit 710 of this embodiment, the game ball B flows through separate paths in front of and behind the partition wall portion 713p of the ball path member 713 and is discharged downward, with the portion in front of the partition wall portion 713p being the first ball path 701 and the portion behind the partition wall portion 713p being the second ball path 702. Therefore, a game ball B that falls from the game board 5 forward of the partition wall portion 713p of the ball path member 713 flows through the first ball path 701, is detected by the first ball sensor 703, and can be discharged downward. On the other hand, a game ball B that falls from the game board 5 behind the partition wall portion 713p of the ball path member 713 flows through the second ball path 702, is detected by the second ball sensor 704, and can be discharged downward.

In addition, the base unit 710 can discharge game balls B released from the lower ball removal passage 610c of the lower full-tank ball path unit 610 to remove game balls B from the ball tank 552, etc., downward through the ball removal passage 705 of the rear base 712. Game balls B discharged downward from the first discharge guide section 712a (first ball path 701), second discharge guide section 712b (second ball path 702) of the base unit 710, and the ball removal passage 705 are delivered to a section (out receiving section, bucket, etc.) on the island equipment side that collects game balls B.

In the base unit 710 of the board unit 700 of this embodiment, multiple notches 713q are provided in the upper left shelf portion 713b, the upper right shelf portion 713d, and the lower shelf portion 713f, allowing debris and dust to fall through the notches 713q and be removed from the first ball path 701 and the second ball path 702. This prevents debris and the like from interfering with the flow of the game ball B and reduces the occurrence of ball jams, etc.

In addition, since the front base 711, rear base 712, ball path member 713, and passage wall member 715 are made transparent, by opening the door frame 3 forward relative to the main body frame 4 and removing the game board 5 from the main body frame 4, it is possible to easily check from above the base unit 710 (board unit 700) whether or not game ball B is stuck in the ball path member 713 (first ball path 701 and second ball path 702). Furthermore, in the area of the ball path member 713 where the straightening wall portion 713e and lower shelf portion 713f align the game balls B in a row, a notch 713q is provided in the lower shelf portion 713f. Therefore, if balls become jammed between the straightening wall portion 713e and the lower shelf portion 713f, by opening the main frame 4 forward relative to the outer frame 2 and opening the security cover 714, a rod-shaped tool can be inserted from below between the straightening wall portion 713e and the lower shelf portion 713f through the release opening 711b and the notch 713q, and the balls can be used to release the jam.

Furthermore, a downwardly open release port 711b is provided in the lower shelf portion 713f below the straightening wall portion 713e, and a security cover 714 is provided to close the release port 711b. As a result, ball jams can be cleared through the release port 711b as described above, and by keeping the release port 711b closed by the security cover 714 under normal conditions, it is possible to prevent linear illegal tools from being inserted into the first ball path 701 or the second ball path 702 through the release port 711b, thereby providing a pachinko machine 1 that has a high deterrent effect against illegal activity.

In addition, the security cover 714, which opens and closes the release opening 711b, is opened and closed by rotating it around a left-right axis at the front end. Therefore, if an attempt is made to close the main frame 4 against the outer frame 2 while forgetting to close the security cover 714, the security cover 714 will come into contact with a hazardous object (the connecting tube portion 43a of the rear panel member 43), making it impossible to close the main frame 4. This makes it clear that the security cover 714 has been left closed, allowing the security cover 714 to be closed reliably and providing its security function.

Furthermore, the undersides of the upper left shelf portion 713b, the lower shelf portion 713f, and the upper wall portion 713h are provided with multiple flat blocking ribs 713o that are spaced apart in the left-right direction and extend downward. Therefore, even if the tip of a linear illegal tool attempts to move along the undersides of the upper left shelf portion 713b, the lower shelf portion 713f, and the upper wall portion 713h, it will come into contact with the blocking rib 713o, preventing the tip from moving, thereby preventing further insertion of the illegal tool. This prevents the execution of illegal acts on the game board 5 through the ball path member 713 (first ball path 701 and second ball path 702), reducing the burden on the gaming hall that installs this pachinko machine 1 and providing a pachinko machine 1 that is highly deterrent to illegal acts.

Furthermore, as described above, the first ball path 701 and the second ball path 702 are configured to form a complex circulation path that meanders and cranks due to the first discharge guide section 712a and the second discharge guide section 712b of the rear base 712 and the ball path member 713. Therefore, even if a linear illegal tool is inserted from the exit side of the first discharge guide section 712a or the second discharge guide section 712b, the complex path can prevent the tool from entering the game board 5, thereby preventing the illegal tool from entering the game board 5 through the first ball path 701 and the second ball path 702.

Furthermore, because the first ball sensor 703 and the second ball sensor 704 can detect (count) all game balls B released from the game board 5, there is no need to provide a structure for detecting game balls B discharged onto the game board 5 (for example, an out ball detection unit), which reduces the cost of the game board 5 and makes it possible to secure space on the game board 5 for the structure for detecting game balls B being discharged.By providing a presentation device in the secured space, the pachinko machine 1 (game board 5) can be made even more entertaining to players.

In addition, because out balls circulate along the first ball path 701 and safe balls circulate along the second ball path 702, by comparing the number of safe balls counted on the game board 5 with the number of safe balls counted by the second ball sensor 704, it is possible to determine whether or not fraudulent activity is being committed on the game board 5, thereby providing a pachinko machine 1 that has a strong deterrent effect against fraudulent activity.

Furthermore, if the payout rate (ball payout rate) per specified time calculated from the number of safe balls per specified time and the number of out balls per specified time is displayed so that it can be seen by the player, players will want many game balls B paid out, so if the displayed payout rate is high, they will immediately recognize that the pachinko machine 1 is likely to pay out many game balls B, making it easier for them to select the pachinko machine 1 to play on. Furthermore, if the payout rate is displayed so that it can be seen by the player, if a player commits fraudulent acts that result in many game balls B being paid out, the displayed payout rate will be higher than usual, making it easier for other players and staff at the amusement hall where the pachinko machine 1 is installed to notice the fraudulent acts, which will discourage players from committing fraudulent acts and result in the pachinko machine 1 having a high deterrent effect against fraudulent acts.

Furthermore, if the payout rate calculated from the number of safe balls and the number of out balls is displayed in a location that is not visible to the player, amusement hall staff can see it and detect fraudulent activity for the same reasons as above. Furthermore, when performing maintenance on the pachinko machine 1, if the displayed payout rate differs from the normal value, this may indicate a malfunction within the pachinko machine 1 (for example, a blocking pin, the main control board 1310, the payout control board 633, the relay board, connectors, wiring cables, various sensors, etc.), which allows for early response to the malfunction and reduces the burden on the amusement hall.

In addition, since the first ball path 701 and the second ball path 702 are separate from the ball removal passage 705 for discharging game balls B from the ball tank 552, the first ball sensor 703 and the second ball sensor 704 do not count removed game balls B. Therefore, the first ball sensor 703 and the second ball sensor 704 can accurately count only game balls B released from the game board 5.

In the above embodiment, out balls circulate along the first ball path 701 and safe balls circulate along the second ball path 702, but this is not limited to this. Safe balls may circulate along the first ball path 701 and out balls may circulate along the second ball path 702, or game ball B ejected from the game board 5 may circulate along either the first ball path 701 or the second ball path 702, regardless of whether it is a safe ball or an out ball.

In addition, in the above embodiment, the release opening 711b is opened and closed by rotating the security cover 714, but this is not limited to this, and the release opening 711b may also be opened and closed by sliding it back and forth or left and right.

In addition, in the above embodiment, a single partition wall portion 713p is used to separate the game ball B released downward from the game board 5, allowing it to be discharged through one of two ball paths separated into the front and rear of the first ball path 701 and the second ball path 702. However, this is not limited to this, and it is also possible to have three or more ball paths separated into the front and rear by multiple partition wall portions, and to discharge the game ball B released from the game board 5 downward through one of the ball paths.

[5. Overall configuration of the game board]
The overall structure of the game board 5 in the pachinko machine 1 will be described in detail, mainly with reference to Figures 137 to 145. Figure 137 is a front view of the game board in a pachinko machine in which the center gadgets and other components are made opaque. Figure 138 is a perspective view of the game board in Figure 137 as seen from the right front, Figure 139 is a perspective view of the game board in Figure 137 as seen from the left front, and Figure 140 is a perspective view of the game board in Figure 137 as seen from the rear. Figure 141 is a front view of the game board, with the front unit cut parallel to the surface of the game panel to show the play area through which game balls circulate. Figure 142 is an exploded perspective view of the game board disassembled into its main components as seen from the front, and Figure 143 is an exploded perspective view of the game board disassembled into its main components as seen from the rear. Figure 144 is a cross-sectional view taken along the soot line in Figure 137, and Figure 145 is a cross-sectional view taken along the soot line in Figure 137.

The game board 5 of the pachinko machine 1 has a game area 5a into which a game ball B is inserted by the player operating the handle 195 of the handle unit 180. The game area 5a is equipped with a general prize opening 2001, a gate 2002, a first lower start opening 2003, a first upper start opening 2004, a second start opening 2005, a first large prize opening 2006, a second large prize opening 2007, and a V prize opening 2008, which grant a player a predetermined benefit (e.g., the payout of a predetermined number of game balls B) when a game ball B is accepted or passes through the general prize opening 2001, a gate 2002, a first lower start opening 2003, a first upper start opening 2004, a second start opening 2005, a first large prize opening 2006, a second large prize opening 2007, and a V prize opening 2008. This game board 5 is designed for entertaining players to operate the handle 195 and circulate game balls B within the game area 5a so that game balls B are accepted into or pass through the general prize opening 2001, gate 2002, first lower start opening 2003, first upper start opening 2004, second start opening 2005, first large prize opening 2006, and second large prize opening 2007 within the game area 5a.

The game board 5 comprises a front component 1000 that defines the outer periphery of the play area 5a and has a generally rectangular outline when viewed from the front; a plate-shaped game panel 1100 that is attached to the rear of the front component 1000 and defines the rear end of the play area 5a; multiple magnetic sensors 1030 (see Figure 203) that detect illicit magnetic fields within the play area 5a; and a vibration sensor 1040 (see Figure 203, etc.) that detects vibrations acting on the game board 5 (pachinko machine 1). A number of obstacle nails (not shown) that come into contact with the game ball B are planted in a predetermined gauge arrangement on the front surface of the game panel 1100 in a portion that is within the play area 5a.

The game board 5 also includes a rear cell 1130 that is provided behind the transparent game panel 1100 (panel board 1110) and decorates the game area 5a, a cell fixing piece 1140 that supports the rear cell 1130 on the rear surface of the panel board 1110, a board holder 1200 attached to the lower rear side of the game panel 1100, and a main control unit 1300 that is attached to the rear surface of the board holder 1200 and has a main control board 1310 (see Figure 203, etc.) that controls the game content played by shooting game ball B into the game area 5a.

The gaming board 5 also includes a function display unit 1400 that displays the game status based on control signals from the main control board 1310 and is attached to the upper left corner of the front component 1000 so as to be visible to the player; a peripheral control unit 1500 that is located behind the gaming panel 1100; an effect display device 1600 that is located in the center of the gaming area 5a when viewed from the front and is capable of displaying specified effect images; a panel relay board (not shown) that is located behind the gaming panel 1100 and relays the connection between the main control board 1310 and the peripheral control board 1510; a front unit 2000 that is attached to the front of the gaming panel 1100; and a rear unit 3000 that is attached to the rear of the gaming panel 1100.

A performance display device 1600 is provided on the rear surface of the rear unit 3000, and a peripheral control unit 1500 is provided on the rear surface of the performance display device 1600.

The front unit 2000 has multiple (four in this case) general winning openings 2001 that are always open and can receive game balls B that have been shot into the game area 5a, a gate 2002 that is provided at a predetermined position within the game area 5a and detects the passage of game balls B, a first lower starting opening 2003 that is provided at a predetermined position within the game area 5a and is always open and can receive game balls B, a first upper starting opening 2004 that receives game balls B that have been sorted by the center sorting unit 2520 through the upper warp passage 2513, and a gate 2002 that detects the passage of game balls B that have been shot into the game area 5a and detects the passage of game balls B that have been shot into the game area 5a. the first large prize opening 2006 or the second large prize opening 2007 which can accept a game ball B depending on the lottery result of a first special pattern drawn by accepting a game ball B into the first lower start opening 2003 or the first upper start opening 2004 or the second special pattern drawn by accepting a game ball B into the second start opening 2005; and a V prize opening 2008 which can accept a game ball B accepted by the second large prize opening 2007 and then sorted by the V sorting unit 2660. The game board 5 also has a plurality of magnetic sensors 1030 (see FIG. 203) which detect magnetic fields acting illicitly within the play area 5a.

The front unit 2000 is provided with an outlet 2020, which is located at the most downstream position within the play area 5a and is always open to receive game balls B, and which discharges received game balls B outside the play area 5a without returning them; and a sub-outlet 2021, which is located upstream of the outlet 2020 within the play area 5a and is always open to receive game balls B, and which discharges received game balls B outside the play area 5a without returning them. The outlet 2020 is composed of two outlets, a left outlet 2020a and a right outlet 2020b, separated by the first lower starting port 2003. The sub-outlet 2021 is also composed of a left sub-outlet 2021a, which is located to the left of the center of the play area 5a in the horizontal direction, and a right sub-outlet 2021b, which is located to the right of the center of the play area 5a in the horizontal direction.

Furthermore, the front unit 2000 is equipped with a start port unit 2100 which is attached in the left-right center of the play area 5a, directly above the lower end of the play area 5a, and which has a first lower start port 2003 and an outlet port 2020; a side unit 2200 which is arranged to the left of the start port unit 2100 when viewed from the front, along the inner rail 1002, and which has three general winning ports 2001 and a left sub-out port 2021a; an upper left side unit 2300 which is arranged slightly above and to the left of the side unit 2200 when viewed from the front; and a frame-shaped center device 2500 which is arranged slightly above and approximately in the center of the play area 5a when viewed from the front, and which has one general winning port 2001, a gate 2002, a first upper start port 2004, a second start port 2005, a first large winning port 2006, a second large winning port 2007, a V winning port 2008, and a right sub-out port 2021b.

The center device 2500 comprises a frame-shaped main unit 2510 having a gate 2002 and a first upper starting opening 2004, and an attacca unit 2600 located at the bottom right of the main unit 2510 and having one general winning opening 2001, a second starting opening 2005, a first large winning opening 2006, a second large winning opening 2007, a V winning opening 2008, and a right sub-out opening 2021b.

The rear unit 3000 comprises a vibration sensor 1040 that detects vibrations acting on the game board 5 (pachinko machine 1), a rear box 3010 that is attached to the rear surface of the panel holder 1120 of the game panel 1100 and is box-shaped with an open front and a square opening 3010a in the rear wall, a lock slider 3020 that detachably attaches the effect display device 1600 to the rear wall of the rear box 3010, and a rear board unit 3040 that is positioned behind the effect display device 1600 and attached to the rear wall of the rear box 3010.

The rear unit 3000 also includes a rear ball guide unit 3100 located at the bottom near the front end of the rear box 3010, through which game balls B guided to the rear of the game panel 1100 circulate; a rear-front upper performance unit 3200 located along the top edge near the front end of the rear box 3010; a rear-front left performance unit 3300 located along the left edge near the front end of the rear box 3010; a rear-right performance unit 3400 located along the right edge slightly behind the front end of the rear box 3010; a rear-left performance unit 3500 located in the upper left corner near the rear end of the rear box 3010 behind the rear-front left performance unit 3300; and a rear-rear performance unit 3600 located near the rear end of the rear box 3010.

Furthermore, the rear unit 3000 is equipped with multiple mounting supports 3050 for mounting the rear performance unit 3600 to the rear box 3010, and mounting supports 3060 for mounting the rear right performance unit 3400 to the rear box 3010.

[5-1. Front components]
The front component 1000 of the game board 5 will be described in detail, mainly with reference to Figures 142 and 143. The front component 1000 is formed to be entirely transparent. The front component 1000 has an approximately square outer shape in a front-to-back view and an approximately circular inner shape that penetrates in the front-to-back direction, with the inner periphery of the inner shape defining the outer periphery of the game area 5a. The front component 1000 includes an outer rail 1001 that extends in an arc shape from the lower end toward the left of the center in the front view to the upper right, passing the upper end of the center in the front view, in a clockwise circumferential direction; an inner rail 1002 that is disposed inside the front component 1000 and extends in an arc shape from the lower center in the front view to the upper left of the front view; and an out guide portion 1003 that is formed at the lowest position of the game area 5a on the right side of the lower end of the inner rail 1002 in a front view and slopes downward toward the rear.

The component 1000 also includes a lower right rail 1004 that slopes linearly from the right end of the out guide section 1003 when viewed from the front to near the right edge of the component 1000, with the right end being slightly higher; a right rail 1005 that extends from the right end of the lower right rail 1004 along the right edge of the component 1000 to below the upper end of the outer rail 1001, with the upper part curved inward of the component 1000; and a collision stop section 1006 that connects the upper end of the right rail 1005 to the upper end of the outer rail 1001 and against which a game ball B rolling along the outer rail 1001 comes into contact.

The component 1000 also includes a backflow prevention member 1007 that is rotatably supported on the upper end of the inner rail 1002 and can rotate only between a closed position in which it extends upward from the upper end of the inner rail 1002 to close the gap between it and the outer rail 1001, and an open position in which it rotates clockwise when viewed from the front to open the gap between it and the outer rail 1001, and is biased by a spring (not shown) to return to the closed position.

Furthermore, the front component 1000 is provided with an outlet 1008 that penetrates from front to back at the rear end of the outlet guide section 1003, located at the lower center in the left-right direction when viewed from the front within the frame. This outlet 1008 is closed from the front by the starting port unit 2100.

The component 1000 also has security recesses 1009 recessed rearward from the front end at the outside of the areas extending approximately perpendicularly from the lower ends of the outer rail 1001 and inner rail 1002, the underside of the out guide section 1003 and lower right rail 1004, and the outside of the right rail 1005. When the game board 5 is attached to the main frame 4 and the door frame 3 is closed against the main frame 4, the rear projection 172 of the security cover 170 on the door frame 3 is inserted into this security recess 1009. As a result, the space between the security cover 170 and the game board 5 (front component 1000) is bent in a complex manner by the rear projection 172 of the security cover 170 and the security recess 1009 of the front component 1000. Therefore, even if an attempt is made to insert an illegal tool such as piano wire into the game area 5a between the security cover 170 and the front component 1000 from below the front of the game board 5, the attempt will be blocked by the rear projection 172 and the security recess 1009, preventing the illegal tool from entering the game area 5a.

The component 1000 also has a notch 1010 cut upward from the bottom end in the lower left corner when viewed from the front. This notch 1010 coincides with the notch 1122 of the gaming panel 1100, so that when the gaming board 5 is attached to the main frame 4, the front end openings of the lower normal payout passage 610a and lower full payout passage 610b of the lower full ball path unit 610 pass through the notch 1010 and the notch 1122 and face forward.

Furthermore, the component 1000 is provided with a function display unit mounting portion 1011 formed in the upper left corner when viewed from the front, to which the function display unit 1400 is attached, and a stamp attachment portion 1012 formed in the lower left corner.

In addition, the front component 1000 is almost entirely transparent, allowing the game panel 1100 and rear unit 3000 located at the rear to be seen from the front.

[5-2. Game Panel]
The game panel 1100 of the game board 5 will be described in detail mainly with reference to Figures 142 and 143. The game panel 1100 is attached to the rear surface of the front component 1000, and a front unit 2000 and a rear unit 3000 are attached to it. The game panel 1100 comprises a flat panel board 1110 made of transparent synthetic resin and having an outer periphery slightly larger than the inner periphery of the frame-shaped front component 1000, and a frame-shaped panel holder 1120 that holds the outer periphery of the panel board 1110, is attached to the rear side of the front component 1000, and has the rear unit 3000 attached to its rear surface. A plurality of obstacle nails (not shown) are planted in a predetermined gauge arrangement on the front surface of the game panel 1100.

The panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100 is formed from a synthetic resin board such as acrylic resin, polycarbonate resin, polyarylate resin, or methacrylic resin, or an inorganic board such as glass or metal. The thickness of this panel board 1110 is thinner than the panel holder, and is the minimum necessary thickness (8 to 10 mm) to be able to sufficiently hold obstacle nails planted on the front surface and the front unit 2000 attached. In this embodiment, the panel board 1110 is formed from a transparent synthetic resin board.

The panel board 1110 is located at the lowest position within the play area 5a, and is recessed upward from the bottom end at a position corresponding to the outlet 1008 of the front component 1000. The panel board 1110 also has multiple openings 1112 that penetrate from front to back and are used to attach the front unit 2000.

In addition, although not shown, the panel plate 1110 has multiple positioning holes formed as round holes and short elongated holes that penetrate from front to back, and multiple engagement steps that are spaced apart in the left-right direction on the upper and lower edges and are formed with a thin plate thickness. The positioning holes are used to position the panel with the panel holder 1120 by inserting protruding pins (not shown) of the panel holder 1120. The engagement steps are used to engage with engagement claws (not shown) or engagement pieces (not shown) of the panel holder 1120, allowing the panel plate 1110 to be detachably attached to the panel holder 1120.

The panel plate 1110 has a large opening 1112 for attaching the center device 2500, which is offset above the center when viewed from the front. This gives the panel plate 1110 a frame-like shape, and the width perpendicular to the direction in which the game balls B flow (the circumferential direction of the frame) when viewed from the front is wide enough on the left, right, and lower sides, excluding the area above the center, to accommodate multiple game balls B, while the upper side is narrow enough that multiple game balls B cannot be lined up.

The panel holder 1120 of the gaming panel 1100 has a roughly rectangular outer shape large enough to encompass the panel board 1110, and is thicker than the panel board 1110 (approximately 20 mm in this embodiment). The panel holder 1120 is made of transparent synthetic resin (e.g., thermoplastic synthetic resin). The panel holder 1120 has a holding step (not shown) that is roughly the same size as the panel board 1110 and recessed from the front side to the rear side, and a through hole 1121 that penetrates the holding step in the front-to-rear direction and is roughly the same size as the gaming area 5a.

The panel holder 1120 also has a notch 1122 cut upward from the bottom end in the lower left corner when viewed from the front. This notch 1122 is formed to match the notch 1010 of the previous component 1000, so that when the game board 5 is attached to the main frame 4, the front end openings of the lower normal payout passage 610a and lower full payout passage 610b of the lower full ball path unit 610 pass through the notch 1010 and the notch to face forward.

Furthermore, the panel holder 1120 has an outlet recess 1123 that extends upward from the bottom end to a position corresponding to the outlet 1008 and is recessed from the rear surface toward the front. The upper part of the outlet recess 1123 is connected to the outlet 1008.

Although not shown, the panel holder 1120 also includes a plurality of protruding pins that protrude forward from the holding step and are inserted into a plurality of positioning holes in the panel plate 1110, three engagement claws that are positioned outside the holding step and elastically engage with engagement step sections on the upper and lower left sloping portions of the panel plate 1110, and a pair of engagement pieces that protrude upward from the lower outer side of the holding step and respectively engage with two engagement step sections on the lower edge of the panel plate 1110. The panel holder 1120 can be removably attached with the panel plate 1110 housed in the holding step by engaging the engagement step sections on the lower edge of the panel plate 1110 with the engagement pieces from an upper front diagonal, and then moving the upper part of the panel plate 1110 rearward to elastically engage the engagement step sections on the upper and lower left sloping portions with the engagement claws. At this time, the protruding pins of the panel holder 1120 are inserted into the positioning holes of the panel plate 1110, and the panel plate 1110 is positioned at a predetermined position relative to the panel holder 1120.

This gaming panel 1100, along with the front component 1000 attached to the front, is formed transparently. This reduces the visibility of the boundaries of the gaming area 5a when assembled to the gaming board 5, giving the player a sense of openness, and while the actual size of the gaming area 5a remains unchanged, it makes the gaming area 5a appear larger (wider) to the player.

In addition, because the gaming panel 1100, along with the front component 1000, is transparent, light from the effect display device 1600, front unit 2000, rear unit 3000, etc. can be reflected or refracted forward (towards the player) to appear to be emitting light, further enhancing the overall decorativeness of the gaming board 5.

[5-3. Rear cell]
The rear cell 1130 of the game board 5 will be described in detail, mainly with reference to Figures 146 to 148. Figure 146 is an explanatory diagram showing the position of the rear cell and cell fixing piece from the front of the game board. Figure 147(a) is an exploded perspective view of the rear cell and cell fixing piece disassembled from the front components and game panel, as viewed from the front. Figure 147(b) is an exploded perspective view of the rear cell and cell fixing piece disassembled from the front components and game panel, as viewed from the rear. Figure 148(a) is a four-sided view of the cell fixing piece, Figure 148(b) is a perspective view of the cell fixing piece viewed from the front, and Figure 148(c) is a perspective view of the cell fixing piece viewed from the rear. The rear cell 1130 is visible from the front through the transparent game panel 1100 (panel board 1110) and is intended to decorate the game area 5a.

The game board 5 of this embodiment is provided on the rear side of the panel plate 1110 of the transparent game panel 1100, and includes a film-like rear cell 1130 with a predetermined pattern applied, and a cell fixing piece 1140 that supports (attaches) the rear cell 1130 so that it can move freely within a predetermined range relative to the panel plate 1110.

As shown by the hatching in Figure 146, the rear cell 1130 is located within the game area 5a (within the frame of the frame-shaped front component 1000 when viewed from the front), behind the area through which the game ball B circulates. Specifically, the rear cell 1130 is located behind three areas: the area between the inner rail 1002 and the center device 2500; the area from midway up and down the upper right guide passage group 2541 of the center device 2500 to midway up and down the lower right guide passage group 2542; and the area from the left to below the general winning opening 2001 of the attacca unit 2600 of the center device 2500.

The rear cell 1130 has a portion that protrudes into the opening 1112 in the panel board 1110. Specifically, the rear cell 1130 located near the gate 2002 has a portion that protrudes into the opening 1112 in the panel board 1110 when viewed from the front, and this portion decorates the lower right guide passage group 2542 of the center gimmick 2500 from behind.

The rear cell 1130 has multiple support holes 1131, each shaped like a semicircular slot with both longitudinal ends shaped like a semicircular hole with a round hole in the center, the diameter of which is larger than the width of the slot. The rear cell 1130 is supported by the panel board 1110 by attaching a cell fixing piece 1140 to the panel board 1110 from the rear through the support holes 1131. The rear cell 1130 also has openings 1132 at predetermined positions, through which sensors, game ball B, etc. can pass.

The support hole 1131 of the rear cell 1130 is located in a position that makes it difficult to see from the front when assembled on the gaming board 5. Specifically, it is located in a location that is rearward near the peripheral wall 2511a of the center device 2500. As a result, even if the panel board 1110 and center device 2500 are transparent, the presence of the peripheral wall 2511a makes it difficult to see what is behind, making it possible to make the support hole 1131 and cell fixing piece 1140 less visible and improving the appearance of the gaming area 5a.

As shown in Figure 148, the cell fixing piece 1140 has a rectangular, flat main body piece 1141, a protrusion 1142 that protrudes in a short, cylindrical shape from the center of the main body piece 1141, an attachment hole 1143 that penetrates the protrusion 1142 and the main body piece 1141, and a pair of positioning pins 1144 that protrude in a cylindrical shape from both sides of the protrusion 1142 on the main body piece 1141. The cell fixing piece 1140 is made transparent so that it is not noticeable when assembled on the game board 5.

The main body piece 1141 of the cell fixing piece 1140 is formed to a size that almost covers the support hole 1131 of the rear cell 1130. The protrusion 1142 has a diameter that is half the diameter of the central round hole in the support hole 1131 of the rear cell 1130, and protrudes slightly longer than the thickness of the rear cell 1130.

The mounting hole 1143 of the cell fixing piece 1140 is located coaxially with the protrusion 1142, and has a countersunk countersunk hole on the side opposite the protrusion 1142. This mounting hole 1143 is used to attach the cell fixing piece 1140 to the panel board 1110, and a countersunk mounting screw is inserted through it. The positioning pin 1144 protrudes from the main body piece 1141 in the same direction as the protrusion 1142, and longer than the protrusion 1142. The positioning pin 1144 can be inserted into the positioning hole 1110b located on the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100 to position the cell fixing piece 1140 in a predetermined position.

When the rear cell 1130 is positioned in a predetermined position on the rear surface of the panel plate 1110 of the gaming panel 1100, a pair of positioning pins 1144 of the cell fixing piece 1140 are inserted from the rear through the support holes 1131 and into the corresponding positioning holes 1110b of the panel plate 1110. This positions the cell fixing piece 1140 in a predetermined position on the panel plate 1110, and positions the mounting hole 1143 of the cell fixing piece 1140 coaxially with the mounting hole 1110a of the panel plate 1110. In this state, the cell fixing piece 1140 can be attached to the panel plate 1110 by threading a mounting screw (not shown) through the mounting hole 1143 from the rear of the cell fixing piece 1140 and into the mounting hole 1110a of the panel plate 1110 and tightening it.

The rear cell 1130 is a synthetic resin film with a thickness of 0.2 mm to 0.4 mm, on which a predetermined pattern is printed. Possible materials for the rear cell 1130 include polyethylene terephthalate resin, polycarbonate resin, ABS resin, AES resin, PMMA (polymethyl methacrylate) resin, polypropylene resin, polyethylene resin, polystyrene resin, high-impact polystyrene resin, and polyvinyl chloride.

When the cell fixing piece 1140 is attached to the panel plate 1110, the protrusion 1142 forms a gap between the main body piece 1141 and the panel plate 1110 that is larger than the thickness of the rear cell 1130. A gap is also formed between the inner periphery of the support hole 1131 of the rear cell 1130 and the protrusion 1142 and the pair of positioning pins 1144 (see Figures 147 and 148, etc.). Therefore, the rear cell 1130 is supported rearward of the panel plate 1110, allowing it to move freely within a predetermined range. In other words, the rear cell 1130 is attached to the rear surface of the panel plate 1110 with a predetermined amount of play. This simplifies the process of attaching the rear cell 1130 compared to attaching it to the entire surface of the panel plate 1110, and reduces the amount of rear cell 1130 used, thereby suppressing increases in the cost of the pachinko machine 1.

In addition, because the rear cells 1130 are provided as part of the panel board 1110, a greater number of rear cells 1130 can be extracted from the resin sheet compared to conventional cells that are attached to the panel board, thereby reducing the cost of the pachinko machine 1.

In addition, because the rear cell 1130 is attached to the panel board 1110 via the cell fixing piece 1140 in a loose state, even if the rear cell 1130 expands or contracts due to changes in temperature, humidity, etc., the difference in expansion and contraction between the rear cell 1130 and the panel board 1110 can be absorbed by the looseness. This prevents the rear cell 1130 from wrinkling or cracking even if the rear cell 1130 shrinks relative to the panel board 1110, and allows the decorative effect of the pattern on the rear cell 1130 to be maintained.

Furthermore, because the rear cell 1130 is attached to the panel board 1110 with mounting screws via the cell fixing piece 1140, the rear cell 1130 can be easily attached and detached from the panel board 1110. Therefore, by replacing the rear cell 1130 with one with a different design, it is possible to easily accommodate changes in the specifications, model, or design of the pachinko machine 1, thereby suppressing increases in the cost of the pachinko machine 1 and, by replacing the rear cell 1130 with one with a more decorative design, it is possible to provide a pachinko machine 1 that is more appealing to players.

In addition, because the rear cell 1130 is located behind the transparent panel board 1110, the distance from the player to the rear cell 1130 is greater than if it were located in front of the panel board 1110, reducing the sense of oppression felt by the player.

It is also desirable to make the rear cell 1130 translucent, so that light from an LED located behind the panel board 1110 (rear cell 1130) can illuminate the image on the rear cell 1130, improving the appearance of the playing area 5a. The illuminated decoration on the rear cell 1130 can also strongly attract the attention of players, increasing the appeal of the pachinko machine 1.

In the above embodiment, the rear cell 1130 is attached to the panel plate 1110 using mounting screws via the cell fixing piece 1140, but this is not limited to this. For example, the rear cell 1130 may be attached by sandwiching it between the panel plate 1110 and the panel holder 1120.

[5-4. Substrate holder]
The board holder 1200 in the gaming board 5 will be described in detail mainly with reference to Figures 142 and 143. The board holder 1200 is formed in a horizontally long box shape that is open at the top and front, and the bottom surface is inclined so that it becomes lower toward the center in the left-right direction. The board holder 1200 has an ejection section 1201 that is cut out from the front end toward the rear in the center of the left-right direction on the bottom surface. When assembled to the gaming board 5, this board holder 1200 covers the lower part of the back unit 3000 attached to the rear of the gaming panel 1100 from the bottom and rear, and a main control board box 1320 of the main control unit 1300 is attached to the rear surface.

When the board holder 1200 is assembled into the pachinko machine 1, the discharge section 1201 is located directly above the discharged ball receiving section 628 of the base unit 620b in the board unit 620 of the main body frame 4. This allows it to receive all game balls B discharged to the rear of the game panel 1100 through the outlet 2020 or sub-outlet 2021, as well as game balls B discharged downward from the front unit 2000 and rear unit 3000, and discharge them from the discharge section 1201 formed on the bottom surface to the discharged ball receiving section 628 below or the out ball passage 663 (see Figure 123). Game balls B discharged into the out ball passage 663 are detected (counted) one by one by the out sensor 664.

[5-5. Main control board unit]
The main control unit 1300 in the game board 5 will be described in detail mainly with reference to Figures 140, 142, 143, etc. The main control unit 1300 is detachably attached to the rear surface of the board holder 1200. The main control unit 1300 includes a main control board 1310 (see Figure 203) that controls the game content and the payout of game balls B, and a main control board box 1320 that houses the main control board 1310 and is attached to the board holder 1200.

The main control board box 1320 is composed of a cover and a base. The cover and base are made of polycarbonate resin and molded to be transparent. The internal space formed by the cover and base can accommodate the main control board 1310. Because the cover and base are molded to be transparent from polycarbonate resin, the condition of the front and back sides of the main control board 1310 (whether or not tampering has occurred or whether or not a tampered IC is installed) can be confirmed from the outside of the main control board box 1320. In addition, the main control board box 1320 is equipped with multiple sealing mechanisms corresponding to the cover and base, respectively. When the main control board box 1320 is closed using one sealing mechanism, the sealing mechanism must be destroyed to open the main control board box 1320, leaving traces of the opening and closing of the main control board box 1320. Therefore, by checking the traces of opening and closing, unauthorized opening and closing of the main control board box 1320 can be detected, providing a strong deterrent against unauthorized acts on the main control board 1310.

The main control board 1310 of the main control unit 1300 is connected to the interface board 635, peripheral control board 1510, etc. The main control board 1310 is also connected to the function display unit 1400, general prize opening sensor 3001, first lower start opening sensor 2101, first upper start opening sensor 2524, gate sensor 2501, second start opening sensor 2601, first large prize opening sensor 3002, second large prize opening sensor 2602, V prize opening sensor 2603, losing opening sensor 2604, start opening solenoid 2632, first attacca solenoid 2642, second attacca solenoid 2652, V distribution solenoid 2662, center distribution drive motor 2525, magnetic sensor 1030, vibration sensor 1040, etc.

[5-6. Function display unit]
The function display unit 1400 on the game board 5 will be described in detail mainly with reference to Figure 137 etc. The function display unit 1400 is attached to the upper left corner of the front component 1000 outside the game area 5a. When assembled to the pachinko machine 1, the function display unit 1400 can be seen from the front (player side) through the door window 101a of the door frame 3. This function display unit 1400 uses multiple LEDs based on control signals from the main control board 1310 to display the game status (game situation), the results of the lottery for normal symbols and the results of the lottery for special symbols, etc.

The functional display unit 1400, although not shown in detail, is equipped with a status indicator consisting of three LEDs that displays the game status, a normal symbol display consisting of two LEDs that displays the lottery results for the normal symbol drawn when game ball B is received by gate 2002, and a normal hold indicator consisting of two LEDs that displays the number of holds related to the reception of game ball B by gate 2002.

The function display unit 1400 also includes a first special pattern display consisting of eight LEDs that displays the drawing result of the first special pattern drawn by receiving a game ball B into the first lower starting port 2003 or the first upper starting port 2004, a first special reserve number display consisting of two LEDs that displays the number of reserves related to receiving a game ball B into the first lower starting port 2003 or the first upper starting port 2004, a second special pattern display consisting of eight LEDs that displays the drawing result of the second special pattern drawn by receiving a game ball B into the second starting port 2005, and a second special reserve number display consisting of two LEDs that displays the number of reserves related to receiving a game ball B into the second starting port 2005.

Furthermore, the function display unit 1400 is equipped with a round display consisting of five LEDs that displays the number of times (number of rounds) the opening and closing pattern of the first major winning opening 2006 or the second major winning opening 2007 is repeated when the lottery result for the first special pattern or the lottery result for the second special pattern is a "win" or the like.

This functional display unit 1400 can display the number of reserved items, designs, etc. by turning on, off, blinking, etc. the LEDs provided as appropriate.

[5-7. Peripheral control unit]
The peripheral control unit 1500 in the gaming board 5 will be described mainly with reference to Figure 140 etc. The peripheral control unit 1500 is provided behind the effect display device 1600 which is provided behind the rear box 3010 of the rear unit 3000. The peripheral control unit 1500 includes a peripheral control board 1510 (see Figure 203) which controls the effects presented to the player based on control signals from the main control board 1310, and a peripheral control board box 1520 which houses the peripheral control board 1510. The peripheral control board 1510 includes a peripheral control unit 1511 for controlling light effects, sound effects, moving effects, etc., and an effect display control unit 1512 for controlling effect images.

The peripheral control board 1510 of the peripheral control unit 1500 is connected to the main control board 1310, the performance operation unit 300, various decorative boards on the door frame 3 side, the performance display device 1600, etc. (See Figure 203).

The peripheral control unit 1500, details of which will be described later, is attached to the rear of the effect display device 1600. When the peripheral control unit 1500 is assembled to the game board 5, the rear face of the peripheral control board box 1520 protrudes further rearward than the cable ties CT fastened to the wiring retaining portions 1603 and 3011.

[5-8. Performance display device]
The effect display device 1600 on the gaming board 5 will be described mainly with reference to Figure 142 etc. The effect display device 1600 is located in the center of the gaming area 5a when viewed from the front, and is attached to the rear side of the gaming panel 1100 via the rear box 3010 of the rear unit 3000. The effect display device 1600 is detachably attached to the rear surface at approximately the center of the rear wall of the rear box 3010, as will be described in detail later. When the gaming board 5 is assembled, the effect display device 1600 can be seen from the front (player's side) through the transparent gaming panel 1100 and the frame of the frame-shaped center device 2500.

The performance display device 1600 is a 19-inch full-color LCD display device with a white LED backlight, and is installed in a landscape orientation. The performance display device 1600 is connected to the peripheral control board 1510 and can display specified still images and videos.

The performance display device 1600 has two upper fixing pieces 1601 protruding upward from the top surface and one lower fixing piece 1602 protruding downward from the bottom surface. With the LCD screen facing forward, the performance display device 1600 is attached to the rear box 3010 by inserting the two upper fixing pieces 1601 from diagonally behind the rear box 3010 into two fixing grooves 3010c opening into the upper inner surface of the opening 3010a of the rear box 3010 (described below), then moving the lower fixing piece 1602 forward to insert the lower fixing piece 1602 into the opening of the lock slider 3020, and sliding the lock slider 3020 to the left when viewed from behind.

The performance display device 1600 also has multiple wiring locking portions 1603 provided on its rear surface. The wiring locking portions 1603 protrude rearward from the rear surface of the member (unit base) that forms the rear surface of the performance display device 1600, and then extend left and right along the rear surface, forming an L-shape. Each wiring locking portion 1603 has a claw-like hook portion 1603a that protrudes toward the rear surface of the unit base at its tip, and short protrusion portions 1603b that protrude forward from each of its two longitudinal sides (see Figure 172). The tip of each wiring locking portion 1603 is angled so that the surface facing the rear surface of the unit base (front surface), including the hook portion 1603a, is positioned further rearward as it approaches the tip. This makes it easier to insert the wiring EC from the tip side of the wiring locking portion 1603 between the wiring locking portion 1603 and the rear surface of the unit base. Additionally, the wiring retaining portion 1603 has a U-shaped cross section due to two protrusions 1603b, which increases its strength and rigidity. In this embodiment, the component (rear case) in the performance display device 1600 on which the wiring retaining portion 1603 is mounted is made transparent. Therefore, the wiring retaining portion 1603 and other components are also transparent.

The multiple wiring retaining portions 1603 on the performance display device 1600 are provided on both the left and right sides of the area where the peripheral control unit 1500 is attached, with two spaced apart vertically on the left side (right side when viewed from the rear) and one on the right side (left side when viewed from the rear). Each wiring retaining portion 1603 is arranged to extend outward in the left-right direction.

The performance display device 1600 also has a through-hole 1604 that penetrates from front to back at the location of the wiring locking portion 1603 on the unit base (see Figure 172). This through-hole 1604 allows the wiring EC to bend within the through-hole 1604 when the wiring EC is locked between the wiring locking portion 1603 and the rear surface of the unit base, allowing the pressure applied to the wiring EC from the wiring locking portion 1603 to be released.

[5-9. Overall structure of the table unit]
The front unit 2000 of the gaming board 5 will be described in detail mainly with reference to Figures 142 and 143. The front unit 2000 is attached to the gaming panel 1100 from the front, with its front end protruding forward beyond the front surface of the gaming panel 1100 and its rear end partially protruding into the opening 1112 of the gaming panel 1100.

The front unit 2000 comprises a plurality of (four in this case) general winning openings 2001 that are always open to receive game balls B that have been shot into the game area 5a, a gate 2002 that is provided at a predetermined position within the game area 5a and detects the passage of game balls B, a first lower starting opening 2003 that is provided at a predetermined position within the game area 5a and is always open to receive game balls B, a first upper starting opening 2004 that enters the upper warp passage 2513 of the center device 2500 and receives game balls B that have been allocated by the center allocation unit 2520, and a gate 2002 that detects the passage of game balls B that have been shot into the game area 5a and ... a second starting opening 2005 which can accept a game ball B depending on the result of the lottery for a normal symbol drawn by the lottery; a first large prize opening 2006 and a second large prize opening 2007 which can accept a game ball B depending on the first special symbol drawn by receiving a game ball B into the first lower starting opening 2003 or the first upper starting opening 2004, or the second special symbol drawn by receiving a game ball B into the second starting opening 2005; and a V prize opening 2008 and a losing opening 2009 into which a game ball B received into the second large prize opening 2007 is sorted by a V sorting unit 2660 and accepted.

The front unit 2000 also includes an outlet 2020 and a sub-outlet 2021 that discharge game balls B that have been shot into the game area 5a out of the game area 5a. The outlet 2020 and the sub-outlet 2021 are always open so that they can receive game balls B. The outlet 2020 is located at the downstream end of the game area 5a.

The front unit 2000 also includes a gate sensor 2501 that detects game ball B passing through gate 2002, a first lower start gate sensor 2101 that detects game ball B received at first lower start gate 2003, a first upper start gate sensor 2524 that detects game ball B received at first upper start gate 2004, a second start gate sensor 2601 that detects game ball B received at second start gate 2005, a second large prize gate sensor 2602 that detects game ball B received at second large prize gate 2007, a V prize gate sensor 2603 that detects game ball B received at V prize gate 2008, a loss gate sensor 2604 that detects game ball B received at loss gate 2009, and a magnetic sensor 1030 that detects unauthorized magnetism acting within the game area 5a.

Multiple (four in this example) general winning openings 2001 are located in the lower part of the game area 5a, three on the left side and one on the right side of the center in the horizontal direction. The gate 2002 is located near the right edge of the game area 5a when viewed from the front, above the center in the vertical direction. The first lower starting opening 2003 is located between the two outlet openings 2020 in the center in the horizontal direction of the game area 5a. The first upper starting opening 2004 is located to the upper right of the first lower starting opening 2003, within the frame of the frame-shaped center device 2500. The second starting opening 2005 is located near the right edge of the game area 5a, below the center in the vertical direction. The first large winning opening 2006 is located to the right of the first lower starting opening 2003 and below the first upper starting opening 2004 in the game area 5a. The second major prize opening 2007 is located to the upper right of the first major prize opening 2006 and below the second starting opening 2005. The V prize opening 2008 and the losing opening 2009 are located below the second major prize opening 2007. The V prize opening 2008 and the losing opening 2009 are lined up on the left and right.

The outlet 2020 consists of two parts, a left outlet 2020a and a right outlet 2020b, and is located below the first lower starting outlet 2003 on both the left and right sides at the downstream end of the gaming area 5a. The sub-outlet 2021 consists of two parts, a left sub-outlet 2021a and a right sub-outlet 2021b, with the left sub-outlet 2021a being located to the left of the three general winning outlets 2001 on the left side, and the right sub-outlet 2021b being located below and to the right of the general winning outlet 2001 on the right side.

The front unit 2000 comprises a start port unit 2100 which is attached directly above the bottom end of the play area 5a in the left-right center of the play area 5a and has a first lower start port 2003 and an outlet port 2020; a side unit 2200 which is located to the left of the start port unit 2100 as viewed from the front, along the inner rail 1002, and has three general winning ports 2001 and a left sub-out port 2021a; and an upper left side unit 2300 which is located slightly above and to the left of the side unit 2200 as viewed from the front.

The front unit 2000 is located slightly above the center of the gaming area 5a when viewed from the front, and further includes a frame-shaped center device 2500 having a gate 2002, a first upper start opening 2004, a second start opening 2005, a first large prize opening 2006, a second large prize opening 2007, a V prize opening 2008, a losing opening 2009, and a right sub-out opening 2021b.

[5-9a. Starting unit]
Next, the start port unit 2100 of the front unit 2000 will be described mainly with reference to Figures 137 to 139 and Figure 141. The start port unit 2100 of the front unit 2000 is located in the game area 5a, directly above the outlet 1008, near the lower end in the center of the left-right direction, and is attached to the game panel 1100 from the front. The start port unit 2100 has a first lower start port 2003 that is always open upward and wide enough to receive only one game ball B, and an outlet 2020 that is always open to receive game balls B and discharges the received game balls B outside the game area 5a without returning them. The start port unit 2100 also has a first lower start port sensor 2101 that detects game balls B received in the first lower start port 2003 (see Figure 203).

The outlet 2020 is located at a lower position than the first lower starting opening 2003. The outlet 2020 of the starting opening unit 2100 has a left outlet 2020a located to the left of the first lower starting opening 2003, and a right outlet 2020b located to the right of the first lower starting opening 2003. The left outlet 2020a and right outlet 2020b are located symmetrically with the first lower starting opening 2003 in between. The first lower starting opening 2003 opens upward with a width sufficient for one game ball B to pass through. The left outlet 2020a and right outlet 2020b each open upward with a width equivalent to two game balls B, and are located at the lowest position within the game area 5a.

The start opening unit 2100 is designed so that the difference in height between the first lower start opening 2003 and the outlet opening 2020 is smaller (lower) than the difference in height between the first start opening and the outlet opening in conventional pachinko machines. This gives the player the illusion that the first lower start opening 2003 is located lower than the conventional first start opening, making the playing area 5a appear relatively larger.

The start opening unit 2100 is located below the first lower start opening 2003 and has a start opening display unit 2110 that can display predetermined images. The start opening display unit 2110 is composed of a single 7-segment LED. This start opening display unit 2110 can display predetermined images (including numbers) as the game progresses. When the start opening unit 2100 is assembled to the gaming board 5, the start opening display unit 2110 closes the outlet 1008 from the front, making the outlet 1008 invisible to the player. This allows the player to recognize that the outlet 2020 is the lowest end of the gaming area 5a.

When the start port unit 2100 is assembled to the gaming board 5, the first lower start port 2003 is located directly below the central release section 2514a on the stage 2514 of the center device 2500, allowing for a high probability of receiving a gaming ball B released from the central release section 2514a. The gaming ball B received by this first lower start port 2003 is detected by the first lower start port sensor 2101, guided to the rear of the gaming panel 1100, and handed over to the rear ball guide unit 3100 of the rear unit 3000, where it is discharged downward.

The game ball B received in the outlet 2020 (left outlet 2020a and right outlet 2020b) is guided to the rear of the game panel 1100, handed over to the back ball guiding unit 3100 of the back unit 3000, and then discharged downward from the back ball guiding unit 3100.

[5-9b. Side unit]
Next, the side unit 2200 of the front unit 2000 will be described mainly with reference to Figures 137 to 139 and 141. The side unit 2200 of the front unit 2000 extends along the inner rail 1002 to the left of the starting port unit 2100 within the game area 5a, and is attached to the game panel 1100 from the front. The side unit 2200 has three general winning ports 2001 that are always open to receive game balls B, and one sub-out port 2021 (left sub-out port 2021a) that is always open to receive game balls B.

The three general winning openings 2001 of the side unit 2200 are arranged in an arc along the inner rail 1002, with the openings positioned higher toward the left. Each general winning opening 2001 has an opening the size (width) of one game ball B. A sub-out opening 2021 (left sub-out opening 2021a) is provided to the left of the leftmost general winning opening 2001. The left sub-out opening 2021a has an opening the size (width) of one game ball B.

The side unit 2200 also has a shelf 2201 to the right of the rightmost general winning opening 2001, which slopes downward as it moves to the right. The shelf 2201 extends to the right, up to near the right end of the left outlet 2020a of the starting opening unit 2100. In other words, when the game ball B rolls down the shelf 2201, it is received by the left outlet 2020a.

When the side unit 2200 is assembled to the gaming board 5, the three general winning openings 2001 and the left sub-out opening 2021a protrude forward beyond the front surface of the gaming panel 1100. This side unit 2200 can guide a gaming ball B received in the general winning opening 2001 to the rear of the gaming panel 1100 and deliver it to the back ball guide unit 3100 of the back unit 3000. The gaming ball B delivered to the back ball guide unit 3100 of the back unit 3000 is detected by the general winning opening sensor 3001 and then discharged downward.

In addition, the side unit 2200 can guide the game ball B received in the left sub-outlet 2021a to the rear of the game panel 1100 and deliver it to the back ball guiding unit 3100 of the back unit 3000. The game ball B delivered to the back ball guiding unit 3100 of the back unit 3000 is discharged downward.

[5-9c. Upper left side unit]
Next, the upper left side unit 2300 of the front unit 2000 will be described mainly with reference to Figures 137 to 139 and 141. The upper left side unit 2300 of the front unit 2000 is attached to the gaming panel 1100 from the front, within the gaming area 5a, so as to contact the inner rail 1002 to the left of the side unit 2200. The upper left side unit 2300 has a shelf portion 2301 that is inclined so as to be lower to the right.

When the upper left side unit 2300 is assembled to the game board 5, the shelf portion 2301 protrudes forward beyond the front surface of the game panel 1100. The upper left side unit 2300 can use the shelf portion 2301 to guide the game ball B that has flowed down the left side of the center device 2500 to the right side, below the center device 2500.

[5-9d. Center role]
Next, the center role 2500 in the front unit 2000 will be described in detail, mainly with reference to Figures 137 to 139, 141 to 145, and 149 to 171. Figure 149(a) is a perspective view of the crane in the center distribution unit of the center role, seen from the front; (b) is a plan view of the crane in (a); and (c) is a cross-sectional view taken along the So-So line in (b). Figure 150(a) is an explanatory diagram showing a partial perspective view of the center distribution unit in the center role of the game board, and (b) is an explanatory diagram showing a partial plan view of the center distribution unit in the center role of the game board. Figure 151(a) is an explanatory diagram showing a crane in a different embodiment from that in Figure 149, (b) is an explanatory diagram showing a crane in a further different embodiment, and (c) is an explanatory diagram showing a distribution unit in a further different embodiment.

The center device 2500 of the front unit 2000 is located within the gaming area 5a, above the starting unit 2100 and slightly above the center when viewed from the front, and is attached to the front of the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100. The center device 2500 is formed in the shape of a transparent frame.

The center device 2500, details of which will be described later, comprises one general winning opening 2001 that is always open to accept game ball B, a gate 2002 through which game ball B can pass, a first upper starting opening 2004 that is always open to accept game ball B, a second starting opening 2005 that opens and closes to accept game ball B depending on the result of the lottery for the normal pattern drawn when game ball B passes through gate 2002, a first large winning opening 2006 and a second large winning opening 2007 that open and close to accept game ball B depending on the result of the lottery for the first special pattern drawn when game ball B is accepted into the first lower starting opening 2003 or the first upper starting opening 2004, or the second special pattern drawn when game ball B is accepted into second starting opening 2005, and a V winning opening 2008 that can only accept game ball B accepted into second large winning opening 2007.

The center device 2500 also has a losing port 2009 that accepts game balls B that have been accepted by the second large winning port 2007 but not by the V winning port 2008, and a right sub-outlet 2021b (sub-outlet 2021) that is always open to accept game balls B within the game area 5a and that discharges game balls B outside the game area 5a without granting any specified bonuses upon acceptance.

The center device 2500 comprises a frame-shaped main unit 2510 and an attacca unit 2600 attached to the lower right outer side of the main unit 2510. The main unit 2510 has a gate 2002 and a first upper starting opening 2004. The attacca unit 2600 has one general winning opening 2001, a second starting opening 2005, a first large winning opening 2006, a second large winning opening 2007, a V winning opening 2008, a losing opening 2009, and a right sub-out opening 2021b.

The center piece 2500 also has multiple binding bases 2550 that can be attached to the main unit 2510 or the attacca unit 2600. The binding bases 2550 will be described in detail below, but each binding base 2550 has a ring-shaped band holding portion 2552, and by bundling multiple wiring EC with a binding band CT passed through the band holding portion 2552, the multiple wiring EC can be supported (held) in a bundled state by the center piece 2500.

[5-9d-1. Main unit]
The main unit 2510 of the center role 2500 will be described in detail. The main unit 2510 has a gate 2002 and a first upper starting port 2004. The main unit 2510 comprises a transparent frame-shaped center base 2511 attached to the front of the game panel 1100 (panel board 1110), a lower warp passage 2512 and an upper warp passage 2513 each capable of guiding game balls B from the outside of the center base 2511 to the inside of the frame, a stage 2514 provided at the lower edge within the frame of the center base 2511, which rolls game balls B that have circulated through the lower warp passage 2512 in the left-right direction and then releases them into the game area 5a, and a center distribution unit 2520 provided above the stage 2514 within the frame of the center base 2511, which distributes game balls B that have circulated through the upper warp passage 2513 to either the first upper starting port 2004 or a distributed ball discharge port 2526 (not shown).

The center base 2511 has a frame-shaped peripheral wall portion 2511a extending in the front-to-rear direction, a flat flange portion 2511b protruding from the outer periphery of the peripheral wall portion 2511a and abutting the front surface of the panel plate 1110 of the gaming panel 1100, and a flat support portion 2511c protruding from the inner periphery of the peripheral wall portion 2511a. When assembled to the gaming board 5, the rear end of the peripheral wall portion 2511a extends rearward to a position that coincides with the rear surface of the panel plate 1110 of the gaming panel 1100. Furthermore, when assembled to the gaming board 5, the front end of the peripheral wall portion 2511a, excluding the bottom edge of the frame shape (annular), protrudes forward beyond the front surface of the panel plate 1110 of the gaming panel 1100. In other words, at the bottom edge of the frame of the center base 2511, a flange 2511b extends outward from the front end of the peripheral wall 2511a. As a result, when assembled to the gaming board 5, the peripheral wall 2511a prevents the game ball B from entering the frame from the outside of the center gadget 2500.

The thickness of the flange portion 2511b and the support portion 2511c is thinner than the thickness of the panel plate 1110 (1/4 to 1/5 the thickness of the panel plate 1110). The flange portion 2511b and the support portion 2511c protrude from the peripheral wall portion 2511a at the same position in the front-to-rear direction. Therefore, the distance from the rear surface of the support portion 2511c (flange portion 2511b) to the rear end of the peripheral wall portion 2511a is the same as the thickness of the panel plate 1110.

Multiple support portions 2511c are provided partially on the inner periphery of the peripheral wall portion 2511a. Support portions 2511c are also provided in areas of the peripheral wall portion 2511a where the flange portion 2511b does not protrude, reinforcing the peripheral wall portion 2511a. The edges of the support portions 2511c protruding from the peripheral wall portion 2511a are formed in a shape that follows the front shape of the peripheral wall portion 2511a or in a straight line, preventing the support portions 2511c from standing out. The amount of protrusion of the support portions 2511c from the peripheral wall portion 2511a is within the range between the thickness of the support portions 2511c and the thickness of the panel board 1110 (1 mm to 10 mm), ensuring that the support portions 2511c are not noticeable to players while still providing a reinforcing effect.

The lower warp passage 2512 opens to allow game balls B within the game area 5a to enter, at a location on the left side of the peripheral wall portion 2511a when viewed from the front, ahead of the front surface (flange portion 2511b) of the game panel 1100 (panel board 1110). The lower warp passage 2512 can guide the game balls B that have entered to the stage 2514.

The upper warp passage 2513 opens at a location forward of the flange portion 2511b on the peripheral wall portion 2511a and above the lower warp passage 2512, allowing game balls B within the game area 5a to enter. The upper warp passage 2513 can guide the game balls B that have entered to the center distribution unit 2520.

The stage 2514 is curved with a recessed central portion in the left-right direction, and is formed in a wavy (W-shaped) shape so that the position corresponding to directly above the first lower starting opening 2003 of the starting opening unit 2100, that is, the approximate central position in the left-right direction when the center device 2500 is attached to the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100, is slightly higher than either side of it. This stage 2514 has a central release section 2514a that is slightly higher than either side of it in the left-right direction, and the lowest sections on either side of it (side release sections 2514b) are inclined so that they slope downward toward the front, and game balls B can be released into the gaming area 5a from these sections.

When the stage 2514 is assembled to the game board 5, its elevated central portion in the left-right direction (central release section 2514a) is located directly above the first lower starting opening 2003 of the starting opening unit 2100. As a result, when a game ball B is released from the central release section 2514a in the center of the stage 2514, there is an extremely high probability that it will be received by the first lower starting opening 2003.

The center distribution unit 2520 has a dish-shaped crane 2530 that rotates game balls B guided by the upper warp passage 2513 and then releases them downward, a first guideway 2521 that guides game balls B released from the crane 2530 to the right, a distribution ball outlet 2526 that is concave downward to the right of the first guideway 2521, a second guideway 2522 that guides game balls B to the right to the distribution ball outlet 2526 and has a first upper starting port 2004 opening at its right end (downstream end), and a flat center distribution piece 2523 that is arranged above the distribution ball outlet 2526 and can move back and forth in the forward and backward directions and can guide game balls B from the first guideway 2521 to the second guideway 2522 by moving forward.

The center distribution unit 2520 can distribute game balls B that enter the upper warp passage 2513 to either the first upper starting port 2004 or the distribution ball discharge port 2526.

As shown in FIG. 141, the main unit 2510 is provided on the right outer side of the frame-shaped peripheral wall portion 2511a and has an upper right guide passage group 2541 consisting of multiple passages (two in this case) through which game ball B can pass, and a lower right guide passage group 2542 provided below the upper right guide passage group 2541 and consisting of multiple passages (two in this case) through which game ball B can pass. Between the upper right guide passage group 2541 and the lower right guide passage group 2542, there is a portion where the game panel 1100 (panel board 1110) is exposed, and a plurality of obstacle nails (not shown) are planted in this portion.

The upper right guide passage group 2541 is located outside the peripheral wall portion 2511a at the upper right corner of the center device 2500, and is composed of the upper right first guide passage 2541a, which is separated from the peripheral wall portion 2511a, and the upper right second guide passage 2541b, which is located to the right of the upper right first guide passage 2541a. The left side wall of the upper right second guide passage 2541b is formed by part of the peripheral wall portion 2511a. The entrances to the upper right first guide passage 2541a and the upper right second guide passage 2541b are spaced apart from each other on the left and right. The exits of the upper right first guide passage 2541a and the upper right second guide passage 2541b are adjacent to each other on the left and right at the same height. The upper right first guide passage 2541a and the upper right second guide passage 2541b extend downward with a width slightly wider than the diameter of the game ball B. In this upper right guide passage group 2541, the upper right second guide passage 2541b is longer than the upper right first guide passage 2541a.

The lower-right guide passage group 2542 is located below the upper-right guide passage group 2541 and is composed of a lower-right first guide passage 2542a, which is spaced apart from the peripheral wall portion 2511a, and a lower-right second guide passage 2542b, which is located to the left of the lower-right first guide passage 2542a. The left wall of the lower-right second guide passage 2542b is formed by a portion of the peripheral wall portion 2511a. The entrances to the lower-right first guide passage 2542a and the lower-right second guide passage 2542b are located adjacent to each other on the left and right.

The entrance to the lower right first guide passage 2542a has a width in the left-right direction that is more than twice the diameter of game ball B, and gate 2002 is provided so that it abuts the left wall. In other words, the lower right first guide passage 2542a has two entrances: one that passes through gate 2002 on the left side, and one that does not pass through gate 2002 on the right side. Gate 2002, one of the entrances to the lower right first guide passage 2542a, is provided directly below the exit of the upper right first guide passage 2541a and the exit of the upper right second guide passage 2541b. The width of the lower right first guide passage 2542a in the left-right direction narrows below gate 2002, and it extends downward to a width slightly larger than the diameter of game ball B.

The entrance to the lower right second guide passage 2542b is located adjacent to the left of the gate 2002, and is formed with a width in the left-right direction slightly larger than the diameter of the game ball B. The lower right second guide passage 2542b extends downward at a roughly constant width. The exits of the lower right first guide passage 2542a and the lower right second guide passage 2542b are located adjacent to each other on the left and right at the same height.

When the center device 2500 is assembled to the gaming board 5, the upper right guide passage group 2541 extends downward from near the top of the gaming area 5a to a height of approximately 4/5 of the total height of the gaming area 5a. The lower right guide passage group 2542 extends downward from a position slightly higher than 2/3 of the total height of the gaming area 5a to a position slightly lower than 1/2 of the total height of the gaming area 5a. The upper right guide passage group 2541 and the lower right guide passage group 2542 are formed so that their right ends follow the right rail 1005.

The right end of the entrance of the first upper right guide passage 2541a of the upper right guide passage group 2541 is located directly below the lower end of the impact stop 1006 of the previous component 1000, and is configured so that most game balls B that come into contact with the impact stop 1006 enter the first upper right guide passage 2541a. Game balls B that have passed through the first upper right guide passage 2541a are more likely to enter the first lower right guide passage 2542a of the lower right guide passage group 2542 than game balls B that have passed through the second upper right guide passage 2541b.

The exit of the lower right guide passage group 2542 is offset to the left of the right rail 1005. A game ball B that flows through the lower right first guide passage 2542a of the lower right guide passage group 2542 is likely to flow down onto the attacca upper shelf 2612 of the attacca unit 2600. Furthermore, a game ball B that flows through the lower right second guide passage 2542b of the lower right guide passage group 2542 is likely to be released into the central opening 2605 and right opening 2606 located to the right of the attacca upper shelf 2612 of the attacca unit 2600.

The main unit 2510, details of which will be described later, has a binding base 2550 attached to the rear side of the center base 2511 (see Figures 166 to 170, etc.). The binding base 2550 has an annular band holding portion 2552, and by bundling multiple wiring EC with a binding band CT passed through the band holding portion 2552, the multiple wiring EC can be supported by the center base 2511 in a bundled state.

[5-9d-1a. Center distribution unit]
The center distribution unit 2520 in the main unit 2510 of the center gimmick 2500 will be explained in further detail mainly with reference to Figures 149 and 150, etc. The center distribution unit 2520 has a dish-shaped crane 2530 that rotates the game balls B guided by the upper warp passage 2513 and then releases them downward, a first guide path 2521 that guides the game balls B released from the crane 2530 to the right, a distribution ball discharge outlet 2526 that is concave downward to the right of the first guide path 2521, a second guide path 2522 that guides the game balls B to the right to the distribution ball discharge outlet 2526 and has a first upper starting port 2004 opening at its right end (downstream end), and a flat center distribution piece 2523 that is arranged above the distribution ball discharge outlet 2526 and can move back and forth in the forward and backward directions and can guide the game balls B from the first guide path 2521 to the second guide path 2522 by moving forward.

The ball distributing outlet 2526 and center distributing piece 2523 of the center distributing unit 2520 are located directly above the stage 2514 (approximately in the center in the left-right direction), and are formed with a left-right length of 60 mm to 70 mm (65 mm in this case). The center distributing piece 2523 of the center distributing unit 2520 advances and retreats in a predetermined pattern by the center distributing drive motor 2525 (see Figure 203). The center distributing piece 2523 is inclined by a predetermined width from the front end to the rear, with the underside moving upward as it moves forward. In other words, it is tapered so that the front end becomes thinner. This makes it difficult for the front end of the center distributing piece 2523 to catch the game ball B when the center distributing piece 2523 moves forward, and even if it does catch, friction is reduced to minimize the chance of it getting caught.

As shown in FIG. 150(b), the center distribution unit 2520 also has a distributed ball entry sensor 2527 that detects game balls B that have entered the upper warp passage 2513, a first upper starting port sensor 2524 that detects game balls B that have been guided to the right by the center distribution piece 2523 and passed through the second guide path 2522 to be received at the first upper starting port 2004, and a distributed ball discharge sensor 2528 that detects game balls B that cannot be guided to the second guide path 2522 by the center distribution piece 2523 and are instead received at the distributed ball discharge port 2526. The distributed ball entry sensor 2527 and distributed ball discharge sensor 2528 are connected to the peripheral control board 1510 (see FIG. 203).

This center distribution unit 2520 can distribute game balls B that circulate through the upper warp passage 2513, are detected by the distribution ball entry sensor 2527, and are released from the crane 2530 to the second guideway 2522 with a predetermined probability (for example, 1/2), and game balls B distributed to the second guideway 2522 are received by the first upper starting port 2004. Game balls B received by the first upper starting port 2004 are detected by the first upper starting port sensor 2524 (see Figures 150(b) and 203), and are then handed over to the back ball guiding unit 3100 of the back unit 3000 and discharged downward via the back ball guiding unit 3100. This keeps players on the edge of their seats, depending on whether game ball B entering the upper warp passage 2513 from within the game area 5a is diverted to the second guideway 2522 (first upper starting gate 2004) by the center distribution piece 2523, which moves back and forth at a constant rhythm. At this time, game ball B rotates somewhat in the crane 2530, which is located upstream of the center distribution piece 2523, before being released onto the first guideway 2521. This keeps players on the edge of their seats, depending on whether game ball B is released from the crane 2530 at the right timing for the center distribution piece 2523, which appears to be moving back and forth, to protrude forward and guide (distribute) game ball B to the first upper starting gate 2004, providing players with multiple levels of entertainment.

Meanwhile, in the center distribution unit 2520, game ball B that falls into the distribution ball outlet 2526 is detected by the distribution ball discharge sensor 2528, and then handed over to the back ball guiding unit 3100 of the back unit 3000, where it is discharged downward via the back ball guiding unit 3100.

The crane 2530 of the central distribution unit 2520 is formed to be transparent. This crane 2530 has a dish-shaped rolling surface portion 2531 that is recessed so that the center is lower and into which game balls B that have circulated through the upper warp passage 2513 are supplied, a passage opening 2532 that penetrates the center of the rolling surface portion 2531 and is large enough to allow only one game ball B to pass through, and a peripheral wall portion 2533 that extends upward from the outer periphery of the rolling surface portion 2531.

The rolling surface portion 2531 of the crane 2530 is composed of a central surface portion 2531a that extends outward from the center, increasing in height, and a peripheral surface portion 2531b that extends outward from the outer periphery of the central surface portion 2531a, increasing in height, and is at a larger angle from the horizontal than the central surface portion 2531a. In this embodiment, the central surface portion 2531a of the rolling surface portion 2531 is inclined at an angle of 4 degrees from the horizontal. On the other hand, the peripheral surface portion 2531b is inclined at an angle of 20 degrees from the horizontal.

The rolling surface portion 2531 is formed so that the boundary between the central surface portion 2531a and the peripheral edge surface portion 2531b creates a predetermined gap between the game ball B and the peripheral wall portion 2533 when the game ball B is in contact with both the central surface portion 2531a and the peripheral edge surface portion 2531b (see Figure 149 (c)). In other words, the boundary between the central surface portion 2531a and the peripheral edge surface portion 2531b is located at a distance from the inner peripheral surface of the peripheral wall portion 2533 toward the center that is longer than the radius of the game ball B. It is desirable that the distance (horizontal distance) from the boundary between the central surface portion 2531a and the peripheral edge surface portion 2531b to the inner peripheral surface of the peripheral wall portion 2533 be within the range of 3/5 to 5/5 of the diameter of the game ball B.

As shown in Figure 149, the passage opening 2532 of the crane 2530 has a square inner periphery, i.e., a non-circular shape. This passage opening 2532 penetrates a square inscribed circle that is slightly larger than the diameter of the game ball B. The passage opening 2532 is arranged so that its diagonal extends in the front-to-back direction. In addition, the passage opening 2532 is formed so that it becomes smaller as it extends downward, making it easier to release the game ball B straight down.

The peripheral wall portion 2533 extends upward to a height higher than the diameter of the game ball B. This prevents the game ball B supplied to the rolling surface portion 2531 from flying outward from the rolling surface portion 2531.

In this embodiment, the game ball B that has flowed through the upper warp passage 2513 is supplied from left to right near the outer peripheral edge of the rear of the rolling surface portion 2531. The momentum of the game ball B supplied to the crane 2530 causes it to rotate clockwise on the peripheral surface portion 2531b of the rolling surface portion 2531 while in contact with the inner peripheral surface of the peripheral wall portion 2533. As the rolling speed decreases, the centrifugal force acting on the game ball B decreases, so that the radius of its rotation gradually decreases as it descends the peripheral surface portion 2531b and moves away from the inner peripheral surface of the peripheral wall portion 2533 toward the center.

When the swirling game ball B reaches the central surface 2531a from the peripheral surface 2531b, the inclination angle of the central surface 2531a is sufficiently gentler (smaller) than the inclination angle of the peripheral surface 2531b, so that due to the centrifugal force acting on the game ball B due to its rolling speed, the game ball B will continue to rotate for a while while in contact with both the central surface 2531a and the peripheral surface 2531b. As the rolling speed of the game ball B subsequently decreases, the centrifugal force acting on the game ball B further decreases, causing the turning radius to gradually decrease as the game ball descends the central surface 2531a, enter the passage 2532 located in the center of the central surface 2531a, and fall into the first guideway 2521 below.

More specifically, because the angle of inclination of the peripheral surface 2531b is large and steep, the game ball B supplied to the crane 2530 does not circle repeatedly while in contact with the inner surface of the peripheral wall 2533, but rather circles while in contact with both the central surface 2531a and the peripheral surface 2531b without coming into contact with the inner surface of the peripheral wall 2533. Because the crane 2530 (peripheral wall 2533) is transparent, the game ball B appears to circle while in contact with the peripheral wall 2533, which does not cause any discomfort to players accustomed to the crane of conventional pachinko machines.

In the case of the crane in conventional pachinko machines, game ball B rotates while contacting the peripheral wall, so when the pachinko machine is struck and a force is applied in the forward/backward direction, it is possible to change the rolling direction of game ball B from the rotating direction to the direction of the central passage opening via the peripheral wall.This creates the problem of fraudulent activity of game ball B entering the passage opening at the desired timing, specifically, at the timing when the central distribution piece 2523 can protrude forward and distribute game ball B to the first upper starting opening 2004, since the player can see the center distribution piece 2523 moving back and forth. In contrast, with the crane 2530 of this embodiment, the inclination of the peripheral surface 2531b of the rolling surface 2531 allows the game ball B to rotate at a position away from the peripheral wall 2533. Therefore, even if the pachinko machine 1 is hit or shaken to cause abnormal vibrations or impacts at the timing when the center distribution piece 2523, which appears to be moving back and forth, can protrude forward and distribute the game ball B to the first upper starting port 2004, the abnormal vibrations or impacts will not be transmitted to the game ball B via the peripheral wall 2533, and the rolling direction of the game ball B can be prevented from changing toward the passage port 2532.

In addition, abnormal vibrations and impacts caused by hitting or shaking the pachinko machine 1 will also act on the rolling surface portion 2531, but because the point of contact between the game ball B and the rolling surface portion 2531 (peripheral surface portion 2531b) is located sufficiently below the center of gravity of the game ball B, the force acting from the abnormal vibrations and impacts will cause the peripheral surface portion 2531b to move relative to the game ball B, so that it sinks below the game ball B, and the rolling direction of the game ball B will not be changed even via the peripheral surface portion 2531b.

As a result, abnormal vibrations or impacts caused by hitting or shaking the pachinko machine 1 can be prevented from acting via the peripheral surface 2531b on the game ball B rolling on the rolling surface 2531 and changing its rolling direction. Therefore, even if the pachinko machine 1 is hit or shaken to cause abnormal vibrations or impacts at a time when the center distribution piece 2523, which appears to move back and forth, can protrude forward and distribute the game ball B to the first upper starting port 2004, the abnormal vibrations or impacts will cause the game ball B to roll in the direction of the passage port 2532, preventing fraudulent activity such as illegally entering the passage port 2532 and reducing the burden on the amusement hall in which the pachinko machine 1 is installed.

In addition, the Kruun 2530 of this embodiment has a non-circular square inner periphery shape for the passage opening 2532 located in the center (centre) of the rolling surface portion 2531, which provides the following excellent operational effects. Specifically, if the inner periphery shape of the passage opening in the Kruun is circular, as in conventional pachinko machines, game ball B may spin around the edge of the passage opening multiple times more than necessary, depending on the rolling direction and speed of game ball B relative to the passage opening. Then, while game ball B is spinning around the edge of the passage opening, it is possible to delay or speed up the entry of game ball B into the passage opening by hitting or shaking the pachinko machine to apply abnormal vibrations or impacts. For this reason, there is a risk that fraudulent activity could be achieved by hitting or shaking the pachinko machine 1 to cause abnormal vibrations or impacts at the time when game ball B is being guided to the second guideway 2522 (first upper starting opening 2004) by the center distribution piece 2523, which appears to be moving back and forth. This means that when the pachinko machine 1 is installed in an island facility in an amusement hall, the front of the pachinko machine 1 is exposed from the island facility, making it easier for players in front of the pachinko machine 1 to apply force backward (front-to-back) to the pachinko machine 1 rather than left-to-right or up-to-down. Therefore, fraudulent abnormal vibrations and impacts caused by hitting or shaking the game machine primarily act in the front-to-back direction.

In response to the above-mentioned problems, in this embodiment, the inner periphery of the passage opening 2532 of the crane 2530 is a non-circular square, with the diagonal extending in the front-to-rear direction. Therefore, game ball B, which is rotating on the rolling surface 2531 while gradually reducing its turning radius, first comes into contact with one of the four corners of the passage opening 2532. Contact with the corner significantly reduces the rolling speed of game ball B, allowing game ball B to quickly enter the passage opening 2532. Furthermore, because the inner periphery of the passage opening 2532 is a square, even if game ball B rolls along one side of the passage opening 2532, the end of that side abuts against the next side, which extends 90 degrees in a different direction. Therefore, a reaction force acts on game ball B in the opposite direction to the rolling direction, preventing game ball B from spinning around the edge of the passage opening 2532. For this reason, even if someone tries to illegally cause game ball B to enter through passage opening 2532 by hitting or shaking pachinko machine 1 to cause abnormal vibrations or impacts at the timing when center distribution piece 2523, which appears to be moving back and forth, can protrude forward and distribute game ball B to first upper starting opening 2004, as soon as game ball B comes into contact with passage opening 2532, it will immediately enter passage opening 2532, making it difficult to find the right timing to commit illegal acts and preventing illegal acts.

Furthermore, because the diagonal of the passage opening 2532 faces in the front-to-back direction, each side that constitutes the periphery of the passage opening 2532 extends in a direction that intersects with the left-to-right direction (diagonally). This shortens the relative movement distance between game ball B and the edge (side) of the passage opening 2532 due to abnormal vibrations or impacts in the front-to-back direction caused by hitting or shaking the pachinko machine 1, compared to when the edge (side) of the passage opening extends in the left-to-right direction, thereby reducing the impact of abnormal vibrations or impacts. Therefore, even if an attempt is made to adjust the timing of game ball B's entry into the passage opening 2532 by hitting or shaking the pachinko machine 1 to cause abnormal vibrations or impacts, when game ball B attempts to enter the passage opening 2532, by delaying or advancing the timing, the impact of the abnormal vibrations or impacts on game ball B can be reduced, thereby preventing fraudulent activity.

In addition, because the diagonal of the square passage opening 2532 in the crown 2530 faces the front-to-rear direction, the shape of the passage opening 2532 can be more easily seen when viewed from a player seated in front of the pachinko machine 1. Therefore, the player can see the crown 2530 (rolling surface portion 2531) with the passage opening 2532, which is a non-circular square (appears to be diamond-shaped in this case), which has never been seen in pachinko machines 1 before, making a strong impact on the player and providing a pachinko machine 1 that is highly appealing to players. This also makes it easier for players to select this pachinko machine 1 as their gaming machine, making playing with this pachinko machine 1 more enjoyable and preventing a decline in interest.

In the above embodiment, the peripheral surface portion 2531b of the rolling surface portion 2531 is shown as being linearly inclined in cross section, but this is not limited to this. It may also be inclined in an arc shape with a radius larger than the radius of the game ball B, or inclined in a broken line shape. This also achieves the same effect as above.

In addition, in the above embodiment, the peripheral surface 2531b is provided at a different inclination angle from the central surface 2531a to allow the game ball B to roll on the rolling surface 2531 in a manner that makes it less likely for the game ball B to come into contact with the peripheral wall 2533. However, this is not limited to this, and it is also possible to provide a protrusion that protrudes from the rolling surface 2531 to a height that allows the game ball B to climb over it, or to provide a stepped portion that is formed in a stepped shape so that the outer periphery of the rolling surface 2531 is higher, or to provide a groove that is recessed so that the outer periphery of the rolling surface 2531 is higher. This can also achieve the same effect as above.

Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the non-circular passage opening 2532 of the crane 2530 has a square inner periphery. However, this is not limited to this. The inner periphery of the passage opening 2532 may be star-shaped, as shown in FIG. 151(a). This not only achieves the same effects as above, but also allows players to see the pachinko machine 1 with a star-shaped passage opening 2532 that has never been seen in pachinko machines before. This makes a strong impact on players, increases their anticipation for the game ball B circulating through the crane 2530, and prevents a decline in the player's interest in the game. The inner periphery of the passage opening 2532 may also be non-circular, such as a "triangle," "square," "pentagon," "hexagon," "polygon," "oval," "diamond," "heart," "clover," "spade," or "irregular shape."

In addition, while the above embodiment shows a configuration in which only one passage opening 2532 is provided on the rolling surface portion 2531 of the crane 2530, this is not limited to this. As shown in FIG. 151(b), multiple (four in this case) passage openings 2532 may be provided on the rolling surface portion 2531. When multiple passage openings 2532 are provided, different benefits may be awarded to the player depending on the passage opening 2532 through which the game ball B enters. In the embodiment of FIG. 151(b), the inner peripheral shapes of the four passage openings 2532 are different from one another, such as a diamond shape, a heart shape, a clover shape, and a spade shape. This not only achieves the same effects as above, but also keeps the player on the edge of their seat depending on whether the game ball B enters the passage opening 2532 of the desired shape, entertaining the player and preventing a decline in interest.

In addition, in the above embodiment, a non-circular passing port 2532 is provided on the dish-shaped crane 2530 in the center distribution unit 2520, but this is not limited to this, and non-circular winning and losing ports may also be provided on the flat rolling surface portion of the distribution unit 2800 as shown in Figure 151 (c). In more detail, the sorting unit 2800 has a flat rolling surface portion 2803 that is inclined so that it slopes downward toward the front and has losing holes 2802 on either the left or right side of a single winning hole 2801 near its front end; a guide surface portion 2804 that guides game balls B released forward from the front end of the rolling surface portion 2803 outward in either the left or right direction; side surface portions 2805 that are provided on the left and right sides of the guide surface portion 2804 and the rolling surface portion 2803 and are inclined so that their rear ends coincide with the rear end of the rolling surface portion 2803 and their front ends are located lower than the downstream end of the guide surface portion 2804; a central rotor 2806 that is provided near the rear end of the rolling surface portion 2803; and lateral rotors 2807 that are provided near the front ends of the side surface portions 2805.

The sorting unit 2800 also has weir portions 2808 that protrude upward from both the left and right sides of the rolling surface portion 2803, and a peripheral wall portion 2809 that extends upward from the periphery of the area formed by the rolling surface portion 2803, the guide surface portion 2804, and the two side surface portions 2805 to a height higher than the diameter of the game ball B. The weir portions 2808 prevent the game ball B from entering or exiting from both the left and right sides of the rolling surface portion 2803. The peripheral wall portion 2809 also prevents the game ball B from falling out of the sorting unit 2800.

The peripheral wall portion 2809 has a bullet-like external shape in a plan view, with the rear end semicircular and the length in the front-to-rear direction approximately equal to the diameter of the semicircular arc. The length in the front-to-rear direction of the peripheral wall portion 2809 is 2.5 times the diameter of the central rotating body 2806. In other words, the diameter of the central rotating body 2806 is 0.4 times the length in the front-to-rear direction of the peripheral wall portion 2809. The diameter of the central rotating body 2806 is just over four times the diameter of game ball B (e.g., 11 mm), and the length in the front-to-rear direction of the peripheral wall portion 2809 is approximately 10.5 times the diameter of game ball B. The length in the left-to-right direction (width) of the rolling surface portion 2803 is just over five times the diameter of game ball B, and the length in the front-to-rear direction (depth) is 5 to 7 times the diameter of game ball B.

The rolling surface portion 2803 is formed in a roughly rectangular shape, with a length in the front-to-back direction slightly longer than the diameter of the central rotating body 2806 and a length in the left-to-right direction longer than the length in the front-to-back direction. The rear end of the rolling surface portion 2803 extends forward of the center of the central rotating body 2806, with both left and right sides bent diagonally toward the central rotating body 2806. The rolling surface portion 2803 is only inclined in the front-to-back direction, but is horizontal in the left-to-right direction. Near the front end of this rolling surface portion 2803, there are losing openings 2802 on both the left and right sides, with a winning opening 2801 in the center in the left-to-right direction between them. The winning opening 2801 and losing opening 2802 are rectangular holes of the same size with square inner peripheries, and their diagonals are oriented in the front-to-back direction.

The central rotor 2806 is disk-shaped and has multiple protrusions that protrude upward. This central rotor 2806 constantly rotates at a constant speed in a counterclockwise direction when viewed from above.

The horizontal rotor 2807 constantly rotates at a faster speed than the central rotor 2806. The horizontal rotor 2807 has one protrusion protruding perpendicular to the axial direction, which allows the game ball B to be hit into the rear end of the side surface portion 2805. The left horizontal rotor 2807 rotates counterclockwise in a plan view, and the right horizontal rotor 2807 rotates clockwise in a plan view.

In the sorting unit 2800 of this embodiment, the central rotor 2806 rotates at 16.7 rpm, while the lateral rotor 2807 rotates at 625 rpm, which is much faster than the central rotor 2806. Because the lateral rotor 2807 rotates at such a high speed, even if a detection piece is attached to the lateral rotor 2807 to detect its rotation, the sensor may not be able to reliably detect the detection piece. Specifically, the sensor that detects the detection piece operates at regular intervals to detect the detection piece. Therefore, if the detection piece, its rotation period, and the sensor's detection period were the same, the detection piece may not be detected at all. Therefore, the sensor's detection period must be significantly shorter than the rotation period of the detection piece. Furthermore, if the rotation period of the detection piece becomes faster and shorter, the sensor's detection period must also be shorter. However, shortening the sensor's detection period requires frequent signal exchange between the sensor and the control unit, which increases the load on the control unit and increases the risk of runaway or malfunction due to overload.

In contrast, this embodiment has a detection reduction gear (not shown) that transmits rotation from the rotation axis of the horizontal rotor 2807 at a reduced speed (for example, to 250 rpm), and a detection piece is attached to the detection reduction gear to detect the rotation using a sensor. This slows the rotation speed of the detection piece used to detect the rotation of the horizontal rotor 2807, allowing the sensor to reliably detect the rotation and determine whether the horizontal rotor 2807 is rotating. Furthermore, because the rotation speed of the detection piece is slowed, there is no need to unnecessarily shorten the detection cycle of the sensor, allowing for an appropriate detection cycle and suppressing an increase in the load on the main control board 1310.

In this distribution unit 2800, for example, a game ball B received in a predetermined variable winning opening is supplied near the right end of the guide surface 2804. The game ball B supplied near the right end of the guide surface 2804 rolls near the front end of the right side surface 2805, and is then bounced backward by the horizontal rotor 2807 rotating near the front end of the side surface 2805. The game ball B that has been bounced backward then passes through the central rotor 2806 from the rear end of the side surface 2805 and enters the rolling surface 2803, where it rolls forward due to the inclination of the rolling surface 2803. The game ball B is then received in either the winning opening 2801 or the losing opening 2802 located near the front end of the rolling surface 2803, or passes beside them and enters the guide surface 2804. A game ball B that enters the guiding surface 2804 from the rolling surface 2803 will roll onto either the left or right side surface 2805, depending on the part of the ball that entered. Similarly to its movement on the side surface 2805 described above, a game ball B that rolls from the guiding surface 2804 onto the left side surface 2805 will be bounced off the rotating horizontal rotating body 2807 and enter the rolling surface 2803 from the rear end of the side surface 2805, passing through the central rotating body 2806.

In this way, in the distribution unit 2800, the basic flow of the game ball B supplied to the rolling surface portion 2803 is to travel from either the left or right side surface portion 2805, pass through the central rotating body 2806, roll on the rolling surface portion 2803, and then be sent to either the left or right side surface portion 2805 by the guide surface portion 2804, and this is repeated until the game ball B is received by either the winning port 2801 or the losing port 2802.

If the inner shape of the winning opening 2801 and losing opening 2802 serving as passing openings provided on the rolling surface portion 2803 is circular, depending on the rolling direction and speed of game ball B relative to the passing opening, game ball B may be kicked into the passing opening (lip-out in golf terminology) and roll away from the passing opening. If game ball B is kicked into the passing opening (winning opening 2801) and enters another passing opening (losing opening 2802), game ball B may think it has entered winning opening 2801, but then be kicked by winning opening 2801 and enter the adjacent losing opening 2802, which may disappoint the player and reduce their interest. Furthermore, this phenomenon can cause greater variation in the probability of game ball B being received by winning slot 2801 (winning probability) on rolling surface 2803 (sorting unit 2800), making the probability of receiving ball B by winning slot 2801 unstable, which could lead to distrust among players and make it difficult to provide pachinko machines with the same performance.

In this embodiment, the inner periphery of the winning opening 2801 and the losing opening 2802 is a square, non-circular shape. Therefore, when game ball B contacts the edge of the winning opening 2801 or the losing opening 2802, it is quickly accepted into the winning opening 2801 or the losing opening 2802 that it contacted. Game ball B will not be kicked into the winning opening 2801 or the losing opening 2802 and accepted into another losing opening 2802 or winning opening 2801. This prevents game ball B from being kicked into an adjacent winning opening 2801 or the losing opening 2802, reducing the chance of game ball B unnecessarily entering the losing opening 2802 and disappointing the player, and preventing a decline in the player's interest in the game. Furthermore, by preventing game ball B from being received by the winning opening 2801 when it is not planned, the variation in the probability of game ball B being received by the winning opening 2801 can be reduced, which prevents players from feeling distrustful and ensures that pachinko machines 1 with the same performance and probability of receiving game ball B into the winning opening 2801 can be provided.

In addition, the inner periphery of the winning opening 2801 and the losing opening 2802 is a non-circular square, and its diagonal extends in the front-to-back direction. This means that each side that makes up the periphery of the winning opening 2801 and the losing opening 2802 extends in a direction that intersects with the left-to-right direction (diagonally). Therefore, compared to when the edges (sides) of the winning opening 2801 and the losing opening 2802 extend in the left-to-right direction, the relative movement distance between the game ball B and the edges (sides) of the winning opening 2801 and the losing opening 2802 caused by abnormal vibrations or impacts in the front-to-back direction when the pachinko machine 1 is struck or shaken can be shortened, thereby reducing the impact of abnormal vibrations, impacts, etc. Therefore, even if the pachinko machine 1 is struck or shaken, causing abnormal vibrations or impacts when game ball B enters the winning opening 2801, the effects of such abnormal vibrations or impacts can be reduced, preventing the achievement of fraudulent acts such as illegally causing game ball B to enter the winning opening 2801.

Furthermore, the dam portion 2808 provided along both the left and right sides of the rolling surface portion 2803 protrudes upward by a distance shorter than the radius of the game ball B. Therefore, even if the pachinko machine 1 is struck or shaken to cause abnormal vibrations or impacts in the left-right direction when the game ball B is in contact with the dam portion 2808 on the rolling surface portion 2803, the point of contact between the game ball B and the dam portion 2808 is located sufficiently below the center of gravity of the game ball B. Therefore, the force acting due to the abnormal vibrations or impacts will cause the dam portion 2808 to move relative to the game ball B, so that it sinks below the game ball B. Therefore, the rolling direction of the game ball B will not be changed from the forward direction to the left-right direction via the dam portion 2808. Therefore, abnormal vibrations or impacts caused by hitting or shaking the pachinko machine 1 can be prevented from acting via the weir portion 2808 on the game ball B rolling on the rolling surface portion 2803 and changing its rolling direction. This prevents the abnormal vibrations or impacts from causing the game ball B to roll towards the winning opening 2801, preventing fraudulent acts such as the game ball being fraudulently accepted into the winning opening 2801 and reducing the burden on the gaming hall in which the pachinko machine 1 is installed.

Furthermore, because the diagonals of the squares of the winning slot 2801 and the losing slot 2802 extend in the front-to-rear direction, the shapes of the winning slot 2801 and the losing slot 2802 can be more easily seen when viewed from a player seated in front of the pachinko machine 1. Therefore, the player can see the sorting unit 2800, which has a rolling surface 2803 with the winning slot 2801 and the losing slot 2802, which are square (appearing to be diamond-shaped in this case), a non-circular shape never before seen in pachinko machines 1. This makes a strong impact on the player, making it possible to provide a pachinko machine 1 that is highly appealing to players and making it easier for players to select this pachinko machine 1 as their gaming machine, thereby making playing with this pachinko machine 1 more enjoyable and preventing a decline in interest.

In the above embodiment, the non-circular winning opening 2801 and losing opening 2802 are shown to have the same shape, but this is not limited to this. The inner peripheral shapes of the winning opening 2801 and losing opening 2802 may be different from each other, making the winning opening 2801 more noticeable.

[5-9d-2. Attacker Unit]
The attacca unit 2600 of the center role 2500 will be described in detail mainly with reference to Figures 152 to 164. Figure 152(a) is an exploded perspective view of the attacca unit of the center role, with a portion disassembled and viewed from the front, and Figure 152(b) is an exploded perspective view of the attacca unit, with a portion disassembled and viewed from the rear. Figure 153 is an exploded perspective view of the attacca unit of the center role, with a portion disassembled and viewed from the front, and Figure 154 is an exploded perspective view of the attacca unit of the center role, with a portion disassembled and viewed from the rear. Figure 155(a) is a perspective view of the second start opening/closing unit, first large prize opening opening/closing unit, second large prize opening opening/closing unit, and V distribution unit of the attacca unit, as viewed from the front, and Figure 155(b) is a perspective view of the second start opening/closing unit, first large prize opening opening/closing unit, second large prize opening opening/closing unit, and V distribution unit of the attacca unit, as viewed from the rear.

Figure 156 (a) is an exploded perspective view of the second starting port opening/closing unit in the attacca unit of the center role piece, viewed from the front, and (b) is an exploded perspective view of the second starting port opening/closing unit, viewed from the rear. Figure 157 (a) is an oblique view of the second starting port opening/closing unit when the second starting port is closed, (b) is an oblique view of the second starting port opening/closing unit when the second starting port is open, (c) is an explanatory diagram showing the state of each component of the second starting port opening/closing unit when the second starting port is closed, and (d) is an explanatory diagram showing the state of each component of the second starting port opening/closing unit when the second starting port is open.

Figure 158(a) is an exploded perspective view of the first major prize opening opening/closing unit in the attacca unit of the center role-playing device, viewed from the front, and (b) is an exploded perspective view of the first major prize opening opening/closing unit, viewed from the rear. Figure 159(a) is an explanatory diagram showing the state of each component of the first major prize opening opening/closing unit when the first major prize opening is closed, and (b) is an explanatory diagram showing the state of each component of the first major prize opening opening/closing unit when the first major prize opening is open.

Figure 160(a) is an exploded perspective view of the second large prize opening/closing unit in the attacca unit of the center role, viewed from the front, and (b) is an exploded perspective view of the second large prize opening/closing unit, viewed from the rear. Figure 161(a) is an exploded perspective view of the V distribution unit in the attacca unit of the center role, viewed from the front, and (b) is an exploded perspective view of the V distribution unit, viewed from the rear. Figure 162(a) is an oblique view showing the relationship between the V distribution unit, V prize opening sensor, losing opening sensor, and center lower right ball path, and (b) is an exploded oblique view of (a) disassembled. Figure 163(a) is an oblique view showing the installation state of the opening/closing unit in a different embodiment, and (b) is an exploded oblique view of (a) disassembled.

The attacca unit 2600 of the center device 2500 has one general winning slot 2001, a second starting slot 2005, a first large winning slot 2006, a second large winning slot 2007, a V winning slot 2008, a losing slot 2009, and a right sub-out slot 2021b. The attacca unit 2600 has a second starting slot sensor 2601 that detects a game ball B received in the second starting slot 2005, a second large winning slot sensor 2602 that detects a game ball B received in the second large winning slot 2007, a V winning slot sensor 2603 that detects a game ball B received in the V winning slot 2008, and a losing slot sensor 2604 that detects a game ball B received in the losing slot 2009.

The attacca unit 2600 is attached to the center base 2511 of the main unit 2510 and comprises a flat attacca base plate 2610 attached to the front of the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100, and an attacca front plate 2620 provided in front of the attacca base plate 2610, which forms the second start opening 2005, first large prize opening 2006, second large prize opening 2007, V prize opening 2008, loss opening 2009, right sub-out opening 2021b, and a flow path for game ball B, and which holds the front ends of the second start opening sensor 2601, second large prize opening sensor 2602, V prize opening sensor 2603, and loss opening sensor 2604.

The attacca unit 2600 is also equipped with a second start opening/closing unit 2630 that opens and closes the second start opening 2005, a first large prize opening/closing unit 2640 that opens and closes the first large prize opening 2006, a second large prize opening/closing unit 2650 that opens and closes the second large prize opening 2007, and a V distribution unit 2660 that distributes game balls B received in the second large prize opening 2007 to either the V prize opening 2008 or the losing opening 2009, all of which are attached to the rear of the attacca base plate 2610.

The attacca unit 2600 is held in front of the attacca base plate 2610 and behind the attacca front plate 2620, and includes a second starting opening decorative board 2671 having a plurality of LEDs mounted on its upper surface for illuminating and decorating the second starting opening 2005, a first large winning opening decorative board 2672 having a plurality of LEDs mounted on its upper surface for illuminating and decorating the first large winning opening 2006, a second large winning opening decorative board 2673 having a plurality of LEDs mounted on its upper surface for illuminating and decorating the second large winning opening 2007, and a V winning opening decorative board 2674 having a plurality of LEDs mounted on its upper surface for illuminating and decorating the V winning opening 2008 and the losing opening 2009.

Furthermore, the attacca unit 2600 is equipped with a center upper right ball path 2675 that is attached to the rear side of the attacca base plate 2610 and guides the game ball B received in the second starting port 2005 downward, and a center lower right ball path 2676 that is attached to the rear side of the attacca base plate 2610 and guides the game ball B received in the V winning port 2008 and the losing port 2009 backward, and holds the rear end sides of the V winning port sensor 2603 and the losing port sensor 2604.

The center right upper ball path 2675 of the attacca unit 2600 is used by game ball B, which is received by the second starting port 2005 and detected by the second starting port sensor 2601 on the front surface of the attacca base plate 2610. After being guided rearward by the attacca front plate 2620 and passing through the first opening 2611a of the attacca base plate 2610, the game ball B enters. After entering the center right upper ball path 2675, the game ball B is guided downward, then guided rearward by the first trough 2615 of the attacca base plate 2610, and handed over to the back ball guiding unit 3100 of the back unit 3000, from which it is discharged downward.

The center right lower ball path 2676 of the attacker unit 2600 has two passage sections 2676a extending in the front-to-rear direction and adjacent to the left and right, and a sensor abutment section 2676b located above the two passage sections 2676a and against which the V winning opening sensor 2603 and the losing opening sensor 2604 can abut. The two passage sections 2676a are inclined so that their rear ends are lower. By abutting the sensor abutment section 2676b against the rear of the V winning opening sensor 2603 and the losing opening sensor 2604, the left-right, downward, and rearward movement of the V winning opening sensor 2603 and the losing opening sensor 2604 can be restricted.

The center lower right ball path 2676 also has a ring-shaped band holding portion 2676c, located behind the sensor abutment portion 2676b, that protrudes rearward and allows a cable tie CT to be inserted through it. By using this band holding portion 2676c and the cable tie CT, it is possible to bundle and hold multiple wiring EC connected to the V winning port sensor 2603, the losing port sensor 2604, etc.

The center lower right ball path 2676, in cooperation with the unit case 2665 of the V distribution unit 2660, can sandwich the V winning port sensor 2603 and the losing port sensor 2604 from above and below (see Figure 162). When assembled to the game board 5, the center lower right ball path 2676 is attached to the rear side of the attacca base plate 2610, and the front ends of the two passage sections 2676a face the seventh opening 2611g of the attacca base plate 2610. Game ball B that is received by the second large winning port 2007, distributed by the V distribution unit 2660 to either the V winning port 2008 or the losing port 2009, and guided rearward by the attacca front plate 2620 and passes through the seventh opening 2611g of the attacca base plate 2610 enters the passage section 2676a of this center lower right ball path 2676. A game ball B that enters the passage 2676a is guided rearward by the slope, and is passed from the rear end to the rear ball guide unit 3100 of the rear unit 3000, where it is discharged downward.

The attacca unit also includes a circuit board base 2677 attached to the rear of the second starting port opening/closing unit 2630, an attacca relay board 2678 attached to the rear of the circuit board base 2677, a circuit board cover 2679 attached to the circuit board base 2677 so as to cover the rear of the attacca relay board 2678, and a magnetic sensor holder 2680 attached to the rear of the attacca base plate 2610 for holding the magnetic sensor 1030.

The attacca unit 2600 also has a bundling base 2550 attached to the rear side of the attacca base plate 2610 (see Figures 166 to 170, etc.), as will be described in detail later. The bundling base 2550 has an annular band holding portion 2552, and by bundling multiple wiring EC with a cable tie CT passed through the band holding portion 2552, the multiple wiring EC can be supported in a bundled state by the attacca base plate 2610.

[5-9b-2a. Attacca base plate]
152 to 154, the attacca base plate 2610 has a flat base plate body 2611. The base plate body 2611 has a first opening 2611a which penetrates from front to back at the top, through which the second starting opening sensor 2601 and the second starting opening door body 2631 which opens and closes the second starting opening 2005 are inserted and through which the game ball B received in the second starting opening 2005 passes, a second opening 2611b which penetrates from front to back below the first opening 2611a and through which wiring connected to the second starting opening decorative board 2671 is inserted, and a second large winning opening door body 2631 which penetrates from front to back below the second opening 2611b and which opens and closes the second large winning opening 2007. a fourth opening 2611d that passes through the front and rear below the third opening 2611c and through which wiring connected to the second large prize opening decorative board 2673 is inserted; a fifth opening 2611e that passes through the front and rear below the left of the fourth opening 2611d and through which a V prize opening door body 2661 that opens and closes the V prize opening 2008 is inserted; a sixth opening 2611f that passes through the front and rear below the fifth opening 2611e and through which the game ball B received in the general prize opening 2001 passes; A seventh opening 2611g penetrates from front to back below the seventh opening 2611g, through which the V winning opening sensor 2603 and the losing opening sensor 2604 are inserted and through which the game ball B received in the V winning opening 2008 or the losing opening 2009 passes; an eighth opening 2611h penetrates from front to back below the seventh opening 2611g, through which wiring connected to the V winning opening decorative board 2674 is inserted; and an eighth opening 2611h penetrates from front to back to the left of the eighth opening 2611h and the seventh opening 2611g, through which the game ball B received in the right sub-out opening 2021b passes. the first large prize opening 2006 decorative board 2672 is inserted through; the tenth opening 2611j which penetrates from front to back to the left of the ninth opening 2611i and through which wiring connected to the first large prize opening decorative board 2672 is inserted; the eleventh opening 2611k which penetrates from front to back above and to the left of the tenth opening 2611j and through which the first large prize opening door body 2641 which opens and closes the first large prize opening 2006 is inserted; and the twelfth opening 2611l which penetrates from front to back below the eleventh opening 2611k and through which the game ball B received in the first large prize opening 2006 passes.

The attacca base plate 2610 also has a flat attacca upper shelf portion 2612 that extends left and right above the first opening 2611a on the front surface of the base plate body 2611 with its left end lower and protrudes forward, and a sensor holding recess 2613 that is recessed rearward below the third opening 2611c on the front surface of the base plate body 2611 and to the left of the fourth opening 2611d, into which the rear end of the second large winning opening sensor 2602 is inserted.

Furthermore, the attacca base plate 2610 has multiple mounting bosses 2614 that protrude cylindrically rearward from the rear surface of the base plate body 2611, a first gutter section 2615 that guides rearward a game ball B that is received by the second starting port 2005, passes through the first opening 2611a, and is guided by the center right upper ball path 2675, a second gutter section 2616 that guides rearward a game ball B that is received by the general winning port 2001 and passes through the sixth opening 2611f, and a third gutter section 2617 that guides rearward a game ball B that is received by the right sub-out port 2021b and passes through the ninth opening 2611i.

[5-9d-2b. Attacca front plate]
The attacca front panel 2620 is formed to be transparent. The attacca front panel 2620 has a flat front panel body 2621 and a wall forming portion 2622 that extends rearward in a plate-like shape from the rear surface of the front panel body 2621. A central opening 2605 and a right opening 2606 are formed by the wall forming portion 2622 of the attacca front panel 2620.

In addition, the wall forming portion 2622 of the attacca front panel 2620 forms not only the general winning opening 2001, the first large winning opening 2006, the second large winning opening 2007, the V winning opening 2008, the losing opening 2009, the right sub-out opening 2021b, the passage for game ball B, etc., but also a sensor holding portion 2623 that holds the front end of the second starting opening sensor 2601, the second large winning opening sensor 2602, the V winning opening sensor 2603, and the losing opening sensor 2604, a board holding portion 2624 that holds the second starting opening decorative board 2671, the first large winning opening decorative board 2672, the second large winning opening decorative board 2673, the V winning opening decorative board 2674, etc.

Furthermore, the attacca front panel 2620 has an attacca right guide passage 2625 that guides the game ball B guided by the attacca upper shelf portion 2612. This attacca right guide passage 2625 can guide the game ball B to the left of the second starting hole 2005 and the second large winning hole 2007.

[5-9d-2c. Second starting port opening and closing unit]
156 and 157, the second starting port opening/closing unit 2630 of the attacca unit 2600 has a flat second starting port door body 2631 that penetrates the attacca base plate 2610 and is capable of moving forward and backward, a starting port solenoid 2632 (see FIG. 203) for moving the second starting port door body 2631 forward and backward according to the normal symbol drawn by lottery when the game ball B passes through the gate 2002, and a unit case 2635 that holds the second starting port door body 2631 and the starting port solenoid 2632 and is composed of a first case portion 2633 and a second case portion 2634. The second starting port 2005 opens to the right, and the flat second starting port door body 2631 is provided to the right of the second starting port 2005 (second starting port sensor 2601) and extends forward and backward and up and down.

The second starting hole opening/closing unit 2630 also has a flat guide piece 2636 that moves back and forth in an opposite direction to the forward and backward movement of the second starting hole door body 2631, and that penetrates the attacca base plate 2610 and protrudes forward, thereby guiding the game ball B to the second starting hole 2005 (second starting hole sensor 2601). The guide piece 2636 is held (supported) by the unit case 2635 so that it can move back and forth in the forward and backward directions. The flat guide piece 2636 extends to the right from near the bottom of the second starting hole door body 2631. The guide piece 2636 is inclined so that the right end is lower. In Figure 155, the second starting hole door body 2631 of the second starting hole opening/closing unit 2630 protrudes forward (advances), so the guide piece 2636, which moves in the opposite direction, is retracted, showing the state when the second starting hole 2005 is closed.

In addition, the second starting port opening/closing unit 2630, although not shown, is rotatable around a vertical axis inside the unit case 2635, and has an opening/closing link 2637 that transmits the advancement and retreat of the plunger 2632a of the starting port solenoid 2632 to the second starting port door body 2631 and guide piece 2636, thereby moving the second starting port door body 2631 and guide piece 2636 forward and backward.

The second starting opening door body 2631 of the second starting opening opening opening unit 2630 has a door piece 2631a that is long and flat from front to back with its plate surface facing left to right, a flat base 2631b that extends rearward from the rear of the lower end of the door piece 2631a, and an opening/closing pin 2631c that protrudes upward in a cylindrical shape from the base 2631b. The door piece 2631a of the second starting opening door body 2631 is inclined so that its front edge moves further rearward as it faces downward. In addition, the front end of the right side of the door piece 2631a is inclined so that it moves leftward as it faces forward, and its thickness becomes thinner as it faces forward.

The second starting opening door body 2631 slopes from the front end rearward by a specified width, with the right side moving leftward as it moves forward. In other words, it is tapered so that the front end becomes narrower. This makes it difficult for the game ball B to get caught between the front plate body 2621 of the attacca front plate 2620 and the front end of the second starting opening door body 2631 when the second starting opening door body 2631 moves forward, and even if it does get caught, friction is reduced to minimize the likelihood of it getting caught.

The second starting opening door 2631 has its base 2631b supported by the door support portion of the second case portion 2644 so that it can slide forward and backward, and its door piece 2631a can protrude forward through the door slit 2634c of the second case portion 2644. The opening/closing pin 2631c of the second starting opening door 2631 is slidably inserted into the first slit 2637e of the opening/closing link 2637.

The starting port solenoid 2632 is held within the unit case 2635 so that the plunger 2632a can move back and forth (to the right). The starting port solenoid 2632 is positioned so that it overlaps (in a plan view) the second starting port door body 2631 and the guide piece 2636 vertically. The starting port solenoid 2632 has a spring (not shown) that biases the advancing and retreating plunger 2632a in the protruding direction. Therefore, when the starting port solenoid 2632 is not energized, the plunger 2632a protrudes due to the biasing force of the spring. The opening/closing link 2637, which transmits the advancement and retreat of the plunger 2632a, causes the second starting port door body 2631 to protrude forward, closing the second starting port 2005, and the guide piece 2636 to retract within the unit case 2635, preventing the game ball B from being guided toward the second starting port 2005.

The unit case 2635 is composed of two members: a first case portion 2633 and a second case portion 2634. The first case portion 2633 is formed in a box shape that is open to the front, left and right, and bottom. On the other hand, the second case portion 2634 is formed in a box shape that is open to the top and back. As a result, by combining the first case portion 2633 and the second case portion 2634 with each other, the respective open portions are closed. The first case portion 2633 has a cylindrical shaft portion 2633a that protrudes downward and rotatably supports the opening/closing link 2637.

The second case portion 2634 of the unit case 2635 has a door support portion 2634a extending in the front-to-rear direction to support the second starting opening door body 2631 so that it can slide in the front-to-rear direction, a guide piece support portion 2634b extending in the front-to-rear direction to support the guide piece 2636 so that it can slide in the front-to-rear direction, a door body slit 2634c that passes through in the front-to-rear direction so that the door piece 2631a of the second starting opening door body 2631 can be inserted, and a guide piece slit 2634d that passes through in the front-to-rear direction so that the guide piece main body 2636a of the guide piece 2636 can be inserted.

The door support portion 2634a of the second case portion 2634 has a U-shaped cross section that opens upward, and the base portion 2631b of the second starting door 2631 is inserted into it so that it can slide forward and backward. The guide piece support portion 2634b also has a U-shaped cross section, and a pair of guide piece support portions 2634b are provided spaced apart in the left-right direction so that their open portions face each other. The left and right ends of the guide piece main body 2636a of the guide piece 2636 are inserted into the pair of guide piece support portions 2634b so that they can slide forward and backward.

The guide piece 2636 has a flat guide piece main body 2636a that is long in both the left-right and front-to-back directions, a notch 2636b cut forward from the rear edge of the guide piece main body 2636a, and an opening/closing pin 2636c that protrudes cylindrically upward from a portion of the guide piece main body 2636a to the right of the notch 2636b. The rear ends of both left and right edges of the guide piece main body 2636a of the guide piece 2636 are inserted into a pair of guide piece support portions 2634b of the second case portion 2634, and are supported so that they can slide forward and backward. The front end of the guide piece main body 2636a can protrude forward through a guide piece slit 2634d of the second case portion 2634.

The guide piece 2636 slopes from the front end to the rear by a predetermined width, with the underside moving upward as it moves forward. In other words, it is tapered so that the front end becomes narrower. This makes it difficult for the game ball B to get caught between the front plate body 2621 of the attacca front plate 2620 and the guide piece 2636 when the guide piece 2636 moves forward, and even if it does get caught, friction is kept low to minimize the chance of it getting caught.

As shown in Figure 157, etc., the notch 2636b of the guide piece 2636 is cut out in a U-shape from the rear edge to the front. This notch 2636b is formed so that the opening/closing link 2637 is positioned inside it when the second starting port opening/closing unit 2630 is assembled, but does not come into contact with the opening/closing link 2637. As will be described in more detail below, the presence of the notch 2636b of the guide piece 2636 enables the second starting port opening/closing unit 2630 to be compact. The opening/closing pin 2636c of the guide piece 2636 is slidably inserted into the second slit 2637g of the opening/closing link 2637.

The opening/closing link 2637 has a cylindrical base 2637a that extends vertically and is supported by the unit case 2635 so as to be rotatable about a vertical axis; a lower arm 2637b that extends outward from the lower end of the base 2637a; a pair of transmission pins 2637c that extend cylindrically downward at a predetermined distance from the tip of the lower arm; a first arm 2637d that extends from the upper end of the base 2637a in a direction perpendicular to the lower arm 2637b; a first slit 2637e that is cut from the tip of the first arm 2637d toward the base 2637a; a second arm 2637f that extends from the upper end of the base 2637a in the opposite direction to the first arm 2637d; and a second slit 2637g that is cut from the tip of the second arm 2637f toward the base 2637a.

By inserting the shaft 2633a of the first case portion 2633 into the cylindrical base portion 2637a, it is held rotatably around the vertical axis. The lower arm 2637b extends forward in a flat plate shape from the lower end of the base portion 2637a. The tip of the disk-shaped plunger 2632a of the starting port solenoid 2632 is inserted between a pair of transmission pins 2637c. The first arm 2637d extends leftward from the upper end of the base portion 2637a longer than the lower arm 2637b. The first slit 2637e extends from the tip of the first arm 2637d to near the longitudinal center of the first arm 2637d, and the opening/closing pin 2631c of the second starting port door body 2631 is slidably inserted into it. The second arm 2637f extends to the right from the upper end of the base 2637a by the same length as the first arm 2637d. The second slit 2637g extends from the tip of the second arm 2637f to near the center of the second arm 2637f in the longitudinal direction, and the opening/closing pin 2636c of the guide piece 2636 is slidably inserted into it.

When this second starting opening opening/closing unit 2630 is assembled to the game board 5, the unit case 2635 is attached to the rear of the attacca base plate 2610, and the second starting opening door body 2631 and guide piece 2636 are configured to be able to move forward and backward further than the front of the attacca base plate 2610 through the first opening 2611a of the base plate body 2611. The second starting opening opening/closing unit 2630 is configured to be highly visible, with the second starting opening door body 2631 and guide piece 2636 colored a predetermined color (e.g., red, black, blue, etc.). The second starting opening opening/closing unit 2630 also has a transparent unit case 2635, which allows the interior to be seen from the outside and allows light to pass through.

As shown in Figures 157(c) and (d), when the second starting port opening/closing unit 2630 is assembled, the starting port solenoid 2632 is oriented left-right so that the plunger 2632a protrudes to the right. The second starting port door body 2631 is provided above the starting port solenoid 2632. The guide piece 2636 is provided between the second starting port door body 2631 and the starting port solenoid 2632. The opening/closing link 2637 is provided so that the lower end of the base 2637a is located below the guide piece 2636 and the upper end of the base 2637a is located above the base 2631b of the second starting port door body 2631.

The opening/closing link 2637 is positioned so that its central axis is slightly forward of the rear end of the starting port solenoid 2632, within the range of movement of the tip of the plunger 2632a of the starting port solenoid 2632. A second starting port door 2631 is provided to the left of the base 2637a of the opening/closing link 2637, and a guide piece 2636 is provided so that the base 2637a of the opening/closing link 2637 can be inserted into the notch 2636b. This notch 2636b is formed so that the opening/closing link 2637 (base 2637a) does not come into contact with it.

The second starting opening door 2631 has its base 2631b inserted into the door support portion 2634a, which opens upward in the second case portion 2634. The first arm 2637d of the opening/closing link 2637 is positioned above the base 2631b, and the opening/closing pin 2631c is inserted into the first slit 2637e. As a result, the second starting opening door 2631 is restricted from moving in the vertical and horizontal directions by the door support portion 2634a and the first arm 2637d.

The left and right ends of the guide piece 2636's guide piece body 2636a are inserted into the guide piece support portions 2634b of the second case portion 2634, and movement in the up-down and left-right directions is restricted by the guide piece support portions 2634b. The opening/closing pin 2636c of the guide piece 2636 is inserted into the second slit 2637g of the opening/closing link 2637.

In the second starting port opening/closing unit 2630, in its normal state (when the starting port solenoid 2632 is not energized), the plunger 2632a protrudes to the right due to the biasing force of the spring (not shown) of the starting port solenoid 2632, as shown in Figures 157(a) and (c). In this state, the tip of the plunger 2632a is located to the right of the center axis of the base 2637a of the opening/closing link 2637, and therefore the lower arm 2637b extends forward and to the right relative to the center axis of the base 2637a due to a pair of transmission pins 2637c between which the disk-shaped portion of the tip of the plunger 2632a is inserted. Therefore, the tip of the first arm 2637d, which extends perpendicular to the lower arm 2637b, is located forward of the center axis of the base 2637a, and the tip of the second arm 2637f is located rearward of the center axis of the base 2637a. The opening/closing pin 2631c of the second starting opening door body 2631 is inserted into the first slit 2637e of the first arm 2637d, and the opening/closing pin 2636c of the guide piece 2636 is inserted into the second slit 2637g of the second arm 2637f, so the second starting opening door body 2631 is moving forward and the guide piece 2636 is moving backward.

As a result, the front end of the second starting port door body 2631 protrudes forward from the front surface of the attacca base plate 2610, and the front end of the guide piece 2636 is located behind the front surface of the attacca base plate 2610. In this state, the guide piece 2636 does not guide the game ball B toward the second starting port 2005, and even if game ball B were to head toward the second starting port 2005 for some reason, it would be blocked by the second starting port door body 2631 and would not be accepted by the second starting port 2005.

Meanwhile, when current is applied to the start port solenoid 2632 in a predetermined pattern in response to the normal symbol drawn when gaming ball B passes through gate 2002 (the normal symbol is a "normal win"), the tip of plunger 2632a moves to the left so as to retract against the spring force. In this state, the tip of plunger 2632a is located to the left of the central axis of base 2637a of opening/closing link 2637. Therefore, when current is applied to the start port solenoid 2632 and plunger 2632a retracts, the opening/closing link 2637 rotates clockwise about the central axis of base 2637a via a pair of transmission pins 2637c, between which the disk-shaped portion at the tip of plunger 2632a is inserted. This rotation positions the tip of the first arm 2637d of the opening/closing link 2637 rearward of the central axis of the base 2637a, and the tip of the second arm 2637f forward of the central axis of the base 2637a. The opening/closing pin 2631c of the second starting opening door body 2631 is inserted into the first slit 2637e of the first arm 2637d, and the opening/closing pin 2636c of the guide piece 2636 is inserted into the second slit 2637g of the second arm 2637f, so the second starting opening door body 2631 moves backward and the guide piece 2636 moves forward.

As a result, the front end of the second starting port door body 2631 is positioned rearward of the front surface of the attacca base plate 2610, and the front end of the guide piece 2636 protrudes forward of the front surface of the attacca base plate 2610. In this state, when a game ball B flows down onto the top surface of the guide piece 2636, the game ball B is guided by the guide piece 2636 and rolls to the left, and is received by the second starting port 2005 located to the left of the guide piece 2636.

After being received into the second starting port 2005, the game ball B is detected by the second starting port sensor 2601 and then guided rearward by the attacca front plate 2620, entering the center upper right ball path 2675. The game ball B that has entered the center upper right ball path 2675 is then guided rearward by the first gutter 2615 of the attacca base plate 2610, and is handed over to the back ball guide unit 3100 of the back unit 3000, from which it is then discharged downward.

In addition, with the second starting port opening/closing unit 2630, when the guide piece 2636 is protruding forward, the front end of the notch 2636b of the guide piece 2636 is located behind the front surface of the unit case 2635, so that the notch 2636b does not obstruct the flow of the game ball B and the notch 2636b is difficult for the player to see.

Furthermore, the second starting port opening/closing unit 2630 has, in the unit case 2635, a sensor holding recess 2635a that is recessed rearward from the front and can hold the rear portion of the second starting port sensor 2601, a magnetic sensor holding portion 2635b that can detachably hold the magnetic sensor 1030, a band holding portion 2635c that protrudes rearward in an annular shape from the rear surface and through which the band portion CTa of the cable tie CT can be inserted, a wiring locking portion 2635d that is provided below the band holding portion 2635c on the rear surface, and a through-hole 2635e that penetrates the unit case 2635 at the location of the wiring locking portion 2635d. The sensor holding recess 2635a is provided to the left of the second starting port door body 2631.

The sensor holding recess 2635a of the unit case 2635 can hold the second start opening sensor 2601 with its detection hole facing left and right, and can hold it in a tilted position so that the axis of the detection hole is lower to the left. The unit case 2635 can hold the rear of the second start opening sensor 2601 detachably from the outside using the sensor holding recess 2635a. The sensor holding recess 2635a can also hold the second start opening sensor 2601 so that the bottom end of its detection hole is slightly lower than the extension of the top surface of the guide piece 2636. This allows the game ball B guided by the guide piece 2636 to reliably pass through the detection hole of the second start opening sensor 2601 and be detected.

The band holding portion 2635c of the unit case 2635 has an annular opening facing left and right. This allows the wiring EC to be extended in the vertical direction when the band portion CTa of the cable tie CT is passed through the band holding portion 2635c and fastened (tied) together with the wiring EC.

The wiring locking portion 2635d protrudes rearward from the rear surface of the unit case 2635 and then extends to the right along the rear surface in a rear view, forming an L-shape. The tip of this wiring locking portion 2635d is formed in a hook shape toward the rear surface of the unit case 2635, and the surface facing the unit case 2635, including the hook-shaped portion, is inclined so that it moves away from the unit case 2635 as it approaches the tip. This allows the wiring EC extending up and down from the right side in a rear view to be inserted into the wiring locking portion 2635d, and the hook-shaped portion at the tip prevents the wiring EC from becoming detached (falling off).

The through-hole 2635e allows the wiring EC to pass between the inside and outside of the unit case 2635, and when the wiring EC is inserted and locked between the wiring locking portion 2635d and the outer surface of the unit case 2635, the wiring EC bends inside the through-hole 2635e, allowing pressure on the wiring EC to be released from the wiring locking portion 2635d.

The band holding portion 2635c and wiring locking portion 2635d of this unit case 2635 allow the wiring EC held in the band holding portion 2635c by the cable tie CT to be locked at its lower end with the wiring locking portion 2635d, allowing the wiring EC to run along the rear surface of the unit case 2635.

Examples of wiring EC held by the band holding portion 2635c and the wiring locking portion 2635d include wiring EC connected to the magnetic sensor held by the magnetic sensor holding portion 2635b, the second starting port sensor 2601, the starting port solenoid 2632, and the second starting port decorative board 2671, but other wiring EC may also be held.

In the second starting port opening/closing unit 2630 of this embodiment, the starting port solenoid 2632 is arranged so that the plunger 2632a moves back and forth in the left-right direction and is arranged so that it overlaps the second starting port door body 2631 and guide piece 2636 vertically (in a planar view), thereby minimizing the front-to-rear dimension of the second starting port opening/closing unit 2630. Furthermore, the guide piece 2636 is provided with a cutout 2636b into which a portion of the opening/closing link 2637 is inserted to move the second starting port door body 2631 and guide piece 2636 back and forth. This minimizes the area of the region defined by the guide piece 2636 and the opening/closing link 2637 in a planar view, thereby enabling the second starting port opening/closing unit 2630 to be made more compact. Therefore, by making the second starting port opening/closing unit 2630 smaller, it is easier to secure space at the rear, so that the rear reels and decorations can be made larger, or new reels and decorations can be placed at the rear, making the pachinko machine 1 more noticeable and strongly attracting the player's attention, and the rear reels and other items can provide more entertainment for the player, preventing a decline in the player's interest in the game.

In addition, because the unit case 2635 of the second starting port opening/closing unit 2630 is attached behind the attacca base plate 2610, the attacca base plate 2610 makes it possible to make the unit case 2635 (starting port solenoid 2632) less visible to the player, preventing the poor appearance caused by the starting port solenoid 2632 being visible, and providing a pachinko machine 1 with a good appearance.

Furthermore, the unit case 2635 that holds the second starting port door body 2631 and the starting port solenoid 2632 is composed of two parts, the first case portion 2633 and the second case portion 2634, which helps to prevent an increase in the number of parts in the second starting port opening/closing unit 2630 and helps to prevent an increase in the cost of the pachinko machine 1.

In addition, because the unit case 2635 is composed of two parts, the first case part 2633 and the second case part 2634, the second starting port door body 2631 and the starting port solenoid 2632 can be held between the first case part 2633 and the second case part 2634, simplifying the effort required for assembly.

In addition, the unit case 2635 of the second start opening/closing unit 2630 is provided with a sensor holding recess 2635a into which the rear end of the second start opening sensor 2601 is inserted. The second start opening sensor 2601 is in contact with the outer surface of the unit case 2635. This allows the unit case 2635 to restrict movement of the second start opening sensor 2601 in a predetermined direction, making it possible to position the second start opening sensor 2601 in a predetermined position. Furthermore, when assembling the game board 5, the sensor holding recess 2635a of the unit case 2635 can guide the second start opening sensor 2601, making assembly easier.

[5-9d-2d. First main prize opening/closing unit]
As shown in Figures 158 and 159, the first large prize opening opening/closing unit 2640 of the attacca unit 2600 has a flat first large prize opening door body 2641 that penetrates the attacca base plate 2610 and is movable forward and backward, a first attacca solenoid 2642 for moving the first large prize opening door body 2641 forward and backward in accordance with the first special pattern or second special pattern (for example, ``big win,'' ``medium win,'' ``small win,'' etc.) drawn by the acceptance of a game ball B into the first lower starting opening 2003 or the first upper starting opening 2004 or the acceptance of a game ball B into the second starting opening 2005, or in accordance with the acceptance of a game ball B into the V winning opening 2008, and a unit case 2645 that holds the first large prize opening door body 2641 and the first attacca solenoid 2642 and is composed of a first case section 2643 and a second case section 2644.

The flat first large prize opening door body 2641 extends left and right above the first large prize opening 2006, which opens upward, with its left end lower.

The first large prize opening opening/closing unit 2640 also has a plunger head 2646 attached to the plunger 2642a of the first attacca solenoid 2642, which moves back and forth, and an opening/closing link 2647 that is supported by the unit case 2645 so that it can rotate about an axis in the vertical direction, and which rotates as the plunger head 2646 moves back and forth, thereby moving the first large prize opening door body 2641 back and forth.

The first large prize opening door body 2641 of the first large prize opening opening opening unit 2640 has a door piece 2641a that is long and flat, sloping so that the left end is lower; a notch 2641b that is cut out from the rear edge of door piece 2641a toward the front; and a long link slit 2641c that runs vertically from side to side near the rear end of door piece 2641a to the right of notch 2641b. The front edge of door piece 2641a is bent in a stepped manner so that the portion to the right of the center is located rearward, and the rear edge is bent in a stepped manner so that the portion to the left of the center is located forward. In other words, the shape of door piece 2641a in a plan view is like a long rectangle with another long rectangle stacked on top of the top right corner of a long rectangle.

The first large prize opening door body 2641 slopes from the front end to the rear by a specified width, with the underside moving upward as it moves forward. In other words, it is tapered so that the front end becomes narrower. This makes it difficult for game ball B to get caught between the front plate body 2621 of the attacca front plate 2620 and the front end of the first large prize opening door body 2641 when the first large prize opening door body 2641 moves forward, and even if it does get caught, friction is kept low to minimize the likelihood of it getting caught.

As shown in Figure 159, the cutout 2641b of the first large prize opening door body 2641 is located on the rear edge of the door piece 2641a, in a section located forward and to the left of the center. The cutout 2641b is trapezoidally shaped, tapering toward the front, and its right edge extends straight forward in the front-to-rear direction so that the section extending forward near the center of the rear edge of the door piece 2641a is extended forward. The opening/closing pin 2647d of the opening/closing link 2647 is slidably inserted into the link slit 2641c. The first large prize opening door body 2641 is supported by the unit case 2645 so that it can slide forward and backward.

The first attacca solenoid 2642 is held within the unit case 2645 so that the plunger 2642a can move back and forth (to the left). The first attacca solenoid 2642 is positioned so that it overlaps (in a plan view) the first large prize opening door body 2641 vertically. The plunger 2642a of the first attacca solenoid 2642, which moves back and forth, is biased in a protruding direction by a spring (not shown). Therefore, when the first attacca solenoid 2642 is not energized, the plunger 2642a protrudes due to the biasing force of the spring, and the first large prize opening door body 2641 protrudes forward via the plunger head 2646 attached to the plunger 2642a and the opening/closing link 2647. By protruding forward, the first large prize opening door body 2641 can close the top of the first large prize opening 2006, preventing the reception of game ball B.

The unit case 2645 is configured so that the first case portion 2643 and the second case portion 2644 are separated vertically. The first large prize opening door body 2641 is held between the first case portion 2643 and the second case portion 2644 so that it can slide back and forth. The unit case 2645 has a ball passage 2645a through which game balls B can flow. The upstream end of the ball passage 2645a opens forward at the front of the unit case 2645 below the first large prize opening door body 2641, and the downstream end opens downward at the rear of the unit case 2645. In this embodiment, game balls B received in the first large prize opening 2006 flow through the ball passage 2645a. The first case portion 2643 also extends downward in a cylindrical shape and has an axis (not shown) that rotatably supports the opening/closing link 2647.

The plunger head 2646 has a connection portion 2646a that is attached to the plunger 2642a of the first attacca solenoid 2642 by inserting the disk-shaped portion at the tip of the plunger 2642a, a protrusion 2646b that protrudes upward from the upper end of the connection portion 2646a and to the left, and a transmission slit 2646c that passes vertically through the protrusion 2646b and is long from front to back. A transmission pin of the opening/closing link 2647 is slidably inserted into the transmission slit 2646c. With the connection portion 2646a attached to the plunger 2642a, the plunger head 2646 moves back and forth together with the plunger 2642a.

The opening/closing link 2647 has a cylindrical base 2647a that extends vertically and is supported by the unit case 2645 so that it can rotate about its vertical axis, a flat extension piece 2647b that extends outward in a triangular shape from the base 2647a, a transmission pin 2647c that extends cylindrically downward from one tip of the extension piece 2647b, and an opening/closing pin 2647d that extends cylindrically downward from the remaining tip of the extension piece 2647b.

The cylindrical base 2647a is held rotatably about the vertical axis by inserting the shaft (not shown) of the first case portion 2643 into the base 2647a. The extension piece 2647b extends forward from near the lower end of the base 2647a, widening into a triangular shape. The extension piece 2647b is formed in a triangular shape with the base 2647a as one vertex, with one vertex located to the left of the central axis of the base 2647a and close to the base 2647a, and the other vertex located to the right of the central axis of the base 2647a and far from the base 2647a. The transmission pin 2647c extends downward from the vertex (tip) of the extension piece 2647b closest to the base 2647a, and is slidably inserted into the transmission slit 2646c of the plunger head 2646. The opening/closing pin 2647d extends downward from the apex (tip) of the extension piece 2647b that is farthest from the base 2647a, and is slidably inserted into the link slit 2641c of the first large prize opening door body 2641.

When assembled to the gaming board 5, this first large prize opening opening unit 2640 has a unit case 2645 attached to the rear of the attacca base plate 2610, and is configured so that the first large prize opening door body 2641 can move forward and backward further than the front of the attacca base plate 2610 through the eleventh opening 2611k of the base plate body 2611. The upstream end of the ball passage 2645a of the unit case 2645 is located behind the twelfth opening 2611l of the attacca base plate 2610. The first large prize opening opening opening unit 2640 is configured so that the first large prize opening door body 2641 is colored a predetermined color (e.g., red, black, blue, etc.) to make it highly visible. The first large prize opening opening opening unit 2640 also has a transparent unit case 2645, which allows the interior to be seen from the outside and allows light to pass through.

As shown in Figure 159(a) and other figures, when the first large prize opening/closing unit 2640 is assembled, the first attacca solenoid 2642 is oriented left-right so that the plunger 2642a protrudes to the left. A plunger head 2646 is attached to the tip of the plunger 2642a of the first attacca solenoid 2642 so that it extends upward. The first large prize opening door body 2641 is provided above the first attacca solenoid 2642 so that the protrusion 2646b of the plunger head 2646 is positioned within the cutout 2641b, and the upper end of the protrusion 2646b of the plunger head 2646 protrudes above the door piece 2641a (cutout 2641b) of the first large prize opening door body 2641. The cutout 2641b is formed so that it does not come into contact with the plunger head 2646 (protrusion 2646b). Furthermore, the first large prize opening door body 2641 is supported by the unit case 2645 so that both left and right edges of the door piece 2641a can slide back and forth.

The base 2637a of the opening/closing link 2637 is located above the door piece 2641a (notch 2641b) of the first large prize opening door body 2641. The opening/closing link 2647 is positioned so that its central axis is slightly forward of the rear end of the first attacca solenoid 2642, within the range of movement of the transmission slit 2646c of the plunger head 2646, which moves back and forth together with the plunger 2642a in the first attacca solenoid 2642. The transmission pin 2647c of the opening/closing link 2647 is inserted into the transmission slit 2646c of the plunger head 2646, and the opening/closing pin 2647d is inserted into the link slit 2641c of the first large prize opening door body 2641.

In the normal state of the first large prize opening opening unit 2640, the plunger 2642a protrudes to the left due to the biasing force of the spring (not shown) of the first attacca solenoid 2642, and the plunger head 2646, which moves back and forth together with the plunger 2642a, is located at the left end of its movement. In this state, the transmission slit 2646c of the plunger head 2646 is located to the left of the central axis of the base 2647a of the opening/closing link 2647, and therefore the transmission pin 2647c of the opening/closing link 2647 is also located to the left of the central axis of the base 2647a. Also, in this state, the opening/closing pin 2647d of the opening/closing link 2647 is located forward of the central axis of the base 2647a. The front end of the first large prize opening door body 2641, which has a link slit 2641c into which the opening/closing pin 2647d of the opening/closing link 2647 is inserted, protrudes further forward than the front surface of the attacca base plate 2610, making it impossible for game ball B to be received in the first large prize opening 2006. In other words, the first large prize opening 2006 is closed.

Meanwhile, when current is applied to the first attacca solenoid 2642 in a predetermined pattern in response to the first or second special symbol drawn upon receipt of a game ball B into the first lower starting port 2003 or the first upper starting port 2004 or receipt of a game ball B into the second starting port 2005 (for example, "big hit," "medium hit," "small hit," etc.), or upon receipt of a game ball B into the V winning port 2008, the tip of the plunger 2642a moves to the right against the spring force so that the plunger 2642a sinks, and the plunger head 2646 also moves to the right together with the plunger 2642a. When the plunger head 2646 moves to the right, its transmission slit 2646c moves to the right of the central axis of the base 2647a of the opening/closing link 2647, causing the opening/closing link 2647 to rotate counterclockwise via the transmission pin 2647c inserted in the transmission slit 2646c. This rotation causes the opening/closing pin 2647d of the opening/closing link 2647 to move rearward from the central axis of the base 2647a, causing the first large prize opening door body 2641 to slide rearward via the link slit 2641c into which the opening/closing pin 2647d is inserted.

As a result, the front end of the first major winning opening door body 2641 is positioned behind the front surface of the attacca base plate 2610, opening the first major winning opening 2006 and allowing game ball B to be received. In this state, as shown in FIG. 152(a), the front end of the cutout 2641b of the first major winning opening door body 2641 is positioned forward of the front surface of the attacca base plate 2610 and is visible from the front. In this state, the cutout 2641b of the first major winning opening door body 2641 protrudes from the front surface of the attacca base plate 2610 a distance shorter than the radius of the game ball B, so the game ball B does not come into contact with the cutout 2641b and does not impede the circulation of the game ball B.

The game ball B received in the first large prize opening 2006 is guided rearward by the attacca front plate 2620, passes through the twelfth opening 2611l of the attacca base plate 2610, and enters the ball passage 2645a of the unit case 2645. The game ball B that has entered the ball passage 2645a is then handed over from the downstream end to the rear ball guide unit 3100 of the rear unit 3000, where it is detected by the first large prize opening sensor 3002 (see Figure 203) and discharged downward.

In the first major prize opening opening/closing unit 2640 of this embodiment, the first attacca solenoid 2642 is arranged so that the plunger moves back and forth in the left-right direction and is arranged so that it overlaps the first major prize opening door body 2641 vertically (in a plan view), thereby minimizing the front-to-rear dimension of the first major prize opening opening/closing unit 2640. Furthermore, the first major prize opening door body 2641 is provided with a cutout 2641b into which a portion of the plunger head 2646 is inserted to move the first major prize opening door body 2641 back and forth. This minimizes the area of the region formed by the first major prize opening door body 2641, plunger head 2646, and opening/closing link 2647 in a plan view, thereby enabling the first major prize opening opening/closing unit 2640 to be made more compact. Therefore, by making the first large prize opening opening unit 2640 smaller, it is easier to secure space behind it, so by making the rear reels and decorations larger or placing new reels and decorations behind it, the pachinko machine 1 can be made to stand out more, strongly attracting the player's attention and providing more entertainment for the player with the rear reels, preventing a decline in the player's interest in the game.

In addition, because the unit case 2645 of the first large prize opening opening unit 2640 is attached behind the attacca base plate 2610, the attacca base plate 2610 makes it possible to make the unit case 2645 (first attacca solenoid 2642) less visible to the player, preventing the poor appearance caused by the first attacca solenoid 2642 being visible, and providing a pachinko machine 1 with a good appearance.

Furthermore, the unit case 2645 that holds the first large prize opening door body 2641 and the first attacca solenoid 2642 is composed of two parts, the first case portion 2643 and the second case portion 2644, which helps to prevent an increase in the number of parts in the first large prize opening opening/closing unit 2640 and helps to prevent an increase in the cost of the pachinko machine 1.

In addition, because the unit case 2645 is made up of two parts, the first case part 2643 and the second case part 2644, the first large prize opening door body 2641 and the first attacca solenoid 2642 can be held between the first case part 2643 and the second case part 2644, simplifying the effort required for assembly.

In addition, with the first major prize opening opening/closing unit 2640, when the first major prize opening 2006 is closed by the first major prize opening door body 2641, a portion of the cutout 2641b of the first major prize opening door body 2641 protrudes forward beyond the front surface of the attacca base plate 2610, and a first major prize opening decorative board 2672 is provided on which an LED is mounted that can project light upward toward the first major prize opening 2006. As a result, the LED on the first major prize opening decorative board 2672 emits light that illuminates the game ball B rolling on the first major prize opening door body 2641 from below through the cutout 2641b. This allows the player to see an illumination of the game ball B rolling on the first major prize opening door body 2641, an effect never before seen in pachinko machines, which strongly attracts the player's attention, entertains the player, and prevents a decline in interest in the game.

[5-9d-2e. Second main prize opening/closing unit]
As shown in FIG. 160, the second large winning opening opening opening unit 2650 of the attacca unit 2600 comprises a flat second large winning opening door body 2651 that penetrates the attacca base plate 2610 and is capable of moving forward and backward, a second attacca solenoid 2652 for moving the second large winning opening door body 2651 forward and backward in accordance with the first special symbol or the second special symbol drawn by receiving the game ball B at the first lower starting opening 2003, the first upper starting opening 2004, and the second starting opening 2005, and a second attacca It has a unit case 2655 which holds the solenoid 2652 and is composed of a first case part 2653 and a second case part 2654, a plunger head 2656 attached to the plunger 2652a of the second attacca solenoid 2652 which moves back and forth, and an opening/closing link 2657 which is supported by the unit case 2655 so as to be rotatable about an axis in the vertical direction and which rotates as the plunger head 2656 moves back and forth, thereby moving the second large prize opening door body 2651 back and forth.

The second large prize opening door body 2651 of the second large prize opening opening opening unit 2650 has a door piece 2651a that is long and flat in the left-right direction and slopes downward so that the left end is lower, a base 2651b that extends rearward from the center in the left-right direction at the rear end of the door piece 2651a, and a link slit 2651c that is long in the left-right direction and penetrates the base 2651b from top to bottom. This second large prize opening door body 2651 is supported on the top surface of the unit case 2655 (first case portion 2653) so that it can slide forward and backward. The opening and closing pin 2657e of the opening and closing link 2657 is slidably inserted into the link slit 2651c.

The second large prize opening door body 2651 slopes from the front end to the rear by a specified width, with the underside moving upward as it moves forward. In other words, it is tapered so that the front end becomes narrower. This makes it difficult for game ball B to get caught between the front plate body 2621 of the attacca front plate 2620 and the front end of the second large prize opening door body 2651 when the second large prize opening door body 2651 moves forward, and even if it does get caught, friction is kept low to minimize the likelihood of it getting caught.

The second attacca solenoid 2652 is held within the unit case 2655 with its plunger 2652a, which moves back and forth when energized, protruding to the left. The second attacca solenoid 2652 is arranged so that it overlaps (in a plan view) the second large prize opening door body 2651 vertically. The second attacca solenoid 2652 has a spring (not shown), which urges the plunger 2652a in the protruding direction. The plunger 2652a has a disk-shaped tip.

The unit case 2655 is attached to the rear of the attacca base plate 2610. The unit case 2655 is composed of two parts: a first case section 2653 and a second case section 2654, which are separated into upper and lower sections. The unit case 2655 holds (supports) the second large prize opening door body 2651 on its top surface so that it can slide back and forth. The unit case 2655 also holds the second attacca solenoid 2652, plunger head 2656, and opening/closing link 2657 inside.

The first case section 2653 of the unit case 2655 has four slide retaining pieces 2653a that protrude upward from the top surface in an inverted L-shape. Two of the slide retaining pieces 2653a are located at the left and right ends of the first case section 2653, with the tips of their horizontally extending upper ends facing each other. These two slide retaining pieces 2653a are able to slidably retain (support) both the left and right ends of the door piece 2651a of the second large prize opening door body 2651. The remaining two slide retaining pieces 2653a are located at the rear near the center in the left-right direction on the top surface of the first case section 2653, spaced apart from each other on the left and right, with the tips of their horizontally extending upper ends facing each other. These two slide retaining pieces 2653a are able to slidably retain (support) both the left and right ends of the base 2651b of the second large prize opening door body 2651.

The first case portion 2653 of the unit case 2655 has a fan-shaped through-hole 2653b that penetrates vertically between the two slide retaining pieces 2653a in the center in the left-right direction. The opening/closing pin 2657e of the opening/closing link 2657 is inserted into this through-hole 2653b from below.

The second case portion 2654 of the unit case 2655 is formed in the shape of a long box that is open upward and extends laterally, and has a cylindrical shaft portion 2654a that extends upward from near the left end of the bottom wall. The shaft portion 2654a of the second case portion 2654 is used to rotatably support the opening/closing link 2657.

The plunger head 2656 has a connection portion 2656a that is attached to the plunger 2652a of the second attacca solenoid 2652 by inserting the disk-shaped portion at the tip of the plunger 2652a, an extension portion 2656b that extends to the left from the connection portion 2656a, and a transmission portion 2656c that is provided at the tip of the extension portion 2656b. The transmission portion 2656c has a U-shape that opens forward in a plan view, and the transmission pin 2657c of the opening/closing link 2657 is slidably inserted into it. With the connection portion 2656a attached to the plunger 2652a, the plunger head 2656 moves back and forth together with the plunger 2652a in the left-right direction.

The opening/closing link 2657 has a cylindrical base 2657a that extends vertically and is supported by the unit case 2655 so as to be rotatable about a vertical axis; a first arm 2657b that extends outward from the base 2657a; a transmission pin 2657c that extends upward in a cylindrical shape from the tip of the first arm 2657b; a second arm 2657d that extends outward from the base 2657a in a direction different from that of the first arm 2657b and is longer than the first arm 2657b; and an opening/closing pin 2657e that extends upward in a cylindrical shape from the tip of the second arm 2657d.

By inserting the shaft 2654a of the second case portion 2654 into the cylindrical base portion 2657a, it is held rotatably around the vertical axis. The first arm 2657b extends forward from the lower end of the base portion 2657a. The transmission pin 2657c is slidably inserted into the U-shaped transmission portion 2656c of the plunger head 2656. The second arm 2657d extends to the right from the upper end of the base portion 2657a. The second arm 2657d extends in a direction that is 90 degrees different from the first arm 2657b and has a length twice that of the first arm 2657b. The opening/closing pin 2657e is slidably inserted into the link slit 2651c of the second large prize opening door body 2651 through the through hole 2653b of the first case portion 2653 of the unit case 2655.

When this second large prize opening opening/closing unit 2650 is assembled to the gaming board 5, the unit case 2655 is attached to the rear of the attacca base plate 2610, and the second large prize opening door body 2651 is configured to be able to advance and retreat forward of the front of the attacca base plate 2610 through the third opening 2611c of the base plate body 2611. The second large prize opening opening opening/closing unit 2650 is also configured with the second large prize opening door body 2651 colored a predetermined color (e.g., red, black, blue, etc.) to make it highly visible. The second large prize opening opening opening unit 2650 also has a transparent unit case 2655, which allows the interior to be seen from the outside and allows light to pass through.

In the normal state, the second large prize opening opening/closing unit 2650 moves the second large prize opening door body 2651 forward due to the spring force of the second attacca solenoid 2652, so that its front end protrudes forward beyond the front surface of the attacca base plate 2610, preventing game ball B from being received in the second large prize opening 2007. In other words, the second large prize opening 2007 is closed.

On the other hand, when current is applied to the second attacca solenoid 2652 in a predetermined pattern in accordance with the first or second special symbol drawn when a game ball B is received at the first lower starting port 2003 or the first upper starting port 2004, or when a game ball B is received at the second starting port 2005 (for example, the drawn special symbol is a "big win," a "medium win," or a "small win"), the plunger 2652a retracts against the spring force, and the opening/closing link 2657 rotates via the plunger head 2656 attached to the tip of the plunger 2652a. This rotation of the opening/closing link 2657 causes the second large prize opening door body 2651 to retract, so that its front end is positioned behind the front surface of the attacca base plate 2610. This opens the second large prize opening 2007, allowing it to receive a game ball B.

Game ball B received by second large prize opening 2007 is detected by second large prize opening sensor 2602, which is located below second large prize opening 2007 and in front of attacca base plate 2610, and is then guided further downward by attacca front plate 2620. Below (downstream from) second large prize opening sensor 2602 are V prize opening 2008 and loss opening 2009, and game ball B detected by second large prize opening sensor 2602 is sorted by V sorting unit 2660 to either V prize opening 2008 or loss opening 2009.

After being detected by the V entry port sensor 2603 at the front of the attacca base plate 2610, the game ball B allocated to the V entry port 2008 is guided rearward by the attacca front plate 2620 and passes through the seventh opening 2611g of the attacca base plate 2610 to enter the center lower right ball path 2676. On the other hand, after being detected by the loss port sensor 2604 at the front of the attacca base plate 2610, the game ball B allocated to the loss port 2009 is guided rearward by the attacca front plate 2620 and passes through the seventh opening 2611g of the attacca base plate 2610 to enter the passage portion 2676a of the center lower right ball path 2676. Then, game ball B that enters passage portion 2676a of center bottom right ball path 2676 is handed over from its downstream end (rear end) to back ball guiding unit 3100 of back unit 3000, and is discharged downward from back ball guiding unit 3100.

In the second large prize opening opening/closing unit 2650 of this embodiment, the second attacca solenoid 2652 is arranged so that the plunger 2652a moves back and forth in the left-right direction and is arranged so that it overlaps (in a plan view) the second large prize opening door body 2651 vertically, thereby making the front-to-rear dimension of the second large prize opening opening/closing unit 2650 as small as possible. Therefore, by making the second large prize opening opening/closing unit 2650 smaller, it is easier to secure space behind it, and by making the rear reels and decorations larger or placing new reels and decorations behind it, the pachinko machine 1 can be made more noticeable, strongly attracting the player's attention and providing more entertainment for the player with the rear reels, preventing a decline in the player's interest in the game.

In addition, because the unit case 2655 of the second large prize opening opening unit 2650 is attached behind the attacca base plate 2610, the attacca base plate 2610 makes it possible to make the unit case 2655 (second attacca solenoid 2652) less visible to the player, preventing the poor appearance caused by the second attacca solenoid 2652 being visible, and providing a pachinko machine 1 with a good appearance.

Furthermore, the unit case 2655 holding the second large prize opening door body 2651 and the second attacca solenoid 2652 is composed of two parts, the first case portion 2653 and the second case portion 2654, which helps to prevent an increase in the number of parts in the second large prize opening opening unit 2650 and helps to prevent an increase in the cost of the pachinko machine 1.

In addition, because the unit case 2655 is composed of two parts, the first case part 2653 and the second case part 2654, the second attacca solenoid 2652 can be held between the first case part 2653 and the second case part 2654, simplifying the assembly process.

[5-9d-2f. V-distribution unit]
As shown in Figure 161, the V distribution unit 2660 of the attacca unit 2600 has a flat V prize opening door body 2661 that penetrates the attacca base plate 2610 and is capable of moving forward and backward, a V distribution solenoid 2662 for moving the V prize opening door body 2661 forward and backward, a unit case 2665 that holds the V prize opening door body 2661 and the V distribution solenoid 2662 and is composed of a first case part 2663 and a second case part 2664, a plunger head 2666 attached to the plunger 2662a of the V distribution solenoid 2662 that moves forward and backward, and an opening/closing link 2667 that is supported by the unit case 2665 so as to be rotatable about the vertical axis and rotates as the plunger head 2666 moves forward and backward, thereby moving the V prize opening door body 2661 forward and backward.

The V winning opening door body 2661 of the V distribution unit 2660 has a flat plate-shaped door piece 2661a that is slightly longer than the length of one game ball B on both sides and slopes downwards on the right end, a base 2661b that extends rearward from the rear end of the door piece 2661a, and a link slit 2661c that is provided at the rear end of the base 2661b, penetrates vertically, and is long horizontally. This V winning opening door body 2661 is supported within the unit case 2665 so that it can slide back and forth. The opening/closing pin 2667e of the opening/closing link 2667 is slidably inserted into the link slit 2661c.

The V-winning opening door body 2661 slopes from the front end to the rear by a specified width, with the underside moving upward as it moves forward. In other words, it is tapered so that the front end becomes narrower. This makes it difficult for game ball B to get caught between the front plate body 2621 of the attacca front plate 2620 and the front end of the V-winning opening door body 2661 when the V-winning opening door body 2661 moves forward, and even if it does get caught, friction is kept low to minimize the chance of it getting caught.

The V-distribution solenoid 2662 is held in the unit case 2665 with the plunger 2662a, which moves back and forth when energized, protruding to the left. The V-distribution solenoid 2662 is arranged so that it overlaps (in a plan view) the V-winning opening door body 2661 above and below. The V-distribution solenoid 2662 has a spring (not shown), which urges the plunger 2662a in the protruding direction. The plunger 2662a has a disk-shaped tip.

The unit case 2665 is attached to the rear of the attacca base plate 2610. The unit case 2665 is composed of two parts: a first case section 2663 and a second case section 2664, which are separated into upper and lower sections. The unit case 2665 holds (supports) the V-shaped winning opening door body 2661 on the top surface of the second case section 2664, which is the interior, so that it can slide back and forth. The unit case 2665 also holds the V-distribution solenoid 2662, plunger head 2666, and opening/closing link 2667 inside.

The first case section 2663 of the unit case 2665 is formed in the shape of a long box that is open downward and elongated from side to side. The second case section 2664 is formed in the shape of a long box that is open upward and elongated from side to side. The second case section 2664 has two slide retaining pieces 2664a that protrude upward in an inverted L shape from the top surface of the bottom wall. The two slide retaining pieces 2664a are positioned so that the tips of the horizontally extending portions at the upper ends face each other, centered slightly to the left of the left-right center of the first case section 2663. These two slide retaining pieces 2653a can slidably retain (support) both the left and right ends of the base 2661b of the V-shaped winning opening door body 2661.

The second case portion 2664 also has a cylindrical shaft portion 2664b that extends upward from near the rear end, to the left of the two slide retaining pieces 2664a on the bottom wall. The shaft portion 2664b of the second case portion 2664 is used to rotatably support the opening/closing link 2667.

This unit case 2665 has a sensor abutment 2665a on the underside of the outer surface, against which a portion of the V winning opening sensor 2603 and the losing opening sensor 2604 abut. By abutting the V winning opening sensor 2603 and the losing opening sensor 2604 against the sensor abutment 2665a, it is possible to restrict the movement of the V winning opening sensor 2603 and the losing opening sensor 2604 in a predetermined direction. More specifically, the sensor abutment 2665a is formed in a stepped shape with the right side higher than the left side, which allows the V winning opening sensor 2603 to be restricted from moving upward, and the losing opening sensor 2604 to be restricted from moving upward and to the left.

The plunger head 2666 has a connection portion 2666a that is attached to the plunger 2662a of the V-division solenoid 2662 by inserting the disk-shaped portion at the tip of the plunger 2662a, an extension portion 2666b that extends to the left from the connection portion 2666a, and a transmission pin 2666c that protrudes cylindrically downward from the tip of the extension portion 2666b. The transmission pin 2666c is slidably inserted into the transmission slit 2667c of the opening/closing link 2667. With the connection portion 2666a attached to the plunger 2662a, the plunger head 2666 moves back and forth together with the plunger 2662a in the left-right direction.

The opening/closing link 2667 has a cylindrical base 2667a that extends vertically and is supported by the unit case 2665 so as to be rotatable about a vertical axis; a first arm 2667b that extends outward from the base 2667a; a long hole-shaped transmission slit 2667c that penetrates the first arm 2667b vertically and extends in the longitudinal direction of the first arm 2667b; a second arm 2667d that extends outward from the base 2667a in a different direction from the first arm 2667b and is longer than the first arm 2667b; and an opening/closing pin 2667e that extends cylindrically downward from the tip of the second arm 2667d.

By inserting the shaft 2664b of the second case 2664 into the cylindrical base 2667a, it is held rotatably around the vertical axis. The first arm 2667b extends forward from the upper end of the base 2667a. The transmission pin 2666c of the plunger head 2666 is slidably inserted into the transmission slit 2667c. The second arm 2667d extends to the right from the upper end of the base 2667a. The second arm 2667d extends in a direction that is 90 degrees different from the first arm 2667b and is twice as long as the first arm 2667b. The opening/closing pin 2667e is slidably inserted into the link slit 2661c of the V-shaped winning opening door body 2661.

When this V-distribution unit 2660 is assembled to the gaming board 5, the unit case 2665 is attached to the rear of the attacca base plate 2610, and the V-winning opening door body 2661 is configured to be able to move forward and backward further than the front of the attacca base plate 2610 through the fifth opening 2611e of the base plate body 2611. Furthermore, the V-distribution unit 2660 is configured so that the V-winning opening door body 2661 is colored a predetermined color (e.g., red, black, blue, etc.) to make it stand out. Furthermore, the V-distribution unit 2660 has a transparent unit case 2665, which allows the interior to be seen from the outside and allows light to pass through.

Furthermore, the V distribution unit 2660 has the V winning opening sensor 2603 and the losing opening sensor 2604 abutting against the sensor abutment 2665a on the underside of the unit case 2665. The V winning opening sensor 2603 and the losing opening sensor 2604 are abutted by the sensor abutment 2676b of the center lower right ball path 2676 from the left and right, below, and behind. In other words, the V winning opening sensor 2603 and the losing opening sensor 2604 are sandwiched between the V distribution unit 2660 and the center lower right ball path 2676, and movement up and down, backward, and left and right is restricted (see Figure 162).

When the V distribution solenoid 2662 of the V distribution unit 2660 is not energized, the spring force of the V distribution solenoid 2662 causes the V prize opening door body 2661 to move forward, with its front end protruding forward from the front of the attacca base plate 2610, preventing game balls B from being received into the V prize opening 2008. In other words, the V prize opening 2008 is closed. As a result, game balls B that have been received into the second large prize opening 2007 and flow down toward the V prize opening 2008 can be guided to the losing opening 2009 on the right by the inclination of the V prize opening door body 2661, and the game balls B can be distributed to the losing opening 2009.

The game ball B that has been allocated (accepted) to the loss port 2009 is detected by the loss port sensor 2604 on the front side of the attacca base plate 2610, and is then guided rearward by the attacca front plate 2620, passing through the seventh opening 2611g of the attacca base plate 2610 and entering the passage section 2676a of the center lower right ball path 2676. The game ball B that has entered the passage section 2676a of the center lower right ball path 2676 is then handed over from its downstream end (rear end) to the back ball guide unit 3100 of the back unit 3000, and is then discharged downward from the back ball guide unit 3100.

On the other hand, when the V distribution solenoid 2662 is energized, the plunger 2662a retracts against the spring force, and the opening/closing link 2667 rotates via the plunger head 2666 attached to the tip of the plunger 2662a. This rotation of the opening/closing link 2667 causes the V prize opening door body 2661 to retract, with its front end positioned behind the front of the attacca base plate 2610. This opens the V prize opening 2008, making it capable of receiving game ball B. In this state, if game ball B received in the second large prize opening 2007 flows down, it will be received in the V prize opening 2008. In other words, it will be distributed to the V prize opening 2008.

The V-distribution solenoid 2662 may be energized at a fixed cycle regardless of the progress of the game, or may be energized in a predetermined pattern according to the first special symbol or second special symbol drawn by receiving game ball B into the first lower start port 2003 or first upper start port 2004 or by receiving game ball B into the second start port 2005.

After being allocated (accepted) to the V winning port 2008, the game ball B is detected by the V winning port sensor 2603 at the front of the attacca base plate 2610, and then guided rearward by the attacca front plate 2620, passing through the seventh opening 2611g of the attacca base plate 2610 and entering the passage section 2676a of the center lower right ball path 2676. The game ball B that has entered the passage section 2676a of the center lower right ball path 2676 is then handed over from its downstream end (rear end) to the back ball guide unit 3100 of the back unit 3000, and is discharged downward from the back ball guide unit 3100.

In the V-distribution unit 2660 of this embodiment, the V-distribution solenoid 2662 is arranged so that the plunger 2662a moves back and forth in the left-right direction and is arranged so that it overlaps (in a plan view) the V-winning opening door body 2661 vertically, allowing the front-to-rear dimension of the V-distribution unit 2660 to be made as small as possible. Therefore, by making the V-distribution unit 2660 smaller, it is easier to secure space at the rear, and by making the rear reels and decorations larger or placing new reels and decorations at the rear, the pachinko machine 1 can be made more noticeable, strongly attracting the player's attention and providing more entertainment for the player with the rear reels, preventing a decline in the player's interest in the game.

In addition, because the unit case 2665 of the V-distribution unit 2660 is attached behind the attacca base plate 2610, the attacca base plate 2610 makes it possible to make the unit case 2665 (V-distribution solenoid 2662) less visible to the player, preventing the appearance from being impaired by the V-distribution solenoid 2662 being visible, and providing a pachinko machine 1 with a good appearance.

Furthermore, the unit case 2665 that holds the V winning opening door body 2661 and the V distribution solenoid 2662 is composed of two parts, the first case part 2663 and the second case part 2664, which helps to prevent an increase in the number of parts in the V distribution unit 2660 and helps to prevent an increase in the cost of the pachinko machine 1.

In addition, because the unit case 2665 is made up of two parts, the first case part 2663 and the second case part 2664, it is possible to hold the V-shaped winning opening door body 2661 and the V-shaped distribution solenoid 2662 by sandwiching them between the first case part 2663 and the second case part 2664, thereby simplifying the effort required for assembly.

In addition, a sensor abutment 2665a is provided on the outer surface of the unit case 2665 of the V sorting unit 2660, and the V winning opening sensor 2603 and the losing opening sensor 2604 abut against the outer surface of the unit case 2665. As a result, the unit case 2665 can restrict the movement of the V winning opening sensor 2603 and the losing opening sensor 2604 in a predetermined direction, making it possible to position the V winning opening sensor 2603 and the losing opening sensor 2604 in a predetermined position. Furthermore, when assembling the game board 5, the sensor abutment 2665a of the unit case 2665 can guide the V winning opening sensor 2603 and the losing opening sensor 2604, making assembly easier.

[5-9d-2g. Second embodiment of opening/closing unit]
Next, an opening/closing unit 2700, which is an embodiment different from the second starting opening/closing unit 2630, the first large winning opening opening/closing unit 2640, the second large winning opening opening/closing unit 2650, and the V-distribution unit 2660, will be described in detail with reference to Fig. 163. Fig. 163 is a perspective view seen from the bottom rear. This opening/closing unit 2700 is attached to the rear side of a flat base plate 2710.

The opening/closing unit 2700 comprises a flat door 2701 that penetrates the base plate 2710 and is movable back and forth, a solenoid 2702 that acts as a drive means for moving the door 2701 back and forth, and a unit case 2705 that holds the door 2701 and solenoid 2702 and is composed of a first case portion 2703 and a second case portion 2704.

The door body 2701 of the opening/closing unit 2700 is inclined by a predetermined width from the front end to the rear, with the underside moving upward as it moves forward. In other words, it is tapered so that the front end becomes narrower. This makes it difficult for game ball B to get caught between the front plate (not shown) and the front end of the door body 2701 when the door body 2701 moves forward, and even if it does get caught, friction is kept low to minimize the chance of it getting caught.

Solenoid 2702 is held in unit case 2705 with plunger 2702a, which moves back and forth when current is applied, protruding to the right. Solenoid 2702 has a spring (not shown), which urges plunger 2702a in the protruding direction. The tip of plunger 2702a is formed in a disk shape.

When the solenoid 2702 of this opening/closing unit 2700 is not energized, the plunger 2702a protrudes due to the spring force, and an opening/closing link (not shown) connected to the plunger 2702a retracts the door body 2701 so that its front end is positioned behind the front surface of the base plate 2710. As a result, the door body 2701 cannot guide the game ball B to the receiving opening (not shown), making it impossible for the game ball B to be received by the receiving opening.

When the solenoid 2702 is energized to retract the plunger 2702a against the spring force, the opening/closing unit 2700 advances the door body 2701 via an opening/closing link (not shown), causing its front end to protrude forward through the first opening 2710a of the base plate 2710. Because the door body 2701 is tilted so that its left end is lower, a detection hole on the left side of the door body 2701 can guide the game ball B through the second opening 2710b toward the ball sensor 2711, which protrudes forward beyond the front surface of the base plate 2710. Therefore, when the game ball B flows down onto the door body 2701 while the door body 2701 is protruding, the top surface of the door body 2701 can guide the game ball B toward the ball sensor 2711, allowing it to pass through the detection hole of the ball sensor 2711 and be detected. In other words, it is possible to receive game ball B into the receiving opening.

The opening/closing unit 2700 also has an annular band holding portion 2706 provided on the outer surface of the unit case 2705, an attachment portion 2707 provided on the unit case 2705 for attaching the opening/closing unit 2700 to the attachment boss 2710c of the base plate 2710, and a sensor abutment portion 2708 provided on the unit case 2705 that can abut against the ball sensor 2711 held by the sensor holding portion 2710d of the base plate 2710.

As shown in the figure, multiple band holding portions 2706 are provided at different positions on the outer surface of the unit case 2705. Specifically, two band holding portions 2706 are provided on the left side surface 2705L of the unit case 2705, and one is provided on the right side surface of the unit case 2705. Each band holding portion 2706 has an annular opening facing up and down. The band holding portion 2706 fastens (binds) the wiring EC connected to the solenoid 2702, ball sensor 2711, etc., with the band portion CTa of the cable tie CT passed through the annular portion, thereby holding the wiring EC to the unit case 2705.

Two mounting portions 2707 are provided, each protruding outward in a flange-like manner from the left and right side surfaces of the unit case 2705. The sensor holding portion 2710d is formed integrally with the mounting portion 2707 protruding from the left side surface 2705L of the unit case 2705. This sensor holding portion 2710d closes part of the rear-opening portion of the U-shaped sensor holding portion 2710d on the base plate 2710, which is capable of accommodating part of the spherical sensor 2711. This makes it possible to restrict rearward movement of the spherical sensor 2711 held in the sensor holding portion 2710d. The open U-shaped portion of the sensor holding portion 2710d faces right (towards the unit case 2705).

When the opening/closing unit 2700 of this embodiment is assembled to the game board 5, the two mounting portions 2707 are attached with their front faces abutting the rear ends of the mounting bosses 2710c of the base plate 2710. The ball sensor 2711 has a front portion, which has a detection hole formed through the second opening 2710b from the rear of the base plate 2710, protruding forward from the front face of the base plate 2710, and its rear portion is housed in a U-shaped sensor holding portion 2710d. A portion of the rear end of the ball sensor 2711 abuts against the sensor abutment portion 2708, and a portion of the peripheral side surface of the rear portion of the ball sensor 2711 abuts against the left side surface 2705L of the unit case 2705.

The front end of the ball sensor 2711 abuts against a front plate (not shown) provided in front of the base plate 2710. This positions the ball sensor 2711 in a predetermined position. As mentioned above, the left side surface 2705L on the outer surface of the unit case 2705 abuts against part of the ball sensor 2711, and therefore the unit case 2705 has the function of restricting movement of the ball sensor 2711 in a predetermined direction by this part.

In this embodiment, the wiring EC connected to the solenoid 2702 extends outward from the rear of the left side surface 2705L of the unit case 2705, and the wiring EC connected to the rear end of the ball sensor 2711 located on the left side of the unit case 2705 extends rearward. These wiring EC then extend to the right along the underside of the unit case 2705 and are fastened with a cable tie CT to a band holder 2706 located at the lower rear end on the right side of the unit case 2705. Details of the cable tie CT are described in the following chapter [5-9a-1. Wiring Locking Portion].

At this time, the wiring EC connected to the solenoid 2702 is tightened with little slack, while the wiring EC connected to the ball sensor 2711 is tightened with plenty of slack. As a result, when the unit case 2705 is removed from the base plate 2710, the ball sensor 2711 will not be pulled rearward by the wiring EC until the unit case 2705 is some distance away from the base plate 2710. In other words, the opening/closing unit 2700 can be moved some distance away from the base plate 2710 while the ball sensor 2711 remains held by the sensor holding portion 2710d, allowing the opening/closing unit 2700 to be checked (maintained).

In addition, the wiring EC connected to the ball sensor 2711 is held in place by the band holding portion 2706 with a cable tie CT. Therefore, even if the opening/closing unit 2700 is removed from the base plate 2710 together with the ball sensor 2711, the opening/closing unit 2700 and the ball sensor 2711 are connected by the wiring EC, preventing the ball sensor 2711 from being lost.

In the opening/closing unit 2700 of this embodiment, the solenoid 2702 is arranged so that the plunger 2702a moves back and forth in the left-right direction, allowing the front-to-rear dimension of the opening/closing unit 2700 to be made as small as possible. Therefore, by making the opening/closing unit 2700 smaller, it is easier to secure space at the rear, so that the rear reels and decorations can be made larger, or new reels and decorations can be placed at the rear, making the pachinko machine 1 more eye-catching and attracting the player's attention. Furthermore, the rear reels and other items can be more entertaining for the player, preventing a decline in the player's interest in the game.

In addition, because the unit case 2705 of the opening/closing unit 2700 is attached behind the base plate 2710, the base plate 2710 makes it possible to make the unit case 2705 (solenoid 2702) less visible to the player, preventing the poor appearance caused by the solenoid 2702 being visible, and providing a pachinko machine 1 with a good appearance.

Furthermore, the unit case 2705 that holds the door body 2701 and the solenoid 2702 is composed of two parts, the first case portion 2703 and the second case portion 2704, which helps prevent an increase in the number of parts in the opening/closing unit 2700 and helps prevent an increase in the cost of the pachinko machine 1.

In addition, because the unit case 2705 is composed of two parts, the first case part 2703 and the second case part 2704, the door body 2701 and solenoid 2702 can be held between the first case part 2703 and the second case part 2704, simplifying the effort required for assembly.

In addition, a sensor abutment portion 2708 is provided on the outer surface of the unit case 2705 of the opening/closing unit 2700, and the ball sensor 2711 abuts against the outer surface of the unit case 2705. This allows the unit case 2705 to restrict movement of the ball sensor 2711 in a predetermined direction, making it possible to position the ball sensor 2711 at a predetermined position. Furthermore, when assembling the game board 5, the sensor abutment portion 2708 of the unit case 2705 can guide the ball sensor 2711, making assembly easier.

Furthermore, the unit case 2705 of the opening/closing unit 2700 is provided with multiple annular band holding portions 2706. By passing the band portion CTa of the cable tie CT through the band holding portions 2706 and tightening it together with the wiring EC, the wiring EC can be held in place in the unit case 2705. By bundling the wiring EC, it is possible to make the wiring EC less visible to the player.

Furthermore, because multiple band holding parts 2706 are provided, the necessary band holding part 2706 can be used depending on the routing direction of the wiring EC. Therefore, even if the routing direction of the wiring EC changes by changing the mounting position of the opening/closing unit 2700 due to model or design changes, any of the band holding parts 2706 can be used to accommodate this, making the opening/closing unit 2700 highly versatile, and the ability to reuse the opening/closing unit 2700 helps to reduce increases in costs associated with the pachinko machine 1.

In addition, since the unit case 2705 is provided with a band holding portion 2706, before assembling the game board 5, the wiring EC of the ball sensor 2711, which is separate from the opening/closing unit 2700, can be held in place in the band holding portion 2706 with a cable tie CT, thereby preventing the ball sensor 2711 from being forgotten to be attached during assembly.

Furthermore, the unit case 2705 is provided with a sensor abutment 2708 that abuts against the rear end of the ball sensor 2711. Therefore, when the opening/closing unit 2700 is attached to the base plate 2710 with the ball sensor 2711 held in the sensor holding portion 2710d of the base plate 2710, the sensor abutment 2708 restricts the ball sensor 2711 from moving rearward, allowing the ball sensor 2711 to be attached. Therefore, there is no need to attach the ball sensor 2711 separately from the opening/closing unit 2700, making assembly of the game board 5 easier.

[5-9d-2h. Installation of sensors in the Attacker unit]
Next, the installation of sensors (here, the second start opening sensor 2601, the second large winning opening sensor 2602, the V winning opening sensor 2603, and the losing opening sensor 2604) in the attacca unit 2600 of the center role 2500 will be described in detail with reference to Figures 152 to 154, 162, and 164. Figure 164 is an explanatory diagram showing in a perspective view the relationship between the attacca front plate, the second start opening sensor, the second large winning opening sensor, the V winning opening sensor, the losing opening sensor, the attacca base plate, and the center lower right ball path in the attacca unit of the center role. Note that in Figure 153, in order to make the installation state of the V winning opening sensor 2603 and the losing opening sensor 2604 easier to understand, their positional relationship with the center lower right ball path 2676 is shown without being disassembled.

First, we will explain the external shapes of sensors (ball sensors), such as the second start opening sensor 2601, the second large prize opening sensor 2602, the V prize opening sensor 2603, and the losing opening sensor 2604. The ball sensor has a detection hole through which game ball B can pass in order to detect game ball B. When viewed from the axial direction of the detection hole for detecting game ball B, the ball sensor has an outer shape similar to two squares lined up side by side, with the detection hole located on one side of the longitudinal center of the rectangle. Furthermore, a C-chamfer is provided at one of the four corners of the rectangle closest to the detection hole. Furthermore, the ball sensor is formed so that the thickness along the axial direction of the detection hole is approximately half the diameter of the detection hole. Therefore, the ball sensor is formed in a thin, flat shape with the detection hole located on one side of the longitudinal center. Furthermore, the ball sensor houses a circuit board and a connector on the opposite side of the detection hole from the longitudinal center. Therefore, a connector for connecting external wiring EC is provided on the end face of the spherical sensor farthest from the detection hole. In the following description, the side of the spherical sensor from the center in the longitudinal direction where the detection hole is provided will be referred to as the detection side, and the opposite side will be referred to as the connector side.

The following describes the installation of the second start opening sensor 2601 in the attacca unit 2600. The second start opening sensor 2601 is used to detect a game ball B received in the second start opening 2005. The second start opening sensor 2601 is oriented so that its detection side is located forward of the longitudinal center. The detection side of this second start opening sensor 2601 is housed in a sensor holding portion 2623 that opens to the rear of the attacca front plate 2620. As a result, the attacca front plate 2620 restricts the second start opening sensor 2601 from moving forward, up and down, and left and right. The second start opening sensor 2601 is also held by the sensor holding portion 2623 of the attacca front plate 2620 in a state where the axis of the detection hole is tilted higher to the right when viewed from the front relative to the horizontal. In other words, the second start opening sensor 2601 is positioned by the attacca front plate 2620 with the axis of the detection hole tilted.

This second starting hole sensor 2601 detects game balls B flowing to the left, and since particularly high precision is required in positioning the detection hole in the axial direction, the sensor holding portion 2623 of the attacca front plate 2620, which houses the front end (detection side) of the second starting hole sensor 2601, is formed in a U-shape to surround the periphery of the detection side of the second starting hole sensor 2601. This allows the second starting hole sensor 2601 to be positioned at the desired position with high precision, allowing game balls B guided to the left by the guide piece 2636 of the second starting hole opening/closing unit 2630 to pass smoothly through the detection hole and be detected, preventing game balls B from stagnation or clogging on the guide piece 2636.

The connector side of the second starting port sensor 2601 passes through the first opening 2611a of the attacca base plate 2610 from the front and protrudes toward the rear of the base plate body 2611. The connector side of this second starting port sensor 2601 is inserted into a sensor holding recess 2635a provided on the outer surface of the unit case 2635 of the second starting port opening/closing unit 2630. As a result, the connector side of the second starting port sensor 2601 is restricted from moving rearward, up/down, and left/right by the sensor holding recess 2635a. Therefore, the second starting port sensor 2601 is installed sandwiched between the attacca front plate 2620 and the second starting port opening/closing unit 2630 (unit case 2635) from the front to the rear.

Next, we will explain the installation of the second large prize opening sensor 2602 in the attacca unit 2600. The second large prize opening sensor 2602 is used to detect game ball B received in the second large prize opening 2007. The second large prize opening sensor 2602 is positioned with the detection side and connector side aligned left and right, with the detection hole facing up and down. Specifically, the second large prize opening sensor 2602 is positioned horizontally with its longitudinal direction facing left and right, with the connector side located to the right of the detection side when viewed from the front. Most of this second large prize opening sensor 2602 is housed within the sensor holder 2623 of the attacca front panel 2620. As a result, the attacca front panel 2620 (sensor holder 2623) restricts the second large prize opening sensor 2602 from moving forward, up and down, and left and right.

The rear end of the second large prize opening sensor 2602, which protrudes further rearward than the sensor holding portion 2623 of the attacca front plate 2620, is housed in the sensor holding recess 2613 of the attacca base plate 2610. In other words, the rear end of the second large prize opening sensor 2602 abuts against the front surface of the attacca base plate 2610, and its rearward movement is restricted by the attacca base plate 2610. Therefore, the second large prize opening sensor 2602 is located in front of the base plate body 2611 of the attacca base plate 2610, and is installed sandwiched between the attacca base plate 2610 and the attacca front plate 2620.

When installing this second large prize opening sensor 2602, most of it is housed in the sensor holding portion 2623 of the attacca front panel 2620. This makes it less susceptible to the influence of manufacturing errors and assembly errors in the two components compared to when half is held by two components, making it easier to position the second large prize opening sensor 2602 in the desired position. Therefore, the position of the detection hole in the second large prize opening sensor 2602 is less likely to shift, allowing game ball B received by the second large prize opening 2007 to pass through the detection hole reliably, making it less likely for game ball B to stagnate, become stuck, or become jammed.

Next, we will explain the installation of the V winning opening sensor 2603 and the losing opening sensor 2604 of the attacca unit 2600. The V winning opening sensor 2603 is for detecting game balls B that have been received (distributed) into the V winning opening 2008, and the losing opening sensor 2604 is for detecting game balls B that have been received into the losing opening 2009. The V winning opening sensor 2603 and the losing opening sensor 2604 are oriented horizontally with the detection holes facing up and down, with the detection side positioned forward of the longitudinal center. The V winning opening sensor 2603 and the losing opening sensor 2604 have their detection sides housed in a sensor holding section 2623 that is open to the rear of the attacca front panel 2620. As a result, the V winning slot sensor 2603 and the losing slot sensor 2604 are restricted from moving forward, up and down, and left and right by the attacker front plate 2620.

The connector sides of the V winning slot sensor 2603 and the losing slot sensor 2604 pass through the seventh opening 2611g of the attacca base plate 2610 from the front and protrude to the rear of the base plate body 2611. The connector sides of the V winning slot sensor 2603 and the losing slot sensor 2604 are sandwiched between the unit case 2665 of the V sorting unit 2660 and the center lower right ball path 2676. The underside of the unit case 2665 of the V sorting unit 2660 is provided with a sensor abutment 2665a that can abut against the V winning slot sensor 2603 and the losing slot sensor 2604. The center lower right ball path 2676 is provided with a sensor abutment 2676b that is open to the front and upward and can abut against (and partially accommodate) the V winning slot sensor 2603 and the losing slot sensor 2604.

More specifically, the connector side of the V prize opening sensor 2603 abuts against a portion to the left of the stepped portion of the sensor abutment 2665a of the unit case 2665 of the V distribution unit 2660. The left side, bottom, and rear of the connector side of the V prize opening sensor 2603 abut against the sensor abutment 2676b of the center lower right ball path 2676. As a result, the connector side of the V prize opening sensor 2603 is restricted from moving upward by the sensor abutment 2665a of the unit case 2665, and is restricted from moving leftward, downward, and backward by the sensor abutment 2676b of the center lower right ball path 2676. While the connector side of the V prize opening sensor 2603 is not restricted from moving to the right, its rightward movement is restricted by the sensor holder 2623 on the detection side, allowing it to be positioned satisfactorily in the desired location.

On the other hand, the connector side of the outgoing outlet sensor 2604 has its top surface abutting against a portion to the right of the stepped portion of the sensor abutment 2665a of the unit case 2665 of the V-sorting unit 2660, and its left side abutting against the stepped portion (vertically extending portion) of the sensor abutment 2665a. Furthermore, the right side, bottom, and rear surfaces of the connector side of the outgoing outlet sensor 2604 abut against the sensor abutment 2676b of the center lower right ball path 2676. As a result, the connector side of the outgoing outlet sensor 2604 is restricted from moving upward and leftward by the sensor abutment 2665a of the unit case 2665, and is restricted from moving rightward, downward, and rearward by the sensor abutment 2676b of the center lower right ball path 2676.

In this way, the V winning slot sensor 2603 and the losing slot sensor 2604 are installed by being sandwiched between three components: the attacca front panel 2620, the V distribution unit 2660 (unit case 2665), and the center lower right ball path 2676.The detection side at the front end is housed in the sensor holding portion 2623 of the attacca front panel 2620, so as above, the detection hole can be positioned at the desired position with high precision, achieving the same effects as above.

In addition, since the center right lower ball path 2676 is provided with a ring-shaped band holding portion 2676c, the band holding portion 2676c and the cable tie CT can be used to bundle and hold the multiple wiring EC connected to the V winning port sensor 2603 and the losing port sensor 2604.

[5-9d-2i. Second embodiment of door body in opening and closing unit]
Next, a door body 2720 of an embodiment different from the guide piece 2636 of the second starting opening/closing unit 2630, the first major winning opening door body 2641 of the first major winning opening opening/closing unit 2640, the second major winning opening door body 2651 of the second major winning opening opening/closing unit 2650, the V winning opening door body 2661 of the V distribution unit 2660, and the door body 2701 of the opening/closing unit 2700 will be described in detail, mainly with reference to FIG. 165. FIG. 165(a) is an explanatory diagram showing a side cross section of a door body of a different embodiment applied to the first major winning opening opening/closing unit in the attacca unit of a center role, and FIG. 165(b) is an explanatory diagram showing a plan view of FIG. 165(a). Here, the door body 2701 will be described as applied to the first major winning opening opening/closing unit 2640 in the attacca unit 2600 (replacing the first major winning opening door body 2641). Components with the same configuration are designated by the same reference numerals, and detailed description will be omitted.

The first large prize opening opening/closing unit 2640, which serves as an opening/closing unit, has a flat door 2720 that penetrates the attacca base plate 2610 and is movable forward and backward. This door 2720 is located between the base plate body 2611 of the attacca base plate 2610 and the front plate body 2621 of the attacca front plate 2620, and can close the upward-opening first large prize opening 2006 by moving it back and forth. The door 2720 slides backward to open the first large prize opening 2006 in response to the first or second special symbol (e.g., "big win," "medium win," "small win," etc.) drawn by receiving a game ball B into the first lower starting hole 2003 or the first upper starting hole 2004 or receiving a game ball B into the second starting hole 2005, or in response to receiving a game ball B into the V winning hole 2008.

In the Attacca unit 2600, a first major winning opening decorative substrate 2672 equipped with an LED capable of emitting light upward is provided below the first major winning opening 2006. The LED on this first major winning opening decorative substrate 2672 allows the first major winning opening 2006 to be illuminated and decorated.

The door body 2720 is opaque and colored a predetermined color (e.g., red, black, blue, etc.) to make it highly visible. As shown in FIG. 165, this door body 2720 has multiple openings 2721 that run vertically through it in a section that protrudes forward from the front of the attacca base plate 2610. The openings 2721 are located away from the rolling area 2722 of game ball B, shown cross-hatched in FIG. 165(b), when the first large winning opening 2006 is closed. This prevents the multiple openings 2721 from coming into contact with game ball B and does not impede the circulation of game ball B.

In conventional pachinko machines, which are equipped with doors that open and close by moving the main prize opening and special prize opening back and forth, additives are added to the doors to increase their wear resistance, etc., since many game balls B pass over them. These additives make the doors nearly opaque. Therefore, even if light is shone from below when the main prize opening or other opening is closed, the light is blocked by the door, causing the game balls B rolling on the door to appear dark. To address this issue, a system has been proposed in which LEDs are installed above and behind the door that emit light forward, illuminating the game balls B on the door from behind. However, when LEDs are installed above and behind the door, it is difficult for the light from these LEDs to brightly illuminate the main prize opening below the door. Therefore, a separate LED must be installed to illuminate the main prize opening, which increases the cost of the pachinko machine.

In contrast, in this embodiment, the flat door body 2720, which can open and close the first major prize opening 2006 by moving back and forth, is provided with multiple openings 2721 that penetrate vertically. Therefore, when the door body 2720 is moved forward to close the first major prize opening 2006, the LEDs on the first major prize opening decorative board 2672 located below the first major prize opening 2006 are illuminated. The light emitted upward from the LEDs illuminates the inside of the first major prize opening 2006 and also illuminates the game ball B rolling on the door body 2720 from below through the openings 2721. This allows the player to see an illuminated effect in which the game ball B rolling on the door body 2720 is illuminated from below, something never before seen in pachinko machines. This strongly attracts the player's attention, entertains the player, and prevents a decline in interest in the game.

Furthermore, the multiple openings 2721 in the door body 2720 allow light from the LEDs on the first major winning opening decorative substrate 2672 located below the first major winning opening 2006 to illuminate the game ball B on the door body 2720. This eliminates the need to install LEDs (decorative substrates) above and below the door body, as is the case with conventional pachinko machines. Instead, the single first major winning opening decorative substrate 2672 can illuminate and decorate the inside of the first major winning opening 2006 and the game ball B on the door body 2720, thereby minimizing the increase in costs associated with the pachinko machine 1.

In addition, because the light from the LEDs on the first large winning opening decorative substrate 2672 is directed at game ball B from below through multiple openings 2721 in the door body 2720, it is less likely that the light from the LEDs will reach the player's eyes directly, reducing the likelihood of it appearing dazzling, compared to conventional pachinko machines where game ball B is illuminated from behind. Furthermore, it is possible to prevent the light from the LEDs from reaching the player's eyes directly, which would be dazzling and make game ball B more difficult to see, making game ball B easier to see.

Furthermore, the door body 2720 is provided with multiple openings 2721 that penetrate vertically, so that dust, debris, etc. that falls onto the door body 2720 can be discharged downward through the openings 2721, preventing dust, debris, etc. on the door body 2720 from interfering with the flow of game balls B or the movement of the door body 2720 forward and backward.

In the above embodiment, the door 2720 that opens and closes the first large prize opening 2006 is provided with multiple openings 2721, but this is not limited to this, and openings may also be provided in the door that opens and closes the second starting opening 2005, second large prize opening 2007, V prize opening 2008, etc.

[5-9d-3. Binding pedestal]
Next, the binding base 2550 of the center gadget 2500 will be described in detail, mainly with reference to Figures 166 to 171. Figure 166(a) is a perspective view of the center gadget near the attacca unit from the rear, with the wiring omitted, and Figure 166(b) is an exploded perspective view of the binding base in Figure 166(a). Figure 167 is an explanatory diagram showing the relationship between the center base of the main unit and the attacca base plate of the attacca unit in the center gadget, and the binding base. Figure 168 is a six-sided view of the binding base. Figure 169(a) is a perspective view of the binding base from the top front, Figure 169(b) is a perspective view of the binding base from the top rear, and Figure 169(c) is a perspective view of the binding base from the bottom front. Figure 170(a) is an enlarged perspective view of the main part of the center gadget with multiple wirings bundled to the binding base with cable ties, and Figure 170(b) is an exploded perspective view of the binding base separated from Figure 166(a). 171(a) is a perspective view showing a binding base of a different embodiment from the binding base of FIG. 168, and (b) is a perspective view showing a binding base of a further different embodiment.

The binding base 2550 of the center fixture 2500 is used to hold (support) multiple wiring EC in a bundled state on the center fixture 2500 using cable ties CT. The binding base 2550 has a flat main body 2551 that is attached to the center base 2511 or the attacca base plate 2610, an annular band holding portion 2552 that protrudes from the main body 2551, and an attachment hole 2553 that penetrates the main body 2551.

As shown in Figure 168, when viewed from the front, the binding base 2550 has a main body 2551 shaped like a vertically long rectangle with the top right corner chamfered at a 45-degree angle (C-chamfer). A band holding portion 2552 is provided in the upper left corner of the center of the main body 2551, and an attachment hole 2553 is provided below the band holding portion 2552 in the center in the left-right direction. The annular band holding portion 2552 is provided so that its annular opening faces left and right relative to the main body 2551. The annular opening of the band holding portion 2552 is shaped like a vertically long rectangle when viewed from the side.

The binding base 2550 has a peripheral wall portion 2554 that protrudes from the main body portion 2551 in the opposite direction to the band holding portion 2552. The peripheral wall portion 2554 includes a left wall portion 2554a extending along the left edge of the main body portion 2551, an upper wall portion 2554b continuing with the left wall portion 2554a and extending along the upper edge of the main body portion 2551, a C-chamfered wall portion 2554c continuing with the upper wall portion 2554b and extending along the C-chamfered edge of the main body portion 2551, a right wall portion 2554d continuing with the C-chamfered wall portion 2554c and extending along the right edge at a position spaced a certain width from the right edge of the main body portion 2551, a lower wall portion 2554e continuing with the right wall portion 2554d and the left wall portion 2554a and extending along the lower edge at a position spaced a certain width from the lower edge of the main body portion 2551, and a concave curved wall portion 2554f recessed in a semi-cylindrical shape on the axis of the mounting hole 2553 in the lower wall portion 2554e.

The left wall portion 2554a of the peripheral wall portion 2554 is recessed near the portion where it connects to the bottom wall portion 2554e, so that it is spaced a fixed distance from the left edge of the main body portion 2551. The distance that this left wall portion 2554a is recessed from the left edge of the main body portion 2551 is the same as the distance that the right wall portion 2554d is spaced from the right edge of the main body portion 2551 (the distance from the right edge of the main body portion 2551 to the right wall portion 2554d). The distance that the lower wall portion 2554e is spaced from the bottom edge of the main body portion 2551 is longer than the distance from the right edge of the main body portion 2551 to the right wall portion 2554d. More specifically, the distance that the lower wall portion 2554e is spaced from the bottom edge of the main body portion 2551 is approximately the same as the distance from the bottom edge of the main body portion 2551 to the position where it contacts the side of the mounting hole 2553 closest to the bottom edge of the main body portion 2551.

The recessed portion of the left wall portion 2554a of the binding base 2550, the right wall portion 2554d, and the bottom wall portion 2554e are capable of abutting against a linearly extending wall- or rib-shaped side surface. By abutting the wall- or rib-shaped side surface against the recessed portion of the left wall portion 2554a, the right wall portion 2554d, and the bottom wall portion 2554e, the binding base 2550 can be mounted non-rotatably. A cylindrical or semi-cylindrical mounting boss is inserted into the space formed by the concave curved wall portion 2554f of the binding base 2550.

In this embodiment, the binding base 2550 is attached to a mounting boss 2515 that protrudes cylindrically from the rear surface of the center base 2511 of the main unit 2510 of the center role piece 2500. The mounting boss 2515 to which the binding base 2550 is attached protrudes rearward from the center base 2511 and is arranged so as to partially overlap with a rib 2516 that extends linearly in the left-right direction. Therefore, the binding base 2550 is attached to the center base 2511 with the outer periphery of the mounting boss 2515 surrounded by the concave curved wall portion 2554f and the lower wall portion 2554e aligned with the upper surface of the rib 2516. Although detailed illustrations are omitted, there is a certain amount of gap between the lower wall portion 2554e and the rib 2516, allowing the binding base 2550 to rotate around the axis of the mounting hole 2553 within the range of this gap. The center base 2511 has extra mounting bosses 2515 pre-installed in various locations. Therefore, some of the multiple mounting bosses 2515 are used and some are not, depending on the model, etc.

The attacca unit 2600 is attached to a cylindrical mounting boss 2614 that protrudes from the rear surface of the attacca base plate 2610. The mounting boss 2614, to which the binding base 2550 is attached, protrudes rearward from the attacca base plate 2610 and is arranged so as to partially overlap with a rib 2618 that extends linearly in the left-right direction. Therefore, the binding base 2550 is attached to the attacca base plate 2610 with the outer periphery of the mounting boss 2614 surrounded by the concave curved wall portion 2554f and with the lower wall portion 2554e abutting the upper surface of the rib 2618. The attacca unit 2600 has extra mounting bosses 2614 provided in various locations. Therefore, depending on the model, etc., some of the multiple mounting bosses 2614 are used and some are not.

The two binding bases 2550 of the center role piece 2500 are located at the boundary between the main unit 2510 and the attacca unit 2600, near the inner periphery of the frame of the frame-shaped center base 2511. The two binding bases 2550 are located relatively close to each other, with their respective band holding portions 2552 attached with their annular openings facing left and right.

In addition, the two binding bases 2550 of the center role device 2500 are formed in the same color (transparent in this case) as the center base 2511 of the main unit 2510 and the attacca base plate 2610 of the attacca unit 2600. This makes the binding bases 2550 less noticeable when assembled onto the game board 5.

As shown in Figure 170, the binding base 2550 of this embodiment can be attached to the center device 2500 (center base 2511 and attacca base plate 2610) in a bundled state by passing the band portion CTa of the binding band CT through the annular band holding portion 2552 and tightening it together with multiple wiring EC. This prevents the multiple wiring EC from becoming untied and protruding within the frame of the center device 2500, which would cause the wiring EC to be visible to the player and create an unsightly appearance.

Furthermore, according to the binding base 2550 of this embodiment, the wiring EC bundled with the cable ties CT are attached to the center base 2511 and the attacca base plate 2610 of the center role device 2500 via the binding base 2550. This makes it easier to accommodate model changes and design changes compared to when band holders are directly provided on the center base 2511 or the attacca base plate 2610, and reduces the increase in costs associated with the pachinko machine 1. Furthermore, when it is necessary to move the wiring EC away from the center role device 2500 for maintenance, etc., the binding base 2550 can be removed without cutting the cable ties CT, allowing the multiple wiring EC to be moved away while still bundled, improving the ease of maintenance, etc.

More specifically, by removing the binding base 2550 while maintaining the binding state of the multiple wiring EC with the binding bands CT, it is possible to shift the multiple wiring EC from the fixed position (the mounting position of the binding base 2550) while keeping them bundled. This provides the following advantages. Conventionally, when checking the installation status of components behind the multiple wiring EC, it was necessary to cut the binding bands CT of the multiple wiring EC that were bound with the binding bands CT at the fixed position to unbind each of them, and then, after checking, return the unbound wiring EC to their fixed positions and bind them with new binding bands CT. However, according to this embodiment, the aforementioned hassle is eliminated by simply attaching and detaching the binding base 2550, making it easier to check the installation status of components behind the multiple wiring EC.

Furthermore, when assembling the game board 5, by bundling multiple wiring EC together with the band holding portion 2552 with cable ties CT and holding them in the binding base 2550 in advance, the wiring EC is less likely to get in the way of assembly, making the assembly process easier and preventing costs from increasing.

In addition, because the multiple binding bases 2550 are attached relatively close to each other and the respective band holding portions 2552 are arranged so that they are not positioned on an axis perpendicular to the annular opening, the multiple wiring EC held by the multiple (series) binding bases 2550 are bent in an S-shape between the two binding bases 2550. This provides the multiple wiring EC with more length than when the multiple wiring EC are held in a straight line between the two binding bases 2550. Therefore, even if the wiring EC expands or contracts due to environmental changes such as temperature or humidity, this additional length can absorb the expansion and contraction of the wiring EC, thereby reducing the occurrence of problems such as wire breakage.

Furthermore, by bending the wiring EC in an S-shape between the two binding bases 2550, it is possible to provide some slack in the length of the wiring EC. Therefore, when performing maintenance, etc., it is not necessary to remove all of the binding bases 2550; by removing one binding base 2550, the component to which the wiring EC is connected can be moved some distance away from the center accessory 2500, thereby simplifying the effort required for maintenance, etc.

Furthermore, by attaching the binding base 2550 so that the rib 2516 of the center base 2511 and the rib 2618 of the attacca base plate 2610 abut against the peripheral wall portion 2554, the binding base 2550 can be prevented from rotating around the axis of the mounting hole 2553, preventing the wiring EC held by the cable tie CT in the band holding portion 2552 from changing its routing direction, and maintaining the wiring EC in the desired position, making the wiring EC less visible to the player and improving appearance.

In this embodiment, the binding base 2550 is attached to the center device 2500, but this is not limited to this. The binding base 2550 may also be attached to the gaming panel 1100, back unit 3000, attacca, etc., and the wiring EC may be held in place via cable ties CT.

[5-9d-3a. Another embodiment of the binding base]
Next, binding bases 2560 and 2570, which are different embodiments from the binding base 2550 described above, will be described in detail with reference to Fig. 171. First, binding base 2560 shown in Fig. 171(a) has a main body 2561 that has a rectangular shape that is long from top to bottom when viewed from the front, a plurality of band holding portions 2562 that protrude in an annular shape from main body 2561, and an attachment hole 2563 that penetrates main body 2561.

The main body 2561 is formed in a block shape with a predetermined thickness in the front-to-rear direction. Two band holders 2562 are provided on the front surface of the main body 2561, which is the front face, and one is provided on each of the left and right side surfaces of the main body 2561. More specifically, of the two band holders 2562 on the front surface of the main body 2561, one is provided at the top with an annular opening facing up and down, and the remaining one is provided below it with an annular opening facing left and right. The centers of these two band holders 2562 are located on an axis passing through the center of the front surface of the main body 2561 in the left-to-right direction. The band holders 2562 on the left and right side surfaces are provided at the same height as the lower band holder 2562 on the front surface of the main body 2561, with their annular openings facing forward and backward. The mounting hole 2563 is located below the lower band holder 2562 on the front surface of the main body 2561, in the center in the left-right direction of the front surface of the main body 2561.

Although detailed illustrations are omitted for this binding base 2560, the underside of the block-shaped main body 2561 is recessed upward at a fixed height at the rear, leaving a predetermined distance behind the front, and the center of the body in the left-right direction is recessed upward in a semi-cylindrical shape centered on the axis of the mounting hole 2563. In other words, it is formed in the same shape as the lower wall portion 2554e and the concave curved wall portion 2554f of the binding base 2550 of the first embodiment.

When the wiring EC is fastened and bundled together by passing it through the band portion CTa of the cable tie CT through the lower band holding portion 2562 on the front and the band holding portions 2562 on both the left and right sides of this binding base 2560, the wiring EC can be held in a state where it extends in the vertical direction. On the other hand, when the wiring EC is fastened and bundled together by passing it through the band portion CTa of the cable tie CT through the upper band holding portion 2562 on the front, the wiring EC can be held in a state where it extends in the horizontal direction.

In addition to the same effects as the binding base 2550 described above, the binding base 2560 of this embodiment has multiple band holding parts 2562 with different orientations and positions on a single main body 2561. This allows the band holding part 2562 to be used according to the routing position and direction of the wiring EC, thereby further increasing the versatility of the binding base 2560 and allowing it to be used in a variety of situations.

Next, the binding base 2570 shown in Figure 171 (b) has a main body portion 2571 that extends long in a predetermined direction, two band holding portions 2572 that protrude in an annular shape in the same direction near both longitudinal ends of the main body portion 2571, and two mounting holes 2573 that penetrate the main body portion 2571 near both longitudinal ends of the main body portion 2571, longitudinally outward of the band holding portions 2572.

This binding base 2570 has two band holding portions 2572 arranged so that their annular openings face perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the main body portion 2571. This allows the same wiring EC to be fastened to each band holding portion 2572 with a binding band CT, allowing the wiring EC to be arranged along the main body portion 2571.

The binding base 2570 of this embodiment not only achieves the same effects as the binding base 2550 and binding base 2560 described above, but also allows the wiring EC to be held along the main body 2571, and by hiding the wiring EC with the main body 2571, the wiring EC can be made less visible to the player.

In the above embodiment, the band holding portions 2572 are provided near both longitudinal ends of the main body portion 2571, but this is not limited to this. In addition to being provided near both longitudinal ends of the main body portion 2571, the band holding portions 2572 may also be provided at intermediate locations along the length.

In addition, in the above embodiment, the main body portion 2571 extends in a straight line, but this is not limited to this, and the main body portion 2571 may extend in an L-shape or a curved line.

In addition, in the above embodiment, the band holding portions such as band holding portion 2552, band holding portion 2562, band holding portion 2572, band holding portion 2635c, band holding portion 2676c, and band holding portion 2706 are shown as having a closed ring shape, but this is not limited to this and they may also have an open shape like wiring engagement portion 1603. If the band holding portion is closed, it needs to be secured with a cable tie CT or the like, but the cable tie CT will not come loose from the band holding portion, ensuring reliable binding of the wiring EC. On the other hand, if the band holding portion is open, the cable tie CT can be easily inserted from the open portion, improving workability.

[5-9e. Flow of game balls within the game area]
Next, the flow of the game ball B within the play area 5a will be described in detail, mainly with reference to Figure 141 etc. When assembled on the play board 5, the center role 2500 is located approximately in the center of the play area 5a. Within the play area 5a, a plurality of obstacle nails are planted in a predetermined gauge arrangement on both the left and right outer sides and the lower part of the center role 2500. In addition, a windmill that rotates when the game ball B comes into contact with it is located above the upper left side unit 2300 on the left side of the center role 2500.

On the left side of the center device 2500, there are multiple obstacle nails planted in a predetermined gauge arrangement between the inner rail 1002. On the left side of the center device 2500 within the play area 5a, near the center in the vertical direction of the peripheral wall portion 2511a of the center base 2511, the entrance to the upper warp passage 2513 opens, facing upward and left. Furthermore, below and to the right of the entrance to the upper warp passage 2513, the entrance to the lower warp passage 2512 opens, facing slightly upward from the left. A windmill is provided between the lower warp passage 2512 and the shelf portion 2301 of the upper left side unit 2300.

A game ball B shot into the left side of the center device 2500 will enter the upper warp passage 2513 or the lower warp passage 2512 with a certain probability. A game ball B that enters the upper warp passage 2513 is supplied to the crane 2530 of the center distribution unit 2520, which is provided within the frame of the center device 2500. The game ball B supplied to the crane 2530 rotates within the dish-shaped crane 2530 and is then released into the first guideway 2521 below. It rolls to the right along the slope of the first guideway 2521 and is distributed to either the first upper starting port 2004 or the distributed ball outlet 2526 by the center distribution piece 2523, which moves back and forth at a predetermined rhythm. In the center distribution unit 2520, a game ball B that has circulated through the upper warp passage 2513 is distributed to the first upper starting port 2004 with a predetermined probability (e.g., 1/2).

After being received into the first upper starting port 2004, the gaming ball B is detected by the first upper starting port sensor 2524 located downstream, and then handed over to the back ball guiding unit 3100 of the back unit 3000, where it is discharged downward via the back ball guiding unit 3100. When the first upper starting port sensor 2524 detects the gaming ball B, a bonus of a predetermined number of gaming balls B is awarded, and a lottery is held for the first special symbol, which can create an advantageous gaming state for the player when predetermined conditions are met (for example, when the number of reserved first special symbols is less than four).

Game ball B that enters the lower warp passage 2512 is supplied to the stage 2514 located within the frame of the center device 2500, rolls left and right on the stage 2514, and is released from either the central release section 2514a or the side release section 2514b so as to return to the game area 5a. The central release section 2514a of the stage 2514 is located directly above the first lower starting opening 2003 in the left-right center of the game area 5a, so game ball B released from the central release section 2514a has a high probability of being accepted by the first lower starting opening 2003. Game ball B released from the side release sections 2514b on either side of the central release section 2514a has a certain probability of being accepted by the first lower starting opening 2003.

After being received into the first lower start opening 2003, a game ball B is detected by the first lower start opening sensor 2101 of the start opening unit 2100, guided to the rear of the game panel 1100, handed over to the rear ball guiding unit 3100 of the rear unit 3000, and discharged downward from the rear ball guiding unit 3100. When a game ball B is detected by the first lower start opening sensor 2101, a bonus of a predetermined number of game balls B is awarded, and a lottery is held for a first special symbol that can create an advantageous game state for the player when predetermined conditions are met (for example, when the number of reserved first special symbols is less than four).

Game balls B that are released from stage 2514 and are not received by the first lower starting port 2003 are received by the outlets 2020 (left outlet 2020a and right outlet 2020b) and discharged outside the game area 5a. Game balls B received by the outlets 2020 are guided to the rear of the game panel 1100, handed over to the back ball guiding unit 3100 of the back unit 3000, and then discharged downward from the back ball guiding unit 3100.

If a game ball B is shot into the outer left side of the center device 2500 and does not enter the upper warp passage 2513 or the lower warp passage 2512, and flows to the right of the center of the windmill, there is a high probability that it will flow down to the right along the multiple obstacle nails lined diagonally along the bottom edge of the center device 2500. A game ball B that flows to the right of the center of the windmill may be accepted by the first lower starting opening 2003 or the general winning opening 2001 provided in the side unit 2200. A game ball B that is not accepted by the first lower starting opening 2003 or the general winning opening 2001 is accepted by the outlet 2020 (left outlet 2020a and right outlet 2020b) and discharged outside the game area 5a.

A game ball B received by the general winning opening 2001 is guided to the rear of the gaming panel 1100 and then handed over to the rear ball guide unit 3100 of the rear unit 3000, where it is detected by the general winning opening sensor 3001 and then discharged downward. When a game ball B is detected by the general winning opening sensor 3001, a bonus of a predetermined number of game balls B is awarded.

On the other hand, if a game ball B flows to the left of the center of the windmill, it flows down onto the shelf 2301 of the upper left side unit 2300 and then flows down the shelf 2301 to the right. A game ball B that flows to the left of the center of the windmill may be received by the general winning opening 2001 and left sub-outlet 2021a provided in the side unit 2200. A game ball B received by the left sub-outlet 2021a is guided to the rear of the game panel 1100, then handed over to the back ball guiding unit 3100 of the back unit 3000, and discharged downward from the back ball guiding unit 3100. A game ball B that is not received by the general winning opening 2001 or left sub-outlet 2021a is received by the left outlet 2020a and discharged outside the game area 5a.

Next, on the right side of the center device 2500, there are arranged, in order from top to bottom, an upper right guide passage group 2541, a gate 2002, a lower right guide passage group 2542, a second starting opening 2005, a second large prize opening 2007, a general prize opening 2001, a first large prize opening 2006, and a right sub-out opening 2021b. A number of obstacle nails are planted between the upper right guide passage group 2541 and the lower right guide passage group 2542, and to the left of the general prize opening 2001, between the second large prize opening 2007 and the first large prize opening 2006.

In the game board 5 of this embodiment, when game ball B is hit with enough force to penetrate above the portion of the upper edge of the peripheral wall portion 2511a of the center device 2500 that slopes downward from near the center in the left-right direction to the right, game ball B flows through either the first upper right guide passage 2541a or the second upper right guide passage 2541b of the upper right guide passage group 2541.

A game ball B that is hit relatively hard toward the right side of the center role device 2500 will hit the impact stop 1006 and enter the first upper right guide passage 2541a of the upper right guide passage group 2541. On the other hand, a game ball B that is hit relatively weakly toward the right side of the center role device 2500 will roll to the right along the upper surface of the upper end of the peripheral wall portion 2511a of the center role device 2500 and enter the second upper right guide passage 2541b of the upper right guide passage group 2541.

Game ball B that circulates through the upper right guide passage group 2541 passes through gate 2002 with a certain probability. Gate 2002 is equipped with a gate sensor 2501 that detects the passage of game ball B, and when gate sensor 2501 detects the passage of game ball B, a lottery is held to select a normal symbol that opens or closes second start gate 2005.

A gaming ball B that flows through the upper right guide passage group 2541 flows through either the lower right first guide passage 2542a or the lower right second guide passage 2542b of the lower right guide passage group 2542 located downstream. A gaming ball B that flows through the lower right second guide passage 2542b flows down onto the attacca upper shelf 2612 of the attacca unit 2600, enters the attacca upper shelf 2612 from the attacca upper shelf 2612 into the attacca right guide passage 2625, and is guided downstream of the second starting opening 2005 and the second large winning opening 2007 by the attacca right guide passage 2625. In other words, a gaming ball B that flows through the lower right second guide passage 2542b will not be accepted by the second starting opening 2005 or the second large winning opening 2007, even if they are open.

In addition, game ball B that has flowed through the lower right second guide passage 2542b may not flow down onto the attacca upper shelf 2612. Conversely, game ball B that has flowed through the lower right first guide passage 2542a may flow down onto the attacca upper shelf 2612.

Game ball B that flows through the lower right first guide passage 2542a (game ball B that does not flow down onto the attacca upper shelf 2612) will, with a certain probability, enter the central entrance 2605 located to the right of the attacca upper shelf 2612 and pass in front of the retracted guide piece 2636 of the second starting entrance opening/closing unit 2630. Therefore, in accordance with the normal symbol drawn by the passage of game ball B through gate 2002 (normal symbol is a "normal win"), when guide piece 2636 is moving forward and second starting entrance door body 2631 is moving backward, if game ball B flows down onto guide piece 2636, it will be guided to the left by guide piece 2636 and accepted by second starting entrance 2005.

After being detected by the second start port sensor 2601, the game ball B received in the second start port 2005 is guided rearward by the attacca front plate 2620 and enters the center upper right ball path 2675. The game ball B that entered the center upper right ball path 2675 is then guided rearward by the first gutter 2615 of the attacca base plate 2610, handed over to the rear ball guide unit 3100 of the rear unit 3000, and then discharged downward from the rear ball guide unit 3100. When the game ball B is detected by the second start port sensor 2601, a bonus of a predetermined number of game balls B is awarded, and a lottery for a second special symbol is executed when a predetermined condition is met (for example, when the number of reserved second special symbols is less than four), which can create an advantageous game state for the player.

Game balls B that flow through the lower right guide passage group 2542, enter the central entrance 2605, and are not accepted by the second starting entrance 2005, as well as game balls B that enter the right entrance 2606, flow down onto the second large prize entrance door body 2651, which closes the second large prize entrance 2007. Game balls B that flow down onto the second large prize entrance door body 2651 roll to the left due to their inclination, and are released to the left from the left end. Therefore, depending on the first special symbol drawn by receiving game ball B into first lower starting opening 2003 and first upper starting opening 2004, and the second special symbol drawn by receiving game ball B into second starting opening 2005 (for example, when the drawn special symbol is a "big win", "medium win", "small win", etc.), when second large prize opening door body 2651 is retracted and second large prize opening 2007 is open, if game ball B passes in front of second large prize opening door body 2651, said game ball B will be received into second large prize opening 2007.

After being received by the second large prize opening 2007, the game ball B is detected by the second large prize opening sensor 2602 located downstream, then guided downward and sorted by the V sorting unit 2660 to either the V prize opening 2008 or the losing opening 2009, and is detected by the V prize opening sensor 2603 or the losing opening sensor 2604. After that, the game ball B is guided to the rear of the game panel 1100, and is handed over to the back ball guide unit 3100 of the back unit 3000, where it is discharged downward.

When game ball B is detected by the second large prize opening sensor 2602, a bonus of a predetermined number of game balls B is awarded. When game ball B is detected by the V prize opening sensor 2603, a bonus of a favorable game state (e.g., a "jackpot" game) is awarded in which the first large prize opening 2006 opens and closes in a predetermined opening and closing pattern, giving the player an advantage. When game ball B is detected by the losing prize opening sensor 2604, a bonus such as the payout of a predetermined number of game balls B is not awarded. Note that when game ball B is detected by the losing prize opening sensor 2604, a bonus different from that awarded when game ball B is detected by the V prize opening sensor 2603 may be awarded. In this embodiment, the consistency of whether the sum of the number of game balls B detected by the V prize opening sensor 2603 and the losing prize opening sensor 2604 matches the number of game balls B detected by the second large prize opening sensor 2602 is checked to monitor for fraudulent activity.

A game ball B that flows down from the lower right guide passage group 2542 to the Attacca upper shelf section 2612 and passes through the Attacca right guide passage 2625, or that enters the central entrance 2605 or right entrance 2606 and is released to the left from above the second large prize entrance door body 2651, flows downward while hitting multiple obstacle nails planted to the left of the general prize entrance 2001 of the Attacca unit 2600. It may then be accepted by the general prize entrance 2001 or the right sub-out entrance 2021b of the Attacca unit 2600.

A game ball B received by the general winning opening 2001 is guided to the rear of the game panel 1100 and then handed over to the back ball guiding unit 3100 of the back unit 3000, where it is detected by the general winning opening sensor 3001 and then discharged downward. When a game ball B is detected by the general winning opening sensor 3001, a bonus of a predetermined number of game balls B is awarded. In addition, a game ball B received by the right sub-out opening 2021b is guided to the rear of the game panel 1100 and then handed over to the back ball guiding unit 3100 of the back unit 3000, where it is then discharged downward.

Game balls B that are not accepted into the general winning opening 2001 or right sub-outlet 2021b of the attacca unit 2600 roll to the left on the top surface of the first large winning opening door body 2641, which closes the first large winning opening 2006 located on the left, and are accepted from its left end into the right outlet 2020b located on the left, and are discharged outside the game area 5a.

At this time, depending on the first special pattern drawn by the acceptance of game ball B into the first lower starting opening 2003 and the first upper starting opening 2004, and the second special pattern drawn by the acceptance of game ball B into the second starting opening 2005 (for example, when the special pattern drawn is a "big win," "medium win," "small win," etc.), when the first large prize opening door body 2641 is retracted and the first large prize opening 2006 is open, if game ball B flows down onto the first large prize opening 2006, the game ball B will be accepted by the first large prize opening 2006.

A gaming ball B received by the first large prize opening 2006 is guided to the rear of the gaming panel 1100 and handed over to the rear ball guide unit 3100 of the rear unit 3000. After being detected by the first large prize opening sensor 3002, it is discharged downward. When a gaming ball B is detected by the first large prize opening sensor 3002, a bonus of a predetermined number of gaming balls B is awarded.

In this embodiment, in the lottery for the first special pattern or the second special pattern, which creates a favorable game state in which the player has an advantage, the first lower start gate 2003 and the first upper start gate 2004 are always open to receive game ball B, whereas the second start gate 2005 is only able to receive game ball B in a predetermined pattern when the normal lottery drawn when game ball B passes through gate 2002 results in a "normal win." This makes it more likely that game ball B will be received at the first lower start gate 2003 or the first upper start gate 2004 than at the second start gate 2005.

For this reason, under normal circumstances, the player can perform an operation to shoot game ball B so that game ball B flows down the left side of the center device 2500 so that game ball B can be accepted by the first lower starting opening 2003 or the first upper starting opening 2004. This allows the player to see the movement of game ball B being guided by multiple obstacle pins, allowing the player to enjoy the original gameplay of pachinko machine 1 using game ball B and increasing the anticipation of game ball B being accepted by the first lower starting opening 2003 or the first upper starting opening 2004.

In games aimed at the first lower starting gate 2003 or the first upper starting gate 2004, when the first upper starting gate 2004 (upper warp passage 2513) is targeted, game ball B that enters the upper warp passage 2513 is received by the first upper starting gate 2004 via the crane 2530 and center distribution piece 2523 of the center distribution unit 2520, allowing the player to enjoy the movement of game ball B in the crane 2530, and also to enjoy whether game ball B is released from the crane 2530 at the time the center distribution piece 2523 distributes game ball B to the first upper starting gate 2004.

When game ball B is accepted into first lower starting opening 2003 or first upper starting opening 2004 and a "win" (for example, a "small win," "medium win," or "big win") is selected as the result of the lottery for the first special pattern, first large winning opening 2006 or second large winning opening 2007 will open or close, allowing the player to enjoy the operation of hitting game ball B aimed at the right side of center device 2500 (so-called "right hit") so that game ball B can be accepted into first large winning opening 2006 or second large winning opening 2007, and increasing the player's anticipation for game ball B to be accepted into first large winning opening 2006 or second large winning opening 2007.

When hitting game ball B to the right side of center device 2500, the right side of center device 2500 is provided with upper right guide passage group 2541 consisting of upper right first guide passage 2541a and upper right second guide passage 2541b, gate 2002, and lower right guide passage group 2542 consisting of lower right first guide passage 2542a and lower right second guide passage 2542b. Because it has a variety of flow paths, the hitting strength of game ball B can be adjusted so that game ball B flows through the desired flow path, allowing the player to enjoy the operation of hitting game ball B.

Furthermore, a gate 2002 is provided on the right side of the center device 2500, and a regular lottery is held to determine whether or not the second starting hole 2005 will be accepted by passing through the gate 2002. This allows players to enjoy not only whether or not game ball B shot into the right side passes through the gate 2002, but also whether or not game ball B will be accepted into the second starting hole 2005 when it becomes available.

Furthermore, since the game ball B received at the second large winning opening 2007 is allocated to either the V winning opening 2008 or the losing opening 2009, the player can be kept on the edge of their seat depending on whether the game ball B received at the second large winning opening 2007 is allocated to the V winning opening 2008 or not, which can make the player even more entertained.

[5-10. Overall configuration of the rear unit]
Next, the overall configuration of the rear unit 3000 in the game board 5 will be described in detail mainly with reference to Figures 142 and 143, etc. The rear unit 3000 is equipped with a vibration sensor 1040 (see Figures 173 and 174, etc.) that detects vibrations acting on the game board 5 (pachinko machine 1), a general prize opening sensor 3001 that detects a game ball B that has been received by the general prize opening 2001 and guided to the rear of the game panel 1100, and a first special prize opening sensor 3002 that detects a game ball B that has been received by the first special prize opening 2006 and guided to the rear of the game panel 1100. The general prize opening sensor 3001 and the first special prize opening sensor 3002 are provided in the rear ball guide unit 3100.

The rear unit 3000 comprises a rear box 3010, which is attached to the rear surface of the panel holder 1120 of the gaming panel 1100 and is box-shaped with an open front and a square opening 3010a in the rear wall; a lock slider 3020 that is slidable left and right on the rear wall of the rear box 3010 for attaching and detaching the effect display device 1600; and a rear board unit 3040 that is attached to the rear wall of the rear box 3010 and can rotate on a hinge.

The rear board unit 3040 comprises a board box 3041 that is L-shaped when viewed from the front and thin from front to back, and a panel relay board and a performance drive board (not shown) housed within the board box 3041. The board box 3041 has two axles 3041a on the outer edges of the part extending up and down in the L shape that are rotatably supported by the axle support part 3010f of the rear box 3010. In addition, the board box 3041 has locking claws 3041b at the tips of the parts extending left and right in the L shape that lock onto the locking parts 3010g of the rear box 3010.

The rear unit 3000 (rear box 3010) also has a functional surface 3015 that can be used when assembling the pachinko machine 1 (game board 5). The functional surface 3015 is provided on the rear box 3010 and can be used to attach other components to the rear box 3010, such as performance units (here, the rear ball guide unit 3100, rear front upper performance unit 3200, rear front left performance unit 3300, rear right performance unit 3400, etc.), place the rear unit 3000 face down with the front side facing downward, or place the rear unit 3000 face up with the rear side facing upward, etc.

In addition, the rear unit 3000, as will be described in detail below, is equipped with multiple mounting supports 3050 for mounting the rear rear performance unit 3600 to the rear box 3010, and mounting supports 3060 for mounting the right rear performance unit 3400 to the rear box 3010.

Furthermore, the rear unit 3000 is equipped with a rear ball guide unit 3100, which is located at the bottom near the front end of the rear box 3010 and through which game balls B guided to the rear of the game panel 1100 circulate; a rear-front upper performance unit 3200, which is located along the top edge near the front end of the rear box 3010; a rear-front left performance unit 3300, which is located along the left edge near the front end of the rear box 3010; a rear-right performance unit 3400, which is located along the right edge slightly behind the front end of the rear box 3010; a rear-left performance unit 3500, which is located in the upper left corner near the rear end of the rear box 3010 behind the rear-front left performance unit 3300; and a rear-rear performance unit 3600, to which the rear-rear left performance unit 3500 is attached, which is located near the rear end of the rear box 3010.

The back ball guide unit 3100, back front upper performance unit 3200, and back front left performance unit 3300 are attached directly to the back box 3010. The back right performance unit 3400 is attached to the front of the back rear performance unit 3600, and a portion of it is attached to the back box 3010 via an attachment supporter 3060. The back rear performance unit 3600 is attached to the back box 3010, and a portion of it is attached to the back box 3010 via an attachment supporter 3050.

The back front upper performance unit 3200, back front left performance unit 3300, back right performance unit 3400, back left performance unit 3500, and back rear performance unit 3600 in the back unit 3000 are capable of showing the player predetermined moving and light-emitting effects depending on the progress of the game.

[5-10a. Back box]
Next, the rear box 3010 of the rear unit 3000 will be described in detail mainly with reference to Figures 172 to 174. Figure 172 is an explanatory perspective view showing the use state of the wiring locking portion on the rear surface of the gaming board. Figure 173 is an exploded perspective view of the rear unit of the gaming board disassembled into the presentation unit, mounting supporter, and rear box as seen from the front, and Figure 174 is an exploded perspective view of the rear unit of the gaming board disassembled into the presentation unit, mounting supporter, and rear box as seen from the back.

The rear box 3010 is attached to the rear of the gaming panel 1100 (panel holder 1120). The presentation unit is attached inside the box-shaped interior, and the presentation display device 1600 and rear board unit 3040 are attached to the rear surface. The rear box 3010 is transparent. This allows the interior to be seen from the outside even when assembled onto the gaming board 5.

The rear box 3010 is box-shaped and open at the front, with a square opening 3010a penetrating the rear wall, a mounting surface 3010b located at the bottom of the opening 3010a on which the performance display device 1600 is placed, two fixing grooves 3010c recessed upward from the inside of the frame at the top of the opening 3010a, and a locking mechanism 3010d located below the center of the mounting surface 3010b in the left-right direction, to which a lock slider 3020 is attached so that it can slide left and right.

Opening 3010a of rear box 3010 is formed as a rectangle with an aspect ratio of 3:4 when viewed from the front. Opening 3010a is formed to have approximately the same size in the left-right direction as the rear wall of rear box 3010 in the left-right direction. Furthermore, opening 3010a is located in a position that is offset (eccentric) upward from the center of the rear box 3010 in the up-down direction. Opening 3010a is formed to have the same size as a 19-inch LCD display device (performance display device 1600).

The upper fixed piece 1601 of the performance display device 1600 is inserted from below into the two fixing grooves 3010c of the rear box 3010. Furthermore, the lower fixed piece 1602 of the performance display device 1600 can be inserted from the rear into the locking mechanism 3010d of the rear box 3010 with the locking slider 3020 slid to the left when viewed from the rear. With the lower fixed piece 1602 of the performance display device 1600 inserted into the locking mechanism 3010d, sliding the locking slider 3020 to the right when viewed from the rear prevents the lower fixed piece 1602 from moving rearward, allowing the performance display device 1600 to be attached.

The rear box 3010 also has a flat fixing piece 3010e extending outward from its front end. This fixing piece 3010e is attached to the gaming panel 1100 with its front surface abutting the rear surface of the gaming panel 1100.

Furthermore, the rear box 3010 is provided with a pair of pivotal support portions 3010f on its rear surface that can rotatably support the shaft portion 3041a of the rear substrate unit 3040 around an axis extending in the vertical direction, and a locking portion 3010g that is provided on the rear surface on the opposite side in the left-right direction from the pair of pivotal support portions 3010f and that locks the locking claw 3041b of the rear substrate unit 3040.

The rear box 3010 has a pair of pivot support portions 3010f and locking portions 3010g, allowing the rear board unit 3040 to be attached to the rear side across the opening 3010a (performance display device 1600). When assembled to the game board 5, the L-shaped portion of the rear board unit 3040 that extends vertically is located to the left of the peripheral control unit 1500 in a rear view. In addition, the L-shaped portion of the rear board unit 3040 that extends horizontally is located below the peripheral control unit 1500.

When the rear box 3010 is assembled to the game board 5, the rear of the effect display device 1600 attached to the rear box 3010 can be opened by releasing the locking claw 3041b of the rear board unit 3040, which is locked to the locking portion 3010g, and rotating the locking claw 3041b so that it moves rearward around the shaft portion 3041a. This allows the effect display device 1600 to be attached or detached without removing the rear board unit 3040 from the rear box 3010.

The rear box 3010 also has multiple wiring locking portions 3011 on its rear surface for locking the wiring EC, and through-holes 3012 that penetrate from front to back at the locations where the wiring locking portions 3011 are provided. The through-holes 3012 of the rear box 3010 allow the wiring EC to pass between the inside and outside of the rear box 3010, and when the wiring EC is locked between the wiring locking portions 3011 and the rear surface of the rear box 3010, the wiring EC bends within the through-holes 3012, allowing pressure applied to the wiring EC from the wiring locking portions 3011 to be released.

The rear box 3010 also has multiple functional hole sections 3013, each consisting of a pair of two through-holes aligned vertically or horizontally, provided on the surface facing the front-to-rear direction excluding the fixed piece section 3010e, and a functional surface section 3015 that can be used when assembling the pachinko machine 1 (game board 5). The two through-holes of the functional hole section 3013 have the same diameter. The functional hole section 3013 is used to attach a performance unit to the rear box 3010 directly or via an attachment supporter 3050 or attachment supporter 3060.

[5-10a-1. Wiring locking portion]
Next, the wiring locking portions 3011 of the rear box 3010 will be described in detail. A plurality of wiring locking portions 3011 are provided on the rear surface of the rear box 3010. As shown in FIG. 174 and other figures, the wiring locking portions 3011 include a straight-type wiring locking portion 3011A that has a gap in the front through which the wiring EC can pass and extends flush with the rear surface of the rear box 3010, an L-shaped wiring locking portion 3011B that protrudes rearward a short distance from the rear surface of the rear box 3010 and then extends parallel to the surface of the rear box 3010, and a L-shaped wiring locking portion 3011C that protrudes rearward a short distance from the rear surface of the rear box 3010 and then extends parallel to the rear surface of the rear box 3010. There are also crank-type wiring locking portions 3011C that are bent in one step midway toward the back surface of the rear box 3010, M-shaped wiring locking portions 3011D that protrude rearward a short distance from the rear surface of the rear box 3010 and then extend parallel to the surface of the rear box 3010, with the tip approaching the rear surface of the rear box 3010 and then bending away, and opposing-type wiring locking portions 3011 in which L-shaped wiring locking portions are arranged facing each other.

Straight-line wire locking portions 3011A are provided near both left and right ends of the area above the opening 3010a on the rear surface of the rear box 3010, and below the opening 3010a to the left of the locking mechanism portion 3010d when viewed from behind. The wire locking portions 3011A above the opening 3010a are provided with their tips extending toward the center in the left-right direction. There are three wire locking portions 3011A provided side by side below the opening 3010a, with the tips of the two wire locking portions 3011A at the left and right ends extending upward and the central wire locking portion 3011A extending downward.

The L-shaped wiring locking portions 3011B are provided near both the left and right ends below the opening 3010a, with one on the left side when viewed from the rear and two on the right side. The wiring locking portion 3011B on the left side when viewed from the rear is provided with its tip extending to the right. Of the two wiring locking portions 3011B provided on the right side when viewed from the rear, one is provided with its tip extending to the right, and the remaining wiring locking portion 3011B is provided with its tip extending downward to the left of the wiring locking portion 3011B with its tip extending to the right.

The crank-type wiring retaining portion 3011C is located below the opening 3010a, toward the left of the center in the left-right direction when viewed from the rear. The tip of this wiring retaining portion 3011C extends downward.

A total of four M-shaped wire locking portions 3011D are provided below the opening 3010a, two on each side of the crank-type wire locking portion 3011C. Each wire locking portion 3011D is located at the same height as the wire locking portion 3011C, with its tip extending downward. The four wire locking portions 3011D and one wire locking portion 3011C are located at regular intervals in the left-right direction.

The opposing wire locking portions 3011E are arranged so that the gap between their opposing tips is inclined relative to the longitudinal direction. These wire locking portions 3011E are arranged below the linear wire locking portion 3011A, which is arranged above the opening 3010a and near the left end when viewed from the rear. The longitudinal direction of the wire locking portion 3011E is oriented in the left-right direction.

The wiring locking portion 3011 has a claw-shaped hook portion 3011a at its tip that protrudes toward the rear (forward) side of the rear box 3010, and short ridges 3011b that protrude toward the rear (forward) side from each of its two longitudinal sides. The tip of the wiring locking portion 3011 is angled so that the surface facing the rear of the rear box 3010 (front surface), including the hook portion 3011a, is positioned further rearward as it approaches the tip. This makes it easier to insert the wiring EC from the tip side of the wiring locking portion 3011 between the wiring locking portion 3011 and the rear surface of the rear box 3010. In addition, the two ridges 3011b give the wiring locking portion 3011 a U-shaped cross section, increasing its strength and rigidity.

The ends of these wiring locking portions 3011 extend in the opposite direction to the direction in which the wiring EC will move when it is pulled while it is locked and routed. As a result, even if the wiring EC is pulled or tugged during assembly or maintenance of the game board 5, the wiring EC will move in the opposite direction to its end in the wiring locking portion 3011, and the wiring EC will not come loose from the wiring locking portion 3011.

Next, an example of how to use the wiring locking portion 3011 will be described in detail with reference to Figure 172. As shown in the figure, when assembled on the gaming board 5, a harness WH1 consisting of multiple wiring EC connected to the peripheral control unit 1500 (peripheral control board 1510) is locked to the wiring locking portion 1603 on the upper right side (as viewed from the rear) provided on the rear surface of the performance display device 1600, and then locked to the wiring locking portion 3011 on the right side (as viewed from the rear) above the opening 3010a on the rear surface of the rear box 3010, extending upward.

The wiring locking portion 3011 of the rear box 3010 is located to the left of the wiring locking portion 1603 of the performance display device 1600 when viewed from behind. Furthermore, the tip of the wiring locking portion 3011 of the rear box 3010 extends to the left when viewed from behind, whereas the tip of the wiring locking portion 1603 of the performance display device 1600 extends to the right when viewed from behind. Therefore, when both ends (connector sides) of the harness WH1 (multiple wires EC) locked by the wiring locking portion 3011 and the wiring locking portion 1603 are pulled, the harness WH1 moves in the opposite direction from the extending ends of the wiring locking portion 1603 and the wiring locking portion 3011, and the harness WH1 does not come loose from the wiring locking portion 1603 or the wiring locking portion 3011.

Also, as shown in Figure 172, a harness WH2 consisting of a small number of wires EC (two wires EC in this case) is connected to the peripheral control unit 1500 so that it extends downward. This harness WH2 is fastened to a wire fastening portion 1603 on the lower right side of the rear surface of the performance display device 1600 when viewed from behind, and is routed so that it passes under the harness WH1 which is bent upward between the two wire fastening portions 1603. This gives the harness WH2 which extends downward ample length while preventing it from sagging.

Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 172, harnesses WH1 and WH2, which are engaged with wiring locking portion 1603 and wiring locking portion 3011, are fastened together with wiring locking portion 1603 and wiring locking portion 3011 by a cable tie CT. At this time, harnesses WH1 and WH2 are fastened with enough strength to slide together with the cable tie CT in the longitudinal direction in which wiring locking portion 1603 and wiring locking portion 3011 extend. Note that hook portions 1603a and 3011a are provided at the tips of wiring locking portion 1603 and wiring locking portion 3011, so that cable tie CT will not come off the tips of wiring locking portion 1603 and wiring locking portion 3011 together with harnesses WH1 and WH2.

Here, the cable tie CT has a band-shaped band portion CTa with multiple ridges or grooves spaced at regular intervals along its length, and a block-shaped locking portion CTb to which the base end of the band portion CTa is connected, through which the tip of the band portion CTa can be inserted and which utilizes the ridges to prevent the band portion CTa from retracting. The cable tie CT can be looped (annular) by inserting the tip of the band portion CTa into the locking portion CTb from the underside near where the base end of the band portion CTa is connected. The diameter of the loop formed by the band portion CTa can be reduced by pulling the tip of the band portion CTa protruding from the top surface of the locking portion CTb. While not shown, a locking mechanism is provided inside the locking portion CTb to prevent the band portion CTa from moving out of the locking portion CTb, preventing the band portion CTa from retracting (retracting) once inserted through the locking portion CTb.

Therefore, by inserting the tip of the band portion CTa into the lock portion CTb and pulling it so that the band holding portion 2706 and the wiring EC are positioned within the loop of the band portion CTa, the band portion CTa can tighten and maintain the band holding portion 2706 and the wiring EC in a bound state. After tightening with the cable tie CT, the portion of the band portion CTa that protrudes from the lock portion CTb is cut off from the lock portion CTb to an appropriate length (e.g., 0.5 mm to 2 mm). This prevents the band portion CTa from immediately coming loose from the lock portion CTb, even if for some reason the band portion CTa moves in a direction that would cause it to come loose from the lock portion CTb, thereby minimizing the occurrence of malfunctions.

The cable ties CT in this embodiment are formed in a milky white color that is light-transmitting. The cable ties CT may be made different colors depending on the location to which they are attached, the worker, etc. For example, changing the color of the cable ties CT for each worker or cooperating company can make it easier to discover work omissions in later processes.

Note that while the cable tie CT shown has a band portion CTa that cannot be detached from the lock portion CTb, this is not limited to this and the band portion CTa may be detachable. If the cable tie CT is detachable, it can be reused after removal, thereby reducing the amount of waste.

As shown in Figure 172, on the rear side of the gaming board 5, the cable tie CT is attached with the locking portion CTb in contact with the wiring retaining portion 1603 and the wiring retaining portion 3011. The locking portion CTb of the cable tie CT abuts the portion of the wiring retaining portion 1603 and the wiring retaining portion 3011 opposite the harness WH1 or harness WH2. In other words, the cable tie CT is attached so that the wiring retaining portion 1603 and the wiring retaining portion 3011 are located between the harness WH1 or harness WH2 and the locking portion CTb. This allows the locking portion CTb to face rearward, making it easier to perform the tying operation using the cable tie CT, check the ties, etc. It also makes it easier to cut the cable tie CT. Furthermore, as will be described in more detail below, contact of the locking portion CTb with the harness WH1 or harness WH2 can be avoided, so the harness WH1 or harness WH2 bound with the cable tie CT can be protected by the wiring locking portion 1603 or wiring locking portion 3011.

Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 172, the component (rear case) on which the wiring retaining portion 1603 of the performance display device 1600 is formed, and the rear box 3010, are made transparent, so that the portions of the wiring retaining portion 1603 and wiring retaining portion 3011 that are supported by the wiring retaining portion 1603 and wiring retaining portion 3011 can be seen from the outside (rear) through the wiring retaining portion 1603 and wiring retaining portion 3011. This makes it easy to check whether all of the wiring EC that makes up the harness WH1 and harness WH2 is bundled with the cable ties CT, and also makes it easier to perform the bundling work using the cable ties CT.

Furthermore, as shown in the figure, the cable tie CT is attached so that the cable tie CT (the band portion CTa) contacts the harness WH1 or WH2 at an angle. This allows for a larger contact area compared to when the cable tie CT contacts the harness WH1 or WH2 in a direction perpendicular to its longitudinal direction, increasing the frictional resistance and making it more difficult to move (slide).

As shown in the figure, the cable ties CT that bind the harness WH1 to the wiring retaining portion 1603 and the wiring retaining portion 3011 are attached so that the longitudinal direction of the band portion CTa extends obliquely relative to a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the wiring retaining portion 1603 and the wiring retaining portion 3011. In other words, the cable ties CT are attached in a cross-body manner. As a result, when the harness WH1 is bound to the wiring fastening portion 1603 or the wiring fastening portion 3011 with the cable tie CT, tilting the cable tie CT so that the longitudinal direction of the band portion CTa of the cable tie CT approaches a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the wiring fastening portion 1603 or the wiring fastening portion 3011 loosens the tightening force of the band portion CTa, making it easier to slide the harness WH1 along with the cable tie CT in the longitudinal direction of the wiring fastening portion 1603 or the wiring fastening portion 3011. Furthermore, after sliding, returning the cable tie CT to its tilted state tightens the wiring fastening portion 1603 or the wiring fastening portion 3011, returning it to its original, less sliding state.

Although detailed illustrations are omitted, the rear surface of the peripheral control board box 1520 of the peripheral control unit 1500 protrudes further rearward than the locking portion CTb of the cable tie CT that ties the harness WH1 and harness WH2 to the wiring retaining portion 1603 and wiring retaining portion 3011. As a result, even if the gaming board 5 is placed with its rear face down on a workbench during assembly work, the peripheral control board box 1520 abuts against the workbench, so the workbench does not abut against the locking portion CTb of the cable tie CT. Alternatively, even if multiple gaming boards 5 are transported stacked during transport work, the other gaming boards 5 abut against the peripheral control board box 1520, so the other gaming boards 5 do not abut against the locking portion CTb. For this reason, the presence of the peripheral control board box 1520 prevents other components such as the workbench or game board 5 from coming into contact with and crushing the locking portion CTb of the cable tie CT, and prevents malfunctions caused by the harness WH1 and harness WH2 coming off the wiring locking portion 1603 and wiring locking portion 3011 due to damage to the locking portion CTb.

Although not shown, when the game board 5 of this embodiment is assembled to the pachinko machine 1, the rear of the game board 5 is covered by the rear cover 640 of the main frame 4. This allows the rear cover 640 to prevent other components in the island equipment of the gaming hall, such as the wiring EC connecting the pachinko machine 1 to the gaming hall side, the gaming balls B, and other components, from coming into contact (abutting) with the locking portion CTb of the cable tie CT. This prevents contact with other components, etc., from releasing the tightening of the band portion CTa by the locking portion CTb, causing the harness WH1 and harness WH2 to come off the wiring retaining portion 1603 and wiring retaining portion 3011, thereby preventing malfunctions caused by the cable tie CT. Additionally, the rear cover 640 prevents the locking portion CTb from coming into contact with other components and loosening or releasing the fastening, making it possible to use a type of cable tie CT in which the band portion CTa is detachable from the locking portion CTb.

In the above embodiment, the wiring retaining portion 1603 and the wiring retaining portion 3011 are shown as being transparent, but this is not limited to this. They may be translucent or opaque, but have optical transparency that allows the wiring EC to be seen through. Alternatively, the wiring retaining portion 1603 and the wiring retaining portion 3011 may be opaque and not have optical transparency.

Although not shown in the figures, sections of harness WH1 that are distant from wire retaining portion 1603 and wire retaining portion 3011 (for example, the section between wire retaining portion 1603 and wire retaining portion 3011) may be bundled with special cable ties. This allows the harness WH1 to be bundled with special cable ties even in sections between wire retaining portion 1603 and wire retaining portion 3011, thereby preventing the multiple wires EC that make up harness WH1 from becoming separated one by one over the entire length of harness WH1. Here, the special cable ties have a different name from the cable ties CT described above, but this is to clearly indicate the difference in use and they have the same configuration (structure) as cable ties CT.

As such, the wiring retaining portion 1603, wiring retaining portion 3011, and cable tie CT of this embodiment can achieve the following excellent effects. Specifically, in conventional pachinko machines, a harness consisting of multiple wiring EC is exposed on the rear surface of the back box. To prevent problems from occurring when the exposed harness comes into contact with other components, multiple harness support portions are provided to support the harness along the rear surface of the back box. The harness support portions of such conventional pachinko machines are rod- or strip-shaped, extending along the rear surface of the back box and with one end free. The harness is supported by being inserted between the back box and the harness support portion from the free end. However, with conventional harness support portions, the harness or the wiring EC that make up the harness can become detached, potentially causing problems.

In response to this problem, in this embodiment, the wiring retaining portion 1603 and the wiring retaining portion 3011 are fastened and bundled together with the harness WH1 and the harness WH2, which are made up of multiple wiring EC, using cable ties CT. This prevents the wiring EC from coming loose one by one from the harness WH1 and the harness WH2 at the wiring retaining portion 1603 and the wiring retaining portion 3011. This prevents some of the loose wiring EC from coming loose from the wiring retaining portion 1603 and the wiring retaining portion 3011, and also prevents the wiring EC from coming loose from the wiring retaining portion 1603 and the wiring retaining portion 3011, making them more susceptible to breakage.

In addition, harnesses WH1 and WH2, which are made up of multiple wiring EC, can be slid longitudinally of wiring retaining portion 1603 and wiring retaining portion 3011 while still bundled with cable ties CT. This means that when it is necessary to check components hidden by harnesses WH1 and WH2, which previously required moving (sliding) each individual wiring EC from the harness when they were not bundled with cable ties CT, multiple wiring EC (harnesses WH1 and WH2) can be slid at once, making the checking process easier and reducing the burden on the amusement hall where this pachinko machine 1 is installed.

Furthermore, since the tips of the wiring retaining portion 1603 and wiring retaining portion 3011 for supporting the harness WH1 are free ends, the harness WH1 and harness WH2 can be easily inserted from the open free end side of the wiring retaining portion 1603 and wiring retaining portion 3011, thereby improving workability. At this time, hooks 1603a and 3011a are provided at the tips of wiring locking portion 1603 and wiring locking portion 3011, protruding toward performance display device 1600 and rear box 3010. Therefore, when harnesses WH1 and WH2 are fastened together by cable tie CT together with wiring locking portion 1603 and wiring locking portion 3011, even if cable tie CT slides together with harnesses WH1 and WH2 toward the free ends of wiring locking portion 1603 and wiring locking portion 3011, further sliding is prevented by abutting hooks 1603a and 3011a, preventing harnesses WH1 and WH2 from slipping out of the tips of wiring locking portion 1603 and wiring locking portion 3011 together with cable tie CT. This makes it possible to provide a pachinko machine 1 that is capable of reliably achieving the effects described above.

In addition, the cable tie CT is composed of a band portion CTa and a locking portion CTb that prevents the band portion CTa from being retracted, i.e., it can only be inserted in one direction.Therefore, by simply inserting the tip of the band portion CTa wrapped around the wiring locking portion 1603, wiring locking portion 3011, and harness WH1 or harness WH2 into the locking portion CTb and pulling it, the wiring locking portion 1603, wiring locking portion 3011, and harness WH1 or harness WH2 can be locked in a tightened state, thereby improving the workability of the task of bundling harness WH1 or harness WH2. At this time, because the locking portion CTb of the cable tie CT abuts against the wiring latching portion 1603 and the wiring latching portion 3011, even if a force that would rotate the cable tie CT around the axis of the harness WH1 or WH2 for some reason acts on the cable tie CT, the locking portion CTb of the cable tie CT abuts against the wiring latching portion 1603 and the wiring latching portion 3011, preventing the cable tie CT from rotating around the axis of the harness WH1 or WH2.This prevents the locking portion CTb of the cable tie CT and the tip of the band portion CTa extending from the locking portion CTb from coming into contact with other components, preventing malfunctions.

Furthermore, because the locking portion CTb of the cable tie CT is abutted against the side of the wiring engagement portion 1603 or the wiring engagement portion 3011 opposite the harness WH1 or WH2, the following excellent effects can be achieved: Specifically, if the locking portion CTb of the cable tie CT is abutted against the side of the wiring engagement portion 1603 or the wiring engagement portion 3011 that is in contact with the harness WH1 or WH2, the tip of the band portion CTa protruding from the locking portion CTb must be pulled in the direction of the performance display device 1600 or the rear box 3010, which causes the performance display device 1600 or the rear box 3010 to get in the way, making the tying work difficult. In contrast, the locking portion CTb is abutted against the side of the wiring retaining portion 1603 and the wiring retaining portion 3011 opposite the harness WH1 and the harness WH2, so when bundling the harness WH1 and the harness WH2 with the cable tie CT, the locking portion CTb faces the worker, and by pulling the tip of the band portion CTa protruding from the locking portion CTb in a direction away from the performance display device 1600 and the rear box 3010, the wiring retaining portion 1603, the wiring retaining portion 3011 and the harness WH1 and the harness WH2 can be tightened, further improving workability.

Furthermore, since the locking portion CTb of the cable tie CT is abutted against the portion of the wiring retaining portion 1603 and wiring retaining portion 3011 opposite the harness WH1 and harness WH2, as described above, the locking portion CTb faces the operator, making it easy to check whether the tip of the band portion CTa is inserted into the locking portion CTb, providing a pachinko machine 1 that is easy to check during operation.

Furthermore, by abutting the locking portion CTb of the cable tie CT against the portion of the wiring retaining portion 1603 or the wiring retaining portion 3011 on the opposite side from the harness WH1 or WH2, the wiring retaining portion 1603 or the wiring retaining portion 3011 is interposed between the harness WH1 or WH2 and the locking portion CTb, and the wiring retaining portion 1603 or the wiring retaining portion 3011 can act as a barrier that prevents the locking portion CTb of the cable tie CT from coming into contact with the harness WH1 or WH2. This provides the following excellent effects. In more detail, when the tip of the band portion CTa is inserted into the lock portion CTb of the cable tie CT and the tip of the band portion CTa is pulled to bind the wires, if the wiring EC of the harness WH1 or harness WH2 abuts against the lock portion CTb, part of the wiring EC will be pulled into the lock portion CTb along with the pulled band portion CTa, which may cause the insulating coating of the wiring EC to break. In contrast, the locking portion CTb abuts the side of the wiring locking portion 1603 or the wiring locking portion 3011 opposite the harness WH1 or WH2. In other words, the wiring locking portion 1603 or the wiring locking portion 3011 is interposed between the harness WH1 or WH2 and the locking portion CTb. Therefore, the harness WH1 or WH2 (wiring EC) does not abut the locking portion CTb. Therefore, even if the tip of the band portion CTa, which has been inserted through the locking portion CTb, is pulled, part of the wiring EC will not be pulled into the locking portion CTb along with the band portion CTa. This prevents the insulating coating of the wiring EC from breaking and protects the harness WH1 or WH2 bound with the cable tie CT.

Furthermore, because the locking portion CTb of the cable tie CT abuts against the portion of the wiring retaining portion 1603 or the wiring retaining portion 3011 opposite the harness WH1 or harness WH2, the cable tie CT (band portion CTa) can be easily cut when removing the harness WH1 or harness WH2 from the wiring retaining portion 1603 or the wiring retaining portion 3011 for maintenance or disassembly of the pachinko machine 1. More specifically, as described above, because the block-shaped locking portion CTb faces the operator, by guiding a cutting tool such as nippers along the locking portion CTb, the band portion CTa can be easily cut without damaging other portions.

In addition, the rear cover 640 of the main frame 4 and the peripheral control board box 1520, which protrudes rearward from the cable tie CT, are provided as protective parts to protect the cable tie CT. This protects the locking portion CTb of the cable tie CT, preventing other components from coming into contact with the cable tie CT for any reason under various circumstances, such as during the assembly, transportation, and installation of the pachinko machine 1 (game board 5), and after installation in the gaming hall. This prevents damage to the cable tie CT (locking portion CTb) and prevents the harness WH1 and harness WH2 from coming off the wiring locking portion 1603 and wiring locking portion 3011. Furthermore, the rear cover 640 of the main frame 4 and the peripheral control board box 1520 protect the cable tie CT from coming into contact with other components, preventing damage to other components due to the cable tie CT coming into contact and reducing the occurrence of malfunctions.

Furthermore, the rear cover 640 of the main frame 4 reliably prevents other components from coming into contact with the cable tie CT, preventing other components from coming into contact with the cable tie CT (locking portion CTb) for some reason and causing damage, and preventing the harness WH1 and harness WH2 from coming off the wiring retaining portion 1603 and wiring retaining portion 3011 due to damage to the locking portion CTb. Furthermore, the rear cover 640 of the main frame 4 prevents other components from coming into contact with the cable tie CT, preventing other components from being damaged by the cable tie CT and reducing the occurrence of malfunctions.

Furthermore, when the gaming board 5 is assembled to the pachinko machine 1, the rear of the gaming board 5 is covered by the rear cover 640 of the main frame 4. Therefore, the rear cover 640 prevents other components in the gaming hall's island facilities, such as the wiring EC connecting the pachinko machine 1 to the gaming hall, the gaming balls B, and other components, from coming into contact with the locking portion CTb of the cable tie CT. This prevents contact with other components, etc., from releasing the fastening of the band portion CTa by the locking portion CTb and causing the harness WH1 and harness WH2 to come off the wiring retaining portion 1603 and wiring retaining portion 3011, thereby preventing malfunctions caused by the cable tie CT. Furthermore, because the rear cover 640 prevents the locking portion CTb from loosening or releasing due to contact with other components, cable ties CT of a type in which the band portion CTa is detachable from the locking portion CTb can be used.

Furthermore, the peripheral control board box 1520, which protrudes beyond the cable ties CT, is provided as a protective part to protect the cable ties CT. Therefore, if another component moves from the rear toward the rear box 3010, where the wiring locking portion 1603 and wiring locking portion 3011 are located, the component will abut against the peripheral control board box 1520 as a protective part before coming into contact with the cable ties CT, preventing the component from moving further toward the cable ties CT and preventing the component from coming into contact with the cable ties CT. This prevents the cable ties CT (locking portion CTb) from coming into contact with other components, preventing the cable ties CT from releasing the restriction on the movement of the harnesses WH1 and WH2, thereby preventing malfunctions caused by the cable ties CT. Additionally, a peripheral control board box 1520 is provided as a protective part to protect the cable ties CT, so even if for some reason another component approaches the game board 5 from behind over the rear cover 640 of the main frame 4, as described above, there is also a peripheral control board box 1520 protecting the cable ties CT, so the cable ties CT can be doubly protected.

In addition, as a protective part for protecting the cable ties CT, a peripheral control board box 1520 is provided on the rear surface of the gaming board 5, where the playing area 5a of the pachinko machine 1 is located, and protrudes further rearward than the cable ties CT. Therefore, even if the gaming board 5 is placed with its rear face down on a workbench during assembly work, the peripheral control board box 1520 abuts against the workbench, so the workbench will not abut against the locking part CTb of the cable ties CT. Alternatively, even if multiple gaming boards 5 are transported stacked together during transport work, the other gaming boards 5 abut against the peripheral control board box 1520, so the other gaming boards 5 will not abut against the locking part CTb. For this reason, the presence of the peripheral control board box 1520 prevents other components such as the workbench or game board 5 from coming into contact with and crushing the locking portion CTb of the cable tie CT, and prevents malfunctions caused by the harness WH1 and harness WH2 coming off the wiring locking portion 1603 and wiring locking portion 3011 due to damage to the locking portion CTb.

Furthermore, the rear surface and rear box 3010 of the performance display device 1600 are made transparent, and the harnesses WH1 and WH2 are supported visibly by the wiring retaining portions 1603 and 3011. This means that the supported harnesses WH1 and WH2 can be seen from the outside through the wiring retaining portions 1603 and 3011. This makes it easy to check whether all of the wiring EC that make up harnesses WH1 and WH2 is bundled with cable ties CT and their movement is restricted. This prevents the shipment of defective products with some of the wiring EC loose, and also makes it easier to check the cable ties CT during maintenance, etc.

In addition, since the harnesses WH1 and WH2 can be seen through the wiring retaining portion 1603 and the wiring retaining portion 3011, the work of bundling the harnesses WH1 and WH2 with the cable ties CT can be performed more easily, improving workability.

In addition, the harnesses WH1 and WH2 can be seen through the transparent wiring retaining portion 1603 and wiring retaining portion 3011, and the cable tie CT is milky white with low light transmittance and is a different color (e.g., gray, yellow, white, black, blue, red, green, etc.) from the multiple wiring EC that make up the harnesses WH1 and WH2. Therefore, when looking at the harnesses WH1 and WH2 (multiple wiring EC) and the band portion CTa of the cable tie CT through the wiring retaining portion 1603 and wiring retaining portion 3011, it is clearly visible that the band portion CTa is spanning the harnesses WH1 and WH2. This makes it possible to reliably confirm that harness WH1 and harness WH2 are bound by the binding band CT, and also makes it easier to bind the wiring retaining portion 1603, wiring retaining portion 3011, and harness WH1 and harness WH2 using the binding band CT.

Furthermore, because the band portion CTa of the cable tie CT contacts the harness WH1 or WH2 at an angle relative to the longitudinal direction, the contact area is larger than when the cable tie CT contacts the harness WH1 or WH2 in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, and the frictional resistance between the cable tie CT (band portion CTa) and the harness WH1 or WH2 can be increased. Therefore, the movement of the harness WH1 or WH2 by the cable tie CT can be sufficiently restricted, preventing the harness WH1, harness WH2, or wiring EC from coming off the wiring retaining portion 1603 or wiring retaining portion 3011, thereby avoiding malfunctions.

Furthermore, because the band portion CTa of the cable tie CT contacts the harness WH1 or WH2 at an angle, the following excellent effects can be achieved. Specifically, when the cable tie CT is used to fasten and bind the harness WH1 or WH2, the band portion CTa of the cable tie CT applies force to the harness WH1 or WH2 (wiring EC). Depending on the strength of this force, the insulating coating covering the wiring EC may deteriorate prematurely, potentially increasing the risk of problems such as electrical leakage or short circuits. In contrast, by contacting the band portion CTa of the cable tie CT at an angle with the harness WH1 or WH2, the contact area between the band portion CTa and the harness WH1 or WH2 (wiring EC) can be increased compared to when the band portion CTa is wrapped around and contacted perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the harness WH1 or WH2. Therefore, even if the cable tie CT is tightened with the same strength, by making contact at an angle and widening the contact area, the force acting when tightening can be dispersed widely and made relatively small, which prevents early deterioration of the insulating coating and reduces the occurrence of problems such as electrical leakage and short circuits.

Furthermore, because the wiring retaining portion 1603 and the wiring retaining portion 3011 extend in a strip-like shape, when the harness WH1 and the harness WH2 are bundled together with the wiring retaining portion 1603 and the wiring retaining portion 3011 using the cable tie CT, the width of the wiring retaining portion 1603 and the wiring retaining portion 3011 means that the band portion CTa of the cable tie CT automatically comes into contact with the harness WH1 and the harness WH2 at an angle, thereby reliably providing a pachinko machine 1 that achieves the effects described above.

Furthermore, harnesses WH1 and WH2, which are made up of multiple wiring EC, are individually bundled with specific cable ties at locations away from wiring retaining portion 1603 and wiring retaining portion 3011. This prevents the multiple wiring EC that make up harnesses WH1 and WH2 from becoming separated along their entire length, preventing the separated wiring EC from coming into contact with other components and preventing malfunctions.

In addition, because the special cable ties bundle and tie harnesses WH1 and WH2 at locations away from wiring retaining portion 1603 and wiring retaining portion 3011, if harness WH1 or harness WH2 is pulled longitudinally for some reason, the locking portions of the special cable ties will come into contact with wiring retaining portion 1603, wiring retaining portion 3011, and cable ties CT as harness WH1 or harness WH2 moves, and the special cable ties can prevent further movement of harness WH1 or harness WH2.

Furthermore, because harnesses WH1 and WH2, which are made up of multiple wiring EC, are bound by special cable ties at locations away from wiring retaining portion 1603 and wiring retaining portion 3011, the multiple wiring EC are gathered so that the outer periphery of harness WH1 and harness WH2 approaches a circular shape, and the band portions of the special cable ties extend in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of harness WH1 and harness WH2. This allows harnesses WH1 and WH2 to be bundled compactly at the locations of the special cable ties, making it easier to check the components located behind harness WH1 and harness WH2.

Furthermore, in the areas of the specific cable ties located away from the wiring retaining portion 1603 and the wiring retaining portion 3011, the band portion of the specific cable ties extends in a direction perpendicular to (the longitudinal direction of) the harness WH1 and the harness WH2. Meanwhile, in the wiring retaining portion 1603 and the wiring retaining portion 3011, the band portion CTa of the cable ties CT is made to contact the harness WH1 and the harness WH2 at an angle, allowing the band portion CTa and the band portion to extend in different directions relative to the harness WH1 and the harness WH2 at the wiring retaining portion 1603 and the wiring retaining portion 3011 and the bundling portion. This makes it easy to confirm whether the work is being performed according to the work manual by checking the position and number of the band portion CTa and the direction in which the band portions extend when bundling the harness WH1 and the harness WH2. In this case, the binding bands CT of the wiring fastening portion 1603 and the wiring fastening portion 3011 may be different colors from the specific binding bands, making it easier to check the binding work.

Furthermore, because the wiring retaining portion 1603 and the wiring retaining portion 3011 extend in a flat or strip-like shape, the contact area between the wiring retaining portion 1603 and the wiring retaining portion 3011 and the harness WH1 and the harness WH2 can be made larger than when the wiring retaining portion 1603 and the wiring retaining portion 3011 are rod-shaped, thereby increasing the frictional resistance. This makes it easier to exert the effect of the cable tie CT as a movement restriction means, and reliably restricts the movement of the harness WH1 and the harness WH2, thereby further preventing malfunctions.

Furthermore, because the wiring locking portion 1603 and the wiring locking portion 3011 extend in a flat or strip-like shape, the multiple wiring EC that make up the harness WH1 and harness WH2 tend to spread out along the surface of the wiring locking portion 1603 and wiring locking portion 3011, facilitating heat dissipation from the wiring EC. At this time, the harness WH1 and harness WH2 can be seen through the wiring locking portion 1603 and wiring locking portion 3011, making it easy to check each of the multiple wiring EC that make up the harness WH1 and harness WH2 through the wiring locking portion 1603 and wiring locking portion 3011.

In addition, as shown in the enlarged cross-sectional view of the main part in Figure 172, the wiring locking portion 1603 and the wiring locking portion 3011 are provided with protrusions 1603b and 3011b that protrude forward from two sides extending in the longitudinal direction, so that the harness WH1 and the harness WH2 come into contact with the protrusions 1603b and 3011b. In other words, the wiring locking portion 1603 and the wiring locking portion 3011 are provided with recesses that prevent contact with the harness WH1 and the harness WH2. This prevents force from acting on harness WH1 or WH2 from the band portion CTa of cable tie CT across the entire width of wire retaining portion 1603 or wire retaining portion 3011 when the wires are fastened with cable tie CT. This makes it possible to adjust the force acting on harness WH1 or WH2 and suppress premature deterioration of the insulating coating on the wiring EC.

In addition, because the wiring retaining portion 1603 and the wiring retaining portion 3011 are provided with the protrusions 1603b and 3011b, when the harness WH1 and the harness WH2 are fastened with the cable tie CT, the insulating coating of the wiring EC that makes up the harness WH1 and the harness WH2 easily bites into the corners of the protrusions 1603b and 3011b. This provides resistance to longitudinal movement of the harness WH1 and the harness WH2, making it difficult for the harness WH1 and the harness WH2 to move in the longitudinal direction.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, a through-hole 1604 is provided that penetrates the rear surface of the performance display device 1600 at a location opposite the wiring locking portion 1603, and a through-hole 3012 is provided that penetrates from front to back at a location opposite the wiring locking portion 3011 on the rear box 3010. In other words, in the main body (here, performance display device 1600 or rear box 3010) where harness supports for locking wiring EC, harness WH1, etc., such as wiring locking portion 1603 or wiring locking portion 3011, are provided, a contact avoidance portion (corresponding to through-hole 1604 or through-hole 3012 in this embodiment) is provided at a location opposite the portion of the harness support portion on the main body that extends along the surface of the main body, which prevents the cable tie CT that bundles the wiring EC, harness WH1, etc. together with the harness support portion from contacting the main body.

In this way, contact avoidance sections that prevent contact with the cable ties CT are provided on the parts of the main body that face the harness support, such as the wiring locking section 1603 and the wiring locking section 3011. This makes it easier to insert multiple wires EC, harness WH1, and cable ties CT between the main body and the harness support, improving workability. Furthermore, the cable ties CT that bind the harness WH1 and other wires to the harness support are prevented from contacting the surface of the main body. In other words, the cable ties CT do not contact the main body, reducing problems with the harness WH1 and the harness support.

More specifically, when the cable tie CT abuts the main body, a force is constantly acting on the harness support portion in a direction away from the main body via the wiring EC, harness WH1, etc., and the cable tie CT. Therefore, the force acting from the main body to the harness support portion may cause the harness support portion to fatigue prematurely and break. Furthermore, because the force acting from the main body to the harness support portion also acts on the wiring EC, harness WH1, etc., constant force acts on the insulating coating of the wiring EC, causing the insulating coating to deteriorate prematurely, potentially resulting in leakage or short circuits. To address this issue, this embodiment provides a contact avoidance portion on the main body, preventing force from acting from the main body on the harness support portion or the harness WH1, etc., bundled by the cable tie CT. This reduces problems such as premature damage to the harness support portion and leakage or short circuits in the harness WH1, etc.

In this embodiment, the contact avoidance portion is shown as penetrating the surface of the main body (the rear surface of the performance display device 1600 or the rear surface of the rear box 3010), but this is not limited to this and it may also be recessed from the surface of the main body.

In the above embodiment, harnesses WH1 and WH2 are shown bound together with cable ties CT at the wiring fastening portion 1603 on the rear cover of the performance display device 1600 and the wiring fastening portion 3011 on the rear box 3010, but this is not limited to this. Wiring EC and harnesses may also be bound together with cable ties CT at wiring fastening portions provided on a performance unit having a decorative body or a movable decorative body.

In addition, in the above embodiment, a cable tie CT is wrapped around and fastened (tied together) a harness such as harness WH1 or harness WH2 around a harness support such as wiring retaining portion 1603 or wiring retaining portion 3011 to prevent the harness from coming off the harness support, but this is not limited to this, and hook-and-loop fastener bands, vinyl ties, harness clips, spiral tubes, or a high friction resistance portion or an adhesive portion may be used on the harness support.

[5-10a-2. Functional part]
Next, the functional surface portion 3015 of the rear box 3010 will be described in detail. The functional surface portion 3015 is also used during assembly of the pachinko machine 1 (game board 5). The functional surface portion 3015 is provided inside the outer periphery of the rear box 3010 and behind the fixing piece portion 3010e for attaching the rear box 3010 to the rear side of the game panel 1100 (panel holder 1120). The front and rear sides of the functional surface portion 3015 are formed in surfaces parallel to the surface of the game panel 1100. The functional surface portion 3015 is provided so as to surround the center of gravity of the rear unit 3000 when viewed from the front.

Since the functional surface portion 3015 can abut a predetermined component against its front or rear side, for example, the upper end of an intermediate component protruding from a predetermined component, such as a workbench or mounting table, may be abutted against the front side of the functional surface portion 3015. In this case, the intermediate component protrudes longer (higher) than the distance from the functional surface portion 3015 to the front of the rear unit 3000 (here, the rear ball guide unit 3100, rear front upper performance unit 3200, and rear front left performance unit 3300). As a result, when assembling the game board 5, if you want to place the rear unit 3000 on a predetermined component with its front side facing downward (face down), you can place the rear unit 3000 on the predetermined component with its front side facing downward by abutting the upper end of the intermediate component protruding from the predetermined component against the front of the functional surface portion 3015.

This prevents scratches on the front surface of the back unit 3000 due to contact with the specified components, allowing the back unit 3000 to be maintained in good condition, preventing the occurrence of defective products (faulty products) due to scratches, and suppressing increases in the costs of the pachinko machine 1. The intermediate component may also be a separate component that is separate from the specified components.

Furthermore, as mentioned above, the functional surface portion 3015 prevents contact between the front surface of the rear unit 3000 and certain components, so that with the rear unit 3000 (rear box 3010) holding the performance unit placed face down, installation and wiring of other components such as the performance display device 1600 and rear board unit 3040 can be performed on the rear side of the rear box 3010.

Furthermore, because the rear box 3010 is provided with a functional surface portion 3015, the rear box 3010 can be placed face down even when not holding a performance unit, compared to when the functional surface portion 3015 is provided on a performance unit such as the rear front upper performance unit 3200 or the rear front left performance unit 3300. Therefore, the rear box 3010 (rear unit 3000) can be placed face down even during assembly, making it possible to accommodate a variety of work conditions (working modes).

Furthermore, since the functional surface portion 3015 can abut against the front or rear side thereof, for example, the upper end of an intermediate member protruding from a predetermined member such as a workbench or mounting table may be abutted against the rear side of the functional surface portion 3015. In this case, the intermediate member protrudes longer (higher) than the distance from the functional surface portion 3015 to the rear surface of the rear unit 3000. As a result, when assembling the game board 5, if it is desired to place the rear unit 3000 on a predetermined member with its rear side facing downward (upside down), the rear unit 3000 can be placed on the predetermined member with its rear side facing downward by abutting the upper end of the intermediate member protruding from the predetermined member against the rear surface of the functional surface portion 3015.

Therefore, by abutting the upper surface of the intermediate member against the rear surface of the functional surface portion 3015, the rear unit 3000 can be placed face up on a specified member while preventing the specified member from contacting the rear surface of the rear unit 3000.This allows the rear unit 3000 (rear box 3010) to be stabilized in a face up position during assembly, making it easier to perform assembly work from the front end of the rear box 3010.

Furthermore, because the functional surface portion 3015 is provided in a portion recessed rearward from the front surface of the rear box 3010, at least a portion of the periphery of the functional surface portion 3015 has a portion protruding forward or rearward (for example, the side wall of the rear box 3010), which can restrict relative movement between the functional surface portion 3015 and the intermediate member or the upper surface of the intermediate member in a direction along the surface of a specific member. This makes it difficult for the rear unit 3000 (rear box 3010) to move when placed face down or face up via the functional surface portion 3015, making assembly work, etc., easier to perform.

Furthermore, since the functional surface portion 3015 is provided with some of the multiple functional hole portions 3013, by providing the intermediate member with a positioning pin that can be inserted into the through-hole of the functional hole portion 3013, the positioning pin can restrict movement of the rear unit 3000 (rear box 3010) placed face down or face up via the functional surface portion 3015 in a direction along the surface of the specified member, thereby achieving the same effect as above.

Furthermore, since the functional surface portion 3015 is arranged to surround the center of gravity of the back unit 3000 when viewed from the front, when the back unit 3000 is placed face down or face up on a specified component such as a workbench or stand via an intermediate component, the back unit 3000 can be kept in a stable state, preventing the back unit 3000 from tilting and causing the front of the performance unit to come into contact with the specified component.

Furthermore, because the functional surface portion 3015 is located behind the front surface of the rear box 3010, when the rear box 3010 is attached to the rear side of the gaming panel 1100 (panel holder 1120), the functional surface portion 3015 does not come into contact with the gaming panel 1100, and the rear box 3010 (rear unit 3000) can be attached to the rear side of the gaming panel 1100 without any problems.

While the above embodiment illustrates the functional surface portion 3015 as a flat surface parallel to the surface of the gaming panel 1100, this is not limiting. For example, the functional surface portion may be a "curved portion concave rearward in a conical or truncated conical shape," a "polyhedral portion concave rearward in a polygonal pyramid or truncated conical shape," a "curved portion protruding forward in a conical or truncated conical shape," or a "polyhedral portion protruding forward in a polygonal pyramid or truncated conical shape." When the functional surface portion is a curved or polyhedral portion such as those described above, it is desirable to form the upper end surface of the intermediate member in a shape that resembles the functional surface portion. This makes it possible to restrict relative movement between the functional surface portion (rear box 3010) and the intermediate member in a direction along the surface of a specified member.

In addition, in the above embodiment, the functional surface portion 3015 is provided on the rear box 3010, but this is not limited to this, and the functional surface portion may be provided on a presentation unit attached to the rear box 3010 or a ball guide member that guides the game ball B. For example, the end surface of the drive motor or solenoid of the presentation unit, the tip surface of the ball guide member, etc. may be used as the functional surface portion.

[5-10b. Mounting support]
Next, the mounting supporters 3050 and 3060 in the rear unit 3000 will be described in detail, mainly with reference to Figures 173 to 177. Figure 175(a) is a six-sided view of the mounting supporter in the rear unit, (b) is a front perspective view of the mounting supporter in (a), and (c) is a rear perspective view of the mounting supporter in (a). Figure 176(a) is a perspective view of a mounting supporter of an embodiment different from the mounting supporter in Figure 175, (b) is an explanatory diagram showing a perspective view of the main part of the mounting supporter in (a) having a different shape of the main body, and (c) is an explanatory diagram showing a rear perspective view of the main part of a mounting supporter of an embodiment different from the mounting supporter in (a). Figure 177(a) is an oblique view of a mounting supporter having a different configuration from the mounting supporter in Figure 175, seen from the front left, (b) is a front view of the mounting supporter in (a), (c) is an oblique view of the mounting supporter in (a) seen from the front right, and (d) is an oblique view of the mounting supporter in (a) seen from the back.

Figure 178 shows an enlarged view of the mounting supporter portion, a key part, with the rear box made transparent, and is an oblique view of the rear unit from the rear. Figure 179 (a) is a photograph of the mounting supporter portion of the rear unit in Figure 175 viewed from the rear, and (b) is a photograph of the mounting supporter portion of the rear unit in Figure 177 viewed from the rear. In Figure 178, the rear box 3010 is shown with a dashed line, and mounting supporters 3050 and 3060 are shaded in the enlarged view of the key parts.

In this embodiment, the rear performance unit 3600 is attached to the rear box 3010 using the attachment supporter 3050, and the rear right performance unit 3400 is attached to the rear box 3010 using the attachment supporter 3060.

First, the mounting supporter 3050 will be described. As shown in Figure 175, etc., the mounting supporter 3050 has a block-shaped main body 3051, a first mounting hole 3052 that penetrates the main body 3051, a protruding pin 3053 that is spaced apart from the first mounting hole 3052 and protrudes cylindrically rearward from the main body 3051, a boss 3054 that protrudes cylindrically forward from the main body 3051, and a second mounting hole 3055 that penetrates the boss 3054. This mounting supporter 3050 is colored a different color (black in this case) from the back box 3010.

When viewed from the front, the main body 3051 of the mounting supporter 3050 has a rectangular shape that is long from side to side, with the left side shaped like a semicircular arc that touches the top and bottom sides. The main body 3051 is formed so that the right side from near the center in the left-right direction is shorter in the front-to-back direction than the left side. The rear surface of the main body 3051 is flat, while the front surface is stepped, with the right side from near the center in the left-to-right direction recessing rearward. This main body 3051 has a piece 3051a to the right of the center in the left-to-right direction that is thinner than the left side. In addition, the base of the protruding pin 3053 on the main body 3051 is recessed (having an annular groove) so as to surround the outer periphery of the protruding pin 3053.

The first mounting hole 3052 is located coaxially with the center of the semicircular arc on the left side of the main body 3051 when viewed from the front, and penetrates the main body 3051 in the front-to-rear direction. This first mounting hole 3052 has a diameter slightly smaller than the diameter of the functional hole 3013 in the rear box 3010.

The protruding pin 3053 protrudes rearward in a cylindrical shape from a portion of the main body 3051 that is rearward of the piece 3051a. The tip of the protruding pin 3053 is formed in a hemispherical shape. The distance between the axis of the protruding pin 3053 and the axis of the first mounting hole 3052 is the same as the distance between the axes of the two through holes in the rear box 3010. Furthermore, the diameter of the cylinder of the protruding pin 3053 is the same as the diameter of the hole in the functional hole 3013 in the rear box 3010, and the protruding pin 3053 can be inserted (or press-fit) into the functional hole 3013.

The boss portion 3054 protrudes (extends) forward in a cylindrical shape from a portion of the main body portion 3051 that is toward the right of the center in the left-right direction (the portion closer to the protruding pin 3053). The front surface of the boss portion 3054 is shorter than the diameter of the boss portion 3054, and it protrudes further forward than the front surface of the main body portion 3051. The diameter of the cylinder of the boss portion 3054 is the same as the distance from the top edge to the bottom edge of the main body portion 3051. Therefore, the boss portion 3054 is in contact with the top and bottom edges of the main body portion 3051.

The second mounting hole 3055 penetrates the center of the cylinder of the boss portion 3054 from front to back through the boss portion 3054 and the main body portion 3051. The diameter of the second mounting hole 3055 is the same as the diameter of the first mounting hole 3052.

This mounting supporter 3050 is attached to the rear box 3010 by inserting the protruding pin 3053 from the front into one of the two through holes that make up the functional hole 3013 of the rear box 3010, positioning the first mounting hole 3052 coaxially with the other through hole, and then screwing a mounting screw into the first mounting hole 3052 from the rear of the rear box 3010 through the through hole and tightening it. The main body 3051 of the mounting supporter 3050 has a flat piece 3051a in front of the protruding pin 3053. Therefore, when inserting the protruding pin 3053 of the mounting supporter 3050 into the functional hole 3013, the operator can easily insert the protruding pin 3053 into the functional hole 3013 by pressing the piece 3051a with a finger or the like.

Then, by abutting the base of the performance unit against the tip of the boss portion 3054 of the mounting supporter 3050 attached to the rear box 3010 and threading a mounting screw through the base from the front and into the second mounting hole 3055, the performance unit can be attached to the rear box 3010 via the mounting supporter 3050.

Specifically, the rear box 3010 has multiple functional hole portions 3013, each consisting of two through holes. The rear performance unit 3600, which is mounted inside the rear box 3010, has a square frame-shaped unit base 3601, with mounting holes provided on the top and bottom edges of the frame-shaped unit base 3601. Mounting supporters 3050 are attached from the front to the functional hole portions 3013 provided in the rear box 3010 that are positioned corresponding to the mounting holes in the unit base 3601.

After attaching the mounting supporter 3050 to the rear box 3010, insert the rear performance unit 3600 into the rear box 3010 and align the mounting hole in the unit base 3601 with the second mounting hole 3055 in the mounting supporter 3050. In this embodiment, a recess is formed at the location of the mounting hole in the unit base 3601 where the mounting supporter 3050 is attached, into which the tip of the boss portion 3054 of the mounting supporter 3050 can be inserted. By inserting the tip of the boss portion 3054 into this recess, the mounting hole in the unit base 3601 can be easily aligned with the second mounting hole 3055 in the mounting supporter 3050.

Once the mounting hole on the unit base 3601 of the rear performance unit 3600 is aligned with the second mounting hole 3055 on the mounting supporter 3050, a mounting screw is screwed into the second mounting hole 3055 from the front of the unit base 3601 and tightened. This allows the rear performance unit 3600 to be mounted inside the rear box 3010.

In the above example, the mounting supporter 3050 is attached to the rear box 3010, and then the rear performance unit 3600 is attached to the mounting supporter 3050. However, this is not limited to this example. The mounting supporter 3050 may be attached to the unit base 3601 of the rear performance unit 3600, and then the mounting supporter 3050 may be attached to the rear box 3010.

In addition, in the above embodiment, an example was shown in which the mounting supporter 3050 was attached to the functional hole portion 3013 that was pre-installed in the back box 3010, but this is not limited to this. When assembling the game board 5, two through holes for attaching the mounting supporter 3050 to predetermined positions in the back box 3010 may be drilled, and the mounting supporter 3050 may be attached to the through holes.

Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the boss portion 3054 of the mounting supporter 3050 protrudes from the front surface of the main body portion 3051 by a distance shorter than the diameter of the boss portion 3054, but this is not limited to this, and the boss portion 3054 may protrude (extend) forward a long distance, as in the mounting supporter 3050 shown in FIG. 176. In this way, by preparing mounting supports 3050 with boss portions 3054 of various lengths in advance, it is possible to accommodate various design changes and model changes, and it is also possible to attach performance units and the like that are provided near the front end of the rear box 3010 to the rear box 3010 via the mounting supporter 3050.

Furthermore, as shown in Figure 176(b), the mounting supporter 3050 may have an enlarged main body 3051 to increase the contact area with the rear box 3010 (functional hole 3013). Alternatively, as shown in Figure 176(c), an additional first mounting hole 3052 may be added instead of the protruding pin 3053, and the two first mounting holes 3052 may be used to mount the mounting supporter 3050 to the rear box 3010 (functional hole 3013). In this way, even if a heavy performance unit or the boss portion 3054 is mounted or the boss portion 3054 is made to protrude longer, the performance unit or the like can be mounted in good condition even if the force acting on the mounting portion of the mounting supporter 3050 with the rear box 3010 (functional hole 3013) increases. In other words, it can accommodate heavy performance units or performance units that require a long boss portion 3054 by being located away from the functional hole 3013.

In addition, in the above embodiment, the mounting supporter 3050 is attached to the rear box 3010, but this is not limited to this and it may also be attached to the gaming panel 1100, front unit 2000, etc.

In this way, with the mounting supporter 3050 of this embodiment, even if the rear box 3010 does not have a mounting boss for mounting a performance unit such as the rear rear performance unit 3600, it is possible to provide a mounting boss for mounting a performance unit, etc., at a desired position on the rear box 3010 simply by attaching the mounting supporter 3050. In other words, by providing multiple functional hole portions 3013 consisting of two through holes in the rear box 3010 in advance, and attaching the mounting supporter 3050 to the functional hole portions 3013 at locations corresponding to the mounting holes of a performance unit such as the rear rear performance unit 3600, it is possible to provide a mounting boss on the rear box 3010 for mounting the performance unit. Therefore, even if the location on the rear box 3010 where the effect unit, etc. is attached changes due to a design change or model change, the effect unit, etc. can be attached simply by changing the location where the attachment supporter 3050 is attached, without having to re-create the rear box 3010. This makes it easy to accommodate design changes or model changes, and also makes it possible to reuse the rear box 3010, thereby suppressing increases in the costs associated with the pachinko machine 1.

In addition, since the mounting supporter 3050 in this embodiment is colored a different color from the rear box 3010, it becomes noticeable when attached to the rear box 3010. This allows workers to easily recognize the position of the mounting supporter 3050 within the rear box 3010 when assembling the game board 5. The easy-to-see position of the mounting supporter 3050 (mounting boss) facilitates the installation of performance units such as the rear performance unit 3600. In this embodiment, since the rear box 3010 is transparent, the mounting supporter 3050 can be seen from outside the rear box 3010 (see Figures 178 and 179(a)).

In addition, because performance units such as the rear performance unit 3600 are attached to the rear box 3010 via the attachment supporter 3050, a certain amount of gap can be formed between the performance unit and the rear box 3010, making it easier for heat to escape through this gap. In addition, because the performance units are attached to the rear box 3010 via the attachment supporter 3050, the attachment supporter 3050 can reduce the transmission of vibrations between the performance unit and the rear box 3010.

Furthermore, because a performance unit such as the rear performance unit 3600 is attached to the rear box 3010 via an attachment supporter 3050 having a boss portion 3054, there is no need to provide a rearward-protruding attachment boss on the unit base of the performance unit for attaching it to the rear box 3010. This makes it possible to make the thickness of the unit base relatively thin in the front-to-rear direction, allowing the depth of the mold used to form the unit base to be shallower, thereby reducing the cost of the unit base.

However, when the mounting supporter 3050 of this embodiment is formed by injection molding or the like, it is easy for the base of the protruding pin 3053 to be rounded, which makes the base of the protruding pin 3053 thicker. If an attempt is made to insert the protruding pin 3053 with a rounded base into the functional hole 3013 of the rear box 3010, the thickened base portion cannot enter the functional hole 3013, causing the insertion of the protruding pin 3053 to stop midway, and the mounting supporter 3050 may be attached to the rear box 3010 with the protruding pin 3053 not fully inserted. Furthermore, if the protruding pin 3053 is not fully inserted, the positioning effect of the rear performance unit 3600 attached by the mounting supporter 3050 may not be fully exerted, which may result in the above-mentioned effects not being achieved.

In contrast, in this embodiment, a groove is provided on the outer periphery of the base of the protruding pin 3053 on the main body 3051 of the mounting supporter 3050. This means that the base of the protruding pin 3053 is the bottom of the groove, which is forward of the rear surface of the main body 3051. Even if the base of the protruding pin 3053 is rounded, the portion of the protruding pin 3053 rearward of the rear surface of the main body 3051 does not become thicker. This allows the thickness (diameter) of the effective range of the protruding pin 3053 to be uniform, and the protruding pin 3053 can be fully inserted into the functional hole 3013 until the front surface of the rear box 3010 abuts against the rear surface of the main body 3051. Furthermore, even if a burr occurs on the front edge of the functional hole 3013 of the rear box 3010, the burr is accommodated in the groove, preventing the burr from becoming trapped between the rear box 3010 and the main body 3051. This allows the protruding pin 3053 to be fully inserted into the functional hole 3013. As a result, the positioning effect achieved when the rear performance unit 3600 is attached using the protruding pin 3053 can be reliably achieved, making it possible to provide a pachinko machine 1 that reliably achieves the above-mentioned effects.

In addition, even if the protruding pin 3053 has a radius at its base, the groove allows the thickened portion due to the radius to be moved forward of the rear surface of the main body 3051, so the thickened portion at the base of the protruding pin 3053 will not cause incomplete insertion into the functional hole 3013, resulting in no gap between the rear box 3010 and the main body 3051. Furthermore, because burrs on the front edge of the functional hole 3013 can be accommodated in the groove, no gap will be created between the rear box 3010 and the main body 3051 due to the burrs at the first mounting hole 3052 of the main body 3051. Therefore, the mounting supporter 3050 will not be attached to the rear box 3010 when a gap is created between the rear box 3010 and the main body 3051, and no play will occur in performance units such as the rear performance unit 3600 attached to the rear box 3010 via the mounting supporter 3050.

Furthermore, a groove is provided on the outer periphery of the base of the protruding pin 3053 on the rear surface of the main body 3051. This prevents the occurrence of sink marks, which are depressions on the front side of the main body 3051, when the molten resin hardens due to differences in plate thickness caused by the presence of the protruding pin 3053 in the main body 3051 during injection molding of the mounting supporter 3050.

Next, the mounting supporter 3060 will be described. As shown in Figure 177 etc., the mounting supporter 3060 has a main body 3061 of a predetermined length, a first mounting hole 3062 that penetrates the main body 3061 from front to rear near both ends of the main body 3061 in the longitudinal direction, two protruding pins 3063 that protrude rearward in a cylindrical shape from the rear surface of the main body 3061 and are spaced apart in the longitudinal direction of the main body 3061, and a second mounting hole 3064 that penetrates the main body 3061 from front to rear near both ends of the main body 3061 in the longitudinal direction. This mounting supporter 3060 is colored a different color (black in this case) from the back box 3010.

The main body 3061 of the mounting supporter 3060 has two block-shaped heads 3061a at both longitudinal ends, a strip-shaped back connecting piece 3061b connecting the rear ends of the two heads 3061a, a strip-shaped side connecting piece 3061c extending forward along one long side of the back connecting piece 3061b and connecting the two heads 3061a, and multiple (four in this example) triangular rib pieces 3061d spaced apart along the longitudinal direction and connecting the back connecting piece 3061b and the side connecting piece 3061c. The side connecting piece 3061c is located along the left edge of the back connecting piece 3061b when viewed from the front. The main body 3061 has an L-shaped cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction formed by the back connecting piece 3061b and the side connecting piece 3061c, and has multiple triangular rib pieces 3061d, which increases its strength and rigidity and makes it less likely to bend.

The two first mounting holes 3062 are located near the end of the head portion 3061a, which is located at both longitudinal ends of the main body portion 3061, on the back connecting piece 3061b side, in a position closer to the side connecting piece 3061c (to the right) of the left-right center when viewed from the front. The two first mounting holes 3062 are located on the same line parallel to the longitudinal axis of the main body portion 3061. The first mounting holes 3062 have a diameter slightly smaller than the diameter of the functional hole portion 3013 in the back box 3010. The distance between the two first mounting holes 3062 is the same as the distance between the closest through holes in the two outer functional hole portions 3013 on the back box 3010, for the four functional hole portions 3013 that are arranged in a row at equal intervals in the direction in which the two through holes are spaced apart across the main body portion 3061.

The two protruding pins 3063 protrude rearward in a cylindrical shape from the rear surface of the back connecting piece 3061b of the main body 3061. The tip of the protruding pin 3063 is formed in a truncated cone shape. The diameter of the cylinder of the protruding pin 3063 is the same as the diameter of the hole in the functional hole 3013 in the rear box 3010, so it can be inserted (or press-fitted) into the functional hole 3013. The two protruding pins 3063 are located on the same line connecting the two first mounting holes 3062. The distance between the two protruding pins 3063 is the same as the distance between the farthest through-holes of the two functional holes 3013 closest to the center of the four functional holes 3013 spanned by the main body 3061 in the rear box 3010.

The two second mounting holes 3064 are located at both longitudinal ends of the main body 3061, further outward than the first mounting holes 3062, and are located in the center in the left-right direction when viewed from the front. The second mounting holes 3064 penetrate the head portion 3061a of the main body 3061 in the front-to-rear direction. The diameter of the second mounting holes 3064 is the same as the diameter of the first mounting holes 3062.

This mounting supporter 3060 is attached to a functional hole 3013 at a location where four or more functional holes 3013 are arranged in a row at equal intervals in the direction in which two through holes are spaced apart, out of the multiple functional holes 3013 provided on the rear box 3010.

The mounting supporter 3060 has two protruding pins 3063 inserted from the front into two through-holes spaced apart from each other in the two central functional holes 3013 of the four functional holes 3013 arranged in a row in the rear box 3010. The main body 3061 of the mounting supporter 3060 has a flat back connecting piece 3061b in front of the protruding pins 3063. Therefore, when inserting the protruding pins 3063 of the mounting supporter 3060 into the functional holes 3013, the worker can easily insert the protruding pins 3063 into the functional holes 3013 by pressing the back connecting piece 3061b with a finger or the like.

When the two protruding pins 3063 of this mounting supporter 3060 are inserted into the through holes of the two functional hole portions 3013, the two first mounting holes 3062 are aligned with the through holes of the functional hole portions 3013 at both ends of the four functional hole portions 3013. Therefore, the mounting supporter 3060 can be attached to the rear box 3010 by screwing mounting screws into the first mounting holes 3062 that are aligned with the through holes from the rear of the rear box 3010 and tightening them.

Then, by abutting the base of the performance unit against the front end of the head portion 3061a of the main body portion 3061 of the mounting supporter 3060 attached to the rear box 3010 and screwing a mounting screw through the base from the front and into the second mounting hole 3064, the performance unit can be attached to the rear box 3010 via the mounting supporter 3060.

Specifically, the rear box 3010 has multiple functional hole sections 3013, each consisting of two through holes. Near both the left and right ends, the two through holes are spaced apart vertically, and multiple (here, four or more) functional hole sections 3013 are provided at equal intervals in the direction in which the two through holes are spaced apart (vertical direction). The rear right performance unit 3400 also has a unit base 3401 made of a metal plate. This unit base 3401 has a flange section 3401a that bends forward from the left edge and then bends to the right at its front end, and has mounting holes that penetrate the flange section 3401a from front to back. Mounting supporters 3060 are attached from the front to the four functional hole sections 3013 that are lined up vertically along the right edge of the rear box 3010 when viewed from the front.

After attaching the mounting supporter 3060 to the rear box 3010, the flange portion 3401a of the unit base 3401 of the rear right performance unit 3400 is abutted against the front surface of the mounting supporter 3060 (main body portion 3061) from the front. Then, with the mounting hole of the flange portion 3401a aligned with the second mounting hole 3064 of the mounting supporter 3060, a mounting screw is threaded through the mounting hole from the front and into the second mounting hole 3064 and tightened. This allows the flange portion 3401a of the unit base 3401 of the rear right performance unit 3400 to be attached to the rear box 3010.

In the above example, the mounting supporter 3060 is attached to the rear box 3010, and then the flange portion 3401a of the unit base 3401 of the rear right performance unit 3400 is attached to the mounting supporter 3060. However, this is not limited to this example, and the mounting supporter 3060 may be attached to the flange portion 3401a of the unit base 3401 of the rear right performance unit 3400, and then the mounting supporter 3060 may be attached to the rear box 3010.

In addition, in the above embodiment, an example was shown in which the mounting supporter 3060 was attached to the functional hole portion 3013 that was pre-installed in the rear box 3010, but this is not limited to this. When assembling the game board 5, a through hole for attaching the mounting supporter 3060 may be drilled at a predetermined position in the rear box 3010, and the mounting supporter 3060 may be attached to the through hole.

Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the mounting supporter 3060 has a main body 3061 that extends linearly, but this is not limited to this, and the main body 3061 may extend in an L-shape, frame-like, arc-like, curved shape, etc.

In this embodiment, the mounting supporter 3060 is attached to the rear box 3010 using multiple functional hole portions 3013, each consisting of two through holes, and each functional hole portion 3013 uses only one of the two through holes. In other words, of the functional hole portion 3013 consisting of two through holes, one through hole is not used. For this reason, while the above embodiment shows the functional hole portion 3013 consisting of two through holes, this is not limited to this and the functional hole portion 3013 may consist of a single through hole.

In this way, with the mounting supporter 3060 of this embodiment, even if the rear box 3010 does not have a mounting boss for attaching a performance unit such as the rear right performance unit 3400, simply by attaching the mounting supporter 3060, it is possible to provide a mounting boss for attaching a performance unit, etc., at a desired position on the rear box 3010. In other words, by providing multiple functional hole portions 3013 consisting of two through holes in the rear box 3010 in advance, and attaching the mounting supporter 3060 to multiple functional hole portions 3013 at locations corresponding to the mounting holes of a performance unit such as the rear right performance unit 3400, it is possible to provide mounting bosses on the rear box 3010 for attaching the performance unit. Therefore, even if the location on the rear box 3010 where the effect unit, etc. is attached changes due to a design change or model change, the effect unit, etc. can be attached simply by changing the location where the attachment supporter 3060 is attached, without having to re-create the rear box 3010. This makes it easy to accommodate design changes or model changes, and also makes it possible to reuse the rear box 3010, thereby suppressing increases in the costs associated with the pachinko machine 1.

In addition, since the mounting supporter 3060 in this embodiment is colored a different color from the rear box 3010, it becomes noticeable when attached to the rear box 3010. This allows the worker to easily recognize the position of the mounting supporter 3060 within the rear box 3010 when assembling the game board 5. The easy-to-see position of the mounting supporter 3060 (mounting boss) facilitates the installation of performance units such as the rear right performance unit 3400. In this embodiment, since the rear box 3010 is transparent, the mounting supporter 3060 can be seen from outside the rear box 3010 (see Figures 178 and 179(b)).

In addition, because performance units such as the rear right performance unit 3400 are attached to the rear box 3010 via the attachment supporter 3060, a certain amount of gap can be formed between the performance unit and the rear box 3010, making it easier for heat to escape through this gap. In addition, because performance units such as the rear right performance unit 3400 are attached to the rear box 3010 via the attachment supporter 3060, the attachment supporter 3060 can reduce the transmission of vibrations between the performance unit and the rear box 3010.

Furthermore, since the mounting supporter 3060 is attached to the rear box 3010 so as to span multiple functional hole portions 3013, the mounting supporter 3060 can reinforce the rear box 3010 (or the unit base 3401 of the rear right performance unit 3400).

The above-mentioned mounting supporters 3050 and 3060 may be provided with a ring-shaped protruding band holding portion or a rod- or strip-shaped extending wiring locking portion for holding the wiring EC. In this case, as mentioned above, the mounting supporters 3050 and 3060 form a certain amount of gap between the performance unit and the back box 3010, and by placing the wiring EC in this gap, it becomes possible to handle the wiring EC smoothly.

In addition, in the above embodiment, the mounting supporter 3050 and the mounting supporter 3060 have the first mounting hole 3052 and the second mounting hole 3055, and the first mounting hole 3062 and the second mounting hole 3064, located at different positions from each other. However, this is not limited to this, and the first mounting hole 3052 and the second mounting hole 3055, and the first mounting hole 3062 and the second mounting hole 3064 may be located coaxially. This allows the mounting supporter 3050 and the mounting supporter 3060 to be made smaller and simpler.

In addition, in the above embodiment of mounting supporter 3050 and mounting supporter 3060, the axis of first mounting hole 3052 and the axis of second mounting hole 3055, and the axis of first mounting hole 3062 and the axis of second mounting hole 3064 each extend in the same direction (parallel), but this is not limited to this, and the axis of the second mounting hole may face in a different direction from the axis of the first mounting hole. This makes it possible to attach the performance unit to the mounting supporter from a wider variety of directions.

[5-10c. Back front upper performance unit]
Next, the rear front upper performance unit 3200 of the rear unit 3000 will be described mainly with reference to Figures 180 and 181. Figure 180 is an exploded perspective view of the rear unit of the game board disassembled into individual units as viewed from the front, and Figure 181 is an exploded perspective view of the rear unit of the game board disassembled into individual units as viewed from the back. The rear front upper performance unit 3200 is provided along the upper edge near the front end of the rear box 3010. The rear front upper performance unit 3200 has three transparent decorative plates: a rear front upper first decorative plate 3201, a rear front upper second decorative plate 3202, and a rear front upper third decorative plate 3203, which are spaced apart in the front-to-back direction (see Figure 144). The three decorative plates are provided in front of the rear rear upper decorative body 3650 in the retracted position of the rear rear performance unit 3600 described below, allowing the rear rear upper decorative body 3650 to be seen from the front through each decorative plate.

The three decorative plates, the first upper back front decorative plate 3201, the second upper back front decorative plate 3202, and the third upper back front decorative plate 3203, are elongated flat plates with their surfaces facing forward and backward. The rear surface of each decorative plate is engraved with the same logo in line with the concept of the pachinko machine 1 (game board 5). This logo is also provided on the upper back rear decorative body of the upper back rear performance unit 3600, and the third upper back front decorative plate 3203 has a logo of the same size as the logo on the upper back rear decorative body 3650. The second upper back front decorative plate 3202 has a logo that is larger than the logo on the third upper back front decorative plate 3203. Furthermore, the first upper back front decorative plate 3201 has a logo that is larger than the logo on the second upper back front decorative plate 3202. This allows the player to see a three-dimensional decoration with a sense of perspective, with the logo letters getting larger from the back to the front (see Figure 197).

The rear front upper performance unit 3200 further includes a unit base 3204 that supports the rear front upper first decorative plate 3201, the rear front upper second decorative plate 3202, and the rear front upper third decorative plate 3203 and is attached to the rear box 3010, and a rear front upper decorative board 3205 that is provided on the unit base 3204 and has multiple LEDs mounted on it that can emit light toward the upper end surfaces of the rear front upper first decorative plate 3201, the rear front upper second decorative plate 3202, and the rear front upper third decorative plate 3203.

The upper back front performance unit 3200 appropriately illuminates multiple LEDs mounted on the upper back front decorative board 3205, causing the light entering the interior from the upper back front first decorative plate 3201, the upper back front second decorative plate 3202, and the upper back front third decorative plate 3203 from their respective upper top end surfaces to be diffusely reflected at the engraved logo areas on each plate, thereby causing the logo to glow.

Although not shown in the illustration, the engraved areas forming specific letters in the logos on the back front upper first decorative plate 3201, back front upper second decorative plate 3202, and back front upper third decorative plate 3203 are colored from behind using an inkjet printer, and the light from the LED on the back front upper decorative substrate 3205 gives them a glossy shine.

[5-10d. Back front left production unit]
Next, the rear front left performance unit 3300 in the rear unit 3000 will be described in detail, mainly with reference to Figures 180 to 184. Figure 182(a) is a front view of the rear front left performance unit in the rear unit, (b) is a perspective view of the rear front left performance unit seen from the front, (c) is a perspective view of the rear front left performance unit seen from the rear, and (d) is a cross-sectional view of the rear front left performance unit cut along the sa-sa line in (a). Figure 183 is an exploded perspective view of the rear front left performance unit in the rear unit seen from the front, and Figure 184 is an exploded perspective view of the rear front left performance unit in the rear unit seen from the rear. The rear front left performance unit 3300 of the rear unit 3000 is provided along the left side near the front end within the rear box 3010.

The rear front left performance unit 3300 comprises a rear front left decorative body 3301, which is a three-dimensionally formed piece of sheet-like material with a predetermined character design in line with the concept of the game board 5; a transparent decorative body cover 3302, which is provided in front of the rear front left decorative body 3301 and is formed to fit the surface of the rear front left decorative body 3301; a transparent inner lens 3303, which is provided behind the rear front left decorative body 3301 and is formed to fit the surface of the rear front left decorative body 3301; a unit base 3304, which supports the rear front left decorative body 3301, decorative body cover 3302, and inner lens 3303 and is attached to the rear box 3010; and The unit includes a rear-front-left main decorative board 3305 mounted between the inner lens 3303 and equipped with multiple LEDs capable of emitting light forward; a rear-front-left sub-decorative board 3306 mounted to the left of the decorative body cover 3302 and equipped with multiple LEDs capable of emitting light onto the left side of the decorative body cover 3302; a board base 3307 attaching the rear-front-left sub-decorative board 3306 to the unit base 3304; a rear-front-left back decorative sheet 3308 attached to the rear surface of the unit base 3304 and featuring a specified character on the rear surface; and a magnetic sensor 1030 attached to the unit base 3304. The magnetic sensor 1030 of the rear-front-left performance unit 3300 is used to detect unauthorized magnetic fields acting near the entrances to the lower warp passage 2512 and upper warp passage 2513 in the center role device 2500.

The left front back decorative body 3301 is translucent. The left front back decorative body 3301 is made of a thermoplastic resin sheet such as polyethylene terephthalate resin, polycarbonate resin, ABS resin, AES resin, PMMA (polymethyl methacrylate) resin, polypropylene resin, polyethylene resin, polystyrene resin, impact-resistant polystyrene resin, or polyvinyl chloride, on which a colored pattern consisting of specified characters is printed using silk printing, offset printing, inkjet printing, etc., and then three-dimensionally formed using pressure forming or vacuum forming.

The decorative body cover 3302 has a groove 3302a carved into the back surface, which is positioned along the outline of the character on the back front left decorative body 3301. When light from multiple LEDs on the back front left sub-decorative board 3306 is shone on the left side and enters the interior of the decorative body cover 3302, the light guided inside can be diffused forward, etc. at the groove 3302a, causing the groove 3302a to emit light. This allows the player to see an illumination effect in which the outline of a specified character on the back front left decorative body 3301 emits light. This decorative body cover 3302 is thicker than the material (sheet) of the back front left decorative body 3301, and is formed by injection molding of transparent synthetic resin.

The inner lens 3303 has a predetermined thickness and is formed to conform to the three-dimensional shape of the rear-front-left decorative body 3301. Therefore, light from the multiple LEDs mounted on the rear-front-left main decorative board 3305 can be refracted in an appropriate direction according to its shape, allowing light with varying shading (shadows) to be projected onto the rear surface of the rear-front-left decorative body 3301 to correspond to the character. This allows for the inner lens 3303 to project shadowed light when the rear-front-left decorative body 3301 is illuminated and decorated by the multiple LEDs on the rear-front-left main decorative board 3305, further enhancing the three-dimensional appearance of the image (character) on the rear-front-left decorative body 3301. This also increases the difference in appearance of the rear-front-left decorative body 3301 depending on whether the LEDs on the rear-front-left main decorative board 3305 are illuminated, further enhancing the visual effect of the illumination and strongly attracting the player's attention, preventing a decline in interest in the game. Like the decorative body cover 3302, this inner lens 3303 is made by injection molding from transparent synthetic resin.

The unit base 3304 has a flat rear surface and an opening 3304a that penetrates from front to back. This opening 3304a allows the operator to press the back-front-left back decorative sheet 3308 rearward from the front using a finger or the like through the opening 3304a when peeling off the back-front-left back decorative sheet 3308 attached to the rear surface, making it easy to peel off the back-front-left back decorative sheet 3308 without using tools. Furthermore, when the back-front-left back decorative sheet 3308 is not attached, depending on the model, the opening 3304a allows heat from the back-front-left main decorative board 3305 to escape rearward. The unit base 3304 is made of transparent synthetic resin.

The back-front-left main decorative board 3305 is composed of two boards, a first board 3305a and a second board 3305b. Multiple full-color LEDs are mounted on the front surface of each of the first board 3305a and the second board 3305b. When the multiple LEDs mounted on the back-front-left main decorative board 3305 are illuminated, the back-front-left decorative body 3301 can be illuminated and decorated through the inner lens 3303.

The back-front-left sub-decorative board 3306 is composed of three boards: an upper board 3306a, a middle board 3306b, and a lower board 3306c. Each of the upper board 3306a, middle board 3306b, and lower board 3306c is equipped with multiple full-color LEDs capable of emitting light to the right. When the multiple LEDs on the back-front-left sub-decorative board 3306 are illuminated, the groove 3302a in the decorative body cover 3302 is illuminated, and the outline of the character on the back-front-left decorative body 3301 that corresponds to the groove 3302a is illuminated for decorative illumination.

The back surface of the back front left decorative sheet 3308 has a different pattern printed on it than the pattern on the back front left decorative body 3301. In other words, the pattern on the back front left decorative sheet 3308 faces backward and is not visible within the projection range of the back front left performance unit 3300 when viewed from the front.

When assembled to the game board 5, the rear surface of the rear-front-left display unit 3300 (rear-front-left decorative sheet 3308) of this embodiment is located a predetermined distance forward near the left edge of the display screen of the display device 1600 (see Figures 145 and 197, etc.). Therefore, when viewed from the front, the image on the rear surface of the rear-front-left decorative sheet 3308 is reflected and visible on the display screen of the display device 1600 (the reflected image 3310 is visible). However, when a predetermined display image is displayed on the display screen of the display device 1600 and the display screen is bright, the brightness cancels out the reflection of the image, making the reflected image 3310 almost invisible. Furthermore, when the display screen of the display device 1600 is darkened to a certain extent, such as blacked out, the image on the rear surface of the rear-front-left decorative sheet 3308 is reflected on the display screen of the display device 1600, making the reflected image 3310 visible (see Figure 197). As a result, by going dark or intentionally darkening the display screen while an effect is being performed using effect images from the effect display device 1600, the image on the back of the back front left back decorative sheet 3308 is reflected on the display screen, allowing the player to see the reflected image 3310. This faintly visible reflected image 3310 can surprise the player, strongly attracting their attention and making them think that something good is about to happen, increasing their anticipation for the game and preventing a decline in interest.

Furthermore, because the pattern on the back of the back-front-left decorative sheet 3308 is different from the pattern on the back-front-left decorative body 3301, the following dramatic effects can be achieved. Specifically, in the normal state when a dramatic image is displayed on the display screen of the dramatic display device 1600, only the character (pattern) with a predetermined facial expression on the back-front-left decorative body 3301 is visible, and the reflected pattern 3310 of a character (pattern) with a different facial expression on the back-front-left decorative sheet 3308 to the right of the back-front-left decorative body 3301 is not visible. Furthermore, when the display screen is darkened by blacking out or the like, the character on the back-front-left decorative sheet 3308 with a different facial expression from that of the back-front-left decorative body 3301 is reflected to the right of the back-front-left decorative body 3301, and the reflected pattern 3310 becomes visible. Therefore, a dramatic effect can be presented to the player in which the back face of the character can be seen, allowing the player to enjoy the contrast in the character's facial expression. For example, if this effect is performed before a jackpot game is played, the effect can make the player feel strongly that they might have lost, and then if they win the jackpot, it can surprise the player and further increase their interest.

Furthermore, because the rear-front-left performance unit 3300 is located behind the gaming panel 1100, it is possible to prevent light from entering the display screen (front) of the performance display device 1600 from between the rear-front-left performance unit 3300 and the performance display device 1600. Therefore, when the display screen of the performance display device 1600 is darkened, the front of the performance display device 1600 can be made sufficiently dark, making it easier for the image on the rear-front-left back decorative sheet 3308 of the rear-front-left performance unit 3300 to be reflected, and making the reflected image (reflective image 3310) on the rear-front-left back decorative sheet 3308 more visible to the player, thereby providing a pachinko machine 1 that can reliably achieve the above-mentioned effects.

Furthermore, as mentioned above, when the display screen of the effect display device 1600 is darkened, the reflected pattern 3310 of the back-front-left back decorative sheet 3308 of the back-front-left effect unit 3300 reflected on the display screen is faintly visible. Therefore, for example, by shortening the time that the display screen is darkened, it is possible to make it difficult for a player to notice that the pattern of the back-front-left back decorative sheet 3308 is reflected on the display screen. In other words, depending on the player, it is possible to make the player notice the reflected pattern 3310 of the back-front-left back decorative sheet 3308 reflected on the display screen. This makes the player grin or gasp, making them feel like they've made a bargain and entertaining them.

Furthermore, as mentioned above, when the display screen of the performance display device 1600 is darkened, the image on the back-front-left decorative sheet 3308 provided on the rear surface of the back-front-left performance unit 3300 is reflected on the display screen, making the reflected image 3310 (decoration) on the back-front-left decorative sheet 3308 visible from the front of the pachinko machine 1. Therefore, depending on the relative positions of the performance display device 1600 and the back-front-left performance unit 3300 (back-front-left decorative sheet 3308), it is possible to make the reflected image on the back-front-left decorative sheet 3308 less visible to players seated in front of this pachinko machine 1, and to make the reflected image on the back-front-left decorative sheet 3308 more visible to players seated in front of an adjacent pachinko machine or players near this pachinko machine 1. This makes it possible to promote the pachinko machine 1 to other players, providing a pachinko machine 1 that is highly appealing to players, making it easier for players to select the pachinko machine 1 as the machine to play, and making playing the pachinko machine 1 more enjoyable and preventing a decline in interest.

In addition, by positioning the back-front-left performance unit 3300 away from the center to the left of the performance display device 1600, it is possible to ensure that the image of the back-front-left back decorative sheet 3308 reflected on the display screen is only visible to the right eye of the player seated in front. As a result, when the display screen of the performance display device 1600 is darkened, the image of the back-front-left back decorative sheet 3308 reflected on the display screen is only visible to the right eye, making the reflected image of the back-front-left back decorative sheet 3308 appear uncertain, allowing the player to be presented with a performance that makes them feel as if they are seeing an illusion, and amplifying the eerie feeling caused by the performance, entertaining the player and preventing a decline in interest.

Furthermore, by providing the rear front left performance unit 3300 near the front end of the rear box 3000 and the performance display device 1600 behind the rear box 3000, the front-to-rear distance between the rear surface of the rear front left performance unit 3300 (the rear front left back decorative sheet 3308) and the display screen of the performance display device 1600 can be made as long as possible, making it easier to see the image on the rear front left back decorative sheet 3308 reflected on the display screen from the front of the pachinko machine 1. Therefore, players seated in front of the pachinko machine 1 can fully enjoy the performances that have the above-mentioned effects, preventing a decline in the player's interest in the game.

In the above embodiment, the image on the back-front-left decorative sheet 3308 of the back-front-left display unit 3300 is reflected on the display screen of the display device 1600 for players in front, but this is not limited to this. For example, a reflector made of a transparent sheet, transparent plate, magic mirror, etc. may be provided on the front of the display device 1600. As a result, by darkening the display screen of the display device 1600 as described above, the back-front-left decorative sheet 3308 provided on the rear surface of the back-front-left display unit 3300 can be more easily reflected on the reflector, making it easier to achieve the above-mentioned effect. In this case, the reflector may be tilted or curved to make the back-front-left decorative sheet 3308 reflected on the reflector more visible to players seated in front of the pachinko machine 1.

In addition, in the above embodiment, the back-front-left decorative sheet 3308 on the rear of the back-front-left performance unit 3300 is shown reflected directly on the display screen of the performance display device 1600, but this is not limited to this. It is also possible to provide a light-emitting means 3320 such as an LED that can irradiate the back-front-left decorative sheet 3308 on the rear of the back-front-left performance unit 3300 from behind (see Figure 197 (b)). In this way, when the display screen of the performance display device 1600 is dimmed, the light-emitting means 3320 can be made to emit light to brighten the back-front-left decorative sheet 3308, making the back-front-left decorative sheet 3308 reflected on the display screen more brightly. This makes the back-front-left decorative sheet 3308 more visible, making it possible to provide a pachinko machine 1 that can further achieve the above-mentioned effects.

When using the LCD display device 1600 as the effect display means, as in this embodiment, a glossy LCD is preferable to a non-glare LCD. Using a glossy LCD makes the reflective image 3310 more visible, providing a pachinko machine 1 that is more likely to achieve the above-mentioned effects.

[5-10e. Back right production unit]
Next, the back right performance unit 3400 in the back unit 3000 will be described mainly with reference to Figures 180 and 181. The back right performance unit 3400 is attached to the front of the back rear performance unit 3600, and a portion of it is attached to the back box 3010 via an attachment supporter 3060. The back right performance unit 3400 has a unit base 3401 made of a vertically long metal plate, three lantern-shaped back upper right decorative bodies 3402, back right middle decorative body 3403, and back right lower decorative body 3404 attached to the unit base 3401, and a back right drive motor 3405 attached near the top end of the unit base 3401 for moving the back upper right decorative body 3402, back right middle decorative body 3403, and back right lower decorative body 3404.

The unit base 3401 has a flange portion 3401a that extends forward from the vertical center of the right side and then bends to the right at its tip. The upper and lower ends of the unit base 3401 are attached to the front of the rear performance unit 3600, and the flange portion 3401a is attached to the rear box 3010 via the mounting supporter 3060.

The back right upper decorative body 3402, back right middle decorative body 3403, and back right lower decorative body 3404 are arranged in a vertical row and are three-dimensionally formed to resemble lanterns, each of which is the same size. The back right middle decorative body 3403 is composed of two decorative bodies, back right middle left decorative body 3403a and back right middle right decorative body 3403b, separated by the center in the left-right direction. Behind each of the back right upper decorative body 3402, back right middle left decorative body 3403a and back right middle right decorative body 3403b of the back right middle decorative body 3403, and back right lower decorative body 3404, there is a decorative board on which multiple LEDs are mounted on the front.

The rear right performance unit 3400, although not shown in detail, comprises an upper right arm that extends upward and has its lower end rotatably supported around a front-to-back axis near the center of the unit base 3401 in the vertical direction, an upper connecting base that is rotatably supported around a front-to-back axis at the upper end of the upper right arm, an upper left arm that extends downward and has its upper end rotatably supported around a front-to-back axis at a position to the left of the upper end of the upper right arm on the upper connecting base, and an upper right arm that extends downward and has its upper end rotatably supported around a front-to-back axis at a position below the upper right arm. It comprises a lower right arm that is supported rotatably around a rear axis and extends downward; a lower connecting base that is supported rotatably around a front-to-rear axis at the lower end of the lower right arm; a lower left arm that is supported rotatably around a front-to-rear axis at a position on the lower connecting base to the left of the lower end of the lower right arm and extends upward; and a middle connecting base that supports the lower ends of the upper left arm and lower left arm so that they are rotatable around a front-to-rear axis while being spaced apart vertically.

The upper right arm has an upper right lower gear located at its lower end and an upper right upper gear located at its upper end. The upper left arm has an upper left upper gear located at its upper end and meshing with the upper right upper gear of the upper right arm, and an upper left lower gear located at its lower end. The lower right arm has a lower right upper gear located at its upper end and meshing with the upper right lower gear of the upper right arm, and a lower right lower gear located at its lower end. The lower left arm has a lower left lower gear located at its lower end and meshing with the lower right lower gear of the lower right arm, and a lower left upper gear located at its upper end and meshing with the upper left lower gear of the upper left arm. As a result, a pantograph-like link is formed by the unit base 3401, upper right arm, upper left arm, lower right arm, lower left arm, upper connecting base, lower connecting base, and middle connecting base.

The rear upper right decorative body 3402 is attached to the front of the upper connecting base, and the rear lower right decorative body 3404 is attached to the front of the lower connecting base. The rear right middle left decorative body 3403a of the rear right middle decorative body 3403 is attached to the front of the middle connecting base, and the rear right middle right decorative body 3403b is attached to the front of the unit base 3401 so as to cover the upper right lower gear and the lower right upper gear from the front.

In the normal state, this back-right performance unit 3400 has the back-right-center-left decorative body 3403a and the back-right-center-right decorative body 3403b in contact with each other in front of the unit base 3401, and the back-right-top decorative body 3402, the back-right-center decorative body 3403, and the back-right-bottom decorative body 3404 lined up in a straight line in the vertical direction.

When the back-right performance unit 3400 is rotated from its normal state by using the back-right drive motor 3405 to rotate the upper end of the lower-right arm clockwise when viewed from the front, the middle connecting base moves to the left, and the upper and lower connecting bases move up and down so that they approach each other while also moving leftward. As a result, the back-right-middle-left decorative element 3403a of the back-right middle decorative element 3403 moves leftward, away from the back-right-middle-right decorative element 3403b, the back-right-upper right decorative element 3402 moves leftward a shorter distance than the back-right-middle-left decorative element 3403a and also moves slightly downward, and the back-right-lower decorative element 3404 moves leftward in the same way as the back-right-upper right decorative element 3402 and also moves slightly upward.

In this state, the upper right arm, upper left arm, lower right arm, and lower left arm each form a diamond shape with each arm as a side, with the back right upper decorative body 3402 and back right lower decorative body 3404 located at the top and bottom vertices of the diamond, and the back right middle left decorative body 3403a and back right middle right decorative body 3403b located at the left and right vertices of the diamond. As a result, the back right upper decorative body 3402, back right middle left decorative body 3403a, and back right lower decorative body 3404 appear in positions closer to the center of the game area 5a (performance display device 1600) (see Figure 198).

According to this back right performance unit 3400, when the back upper right decorative body 3402, the back right middle decorative body 3403, and the back right lower decorative body 3404 are moved from their normal retracted positions to their appearance positions, these decorative bodies move (appear) near the center. At this time, the back right upper decorative body 3402, back right middle decorative body 3403, and back right lower decorative body 3404, which were arranged in a straight line vertically, are transformed into two parts, back right middle decorative body 3403, splitting left and right, back right middle left decorative body 3403a and back right middle right decorative body 3403b, and the back right upper decorative body 3402, back right middle left decorative body 3403a, back right middle right decorative body 3403b, and back right lower decorative body 3404, arranged at the vertices of a diamond, which surprises the player and strongly draws the player's attention to the decorative bodies, and makes the player think that something good is about to happen when the decorative bodies appear, increasing anticipation for the game and preventing a decline in interest.

[5-10f. Back left production unit]
Next, the rear left performance unit 3500 of the rear performance unit 3600 in the rear unit 3000 will be described mainly with reference to Figures 180 to 181. The rear left performance unit 3500 is attached near the upper part of the part that forms the left edge of the frame-shaped unit base 3601 of the rear performance unit 3600. The rear left performance unit 3500 has a translucent rear left decorative body 3501 that resembles the tip of a hatchet blade, a rear left base 3502 that is attached to the frame-shaped unit base 3601 of the rear performance unit 3600 and supports the rear left decorative body 3501, and a rear left drive motor 3503 that is attached to the rear left base 3502 and moves the rear left decorative body 3501.

In addition, although detailed illustrations are omitted, the rear left performance unit 3500 comprises a rotating base whose base end is rotatably attached to the rear left base around a front-to-rear axis; a link arm whose base end is rotatably attached to the rotating base at a position different from the rotating base around a front-to-rear axis and whose tip end is slidably attached to the rotating base in its longitudinal direction; a slide base that is slidably attached to the rotating base so that it protrudes outward from the tip of the rotating base as the tip of the link arm slides, and to which the rear left decorative body is rotatably attached around a second axis parallel to the rotation surface of the rotating base; an inclined arm whose base end is rotatably attached to the rotating base around an axis parallel to the second axis and whose tip end is rotatably attached to the rear left decorative body 3501 around an axis parallel to the second axis; and a return spring that biases the rear left decorative body 3501 in a direction approaching the rotating base.

The pivoting base is bent in a dogleg shape, and its base end is rotated by the rear left drive motor 3503. The pivoting base has a bent slit that is bent in a dogleg shape to fit its shape. The tip end of the link arm is slidably inserted into the bent slit. The slide base has a straight slit that extends parallel to the straight portion of the bent slit near the base end. The tip end of the link arm is slidably inserted into the straight slit. The slide base is rotatably attached to the end of the rear left decorative element 3501, which resembles the tip of a hatchet blade, on the side opposite the tip (near the right end when viewed from the front), so that it can pivot around a second axis. The inclined arm is arranged so that its tip end extends away from the tip of the slide base, with the base end in between, and extends toward the base end of the pivoting arm. The return spring is a coil spring, with its base end attached closer to the base end of the pivot arm than the part where the tilt arm is pivotally attached, and its tip end attached to the back left decorative body 3501 so that it extends toward the tip end of the pivot arm.

In its normal state, this rear-left performance unit 3500 is positioned so that the rotating base extends upward, and the rear-left decorative body 3501 attached to the tip of the rotating base has its cutting edge facing downward. In this normal state (retracted position), the rear-left decorative body 3501 is located behind the rear-left decorative body 3301 of the rear-front-left performance unit 3300 and the rear-upper decorative body 3650 in the retracted position of the rear-back performance unit 3600, and is therefore not visible from the front. In addition, the front surface of the rear-left decorative body 3501 is parallel to the display screen of the performance display device 1600.

In the normal state, when the pivot base is rotated clockwise around the base end by the rear-left drive motor 3503, the rear-left decorative element 3501 at the tip rotates to the right and downward. Furthermore, the clockwise rotation of the pivot base causes the tip of the link arm to slide along the curved slit and straight slit toward the tip, up to the curved portion of the curved slit. In this state (first appearance position), the rear-left decorative element 3501 is almost entirely located to the right of the front-left decorative element 3301 and below the upper rear-top decorative element 3650, making it visible to the player. However, part of the simulated blade edge is located behind the front-left decorative element 3301 and below the upper rear-top decorative element 3650, obscuring its overall shape (see Figure 199). In other words, the rear-left decorative element 3501 is difficult to identify as the edge of a hatchet blade. Even in this first appearance position, the front of the rear left decorative element 3501 is parallel to the display screen of the performance display device 1600, and the entire element is positioned further back than the rear upper decorative element 3650.

When the rotating base is then rotated further clockwise, the tip of the link arm enters the curved tip of the bent slit. However, because the straight slit in the slide base into which the tip of the link arm is inserted is not bent, the tip of the link arm presses the slide base, via the straight slit, in the direction in which the bent tip of the bent slit extends. This causes the slide base to slide so that its tip protrudes outward relative to the rotating base.

When the slide base moves so as to protrude outward from the tip of the pivot base, the rear-left decorative body 3501, which is rotatably attached to the slide base around the second axis, moves outward (to the right in this case) from the tip of the pivot base together with the slide base. Because the rear-left decorative body 3501 is connected to the pivot base by an inclined arm, when the rear-left decorative body 3501 moves to the right together with the slide base, the right end (second axis) of the rear-left decorative body 3501 moves away from the base end of the inclined arm, causing the rear-left decorative body 3501 to rotate around the second axis so that the tip of the inclined arm and the left end of the rear-left decorative body 3501 move forward against the biasing force of the return spring. As a result, the left end of the rear left decorative element 3501 protrudes forward to approximately the same position as the front left decorative element 3301, which is further forward than the rear upper decorative element 3650, and the entire element is in the second appearance position visible to the player (see Figure 200).

In this second appearance position, the front of the rear left decorative element 3501 is at an angle to the display screen of the performance display device 1600, and the tip of the hatchet blade that the rear left decorative element 3501 represents appears to be protruding diagonally forward from the display screen of the performance display device 1600.

With this rear left display unit 3500, the normally invisible rear left decorative element 3501 can be seen in two stages, making it possible to keep the player on edge and thrilled depending on how far the rear left decorative element 3501 appears, entertaining the player. When it moves to the second appearance position, the rear left decorative element 3501, which had been moving (rotating) parallel to the display screen of the display device 1600, moves so that the tip (left end) of its blade protrudes forward, allowing the player to see a moving display never before seen in a pachinko machine. This has a strong impact on the player and makes them feel like something good is about to happen, heightening their anticipation for the game and preventing a decline in interest.

[5-10g. Backstage production unit]
Next, the rear rear performance unit 3600 in the rear unit 3000 will be described in detail, mainly with reference to Figures 185 to 196. Figure 185 is a front view of the rear rear performance unit in the rear unit. Figure 186(a) is a perspective view of the rear rear performance unit from the front, and (b) is a perspective view of the rear rear performance unit from the rear. Figure 187 is an exploded perspective view of the rear rear performance unit, showing the unit base side, the rear rear upper decorative body, and the rear rear lower decorative body disassembled from the front, and Figure 188 is an exploded perspective view of the rear rear performance unit, showing the unit base side, the rear rear upper decorative body, and the rear rear lower decorative body disassembled from the rear. Figure 189(a) is an exploded perspective view of the locking mechanism of the rear rear upper decorative body in the rear rear performance unit, disassembled from the front, and (b) is an exploded perspective view of the locking mechanism of the rear rear upper decorative body disassembled from the rear. Figure 190 (a) is an explanatory diagram showing an oblique view of the locking mechanism in the locked position on the upper rear decorative body, and (b) is an explanatory diagram showing an oblique view of the locking mechanism in the unlocked position on the upper rear decorative body.

Figure 191 is an exploded perspective view of the rear-rear lower decorative body of the rear-rear performance unit when disassembled and viewed from the front, and Figure 192 is an exploded perspective view of the rear-rear lower decorative body of the rear-rear performance unit when disassembled and viewed from the rear. Figure 193 is an explanatory diagram showing the routing of wiring on the rear surface of the rear-rear lower decorative body of the rear-rear performance unit. Figure 194 (a) is an exploded perspective view of the first rotating decorative body of the rear-rear lower decorative body when disassembled and viewed from the front, and (b) is an exploded perspective view of the first rotating decorative body of the rear-rear lower decorative body when disassembled and viewed from the rear. Figure 195 is a front view of the rear-rear performance unit with the rear-rear upper decorative body moved to the drop position. Figure 196 is a front view of the rear-rear performance unit with the rear-rear upper decorative body and the rear-rear lower decorative body moved to the central position.

The rear rear performance unit 3600 of the rear unit 3000 is attached near the rear end of the rear box 3010 via an attachment supporter 3050. The rear rear performance unit 3600 comprises a square frame-shaped unit base 3601 that is slightly smaller than the inner circumference of the rear box 3010, a pair of vertically long cylindrical guide shafts 3602 located near the left and right ends in front of the unit base 3601, a rear upper decorative body 3650 whose left and right ends are supported by the pair of guide shafts 3602 so that they can be raised and lowered, and a rear lower decorative body 3700 whose left and right ends are supported by the pair of guide shafts 3602 below the rear upper decorative body 3650 so that they can be raised and lowered.

The rear end performance unit 3600 also has a lock groove 3603 near the right end of the top edge of the square frame-shaped unit base 3601, into which the upper lock claw 3661b of the lock latch 3661 in the lock mechanism 3660 of the rear upper decorative body 3650 engages. This lock groove 3603 is rectangular in shape when viewed from the front and is recessed from the front to the rear. The lock groove 3603 is located to the left of the right guide shaft 3602 (the right edge of the unit base 3601). Furthermore, the rear end performance unit 3600 has a vibration sensor 1040 for detecting vibrations acting on the game board 5. The vibration sensor 1040 is located on the top edge of the unit base 3601, towards the right of the center in the left-right direction.

Furthermore, the rear performance unit 3600 has a rotation slit 3604 that penetrates the lower edge of the square frame-shaped unit base 3601 in the front-to-rear direction near the center of the left-to-right direction and extends long in the left-to-right direction. The other end of the unit arm 3788 of the rear lower decorative body 3700, described below, is slidably inserted into this rotation slit 3604.

The rear performance unit 3600 also has a right lifting mechanism 3610 located on the right end side of the unit base 3601 for raising and lowering the rear upper decorative body 3650, and a left lifting mechanism 3630 located on the left end side of the unit base 3601 for raising and lowering the rear lower decorative body 3700.

The right lifting mechanism 3610 includes a right spiral shaft 3611 that extends vertically across almost the entire height of the unit base 3601 and has a spiral groove formed thereon, a right lifting slider 3612 that is threaded onto the right spiral shaft 3611 and moves up and down as the right spiral shaft 3611 rotates, a rear right lower drive motor 3613 that is provided in the lower right corner of the unit base 3601 and rotates the right spiral shaft 3611 around its axis, and an auxiliary upper slider 3613 that is provided near the upper right corner of the unit base 3601 and is slidable within a predetermined range in the vertical direction. The right lift slider 3612 includes a slider 3614, an auxiliary lower slider 3615 mounted below the auxiliary upper slider 3614 by the unit base 3601 so as to be able to slide up and down, an auxiliary spring 3616 which is engaged at both the top and bottom ends with the auxiliary upper slider 3614 and the auxiliary lower slider 3615 and biases the auxiliary upper slider 3614 and the auxiliary lower slider 3615 in directions to move closer to each other, and a first right lift sensor 3617 and a second right lift sensor 3618 which are mounted spaced apart vertically on the unit base 3601 and which detect the lift position of the right lift slider 3612.

The right lifting slider 3612 of the right lifting mechanism 3610 is capable of abutting from below against the right slide support portion 3652c on the decorative body base 3652 of the rear upper decorative body 3650, and is also capable of abutting from above against the auxiliary lower slider 3615. This right lifting slider 3612 allows the rear upper decorative body 3650 to be moved (raised and lowered) in the vertical direction. The auxiliary upper slider 3614 is capable of abutting from above against the right slide support portion 3652c of the rear upper decorative body 3650. The auxiliary lower slider 3615 is capable of abutting against the lower end of the auxiliary upper slider 3614, and is also capable of abutting from below against the right slide support portion 3652c of the rear upper decorative body 3650. The auxiliary lower slider 3615 is movable downward below the lower moving end of the right slide support portion 3652c of the rear upper decorative body 3650. The auxiliary spring 3616 is capable of biasing the right slide support portion 3652c of the rear upper decorative body 3650 downward via the auxiliary upper slider 3614, and is also capable of biasing the right slide support portion 3652c of the rear upper decorative body 3650 upward via the auxiliary lower slider 3615.

The right lifting mechanism 3610's first lifting sensor 3617 is used to detect when the rear upper decorative body 3650 has moved to the retracted position via the right lifting slider 3612, and the right lifting sensor 3618 is used to detect when the rear upper decorative body 3650 has moved to the central position via the right lifting slider 3612.

The left lifting mechanism 3630 includes a left spiral shaft 3631 that extends vertically from near the bottom end of the unit base 3601 to near the vertical center and has a spiral groove formed therein; a left lifting slider 3632 that is threaded onto the left spiral shaft 3631 and moves up and down as the left spiral shaft 3631 rotates; a rear left lower drive motor 3633 that is provided in the lower left corner of the unit base 3601 and rotates the left spiral shaft 3631 around its axis; a left lifting sensor 3634 that is provided on the unit base 3601 and detects the lifted position of the left lifting slider 3632; and a left rack gear 3635 that is provided on the unit base 3601 and extends vertically along the left spiral shaft 3631.

The left lifting mechanism 3630's left lifting slider 3632 has the rear surface of the left slide base 3761 of the left unit 3760 of the rear lower decorative body 3700 attached to its front surface. This left lifting slider 3632 allows the rear lower decorative body 3700 to be moved (raised and lowered) in the vertical direction. The left lifting sensor 3634 is used to detect when the rear lower decorative body 3700 has moved to a retracted position via the left lifting slider 3632. The left rack gear 3635 is arranged with the tips of its gear teeth facing to the right, and meshes with the pinion gear 3768 of the left unit 3760 of the rear lower decorative body 3700. This left rack gear 3635 allows the first rotating decorative body 3710 of the rear lower decorative body 3700 to rotate via the pinion gear 3768.

[5-10g-1. Back upper decorative body]
Next, the rear upper decorative body 3650 of the rear performance unit 3600 will be described in detail, mainly with reference to Figures 189 and 190. The rear upper decorative body 3650 of the rear performance unit 3600 is supported above the rear lower decorative body 3700 by a pair of guide shafts 3602 so that it can move up and down. In addition, the rear upper decorative body 3650 can move up and down by a right lifting mechanism 3610. This rear upper decorative body 3650 can move downward (fall) and combine with the rear lower decorative body 3700 to form one large decorative body.

The upper rear decorative body 3650 comprises an upper rear decorative lens 3651 extending in the left-right direction, a decorative body base 3652 attached to the rear of the upper rear decorative lens 3651, a decorative board 3653 mounted between the upper rear decorative lens 3651 and the decorative body base 3652 and having multiple LEDs mounted thereon, a transparent flat diffusion lens (not shown) mounted between the upper rear decorative lens 3651 and the upper rear decorative board 3653 and diffusing light from the multiple LEDs mounted on the front of the upper rear decorative board 3653 to illuminate it forward, and a locking mechanism 3660 attached to the rear of the decorative body base 3652.

The upper rear decorative lens 3651 extends in the left-right direction at a length slightly shorter than the distance between the pair of guide shafts 3602, and is translucent. The upper rear decorative lens 3651 is shaped like a hatchet, and has a predetermined logo in relief that is in line with the concept of the game board 5.

The decorative body base 3652 has a transparent, flat base body 3652a that covers the rear side of the rear upper decorative lens 3651 and whose lower edge extends downward beyond the rear upper decorative lens 3651, and a left slide support portion 3652b and a right slide support portion 3652c that protrude outward in the left-right direction beyond the rear upper decorative lens 3651 from both the left and right ends of the base body 3652a and into which the guide shaft 3602 is slidably inserted. The right slide support portion 3652c of the decorative body base 3652 is capable of contacting the auxiliary upper slider 3614 from above and the right lift slider 3612 from below.

The decorative body base 3652 also has a receiving portion 3652d that extends rearward in a flat plate shape from a portion of a predetermined length in the left-right direction near the center of the lower edge, multiple ribs 3652e that connect the upper surface of the receiving portion 3652d to the rear surface of the base body 3652a, and a locking mechanism mounting portion 3652f that is located adjacent to the right slide support portion 3652c on the rear surface and to which the locking mechanism 3660 is attached. When the rear-rear upper decorative body 3650 falls from its retracted position, this receiving portion 3652d abuts against the shock absorbing portion 3781f that is located on the upper surface of the right slide base 3781 of the right unit 3780 of the rear-rear lower decorative body 3700.

The decorative body base 3652 also has multiple light guide openings 3652g that penetrate the base body 3652a from front to back and into which multiple LEDs mounted on the rear surface of the rear upper decorative substrate 3653 are inserted. The light guide openings 3652g have an arc-shaped inner surface on the side closest to the outer edge of the base body 3652a. When assembled to the rear upper decorative body 3650, these light guide openings 3652g are formed so that light from the LEDs mounted on the rear surface of the rear upper decorative substrate 3653 is irradiated onto the arc-shaped inner surface, and light enters the base body 3652a from this inner surface. The light that enters the base body 3652a is reflected forward at the outer edge of the base body 3652a and radiated forward from the front surface of the base body 3652a. As a result, when the multiple LEDs mounted on the rear surface of the rear upper decorative substrate 3653 are illuminated, the outer edge of the rear upper decorative body 3650 (rear upper decorative lens 3651) can be illuminated and decorated.

Furthermore, the decorative body base 3652 has multiple openings 3652h that penetrate the base body 3652a from front to back. The multiple openings 3652h are arranged in a row in the left-right direction near the center of the decorative body base 3652 in the vertical direction. The openings 3652h are formed in a rectangular shape that is larger than the light guide port 3652g, and allow heat from the rear upper decorative substrate 3653 to be released rearward.

The upper rear decorative board 3653 is mounted with multiple side-view full-color LEDs on its front and rear surfaces. The upper rear decorative board 3653 is coated with white solder resist on its front and rear surfaces, and the device name and board identification number are printed in yellow silk screen printing. This reflects light, allowing the upper rear decorative lens 3651 to illuminate more brightly and making the upper rear decorative board 3653 less visible from the front. The diffusion lens has multiple light guide ports into which the multiple LEDs mounted on the front of the upper rear decorative board 3653 are inserted, and multiple quadrangular pyramid-shaped diffusion sections formed across almost the entire rear surface. When light enters the diffusion lens from the inner surface of the light guide port, it is diffused by the multiple diffusion sections and radiated forward from the front, allowing the upper rear decorative lens 3651 located in the front to illuminate with a uniform brightness.

The locking mechanism 3660 of the upper rear decorative body 3650 includes a locking latch 3661 that is mounted on the locking mechanism mounting portion 3652f of the decorative body base 3652 and can move back and forth in the front-to-rear direction; a locking spring 3662 that biases the locking latch 3661 backward; a locking release solenoid 3663 that is attached to the locking mechanism mounting portion 3652f of the decorative body base 3652 and that releases the locking by the locking latch 3661 against the biasing force of the locking spring 3662; and a locking release solenoid 3663. It comprises a rear cover 3664 attached to the lock mechanism mounting portion 3652f of the decorative body base 3652 so as to cover the lock latch 3663 from behind, a lock link 3665 supported on the rear cover 3664 so as to be rotatable around an axis in the vertical direction and abutting the lock latch 3661 from behind, and a plunger head 3666 attached to the tip of the plunger 3663a of the unlocking solenoid 3663 and rotating the lock link 3665 as the plunger 3663a moves forward and backward.

The lock latch 3661 of the lock mechanism 3660 is located adjacent to the left of the right slide support portion 3652c. The lock latch 3661 has a main body portion 3661a extending vertically, and an upper lock claw 3661b and a lower lock claw 3661c extending rearward from the upper and lower ends of the main body portion 3661a. The upper surface of the upper lock claw 3661b of the lock latch 3661 is inclined so that it becomes lower toward the rear, and the lower surface of the lower lock claw 3661c is inclined so that it becomes higher toward the rear. The upper lock claw 3661b is insertable into the lock groove 3603 of the unit base 3601, and the lower lock claw 3661c is insertable into the lock groove 3781e of the right slide base 3781 of the right unit 3780 of the rear lower decorative body 3700.

The unlocking solenoid 3663 is located to the left of the lock latch 3661, with the retractable plunger 3663a protruding to the right (towards the lock latch 3661). The lock link 3665 has a shaft 3665a that is rotatably supported around an axis in the vertical direction by the rear cover 3664, a transmission part 3665b that extends forward from the shaft 3665a and has its tip slidably connected to the plunger head 3666, and a pressing part 3665c that extends right from the shaft 3665a and can abut against the rear surface of the main body 3661a of the lock latch 3661. The lock link 3665 is L-shaped in a plan view.

In the locking mechanism 3660, in its normal state when the unlocking solenoid 3663 is not energized, the plunger 3663a, which moves back and forth to the right of the unlocking solenoid 3663, extends to its rightmost position. In this state, the transmission portion 3665b of the locking link 3665 extends forward and backward via the plunger head 3666 attached to the tip of the plunger 3663a, and the pressing portion 3665c extends left and right. The main body 3661a of the locking latch 3661 abuts against the pressing portion 3665c of the locking link 3665 from the front due to the biasing force of the locking spring 3662. As a result, the upper locking claw 3661b and lower locking claw 3661c of the locking latch 3661 protrude rearward, enabling the device to be locked (see Figure 190(a)).

When the unit base 3601 abuts the upper locking claw 3661b of the locking latch 3661 from above in a lockable state, the inclined upper surface presses the upper locking claw 3661b forward, causing the locking latch 3661 to move forward against the biasing force of the locking spring 3662. When the upper locking claw 3661b reaches the locking groove 3603 of the unit base 3601, the forward pressure is released and the locking latch 3661 moves rearward due to the biasing force of the locking spring 3662. As a result, the upper locking claw 3661b is inserted into the locking groove 3603, restricting the downward movement of the upper locking claw 3661b (rear upper decorative body 3650).

When the lockable state is enabled, when the right slide base 3781 of the right unit 3780 of the rear lower decorative body 3700 abuts the lower lock claw 3661c of the lock latch 3661 from below, the inclined underside of the lock claw 3661c presses the lower lock claw 3661c forward, causing the lock latch 3661 to move forward against the biasing force of the lock spring 3662. When the lower lock claw 3661c reaches the lock groove 3781e of the right slide base 3781 of the right unit 3780 of the rear lower decorative body 3700, the forward pressure is released and the lock latch 3661 moves backward due to the biasing force of the lock spring 3662. As a result, the lower lock claw 3661c is inserted into the lock groove 3781e, restricting upward movement of the lower lock claw 3661c (rear upper decorative body 3650) from the rear lower decorative body 3700.

In this state, when the unlocking solenoid 3663 is energized, the plunger 3663a moves to the left so as to retract, and the plunger head 3666 attached to the tip of the plunger 3663a moves to the left. When the plunger head 3666 moves to the left, the lock link 3665 rotates clockwise in a plan view around the shaft 3665a via the transmission part 3665b connected to the plunger head 3666. When the lock link 3665 rotates clockwise, the tip of the pressing part 3665c of the lock link 3665 rotates forward, and the forward movement of the pressing part 3665c causes the lock latch 3661 to move forward against the biasing force of the lock spring 3662. As a result, the upper locking claw 3661b and lower locking claw 3661c of the locking latch 3661 are retracted (retracted) forward, and the lock is released (see Figure 190 (b)). In this unlocked state, the upper locking claw 3661b and lower locking claw 3661c are removed forward from the locking groove 3603 of the unit base 3601 and the locking groove 3781e of the rear rear lower decorative body 3700, allowing the rear rear upper decorative body 3650 to move up and down relative to the locking groove 3603 and locking groove 3781e.

This upper rear decorative body 3650 is equipped with a locking mechanism 3660 having an unlocking solenoid 3663, which makes the upper rear decorative body 3650 heavier. This allows the player to see a heavy-looking falling effect (moving effect) when the upper rear decorative body 3650 is dropped from the retracted position, making a strong impact on the player.

[5-10g-2. Back decorative body]
Next, the rear-rear lower decorative body 3700 in the rear-rear performance unit 3600 will be described in detail, mainly with reference to Figures 191 to 194. The rear-rear lower decorative body 3700 of the rear-rear performance unit 3600 is supported below the rear-rear upper decorative body 3650 by a pair of guide shafts 3602 so that it can move up and down. In addition, the rear-rear lower decorative body 3700 can move up and down by a left lifting mechanism 3630. This rear-rear lower decorative body 3700 can receive the rear-rear upper decorative body 3650 that falls from above, and can combine with the fallen rear-rear upper decorative body 3650 to form one large decorative body.

The rear lower decorative body 3700 is rotatable around a longitudinal axis and comprises a first rotating decorative body 3710, a second rotating decorative body 3720, a third rotating decorative body 3730, and a fourth rotating decorative body 3740, each arranged in a row in the left-right direction, and a rear decorative body 3750 that is elongated from side to side and arranged behind the first rotating decorative body 3710, the second rotating decorative body 3720, the third rotating decorative body 3730, and the fourth rotating decorative body 3740.

The rear lower decorative body 3700 also has a left unit 3760 that supports the first rotating decorative body 3710 and moves up and down along the left guide shaft 3602 by the left lifting mechanism 3630, a right unit 3780 that supports the second rotating decorative body 3720, the third rotating decorative body 3730, the fourth rotating decorative body 3740, and the rear decorative body 3750 and can move up and down along the right guide shaft 3602, and a connecting guide 3790 that connects the left unit 3760 and the right unit 3780.

The first rotating decorative element 3710 of the rear lower decorative element 3700 has a first decorative lens 3711 with translucency that resembles a specified character (for example, the character "晨"), a first base 3712 attached to the rear side of the first decorative lens 3711, a first rotating decorative element decorative board 3713 that is provided between the first decorative lens 3711 and the first base 3712 and on which multiple LEDs are mounted, and a transparent flat diffusion lens (not shown) that is provided between the first decorative lens 3711 and the first rotating decorative element decorative board 3713 and that diffuses and irradiates light from the multiple LEDs mounted on the first rotating decorative element decorative board 3713 forward.

The first base 3712 of the first rotating decorative body 3710 has a cylindrical shaft tube portion 3712a that protrudes rearward. The shaft tube portion 3712a is inserted into the shaft support portion 3761c of the left slide base 3761 of the left unit 3760, and is supported so that it can rotate around an axis in the front-to-rear direction. In addition, the first decorative body gear 3762 of the left unit 3760 is attached to the rear end of the shaft tube portion 3712a. Wiring EC is connected from the rear through this shaft tube portion 3712a to the first rotating decorative body decorative substrate 3713. The shaft tube portion 3712a of the first base 3712 is located approximately in the center of the character "殺" (misery) on the first decorative lens 3711.

The first rotating decorative body decorative board 3713 has multiple side-view type full-color LEDs mounted on its front surface. The surface of the first rotating decorative body decorative board 3713 is coated with white solder resist, and the device name and board identification number are printed in yellow silk screen printing. This reflects light, allowing the first decorative lens 3711 to illuminate more brightly and making the first rotating decorative body decorative board 3713 less visible from the front. The diffusing lens has multiple light guide ports into which the multiple LEDs mounted on the front of the first rotating decorative body decorative board 3713 are inserted, and multiple quadrangular pyramid-shaped diffusion sections formed across almost the entire rear surface. When light enters this diffusing lens from the inner surface of the light guide port, it is diffused by the multiple diffusion sections and radiated forward from the front, allowing the first decorative lens 3711 located in the front to illuminate and decorate with a uniform brightness.

The second rotating decorative body 3720 has a translucent second decorative lens 3721 that resembles a specified character (for example, the character "drama"), a second base 3722 attached to the rear of the second decorative lens 3721, a second rotating decorative body decorative substrate 3723 that is located between the second decorative lens 3721 and the second base 3722 and has multiple LEDs mounted on it, and a transparent flat diffusion lens (not shown) that is located between the second decorative lens 3721 and the second rotating decorative body decorative substrate 3723 and diffuses and irradiates light from the multiple LEDs mounted on the second rotating decorative body decorative substrate 3723 forward.

The second base 3722 of the second rotating decorative body 3720 has a cylindrical shaft tube portion 3722a that protrudes rearward. The shaft tube portion 3722a passes through the rear decorative body 3750 and is inserted into the left-hand shaft support tube 3781d of the three shaft support tubes 3781d on the right slide base 3781 of the right unit 3780, thereby being supported for rotation around an axis in the front-to-rear direction. In addition, the second decorative body gear 3784 of the right unit 3780 is attached to the rear end of the shaft tube portion 3722a. Wiring EC is connected from the rear through this shaft tube portion 3722a to the second rotating decorative body decorative substrate 3723. The shaft tube portion 3722a of the second base 3722 is located below the center of the character "DRAMA" on the second decorative lens 3721.

The second rotating decorative body decorative board 3723 has multiple side-view type full-color LEDs mounted on its front surface. The second rotating decorative body decorative board 3723 has a white solder resist coating on its surface, and the device name and board identification number are printed in yellow silk screen printing. This reflects light, allowing the second decorative lens 3721 to illuminate more brightly and making the second rotating decorative body decorative board 3723 less visible from the front. The diffusing lens has multiple light guide ports into which the multiple LEDs mounted on the front of the second rotating decorative body decorative board 3723 are inserted, and multiple quadrangular pyramid-shaped diffusion sections formed across almost the entire rear surface. When light enters this diffusing lens from the inner surface of the light guide port, it is diffused by the multiple diffusion sections and radiated forward from the front, allowing the second decorative lens 3721 located in the front to illuminate and decorate with a uniform brightness.

The third rotating decorative body 3730 comprises a translucent third decorative lens 3731 that resembles a specific character (for example, the character "kai" (round)), a third base 3732 attached to the rear of the third decorative lens 3731, a third rotating decorative body decorative substrate 3733 that is located between the third decorative lens 3731 and the third base 3732 and has multiple LEDs mounted on it, and a transparent flat diffusion lens (not shown) that is located between the third decorative lens 3731 and the third rotating decorative body decorative substrate 3733 and diffuses and irradiates light from the multiple LEDs mounted on the third rotating decorative body decorative substrate 3733 forward.

The third base 3732 of the third rotating decorative body 3730 has a cylindrical shaft tube portion 3732a that protrudes rearward. The shaft tube portion 3732a passes through the rear decorative body 3750 and is inserted into the central shaft support tube 3781d of the three shaft support tubes 3781d on the right slide base 3781 of the right unit 3780, thereby being supported for rotation around an axis in the front-to-rear direction. In addition, the third decorative body gear 3785 of the right unit 3780 is attached to the rear end of the shaft tube portion 3732a. Wiring EC is connected from the rear through this shaft tube portion 3732a to the third rotating decorative body decorative base board 3733. The shaft tube portion 3732a of the third base 3732 is located below the center of the character "回" on the third decorative lens 3731.

The third rotating decorative body decorative board 3733 has multiple side-view type full-color LEDs mounted on its front surface. The third rotating decorative body decorative board 3733 has a white solder resist coating on its surface, and the device name and board identification number are printed in yellow silk screen printing. This reflects light, allowing the third decorative lens 3731 to illuminate more brightly and making the third rotating decorative body decorative board 3733 less visible from the front. The diffusion lens has multiple light guide ports into which the multiple LEDs mounted on the front of the third rotating decorative body decorative board 3733 are inserted, and multiple quadrangular pyramidal diffusion sections formed across almost the entire rear surface. When light enters this diffusion lens from the inner surface of the light guide port, it is diffused by the multiple diffusion sections and radiated forward from the front, allowing the third decorative lens 3731 located in the front to illuminate with a uniform brightness.

The fourth rotating decorative body 3740 comprises a translucent fourth decorative lens 3741 that resembles a specified character (for example, the character "hiki" (avoid)), a fourth base 3742 attached to the rear side of the fourth decorative lens 3741, a fourth rotating decorative body decorative substrate 3743 that is provided between the fourth decorative lens 3741 and the fourth base 3742 and has multiple LEDs mounted on it, and a transparent flat diffusion lens (not shown) that is provided between the fourth decorative lens 3741 and the fourth rotating decorative body decorative substrate 3743 and diffuses and irradiates light from the multiple LEDs mounted on the fourth rotating decorative body decorative substrate 3743 forward.

The fourth base 3742 of the fourth rotating decorative body 3740 has a cylindrical shaft tube portion 3742a that protrudes rearward. The shaft tube portion 3742a passes through the rear decorative body 3750 and is inserted into the right-hand shaft support tube 3781d of the three shaft support tubes 3781d on the right slide base 3781 of the right unit 3780, thereby being supported for rotation around an axis in the front-to-rear direction. In addition, the fourth decorative body gear 3786 of the right unit 3780 is attached to the rear end of the shaft tube portion 3732a. Wiring EC is connected from the rear through this shaft tube portion 3732a to the fourth rotating decorative body decorative substrate 3743. The shaft tube portion 3742a of the fourth base 3742 is located below the center of the character "hiki" on the fourth decorative lens 3741.

The fourth rotating decorative body decorative board 3743 has multiple side-view type full-color LEDs mounted on its front surface. The fourth rotating decorative body decorative board 3743 has a white solder resist coating on its surface, and the element name and board identification number are printed in yellow silk screen printing. This reflects light, allowing the fourth decorative lens 3741 to illuminate more brightly and making the fourth rotating decorative body decorative board 3743 less visible from the front. The diffusion lens has multiple light guide ports into which the multiple LEDs mounted on the front of the fourth rotating decorative body decorative board 3743 are inserted, and multiple quadrangular pyramid-shaped diffusion sections formed across almost the entire rear surface. When light enters this diffusion lens from the inner surface of the light guide port, it is diffused by the multiple diffusion sections and radiated forward from the front, allowing the fourth decorative lens 3741 located in the front to illuminate with a uniform brightness.

The rear decorative body 3750 has three circular passage openings 3750a that penetrate from front to back and are spaced apart in the left-right direction. The axle support tube 3781d of the right slide base 3781 of the right unit 3780, described below, is inserted into these passage openings 3750a from the rear. The rear decorative body 3750 has a rear decorative lens 3751 that extends in the left-right direction, a rear base 3752 that is attached to the rear side of the rear decorative lens 3751, and a rear decorative body decorative board 3753 that is located between the rear decorative lens 3751 and the rear base 3752 and has multiple LEDs mounted on its rear surface.

The rear decorative lens 3751 (rear decorative body 3750) of the rear decorative body 3750 is formed in the shape of a hatchet that is long from side to side. This rear decorative lens 3751 has approximately the same length in the left-right direction as the rear upper decorative lens 3651 of the rear upper decorative body 3650, and the shape of its upper edge is formed to match the shape of the lower edge of the rear upper decorative lens 3651. As a result, when the rear upper decorative body 3650 and the rear lower decorative body 3700 are combined, a small gap is formed between the rear upper decorative lens 3651 and the rear decorative lens 3751, and the rear upper decorative lens 3651 and the rear decorative lens 3751 can form a single large hatchet decorative body.

The rear base 3752 is formed to the same size as the rear decorative lens 3751. The rear base 3752 has multiple light guide openings that penetrate from front to back and into which multiple LEDs mounted on the rear surface of the rear decorative body decorative substrate 3753 are inserted, as well as multiple diffusion sections that are recessed in a quadrangular pyramid shape below the multiple light guide openings and within a specified range above the lower edge of the front surface. The multiple light guide openings are arranged in two upper and lower rows in the left-right direction, separated by a horizontal line that passes above the vertical center of the rear base 3752. The inner peripheral surface near the upper edge of the upper row and the inner peripheral surface near the lower edge of the lower row are each formed in an arc shape. The light guide openings are formed so that light from the LEDs mounted on the rear surface of the rear decorative body decorative substrate 3753 is irradiated onto the arc-shaped inner peripheral surface, and light enters the rear base 3752 from the inner peripheral surface. Light that enters the rear base 3752 is reflected forward by the upper edge and multiple diffusion sections of the rear base 3752 and is emitted forward from the front surface of the rear base 3752. As a result, when the multiple LEDs mounted on the rear decorative body decorative substrate 3753 are illuminated, a predetermined range upward from the upper and lower edges of the rear decorative body 3750 (rear decorative lens 3751) can be illuminated and decorated.

The rear decorative body decorative board 3753 has multiple side-view type full-color LEDs mounted on its rear surface. The rear decorative body decorative board 3753 has a white solder resist applied to its surface, and the name of the element and the board's identification number are printed in yellow silk screen printing. This allows the light to be reflected, making the rear decorative lens 3751 more brightly illuminated and decorative, while also making the rear decorative body decorative board 3753 less visible from the front. When the multiple LEDs mounted on the rear decorative body board 3753 are illuminated, the rear decorative lens 3751 can be illuminated and decorated.

The left unit 3760 is supported by the left guide shaft 3602 so that it can slide up and down, and also rotatably supports the first rotating decorative body 3710. Furthermore, as the left unit 3760 slides up and down, it cooperates with the left rack gear 3635 of the left lifting mechanism 3630 to rotate the first rotating decorative body 3710 around an axis in the front-to-back direction. Furthermore, the left unit 3760 can lift the left end of the right unit 3780 upward via the connecting guide 3790.

As shown in FIG. 194, the left unit 3760 comprises a left slide base 3761 that is supported by the left guide shaft 3602 so as to be slidable in the vertical direction and that rotatably supports the shaft tube portion 3712a of the first base 3712 of the first rotating decorative body 3710, a spur gear-shaped first decorative body gear 3762 that is provided at the rear of the left slide base 3761 and attached to the rear end of the shaft tube portion 3712a of the first base 3712 that passes through the left slide base 3761, a first transmission gear 3763 that meshes with the first decorative body gear 3762 from the left and is rotatably supported by the left slide base 3761, a spur gear-shaped small diameter gear 3764a that meshes with the first transmission gear 3763 from the left, and a spur gear-shaped large diameter gear 3764b that rotates integrally with the small diameter gear 3764a. The left slide base 3761 includes a transmission gear 3764 that is rotatably supported by the ride base 3761, a spur gear-shaped second transmission gear 3765 that meshes with the large diameter gear 3764b of the transmission gear 3764 from the left and is rotatably supported by the left slide base 3761, a spur gear-shaped third transmission gear 3766 that meshes with the second transmission gear 3765 from the left and is rotatably supported by the left slide base 3761, a spur gear-shaped fourth transmission gear 3767 that meshes with the third transmission gear 3766 from the left and is rotatably supported by the left slide base 3761, and a spur gear-shaped pinion gear 3768 that meshes with the fourth transmission gear 3767 from the left, meshes with the left rack gear 3635 of the left lifting mechanism 3630 from the right, and is rotatably supported by the left slide base 3761.

The left unit 3760 also has a gear cover 3769 attached to the rear side of the left slide base 3761 so as to cover the rear of the first decorative body gear 3762, first transmission gear 3763, speed change gear 3764, second transmission gear 3765, third transmission gear 3766, fourth transmission gear 3767, and pinion gear 3768, and a wiring cover 3770 attached to the rear side of the gear cover 3769 and covering from behind a portion of the wiring EC connected to the first rotating decorative body decorative substrate 3713 of the first rotating decorative body 3710.

The left sliding base 3761 comprises a base body 3761a formed in a shallow box shape in the front-to-rear direction with an open rear; a left sliding support portion 3761b provided on the left edge of the base body 3761a and through which the left guide shaft 3602 is slidably inserted; and a pivot support portion 3761c that penetrates the base body 3761a in the front-to-rear direction and rotatably supports the shaft tube portion 3712a of the first base 3712 of the first rotating decorative body 3710. By inserting the shaft tube portion 3712a of the first base 3712 into the pivot support portion 3761c, the left sliding base 3761 can rotatably support the first rotating decorative body 3710 around an axis in the front-to-rear direction. The rear side of the left sliding support portion 3761b of the left sliding base 3761 is attached to the left lifting slider 3632 of the left lifting mechanism 3630.

The first decorative body gear 3762 is attached to the rear end of the cylindrical shaft tube portion 3712a of the first base 3712 of the first rotating decorative body 3710, and has a through hole that runs from front to back in the center. Multiple wiring EC can be connected to the first rotating decorative body decorative substrate 3713 of the first rotating decorative body 3710 through the through hole of the first decorative body gear 3762 and the cylindrical shaft tube portion 3712a. The pinion gear 3768 is positioned so that its left side protrudes leftward beyond the left end of the left slide base 3761 so as to mesh with the left rack gear 3635.

The gear cover 3769 has a cylindrical left unit pin 3769a that protrudes rearward from near the left end. This left unit pin 3769a is slidably inserted into the connecting slit 3791 of the connecting guide 3790.

When this left unit 3760 is assembled to the gaming board 5, the left slide base 3761 is attached to the left lift slider 3632 of the left lift mechanism 3630, and when the left spiral shaft 3631 is rotated in the appropriate direction by the rear left lower drive motor 3633, the left unit 3760 slides up and down together with the left lift slider 3632. The pinion gear 3768 protruding outward from the left end of the left slide base 3761 of the left unit 3760 is engaged with the left rack gear 3635, so when the left unit 3760 slides up and down, the pinion gear 3768 rotates. When this pinion gear 3768 rotates, the rotation is transmitted to the first decorative body gear 3762 via the fourth transmission gear 3767, third transmission gear 3766, second transmission gear 3765, speed change gear 3764, and first transmission gear 3763, causing the first rotating decorative body 3710 to rotate together with the first decorative body gear 3762. In this embodiment, when the left unit 3760 slides from the lower end of movement to the upper end of movement, the first rotating decorative body 3710 rotates 360 degrees.

In addition, the left unit 3760 has a left unit pin 3769a slidably inserted into the connecting slit 3791 of the connecting guide 3790. Therefore, when the left unit 3760 is slid up or down, the left unit pin 3769a slides to the end of the movement of the connecting slit 3791, and then the connecting guide 3790 can be slid in the same direction via the left unit pin 3769a.

In the left unit 3760, multiple wiring EC are connected to the first rotating decoration body decorative substrate 3713 of the first rotating decoration body 3710 through the through holes in the first decoration body gear 3762. As mentioned above, the first rotating decoration body 3710 rotates 360 degrees around the front-to-back axis, so the multiple wiring EC passing through the through holes in the first decoration body gear 3762 are twisted in advance by 180 degrees in the opposite direction to the rotation direction. This prevents the multiple wiring EC from twisting more than necessary even when the first rotating decoration body 3710 is rotated (pivoted).

The right unit 3780 is supported by the right guide shaft 3602 so that it can slide up and down, and rotatably supports the second rotating ornament 3720, the third rotating ornament 3730, and the fourth rotating ornament 3740. Furthermore, as the right unit 3780 slides up and down, it can rotate the second rotating ornament 3720, the third rotating ornament 3730, and the fourth rotating ornament 3740 around axes in the front-to-rear direction.

As shown in Figures 191 and 192, the right unit 3780 comprises a right slide base 3781 that is elongated from side to side and whose right end is supported by the right guide shaft 3602 so that it can slide up and down; a slide rack 3782 that is supported on the rear side of the right slide base 3781 so that it can slide left and right within a predetermined range; and a rack spring 3783 whose left and right ends are attached to the right slide base 3781 and the slide rack 3782, respectively, and which biases the slide rack 3782 leftward.

The right unit 3780 also has a spur gear-shaped second ornament gear 3784 attached to the rear end of the shaft tube portion 3722a of the second base 3722 in the second rotating ornament 3720 and rotated by the sliding of the slide rack 3782, a spur gear-shaped third ornament gear 3785 attached to the rear end of the shaft tube portion 3732a of the third base 3732 in the third rotating ornament 3730 and rotated by the sliding of the slide rack 3782, and a spur gear-shaped fourth ornament gear 3786 attached to the rear end of the shaft tube portion 3742a of the fourth base 3742 in the fourth rotating ornament 3740 and rotated by the sliding of the slide rack 3782.

The right unit 3780 further includes a gear cover 3787 attached to the rear of the right slide base 3781 so as to cover the slide rack 3782 from behind; a unit arm 3788 having one end rotatably supported by the gear cover 3787 and the other end extending outward beyond the gear cover 3787 and slidably supported in the rotation slit 3604 of the unit base 3601; and a transmission gear 3789 rotatably supported by the gear cover 3787 and transmitting rotation around one end of the unit arm 3788 to slide the slide rack 3782 left and right.

The right slide base 3781 has a box-shaped base body 3781a that is long from side to side and open to the rear; a right slide support portion 3781b that is provided at the right end of the base body 3781a and through which the right guide shaft 3602 is slidably inserted; a pair of right unit slits 3781c that penetrate the left end of the base body 3781a from front to back and extend up and down, into which the connecting pins 3792 of the connecting guide 3790 are slidably inserted; and three shaft support tubes 3781d that protrude forward from the base body 3781a in a cylindrical shape and have their interiors penetrated from front to back.

The right sliding base 3781 has the rear decorative body 3750 attached to the front of the base body 3781a. The three axle support tubes 3781d of the base body 3781a are each inserted from the rear into the passage opening 3750a of the rear decorative body 3750. In addition, the axle tube portion 3722a on the second base 3722 of the second rotating decorative body 3720, the axle tube portion 3732a on the third base 3732 of the third rotating decorative body 3730, and the axle tube portion 3742a on the fourth base 3742 of the fourth rotating decorative body 3740 are each inserted into the three axle support tubes 3781d, allowing the axle tube portion 3722a, axle tube portion 3732a, and axle tube portion 3742a to be rotatably supported.

The right slide base 3781 is arranged to protrude upward from the left vicinity of the right slide support portion 3781b on the base body 3781a, and has a lock groove 3781e into which the lower lock claw 3661c of the lock latch 3661 in the lock mechanism 3660 of the upper rear decorative body 3650 engages. This lock groove 3781e is rectangular in shape when viewed from the front and is recessed from the front to the rear.

Furthermore, the right slide base 3781 has multiple shock absorbing portions 3781f that are provided on the upper surface of the base body 3781a and can abut against the underside of the receiving portion 3652d of the decorative body base 3652 on the rear upper decorative body 3650. The shock absorbing portions 3781f are formed from a high-viscosity elastomer.

The slide rack 3782 has a left rack gear 3782a located near the left end and with its teeth facing upward, a middle rack gear 3782b located above and to the right of the left rack gear 3782a and with its teeth facing downward, a right rack gear 3782c located below and to the right of the middle rack gear 3782b and with its teeth facing upward, and a rear rack gear 3782d located below and to the rear of the middle rack gear 3782b and right rack gear 3782c and with its teeth facing upward. The left rack gear 3782a, middle rack gear 3782b, and right rack gear 3782c of the slide rack 3782 are located at the same position in the front-to-back direction and extend the same length in the left-to-right direction.

The second decorative body gear 3784 meshes with the left rack gear 3782a of the slide rack 3782 from above. The third decorative body gear 3785 meshes with the middle rack gear 3782b from below. The fourth decorative body gear 3786 meshes with the right rack gear 3782c from above. The large diameter gear 3789b of the transmission gear 3789 meshes with the rear rack gear 3782d from above. As a result, when the slide rack 3782 slides left or right, the second decorative body gear 3784, fourth decorative body gear 3786, and transmission gear 3789 rotate in the same direction, and the third decorative body gear 3785 rotates in the opposite direction.

The second decorative body gear 3784, the third decorative body gear 3785, and the fourth decorative body gear 3786 each have a through hole that penetrates in the front-to-rear direction. Through these through holes, multiple wiring EC can be connected from the right unit 3780 side to the second rotating decorative body decorative board 3723 of the second rotating decorative body 3720, the third rotating decorative body decorative board 3733 of the third rotating decorative body 3730, and the fourth rotating decorative body decorative board 3743 of the fourth rotating decorative body 3740.

The gear cover 3787 has, on its rear surface, multiple opposing wiring fastening portions 3787a, a straight wiring fastening portion 3787b, and multiple L-shaped wiring fastening portions 3787c for supporting multiple wiring EC connected to the first rotating decorative body decorative substrate 3713 of the first rotating decorative body 3710. The multiple opposing wiring fastening portions 3787a are spaced apart in the left-right direction near the upper edge of the gear cover 3787. The straight wiring fastening portion 3787b is located to the left of the portion that rotatably supports one end of the unit arm 3788, with its free end (tip) facing upward. The multiple L-shaped wiring fastening portions 3787c are spaced apart in the left-right direction to the left of the straight wiring fastening portion 3787b, extending upward and then forward.

The unit arm 3788 has a fan-shaped gear portion 3788a at one end, which is rotatably supported by the gear cover 3787, and is arranged coaxially with the rotation axis. This gear portion 3788a meshes with a small-diameter gear 3789a of the transmission gear 3789. The other end of the unit arm 3788 extends leftward from the one end and is slidably inserted into a rotation slit 3604 that is long in the left-right direction and arranged on the lower side of the unit base 3601. The section between one end and the other of the unit arm 3788 is formed in a cylindrical shape, and multiple wiring EC is inserted inside.

The transmission gear 3789 has a small-diameter gear 3789a in the form of a spur gear that meshes with the gear portion 3788a of the unit arm 3788, and a large-diameter gear 3789b in the form of a spur gear that rotates integrally with the front of the small-diameter gear 3789a. The large-diameter gear 3789b of the transmission gear 3789 meshes with the rear rack gear 3782d of the slide rack 3782 from above.

This right unit 3780 can become one with the rear upper decorative body 3650 by engaging the lower locking claw 3661c of the locking latch 3661 in the locking mechanism 3660 of the rear upper decorative body 3650 with the locking groove 3781e of the right slide base 3781, and can slide upward together so as to be lifted by the rear upper decorative body 3650.

In the right unit 3780, in its normal state, the unit arm 3788 extends to the left parallel to the right slide base 3781. When the right unit 3780 slides upward in this state, the other end of the unit arm 3788 is inserted into the rotation slit 3604 of the unit base 3601, so that the other end of the unit arm 3788 moves to the right along the rotation slit 3604 and rotates counterclockwise around the one end as viewed from the front. When the gear portion 3788a of the unit arm 3788 rotates counterclockwise, the transmission gear 3789 rotates clockwise via the small-diameter gear 3789a meshing with the gear portion 3788a, and the slide rack 3782 slides to the left via the rear rack gear 3782d meshing with the large-diameter gear 3789b of the transmission gear 3789. At this time, the slide rack 3782 is biased to the left by the rack spring 3783, so the slide rack 3782 slides to the left smoothly without resistance.

When the sliding rack 3782 slides to the left, the second decorative body gear 3784, which is engaged with the left rack gear 3782a, and the fourth decorative body gear 3786, which is engaged with the right rack gear 3782c, each rotate clockwise, while the third decorative body gear 3785, which is engaged with the middle rack gear 3782b, rotates counterclockwise. When the right unit 3780 is slid upward, the second rotating decorative body 3720 and the fourth rotating decorative body 3740 can be moved upward while rotating clockwise, and the third rotating decorative body 3730 can be moved upward while rotating counterclockwise. When the sliding rack 3782 slides from the right end of its travel to the left end of its travel, the second rotating decorative body 3720, the third rotating decorative body 3730, and the fourth rotating decorative body 3740 each rotate 180 degrees.

The other end of the unit arm 3788 of the right unit 3780 is slidably connected to the rotation slit 3604 of the unit base 3601, and therefore multiple wiring EC connecting the first rotating decoration body decorative board 3713, second rotating decoration body decorative board 3723, third rotating decoration body decorative board 3733, fourth rotating decoration body decorative board 3743, and rear decoration body decorative board 3753 of the rear rear lower decorative body 3700 to the peripheral control board 1510 are arranged along the rear side of the unit arm 3788. This makes it difficult to see the multiple wiring EC connected to the right unit 3780 (rear rear lower decorative body 3700) from the front.

In this right unit 3780, the wiring EC extends from the rear to the second rotating ornament 3720, third rotating ornament 3730, and fourth rotating ornament 3740 through the respective through holes of the second ornament gear 3784, third ornament gear 3785, and fourth ornament gear 3786. As described above, the second rotating ornament 3720, third rotating ornament 3730, and fourth rotating ornament 3740 rotate 180 degrees around the front-to-back axis, so the wiring EC passing through the respective through holes of the second ornament gear 3784, third ornament gear 3785, and fourth ornament gear 3786 is twisted 90 degrees in advance in the opposite direction to the rotation direction. This prevents the wiring EC from twisting more than necessary even when the second rotating ornament 3720, third rotating ornament 3730, and fourth rotating ornament 3740 are rotated (pivoted).

In addition, in the right unit 3780, as shown in FIG. 193, multiple wiring EC (harness WH3) running from the other end of the unit arm 3788 toward one end is bent to the right (left in front view) near the one end and extends to the right along the gear cover 3787. This harness WH3 is inserted between the straight-type wiring locking portion 3787b or the L-shaped wiring locking portion 3787c and the rear surface of the gear cover 3787. In this right unit 3780, the harness WH3 is bundled together with the wiring locking portion 3787b by fastening it with a cable tie CT at the wiring locking portion 3787b located closest to the pivot axis of the unit arm 3788 (the portion where the harness WH3 is bent). In this case, the harness WH3 is fastened with enough strength to slide together with the cable tie CT in the longitudinal direction of the extending wiring locking portion 3787b. Furthermore, a hook (not shown) protruding forward is provided at the tip of the wiring retaining portion 3787b, so the cable tie CT will not come off the tip of the wiring retaining portion 3787b together with the harness WH3.

In this way, the wiring locking portion 3787b closest to the pivot axis of the unit arm 3788 on the harness WH3 (the bent portion of the harness WH3) is fastened together with the cable tie CT. Therefore, even if a force acting to move the harness WH3 via the unit arm 3788 is applied via the unit arm 3788 when the right unit 3780 (lower rear decorative body 3700) slides up and down, causing the unit arm 3788 to rotate, the cable tie CT prevents the harness WH3 from coming loose from the wiring locking portion 3787b, reliably preventing any malfunctions caused by the harness WH3 coming loose.

In this right unit 3780, at the portion where the cable tie CT binds the harness WH3 and the wiring retaining portion 3787b, the locking portion CTb of the cable tie CT is attached in contact with the wiring retaining portion 3787b, similar to the above-described wiring retaining portion 1603 and wiring retaining portion 3011. The locking portion CTb of the cable tie CT abuts the portion of the wiring retaining portion 3787b opposite the harness WH3. In other words, the cable tie CT is attached so that the wiring retaining portion 3787b is positioned between the harness WH3 and the locking portion CTb. This allows the locking portion CTb to face rearward, facilitating the binding operation using the cable tie CT, checking the binding, and the like. It also makes it easier to cut the cable tie CT. Furthermore, since contact of the locking portion CTb with the harness WH3 can be avoided, the harness WH3 bound with the cable tie CT can be protected by the wiring locking portion 3787b.

In addition, because the gear cover 3787 on which the wiring retaining portion 3787b is formed is transparent, the portion of the harness WH3 supported by the wiring retaining portion 3787b can be seen from the outside (rear) through the wiring retaining portion 3787b. This makes it easy to check whether all of the wiring EC that makes up the harness WH3 is bundled with cable ties CT, and also makes it easier to bundle the wiring with the cable ties CT.

Furthermore, as shown in the figure, the cable tie CT is attached so that the cable tie CT (the band portion CTa) contacts the harness WH3 at an angle. This allows for a larger contact area compared to when the cable tie CT contacts the harness WH3 in a direction perpendicular to its longitudinal direction, increasing frictional resistance and making it more difficult to move (slide).

As shown in the figure, the cable tie CT that binds the harness WH3 to the wiring retaining portion 3787b is attached so that the longitudinal direction of the band portion CTa extends diagonally relative to a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the wiring retaining portion 3787b. In other words, the cable tie CT is attached in a cross-body manner. As a result, when the harness WH3 is bound to the wiring retaining portion 3787b by the cable tie CT, tilting the cable tie CT so that the longitudinal direction of the band portion CTa of the cable tie CT approaches a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the wiring retaining portion 3787b can loosen the tightening force of the band portion CTa, making it easier to slide the harness WH3 along with the cable tie CT in the longitudinal direction of the wiring retaining portion 3787b. Furthermore, if the cable tie CT is returned to its tilted state after sliding, the wiring latch 3787b is tightened, returning it to its original, less sliding state.

In addition, as shown in Figure 193, the portion of the harness WH3 that bends horizontally to follow the unit arm 3788 is twisted as a whole, so even if a force acts on the harness WH3 via the unit arm 3788 when the right unit 3780 (lower rear decorative body 3700) slides up and down, causing the unit arm 3788 to rotate, the multiple wiring EC that make up the harness WH3 will not come apart.

The connecting guide 3790 connects the left unit 3760 and the right unit 3780 so that they can move relative to each other in the vertical direction. The connecting guide 3790 has a connecting slit 3791 that penetrates from front to back and extends vertically, into which the left unit pin 3769a of the gear cover 3769 of the left unit 3760 is slidably inserted, and a connecting pin 3792 that protrudes cylindrically rearward to the right of the connecting slit 3791 and is slidably inserted into the right unit slit 3781c of the right slide base 3781 of the right unit 3780.

[5-10g-3. Operation of the backstage production unit]
Next, the operation (movable performance) of the rear back performance unit 3600 in the rear unit 3000 will be explained mainly with reference to Figures 185, 195, and 196. As described above, the rear back performance unit 3600 has a rear back upper decorative body 3650 and a rear back lower decorative body 3700 that are supported so as to be slidable in the vertical direction by a pair of guide shafts 3602 spaced apart on the left and right. In the normal state of the rear back performance unit 3600, as shown in Figure 185, the rear back upper decorative body 3650 is positioned in a retracted position, which is the end of its upward movement. When the rear back upper decorative body 3650 is in the retracted position, the upper locking claw 3661b of the locking latch 3661 in the locking mechanism 3660 is inserted into the locking groove 3603 of the unit base 3601, and the downward movement of the rear back upper decorative body 3650 is restricted (locked). In addition, a right lift slider 3612 that is threaded onto the right spiral shaft 3611 from below abuts against the right slide support portion 3652c of the ornament base 3652 of the rear upper ornament 3650, and the downward movement of the rear upper ornament 3650 is also restricted by this right lift slider 3612. In other words, the locking mechanism 3660 and the right lift slider 3612 prevent the rear upper ornament 3650 from falling.

In addition, in the rear upper decorative body 3650, the auxiliary upper slider 3614 abuts from above against the right slide support portion 3652c of the decorative body base 3652, and the auxiliary lower slider 3615 abuts against the auxiliary upper slider 3614 due to the biasing force of the auxiliary spring 3616. In addition, in the right lifting mechanism 3610, the right lifting first sensor 3617 detects the right lifting slider 3612.

On the other hand, in its normal state, the rear lower decorative body 3700 is positioned in a retracted position, which is the end of its downward movement, as shown in Figure 185. When the rear lower decorative body 3700 is in the retracted position, the character "殺" (misery) on the first rotating decorative body 3710 is tilted diagonally to the left, and the character "ドラマ" (drama) on the second rotating decorative body 3720, the character "回" (round) on the third rotating decorative body 3730, and the character "避" (evasion) on the fourth rotating decorative body 3740 are each rotated 180 degrees. The first rotating decorative body 3710 and the third rotating decorative body 3730 are each positioned in the same front-to-back position. The second rotating decorative body 3720, the fourth rotating decorative body 3740, and the left unit 3760 are each positioned in the same front-to-back position and are positioned behind the first rotating decorative body 3710 and the third rotating decorative body 3730. Furthermore, a rear decorative body 3750 and a right unit 3780 are provided behind the second rotating decorative body 3720, the fourth rotating decorative body 3740, and the left unit 3760. A rear upper decorative body 3650 is provided above the rear decorative body 3750 and the right unit 3780.

When the rear lower decorative body 3700 is in the retracted position, the left unit pin 3769a of the gear cover 3769 in the left unit 3760 is located at the downward movement end (lower end) of the connecting slit 3791 in the connecting guide 3790. Furthermore, the connecting pin 3792 of the connecting guide 3790 is located at the downward movement end (lower end) of the right unit slit 3781c in the right slide base 3781 of the right unit 3780.

Furthermore, when the rear lower decorative body 3700 is in the retracted position, the pinion gear 3768, which partially protrudes to the left from the left unit 3760, meshes with the left rack gear 3635 of the left lifting mechanism 3630. Furthermore, the slide rack 3782 of the right unit 3780 is positioned at the right end of its travel, and the unit arm 3788 extends approximately horizontally in the left-right direction. The slide rack 3782 is biased to the left by a rack spring 3783. Furthermore, in the left lifting mechanism 3630, the left lifting sensor 3634 detects the left lifting slider 3632.

To perform a moving performance in which the rear upper decorative body 3650 is dropped from this normal state, first, the right lifting mechanism 3610 rotates the right spiral shaft 3611 using the rear lower right drive motor 3613 to move the right lifting slider 3612 to its downward end of travel (a position near the right slide support portion 3781b of the right slide base 3781 of the right unit 3780 in the rear lower decorative body 3700). As this right lifting slider 3612 moves downward, it abuts against the auxiliary lower slider 3615 along the way and moves to its downward end of travel together with the auxiliary lower slider 3615 against the biasing force of the auxiliary spring 3616. As a result, the auxiliary spring 3616 is stretched, increasing its biasing force, and a strong biasing force acts downward on the right slide support portion 3652c of the decorative body base 3652 via the auxiliary upper slider 3614. Even in this state (a state in which it could fall), the upper locking claw 3661b of the locking latch 3661 of the locking mechanism 3660 is inserted into and locked into the locking groove 3603 of the unit base 3601, so the rear upper decorative body 3650 will not fall.

When the unlocking solenoid 3663 of the locking mechanism 3660 is energized, the locking latch 3661 moves forward against the biasing force of the locking spring 3662, and the upper locking claw 3661b comes out of the locking groove 3603, releasing the lock. This causes the rear-rear upper decorative body 3650 to fall from the retracted position. At this time, the rear-rear upper decorative body 3650 is subjected to the biasing force of the auxiliary spring 3616, which strongly biases the right slide support portion 3652c of the decorative body base 3652 downward via the auxiliary upper slider 3614, causing the rear-rear upper decorative body 3650 to fall at an initial speed faster than a free fall. The auxiliary upper slider 3614 presses the right slide support portion 3652c downward due to the biasing force of the auxiliary spring 3616, and then stops moving at a position somewhat downward. Therefore, the auxiliary lower slider 3615 is biased upward by the auxiliary spring 3616.

When the rear upper decorative body 3650 falls onto the right unit 3780 of the rear lower decorative body 3700 located below (moves to the emerging position), the lower surface of the receiving portion 3652d of the decorative body base 3652 abuts against multiple shock absorbing portions 3781f on the upper surface of the right slide base 3781, absorbing the impact of the fall, and the lower locking claw 3661c of the locking latch 3661 of the locking mechanism 3660 engages with the locking groove 3781e of the right slide base 3781, preventing it from bouncing upward on the upper surface of the right slide base 3781.

This allows the upper rear decorative body 3650 to fall at a speed faster than free fall and does not bounce upward after falling, allowing the player to see a heavy, moving effect (falling effect) that makes a strong impact on the player.

When the rear-rear upper decorative body 3650 has been dropped and moved to its appearance position, as shown in Figure 195, the rear-rear upper decorative body 3650 and the rear decorative body 3750 of the rear-rear lower decorative body 3700 are positioned so that they are in contact with each other, forming a single decorative body resembling a large hatchet. Also, in this state, only a portion of the first rotating decorative body 3710 is positioned in front of the rear-rear upper decorative body 3650, and the second rotating decorative body 3720, third rotating decorative body 3730, and fourth rotating decorative body 3740 are not positioned in front of the rear-rear upper decorative body 3650.

When the rear upper decorative body 3650 is dropped from the retracted position and moved to the emerging position, the rear lower left drive motor 3633 in the left lifting mechanism 3630 rotates the left spiral shaft 3631, causing the left lifting slider 3632 threaded onto the left spiral shaft 3631 to slide upward. The left unit 3760 slides upward together with the first rotating decorative body 3710 via the left slide base 3761 of the left unit 3760 of the rear lower decorative body 3700 attached to the left lifting slider 3632. At this time, because the pinion gear 3768 of the left unit 3760 is engaged with the left rack gear 3635, the pinion gear 3768 rotates as the left unit 3760 rises, causing the first rotating decorative body 3710 to rotate counterclockwise. Additionally, the left unit pin 3769a of the gear cover 3769 slides upward within the connection slit 3791 of the connection guide 3790.

When the left unit 3760 is initially raised via the left lift slider 3632, only the left unit 3760 (first rotating decorative body 3710) rises, and the right unit 3780 (second rotating decorative body 3720, third rotating decorative body 3730, fourth rotating decorative body 3740, and rear decorative body 3750) does not rise.

Then, when the left unit 3760 rises and the left unit pin 3769a of the gear cover 3769 reaches the upper end (top) of the connecting slit 3791 of the connecting guide 3790, the left unit pin 3769a lifts the connecting guide 3790 upward through the connecting slit 3791, and the connecting guide 3790 begins to rise. Even at this time, the pinion gear 3768 is still engaged with the left rack gear 3635, so the first rotating decorative body 3710 continues to rotate counterclockwise. When the connecting guide 3790 begins to rise due to the left unit pin 3769a of the left unit 3760, the connecting pin 3792 of the connecting guide 3790 slides upward within the right unit slit 3781c of the right slide base 3781 of the right unit 3780.

As a result, when the connecting guide 3790 begins to rise due to the left unit pin 3769a of the rising left unit 3760, only the left unit 3760 (first rotating decorative body 3710) and connecting guide 3790 rise, and the right unit 3780 (second rotating decorative body 3720, third rotating decorative body 3730, fourth rotating decorative body 3740, and rear decorative body 3750) do not rise.

The left lifting slider 3632 causes the left unit 3760 to rise further while lifting the connecting guide 3790, and when the connecting pin 3792 of the connecting guide 3790 reaches the upper end (top) of the right unit slit 3781c of the right slide base 3781 in the right unit 3780, a force acts on the left end of the right unit 3780 via the connecting pin 3792 and the right unit slit 3781c, tending to lift it upward. Even at this time, the pinion gear 3768 is still engaged with the left rack gear 3635, so the first rotating decorative body 3710 continues to rotate counterclockwise.

At the same time, in the right lifting mechanism 3610, the rear right lower drive motor 3613 rotates the right spiral shaft 3611, lifting the engaged right lifting slider 3612, causing the right lifting slider 3612 to abut from below against the right slide support portion 3652c of the ornament base 3652 of the rear upper ornament 3650, moving the right slide support portion 3652c upward. At this time, the right lifting slider 3612 is subjected to an upward biasing force from the auxiliary spring 3616 via the auxiliary lower slider 3615 abutting from below, thereby reducing the load on the right lifting slider 3612 as it moves upward.

When the decorative body base 3652 (rear upper decorative body 3650) is raised by the right lifting slider 3612 via the right slide support part 3652c, the lower locking claw 3661c of the locking mechanism 3660 of the rear upper decorative body 3650 is engaged with the locking groove 3781e of the right slide base 3781 of the right unit 3780 of the rear lower decorative body 3700, so a force acts on the right end of the right unit 3780 to lift it upward via the lower locking claw 3661c and locking groove 3781e.

In this way, an upward lifting force acts on the left end of the right unit 3780 from the connecting pin 3792 of the connecting guide 3790, and on the right end of the right unit 3780 from the lower locking claw 3661c of the locking mechanism 3660 of the rear upper decorative body 3650, and the right unit 3780 begins to rise for the first time. In this state, the right unit 3780 is being lifted by the rear upper decorative body 3650, and the rear upper decorative body 3650 and rear lower decorative body 3700 rise together.

When the right unit 3780 begins to rise, the second rotating decorative body 3720, third rotating decorative body 3730, fourth rotating decorative body 3740, and rear decorative body 3750 supported by the right unit 3780 rise together. At this time, the other end of the unit arm 3788 extending to the left at the bottom of the right unit 3780 is slidably inserted into the rotation slit 3604 of the unit base 3601, so the unit arm 3788 rotates counterclockwise around one end, while the other end slides to the right within the rotation slit 3604.

When the unit arm 3788 of the right unit 3780 rotates counterclockwise, the slide rack 3782 slides left from its right end of travel, causing the second rotating ornament 3720 and fourth rotating ornament 3740 to rotate clockwise as the slide rack 3782 slides, and the third rotating ornament 3730 to rotate counterclockwise. Since the left unit 3760 is also raised at this time, the engagement between the pinion gear 3768 and the left rack gear 3635 causes the first rotating ornament 3710 to further rotate counterclockwise.

At this time, the slide rack 3782 is biased to the left by the rack spring 3783, which reduces the load on the counterclockwise rotation of the unit arm 3788 and also reduces the load on the rotation of the second rotating decorative body 3720, the third rotating decorative body 3730, and the fourth rotating decorative body 3740.

In the right lifting mechanism 3610, when the right lifting second sensor 3618 detects the right lifting slider 3612, the rotation of the right spiral shaft 3611 and the left spiral shaft 3631 driven by the rear right lower drive motor 3613 and the rear left lower drive motor 3633 stops, and the lifting of the right lifting slider 3612 and the left lifting slider 3632 stops. In this state, the rear upper decorative body 3650 and the rear lower decorative body 3700 are positioned in a central position, approximately centered in the vertical direction. Furthermore, the left lifting slider 3632 (left unit 3760) of the left lifting mechanism 3630 is positioned at the end of its upward movement.

In this central position, as shown in Figure 196, the character "殺殺される" on the first rotating decorative body 3710 has rotated 360 degrees and is tilted diagonally to the left, just like in the retracted position, but has risen so that more than half of its vertical axis is positioned in front of the rear upper decorative body 3650. In addition, the character "ドラマ" on the second rotating decorative body 3720, the character "回" on the third rotating decorative body 3730, and the character "避" on the fourth rotating decorative body have each rotated 180 degrees so that their vertical orientation is correct, and nearly half of their vertical axis is positioned in front of the rear upper decorative body 3650. This forms a decorative body with the characters "殺殺しました" (avoid tragedy) in the vertical center of the large, long hatchet made up of the rear upper decorative body 3650 and the rear decorative body 3750.

From this central position, in the locking mechanism 3660 of the rear upper decorative body 3650, the unlocking solenoid 3663 is energized to slide the locking latch 3661 forward, and the lower locking claw 3661c is removed from the locking groove 3781e of the right slide base 3781 of the right unit 3780 to release the lock. Then, the rear lower right drive motor 3613 of the right lifting mechanism 3610 rotates the right spiral shaft 3611 so that the right lifting slider 3612 rises, and the rear upper decorative body 3650 is moved upward via the right lifting slider 3612. With the lock released by the locking mechanism 3660, moving the rear upper decorative body 3650 upward separates the rear upper decorative body 3650 from the rear lower decorative body 3700, allowing only the rear upper decorative body 3650 to rise.

At this time, the right lifting slider 3612 is biased upward by the auxiliary spring 3616 via the auxiliary lower slider 3615 that contacts it from below, thereby reducing the load on the lift. Furthermore, the rear upper decorative body 3650 is provided with a locking mechanism 3660 (unlock solenoid 3663) near the right slide support part 3652c, which is supported by the right guide shaft 3602. This reduces the rotational moment applied from the right slide support part 3652c to the guide shaft 3602, allowing the rear upper decorative body 3650 to rise smoothly.

When the right lifting slider 3612 lifts the rear upper decorative body 3650 and the right lifting slider 3612 is detected by the first right lifting sensor 3617, the rotation of the right spiral shaft 3611 driven by the rear lower right drive motor 3613 stops, and the lifting of the right lifting slider 3612 (rear upper decorative body 3650) stops. This causes the rear upper decorative body 3650 to return to its normal state, the retracted position.

On the other hand, when the rear lower decorative body 3700 is raised from its retracted position to the central position, the left lifting slider 3632 of the left lifting mechanism 3630 cannot rise any further, so when the lock by the locking mechanism 3660 is released, the left spiral shaft 3631 of the left lifting mechanism 3630 rotates in the reverse direction so that the left lifting slider 3632 descends, and the rear lower decorative body 3700 descends. At this time, the first rotating decorative body 3710, second rotating decorative body 3720, third rotating decorative body 3730, and fourth rotating decorative body 3740 descend while rotating in the opposite direction to when they rose.

When the left lifting slider 3632 is detected by the left lifting sensor 3634, the rotation of the left spiral shaft 3631 driven by the rear left lower drive motor 3633 stops, and the descent of the left lifting slider 3632 (rear rear lower decorative body 3700) stops. This causes the rear rear lower decorative body 3700 to return to its normal retracted position.

[5-11. Game board effects]
Next, the effects of the game board 5 will be described in detail, mainly with reference to Figures 197 to 202. Figure 197(a) is a front view of the game board shown with the display screen of the effect display device blacked out, and (b) is an explanatory diagram schematically showing the relationship between the display screen of the effect display device and the back-front-left back decorative sheet of the back-front-left effect unit in the back unit. Figure 198 is a front view of the game board shown in a state where the back-upper right decorative body, back-right middle decorative body, and back-right lower decorative body of the back-right effect unit in the back unit have been moved to their appearance positions. Figure 199 is a front view of the game board shown in a state where the back-rear-left decorative body of the back-rear-left effect unit in the back unit has been moved to its first appearance position, and Figure 200 is a front view of the front view of the game board shown in a state where the back-rear-left decorative body of the back-rear-left effect unit in the back unit has been moved to its second appearance position. Figure 201 is a front view of the game board showing the rear upper decorative body of the rear performance unit in the rear unit having been dropped from the retracted position to the appearing position, and Figure 202 is a front view of the game board showing the rear upper decorative body and rear lower decorative body of the rear performance unit in the rear unit having been moved to the central position.

As shown in Figure 137, the gaming board 5 of this embodiment has a transparent panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100, which has a gaming area 5a at the front. However, a rear cell 1130 (see Figure 146) with a predetermined pattern is provided behind the panel board 1110, so that the display screen of the rear unit 3000 and the effect display device 1600, which are provided at the rear, can be seen mainly through the frame of the center role device 2500.

In its normal state, this gaming board 5 is visibly arranged near the top edge within the frame of the center device 2500, with the first back-front upper decorative plate 3201, second back-front upper decorative plate 3203, and third back-front upper decorative plate 3203 of the back-front upper performance unit 3200 in the back unit 3000, and the retracted back-rear upper decorative body 3650 in the back-rear performance unit 3600. The first back-front upper decorative plate 3201, second back-front upper decorative plate 3202, third back-front upper decorative plate 3203, and back-rear upper decorative body 3650 are arranged at intervals in the front-to-back direction, and each has the same logo in line with the concept of the gaming board 5. The logos on the back front upper first decorative plate 3201, back front upper second decorative plate 3202, and back front upper third decorative plate 3203 are engraved in a grooved pattern so that the letters get smaller as you move further back, and the logo on the back front upper third decorative plate 3203 and the logo on the back rear upper decorative body 3650 are the same size. This allows the player to see a three-dimensional decoration with a sense of perspective, with the letters of the logo getting larger from the back to the front (see Figure 197).

In this normal state, three decorative plates - the first back-front upper decorative plate 3201, the second back-front upper decorative plate 3202, and the third back-front upper decorative plate 3203 - are provided in front of the back-rear upper decorative body 3650 in the retracted position in the back-rear performance unit 3600.Although the back-rear upper decorative body 3650 can be seen through these, this can create the illusion that the back-rear upper decorative body 3650 is a decoration hanging from the three decorative plates, making it difficult to recognize that the back-rear upper decorative body 3650 is movable.

In addition, under normal conditions, the three-dimensionally formed rear front left decorative body 3301 of the rear front left performance unit 3300 can be seen along the left edge of the frame of the center role device 2500, and the rear upper right decorative body 3402, rear middle right decorative body 3403, and rear lower right decorative body 3404 of the rear right performance unit 3400 can be seen lined up vertically along the right edge of the frame of the center role device 2500.

In addition, under normal conditions, the rear-left decorative body 3501 of the rear-left performance unit 3500 is located behind the rear-left decorative body 3301 of the rear-front-left performance unit 3300 and the rear-upper decorative body 3650 in the retracted position of the rear-rear performance unit 3600, and is therefore not visible from the front.

Furthermore, under normal conditions, the center allocation unit 2520 can be seen at the bottom edge within the frame of the center role device 2500. Behind this center allocation unit 2520, the rear-rear lower decorative body 3700 is located in a retracted position in the rear-rear performance unit 3600, making the rear-rear lower decorative body 3700 almost invisible from the front.

The rear front left performance unit 3300 of the rear unit 3000 in the gaming board 5 of this embodiment can be used to perform the performance shown in Figure 197. In the rear front left performance unit 3300, as shown in Figure 197(b), a certain distance is provided between the rear front left back decorative sheet 3308 of the rear front left performance unit 3300 and the performance display device 1600. Therefore, when, for example, the display screen of the performance display device 1600 is blacked out from the normal state, the image on the back of the rear front left back decorative sheet 3308 is reflected on the display screen of the performance display device 1600, making the reflected image 3310 visible (see Figure 197(a)). As a result, by going dark or intentionally darkening the display screen while an effect is being performed using effect images from the effect display device 1600, the image on the back of the back front left back decorative sheet 3308 is reflected on the display screen, allowing the player to see the reflected image 3310. This faintly visible reflected image 3310 can surprise the player, strongly attracting their attention and making them think that something good is about to happen, increasing their anticipation for the game and preventing a decline in interest.

Furthermore, because the pattern on the back of the back-front-left decorative sheet 3308 is different from the pattern on the back-front-left decorative body 3301, the following dramatic effects can be achieved. Specifically, in the normal state when a dramatic image is displayed on the display screen of the dramatic display device 1600, only the character (pattern) with a predetermined facial expression on the back-front-left decorative body 3301 is visible, and the reflected pattern 3310 of a character (pattern) with a different facial expression on the back-front-left decorative sheet 3308 to the right of the back-front-left decorative body 3301 is not visible. Furthermore, when the display screen is darkened by blacking out or the like, the character on the back-front-left decorative sheet 3308 with a different facial expression from that of the back-front-left decorative body 3301 is reflected to the right of the back-front-left decorative body 3301, and the reflected pattern 3310 becomes visible. Therefore, a dramatic effect can be presented to the player in which the back face of the character can be seen, allowing the player to enjoy the contrast in the character's facial expression. For example, if this effect is performed before a jackpot game is played, the effect can make the player feel strongly that they might have lost, and then if they win the jackpot, it can surprise the player and further increase their interest.

In addition, as shown by the dashed line in Figure 197(b), it is also possible to provide a light-emitting means 3320 such as an LED that can emit light from behind towards the back front left back decorative sheet 3308. In this way, when the display screen of the performance display device 1600 is darkened due to a blackout or the like, the light-emitting means 3320 can be made to emit light, thereby brightening the image on the back front left back decorative sheet 3308, making the image more easily reflected on the display screen of the performance display device 1600 and making the reflected image 3310 more visible.

Alternatively, although not shown in the figures, an LED capable of emitting light rearward can be mounted on the rear surface of the rear front left main decorative board 3305, and when the display screen of the performance display device 1600 is darkened by a blackout or the like, the LED on the rear surface of the rear front left main decorative board 3305 can be made to emit light, thereby brightening the image on the rear front left back decorative sheet 3308 and making the image more easily visible on the display screen of the performance display device 1600.

Next, the back-right performance unit 3400 in the back unit 3000 of the gaming board 5 can be used to perform the performance shown in Figure 198. In the back-right performance unit 3400, when the back-right upper right decorative body 3402, back-right middle decorative body 3403, and back-right lower right decorative body 3404 are moved from the normal state in which they are lined up vertically to the appearance position by driving the back-right drive motor 3405, the back-right middle decorative body 3403 splits left and right into two, back-right middle left decorative body 3403a and back-right middle right decorative body 3403b, and the back-right upper right decorative body 3402, back-right middle left decorative body 3403a, back-right middle right decorative body 3403b, and the back-right lower right decorative body 3404 are transformed into a form in which they are arranged at the vertices of a diamond. As a result, the back upper right decorative body 3402, back right center left decorative body 3403a, and back right bottom decorative body 3404 are positioned closer to the center of the game area 5a (performance display device 1600), surprising the player and strongly drawing the player's attention to these decorative bodies, while making the player think that something good is about to happen when the decorative bodies appear, increasing anticipation for the game and preventing a decline in interest.

Next, using the rear-left display unit 3500 in the rear unit 3000 of the gaming board 5, it is possible to perform the effects shown in Figures 199 and 200. In the rear-left display unit 3500, when the rear-left decorative element 3501 is in the normal state where it is not visible from the front, and is rotated to the right and downward (clockwise) by the rear-left drive motor 3503 to move it to the first appearance position, as shown in Figure 199, almost the entire rear-left decorative element 3501 is located to the right of the rear-left front decorative element 3301 and below the rear-upper decorative element 3650, making it visible to the player, but part of the simulated blade edge is located behind the rear-left front decorative element 3301 and below the rear-upper decorative element 3650, making the overall shape unclear.

As a result, when the rear-left decorative element 3501 moves from the retracted position to the first appearance position, the rear-left decorative element 3501 becomes visible, drawing the player's attention to the rear-left decorative element 3501. At this time, part of the rear-left decorative element 3301 is hidden, making its overall shape unclear, making it difficult to recognize the rear-left decorative element 3501 as the tip of a hatchet blade. This keeps the player on edge as they wait for the rear-left decorative element 3501 to move to a position where it can be seen in its entirety. Then, when the rear-left drive motor 3503 further rotates the rear-left decorative element 3501 clockwise to move it to the second appearance position, the rear-left decorative element 3501 becomes visible in its entirety and is tilted so that its left end protrudes forward, as shown in FIG. 200. As a result, the front of the rear left decorative element 3501 is at an angle to the display screen of the performance display device 1600, and the tip of the hatchet blade that the rear left decorative element 3501 imitates appears to be protruding diagonally forward from the display screen of the performance display device 1600, which makes a strong impact on the player and makes them think that something good is about to happen, increasing their anticipation for the game.

In this way, with the rear left display unit 3500, the normally invisible rear left decorative element 3501 can be seen in two stages, making it possible to keep the player on edge and excited depending on how far the rear left decorative element 3501 appears, entertaining the player. When it moves to the second appearance position, the rear left decorative element 3501, which had been moving (rotating) parallel to the display screen of the display device 1600, moves so that the tip (left end) of its blade protrudes forward, allowing the player to see a moving display never before seen in a pachinko machine. This has a strong impact on the player and makes them feel like something good is about to happen, heightening their anticipation for the game and preventing a decline in interest.

Next, the rear back performance unit 3600 of the rear unit 3000 on the gaming board 5 can be used to perform the performances shown in Figures 201 and 202. In the rear back performance unit 3600, the rear back right lower drive motor 3613 of the right lifting mechanism 3610 is driven to move the right lifting slider 3612 to the lower end of its travel, and then when current is applied to the unlock solenoid 3663 of the locking mechanism 3660 in the rear back upper decorative body 3650, the lock by the upper locking claw 3661b of the lock latch 3661 is released, and the rear back upper decorative body 3650 falls and abuts against the rear back lower decorative body 3700 located below from above (see Figure 201). At this time, the rear back upper decorative body 3650 is biased downward by the auxiliary spring 3616, so the rear back upper decorative body 3650 falls at an initial velocity faster than free fall. Furthermore, when the rear upper decorative body 3650 falls and hits the rear lower decorative body 3700 in the lower retracted position, the impact is absorbed by the shock absorbing part 3781f, and the lower locking claw 3661c of the locking latch 3661 engages with the locking groove 3781e, preventing it from bouncing upward.

This allows the upper rear decorative body 3650 to fall at a speed faster than free fall and does not bounce upward after falling, allowing the player to see a heavy, moving effect (falling effect) that makes a strong impact on the player.

Then, after the rear upper decorative body 3650 falls and moves to the appearance position, the right lifting slider 3612 is raised by the rear lower right drive motor 3613 of the right lifting mechanism 3610, and the left lifting slider 3632 is raised by the rear lower left drive motor 3633 of the left lifting mechanism 3630, and the rear upper decorative body 3650 and the rear lower decorative body 3700 rise together to the central position in a vertically combined state. At this time, the first rotating decorative body 3710, second rotating decorative body 3720, third rotating decorative body 3730, and fourth rotating decorative body 3740 of the rear lower decorative body 3700 rise while rotating around the front-to-back axis, and when they reach the central position, as shown in Figure 202, a large decorative body with the characters "殺" (tragedy) by the first rotating decorative body 3710, "ドラマ" (drama) by the second rotating decorative body 3720, "回" (round) by the third rotating decorative body 3730, and "避" (avoidance) by the fourth rotating decorative body 3740 lined up left and right will appear in the center of the display screen of the performance display device 1600, in the vertical center of the large, long hatchet made up of the rear upper decorative body 3650 and rear decorative body 3750.

This makes a strong impact on the player, and the words "Avoid Tragedy" displayed on the first rotating decorative body 3710, second rotating decorative body 3720, third rotating decorative body 3730, and fourth rotating decorative body 3740 make the player strongly believe that a favorable gaming state, such as a "jackpot," will occur, giving the player an advantage, thereby increasing anticipation for the game and preventing a decline in interest.

In addition, as a performance using the rear-back performance unit 3600, after the rear-back upper decorative body 3650 has been dropped to the appearance position, the lock mechanism 3660 can be used to unlock the lock groove 3781e of the rear-back lower decorative body 3700, and only the rear-back lower right drive motor 3613 of the right lifting mechanism 3610 can be driven without driving the rear-back lower left drive motor 3633 of the left lifting mechanism 3630, thereby lifting only the rear-back upper decorative body 3650. This keeps the player on the edge of their seat depending on whether the rear-back upper decorative body 3650 will rise combined with the rear-back lower decorative body 3700 after it has fallen, entertaining the player and allowing the player to be presented with a variety of combinations of performances, making it less likely for the player to become bored and preventing a decline in interest.

6. Control Configuration
Next, the control configuration for various controls of the pachinko machine 1 will be described with reference to FIG. 203 and other figures. FIG. 203 is a block diagram showing an outline of the control configuration of the pachinko machine. As shown in the figure, the main control configuration of the pachinko machine 1 is composed of a main control board 1310 and a peripheral control board 1510 attached to the game board 5, and a payout control board 633 attached to the main frame 4, with each board performing its own control. The main control board 1310 controls the game operation (progress of the game). The peripheral control board 1510 includes a peripheral control unit 1511 that controls various effects during game play based on commands from the main control board 1310, and an effect display control unit 1512 that controls the display of effect images on the effect display device 1600 based on commands from the peripheral control unit 1511. The payout control board 633 includes a payout control unit 633a that controls the payout of game balls B, and a launch control unit 633b that controls the launch of game balls B by rotating the handle 195.

[6-1. Main control board]
The main control board 1310 that controls the progress of the game is not shown in detail, but is equipped with a main control MPU, which is a microprocessor that has built-in ROM for storing various processing programs and various commands and RAM for temporarily storing data, a main control I/O port as an input/output device (I/O device), a main control input circuit to which detection signals from various detection switches are input, a main control solenoid drive circuit for driving various solenoids, a RAM clear switch for completely erasing information stored in the RAM built into the main control MPU, a setting display for displaying setting values and errors, and a base monitor for displaying the number of game balls B collected by the outlet 2020 and sub-outlet 2021 provided in the game area 5a partitioned and formed on the game board 5. In addition to its built-in ROM and RAM, the main control MPU also has built-in watchdog timers that monitor its operation (system) and functions for preventing fraud.

In addition to its built-in RAM (hereinafter referred to as "main control built-in RAM") and built-in ROM (hereinafter referred to as "main control built-in ROM"), the main control MPU also has built-in watchdog timers (hereinafter referred to as "main control built-in WDT") that monitor its operation (system), as well as functions to prevent fraud, etc.

The main control MPU also has built-in non-volatile RAM. This non-volatile RAM pre-stores a unique ID code (a code that exists only once in the world) assigned by the manufacturer of the main control MPU to identify the individual unit. Once assigned, this ID code cannot be rewritten, even using an external device, because it is stored in non-volatile RAM. The main control MPU is able to retrieve and reference the ID code from the non-volatile RAM.

The main control MPU also has a built-in circuit that forcibly resets itself via hardware when it is affected by electrical noise (hereinafter referred to as the "built-in reset circuit"). The built-in reset circuit monitors the contents of certain registers in the main control MPU, and if the register contents change to inconsistent values, it forcibly resets the main control MPU, indicating that it has been affected by electrical noise. This forced reset by the built-in reset circuit cannot be disabled by user program control. Therefore, when the main control MPU is forcibly reset by the built-in reset circuit, it is reset without executing the main control side power-off processing described below, and will again execute the main control side power-on processing described below. In this case, because the main control side power-off processing is not executed, a checksum (sum value) error will inevitably occur in the main control built-in RAM, as described below, and the contents of the main control built-in RAM will be completely erased (cleared). Furthermore, even if the main control MPU is forcibly reset by its built-in reset circuit, the main control MPU's built-in reset circuit does not output a reset signal to the dispensing control board 633, so only the main control board 1310 (main control MPU) restarts, and the dispensing control board 633 remains activated.

The main control MPU also has a built-in hardware random number circuit (hereinafter referred to as the "main control built-in hardware random number circuit") that uses hardware to update the jackpot determination random numbers used to determine whether or not a jackpot game state will occur, among the various random numbers related to the game. This main control built-in hardware random number circuit generates random numbers within a predetermined numerical range (in this embodiment, a numerical range of 0 as the minimum value and 65,535 as the maximum value is pre-set), and is configured so that the pre-set value as the initial value is not fixed (i.e., the initial value is not fixed), and a different value is set each time the main control MPU is reset. Specifically, when the main control MPU is reset, the main control's built-in hardware random number circuit first sets a value within a predetermined numerical range as its initial value and rapidly extracts other values within the predetermined numerical range without overlapping, based on the clock signal input to the main control MPU (a clock signal output from a crystal oscillator (not shown) provided separately from the main control MPU). Once all values within the predetermined numerical range have been extracted, the main control's built-in hardware random number circuit again extracts a value within the predetermined numerical range, and rapidly extracts other values within the predetermined numerical range without overlapping, based on the clock signal input to the main control MPU. The main control's built-in hardware random number circuit repeatedly performs this rapid lottery, and the main control MPU sets the value extracted by the main control's built-in hardware random number circuit at the time it obtains a value from the main control's built-in hardware random number circuit as the random number for determining a jackpot.

The main control input circuit does not have a reset terminal for forcibly resetting the information input to its various input terminals, which are detection signals from various sensors, and does not have a reset function. For this reason, the main control input circuit is configured as a circuit that does not receive a system reset signal from a main control system reset (not shown). In other words, the main control input circuit is configured as a circuit in which information based on detection signals from various sensors input to its various input terminals is not reset by a main control system reset, and various signals based on that information are output from its various output terminals.

The main control MPU of the main control board 1310 detects a game ball B received in the first lower start gate 2003, a first upper start gate sensor 2524 that detects a game ball B received in the first upper start gate 2004, a second start gate sensor 2601 that detects a game ball B received in the second start gate 2005, a general prize gate sensor 3001 that detects a game ball B received in the general prize gate 2001, a gate sensor 2501 that detects a game ball B that has passed through the gate 2002, a first large prize gate sensor 3002 that detects a game ball B received in the first large prize gate 2006, and a second Detection signals from the second large prize opening sensor 2602 that detects game ball B received in the large prize opening 2007, the V prize opening sensor 2603 that detects game ball B received in the V prize opening 2008, the losing opening sensor 2604 that detects game ball B received in the losing opening 2009, the out sensor 664 that detects game ball B ejected from the game board 5, the magnetic sensor 1030 that detects illegal magnetism within the game area 5a, and the vibration sensor 1040 that detects vibrations acting on the game board 5, etc., are input to the input terminal of a specified input port of the main control MPU via the main control input circuit.

In addition, the detection signals from the setting key switch and setting switch button on the setting change board are input to the input terminal of a specified input port of the main control MPU via the main control input circuit.

In addition, the detection signal from the door frame opening switch and the detection signal from the main frame opening switch are input to the main control board 1310 via the dispensing control board 633 (i.e., directly, without passing through the dispensing control input circuit and dispensing control output circuit, described below), and then input to the input terminals of the specified input ports of the main control MPU via the main control input circuit.

The detection signals from the out sensor 664, first lower start gate sensor 2101, first upper start gate sensor 2524, and second start gate sensor 2601 are input directly to the main control board 1310 without going through other boards, and are then input to the input terminals of designated input ports of the main control MPU via the main control input circuit. In contrast, the detection signals from the general prize gate sensor 3001, gate sensor 2501, first large prize gate sensor 3002, second large prize gate sensor 2602, V prize gate sensor 2603, losing gate sensor 2604, magnetic sensor 1030, and vibration sensor 1040 are input indirectly to the main control board 1310 via the panel relay board, and are then input to the input terminals of designated input ports of the main control MPU via the main control input circuit.

Based on these detection signals, the main control MPU outputs a control signal from the output terminal of its designated output port to the main control solenoid drive circuit, causing the main control solenoid drive circuit to output respective drive signals to the starting port solenoid 2632, first attacca solenoid 2642, second attacca solenoid 2652, V-distribution solenoid 2662, and center-distribution drive motor 2525 via the panel relay board, i.e., indirectly; and outputs respective drive signals from the output terminal of its designated output port to the status indicator, normal symbol indicator, normal hold indicator, first special symbol indicator, first special hold number indicator, second special symbol indicator, second special hold number indicator, and round indicator of the function display unit 1400 directly, i.e., without going through other boards. Furthermore, based on these detection signals, the main control MPU outputs a drive signal from the output terminal of its designated output port to the setting change permission lamp on the setting change board.

The main control MPU also outputs various information regarding the game (game information) to the payout control board 633 by outputting various information regarding the game (game information) from the output terminal of its specified output port, outputs a signal (power outage clear signal) to the power outage monitoring circuit by outputting a signal (power outage clear signal) from the output terminal of its specified output port, and outputs a launch permission signal indicating that the launch of game ball B is permitted to be performed to the payout control board 633 by outputting a launch permission signal from the output terminal of its specified output port. The logic of this launch permission signal indicating that the launch is permitted is set to launch permission logic when the launch is permitted, and is set to launch stop logic (launch non-permission logic) which is the inverse of the launch permission logic when the launch is not permitted. The logic of the firing permission signal is configured by hardware including a main control output circuit with a reset function so that the initial value (default) is set to firing stop logic (firing non-permission logic) which is the inverse of the firing permission logic from the time the pachinko machine 1 is powered on (or restored) until the firing permission signal setting process in the main control timer interrupt process described below begins.

In this embodiment, the first lower start gate sensor 2101, first upper start gate sensor 2524, second start gate sensor 2601, gate sensor 2501, first large prize gate sensor 3002, second large prize gate sensor 2602, V prize gate sensor 2603, losing gate sensor 2604, and out sensor 664 use non-contact electromagnetic proximity switches, while the general prize gate sensor 3001 uses a contact ON/OFF mechanical switch. This is because game ball B frequently enters or passes through first lower start gate 2003, first upper start gate 2004, second start gate 2005, and gate 2002, and therefore game ball B is frequently detected by first lower start gate sensor 2101, second start gate sensor 2601, and gate sensor 2501. For this reason, the first lower start port sensor 2101, second start port sensor 2601, first upper start port sensor 2524, and gate sensor 2501 use highly durable, long-life proximity switches.

Furthermore, when a favorable game state (such as a "jackpot" game) occurs that is advantageous to the player, the first large prize opening 2006 opens and game ball B frequently enters, so game ball B is also frequently detected by the first large prize opening sensor 3002. For this reason, a highly durable, long-life proximity switch is used for the first large prize opening sensor 3002. Furthermore, game ball B launched into the game area 5a is collected in large quantities by the outlet 1008 provided in the game area 5a, which is partitioned off on the game board 5, so game ball B is also frequently detected by the out sensor 664. For this reason, a highly durable, long-life proximity switch is also used for the out sensor 664. In contrast, the general prize opening 2001, where game ball B does not frequently enter, is not frequently detected by the general prize opening sensor 3001. For this reason, a mechanical switch, which has a shorter lifespan than a proximity switch, is used for the general prize opening sensor 3001. Furthermore, regardless of whether game balls B frequently enter the general winning slot 2001, a highly durable and long-life proximity switch may be used.

The main control MPU also transmits various information related to games (game information) and various commands related to payouts to the payout control board 633, and receives various commands related to the status of the pachinko machine 1 from the payout control board 633. Furthermore, the main control MPU transmits various commands related to the control of game presentations and various commands related to the status of the pachinko machine 1 to the peripheral control unit 1511 of the peripheral control board 1510 via the main control I/O port. Note that, upon receiving various commands related to the status of the pachinko machine 1 from the payout control board 633, the main control MPU formats these commands and transmits them to the peripheral control unit 1511, as will be explained in detail later.

The main control board 1310 is supplied with various voltages from the power supply board 630 of the board unit 620, as will be explained in detail later. The power supply board 630, which supplies various voltages to the main control board 1310, is equipped with an electric double layer capacitor (hereinafter simply referred to as "capacitor") as a backup power source to supply power to the main control board 1310 for a predetermined period of time even when the power is cut off. This capacitor allows the main control MPU to store various information in RAM during power-off processing even when the power is cut off. This stored information is completely erased (cleared) from RAM when the RAM clear switch on the main control board 1310 is operated when the power is turned on. The operation signal (detection signal) of this RAM clear switch is also output to the dispensing control board 633.

The main control board 1310 is also equipped with a power outage monitoring circuit. This power outage monitoring circuit monitors drops in the various voltages supplied from the power supply board 630, and when these voltages fall below the power outage warning voltage, it outputs a power outage warning signal to warn of a power outage. This power outage warning signal is input to the main control MPU via the main control I/O port, and is also output to the dispensing control board 633, etc.

[6-2. Dispensing control board]
The payout control board 633, which controls the payout of game balls B, etc., is equipped with a payout control unit 633a which performs various controls related to payout, a launch control unit 633b which controls launch using the launch solenoid 542 and ball supply using the ball supply solenoid 145, an error LED indicator which displays the status of the pachinko machine 1, an error release switch which has a push operation unit for releasing the error displayed on the error LED indicator, and a ball removal switch which, during maintenance, discharges game balls B in the ball tank 552, tank rail 553, ball guidance unit 570, and payout device 580 to the outside of the pachinko machine 1 (upper tray 201) and starts the ball removal operation.

[6-2a. Dispensing control unit]
The dispensing control unit 633a, which performs various controls related to dispensing on the dispensing control board 633, is not shown in detail, but is equipped with a dispensing control MPU, which is a microprocessor that has built-in ROM for storing various processing programs and various commands and RAM for temporarily storing data, a dispensing control I/O port as an I/O device, an external WDT (external watchdog timer) for monitoring whether the dispensing control MPU is operating normally, a dispensing motor drive circuit for outputting a drive signal to the dispensing motor 584 of the dispensing device 580, and a dispensing control input circuit to which detection signals from various detection switches related to dispensing are input. In addition to its built-in ROM and RAM, the dispensing control MPU also has built-in functions to prevent fraud.

The payout control MPU of the payout control unit 633a receives various game-related information (game information) and various payout-related commands from the main control board 1310 serially via the payout control I/O port, and also receives the operation signal (detection signal) of the RAM clear switch from the main control board 1310 via the payout control I/O port.It also receives detection signals from the full tank detection sensor 154, and from the ball out detection sensor 574, payout detection sensor 591, and blade rotation detection sensor 590.

Detection signals from the ball out detection sensor 574 of the ball guidance unit 570, the dispensing detection sensor 591 of the dispensing device 580, and the blade rotation detection sensor 590 are input to the dispensing control input circuit and input to the dispensing control MPU via the dispensing control I/O port.

In addition, detection signals from the door frame opening switch, which detects the opening of the door frame 3 relative to the main frame 4, and the main frame opening switch, which detects the opening of the main frame 4 relative to the outer frame 2, are input to the dispensing control input circuit and input to the dispensing control MPU via the dispensing control I/O port.

In addition, the detection signal from the full tank detection sensor 154 of the fall cover unit 150, the detection signal from the blade rotation detection sensor 590 of the dispensing device 580, the detection signal from the dispensing detection sensor 591 of the dispensing device 580, the power outage warning signal from the power outage monitoring circuit of the main control board 1310, and the error release signal from the error release switch are input to a designated input port of the dispensing control MPU via the dispensing control input circuit.

The payout control MPU outputs a drive signal to drive the payout motor 584 via the payout control I/O to the payout motor 584, outputs a signal to display the status of the pachinko machine 1 on the error LED indicator via the payout control I/O port to the error LED indicator, serially transmits commands indicating the status of the pachinko machine 1 to the main control board 1310 via the payout control I/O port, and outputs the number of game balls B actually paid out to the external terminal board 558 via the payout control I/O port. This external terminal board 558 is connected to a hall computer installed on the gaming hall side. This hall computer monitors the player's play by keeping track of the number of game balls B paid out by the pachinko machine 1 and game information for the pachinko machine 1.

The error LED display (not shown) is a segment display that displays alphanumeric characters, figures, etc. to indicate the status of the pachinko machine 1. The error LED display may display and notify the following: For example, when the figure "-" is displayed, it indicates that it is "normal", when the number "0" is displayed, it indicates that it is a "connection abnormality" (specifically, that an abnormality has occurred in the electrical connection between the main control board 1310 and the payout control board 633), when the number "1" is displayed, it indicates that it is a "ball out" (specifically, that there is no game ball B in the payout device 580 based on the detection signal from the ball out detection sensor 574), when the number "2" is displayed, it indicates that it is a "ball stuck" (specifically, that there is a game ball B stuck between the payout passage 580a of the payout device 580 and the payout blade 589 based on the detection signal from the blade rotation detection sensor 590, making it difficult for the payout blade 589 to rotate), and when the number "3" is displayed, it indicates that there is a "counting switch error" (specifically, that there is a game ball B stuck between the payout passage 580a of the payout device 580 and the payout blade 589 based on the detection signal from the blade rotation detection sensor 590). When the number "5" is displayed, it indicates a "retry error" (specifically, that the number of retries for the payout operation has reached a preset upper limit); when the number "6" is displayed, it indicates a "full" state (specifically, that the tank is full with game balls B stored in the fault cover unit 150 based on a detection signal from the full tank detection sensor 154); when the number "7" is displayed, it indicates a "CR not connected" state (that an electrical connection has been cut somewhere between the payout control board 633 and the CR unit); and when the number "9" is displayed, it indicates a "stocking" state (specifically, that the number of game balls B that have not yet been paid out has reached a preset number).

The ball loan request signal for game balls B from the ball loan button 224 and the prepaid card return request signal from the return button 225 are input to the CR unit. The CR unit serially transmits a signal specifying the number of game balls B to be loaned in accordance with the ball loan request signal to the payout control board 633, and this signal is received by the payout control I/O port and input to the payout control MPU. The CR unit also updates the remaining balance on the inserted prepaid card according to the number of game balls B loaned, and outputs a signal displaying the remaining balance to the ball loan operation unit 220. This signal is input to and displayed on the ball loan display unit 226 of the ball loan operation unit 220.

[6-2b. Launch control section]
The launch control unit 633b controls launch by the launch solenoid 542 and ball delivery by the ball delivery solenoid 145. Although not shown in detail, the launch control unit 633b includes a launch control input circuit to which detection signals from various launch-related detection switches are input, an oscillation circuit that outputs a clock signal at regular intervals, a launch timing control circuit that outputs a launch reference pulse for launching game balls B toward the play area 5a based on this clock signal, a launch solenoid drive circuit that outputs a drive signal to the launch solenoid 542 based on this launch reference pulse, and a ball delivery solenoid drive circuit that outputs a drive signal to the ball delivery solenoid 145 based on the launch reference pulse. The launch timing control circuit generates a launch reference pulse based on the clock signal from the oscillation circuit so that 100 game balls B are launched toward the play area 5a per minute and outputs it to the launch solenoid drive circuit, and also generates a ball delivery reference pulse that is a predetermined number of times the launch reference pulse and outputs it to the ball delivery solenoid drive circuit.

With regard to the handle unit 180, the detection signals from the handle touch sensor 192, which detects whether the palm or fingers are touching the handle 195, and the single button operation sensor 194, which detects whether the player intends to forcibly stop the launch of game ball B, are input to the launch control input circuit and then to the launch timing control circuit. Furthermore, when the CR unit and the CR unit connection terminal board are electrically connected, the detection signals are input to the launch control input circuit as a CR connection signal and then to the launch timing control circuit. A launch permission signal from the main control board 1310, which indicates permission to launch game ball B, is input to the launch control input circuit and then to the launch timing control circuit. A signal from the handle rotation detection sensor 189, which electrically adjusts the strength with which game ball B is launched toward the play area 5a depending on the rotation position of the handle 195, is input to the launch solenoid drive circuit.

The launch timing control circuit will not output a launch reference pulse to launch game ball B toward the play area 5a unless launch condition 1 is met, that is, the palm or fingers are touching the handle 195 based on the detection signal from the handle touch sensor 192; launch condition 2 is met, that the CR unit and the CR unit connection terminal board are electrically connected based on the CR connection signal; and launch condition 3 is met, that the launch of game ball B is permitted based on a launch permission signal from the main control board 1310.As a result, for example, the launch solenoid drive circuit will not output a drive signal to the launch solenoid 542 and game ball B will not be able to be launched.

Based on a signal from the handle rotation detection sensor 189, this launch solenoid drive circuit outputs a drive current to the launch solenoid 542 when a launch reference pulse is input, to launch the game ball B toward the game area 5a with a launch strength that corresponds to the rotational position of the handle 195. Meanwhile, when a ball delivery reference pulse is input, the ball feed solenoid drive circuit outputs a constant current to the ball feed solenoid 145, thereby receiving one game ball B stored in the upper tray 201 of the tray unit 200 into the ball feed unit 140. When the input of the ball delivery reference pulse ends, the constant current output is stopped, thereby sending the received game ball B to the ball launcher 540. In this way, the drive current output from the launch solenoid drive circuit to the launch solenoid 542 is variably controlled, while the drive current output from the ball feed solenoid drive circuit to the ball feed solenoid 145 is controlled to a constant value.

In this embodiment, the launch control unit 633b, which controls launch using the launch solenoid 542 and ball delivery using the ball delivery solenoid 145, is provided on the payout control board 633, but it may also be configured to be provided on the power supply board 630. In this case, the launch permission signal from the main control board 1310 may be configured to be input directly to the power supply board 630, or may be input to the power supply board 630 via the payout control board 633, or may be input to the power supply board 630 via a relay board (not shown).

[6-3. Peripheral control board]
As shown in FIG. 203, the peripheral control board 1510 is equipped with a peripheral control unit 1511 that controls the performance based on commands from the main control board 1310, and a performance display control unit 1512 that controls the drawing of the performance display device 1600 based on control data from this peripheral control unit 1511.

[6-3a. Peripheral control unit]
The peripheral control unit 1511 that controls the performance on the peripheral control board 1510 is not shown in detail, but is equipped with a peripheral control IC in which a CPU, RAM, VDP, VRAM, sound source, SATA controller, and various I/O interfaces are integrated on a single semiconductor chip, a peripheral control ROM that stores various processing programs and various commands, a sound source IC that produces high-quality sound, and a sound ROM that stores sound information such as music, voice, and sound effects referenced by this sound source IC.

The peripheral control IC has multiple parallel I/O ports, serial I/O ports, etc. integrated on a single semiconductor chip. When various commands are received from the main control board 1310, the CPU of the peripheral control IC, based on these commands, sends game board side light emission data from the serial I/O port for the lamp drive board to each decorative board of the game board 5 to output lighting signals, flashing signals, or gradation lighting signals to the color LEDs, etc., provided on each decorative board of the game board 5, and sends game board side drive data from the serial I/O port for the game board decorative drive board to the drive motor or drive solenoid of the game board 5 to output drive signals to the drive motor that operates the various performance units provided on the game board 5. The serial I/O port for the frame decoration drive board transmits door-side drive light-emitting data to the door frame 3 side, which is composed of door-side drive data for outputting drive signals to the vibration motor 356, operation button lift drive motor 367, and protrusion force adjustment drive motor 381, etc., which are provided on the door frame 3, and door-side light-emitting data for outputting lighting signals, flashing signals, or gradation lighting signals to the color LEDs, etc., provided on each decorative board of the door frame 3. The serial I/O port for the display control unit transmits control data (display commands) indicating the screen to be displayed on the performance display device 1600 to the performance display control unit 1512, and also outputs control signals (sound commands) to the sound source IC for extracting sound information from the sound ROM.

Detection signals from the contact detection sensor main body 358, pressure detection sensor 373, lift detection sensor 374, and protrusion force detection sensor 375 of the performance operation unit 300 installed on the door frame 3 are input to the peripheral control IC.

The CPU of the peripheral control IC also receives a signal (operation signal) from the performance display control unit 1512 indicating that the performance display control unit 1512 is operating normally, and monitors the operation of the performance display control unit 1512 based on this operation signal.

The sound source IC extracts sound information from the sound ROM based on control data (sound commands) from the CPU of the peripheral control IC, and controls the playback of music, sound effects, and other sounds associated with various performances from the top center speaker, top side speakers, and main frame speaker 622 on the main frame 4, located on the door frame 3 and main frame 4, respectively. The volume can be adjusted by rotating a volume control switch that protrudes rearward from the peripheral control board box housing the peripheral control board 1510. In this embodiment, sound signals (e.g., 2-channel stereo signals, 4-channel stereo signals, 2.1-channel surround signals, or 4.1-channel surround signals) are sent as sound information to the top center speaker and top side speakers on the door frame 3 and the main frame speaker 622 for bass sounds on the main frame 4, thereby providing more realistic sound effects (sound performances) than ever before.

In addition to the built-in WDT (watchdog timer) built into the CPU of the peripheral control IC, the peripheral control unit 1511 also has an external WDT (watchdog timer) (not shown), and the CPU of the peripheral control IC uses both the built-in WDT and the external WDT to diagnose whether its own system is running out of control.

Display commands output from the CPU of this peripheral control IC to the effect display control unit 1512 are sent via a serial input/output port, and in this embodiment, the bit rate (the amount of data that can be transmitted per unit time) is set to 19.2 kilobits per second (kbps). On the other hand, the initial data, door frame side light flashing commands, game board side light flashing commands, movable body drive commands, etc. output from the CPU of the peripheral control IC to the game board 5 are sent via multiple serial input/output ports different from the display commands, and in this embodiment, the bit rate is set to 250 kbps.

[6-3b. Production display control section]
The performance display control unit 1512 controls the drawing of the performance display device 1600. Although not shown in detail, the performance display control unit 1512 includes a display control MPU as a microprocessor, a display control ROM that stores various processing programs, various commands, and various data, a VDP (short for Video Display Processor) that controls the display of the performance display device 1600, an image ROM that stores various data for the screen displayed on the performance display device 1600, and an image RAM to which the various data stored in this image ROM is transferred and copied.

This display control MPU has built-in parallel I/O ports, serial I/O ports, etc., and controls the VDP based on control data (display commands) from the peripheral control unit 1511 to control the drawing of the performance display device 1600. When the display control MPU is operating normally, it outputs an operation signal to the peripheral control unit 1511 to inform the same. The display control MPU also receives an execution signal from the VDP, and performs interrupt processing when the output of this execution signal is stopped every 16 ms.

In addition to various programs for generating screens to be drawn on the performance display device 1600, the display control ROM also stores multiple items such as control data (display commands) from the peripheral control unit 1511 and corresponding schedule data, as well as non-resident area transfer schedule data corresponding to that control data (display commands). The schedule data consists of screen data that defines the screen configuration arranged in chronological order, and defines the order in which screens are drawn on the performance display device 1600. The non-resident area transfer schedule data consists of non-resident area transfer data arranged in chronological order that defines the order in which various data stored in the image ROM is transferred to the non-resident area of the image RAM. This non-resident area transfer data defines the order in which various data is transferred from the image ROM to the non-resident area of the image RAM in advance, so that the screen data to be drawn on the performance display device 1600 according to the progress of the schedule data is drawn.

The display control MPU extracts from the display control ROM the first screen data of the schedule data corresponding to the control data (display command) from the peripheral control unit 1511 and outputs it to the VDP, and then extracts from the display control ROM the screen data following the first screen data and outputs it to the VDP. In this way, the display control MPU extracts the screen data arranged in chronological order in the schedule data one by one from the display control ROM, starting with the first screen data, and outputs it to the VDP.

When the VDP receives screen data output from the display control MPU, it extracts sprite data from the image RAM based on the input screen data, generates drawing data to be displayed on the performance display device 1600, and outputs this generated drawing data to the performance display device 1600. Furthermore, when the performance display device 1600 does not accept the screen data from the display control MPU, the VDP outputs an execution signal to the display control MPU to inform this fact. The VDP uses a line buffer system. This "line buffer system" is a system in which one line's worth of drawing data for drawing the left and right directions of the performance display device 1600 is stored in a line buffer, and the one line's worth of drawing data stored in this line buffer is output to the performance display device 1600.

Image ROM stores a large amount of sprite data, resulting in a large capacity. When the capacity of the image ROM increases, that is, when the number of sprites to be drawn on the performance display device 1600 increases, the access speed of the image ROM becomes significant and affects the speed at which data is drawn on the performance display device 1600. Therefore, in this embodiment, the sprite data stored in the image ROM is transferred and copied to the image RAM, which has a fast access speed, and the sprite data is then extracted from this image RAM. Note that sprite data is the original data, which is the data before the sprite is expanded into bitmap format, and is stored in the image ROM in a compressed state.

To explain what a "sprite" is, a "sprite" is an image displayed as a unit on the performance display device 1600. For example, when displaying various people (characters) on the performance display device 1600, the data used to draw each person is called a "sprite." As a result, when displaying multiple people on the performance display device 1600, multiple sprites are used. In addition to people, the houses, mountains, roads, etc. that make up the background are also sprites, and the entire background can be treated as a single sprite. These sprites are drawn on the performance display device 1600 after their placement on the screen and their hierarchical relationship when sprites overlap (hereinafter referred to as the "sprite overlapping order") are set.

A sprite is made up of multiple rectangular areas, each 64 pixels wide and 64 pixels long, glued together. The data used to draw these rectangular areas is called a "sprite character." Small sprites can be represented using a single sprite character, while relatively large sprites such as people can be represented using a total of six sprite characters, arranged, for example, 2 wide and 3 high. Even larger sprites, such as backgrounds, can be represented using even more sprite characters. In this way, the number and arrangement of sprite characters can be specified freely for each sprite.

The performance display device 1600 is driven by a main scan that sets the display state of each pixel sequentially from left to right when viewed from the front, and a sub-scan that repeats the main scan in a direction that intersects with the one direction. When one line of drawing data output from the performance display control unit 1512 is input to the performance display device 1600, it outputs the data to each of the pixels in one line sequentially from left to right when viewed from the front of the performance display device 1600 as a main scan. Once the output of one line is complete, the performance display device 1600 moves on to the line directly below as a sub-scan, and when the drawing data for the next line is input in the same way, it outputs the data to each of the pixels in one line sequentially from left to right when viewed from the front of the performance display device 1600 as a main scan based on the drawing data for the next line.

[6-3c. Vibration alarm processing]
The vibration alert processing by the peripheral control board 1510 will be described mainly with reference to Fig. 204. Fig. 204 is a flowchart of the vibration alert processing on the gaming board. The "vibration alert processing" is a process in which, when a gaming ball B enters the center distribution unit 2520 through the upper warp passage 2513 of the center role device 2500 as a role device and satisfies a predetermined condition, an alarm is issued to notify that a fraudulent act is being performed if an illegal vibration is detected by the vibration sensor 1040.

To elaborate, in the "vibration alarm processing", first, the "game ball in-apparatus flag" in step S101 is another abbreviated flowchart, and judges the consistency between the detection of game ball B by the ball entry sensor 2527 on the IN side of the center distribution unit 2520 as an accessory, and the detection of game ball B by the first upper starting port sensor 2524 and ball discharge sensor 2528 on the OUT side, and sets a flag. Specifically,
Number of IN side > Number of OUT side...Flag ON
Number of IN side = Number of OUT side...Flag OFF
If the number on the IN side is smaller than the number on the OUT side, a flag is set to notify of the mismatch.

If the reel flag is not ON (flag OFF) in step S101, step S101 is repeated. If the reel flag is ON in step S101, the ON/OFF state of the "rear upper decorative body in operation flag" is determined in the next step S102. The operation flag is turned ON when the rear upper decorative body 3650 operates (falls). If the operation flag is ON in step S102, the process returns to step S101. If the operation flag is OFF in step S102, the process proceeds to the next step S103.

In step S103, the ON/OFF status of the "press operation performance in progress flag" is determined. The performance in progress flag is turned ON when a performance is initiated by pressing the press operation unit 303 in the performance operation unit 300 of the door frame 3. In step S103, if the performance in progress flag is ON, the process returns to step S101; if the performance in progress flag is OFF, the process proceeds to the next step S104.

In step S104, it is determined whether the "vibration alert flag" is ON or OFF. The "vibration alert flag" is turned ON when a vibration alert is issued. In step S104, if the "vibration alert flag" is ON, the process returns to step S101; if the "vibration alert flag" is OFF, the process proceeds to the next step, S105.

In step S105, it is determined whether or not there is a "vibration detection command from the main control board." When the main control board 1310 detects vibration using the vibration sensor 1040, it transmits a vibration detection command to the peripheral control board 1510. In step S105, if there is no vibration detection command, the process returns to step S101; if there is a vibration detection command, the process proceeds to the next step, S106.

In step S106, the "alarm processing" is executed for a predetermined period of time, and then the normal state is restored. The "alarm processing" in step S106 is executed on the peripheral control board 1510. Specifically, for example, the words "vibration detected" are displayed in the center of the display screen of the performance display device 1600 for a predetermined period of time (e.g., 5 minutes). In addition, an alarm sound effect (siren) and the voice "vibration detected" are repeatedly output for a predetermined period of time (e.g., 90 seconds) from the top center speaker and top side speaker provided on the door frame top unit 450, the main frame speaker 622 provided on the main frame 4, etc. At this time, the volume is set to maximum. Furthermore, in the door frame 3, the effect operation section 301 of the effect operation unit 300 is illuminated in red, and the door frame left side decorative body 426 of the door frame left side unit 420, the door frame right side decorative body 435 of the door frame right side unit 430, and the door frame top decorative body 453 of the door frame top unit 450 are illuminated in flashing red and white. They then return to their normal state after a predetermined period of time (for example, five minutes) has passed, or when reset by an attendant at the amusement hall.

In this way, if the pachinko machine 1 is struck or shaken to vibrate it so that the central distribution unit 2520 in the central device 2500 distributes the game ball B to the first upper starting hole 2004, an alarm will be sounded by the vibration alarm processing, which will discourage players from committing fraudulent acts and provide a pachinko machine 1 that is highly effective in deterring fraudulent acts.

At this time, the activation flag of the rear upper decorative body 3650 is checked in step S102, and the performance flag using the pressing operation unit 303 is checked in step S103. This makes it possible to avoid false detection of vibrations caused by the falling of the rear upper decorative body 3650 or vibrations caused by pressing the pressing operation unit 303, resulting in the issuance of a warning. This prevents false alarms from causing discomfort to the player and reducing their interest in the game.

Furthermore, as described above, in the central distribution unit 2520, the passage opening 2532 of the crane 2530 is non-circular, and the rolling surface 2531 is provided with a peripheral surface 2531b at a different angle, making it difficult for the game ball B to come into contact with the peripheral wall 2533. Even if the pachinko machine 1 is struck or shaken to cause abnormal vibrations, the abnormal vibrations will prevent the game ball B from changing its rolling direction and causing it to illegally enter the passage opening 2532. This, combined with the vibration alarm processing, provides double protection against fraudulent activity, ensuring that fraudulent activity can be reliably prevented, making it possible to provide a pachinko machine 1 that is more effective at deterring fraudulent activity.

[7. Game Contents]
The game content of the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 141 and other figures. In the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, a player rotates the handle 195 of the handle unit 180 located in the lower right corner of the front of the door frame 3, causing a game ball B stored in the upper tray 201 of the tray unit 200 to pass between the outer rail 1001 and the inner rail 1002 of the game board 5 and be shot into the upper part of the play area 5a, thereby starting a game with the game ball B. The game ball B shot into the upper part of the play area 5a flows down either the left or right side of the center device 2500 depending on the force of the shot. The force of the shot of the game ball B can be adjusted by the amount of rotation of the handle 195. The more the handle is rotated clockwise, the stronger the shot. Up to 100 game balls B can be shot continuously per minute, that is, at 0.6-second intervals.

In addition, within the game area 5a, multiple obstacle pins are planted in a predetermined gauge arrangement at appropriate positions on the front of the game panel 1100. When the game ball B comes into contact with the obstacle pins, the speed at which the game ball B flows down is suppressed and various movements are imparted to the game ball B, allowing players to enjoy watching its movements. In addition to the obstacle pins, within the game area 5a, a windmill that rotates when the game ball B comes into contact with it is located above the upper left side unit 2300 and to the left of the center device 2500.

When game ball B is shot into the top of center device 2500 and enters the left side of the highest part of the outer periphery of center device 2500 when viewed from the front, it will flow on the left side of center device 2500, that is, between inner rail 1002 and center device 2500, while abutting against multiple obstacle nails. On the left side of center device 2500, the entrances to upper warp passage 2513 and lower warp passage 2512 are always open so that game ball B can be received.

Game ball B that enters the upper warp passage 2513 is supplied to the crane 2530 of the center distribution unit 2520, which is provided within the frame of the center device 2500. The game ball B supplied to the crane 2530 rotates within the dish-shaped crane 2530 and is then released into the first guideway 2521 below. It rolls to the right along the slope of the first guideway 2521 and is distributed to either the first upper starting port 2004 or the distributed ball outlet 2526 with a predetermined probability (for example, 1/2) by the center distribution piece 2523, which moves back and forth at a predetermined rhythm. The game ball B distributed to the first upper starting port 2004 is received by the first upper starting port 2004.

On the other hand, game ball B that enters the lower warp passage 2512 is supplied to stage 2514 located within the frame of the center device 2500, rolls left and right on stage 2514, and is released from either the central release section 2514a or the side release section 2514b so as to return to the game area 5a. Since the central release section 2514a of stage 2514 is located directly above the first lower starting opening 2003 in the left-right center of the game area 5a, game ball B released from the central release section 2514a has a high probability of being accepted by the first lower starting opening 2003. Game ball B released from the side release sections 2514b on either side of the central release section 2514a has a certain probability of being accepted by the first lower starting opening 2003.

When game balls B are received in the first lower starting opening 2003 or the first upper starting opening 2004, a predetermined number (e.g., three) of game balls B are dispensed from the payout device 580 to the upper tray 201 via the main control board 1310 and the payout control board 633. At the same time, the main control board 1310 draws a first special symbol (e.g., "miss," "small hit," "2R jackpot," "5R jackpot," "15R jackpot," "probability-changing hit," "time-saving hit," "probability-saving time-saving hit," "probability-changing hit without time-saving time-saving hit," "second jackpot," etc.). If the result of the drawn first special symbol is anything other than "miss," a favorable gaming state is created that gives the player an advantage. The result of the drawn first special symbol is then suggested to the player over a predetermined period of time (e.g., 0.1 to 360 seconds, also known as the special variable time).

In this embodiment, if a game ball B is received into the first lower starting port 2003 or the first upper starting port 2004 during the period from the start of the special lottery due to the reception of a game ball B into the first lower starting port 2003 or the first upper starting port 2004 until the lottery result for the drawn first special symbol is suggested (special fluctuation time), suggesting the lottery result for the first special symbol cannot begin. Therefore, the start of suggesting the lottery result for the first special symbol is suspended until the suggestion of the lottery result for the previously drawn first special symbol is completed. The number of reserved lottery results for the first special symbol is limited to four for each of the first lower starting port 2003 and the first upper starting port 2004. For any number more than this, the lottery result for the first special symbol is discarded rather than reserved, even if a game ball B is received into the first lower starting port 2003 or the first upper starting port 2004. This prevents the burden on the gaming hall from increasing due to the accumulation of reserved results.

If a game ball B that flows down to the left side of the center device 2500 does not enter the upper warp passage 2513 or the lower warp passage 2512, it may be pushed toward the center in the left-right direction by the shelf 2301 or obstacle nails of the upper left side unit 2300, and may be accepted into the general winning opening 2001 or sub-out opening 2021 (left sub-out opening 2021a) of the side unit 2200, or the first lower starting opening 2003 of the starting opening unit 2100. When a game ball B is accepted into the general winning opening 2001, a predetermined number (e.g., 10) of game balls B are paid out from the payout device 580 to the upper tray 201 via the main control board 1310 and the payout control board 633.

On the other hand, if game ball B is hit into the top of the center device 2500 within the game area 5a and enters to the right of the highest part of the peripheral wall portion 2511a of the center device 2500, it will pass through either the first upper right guide passage 2541a or the second upper right guide passage 2541b of the upper right guide passage group 2541 of the center device 2500. After circulating through the upper right guide passage group 2541, game ball B will pass through either the first lower right guide passage 2542a or the second lower right guide passage 2542b of the lower right guide passage group 2542, which are spaced apart downward, and be released above the attacca unit 2600.

A number of obstacle nails are planted between the upper right guide passage group 2541 and the lower right guide passage group 2542. The lower right first guide passage 2542a of the lower right guide passage group 2542 has a large entrance, and a gate 2002 is provided in part of this entrance. Therefore, after circulating through the upper right guide passage group 2541, a game ball B will come into contact with a number of obstacle nails and then pass through gate 2002 with a certain probability. After passing through gate 2002, a game ball B will circulate through the lower right first guide passage 2542a.

When game ball B passes through this gate 2002 and is detected by gate sensor 2501, a regular lottery is conducted on main control board 1310, and if the result of the regular symbol drawn is a "regular win," second start opening 2005, which is closed by second start opening door body 2631, opens for a predetermined time (for example, 0.3 to 10 seconds), allowing game ball B to be received into second start opening 2005.

In this embodiment, in the normal lottery that is conducted when game ball B passes through gate 2002, a certain amount of time is set from the start of the normal lottery until the lottery result for the normal symbol is indicated (for example, 0.01 to 60 seconds, also referred to as the normal variation time). This indication of the lottery result for the normal symbol is displayed on the function display unit 1400 of the gaming board 5. The second starting gate 2005 opens after the normal variation time has elapsed.

If game ball B passes through gate 2002 between the time when game ball B passes through gate 2002 and the time when the lottery result for the normal symbol is suggested, it is not possible to start suggesting the lottery result for the normal symbol, so the start of suggesting the lottery result for the normal symbol is postponed until the previous suggestion of the lottery result for the normal symbol has finished. Also, the number of reserved lottery results for the normal symbol is limited to four, and any more than this are discarded rather than reserved, even if game ball B passes through gate 2002. This prevents the burden on the gaming hall from increasing due to the accumulation of reserved results.

Game balls B that flow through the lower right guide passage group 2542 flow down to either the Attacca upper shelf 2612, the central opening 2605, or the right opening 2606 in the Attacca unit 2600. Game balls B that flow down to the Attacca upper shelf 2612 are guided to the left and are released through the Attacca right guide passage 2625 to the left of the second large winning opening 2007. Therefore, game balls B that flow down onto the Attacca upper shelf 2612 will not be accepted by the second starting opening 2005 or the second large winning opening 2007.

A second large prize opening 2007 is provided downstream (below) of the central opening 2605 of the attacca unit 2600, and a guide piece 2636 of the second starting opening opening/closing unit 2630 is provided between the second large prize opening 2007 and the central opening 2605, allowing it to move back and forth. In other words, the second starting opening 2005 and the second large prize opening 2007 are provided downstream of the central opening 2605. Meanwhile, the right opening 2606 merges with the central opening 2605 at a location below the second starting opening 2005, and only the second large prize opening 2007 is provided downstream. Therefore, a game ball B that flows down into the central opening 2605 may be received by either the second starting opening 2005 or the second large prize opening 2007, and a game ball B that flows down into the right opening 2606 may be received by the second large prize opening 2007.

Furthermore, of the lower right first guide passage 2542a and the lower right second guide passage 2542b of the lower right guide passage group 2542, the central opening 2605 of the attacca unit 2600 is located below the lower right first guide passage 2542a, so there is a higher chance that the air will be accepted by the central opening 2605, i.e., the second starting opening 2005, if it is circulated through the lower right first guide passage 2542a rather than the lower right second guide passage 2542b.

When a game ball B is received in the second starting port 2005 of the attacker unit 2600, a predetermined number (e.g., one) of game balls B are paid out from the payout device 580 to the upper tray 201 via the main control board 1310 and the payout control board 633, and the main control board 1310 draws a lottery for a second special symbol (e.g., "miss," "small hit," "2R jackpot," "5R jackpot," "15R jackpot," "probability change (changed probability) hit," "time-saving (time-shortened) hit," "probability change time-shortened hit," "probability change no time-shortened hit," "second jackpot," etc.). If the result of the lottery for the drawn second special symbol is anything other than "miss," a favorable gaming state in which the player is at an advantage is created. The result of the lottery for the drawn second special symbol is then suggested to the player over a predetermined period of time (for example, 0.1 to 360 seconds, also referred to as the special fluctuation time) that is longer than the special fluctuation time for the result of the lottery for the first special symbol.

In this embodiment, if a game ball B is received into the second starting port 2005 during the period from the start of the special lottery due to the receipt of a game ball B into the second starting port 2005 until the lottery result for the drawn second special symbol is suggested (special fluctuation time), suggesting the lottery result for the second special symbol cannot begin. Therefore, the start of suggesting the lottery result for the second special symbol is suspended until the suggestion of the lottery result for the previously drawn second special symbol is completed. The number of reserved lottery results for the second special symbol is limited to four for each second starting port 2005; for any more than this, the lottery result for the second special symbol is not reserved but discarded, even if a game ball B is received into the second starting port 2005. This prevents the burden on the gaming hall from increasing due to the accumulation of reserved results.

The special fluctuation time for the lottery result of the second special symbol drawn by receiving a game ball B into the second starting opening 2005 is set longer than the special fluctuation time for the lottery result of the first special symbol drawn by receiving a game ball B into the first lower starting opening 2003 or the first upper starting opening 2004. As a result, since it takes longer for the lottery result of the second special symbol to consume the reserved number, even if the number of game balls B received per unit time is the same for the first lower starting opening 2003, the first upper starting opening 2004, and the second starting opening 2005, the number of lottery results for the second special symbol executed by the second starting opening 2005 is fewer. Therefore, under normal conditions, even if a game ball B is shot to the right of the center device 2500, only the second starting opening 2005 is likely to be accepted, and the lottery result for the second special symbol is executed less frequently. This encourages the player to actively perform shooting operations that cause game balls B to circulate to the left of the center device 2500.

As described above, when game ball B is received in first lower starting opening 2003, first upper starting opening 2004, or second starting opening 2005, depending on the lottery result for the first special pattern or the lottery result for the second special pattern, first large winning opening 2006 or second large winning opening 2007 opens or closes in a predetermined opening/closing pattern, making it possible to receive game ball B.

Game ball B that flows down the central opening 2605 or right opening 2606 of the Attacca unit 2600 and is not accepted by the second starting opening 2005 flows down onto the second large winning opening door body 2651 that closes the second large winning opening 2007, and is guided to the left by the second large winning opening door body 2651 and released into an area downstream of the Attacca right guide passage 2625.

Then, when a game ball B flows down at a timing when the second large prize opening 2007 is ready to receive it based on the results of the lottery for the first special symbol or the second special symbol, the game ball B is received by the second large prize opening 2007. When the game ball B is received by the second large prize opening 2007, the main control board 1310 and the payout control board 633 cause a predetermined number (for example, 10 or 13) of game balls B to be paid out from the payout device 580 onto the upper tray 201.

Furthermore, game ball B received by second large winning opening 2007 is allocated to either V winning opening 2008 or losing opening 2009 by V allocation unit 2660 installed downstream. When game ball B is allocated to V winning opening 2008, a "jackpot" game is executed in which first large winning opening 2006 opens and closes in a predetermined opening and closing pattern.

Game balls B that flow down into the attacca unit 2600 and pass through the attacca right guide passage 2625, as well as game balls B that are not accepted by either the second starting opening 2005 or the second large prize opening 2007, will most likely flow down onto the first large prize opening door 2641 that closes the first large prize opening 2006. Along the way, the general prize opening 2001 of the attacca unit 2600 is provided, and there is a possibility that the game balls will be accepted into this general prize opening 2001. In addition, a sub-out opening 2021 (right sub-out opening 2021b) is provided to the right of the first large prize opening 2006, which accepts game balls B that are not accepted by the general prize opening 2001 and do not flow down onto the first large prize opening 2006 (first large prize opening door 2641). Furthermore, the game ball B that flows down onto the first large prize opening door body 2641 is released from the left end side of the first large prize opening door body 2641 and is received into the outlet 2020 (right outlet 2020b).

When a game ball B flows down at a timing when the first large prize opening 2006 is ready to receive it based on the results of the lottery for the first special symbol or the second special symbol, the game ball B is received by the first large prize opening 2006. When the game ball B is received by the second large prize opening 2007, the main control board 1310 and the payout control board 633 cause a predetermined number (for example, 10 or 13) of game balls B to be paid out from the payout device 580 onto the upper tray 201.

If the result of the lottery for the first special symbol or the result of the lottery for the second special symbol is a "jackpot," or if a game ball B is received into the V prize opening 2008, and either a predetermined time (e.g., 20 to 40 seconds) has elapsed since the first large prize opening 2006 became open so that it can receive a game ball B, or a predetermined number of game balls B (e.g., 10) have been received into the first large prize opening 2006, and one of these conditions is met, the opening and closing pattern (one opening and closing pattern is referred to as one round) that causes the game ball B to become closed and not to be able to be received is repeated a predetermined number of times (predetermined number of rounds). For example, if there is a "2R jackpot," this is repeated two rounds, if there is a "5R jackpot," it is repeated five rounds, and if there is a "15R jackpot," it is repeated fifteen rounds, thereby creating an advantageous game state for the player.

Furthermore, after the jackpot game ends, there are "wins" that change the probability of drawing the first or second special symbol, such as a "jackpot" ("probable win"), or change the display time of the effect image suggesting the result of the drawing of the first or second special symbol ("time-saving win").

If the result of the lottery for the first special symbol or the result of the lottery for the second special symbol (for example, the result of the lottery for the second special symbol) is a "second jackpot," the first large prize winning slot 2006 or the second large prize winning slot 2007 becomes able to accept game ball B in a predetermined pattern, and then ST (Special Time) is generated as an advantageous game state. This ST maintains the state of probability change or time reduction for a predetermined number of fluctuations.

In this way, when the first major winning opening 2006 or the second major winning opening 2007 is able to accept game balls B, the first major winning opening 2006 or the second major winning opening 2007 can accept game balls B, thereby allowing a large number of game balls B to be paid out, which can entertain the player and prevent a decline in interest in the game.

In this embodiment, the results of the lottery for the first special symbol and the lottery for the second special symbol are suggested by the function display unit 1400 and the effect display device 1600. The function display unit 1400 is directly controlled by the main control board 1310 to suggest the results of the lottery for the special symbols (the results of the lottery for the first special symbol and the results of the lottery for the second special symbol). The function display unit 1400 suggests the results of the lottery for the special symbols by repeatedly turning on and off multiple LEDs for a predetermined period of time, and then suggests the results of the lottery for the special symbols based on the combination of the lit LEDs.

Meanwhile, the effect display device 1600 is indirectly controlled by the peripheral control board 1510 based on control signals from the main control board 1310, and the result of the special symbol lottery is suggested as an effect image. The effect image suggesting the result of the special symbol lottery on the effect display device 1600 displays three picture rows consisting of multiple symbols lined up horizontally, and then varies each picture row, causing the variable displayed picture rows to be displayed in a stopped state in sequence, and each of the three stopped picture rows is displayed in a stopped state so that the images in the three stopped picture rows form a combination that corresponds to the result of the special symbol lottery. If the result of the special symbol lottery is other than a "lose," after the three picture rows have stopped and each symbol has been displayed in a stopped state, a confirmation image suggesting the result of the special symbol lottery is displayed on the effect display device 1600, and a favorable game state (e.g., a "small win" game, a "big win" game, etc.) corresponding to the result of the special symbol lottery is achieved.

The time indicating the result of the special symbol lottery on the function display unit 1400 (LED blinking time (special variation time)) is different from the time indicating the result of the special symbol lottery on the performance display device 1600 (the time from when the pattern row changes until the final image is displayed), with the time on the function display unit 1400 being set to be longer.

In addition to displaying effect images suggesting the results of the special symbol lottery using the effect display device 1600, the peripheral control board 1510 can also perform player participation effects in which the touch operation unit 302 and press operation unit 303 of the effect operation unit 301 in the effect operation unit 300 on the door frame 3 are operated according to the results of the special symbol lottery. In player participation effects, the press operation unit 303 can be raised and made more prominent by the operation button lift drive motor 367, allowing the player to enjoy the player participation effects by operating the effect operation unit 301.

In addition, the peripheral control board 1510 can appropriately use the various decorative boards provided on the door frame 3, the various decorative boards provided on the game board 5, the performance display device 1600, the starting gate display unit 2110, the back front upper performance unit 3200, the back front left performance unit 3300, the back right performance unit 3400, the back rear left performance unit 3500, the back rear performance unit 3600, etc. to produce lighting effects, display effects, etc., allowing players to be entertained by various effects and preventing a decline in the player's interest in the game.

Furthermore, in a player-participation presentation in which the player operates the touch operation unit 302 or the pressing operation unit 303, if the player makes a mistake or fails to perform the operation that they should perform, the peripheral control board 1510 notifies the player so that they can perform the correct operation.

[8. Second embodiment of door frame]
Next, a second embodiment of the door frame 3 in the pachinko machine 1 will be described in detail, mainly with reference to Figures 205 to 213. Figure 205 is a front view of the door frame of the second embodiment, Figure 206 is a rear view of the door frame of the second embodiment, Figure 207 is a perspective view of the door frame of the second embodiment seen from the right front, Figure 208 is a perspective view of the door frame of the second embodiment seen from the left front, and Figure 209 is a perspective view of the door frame of the second embodiment seen from the rear. Figure 210(a) is an exploded perspective view of the door frame of the second embodiment disassembled into a door frame top add unit and other components seen from the front, and Figure 210(b) is an exploded perspective view of Figure 210(a) seen from the rear. Figure 211(a) is an exploded perspective view of the door frame top add unit disassembled from the front, and Figure 211(b) is an exploded perspective view of the door frame top add unit disassembled from the rear. Figure 212(a) is a side cross-sectional view of the upper part of the door frame of the second embodiment, (b) is an exploded side cross-sectional view showing the door frame top add unit and other parts in (a) exploded. Figure 213(a) is an exploded perspective view of the main parts of the door frame of the second embodiment, seen from the rear, with the right side panel and right side decorative sheet disassembled from the door frame right side unit, and (b) is a perspective view of the right side panel seen from the left rear.

The door frame 3 of the second embodiment differs from the door frame 3 of the first embodiment in that a new door frame top add unit 490 is provided in the door frame top unit 450. The door frame 3 of the second embodiment also changes the shape of the door frame right side base 431 and the door frame right side decorative body 440 of the door frame right side unit 430, eliminates the right lens 441 on the right side, and adds a new right side panel 442 and right side decorative sheet 443. The door frame 3 of the second embodiment also adds a new lock lever 444 to the door frame base unit 100 to make the right side panel 442 detachable. Other parts are the same as those of the door frame 3 of the first embodiment, and parts with the same configuration are designated with the same reference numerals and detailed descriptions are omitted.

The door frame 3 of the second embodiment has a door frame top add unit 490 that can be attached to cover the door frame top unit 450 without removing the door frame top unit 450, allowing the decoration of the top part of the door frame 3 to be changed; a transparent right side panel 442 that is detachably attached to the right of the right side base 431 of the right side unit 430; a right side decorative sheet 443 with a predetermined pattern that is attached between the right side panel 442 and the right side base 431; and a lock lever 444 that is attached to the door frame base unit 100 and can lock the right side panel 442 so that it cannot be removed.

[8-1. Door frame top ad unit]
The door frame top add unit 490 in the door frame 3 of the second embodiment will be described in detail mainly with reference to Figures 210 to 212. The door frame top add unit 490 allows the decoration of the upper part of the door frame 3 to be changed without removing the door frame top unit 450. The door frame top add unit 490 has a door frame top add decorative body 491 formed to cover the door frame top decorative body 453 of the door frame top unit 450 from the front and above, a flat top plate support plate 492 that can close the opening 491d that penetrates the door frame top add decorative body 491 in the vertical direction, a top add top plate 493 that is slidable in the front-to-back direction by the top plate support plate 492 and whose rear end is detachably attached to the door frame base unit 100, two mounting screws 494 that slidably attach the top add top plate 493 to the top plate support plate 492, and a plurality of hand screws 495 for attaching the rear end side of the top add top plate 493 to the door frame base unit 100.

The top ad decorative body 491 is formed so that it can cover the door frame top decorative body 453 from the front. It is curved in a semicircular arc so that the center in the vertical direction bulges forward, and curved so that the center in the horizontal direction bulges forward. It has a semi-tubular decorative body main body 491a that is open to the rear, a central decorative body 491b that is formed in a predetermined shape (in this case, a shape resembling a hatchet) and is located on the front surface of the decorative body main body 491a in the horizontal center, a lid portion 491c that extends flatly to the rear from the upper edge of the decorative body main body 491a, an opening 491d that penetrates vertically near the center of the lid portion 491c, and engaging portions 491e that are located on both the left and right outside of the opening 491d in the lid portion 491c and can engage with the engaging claws 493c of the top ad top plate 493.

The main body 491a of the top ad ornament 491 is decorated with a three-dimensional, forward-protruding ornament on the front side that resembles broken glass, and is translucent. The central ornament 491b is shaped like a hatchet, with the handle extending diagonally to the upper right and the blade piercing the main body 491a. The opening 491d is rectangular and elongated from side to side.

The top plate support plate 492 is formed so that it can close the opening 491d of the top add decorative body 491 from above. The top plate support plate 492 is formed so that it will not fall downward when the opening 491d is closed. The top plate support plate 492 has a pair of bosses (not shown) that protrude cylindrically downward from the underside and are spaced apart on the left and right. By inserting these bosses into the slits 493b in the top add top plate 493, the top add top plate 493 can be supported so that it can slide forward and backward. In addition, a mounting screw 494 is threaded into the lower end of this boss, which prevents the top add top plate 493 from falling off the top plate support plate 492.

The top add top plate 493 is formed to the same size as the door frame top top plate 468 of the door frame top unit 450, and has a flat top plate body 493a that can close the opening 452a of the top upper cover 452, a pair of slits 493b that penetrate the top plate body 493a in the vertical direction and extend in the front-to-rear direction and into which the boss portion of the top plate support plate 492 is slidably inserted, a locking claw 493c that is located outward in the left-to-right direction from the pair of slits 493b and can lock with the locking portion 491e of the top add decorative body 491, and multiple (here, three) mounting pieces 493d that protrude rearward from the rear edge of the top plate body 493a and are provided at intervals in the left-to-right direction.

The three mounting pieces 493d of the top add top plate 493 are inserted from above into grooves 464a provided on the rear surface of the speaker box 464 in the door frame top unit 450. The speaker box 464 is provided between the door frame top base 451 and the door frame top decorative body 453 and is attached to the front surface of the door frame top base 451. A pair of top center speakers and a pair of top side speakers are attached to this speaker box facing diagonally downward and forward, forming an enclosure capable of amplifying sound inside. The grooves 464a of the speaker box 464 are recessed from the rear so that they are open upward and rearward, and when assembled to the door frame 3, they form a space between the door frame base unit 100 and the speaker box into which the mounting pieces 493d can be inserted.

When attaching the door frame top add unit 490 to the door frame 3, the top add top plate 493 is attached to the opening 452a of the top upper cover 452 in such a way that it replaces the existing door frame top plate 468. The threaded portion 495b of the hand screw 495 is screwed into the attachment piece portion 493d from the rear of the door frame base unit 100.

The top add top plate 493 also has a recess 493e that is located near the center in the left-right direction on the rear edge of the top plate body 493a and is cut out in a curved shape toward the front. This recess 493e provides a finger rest when attaching or detaching the door frame top add unit 490 (top add top plate 493) to or from the door frame 3, improving the ease of attachment and detachment.

The hand screw 495 has a head 495a that can be gripped by the operator's fingers and a threaded portion 495b that protrudes from the head 495a. The head 495a of the hand screw 495 has a cross-shaped groove, and can also be turned with a Phillips head screwdriver.

In the door frame top add unit 490 of this embodiment, the top add top plate 493 is located below the lid portion 491c of the top add decorative body 491. In other words, the lid portion 491c of the top add decorative body 491 is located between the top plate support plate 492 and the top add top plate 493. The door frame top add unit 490 is configured so that the rear end of the top add top plate 493 is located further rearward than the rear end of the lid portion 491c of the top add decorative body 491. When the boss portion of the top plate support plate 492 is located at the rear end of the slit 493b in the top add top plate 493 (when the top add top plate 493 is located at the forward movement end of the top add top plate 493 relative to the top plate support plate 492), the locking claw 493c of the top add top plate 493 is locked to the locked portion 491e of the top add decorative body 491. As a result, the boss portion and slit 493b restrict the relative forward movement of the top add top plate 493, and the locked portion 491e and locking claw 493c restrict the relative rearward movement of the top add top plate 493. Therefore, when the locked portion 491e and locking claw 493c are released from the lock, the top add top plate 493 can be pulled rearward within the length of the slit 493b.

Next, we will explain the installation of the door frame top add unit 490. First, the door frame top top plate 468 (see Figure 210(a)) of the door frame top unit 450 in the door frame 3 has three mounting pieces (not shown) that protrude rearward from the rear edge and are spaced apart in the left-right direction. The three mounting pieces of the door frame top top plate 468 are located in the same positions as the three mounting pieces 493d of the top add top plate 493. This door frame top top plate 468 is attached by having its front end engaged with the front end of the opening 452a of the top upper cover 452 and its rear end mounting piece inserted into the groove 464a on the rear surface of the speaker box 464, and then threading in the threaded portion 495b of the hand screw 495 that penetrates the door frame base unit 100 from the rear.

Therefore, the door frame top unit 450 of the door frame 3 can be easily removed by removing the door frame top plate 468, which closes the opening 452a of the top upper cover 452, by removing the multiple hand screws 495 that are screwed into the rear of the top of the door frame base unit 100. By removing this door frame top plate 468, the door frame top center decorative board 455, door frame top left decorative board 456, door frame top right decorative board 457, a pair of top center speakers, a pair of top side speakers, a door frame top relay board, and the wiring EC and connectors connected to them, all of which are located inside the door frame top unit 450, can be seen through the opening 452a of the top upper cover 452. In other words, the door frame top plate 468 serves as a cover for an inspection hatch. Note that while the speaker box 464 and other components located inside are shown opaque in Figure 210 and elsewhere, they are actually transparent, allowing for clear visibility of the interior.

To install the door frame top add unit 490, first remove the hand screws 495 from the rear of the door frame 3, then lift the rear end upward to remove it above the door frame top plate 468. At this time, a curved recess 101k recessed rearward is formed near the center of the part of the door frame base 101 of the door frame base unit 100 that faces the rear edge of the door frame top plate 468. Therefore, by using the recess 101k as a finger hook, the door frame top plate 468 can be easily removed.

After removing the door frame top top plate 468, position the door frame top add unit 490 in front of the door frame top unit 450, tilting it so that the rear end is positioned upward. Then, place the decorative body 491a of the top add decorative body 491 over the door frame top decorative body 453 of the door frame top unit 450 from the front, then move the rear end downward and insert the three mounting pieces 493d into the grooves 464a on the rear surface of the speaker box 464. This causes the top add top plate 493 to close the opening 452a of the top upper cover 452. Then, from the rear of the door frame base unit 100, insert the threaded portion 495b of the hand screw 495 forward and screw it into the mounting piece 493d of the top add top plate 493 and tighten it. This attaches the door frame top add unit 490 to the door frame 3.

With the door frame top ad unit 490 installed, the LEDs mounted on the door frame top central decorative board 455, door frame top left decorative board 456, and door frame top right decorative board 457 are illuminated to illuminate and decorate the door frame top decorative body 453, and the light guide shaft 469 (see Figure 212) is irradiated forward, which causes the decorative body main body 491a of the translucent top ad decorative body 491 to illuminate and decorate, allowing players to see a specified light-emitting effect.

In addition, the decorative body 491a of the top add decorative body 491 covers the semi-tubular door frame top decorative body 453, but does not cover the top bottom cover 465, so sound from the top center speaker and top side speakers attached to the internal speaker box 464 can be output to the outside through the top bottom cover 465 without attenuation.

The door frame top add unit 490 of this embodiment can be installed by removing the door frame top top plate 468, which serves as a maintenance cover for the door frame top unit 450, and replacing it with the door frame top top plate 468. This allows the door frame top add unit 490 to be installed without removing the door frame top unit 450. In this case, the door frame top add unit 490 has a top add decoration 491 that covers the door frame top decoration 453 of the door frame top unit 450 from the front, hiding the decoration of the door frame top decoration 453 and revealing the new decoration of the top add decoration 491 to the player. Therefore, by installing the door frame top add unit 490, the decoration of the top of the door frame 3 can be changed without removing the door frame top unit 450 from the door frame base unit 100 of the door frame 3, thereby reducing the cost of changing the decoration of the top of the door frame 3. In other words, the door frame top add unit 490 allows the decoration of the top of the door frame 3 to be changed at low cost.

Furthermore, as described above, by attaching the door frame top add unit 490, the decoration of the top of the door frame 3 can be easily changed. Therefore, when replacing the game board 5 due to a specification change or model change in the pachinko machine 1, it is possible to attach a door frame top add unit 490 that matches the decoration (concept) of the game board 5. This allows the appearance of the pachinko machine 1 to be significantly changed at low cost, making it possible to provide a pachinko machine 1 that is highly appealing to players.

Furthermore, because the door frame top add unit 490 and door frame top plate 468 are attached with hand screws 495, the door frame top add unit 490 and door frame top plate 468 can be easily attached and removed without the need for tools such as a screwdriver. Therefore, even in amusement halls where pachinko machines 1 are installed, the door frame top add unit 490 can be easily attached, reducing the burden on the amusement hall.

In addition, because the door frame top add unit 490 does not have any electronic components such as decorative boards, there is no need to connect wiring EC when attaching it to the door frame 3, simplifying the installation process. Also, because the door frame top add unit 490 does not have any electronic components, even if it is damaged for some reason and the top add decorative body 491 or the like comes off, the wiring EC or top add decorative body 491 or the like will not droop.

In addition, the door frame top ad unit 490 has a translucent top ad decoration 491 that covers the door frame top decoration 453 from the front, so by making the door frame top decoration 453 luminous, the top ad decoration 491 can be made luminous. Therefore, the luminous effects of the door frame top unit 450 before the door frame top ad unit 490 is installed can be reused as is, allowing players to enjoy the same luminous effects as before installation. Furthermore, there is no need to change the program for the luminous effects, which helps to prevent increases in costs associated with the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, because the door frame top add unit 490 is attached to the rear of the door frame 3 with a hand screw 495, when the door frame 3 is closed relative to the main frame 4, the hand screw 495 cannot be operated from the outside, preventing the door frame top add unit 490 from being improperly removed. Also, when the door frame 3 is closed relative to the main frame 4, the front surface of the main frame base 501 is located behind the hand screw 495. Therefore, even if the hand screw 495 loosens due to vibrations acting on the pachinko machine 1, it will not fall out and the door frame top add unit 490 can remain attached.

Although not shown in the figures, the main frame base 501 of the main frame 4 has a recess formed therein into which the hand screw 495 is inserted when the door frame 3 is closed. This recess in the main frame base 501 may be configured to abut against the outer periphery of the head 495a of the hand screw 495. This provides resistance to the hand screw 495 in the rotational direction, making it difficult for the hand screw 495 to loosen.

In addition, although not shown, the door frame top add unit 490 may be provided with a through-hole that penetrates from front to back at a position corresponding to the light guiding shaft 469. This allows the tip of the light guiding shaft 469 to be exposed directly forward through the through-hole, so even when the door frame top add unit 490 is attached, the player can see a highly bright light-emitting effect using the light guiding shaft 469. In addition, the door frame top add unit 490 may be provided with a light-guiding section that guides light from the light guiding shaft 469, etc., so that any position on the door frame top add unit 490 (for example, the central decorative body 491b that resembles a hatchet) can be illuminated using this light-guiding section.

Also, although not shown in the figures, the central decorative body 491b of the top ad decorative body 491 in the door frame top ad unit 490 is shaped like a hatchet, and the hatchet blade portion of the central decorative body 491b can be formed like a mirror, so that when a player seated in front of the pachinko machine 1 looks into the central decorative body 491b (the hatchet) from below, the game board 5 can be reflected in the mirror-like portion of the central decorative body 491b (the portion imitating the hatchet blade). Specifically, for example, the pattern on the light guide plate of the back front upper first decorative body 3201 of the back front upper performance unit 3200, or the performance image displayed in a specific portion of the display screen of the performance display device 1600, can be reflected and seen. When the effect image is reflected on the display screen of the effect display device 1600, mirror writing may be displayed on the display screen, and reflected in the hatchet blade part of the central decorative body 491b so that it can be read correctly. This can surprise the player, entertain them, and prevent a decline in interest. Furthermore, to encourage the player to look at the central decorative body 491b from below, a guide or notification may be displayed to encourage the player to look at it from below.

Furthermore, although not shown in the figures, a predetermined pattern may be applied to the underside of the hatchet blade portion of the central decorative body 491b of the top ad decorative body 491 in the door frame top ad unit 490 by printing, attaching a sticker, or the like. Specifically, for example, a pattern displayed on a light guide plate such as the back front upper first decorative body 3201 may be reflected and reflected on the hatchet blade portion of the central decorative body 491b. As a result, even though no pattern is displayed on the light guide plate of the gaming board 5, when the player looks up at the central decorative body 491b, the pattern on the light guide plate appears to be reflected on the blade portion, which can surprise and amuse the player, leaving them puzzled and entertained.

In addition, the underside of the hatchet blade-like portion of the central decorative body 491b may be decorated with a pattern of the eyes (face) of a specified character in line with the concept of the game board 5. This allows players playing the pachinko machine 1 to feel as if they are always being watched by a specified character when they notice the pattern of eyes decorated on the underside of the central decorative body 491b.

In addition, although not shown in the figures, light from an LED mounted on the door frame top central decorative board 455 of the door frame top unit 450 can be guided to illuminate the pattern on the underside of the hatchet blade-like portion of the central decorative body 491b.

Furthermore, a predetermined image (or video) may be projected onto the underside of the hatchet blade portion of the central decorative body 491b from the game board 5 side or the door frame right side unit 430 side, like a projector. In this case, the hatchet blade portion of the central decorative body 491b may be made like a mirror, so that the image projected onto the central decorative body 491b is reflected and projected onto the player's hands or feet, the upper tray 201, the performance operation unit 301, etc.

In addition, since the central decorative body 491c of the top decorative body 491 of the door frame top ad unit 490 of this embodiment protrudes significantly forward, it is desirable to provide a guide sign (e.g., a sticker) in a location visible to players to warn them to "watch your head" or to provide a warning sign (e.g., a sticker) to warn players not to touch the central decorative body 491c, which resembles a hatchet blade.

[8-2. Door frame right side unit]
Next, the right-side door frame unit 430 of the door frame 3 of the second embodiment will be described in detail, mainly with reference to Figure 213 and other figures. As in the first embodiment, the right-side door frame unit 430 is attached to the front right portion of the door frame base unit 100 above the tray unit 200 and decorates the right outer side of the play area 5a when viewed from the front. In the right-side door frame unit 430 of the door frame 3 of the second embodiment, the right side of the right-side door frame base 431 is formed as a flat surface without a reflector portion 431a. Although not shown, the left side of the right-side door frame base 431 is provided with a recessed reflector portion 431a that opens forward and leftward. Furthermore, the right-side door frame decorative body 440, decorated with a polka dot pattern by two-color molding or the like, is provided only near the lower portion of the right-side door frame unit 430, from the bottom edge to a predetermined height.

This door frame right side unit 430 has a transparent right side panel 442 that is removably attached to the right of the door frame right side base 431 behind the tubular door frame right side decorative body 435, a right side decorative sheet 443 with a predetermined pattern that is attached between the right side panel 442 and the door frame right side base 431, and a lock lever 444 that is attached to the door frame base unit 100 and locks the right side panel 442 so that it cannot be removed.

The right-side door frame base 431 of the right-side door frame unit 430 has multiple locking grooves 431b spaced apart in the vertical direction on the front and rear edges, and two protrusions 431c protruding from the top surface of the right-side door frame base 431. The locking grooves 431b of the right-side door frame base 431 are inserted into the locking grooves 431b of the right-side door frame base 431, and the locking pieces 442b and 442c of the right side panel 442 are inserted into the slits 442e of the right side panel 442.

The right side panel 442 has a flat panel body 442a, a locking piece 442b extending flatly to the left from the upper part of the rear edge of the panel body 442a, a locking piece 442c located vertically at a distance between the front edge and a portion of the rear edge of the panel body 442a below the locking piece 442b and extending flatly to the left shorter than the locking piece 442b, an upper wall portion 442d extending flatly from the upper edge of the panel body 442a to the left, and two slits 442e penetrating the upper wall portion 442d.

The panel body 442a of the right side panel 442 is long in both the vertical and horizontal directions. The front edge of the panel body 442a is shaped to follow the rear edge of the door frame right side decorative body 435, and the rear edge is formed directly in front of the door frame base unit 100 in the vertical direction so that it fits along the front surface of the door frame base unit 100. The locking piece 442b and multiple engagement pieces 442c are provided in positions corresponding to the engagement groove 431b of the door frame right side base 431. The multiple engagement pieces 442c are shaped like an inverted L with their tips bent downward.

With the upper wall portion 442d of the right side panel 442 positioned slightly above the protrusion 431c of the door frame right side base 431, the multiple locking pieces 442c are inserted into the locking grooves 431b of the door frame right side base 431, and the panel body 442a is abutted against the right side surface of the door frame right side base 431 via the right side decorative sheet 443.Then, by sliding the panel body 442a downward so that the protrusion 431c is inserted into the slit 442e, the multiple locking pieces 442c can be locked into the locking grooves 431b.

The right-side decorative sheet 443 is a synthetic resin film with a thickness of 0.2 mm to 0.4 mm, on which a predetermined pattern is printed. Possible materials for the right-side decorative sheet 443 include polyethylene terephthalate resin, polycarbonate resin, ABS resin, AES resin, PMMA (polymethyl methacrylate) resin, polypropylene resin, polyethylene resin, polystyrene resin, high-impact polystyrene resin, and polyvinyl chloride.

The lock lever 444 is located in the upper right corner (upper left corner when viewed from behind) of the rear surface of the door frame base 101 of the door frame base unit 100, and its lower end is supported so that it can rotate around a left-right axis. As shown in Figure 213(a), in the locked state, the rear surface of this lock lever 444 stands vertically, and the lock can be released by rotating the upper end so that it moves rearward. Although not shown, the lock lever 444 has a lock protrusion that protrudes forward from near the upper end. When in the locked state, the lock protrusion abuts from above against the lock piece 442b of the right side panel 442, restricting the lock piece 442b (right side panel 442) from sliding upward, thereby disabling (locking) the right side panel 442 from being attached or detached.

When the door frame right side unit 430 of this embodiment is assembled to the door frame 3, the multiple locking pieces 442c of the right side panel 442 are locked into the locking grooves 431b of the door frame right side base 431, and the protrusion 431c of the door frame right side base 431 is inserted into the slit 442e, restricting movement to the right. Furthermore, the locking protrusion of the lock lever 444 in the locked position abuts the locking piece 442b of the right side panel 442 from above, restricting upward movement. This makes the right side panel 442 non-detachable.

To remove the right side panel 442, pull the upper end of the lock lever 444 backward at the rear of the door frame 3 to tilt the lock lever 444. This moves the lock protrusion (not shown) away from the lock piece 442b of the right side panel 442, unlocking the upward movement of the right side panel 442. In this state, slide the right side panel 442 upward to remove the protrusion 431c of the door frame right side base 431 from the slit 442e in the upper wall portion 442d and release the engagement between the multiple lock pieces 442c and the lock grooves 431b. Then, move the right side panel 442 to the right, and the lock piece 442c and lock piece 442b will come out of the lock groove 431b, releasing the right side panel 442 from the door frame right side base 431. Removing the right side panel 442 also allows the right side decorative sheet 443 to be removed.

As such, according to this embodiment, the right side panel 442 and right side decorative sheet 443 of the door frame right side unit 430 can be removed by operating the lock lever 444 on the rear of the door frame 3. Therefore, when replacing the game board 5 in a pachinko machine 1 due to a specification change or model change, the right side panel 442 can be replaced with one decorated with a design that matches the decoration (concept) of the game board 5, and the door frame right side unit 430 of the door frame 3 can easily accommodate model changes, making it easier to provide a pachinko machine 1 that is highly appealing to players.

In addition, the right side panel 442 and right side decorative sheet 443, which make up most of the right side of the door frame right side unit 430, are easily replaceable. Therefore, the appearance of the pachinko machine 1 can be significantly changed by simply replacing the right side decorative sheet 443 with one featuring a different design, without having to replace the entire door frame right side unit 430. This makes it possible to provide a pachinko machine 1 that is highly appealing at low cost.

Furthermore, the right side panel 442 and right side decorative sheet 443 can be easily removed simply by opening the door frame 3 relative to the main body frame 4 and operating the lock lever 444 on the rear of the door frame 3, thereby improving workability on the part of the amusement hall where the pachinko machine 1 is installed and reducing the burden on the amusement hall.

Furthermore, because the lock lever 444 is located in the upper right corner on the rear side of the door frame 3, when the door frame 3 is closed relative to the main frame 4, the front surface of the main frame base 501 is positioned behind the lock lever 444, rendering the lock lever 444 unable to rotate. This prevents the lock provided by the lock lever 444 from being released accidentally due to vibrations acting on the pachinko machine 1, or the lock being released by improper operation of the lock lever 444.

[9. Relationship between the present invention and embodiments]
The unit base 3601 of the rear performance unit 3600 in the game board 5 of the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment corresponds to the fixed base of the present invention, the rear lower decorative body 3700 in this embodiment corresponds to the movable decorative body of the present invention, the first rotating decorative body decorative board 3713, the second rotating decorative body decorative board 3723, the third rotating decorative body decorative board 3733, the fourth rotating decorative body decorative board 3743, and the rear decorative body decorative board 3753 in this embodiment correspond to the electronic components of the present invention, the gear cover 3787 attached to the right slide base 3781 in the right unit 3780 of this embodiment corresponds to the movable base of the present invention, the wiring locking portion 3787b in this embodiment corresponds to the harness support portion of the present invention, the unit arm 3788 in this embodiment corresponds to the arm of the present invention, the cable tie CT in this embodiment corresponds to the movement control means of the present invention, and the harness WH3 in this embodiment corresponds to the harness of the present invention.

[10. Characteristic Effects of the Present Embodiment]
According to the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, in the rear rear performance unit 3600 in the rear unit 3000 of the game board 5, the rear lower decorative body 3700, which moves according to the progress of the game, has a harness WH3 consisting of multiple wiring EC connected to the rear lower decorative body decorative board 3753 etc. provided on the rear lower decorative body 3700, supported by a wiring locking portion 3787b provided on the rear surface of the gear cover 3787 of the right unit 3780, and then aligned with a unit arm 3788, one end of which is connected to the gear cover 3787 so as to extend outward from the gear cover 3787, and guided from the other end of the unit arm 3788 towards the unit base 3601. Furthermore, when the rear lower decorative body 3700 is moved as the game progresses, the movement of the rear lower decorative body 3700 causes the unit arm 3788 to displace (rotate) relatively, so the part of the harness WH3 closest to one end of the unit arm 3788 moves the most due to the movement of the rear lower decorative body 3700, making it easier for the harness WH3 to come off at the wiring engagement portion 3787b close to one end of the unit arm 3788. At this time, the harness WH3 is bound by a cable tie CT at the wiring locking portion 3787b to restrict its movement. Therefore, even if tension or the like acts on the harness WH3 by moving the rear lower decorative body 3700 as the game progresses, causing the harness WH3 to move in a direction that would cause it to come off the wiring locking portion 3787b, the cable tie CT can prevent the harness WH3 from moving along the wiring locking portion 3787b, thereby preventing the harness WH3 from coming off the wiring locking portion 3787b. Furthermore, since the harness WH3, which is made up of multiple wires EC, is restricted from moving within the wire locking portion 3787b by the cable ties CT, the wires EC do not come loose one by one from the harness WH3 at the wire locking portion 3787b, and it is possible to prevent some of the loose wires EC from coming off the wire locking portion 3787b, and it is also possible to prevent the wires EC from coming loose from the wire locking portion 3787b, which makes it easier for them to break. Therefore, it is possible to avoid a malfunction that would occur if the harness WH3 were to come loose from the rear lower decorative body 3700, which would cause the game to be interrupted, so that the player is not inconvenienced, and the performance (movable performance) provided by the rear lower decorative body 3700 can be reliably enjoyed, and a decrease in the player's interest in the game can be suppressed.

Furthermore, as described above, the movement of the harness WH3 is restricted by the cable tie CT at the wiring locking portion 3787b near one end of the unit arm 3788, where the harness WH3 is most susceptible to movement due to movement of the rear lower decorative body 3700. This effectively prevents the harness WH3 from coming off the wiring locking portion 3787b due to movement of the rear lower decorative body 3700, and reliably prevents the harness WH3 from coming off the wiring locking portion 3787b, providing a pachinko machine 1 that can reliably achieve the above-mentioned effects.

Furthermore, the movement of the harness WH3 is restricted by the cable tie CT at the wiring locking portion 3787b near one end of the unit arm 3788, where the harness WH3 is most susceptible to movement due to the movement of the rear lower decorative body 3700. Therefore, even if a force acts to move the harness WH3 due to the movement of the rear lower decorative body 3700, the force is blocked at the wiring locking portion 3787b where the cable tie CT is located, preventing it from acting on the rear lower decorative body decorative board 3753, etc. This prevents the harness WH3 from coming off the rear lower decorative body decorative board 3753, etc. when the rear lower decorative body 3700 is moved, ensuring the rear lower decorative body decorative board 3753, etc. can be reliably operated, allowing players to enjoy the effects of the rear lower decorative body 3700 in good condition and preventing a decline in interest.

Furthermore, as described above, the cable tie CT at the wiring locking portion 3787b near one end of the unit arm 3788 can block the force that tries to move the harness WH3, making it difficult to move the portion of the harness WH3 between the wiring locking portion 3787b and the rear decorative body decorative board 3753, etc. As a result, it is possible to omit the provision of the cable tie CT at the wiring locking portion 3787c provided between the wiring locking portion 3787b provided with the cable tie CT and the rear decorative body decorative board 3753, etc., thereby simplifying the effort required to manufacture the pachinko machine 1 and suppressing increases in costs.

Furthermore, the rear lower decorative body 3700 has a wiring retaining portion 3787b on the rear surface of the gear cover 3787 to allow the harness WH3 to run along it, and the harness WH3 extending outward from the gear cover 3787 is guided along the unit arm 3788 toward the unit base 3601.This means that the harness WH3 connected to the rear lower decorative body decorative board 3753 of the rear lower decorative body 3700 can be hidden and made less visible to the player in front by the gear cover 3787 and unit arm 3788, improving the appearance of the rear lower decorative body 3700 and providing enjoyment to the player.

Furthermore, because the tip of the wiring locking portion 3787b for supporting the harness WH3 is a free end, the harness WH3 can be easily inserted from the open free end of the wiring locking portion 3787b, improving workability. In this case, a hook portion (not shown) protruding toward the gear cover 3787 is provided at the tip of the wiring locking portion 3787b. Therefore, when the harness WH3 is fastened and bundled together with the wiring locking portion 3787b using the cable tie CT, even if the cable tie CT slides together with the harness WH3 toward the free end of the wiring locking portion 3787b, the cable tie CT abuts against the hook portion, preventing further sliding. This prevents the harness WH3 and the cable tie CT from slipping out of the tip of the wiring locking portion 3787b, thereby providing a pachinko machine 1 that reliably achieves the above-mentioned effects.

Furthermore, the harness WH3, which is made up of multiple wires EC, is bound together with the wire locking portion 3787b extending from the rear surface of the gear cover 3787 of the rear lower decorative body 3700 by fastening the wire locking portion 3787b with the cable ties CT. This tightening with the cable ties CT increases the sliding resistance between the harness WH3 and the wire locking portion 3787b, making it difficult for the harness WH3 to come loose from the wire locking portion 3787b. Furthermore, because the harness WH3, which is made up of multiple wires EC, is bound together with the wire locking portion 3787b by fastening the cable ties CT, the wires EC do not come loose one by one from the harness WH3 at the wire locking portion 3787b. This prevents some loose wires EC from coming loose from the wire locking portion 3787b and also prevents the wires EC from coming loose from the wire locking portion 3787b, which can lead to wire breakage.

Furthermore, because the harness WH3, which is made up of multiple wiring EC, is bound together with the wiring fastening portion 3787b by the cable ties CT, the tightening force of the cable ties CT allows the harness WH3 to slide longitudinally along the wiring fastening portion 3787b while still bound by the cable ties CT. As a result, when performing maintenance on the rear lower decorative body 3700, for example, to check the gear cover 3787 and the components in front of the gear cover 3787, which are hidden by the harness WH3, conventional technology that does not use cable ties CT requires the wiring EC to be moved (slid) one by one from the harness WH3. However, in this embodiment, multiple wiring EC (harnesses WH3) can be slid at once, making the inspection process easier and reducing the burden on the amusement hall where the pachinko machine 1 is installed.

In addition, the cable tie CT is composed of a band portion CTa for bundling the harness WH3 and a locking portion CTb that prevents the band portion CTa from being retracted, i.e., it can only be inserted in one direction.Therefore, by simply inserting the tip of the band portion CTa wrapped around the wiring retaining portion 3787b and the harness WH3 into the locking portion CTb and pulling it, the wiring retaining portion 3787b and the harness WH3 can be locked in a tightened state, thereby improving the workability of the harness WH3 bundling operation. At this time, because the locking portion CTb of the cable tie CT abuts against the wiring retaining portion 3787b, even if a force is applied to the cable tie CT that would cause it to rotate around the axis of the harness WH3 for some reason, the locking portion CTb of the cable tie CT abuts against the wiring retaining portion 3787b, preventing the cable tie CT from rotating around the axis of the harness WH3. This prevents the locking portion CTb of the cable tie CT and the tip of the band portion CTa extending from the locking portion CTb from coming into contact with other components, preventing malfunctions.

Furthermore, because the harness WH3 supported through the wiring retaining portion 3787b can be seen from the rear of the lower rear decorative body 3700, it is easy to check whether the movement of all of the wiring EC that make up the harness WH3 is restricted by the cable ties CT. This prevents the shipment of defective products with some of the wiring EC loose, and also makes it easier to check the cable ties CT during maintenance, etc.

In addition, because the harness WH3 can be seen through the wiring retaining portion 3787b, it is easier to restrict the movement of the harness WH3 with the cable tie CT (tie-down work with the cable tie CT), improving workability.

Furthermore, because the harness WH3 is visible through the wiring retaining portion 3787b, if the cable tie CT has low light transmittance and is a different color from the multiple wiring EC that make up the harness WH3, when the harness WH3 (multiple wiring EC) and band portion CTa are viewed through the wiring retaining portion 3787b, it is clearly visible that the band portion CTa is straddling the harness WH3. This allows reliable confirmation of the binding of the harness WH3 with the cable tie CT and makes it easier to bind the wiring retaining portion 3787b and the harness WH3 with the cable tie CT.

Furthermore, because the band portion CTa of the cable tie CT contacts the harness WH3 at an angle, the contact area can be made larger compared to when the band portion CTa contacts the harness WH3 in a direction perpendicular to its longitudinal direction, thereby increasing the frictional resistance between the band portion CTa and the harness WH3. This effectively restricts the movement of the harness WH3 by the cable tie CT, preventing the harness WH3 or the wiring EC from coming off the wiring retaining portion 3787b and avoiding malfunctions.

Furthermore, because the band portion CTa of the cable tie CT contacts the harness WH3 at an angle, the following excellent effects can be achieved. Specifically, when the cable tie CT is used to tighten and bind the harness WH3, a force is applied from the band portion CTa of the cable tie CT to the harness WH3 (wiring EC). Depending on the strength of this force, the insulating coating covering the wiring EC may deteriorate prematurely, potentially increasing the risk of problems such as electrical leakage or short circuits. In contrast, by contacting the band portion CTa of the cable tie CT at an angle to the harness WH3, the contact area between the band portion CTa and the harness WH3 (wiring EC) can be increased compared to when the band portion CTa is wrapped around the harness WH3 in a direction perpendicular to its longitudinal direction. Therefore, even if the cable tie CT is tightened with the same strength, by making contact at an angle and widening the contact area, the force acting when tightening can be dispersed widely and made relatively small, which prevents early deterioration of the insulating coating and reduces the occurrence of problems such as electrical leakage and short circuits.

Furthermore, the wiring retaining portion 3787b extends from the gear cover 3787 in the opposite direction to the movement of the harness WH3, which is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the harness WH3 when tension is applied to the harness WH3. Therefore, even if the harness WH3 is pulled or tugged when the rear lower decorative body 3700 is moved as the game progresses, or during assembly or maintenance of the pachinko machine 1, the harness WH3 moves in the opposite direction to its tip at the wiring retaining portion 3787b, and the harness WH3 will not come loose from the wiring retaining portion 3787b. This makes it possible to provide a pachinko machine 1 that can reliably achieve the above-mentioned effects.

Furthermore, if the multiple wiring EC (insulating coating) connected to the rear decorative body decorative board 3753 of the rear lower decorative body 3700 is a light but inconspicuous color such as white or gray, when a moving effect is performed using the rear lower decorative body 3700, even if the portion of the harness WH3 that is not supported by the wiring locking portion 3787b protrudes outward from the front projection range of the rear lower decorative body 3700, it will be difficult for the player to notice the protrusion of the wiring EC (harness WH3), and the reduction in the effect of the moving effect of the rear lower decorative body 3700 can be suppressed.

Furthermore, because the wiring retaining portion 3787b extends in a flat or strip-like shape, the contact area between the wiring retaining portion 3787b and the harness WH3 can be made larger than when the wiring retaining portion 3787b is rod-shaped, thereby increasing frictional resistance. This makes it easier to achieve the desired effect of the cable tie CT, reliably restricting movement of the harness WH3 and further preventing malfunctions.

Furthermore, because the wiring locking portion 3787b extends in a flat or strip-like shape, the multiple wiring EC that make up the harness WH3 at the wiring locking portion 3787b tend to spread out so that they line up along the surface of the wiring locking portion 3787b. This facilitates heat dissipation from the wiring EC. Furthermore, in this case, the harness WH3 can be seen through the wiring locking portion 3787b, making it easy to check each of the multiple wiring EC that make up the harness WH3 through the wiring locking portion 3787b.

Furthermore, because the locking portion CTb of the cable tie CT abuts against the portion of the wiring engagement portion 3787b opposite the harness WH3 (the portion farther from the gear cover 3787), the following excellent effects can be achieved: Specifically, if the locking portion CTb of the cable tie CT abuts against the side of the wiring engagement portion 3787b that abuts against the harness WH3, the tip of the band portion CTa protruding from the locking portion CTb would need to be pulled toward the gear cover 3787, and the gear cover 3787 would get in the way, making the tying process difficult. In contrast, in this embodiment, the locking portion CTb abuts the side of the wiring retaining portion 3787b opposite the harness WH3. Therefore, when bundling the harness WH3 with the cable tie CT, the locking portion CTb faces the worker. Therefore, by pulling the tip of the band portion CTa protruding from the locking portion CTb in a direction away from the gear cover 3787, the wiring retaining portion 3787b and the harness WH3 can be fastened, further improving workability.

Furthermore, since the locking portion CTb of the cable tie CT is abutted against the portion of the wiring latching portion 3787b opposite the harness WH3, as described above, the locking portion CTb faces the operator, making it easy to check whether the tip of the band portion CTa is inserted into the locking portion CTb, providing a pachinko machine 1 that is easy to check during operation.

Furthermore, because the locking portion CTb of the cable tie CT abuts against the portion of the wire retaining portion 3787b opposite the harness WH3, the wire retaining portion 3787b is interposed between the harness WH3 and the locking portion CTb, allowing the wire retaining portion 3787b to function as a barrier that prevents the locking portion CTb of the cable tie CT from contacting the harness WH3. This provides the following advantageous effects. Specifically, when the tip of the band portion CTa is inserted into the locking portion CTb of the cable tie CT and the tip of the band portion CTa is pulled to bind the wires, if the wire EC of the harness WH3 is in contact with the locking portion CTb, a portion of the wire EC will be pulled into the locking portion CTb along with the pulled band portion CTa, potentially rupturing the insulating coating of the wire EC. In contrast, in this embodiment, the locking portion CTb abuts the side of the wiring retaining portion 3787b opposite the harness WH3. In other words, the wiring retaining portion 3787b is interposed between the harness WH3 and the locking portion CTb. Because the harness WH3 (wiring EC) does not come into contact with the locking portion CTb, even if the tip of the band portion CTa, which has been inserted through the locking portion CTb, is pulled, part of the wiring EC is not pulled into the locking portion CTb along with the band portion CTa. This prevents the insulating coating of the wiring EC from breaking and protects the harness WH3, which is bound with the cable tie CT.

Furthermore, because the locking portion CTb of the cable tie CT abuts against the portion of the wiring retaining portion 3787b opposite the harness WH3, the cable tie CT (band portion CTa) can be easily cut when removing the harness WH3 from the wiring retaining portion 3787b for maintenance or disassembly of the pachinko machine 1. More specifically, as mentioned above, because the block-shaped locking portion CTb faces the operator, by guiding a cutting tool such as nippers along the locking portion CTb, the band portion CTa can be easily cut without damaging other portions.

Furthermore, because the band portion CTa of the cable tie CT is in diagonal contact with the harness WH3, when the flat or strip-shaped wiring retaining portion 3787b is used with the cable tie CT to bind the harness WH3 together with the wiring retaining portion 3787b, the width of the wiring retaining portion 3787b automatically brings the band portion CTa of the cable tie CT into diagonal contact with the harness WH3, thereby reliably providing a pachinko machine 1 that achieves the effects described above.

Furthermore, since a hook portion is provided at the tip of the wiring locking portion 3787b, if the tip of the wiring locking portion 3787b, including the hook portion, is formed at an angle so that it moves away from the gear cover 3787 as it approaches the tip, it becomes easier to insert the harness WH3 and the cable tie CT from the tip side of the wiring locking portion 3787b between the wiring locking portion 3787b and the gear cover 3787, improving workability.

Furthermore, according to the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, when the pachinko machine 1 is initially installed in an amusement hall, the door frame top unit 450, which is located at the top of the outer periphery of the door window 101a of the door frame base 101 in the door frame 3, is fully visible. In other words, the machine is used without the door frame top add unit 490 attached. In this initial state, by appropriately illuminating the multiple LEDs mounted on the door frame top center decorative board 455, door frame top left decorative board 456, and door frame top right decorative board 457, the door frame top decorative body 453 of the door frame top unit 450 can be illuminated, entertaining players with the illuminated effects of the door frame top unit 450. The door frame top add unit 490 is then attached to the door frame top unit 450, for example, in response to a change (model change) in the game board 5 attached to the main frame 4, a full or minor model change, a decrease in the operating rate of the pachinko machine 1, or the holding of an event at the amusement hall. Specifically, after opening the door frame 3 from the main frame 4, the hand screw 495 is rotated from the rear of the door frame 3 to remove the door frame top plate 468 of the door frame top unit 450, exposing the opening 452a of the top upper cover 452. Next, the top add top plate 493 of the door frame top add unit 490 is fitted into the opening 452a, and the hand screw 495 is rotated from the rear of the door frame 3 to screw it into the mounting piece 493d of the top add top plate 493, attaching (securing) the top add top plate 493. Thereafter, by closing the door frame 3 against the main frame 4, the pachinko machine 1 can be completed with the door frame top add unit 490 attached. To remove the top add top plate 493, the procedure is reversed, and then the door frame top plate 468 is attached to the opening 452a, returning the machine to its original state. By attaching the door frame top add unit 490 to the door frame top unit 450 in this way, the decoration of the area where the door frame top add unit 490 is attached can be changed, thereby significantly changing the appearance of the pachinko machine 1, and the changed appearance can strongly attract the player's attention and increase its appeal to the player. Furthermore, with the door frame top add unit 490 attached, by appropriately illuminating the multiple LEDs mounted on the door frame top center decorative board 455, door frame top left decorative board 456, and door frame top right decorative board 457 of the door frame top unit 450, the door frame top add unit 490 can be illuminated and decorated via the door frame top unit 450, and the light-emitting effects of the door frame top add unit 490 can entertain players and prevent a decline in interest.

Furthermore, the appearance of the pachinko machine 1 can be significantly changed simply by attaching the door frame top add unit 490 to cover the door frame top decorative body 453 of the door frame top unit 450 from the front, while leaving the door frame 3 and door frame top unit 450 in their original state. This eliminates the need to remove and replace the door frame 3 and door frame top unit 450, reducing the cost of modifying the pachinko machine 1. Therefore, by attaching the door frame top add unit 490, it is possible to provide a pachinko machine 1 that can increase its appeal to players at low cost.

Furthermore, the opening 452a of the top upper cover 452 of the door frame top unit 450 is located on the opposite side of the center of the door window 101a on the periphery of the door frame top unit 450, i.e., on the top surface of the door frame top unit 450. This makes it difficult for players seated in front of the pachinko machine 1 to see the opening 452a of the door frame top unit 450 (the door frame top plate 468 and the top add plate 493). This prevents the door frame top plate 468 and the top add plate 493 from looking bad, even if they are undecorated. This allows the decorative effect of the door frame top add unit 490 to be fully realized, while also allowing the use of inexpensive, undecorated door frame top plates 468 and top add plate 493, thereby suppressing increases in the cost of the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, after the door frame top plate 468 is removed from the opening 452a of the top upper cover 452 of the door frame top unit 450, the top add plate 493 is fitted into the opening 452a and attached. This means that, compared to attaching the door frame top add unit 490 by clamping the door frame top unit 450 and the door frame 3 from the front and back, the rear end of the door frame top add unit 490 does not protrude beyond the outer periphery of the door frame 3. This makes it appear as though the door frame top add unit 490 has been attached to the pachinko machine 1 from the beginning, rather than being added later. This prevents players from feeling disappointed and improves the appearance of the door frame top add unit 490 when attached, fully utilizing the decorative effect of the door frame top add unit 490 and increasing its appeal to players.

In addition, the door frame top add unit 490 is attached so as to cover the door frame top decorative body 453 of the door frame top unit 450, and the door frame top add unit 490 is illuminated and decorated via the door frame top unit 450. Therefore, no LED (decorative board) is provided to illuminate the door frame top add unit 490, and there is no need to connect wiring EC to the door frame top add unit 490. Therefore, even if the door frame top add unit 490 becomes detached from the door frame top unit 450 for some reason, the wiring EC will not cause the door frame top add unit 490 to droop. Instead, only the decoration of the door frame top decorative body 453 that was covered by the door frame top add unit 490 on the door frame top unit 450 will become visible. This does not impair the appearance of the pachinko machine 1, and the pachinko machine 1 can continue to be used without any problems.

Furthermore, the door frame top add unit 490 can be attached and detached by turning the hand screw 495 from the rear of the door frame 3. Therefore, when the door frame 3 is closed relative to the main frame 4, the door frame top plate 468 of the door frame top unit 450 and the door frame top add unit 490 cannot be removed. This prevents tampering, such as removing the door frame top plate 468 or the door frame top add unit 490, or fraudulent acts through the opening 452a in the top upper cover 452 that are revealed when the door frame top plate 468 or the door frame top add unit 490 is removed.

The door frame top plate 468 and top add plate 493 can be removed by turning the hand screws 495 from the rear of the door frame 3, but cannot be removed from the front or from the up, down, left, or right directions. This makes it difficult for the top add plate 493 to come off the door frame top unit 450 even if some force is applied to it. Furthermore, because the door frame top plate 468 and top add plate 493 are attached with the hand screws 495, the attachment strength of the door frame top add unit 490 can be increased compared to when they are attached by locking. Therefore, even if some force acts on the top add top plate 493, it is difficult for it to come off the door frame top unit 450, so it is possible to reliably prevent the door frame top plate 468 or door frame top add unit 490 from coming off during play, interrupting the game and reducing the player's interest, allowing players to enjoy playing with this pachinko machine 1 in good condition and preventing a decrease in interest.

In addition, because the door frame top ad unit 490 is illuminated and decorated via the door frame top unit 450, the performance program for causing the door frame top unit 450 to perform the illumination effect can be used as is even when the door frame top ad unit 490 is installed, thereby suppressing increases in costs associated with changing the appearance of the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, because the door frame top add unit 490 is illuminated and decorated via the door frame top unit 450, no LEDs (decorative substrates) are provided to illuminate and decorate the door frame top add unit 490, which reduces the cost of the door frame top add unit 490 and makes it possible to provide a pachinko machine 1 that can increase its appeal to players at low cost. Also, because the door frame top add unit 490 is not provided with LEDs (decorative substrates), there is no need to connect wiring EC when attaching the door frame top add unit 490, which simplifies the effort required to attach and detach the door frame top add unit 490.

In addition, because the door frame top plate 468 and top add top plate 493 are attached using hand screws 495, the door frame top plate 468 and top add top plate 493 can be easily attached and detached without the need for tools such as a screwdriver or wrench, which simplifies the work involved in installing the door frame top add unit 490 and reduces the cost of changing the decoration of the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, the door frame top plate 468 and the top add top plate 493 are attached using hand screws 495, and the main frame 4 is provided with a recess that can accommodate the head 495a of the hand screw 495 when the door frame 3 is closed. Therefore, when the pachinko machine 1 is in use with the door frame 3 closed to the main frame 4, even if an attempt is made to turn the hand screw 495 using an external illicit tool such as a piano wire, the head of the hand screw 495 is accommodated in the groove in the main frame 4, preventing the illicit tool from reaching the head of the hand screw 495. This prevents the door frame top plate 468 and the top add top plate 493 from being removed by turning the hand screw 495, and also prevents illicit activity through the opening 452a from which the door frame top plate 468 and the top add top plate 493 have been removed.

It is desirable to prevent the hand screws 495 from coming loose from the door frame 3 when attaching or detaching the door frame top plate 468 or top add plate 493. This prevents the hand screws 495 coming loose from the door frame 3 from being lost or from entering the main frame 4 and causing a malfunction when attaching or detaching the door frame top plate 468 or top add plate 493.

It is also desirable to provide the main frame 4 with a contact portion that comes into contact with the head 495a of the hand screw 495 when the door frame 3 is closed. As a result, when the pachinko machine 1 is in use with the door frame 3 closed against the main frame 4, even if a force that tries to rotate the hand screw 495 is applied due to vibrations acting on the pachinko machine 1 or contact with an illegal tool, the contact portion contacting the head 495a can provide resistance to the rotation of the hand screw 495, thereby preventing the hand screw 495 from rotating, preventing the hand screw 495 from coming loose or resisting illegal attempts to turn the hand screw 495.

The door frame top add unit 490 may also be provided with a light guide means capable of guiding light transmitted through the door frame top unit 450 or direct light from the multiple LEDs mounted on the door frame top central decorative board 455, the door frame top left decorative board 456, and the door frame top right decorative board 457. This light guide means may be used to illuminate a portion of the top add unit 490 that is different from the decorative body 491a of the top add decorative body 491 (e.g., the central decorative body 491b) in front of the portion of the door frame top unit 450 that is illuminated and decorated. This allows the light guide means to guide light from the door frame top unit 450 and illuminate any portion that enhances the decorative effect, even if the door frame top add unit 490 does not have LEDs for illuminating the decoration, thereby presenting a lighting effect that can further entertain players and providing a highly appealing pachinko machine 1 that is capable of strongly attracting players' attention.

In addition, the door frame top plate 468 of the door frame top unit 450 can be removed by turning the hand screw 495 from the rear of the door frame 3. Therefore, for example, by preparing a different door frame top plate 468 with a different decoration and replacing it with that door frame top plate 468, the decoration of the door frame top plate 468 portion of the door frame top unit 450 can be easily changed. This also makes it possible to change the appearance of the pachinko machine 1 at low cost, and to provide a highly appealing pachinko machine 1 that can strongly attract the attention of players by changing its appearance.

Furthermore, according to the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, when the cell fixing piece 1140 is attached to the rear cell 1130 provided behind the game panel 1100 (panel board 1110) on the game board 5 through the support hole 1131 of the rear cell 1130 provided in the rear portion of the center gimmick 2500, etc., in the front unit 2000 attached to the front of the game panel 1100, the rear cell 1130 is positioned between the game panel 1100 and the flat main body piece 1141 of the cell fixing piece 1140, and rearward movement is restricted by the main body piece 1141. In this case, since the outer shape of the protrusion 1142 protruding forward from the main body piece 1141 is smaller than the inner shape of the support hole 1131 of the rear cell 1130, a gap is formed between the inner circumference of the support hole 1131 and the outer circumference of the protrusion 1142, making it possible for the rear cell 1130 to move in directions along the rear surface of the gaming panel 1100 (up and down and left and right) within the range of this gap, and making it possible to absorb the relative shrinkage difference of the rear cell 1130 with respect to the gaming panel 1100 due to environmental factors such as temperature and humidity. Furthermore, because the protrusion 1142 protruding forward from the main body piece 1141 protrudes longer than the thickness of the rear cell 1130, a gap larger than the thickness of the rear cell 1130 is formed between the gaming panel 1100 and the main body piece 1141, allowing the rear cell 1130 to move in the front-to-rear direction within the range of the gap, and even if the rear cell 1130 ripples in the front-to-rear direction due to environmental factors such as temperature and humidity, the gap can absorb the ripples. As a result, even if the sheet-like rear cell 1130 provided behind the transparent gaming panel 1100 expands and contracts more than the gaming panel 1100 due to environmental changes such as temperature and humidity, the rear cell 1130 is supported by the cell fixing piece 1140 attached to the rear surface of the gaming panel 1100 through the support hole 1131 so as to be movable within a certain range in the up-down, left-right, and front-to-rear directions, and is supported in an expandable and contractible state relative to the gaming panel 1100, allowing the rear cell 1130 to expand and contract freely. Therefore, even if the temperature, humidity, or other environmental factors change, the rear cell 1130 will not wrinkle or crack, and the decorative effect of the rear cell 1130 can be maintained. Therefore, the image on the rear cell 1130 that can be seen through the transparent gaming panel 1100 can improve the appearance of the gaming area 5a, entertaining players and preventing a decline in interest.

In addition, because the support hole 1131 (cell fixing piece 1140) in the rear cell 1130 is located behind the center device 2500, etc., which is located on the front of the gaming panel 1100, the support hole 1131, from which the specified image has been removed, can be made less visible by the front center device 2500, etc. This prevents the poor appearance caused by the support hole 1131 (cell fixing piece 1140) being visible and improves the appearance of the gaming area 5a, making it possible to provide a pachinko machine 1 that is more appealing to players.

Furthermore, the rear cell 1130 is attached to the gaming panel 1100 in an expandable state using the cell fixing piece 1140, rather than being affixed to the gaming panel 1100 as in conventional technology. This simplifies the effort required for decorating the transparent gaming panel 1100 and suppresses increases in the cost of the pachinko machine 1. Specifically, for gaming panels 1100 that are machined, the rear cell 1130 can be attached using the cell fixing piece 1140 after the cutting process, so the rear cell 1130 is not scratched during the cutting process of the gaming panel 1100. Furthermore, the machined surface is not roughened due to differences in the materials, etc., between the gaming panel 1100 and the rear cell 1130, eliminating the need for a finishing process after cutting. On the other hand, for gaming panels 1100 formed to have openings 1112 by cutting or injection molding, the rear cell 1130 is not affixed, eliminating the effort required for attachment. Therefore, the rear cell 1130 can be installed behind the transparent gaming panel 1100 more easily than with conventional technology, and the increase in costs associated with the pachinko machine 1 can be suppressed.

Furthermore, because the rear cells 1130 are provided behind a portion of the gaming panel 1100, the amount of rear cells 1130 used can be reduced compared to when rear cells 1130 are provided across the entire surface of the gaming panel 1100, thereby reducing the cost of the pachinko machine 1.

However, if the game panel 1100 is transparent, it becomes difficult for the player to see the game panel 1100. Therefore, when looking inside the game area 5a, the player will focus on the decorations of the rear unit 3000 located behind the game panel 1100. As a result, some players may find it difficult to focus on the game ball B circulating in front of the game panel 1100, and the difficulty in seeing the game ball B may reduce their interest in the game. In contrast, in this embodiment, a rear cell 1130 with a predetermined pattern is provided behind a portion of the transparent game panel 1100. This makes it easier for the player to focus on the pattern on the rear cell 1130 when looking into the game area 5a. Therefore, simply by looking at the game panel 1100, the player's focus naturally shifts to the game ball B circulating within the game area 5a, making it easier to see the game ball B circulating within the game area 5a. This allows the player to enjoy the movement of the game ball B and prevents a decline in interest.

Furthermore, a rear cell 1130 decorated with a predetermined pattern is provided in a portion of the rear of the transparent gaming panel 1100 (panel board 1110), so that the pattern on the rear cell 1130 can hide any decorative objects provided behind it from the player. Therefore, if a decorative object capable of illuminating is provided behind the rear cell 1130, the pattern on the rear cell 1130 can prevent the player from noticing the presence of the decorative object when the decorative object is not illuminated. Then, when the decorative object is illuminated as the game progresses, the rear cell 1130 is illuminated by the light from the decorative object behind it, making it possible for the player to notice the presence of a decorative object whose presence was previously unforeseen, greatly surprising the player and making the player strongly believe that a chance has arrived. It also allows the player to see a more effective illuminated effect, entertaining the player and preventing a decline in interest.

Furthermore, as mentioned above, the rear cell 1130 can hide the decorative body located at the rear from view of the player. Therefore, by moving the movable decorative body as the game progresses from a state where it is invisible due to the rear cell 1130 to a state where it is visible through the opening 1112 that penetrates the front and back of the gaming panel 1100, it is possible to present a moving presentation in which the movable decorative body appears as the game progresses. Therefore, the appearance of the movable decorative body can suggest to the player that a chance is approaching, making the player strongly believe that a favorable gaming state (for example, a "jackpot" gaming state) that will give the player an advantage may occur, increasing anticipation for the game and preventing a decline in interest.

Furthermore, because the rear cell 1130 is supported on the rear surface of the gaming panel 1100 by the cell fixing piece 1140, the rear cell 1130 can be easily attached and detached from the gaming panel 1100 by removing the cell fixing piece 1140 from the gaming panel 1100. As a result, by removing the cell fixing piece 1140 from the gaming panel 1100, a rear cell 1130 with a different design can be attached or replaced on the gaming panel 1100, making it easy to respond to changes in the specifications or model of the pachinko machine 1 and reducing increases in the cost of the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, because the gaming panel 1100 and the rear cell 1130 are separate, the following excellent effects can be achieved. Specifically, when a decorative film is attached to a gaming panel, as in conventional technology, if an opening is provided in the gaming panel, the portion of the decorative film corresponding to the opening is cut away, making it impossible to decorate the inside of the opening with the decorative film. In contrast, in this embodiment, because the gaming panel 1100 and the rear cell 1130 are separate, even if an opening 1112 is provided in the gaming panel 1100, the inside of the opening 1112 can be decorated by extending a portion of the rear cell 1130 into the opening 1112. This allows for a pachinko machine 1 with a different appearance than conventional machines, making it easier to provide a pachinko machine 1 that is highly appealing to players. In this case, in the center device 2500 attached to the opening 1112 of the gaming panel 1100, a portion of the rear cell 1130 extends rearward from the center of the periphery of the opening 1112, so that this portion of the center device 2500 can be decorated from behind with the image on the rear cell 1130, improving the appearance of the gaming area 5a.

Furthermore, because the cell fixing piece 1140 is made transparent, it is possible to make the cell fixing piece 1140 less visible from the front through the support hole 1131 of the rear cell 1130, thereby preventing the appearance from being impaired within the play area 5a.

In addition, the cell fixing piece 1140 is provided with a positioning pin 1144 that protrudes forward from a position different from the protrusion 1142 on the main body piece 1141 and is inserted into the positioning hole 1110b of the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100. Therefore, the cell fixing piece 1140 cannot rotate around its axis in the front-to-rear direction by the mounting screw that is screwed into the mounting hole 1110a of the panel board 1110 of the gaming panel 1100 through the mounting hole 1143 and the positioning pin 1144. Therefore, if the cell fixing piece 1140 rotates for some reason, it can be prevented from coming into contact with other components, causing a malfunction, or from being easily visible to players, thereby detracting from the appearance of the gaming area 5a.

In addition, the support hole 1131 of the rear cell 1130 is located behind the peripheral wall portion 2511a that protrudes forward like a wall on the center base 2511 of the center device 2500. Therefore, even if the center device 2500 is formed to be transparent, the peripheral wall portion 2511a that protrudes forward like a wall refracts light, making the rear support hole 1131 less visible. This prevents the support hole 1131 (cell fixing piece 1140) from being visible, improves the appearance within the play area 5a, and provides a pachinko machine 1 that is more appealing to players.

Furthermore, according to the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, in the second starting opening/closing unit 2630 and the first large winning opening opening/closing unit 2640 provided in the attacca unit 2600 in the center role 2500 of the gaming board 5, the flat guide piece 2636 and the first large winning opening door body 2641 are arranged so that they at least partially overlap the starting opening solenoid 2632, the first attacca solenoid 2642, and the opening/closing link 2637, the opening/closing link 2647 in a plan view, thereby making it possible to reduce the front-to-back and left-to-right dimensions of the second starting opening/closing unit 2630 and the first large winning opening opening/closing unit 2640. Furthermore, because the flat guide piece 2636 and the first large winning opening door body 2641 are arranged so that they intersect with the opening/closing link 2637, the opening/closing link 2647 in a front view, it is possible to reduce the up-down dimensions of the second starting opening/closing unit 2630 and the first large winning opening opening/closing unit 2640. Furthermore, because the flat guide piece 2636 and the first large prize opening door body 2641 are provided above or below the starting opening solenoid 2632 and the first attacca solenoid 2642, it is possible to arrange the guide piece 2636 and the first large prize opening door body 2641 so that they overlap with the starting opening solenoid 2632 and the first attacca solenoid 2642 in a plan view, thereby reducing the front-to-rear dimensions of the second starting opening opening/closing unit 2630 and the first large prize opening opening/closing unit 2640. Furthermore, the flat guide piece 2636 and the first large prize opening door body 2641 are provided with the cutouts 2636b and the cutouts 2641b that avoid contact with the opening/closing links 2637 and the opening/closing links 2647, so that the opening/closing links 2637 and the opening/closing links 2647 can be brought as close as possible to the guide piece 2636 and the first large prize opening door body 2641 in a plan view. Furthermore, because the second starting opening/closing unit 2630 and the first large winning opening/closing unit 2640 can be made smaller than conventional units, the space available for arranging other components (decorations) within the pachinko machine 1 can be made relatively larger, making it possible to enlarge the decorations or install new decorations using this space. Also, as described above, because the second starting opening/closing unit 2630 and the first large winning opening/closing unit 2640 can be made smaller than conventional units, the flexibility in arranging the second starting opening/closing unit 2630 and the first large winning opening/closing unit 2640 can be increased, making it possible to arrange the second starting opening/closing unit 2630 and the first large winning opening/closing unit 2640 in positions different from conventional pachinko machines. As a result, the pachinko machine 1 can have an unprecedented appearance, making it possible to provide a pachinko machine 1 that is highly appealing to players.

In addition, the guide piece 2636 and the first large prize opening door body 2641 are provided with cutouts 2636b and 2641b to avoid contact with the opening/closing link 2637 and the opening/closing link 2647. Therefore, when the starting opening solenoid 2632, the first attacca solenoid 2642, the opening/closing link 2637 and the opening/closing link 2647, and the guide piece 2636 and the first large prize opening door body 2641 are closely arranged in order to reduce the size of the second starting opening opening/closing unit 2630 and the first large prize opening opening/closing unit 2640, Furthermore, cutouts 2636b and 2641b prevent opening/closing links 2637 and 2647 from coming into contact with guide piece 2636 and first large prize opening door body 2641, so that guide piece 2636 and first large prize opening door body 2641 can be moved forward and backward without any problems by start opening solenoid 2632 and first attacca solenoid 2642, ensuring that the functions of second start opening/closing unit 2630 and first large prize opening/closing unit 2640 can be performed reliably.

Furthermore, in the second starting opening/closing unit 2630 and the first large winning opening/closing unit 2640, the starting opening solenoid 2632, the first attacca solenoid 2642, the opening/closing link 2637, the opening/closing link 2647, the guide piece 2636 and the first large winning opening door body 2641 are accommodated and supported in the container-shaped unit case 2635 or unit case 2645 consisting of the first case section 2633 or first case section 2643 and the second case section 2634 or second case section 2644, so that they do not incorporate a decorative board on which a sensor for detecting game ball B or a light-emitting means such as an LED is mounted, and the second starting opening/closing unit 2630 and the first large winning opening/closing unit 2640 can be made even smaller. Furthermore, because it does not have built-in sensors or decorative boards, the sensors and decorative boards can be placed independently of the second starting opening/closing unit 2630 and the first large winning opening/closing unit 2640, which increases the design freedom of the distribution path for game ball B and reduces the design man-hours required to change the distribution path (flow path), thereby reducing the cost of the pachinko machine 1 and shortening delivery times.

In order to increase the flexibility of unit placement in conventional units that incorporate a sensor within a case, it is possible to remove the sensor from the case and use a unit without a built-in sensor depending on the model being used. However, in this case, if an attempt is made to achieve mass production benefits by reusing the unit across multiple models, it would be necessary to manufacture both units with and without the sensor, which would increase the time and effort required to manufacture the units and make it difficult to achieve sufficient mass production benefits. Furthermore, if the same unit contains units with the sensor removed, there is a risk that a unit without a sensor will be mistakenly installed during the assembly of the pachinko machine, which could cause malfunctions and require the units to be checked during assembly, which is time-consuming and increases costs. In contrast, in this embodiment, as described above, the second starting opening/closing unit 2630 and the first large winning opening opening/closing unit 2640 are not provided with (do not have built-in) sensors, etc., and therefore the same second starting opening/closing unit 2630 and first large winning opening opening/closing unit 2640 can be used regardless of the model used. Therefore, it is sufficient to manufacture only the same second starting opening/closing unit 2630 and first large winning opening opening/closing unit 2640, achieving sufficient mass production efficiencies. Furthermore, because there are no identical second starting opening/closing units 2630 or first large winning opening opening/closing units 2640 with different functions, there is no need to check the second starting opening/closing unit 2630 or first large winning opening opening/closing unit 2640 when assembling the pachinko machine 1. This prevents malfunctions due to assembly errors and simplifies the assembly process, thereby reducing the cost of the pachinko machine 1.

In addition, in the second starting opening/closing unit 2630 and the first large winning opening opening/closing unit 2640, the starting opening solenoid 2632 and the first attacca solenoid 2642, which move the guide piece 2636 and the first large winning opening door body 2641 forward and backward, are solenoids, which enables faster response of the guide piece 2636 and the first large winning opening door body 2641 to move forward and backward compared to when the starting opening solenoid 2632 and the first attacca solenoid 2642 are drive motors. In addition, because the solenoids serving as the starting opening solenoid 2632 and the first attacca solenoid 2642 have plungers that extend and retract left and right, the front-to-back dimensions of the second starting opening/closing unit 2630 and the first large winning opening opening/closing unit 2640 can be reduced, making it easier to secure space behind the second starting opening/closing unit 2630 and the first large winning opening opening/closing unit 2640. Therefore, it is possible to make the accessories and decorations behind the second starting opening/closing unit 2630 and the first large winning opening/closing unit 2640 larger, or to place new accessories and decorations behind them, which makes the pachinko machine 1 more noticeable and strongly attracts the player's attention, and also makes the accessories and other items behind more entertaining for the player, preventing a decline in the player's interest in the game.

In addition, in the second starting opening/closing unit 2630 and the first large winning opening opening/closing unit 2640, the notches 2636b and 2641b of the guide piece 2636 and the first large winning opening door body 2641 are arranged so that the game ball B cannot come into contact with them. Therefore, when the starting opening solenoid 2632 and the first attacca solenoid 2642 are causing the guide piece 2636 and the first large winning opening door body 2641 to protrude forward, even if the game ball B flows over the guide piece 2636 and the first large winning opening door body 2641, the game ball B will not come into contact with the guide piece 2636 and the first large winning opening door body 2641. Because there is no contact with the notch 2636b or notch 2641b that penetrates the inner piece 2636 or the first large winning opening door body 2641 in the vertical direction, it is possible to prevent malfunctions such as the direction of the game ball B circulating on the guide piece 2636 or the first large winning opening door body 2641 changing, or the game ball B coming to a stop on the guide piece 2636 or the first large winning opening door body 2641, and it is possible to prevent malfunctions from causing distrust among players and reducing their interest.

Furthermore, in the second starting opening/closing unit 2630 and the first large winning opening opening/closing unit 2640, the cutouts 2636b and 2641b of the guide piece 2636 and the first large winning opening door body 2641 are recessed from the rear edge toward the front, and the rear ends of the cutouts 2636b and 2641b of the guide piece 2636 and the first large winning opening door body 2641 are open toward the rear. This makes it possible to easily insert the opening/closing link 2637 and the opening/closing link 2647 into the cutouts 2636b and 2641b from the rear edge of the guide piece 2636 and the first large winning opening door body 2641, thereby simplifying the assembly of the second starting opening/closing unit 2630 and the first large winning opening opening/closing unit 2640 and suppressing increases in the costs of the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, as described above, because the notches 2636b and 2641b of the guide piece 2636 and the first large prize opening door body 2641 are notched and open to the rear, when the guide piece 2636 and the first large prize opening door body 2641 are protruded forward, it is possible to make a portion of the opening/closing link 2637 and the opening/closing link 2647 protrude further rearward than the rear end edge of the guide piece 2636 and the first large prize opening door body 2641. In other words, it is possible to position the rear end edge of the guide piece 2636 and the first large prize opening door body 2641 further forward than the rear end of the opening/closing link 2637 and the opening/closing link 2647. This allows the front-to-rear dimensions of the guide piece 2636 and the first large prize opening door body 2641 to be reduced, thereby further miniaturizing the second starting opening opening/closing unit 2630 and the first large prize opening opening/closing unit 2640, and reliably providing a pachinko machine 1 that achieves the above-mentioned effects.

In addition, in the second starting opening/closing unit 2630 and the first large winning opening opening/closing unit 2640, the container-shaped unit case 2635 and unit case 2645 which house and support the starting opening solenoid 2632, first attacca solenoid 2642, opening/closing link 2637, opening/closing link 2647, and guide piece 2636 and first large winning opening door body 2641 are composed of two parts, the first case portion 2633 and first case portion 2643 and the second case portion 2634 and second case portion 2644, so that the increase in the number of parts in the second starting opening/closing unit 2630 and the first large winning opening opening/closing unit 2640 can be suppressed, and the increase in costs associated with the pachinko machine 1 can be suppressed. Furthermore, in this case, since unit case 2635 or unit case 2645 is made up of two parts, first case part 2633 or first case part 2643 and second case part 2634 or second case part 2644, the starting port solenoid 2632, first attacca solenoid 2642, opening/closing link 2637 or opening/closing link 2647, guide piece 2636, and first large winning port door body 2641 can be sandwiched between first case part 2633 or first case part 2643 and second case part 2634 or second case part 2644, simplifying the effort required for assembly.

Furthermore, in the second start opening/closing unit 2630, the part (detection unit) of the second start opening sensor 2601 through which game ball B passes and is detected is located forward of the unit case 2635. This means that the detection unit of the second start opening sensor 2601 is located forward, making it possible to shorten the distance from the guide piece 2636 (second start opening 2005) to the second start opening sensor 2601 as much as possible, allowing the winning game ball B to be detected quickly and making the detection of game ball B by the second start opening sensor 2601 more visible to the player. By allowing the player to visually see the detection of game ball B, the player's anticipation for the game can be heightened and the game can be enjoyed more.

In addition, a first major prize opening decorative substrate 2672, which is equipped with multiple LEDs that can emit light upward, is provided below the forward-protruding first major prize opening door body 2641, and light from the LEDs on the first major prize opening decorative substrate 2672 is irradiated from below onto the game ball B on the first major prize opening door body 2641 through the cutout 2641b of the first major prize opening door body 2641. This allows light from the LEDs on the first major prize opening decorative substrate 2672 to be irradiated onto the game ball B circulating on the first major prize opening door body 2641 through the cutout 2641b, allowing players to see an effect in which the game ball B circulating on the first major prize opening door body 2641 is illuminated from below, something never before seen in pachinko machines. This strongly attracts the player's attention, entertains the player, and prevents a decline in interest in the game.

Furthermore, according to the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, in the rear rear performance unit 3600 of the rear unit 3000 of the gaming board 5, when the rear rear upper decorative body 3650 having a rear rear upper decorative lens 3651 with a predetermined decoration on its front surface is in the upper retracted position, the rear rear upper decorative body 3650 is positioned so as to straddle the upper front and left and right directions above the display screen of the performance display device 1600, allowing the player to enjoy viewing the performance image displayed on the display screen of the performance display device 1600 in good condition. In this state, when the unlock solenoid 3663 of the locking mechanism 3660 is activated as the game progresses, the restriction on falling by the upper locking claw 3661b of the locking latch 3661 is released, and the rear rear upper decorative body 3650 falls to the lower appearance position. This upper rear decorative body 3650 is provided with a locking mechanism 3660 having an unlocking solenoid 3663, and has an upper rear decorative substrate 3653 on which an upper rear decorative lens 3651 and multiple LEDs are mounted, and is formed in a size that spans the performance display device 1600 from side to side, so that the weight of the upper rear decorative body 3650 is greater than that of the lifting decorative body provided in conventional pachinko machines, and the upper rear decorative body 3650 is urged downward by the auxiliary spring 3616. Therefore, when the restriction on fall by the upper locking claw 3661b of the locking latch 3661 of the locking mechanism 3660 is released as the game progresses, the urging force of the auxiliary spring 3616 causes the upper rear decorative body 3650 to fall at a speed faster than a free fall, allowing the player to see the upper rear decorative body 3650 falling at a speed faster than before. At this time, the large rear upper decorative body 3650 on the left and right falls while blocking the performance image displayed on the display screen of the performance display device 1600, ensuring that players watching the performance image are aware of the fall of the rear upper decorative body 3650 (moving performance), allowing them to enjoy the moving performance of the rear upper decorative body 3650.

When the rear upper decorative body 3650 that has fallen from the retracted position comes into contact with the shock absorbing portion 3781f of the right slide base 3781 of the right unit 3780 of the rear lower decorative body 3700 that is located at the appearance position, the shock absorbing portion 3781f absorbs the impact of the fall, making it difficult for the rear upper decorative body 3650 that has fallen to the appearance position to bounce upward. Furthermore, if the rear upper decorative body 3650's ascent is restricted by the lower locking claw 3661c of the locking latch 3661 at the same time as it reaches the appearance position, the fallen rear upper decorative body 3650 can be prevented from bouncing upward at the appearance position. For this reason, when the rear upper decorative body 3650 is dropped from the retracted position, it stops at the emerging position without bouncing back, making it possible to make it appear as if the rear upper decorative body 3650 has fallen with a thud or a heavy thud, allowing the player to see a powerful, heavy-looking falling effect, which can have a strong impact on the player. Furthermore, because the rear upper decorative body 3650 can make the player see a powerful, heavy-looking falling effect, the falling effect of the rear upper decorative body 3650 can make the player feel strongly that something good is about to happen, increasing anticipation for the game and entertaining the player, preventing a decline in interest.

In addition, by illuminating the multiple LEDs mounted on the upper rear decorative board 3653 as the game progresses, the upper rear decorative lens 3651 on the front of the upper rear decorative body 3650 can be brightly illuminated and decorated, strongly attracting the player's attention to the upper rear decorative body 3650.

Furthermore, by appropriately combining the falling effect (moving effect) of the rear upper decorative body 3650, the light-emitting effect using the light-emitting decorations, and the effect images displayed by the effect display device 1600, a variety of effects can be presented to the player, making it less likely for the player to become bored and preventing a decline in interest.

In addition, the shock absorbing section 3781f can absorb the impact caused by the fall of the rear upper decorative body 3650, thereby preventing the rear upper decorative body 3650 and the rear lower decorative body 3700 located at the appearance position from being damaged by the impact of the fall. This prevents players from feeling uncomfortable due to interruptions in play caused by damage to the rear upper decorative body 3650, etc., and allows players to enjoy the falling effect (moving effect) of the rear upper decorative body 3650 in good condition, preventing a decline in player interest.

Furthermore, the lock latch 3661 is configured to protrude due to the biasing force of the lock spring 3662, thereby restricting the fall or ascent of the rear upper decorative body 3650. The lower surface of the upper lock claw 3661b, which restricts the ascent of the lock latch 3661, is inclined so that it rises toward the tip, and the upper surface of the lower lock claw 3661c, which restricts the fall, is inclined so that it falls toward the edge. This prevents the lock from falling when the rear upper decorative body 3650 is dropped from the retracted position. Due to the inclination of the underside of the lower locking claw 3661c of the latch 3661, the locking latch 3661 automatically retreats against the force of the locking spring 3662, and when the rear upper decorative body 3650 reaches the emerging position, the retreated locking latch 3661 protrudes due to the force of the locking spring 3662, and the lower locking claw 3661c is inserted into the locking groove 3781e, instantly restricting the rise and preventing the rear upper decorative body 3650 from bouncing upward at the emerging position. On the other hand, when the rear upper decorative body 3650 is raised from the extended position to the retracted position, the protruding lock latch 3661 can be retracted against the biasing force of the lock spring 3662 by the inclined upper surface of the upper lock claw 3661b, and when the rear upper decorative body 3650 reaches the retracted position, the retracted lock latch 3661 protrudes due to the biasing force of the lock spring 3662, and the upper lock claw 3661b is inserted into the lock groove 3603, preventing it from falling. In this way, the rise and fall of the rear upper decorative body 3650 can be automatically restricted (locked) by the raising and lowering of the rear upper decorative body 3650 without driving the unlocking solenoid 3663, thereby reliably realizing a pachinko machine 1 that achieves the effects described above.

In addition, the lower locking claw 3661c of the locking latch 3661 makes it possible to restrict ascent from the emergence position, and a rear-rear lower decorative body 3700 is provided that abuts the rear-rear upper decorative body 3650 at the emergence position and can move upward.Therefore, after the rear-rear upper decorative body 3650 is dropped to the emergence position, if the rear-rear upper decorative body 3650 is raised while its upward movement is still restricted by the lower locking claw 3661c of the locking latch 3661, an upward lifting force will act on the rear-rear lower decorative body 3700 by the lower locking claw 3661c of the locking latch 3661, and the rear-rear upper decorative body 3650 and the rear-rear lower decorative body 3700 will rise together. Therefore, when the rear upper decorative body 3650 is dropped and then raised, it rises together with the rear lower decorative body 3700, and a large decorative body that appears to be a combination of the rear upper decorative body 3650 and the rear lower decorative body 3700 rises, which can greatly surprise the player and make an extremely strong impact, as well as making the player feel strongly that something good is about to happen, increasing their anticipation for the game, entertaining the player and preventing a decline in interest.

In addition, when the rear upper decorative body 3650 is raised from the appearance position, the auxiliary spring 3616 biases the rear upper decorative body 3650 upward, thereby reducing the load on the rear upper decorative body 3650 as it rises.

Furthermore, according to the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, the game board 5 is provided with a display device 1600 capable of displaying display images behind the game panel 1100, i.e., behind the play area 5a where play takes place. This allows the pachinko machine 1 to have an appearance similar to conventional pachinko machines equipped with the display device 1600, making it less likely to discourage players accustomed to conventional pachinko machines and more likely to select this pachinko machine 1 as the machine to play on. Furthermore, the rear-front-left display unit 3300 of the rear unit 3000 is provided behind the game panel 1100, to the left of the center of the display device 1600. This prevents the rear-front-left display unit 3300 from obstructing the display images displayed on the display screen of the display device 1600, allowing players to fully enjoy the display images. This back-front-left performance unit 3300 is provided with a back-front-left decorative body 3301 on its front, which can decorate the front of the performance display device 1600 and the inside of the game area 5a, improving the appearance of the pachinko machine 1. The back-front-left performance unit 3300 also has a back-front-left decorative sheet 3308 facing backward on its rear surface, but the back-front-left decorative sheet 3308 cannot be seen from the front player through the back-front-left performance unit 3300 (back-front-left decorative body 3301). Meanwhile, the performance display device 1600 is provided behind the back-front-left performance unit 3300, so the display screen of the performance display device 1600 can reflect the decoration of the back-front-left decorative sheet 3308 provided on the rear of the back-front-left performance unit 3300 forward. In other words, the back-front-left decorative sheet 3308 of the back-front-left performance unit 3300 can be reflected on the display screen of the performance display device 1600. However, when the effect image is displayed on the effect display device 1600 (normal state), the display screen is bright, and this brightness cancels out the reflection of the pattern on the back front left back decorative sheet 3308, making it almost impossible to see the pattern on the back front left back decorative sheet 3308 reflected on the display screen.

In this state, if the display screen of the performance display device 1600 is intentionally darkened (e.g., blacked out), the reflection of the image on the back-front-left back decorative sheet 3308 becomes relatively bright compared to the display screen, and the image on the back-front-left back decorative sheet 3308 becomes visible on the display screen. In other words, when the display screen of the performance display device 1600 is darkened, the image on the back-front-left back decorative sheet 3308, which is provided on the rear surface of the back-front-left performance unit 3300, is reflected on the display screen, and the image on the back-front-left back decorative sheet 3308 (reflected image 3310) reflected on the display screen becomes faintly visible compared to the performance image displayed on the display screen (see Figure 197). In this case, because the back-front-left performance unit 3300 is provided to the left of the center of the performance display device 1600, the back-front-left back decorative sheet 3308 reflected on the display screen can be made more visible to the player when the display screen of the performance display device 1600 is darkened. For this reason, by going dark or intentionally darkening the display screen while an effect is being performed using effect images from the effect display device 1600, the player can be shown an effect in which the pattern (decoration) of the back-front-left back decorative sheet 3308 on the back of the back-front-left effect unit 3300 is reflected on the display screen. Therefore, even though the machine looks similar to conventional pachinko machines, players can be shown an effect never before seen in pachinko machines, in which the pattern of the back-front-left back decorative sheet 3308 is reflected on the display screen. This strongly attracts the player's attention and makes a strong impact, making them think that something good is about to happen, increasing their anticipation for the game and preventing a decline in interest.

In addition, because the pattern on the back-front-left back decorative sheet 3308 of the back-front-left performance unit 3300 is a different decoration (pattern) from the pattern on the back-front-left decorative body 3301, if the display screen of the performance display device 1600 is darkened to make the reflected pattern of the back-front-left back decorative sheet 3308 visible, the player can be made to recognize that a decoration (back-front-left back decorative sheet 3308) that is clearly different from the back-front-left decorative body 3301 is reflected on the dark display screen, making a strong impact on the player. More specifically, in the normal state when a performance image is displayed on the display screen of the performance display device 1600, only a character with a predetermined facial expression is visible as the back-front-left decorative body 3301 provided on the front of the back-front-left performance unit 3300, and a character with a different facial expression as the back-front-left back decorative sheet 3308 is not visible reflected on the display screen. When the display screen is darkened by blacking out or the like, the character on the back-front-left back decorative sheet 3308, with a different expression from that of the back-front-left decorative body 3301, appears to be reflected on the display screen, adjacent to the back-front-left performance unit 3300, allowing the player to see the character's reverse (different) face, allowing the player to enjoy the contrast in the character's expression. For example, if this effect is performed before an advantageous gaming state occurs in which the player is in an advantageous position, such as a jackpot game, the effect can make the player strongly believe that the advantageous gaming state will not occur and that it may be a "miss," and the advantageous gaming state (a "jackpot") will then occur, surprising the player and further increasing their interest.

Furthermore, because the rear-front-left performance unit 3300 is located behind the gaming panel 1100, it is possible to prevent light from entering the display screen (front) of the performance display device 1600 from between the rear-front-left performance unit 3300 and the performance display device 1600. Therefore, when the display screen of the performance display device 1600 is darkened, the front of the performance display device 1600 can be made sufficiently dark, making it easier for the image on the rear-front-left back decorative sheet 3308 of the rear-front-left performance unit 3300 to be reflected, and making the reflected image (reflective image 3310) on the rear-front-left back decorative sheet 3308 more visible to the player, thereby providing a pachinko machine 1 that can reliably achieve the above-mentioned effects.

Furthermore, as mentioned above, when the display screen of the effect display device 1600 is darkened, the reflected pattern 3310 of the back-front-left back decorative sheet 3308 of the back-front-left effect unit 3300 reflected on the display screen is faintly visible. Therefore, for example, by shortening the time that the display screen is darkened, it is possible to make it difficult for a player to notice that the pattern of the back-front-left back decorative sheet 3308 is reflected on the display screen. In other words, depending on the player, it is possible to make the player notice the reflected pattern 3310 of the back-front-left back decorative sheet 3308 reflected on the display screen. This makes the player grin or gasp, making them feel like they've made a bargain and entertaining them.

Furthermore, as mentioned above, when the display screen of the performance display device 1600 is darkened, the image on the back-front-left decorative sheet 3308 provided on the rear surface of the back-front-left performance unit 3300 is reflected on the display screen, making the reflected image 3310 (decoration) on the back-front-left decorative sheet 3308 visible from the front of the pachinko machine 1. Therefore, depending on the relative positions of the performance display device 1600 and the back-front-left performance unit 3300 (back-front-left decorative sheet 3308), it is possible to make the reflected image on the back-front-left decorative sheet 3308 less visible to players seated in front of this pachinko machine 1, and to make the reflected image on the back-front-left decorative sheet 3308 more visible to players seated in front of an adjacent pachinko machine or players near this pachinko machine 1. This makes it possible to promote the pachinko machine 1 to other players, providing a pachinko machine 1 that is highly appealing to players, making it easier for players to select the pachinko machine 1 as the machine to play, and making playing the pachinko machine 1 more enjoyable and preventing a decline in interest.

In addition, by positioning the back-front-left performance unit 3300 away from the center to the left of the performance display device 1600, it is possible to ensure that the image of the back-front-left back decorative sheet 3308 reflected on the display screen is only visible to the right eye of the player seated in front. As a result, when the display screen of the performance display device 1600 is darkened, the image of the back-front-left back decorative sheet 3308 reflected on the display screen is only visible to the right eye, making the reflected image of the back-front-left back decorative sheet 3308 appear uncertain, allowing the player to be presented with a performance that makes them feel as if they are seeing an illusion, and amplifying the eerie feeling caused by the performance, entertaining the player and preventing a decline in interest.

Furthermore, by providing the rear front left performance unit 3300 near the front end of the rear box 3000 and the performance display device 1600 behind the rear box 3000, the front-to-rear distance between the rear surface of the rear front left performance unit 3300 (the rear front left back decorative sheet 3308) and the display screen of the performance display device 1600 can be made as long as possible, making it easier to see the image on the rear front left back decorative sheet 3308 reflected on the display screen from the front of the pachinko machine 1. Therefore, players seated in front of the pachinko machine 1 can fully enjoy the performances that have the above-mentioned effects, preventing a decline in the player's interest in the game.

Furthermore, according to the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, in the center distribution unit 2520 of the center device 2500 of the game board 5, the game ball B is supplied through the upper warp passage 2513 to the vicinity of the outer periphery of the rolling surface portion 2531 of the crane 2530, which has a peripheral wall portion 2533 on its outer periphery that is higher than the radius of the game ball B. The game ball B rolls on the central surface portion 2531a of the rolling surface portion 2531 while being prevented from contacting the peripheral wall portion 2533 by the inclination of the peripheral surface portion 2531b, and enters the passage opening 2532. In this case, the shape of the passage opening 2532 provided in the rolling surface portion 2531 is non-circular (here, square) so that the longest opposing line passing through the center and connecting the two opposing parts extends in the front-to-back direction, thereby preventing the game ball B from spinning around on the edge of the passage opening 2532 and preventing the game ball B from being kicked by the passage opening 2532, and allowing the game ball B to quickly enter the passage opening 2532. Therefore, because the player can see the center distribution piece 2523 located downstream of the crane 2530 moving back and forth, even if the player hits or shakes the pachinko machine 1 to try to make game ball B enter the passage opening 2532 at the desired timing so that the center distribution piece 2523 can distribute game ball B to the first upper starting opening 2004, game ball B will enter the passage opening 2532 while the player is waiting for the right timing, preventing fraudulent activity and reducing the burden on the gaming hall caused by fraudulent activity.

Furthermore, because the passage openings 2532 are non-circular, it is possible to suppress (or prevent) game ball B from being kicked by a passage opening 2532 and entering another passage opening 2532, thereby stabilizing the probability of game ball B entering a passage opening 2532 (acceptance probability), and reliably providing pachinko machines 1 with the same performance in terms of the probability of acceptance into passage openings 2532.

Specifically, in the Kruun 2530, the rolling surface portion 2531 is dish-shaped with a low center, and one passage opening 2532 is provided in the center of the rolling surface portion 2531. In this Kruun 2530, a game ball B supplied near the outer periphery of the rolling surface portion 2531 is prevented from contacting the peripheral wall portion 2533 by the peripheral surface portion 2531b, which has a steeper angle than the central surface portion 2531a, and rolls in a circle from near the outer periphery of the rolling surface portion 2531, gradually reducing its turning radius, and enters the central passage opening 2532. At this time, when the game ball B starts to rotate, the peripheral surface portion 2531b causes it to roll without coming into contact with the peripheral wall portion 2533, which prevents abnormal vibrations caused by hitting or shaking the pachinko machine 1 from acting on the game ball B through the peripheral wall portion 2533, and prevents the game ball B from being illegally introduced into the passage opening 2532 by being directed toward the passage opening 2532 due to the abnormal vibrations. Furthermore, since the game ball B rolls in a circular shape and the passage opening 2532 is non-circular and square-shaped, as the rotation radius of the game ball B gradually decreases, it eventually comes into contact with one of the four corners outside the inscribed circle of the passage opening 2532, and the game ball B quickly enters (falls down) toward the passage opening 2532, and does not rotate around the edge of the passage opening 2532. Therefore, even if one tries to control the timing at which game ball B falls from crane 2530 by hitting or shaking pachinko machine 1 so that game ball B is distributed to first upper starting port 2004 by center distribution piece 2523, which can be seen moving back and forth, game ball B will enter passage port 2532 while trying to time it, preventing fraudulent activity and reducing the burden on the gaming hall caused by fraudulent activity.

Furthermore, as shown in Figure 151 (b), if the rolling surface portion 2531 is made dish-shaped with a low center and multiple passing ports 2532 including a specific passing port 2532 to which a specified bonus is awarded are provided near the center of the rolling surface portion 2531, a game ball B supplied near the outer periphery of the rolling surface portion 2531 will be prevented from contacting the peripheral wall portion 2533 by the peripheral surface portion 2531b, and will roll in a circle while gradually reducing its turning radius from near the outer periphery of the rolling surface portion 2531, and will enter one of the multiple passing ports 2532 provided near the center, and when the game ball B enters the specific passing port 2532, a specified bonus will be awarded. At this time, when game ball B begins to rotate, the peripheral surface portion 2531b causes it to roll without coming into contact with the peripheral wall portion 2533, thereby preventing abnormal vibrations caused by hitting or shaking the pachinko machine 1 from acting on game ball B through the peripheral wall portion 2533, and preventing fraudulent acts such as game ball B being illegally inserted into the passage opening 2532 due to the abnormal vibrations. Furthermore, even if multiple passage openings 2532 are arranged on the same circumference, since each passage opening 2532 is non-circular, as the radius of rotation of game ball B, which is rotating in a circular shape, gradually becomes smaller, it will eventually come into contact with one of the parts of each passage opening 2532 that is located outside the circumscribing circle that is tangent to each of the inscribing circles of the multiple passage openings 2532, and game ball B will quickly enter (fall down) toward the passage opening 2532 that it has come into contact with, so game ball B will not spin around on the edge of the passage opening 2532, or be kicked by the passage opening 2532 and enter another passage opening 2532. Therefore, even if the pachinko machine 1 is struck or shaken to make the game ball B enter a desired passage opening 2532 (specific passage opening 2532), if the game ball B comes into contact with another passage opening 2532 before approaching the desired passage opening 2532, the game ball will enter that passage opening 2532, thereby preventing fraudulent acts. Furthermore, when the game ball B comes into contact with a passage opening 2532, it enters that passage opening 2532 and is not kicked by the passage opening 2532, so the probability of the game ball B entering the passage opening 2532 (acceptance probability) can be stabilized, and it is possible to reliably provide pachinko machines 1 with the same performance in terms of the probability of acceptance into the passage opening 2532. Furthermore, as described above, game ball B will not be kicked at the specific passage opening 2532, and game ball B that comes into contact with the specific passage opening 2532 can enter the specific passage opening 2532, which prevents the player from feeling disappointed and keeps the player entertained while preventing a decline in interest.

Furthermore, as in the sorting unit 2800 shown in Figure 151 (c), when the rolling surface portion 2803 is formed in a flat plate shape that slopes downward in a predetermined direction, and a winning opening 2801 and a losing opening 2802 are provided as passageways near the downstream end of the rolling surface portion 2803, the weir portion 2808 prevents contact with the peripheral wall portion 2809, and there is a possibility that a game ball B rolling from the upstream side to the downstream side on the rolling surface portion 2803 may enter the winning opening 2801 or the losing opening 2802. Because this weir portion 2808 prevents game ball B from contacting the peripheral wall portion 2809, game ball B may pass over the weir portion 2808 and come into contact with the peripheral wall portion 2809, and the weir portion 2808 is made low enough that game ball B can get over it. As a result, even if the pachinko machine 1 is struck or shaken to cause abnormal vibrations while the game ball B is in contact with the dam portion 2808 in order to change the rolling direction of the game ball B toward the winning opening 2801, the dam portion 2808 will move relative to the game ball B so that it slips under the game ball B, thereby minimizing the force acting on the game ball B in the direction of the winning opening 2801 as much as possible and preventing fraudulent acts such as the game ball B being illegally inserted into the winning opening 2801. Furthermore, since the winning opening 2801 and the losing opening 2802 are non-circular, when the game ball B comes into contact with the edge of the winning opening 2801 or the losing opening 2802 when the game ball B tries to enter the winning opening 2801 or the losing opening 2802, the game ball B will quickly enter (fall) towards the winning opening 2801 or the losing opening 2802 that it has come into contact with, and the game ball B will not spin around on the edge of the winning opening 2801 or the losing opening 2802, or be kicked by the winning opening 2801 or the losing opening 2802 and enter another losing opening 2802 or the winning opening 2801. Therefore, even if the pachinko machine 1 is struck or shaken to cause the game ball B to enter the winning opening 2801 at a desired timing, if the game ball B comes into contact with the winning opening 2801 or the losing opening 2802, it will enter the winning opening 2801 or the losing opening 2802, thereby preventing the achievement of fraudulent acts. Also, if the game ball B comes into contact with the winning opening 2801 or the losing opening 2802, it will enter the winning opening 2801 or the losing opening 2802, and the game ball B will not be kicked by the winning opening 2801 or the losing opening 2802, so the probability of the game ball B entering the winning opening 2801 (acceptance probability) can be stabilized, and a pachinko machine 1 with the same performance and the same probability of acceptance into the winning opening 2801 can be reliably provided. Furthermore, by providing a prize opening 2801 that awards a specified benefit, as described above, game ball B will not be kicked at prize opening 2801, and game ball B that comes into contact with prize opening 2801 can enter prize opening 2801 as is, which prevents the player from feeling disappointed and keeps the player entertained while preventing a decline in interest.

Furthermore, as described above, this embodiment can prevent fraudulent activity from being achieved, making players realize that committing fraudulent activity is futile, thereby providing a pachinko machine 1 that has a strong deterrent effect against fraudulent activity. In this case, the pachinko machine 1 is equipped with a vibration sensor 1040, and can issue an alarm in response to abnormal vibrations using vibration alert processing, thereby further enhancing the deterrent effect against fraudulent activity.

Furthermore, as mentioned above, the shape of the passage opening 2532 can prevent fraudulent acts from being committed through abnormal vibrations such as hitting or shaking the pachinko machine 1, making it possible to omit the vibration sensor 1040 for detecting abnormal vibrations, thereby reducing the load on the control of the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, because the passage opening 2532 of the rolling surface portion 2531 is non-circular, the following excellent effects can be achieved. Specifically, in conventional pachinko machines, the through-hole of the rolling surface portion, the crown, is circular, and many players perceive the through-hole (passing opening) as being circular. In contrast, in this embodiment, the passage opening 2532 of the rolling surface portion 2531 of the crown 2530 is non-circular. Therefore, for players accustomed to the shape of the through-holes in conventional pachinko machines, the passage opening 2532, which has a shape never seen in pachinko machines before, can make a strong impact and strongly attract the player's attention to the passage opening 2532 of the rolling surface portion 2531. Therefore, the player is strongly convinced that something good will happen if game ball B enters passage opening 2532 of crane 2530, and when game ball B is supplied to rolling surface portion 2531 (crane 2530), the player is made to feel anxious and excited depending on whether game ball B will enter the desired passage opening 2532, which entertains the player and prevents a decline in interest.

In addition, in the Kruun 2530, the non-circular passage opening 2532 is positioned so that the longest opposing line (diagonal line) of the passage opening 2532 faces the front-to-rear direction. This makes it possible to eliminate or reduce the portion of the periphery of the passage opening 2532 that extends in a straight line or a curved line with a small curvature in the left-to-right direction. In other words, each side portion that constitutes the periphery of the passage opening 2532 extends in a direction that intersects with the left-to-right direction (diagonal direction). In this way, because the edge (constituting side) of the passage opening 2532 extends diagonally, the relative movement distance between the game ball B and the edge (side) of the passage opening 2532 due to abnormal vibrations in the front-to-rear direction can be shortened compared to when the edge (side) of the passage opening 2532 extends in the left-to-right direction, thereby reducing the impact of abnormal vibrations. Therefore, even if an attempt is made to control the timing of game ball B entering the passage opening 2532 by hitting or shaking the pachinko machine 1 to cause abnormal vibrations or impacts in the forward or backward directions, thereby delaying or speeding up the timing of game ball B entering the passage opening 2532, the effects of the abnormal vibrations or impacts on game ball B can be reduced, and game ball B can be allowed to immediately enter the passage opening 2532, reliably preventing the achievement of fraudulent activity.

In addition, because the diagonal extension direction of the passage opening 2532 faces the front-to-rear direction, the shape of the passage opening 2532 can be more easily seen when viewed from a player seated in front of the pachinko machine 1. Therefore, the rolling surface portion 2531 with the non-circular passage opening 2532, which has never been seen in pachinko machines before, can be seen by the player, making a strong impact on the player and providing a pachinko machine 1 that is highly appealing to players, as well as making it easier for players to select this pachinko machine 1 as the pachinko machine to play, making playing with this pachinko machine 1 more enjoyable and preventing a decline in interest.

Furthermore, as described above, the peripheral surface portion 2531b of the rolling surface portion 2531 of the crane 2530 and the dam portion 2808 of the distribution unit 2800 are at a low height that can be overcome by the game ball B. Therefore, even if abnormal vibrations are applied by hitting or shaking the pachinko machine 1 while the game ball B is in contact with the peripheral surface portion 2531b or the dam portion 2808 in an attempt to change the rolling direction of the game ball B toward the passage opening 2532 by using the peripheral surface portion 2531b or the dam portion 2808, the peripheral surface portion 2531b and the dam portion 2808 will move relative to the game ball B so as to slip under it, thereby minimizing the force acting on the game ball B in the direction of the passage opening 2532 or the winning opening 2801. This makes it possible to prevent the rolling direction of game ball B from being directed toward the passage opening 2532 or the winning opening 2801 due to unauthorized abnormal vibrations, thereby preventing fraudulent acts such as game ball B being illegally introduced into the passage opening 2532 or the winning opening 2801.

In addition, a peripheral wall portion 2533 is provided that extends upward from the outer periphery of the rolling surface portion 2531 to a height higher than the radius of the game ball B. This prevents the game ball B from falling outward from the rolling surface portion 2531, allowing the player to enjoy the movement of the game ball B along the rolling surface portion 2531 and the passage opening 2532, thereby preventing a decline in interest.

In addition, a peripheral wall portion 2533 is provided on the outer periphery of the rolling surface portion 2531. Therefore, even if someone attempts to commit fraud by inserting an illegal tool such as a piano wire into the rolling surface portion 2531 and the passage opening 2532 from the outside, the peripheral wall portion 2533 can prevent the illegal tool from entering, further increasing the deterrent effect against fraudulent activities.

Furthermore, even if a peripheral wall portion 2533 is provided on the outer periphery of the rolling surface portion 2531, the peripheral surface portion 2531b can prevent the game ball B from coming into contact with the peripheral wall portion 2533, thereby preventing abnormal vibrations caused by hitting or shaking the pachinko machine 1 from acting on the game ball B through the peripheral wall portion 2533. This prevents fraudulent acts such as the game ball B being forced to roll in the direction of the passage opening 2532 due to abnormal vibrations, thereby causing the game ball to enter the passage opening 2532 illegally.

In addition, because game ball B is supplied near the outer periphery of rolling surface portion 2531 or rolling surface portion 2803, it is possible to easily increase the rolling distance from when game ball B is supplied to rolling surface portion 2531 or rolling surface portion 2803 until it enters passing opening 2532, winning opening 2801, or losing opening 2802. This allows players to enjoy the movement of game ball B rolling on rolling surface portion 2531 or rolling surface portion 2803 for a longer period of time, thereby preventing a decline in the player's interest in the game.

Furthermore, game balls B are supplied near the outer periphery of the rolling surface 2531, and as described above, the rolling time of game balls B on the rolling surface 2531 can be lengthened. For example, the rolling time on the rolling surface 2531 makes it easier to synchronize the distribution timing of game balls B downstream of the passage opening 2532 with the execution timing of a specified effect by a performance device such as a movable decorative element or a performance display device. Therefore, the effect of the combined performance of the distribution of game balls B and the performance device can be fully utilized, entertaining players and preventing a decline in interest.

Furthermore, according to the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, in the center role 2500 of the game board 5, the concave curved wall portion 2554f of the binding base 2550 accommodates the mounting boss 2515 of the center base 2511 of the main unit 2510 and a portion of the mounting boss 2614 of the attacca base plate 2610 of the attacca unit 2600, which are predetermined components, and the peripheral wall portion 2554 of the binding base 2550 is connected to the rib 2516 of the center base 2511 and the attacca base plate 2610. By abutting the rib 2618 of the base 2550 against the rib 2618 of the base 2550, the binding base 2550 can be positioned non-rotatably at a predetermined position on the center base 2511 or the attacca base plate 2610. In this state, the binding base 2550 can be attached to the center base 2511 or the attacca base plate 2610 by threading a mounting screw into the mounting boss 2515 or the mounting boss 2614 through the mounting hole 2553 that penetrates the main body 2551 of the binding base 2550. On the other hand, the binding bases 2560 and 2570 can be attached to a predetermined member by threading a mounting screw into the predetermined member through the respective mounting holes 2563 and 2573.

Then, by inserting cable ties CT through the annular band holding portions 2552, 2562, and 2572 of binding bases 2550, 2560, and 2570, and fastening the wiring EC connected to peripheral control board 1510, etc. together with band holding portions 2552, 2562, and 2572, the wiring EC can be bound and held in a bundled state. At this time, because the cable ties CT are inserted through the annular band holding portions 2552, 2562, and 2572, the cable ties CT will not come loose from the annular band holding portions 2552, 2562, and 2572, ensuring reliable binding of multiple wiring EC. For this reason, by attaching binding base 2550, binding base 2560, and binding base 2570 to desired positions (positions where mounting boss 2515 and mounting boss 2614 are provided) on a predetermined member (center base 2511 or attacca base plate 2610), band holding portions 2552, 2562, and 2572 can be provided to hold wiring EC at the desired positions. In other words, by attaching binding base 2550, binding base 2560, and binding base 2570, band holding portions 2552, 2562, and 2572 can be provided at any position on the predetermined member (center base 2511 or attacca base plate 2610).

In more detail, even in locations along the path (route) of multiple wiring ECs in a specified component (center base 2511 or attacca base plate 2610) where it is not possible to form a harness support portion (equivalent to a band holding portion) for holding the wiring ECs in the specified component itself due to size, shape, etc., it is easy to secure space for providing mounting bosses for attaching binding base 2550, binding base 2560, and binding base 2570 with mounting screws, so binding base 2550, binding base 2560, and binding base 2570 can be attached. Then, by attaching a plurality of binding bases 2550, binding bases 2560, and binding bases 2570 to the path (route) of the wiring EC on a specified member (center base 2511 or attacca base plate 2610), and holding the wiring EC on band holding portions 2552, band holding portions 2562, and band holding portions 2572 of binding bases 2550, binding bases 2560, and binding bases 2570, the wiring EC can be held on the desired route. Therefore, even if the wiring EC moves for some reason such as maintenance or vibration, the wiring EC can be maintained (held) on the desired route via binding base 2550, binding base 2560, and binding base 2570, so the wiring EC will not deviate from the desired route, preventing the wiring EC from coming into contact with other components and being broken, and also ensuring that the wiring EC is held securely on the desired route so that it is difficult for players to see, making it possible to provide a pachinko machine 1 that is able to improve its appearance.

Furthermore, by attaching binding base 2550, binding base 2560, and binding base 2570, band holding portion 2552, band holding portion 2562, and band holding portion 2572 can be provided on the specified components (center base 2511 and attacca base plate 2610). This reduces the cost of the specified components compared to when band holding portions are formed on the specified components themselves, and makes it easier to accommodate design changes and model changes, thereby suppressing increases in the cost of the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, binding base 2550, binding base 2560, and binding base 2570 are attached to a specified member (center base 2511 or attacca base plate 2610) by screwing mounting screws through the mounting holes. Since binding base 2550, binding base 2560, and binding base 2570 are detachably attached by the mounting screws, by removing binding base 2550, binding base 2560, and binding base 2570 from the specified member while multiple wiring ECs are held in band holding portion 2552, band holding portion 2562, and band holding portion 2572 of binding base 2550, binding base 2560, and binding base 2570, the multiple wiring ECs can be removed from the desired route while still bundled. For this reason, for example, when checking the installation status of components located deep within multiple wiring EC (on the route) during maintenance, with conventional technology, multiple wiring EC that had been inserted into gaps created by the harness support part had to be removed one by one from the gap and then reinserted one by one into the gap and returned to their original position, which was time-consuming. However, with this configuration, multiple wiring EC can be moved away all at once by simply removing binding base 2550, binding base 2560, and binding base 2570, eliminating the above-mentioned time-consuming process and making it easier to check the installation status of components located deep within multiple wiring EC, thereby reducing the burden on the amusement hall that installs this pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, as described above, the wiring EC is attached to the specified components (center base 2511 or attacca base plate 2610) via binding base 2550, binding base 2560, and binding base 2570. Therefore, when assembling pachinko machine 1, multiple wiring ECs can be held in advance in band holding portions 2552, band holding portions 2562, and band holding portions 2572 of binding base 2550, binding base 2560, and binding base 2570, and then binding base 2550, binding base 2560, and binding base 2570 can be attached to the specified components. As a result, when assembling the pachinko machine 1, the multiple wiring EC are held and bundled by the band holding portions 2552, 2562, and 2572 of the binding bases 2550, 2560, and 2570, making it less likely that the multiple wiring EC will get in the way of assembly and facilitating assembly work, thereby suppressing increases in the costs associated with the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, simply by attaching binding base 2550, binding base 2560, and binding base 2570 to the mounting bosses (mounting boss 2515 and mounting boss 2614) of the specified component (center base 2511 and attacca base plate 2610), band holding portion 2552, band holding portion 2562, and band holding portion 2572 for holding wiring EC to the specified component can be provided. Therefore, compared to when band holding portions are directly attached to the specified component, the mounting bosses can be formed without complicating the structure of the molding die (metal mold). Therefore, the structure of the molding die (metal mold) for molding the specified component can be simplified, and increases in costs associated with the pachinko machine 1 can be suppressed.

Furthermore, the concave curved wall portion 2554f of the binding base 2550 accommodates the mounting bosses 2515 and 2614 of a predetermined component (such as the center base 2511 or the attacca base plate 2610), and the peripheral wall portion 2554 of the binding base 2550 abuts against the predetermined component, thereby restricting rotation of the binding base 2550 and allowing the binding base 2550 to be positioned relative to the predetermined component, thereby improving the ease of installation of the binding base 2550.

Furthermore, by abutting the peripheral wall portion 2554 of the binding base 2550 against a predetermined member (center base 2511 or attacca base plate 2610), rotation of the binding base 2550 can be restricted. Therefore, even if the binding base 2550 is attached to a predetermined member and the wiring EC is held by the band holding portion 2552, and the wiring EC is pulled due to maintenance, etc., the binding base 2550 will not rotate. This prevents the direction (routing direction) of the wiring EC held by the band holding portion 2552 from changing due to rotation of the binding base 2550, and also allows the wiring EC to remain positioned in the desired position, making the wiring EC less visible to players and providing a pachinko machine 1 with a good appearance.

Furthermore, since the binding bases 2550, 2560, and 2570 are formed in the same color (transparent in this embodiment) as the specified components (center base 2511 and attacca base plate 2610), binding bases 2550, 2560, and 2570 can be made less noticeable when attached to the specified components, preventing the binding bases 2550, 2560, and 2570 from becoming unattractive.

In addition, since binding base 2550, binding base 2560, and binding base 2570 are attached to mounting bosses 2515 and 2614 of specified components (center base 2511 and attacca base plate 2610), by providing multiple mounting bosses on specified components in advance, even if the route along which wiring EC passes is changed due to design changes or model changes, binding base 2550, binding base 2560, and binding base 2570 can be attached to mounting bosses on (or close to) the changed route, making it possible to easily respond to design changes, etc., and suppressing increases in the costs associated with pachinko machine 1. As described above, by providing multiple mounting bosses in advance on a given component (such as the center base 2511 or the attacca base plate 2610) and then attaching the binding bases 2550, 2560, and 2570 to the mounting bosses along the desired route, design changes and the like can be easily accommodated, thereby increasing the versatility of the given component and promoting standardization of the given component (part). Furthermore, by using the binding bases 2550, 2560, and 2570 of this embodiment, rather than providing extra portions for holding the wiring EC in the given component (such as the center base 2511 or the attacca base plate 2610), it is possible to simply provide extra mounting bosses in the given component, thereby simplifying the mold for molding the given component.

Furthermore, one binding base 2560 is provided with multiple band holding portions 2562 oriented in different directions. When the binding base 2560 is attached to a specified component (center base 2511 or attacca base plate 2610), the wiring EC can be held using the band holding portion 2562 oriented in the direction that corresponds to the direction of the wiring EC passing through that component, without having to reattach the binding base 2560 to change its orientation. This increases the versatility of the binding base 2560 and helps prevent increases in the cost of the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, according to the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, on the game board 5, the harness WH1 consisting of multiple wiring EC is fastened and bundled together with the wiring locking portion 1603 and wiring locking portion 3011 extending from the performance display device 1600 and the back box 3010 by a cable tie CT, together with the wiring locking portion 1603 and wiring locking portion 3011.Therefore, by fastening with the cable tie CT, the sliding resistance between the harness WH1 and the wiring locking portion 1603 and wiring locking portion 3011 can be increased, making it difficult for the harness WH1 to come off the wiring locking portion 1603 and wiring locking portion 3011. Furthermore, because the harness WH1, which is made up of multiple wires EC, is bound together with the wire locking portion 1603 and the wire locking portion 3011 by fastening them with the cable ties CT, the wires EC do not come loose one by one from the harness WH1 at the wire locking portion 1603 and the wire locking portion 3011. This prevents some of the loose wires EC from coming loose from the wire locking portion 1603 and the wire locking portion 3011, and also prevents the wires EC from coming loose from the wire locking portion 1603 and the wire locking portion 3011, making them more susceptible to breaking.

Furthermore, because the harness WH1, which is made up of multiple wiring lines EC, is fastened and bundled together with the wiring locking portion 1603 and the wiring locking portion 3011 by the cable ties CT, the tightening force of the cable ties CT allows the harness WH1 to slide in the longitudinal direction of the wiring locking portion 1603 and the wiring locking portion 3011 while still bundled together. As a result, when inspecting components hidden by the harness WH1 during maintenance, etc., in conventional technology where the wiring lines are not bundled with cable ties CT, the work had to be done by moving (sliding) each individual wiring line EC from the harness WH1. However, in this embodiment, multiple wiring lines EC (harnesses WH1) can be slid at once, making the inspection process easier and reducing the burden on the amusement hall where the pachinko machine 1 is installed.

Furthermore, since the tips of the wiring retaining portion 1603 and the wiring retaining portion 3011 for supporting the harness WH1 are free ends, the harness WH1 can be easily inserted from the open free end side of the wiring retaining portion 1603 and the wiring retaining portion 3011, thereby improving workability. At this time, hooks 1603a and 3011a are provided at the tips of wiring locking portion 1603 and wiring locking portion 3011, protruding towards performance display device 1600 and rear box 3010. Therefore, when harness WH1 is fastened and bundled together with wiring locking portion 1603 and wiring locking portion 3011 by cable tie CT, even if cable tie CT slides together with harness WH1 toward the free ends of wiring locking portion 1603 and wiring locking portion 3011, further sliding is prevented by abutting hooks 1603a and 3011a. This prevents harness WH1 and cable tie CT from coming loose from the tips of wiring locking portion 1603 and wiring locking portion 3011, making it possible to provide a pachinko machine 1 that is capable of reliably achieving the effects described above.

In addition, the cable tie CT is composed of a band portion CTa and a locking portion CTb that prevents the band portion CTa from being retracted, i.e., it can only be inserted in one direction.Therefore, by simply inserting the tip of the band portion CTa wrapped around the wiring locking portion 1603, wiring locking portion 3011, and harness WH1 or harness WH2 into the locking portion CTb and pulling it, the wiring locking portion 1603, wiring locking portion 3011, and harness WH1 or harness WH2 can be locked in a tightened state, thereby improving the workability of the task of bundling harness WH1 or harness WH2. At this time, because the locking portion CTb of the cable tie CT abuts against the wiring latching portion 1603 and the wiring latching portion 3011, even if a force that would rotate the cable tie CT around the axis of the harness WH1 or WH2 for some reason acts on the cable tie CT, the locking portion CTb of the cable tie CT abuts against the wiring latching portion 1603 and the wiring latching portion 3011, preventing the cable tie CT from rotating around the axis of the harness WH1 or WH2.This prevents the locking portion CTb of the cable tie CT and the tip of the band portion CTa extending from the locking portion CTb from coming into contact with other components, preventing malfunctions.

Furthermore, because the locking portion CTb of the cable tie CT is abutted against the side of the wiring engagement portion 1603 or the wiring engagement portion 3011 opposite the harness WH1 or WH2, the following excellent effects can be achieved: Specifically, if the locking portion CTb of the cable tie CT is abutted against the side of the wiring engagement portion 1603 or the wiring engagement portion 3011 that is in contact with the harness WH1 or WH2, the tip of the band portion CTa protruding from the locking portion CTb must be pulled in the direction of the performance display device 1600 or the rear box 3010, which causes the performance display device 1600 or the rear box 3010 to get in the way, making the tying work difficult. In contrast, the locking portion CTb is abutted against the side of the wiring retaining portion 1603 and the wiring retaining portion 3011 opposite the harness WH1 and the harness WH2, so when bundling the harness WH1 and the harness WH2 with the cable tie CT, the locking portion CTb faces the worker, and by pulling the tip of the band portion CTa protruding from the locking portion CTb in a direction away from the performance display device 1600 and the rear box 3010, the wiring retaining portion 1603, the wiring retaining portion 3011 and the harness WH1 and the harness WH2 can be tightened, further improving workability.

Furthermore, since the locking portion CTb of the cable tie CT is abutted against the portion of the wiring retaining portion 1603 and wiring retaining portion 3011 opposite the harness WH1 and harness WH2, as described above, the locking portion CTb faces the operator, making it easy to check whether the tip of the band portion CTa is inserted into the locking portion CTb, providing a pachinko machine 1 that is easy to check during operation.

Furthermore, by abutting the locking portion CTb of the cable tie CT against the portion of the wiring retaining portion 1603 or the wiring retaining portion 3011 on the opposite side from the harness WH1 or WH2, the wiring retaining portion 1603 or the wiring retaining portion 3011 is interposed between the harness WH1 or WH2 and the locking portion CTb, and the wiring retaining portion 1603 or the wiring retaining portion 3011 can act as a barrier that prevents the locking portion CTb of the cable tie CT from coming into contact with the harness WH1 or WH2. This provides the following excellent effects. In more detail, when the tip of the band portion CTa is inserted into the lock portion CTb of the cable tie CT and the tip of the band portion CTa is pulled to bind the wires, if the wiring EC of the harness WH1 or harness WH2 abuts against the lock portion CTb, part of the wiring EC will be pulled into the lock portion CTb along with the pulled band portion CTa, which may cause the insulating coating of the wiring EC to break. In contrast, the locking portion CTb abuts the side of the wiring locking portion 1603 or the wiring locking portion 3011 opposite the harness WH1 or WH2. In other words, the wiring locking portion 1603 or the wiring locking portion 3011 is interposed between the harness WH1 or WH2 and the locking portion CTb. Therefore, the harness WH1 or WH2 (wiring EC) does not abut the locking portion CTb. Therefore, even if the tip of the band portion CTa, which has been inserted through the locking portion CTb, is pulled, part of the wiring EC will not be pulled into the locking portion CTb along with the band portion CTa. This prevents the insulating coating of the wiring EC from breaking and protects the harness WH1 or WH2 bound with the cable tie CT.

Furthermore, because the locking portion CTb of the cable tie CT abuts against the portion of the wiring retaining portion 1603 or the wiring retaining portion 3011 opposite the harness WH1 or harness WH2, the cable tie CT (band portion CTa) can be easily cut when removing the harness WH1 or harness WH2 from the wiring retaining portion 1603 or the wiring retaining portion 3011 for maintenance or disassembly of the pachinko machine 1. More specifically, as described above, because the block-shaped locking portion CTb faces the operator, by guiding a cutting tool such as nippers along the locking portion CTb, the band portion CTa can be easily cut without damaging other portions.

In addition, the rear cover 640 of the main frame 4 and the peripheral control board box 1520, which protrudes rearward from the cable tie CT, are provided as protective parts to protect the cable tie CT. This protects the locking portion CTb of the cable tie CT, preventing other components from coming into contact with the cable tie CT for any reason under various circumstances, such as during the assembly, transportation, and installation of the pachinko machine 1 (game board 5), and after installation in the gaming hall. This prevents damage to the cable tie CT (locking portion CTb) and prevents the harness WH1 and harness WH2 from coming off the wiring locking portion 1603 and wiring locking portion 3011. Furthermore, the rear cover 640 of the main frame 4 and the peripheral control board box 1520 protect the cable tie CT from coming into contact with other components, preventing damage to other components due to the cable tie CT coming into contact and reducing the occurrence of malfunctions.

Furthermore, the rear cover 640 of the main frame 4 reliably prevents other components from coming into contact with the cable tie CT, preventing other components from coming into contact with the cable tie CT (locking portion CTb) for some reason and causing damage, and preventing the harness WH1 and harness WH2 from coming off the wiring retaining portion 1603 and wiring retaining portion 3011 due to damage to the locking portion CTb. Furthermore, the rear cover 640 of the main frame 4 prevents other components from coming into contact with the cable tie CT, preventing other components from being damaged by the cable tie CT and reducing the occurrence of malfunctions.

Furthermore, when the gaming board 5 is assembled to the pachinko machine 1, the rear of the gaming board 5 is covered by the rear cover 640 of the main frame 4. Therefore, the rear cover 640 prevents other components in the gaming hall's island facilities, such as the wiring EC connecting the pachinko machine 1 to the gaming hall, the gaming balls B, and other components, from coming into contact with the locking portion CTb of the cable tie CT. This prevents contact with other components, etc., from releasing the fastening of the band portion CTa by the locking portion CTb and causing the harness WH1 and harness WH2 to come off the wiring retaining portion 1603 and wiring retaining portion 3011, thereby preventing malfunctions caused by the cable tie CT. Furthermore, because the rear cover 640 prevents the locking portion CTb from loosening or releasing due to contact with other components, cable ties CT of a type in which the band portion CTa is detachable from the locking portion CTb can be used.

Furthermore, the peripheral control board box 1520, which protrudes beyond the cable ties CT, is provided as a protective part to protect the cable ties CT. Therefore, if another component moves from the rear toward the rear box 3010, where the wiring locking portion 1603 and wiring locking portion 3011 are located, the component will abut against the peripheral control board box 1520 as a protective part before coming into contact with the cable ties CT, preventing the component from moving further toward the cable ties CT and preventing the component from coming into contact with the cable ties CT. This prevents the cable ties CT (locking portion CTb) from coming into contact with other components, preventing the cable ties CT from releasing the restriction on the movement of the harnesses WH1 and WH2, thereby preventing malfunctions caused by the cable ties CT. Additionally, a peripheral control board box 1520 is provided as a protective part to protect the cable ties CT, so even if for some reason another component approaches the game board 5 from behind over the rear cover 640 of the main frame 4, as described above, there is also a peripheral control board box 1520 protecting the cable ties CT, so the cable ties CT can be doubly protected.

In addition, as a protective part for protecting the cable ties CT, a peripheral control board box 1520 is provided on the rear surface of the gaming board 5, where the playing area 5a of the pachinko machine 1 is located, and protrudes further rearward than the cable ties CT. Therefore, even if the gaming board 5 is placed with its rear face down on a workbench during assembly work, the peripheral control board box 1520 abuts against the workbench, so the workbench will not abut against the locking part CTb of the cable ties CT. Alternatively, even if multiple gaming boards 5 are transported stacked together during transport work, the other gaming boards 5 abut against the peripheral control board box 1520, so the other gaming boards 5 will not abut against the locking part CTb. For this reason, the presence of the peripheral control board box 1520 prevents other components such as the workbench or game board 5 from coming into contact with and crushing the locking portion CTb of the cable tie CT, and prevents malfunctions caused by the harness WH1 and harness WH2 coming off the wiring locking portion 1603 and wiring locking portion 3011 due to damage to the locking portion CTb.

Furthermore, the rear surface and rear box 3010 of the performance display device 1600 are made transparent, and the harnesses WH1 and WH2 are supported visibly by the wiring retaining portions 1603 and 3011. This means that the supported harnesses WH1 and WH2 can be seen from the outside through the wiring retaining portions 1603 and 3011. This makes it easy to check whether all of the wiring EC that make up harnesses WH1 and WH2 is bundled with cable ties CT and their movement is restricted. This prevents the shipment of defective products with some of the wiring EC loose, and also makes it easier to check the cable ties CT during maintenance, etc.

In addition, since the harnesses WH1 and WH2 can be seen through the wiring retaining portion 1603 and the wiring retaining portion 3011, the work of bundling the harnesses WH1 and WH2 with the cable ties CT can be performed more easily, improving workability.

In addition, the harnesses WH1 and WH2 can be seen through the transparent wiring retaining portion 1603 and wiring retaining portion 3011, and the cable tie CT is milky white with low light transmittance and is a different color (e.g., gray, yellow, white, black, blue, red, green, etc.) from the multiple wiring EC that make up the harnesses WH1 and WH2. Therefore, when looking at the harnesses WH1 and WH2 (multiple wiring EC) and the band portion CTa of the cable tie CT through the wiring retaining portion 1603 and wiring retaining portion 3011, it is clearly visible that the band portion CTa is spanning the harnesses WH1 and WH2. This makes it possible to reliably confirm that harness WH1 and harness WH2 are bound by the binding band CT, and also makes it easier to bind the wiring retaining portion 1603, wiring retaining portion 3011, and harness WH1 and harness WH2 using the binding band CT.

Furthermore, because the band portion CTa of the cable tie CT contacts the harness WH1 or WH2 at an angle relative to the longitudinal direction, the contact area is larger than when the cable tie CT contacts the harness WH1 or WH2 in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, and the frictional resistance between the cable tie CT (band portion CTa) and the harness WH1 or WH2 can be increased. Therefore, the movement of the harness WH1 or WH2 by the cable tie CT can be sufficiently restricted, preventing the harness WH1, harness WH2, or wiring EC from coming off the wiring retaining portion 1603 or wiring retaining portion 3011, thereby avoiding malfunctions.

Furthermore, because the band portion CTa of the cable tie CT contacts the harness WH1 or WH2 at an angle, the following excellent effects can be achieved. Specifically, when the cable tie CT is used to fasten and bind the harness WH1 or WH2, the band portion CTa of the cable tie CT applies force to the harness WH1 or WH2 (wiring EC). Depending on the strength of this force, the insulating coating covering the wiring EC may deteriorate prematurely, potentially increasing the risk of problems such as electrical leakage or short circuits. In contrast, by contacting the band portion CTa of the cable tie CT at an angle with the harness WH1 or WH2, the contact area between the band portion CTa and the harness WH1 or WH2 (wiring EC) can be increased compared to when the band portion CTa is wrapped around and contacted perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the harness WH1 or WH2. Therefore, even if the cable tie CT is tightened with the same strength, by making contact at an angle and widening the contact area, the force acting when tightening can be dispersed widely and made relatively small, which prevents early deterioration of the insulating coating and reduces the occurrence of problems such as electrical leakage and short circuits.

Furthermore, because the wiring retaining portion 1603 and the wiring retaining portion 3011 extend in a strip-like shape, when the harness WH1 and the harness WH2 are bundled together with the wiring retaining portion 1603 and the wiring retaining portion 3011 using the cable tie CT, the width of the wiring retaining portion 1603 and the wiring retaining portion 3011 means that the band portion CTa of the cable tie CT automatically comes into contact with the harness WH1 and the harness WH2 at an angle, thereby reliably providing a pachinko machine 1 that achieves the effects described above.

Furthermore, harnesses WH1 and WH2, which are made up of multiple wiring EC, are individually bundled with specific cable ties at locations away from wiring retaining portion 1603 and wiring retaining portion 3011. This prevents the multiple wiring EC that make up harnesses WH1 and WH2 from becoming separated along their entire length, preventing the separated wiring EC from coming into contact with other components and preventing malfunctions.

In addition, because the special cable ties bundle and tie harnesses WH1 and WH2 at locations away from wiring retaining portion 1603 and wiring retaining portion 3011, if harness WH1 or harness WH2 is pulled longitudinally for some reason, the locking portions of the special cable ties will come into contact with wiring retaining portion 1603, wiring retaining portion 3011, and cable ties CT as harness WH1 or harness WH2 moves, and the special cable ties can prevent further movement of harness WH1 or harness WH2.

Furthermore, because harnesses WH1 and WH2, which are made up of multiple wiring EC, are bound by special cable ties at locations away from wiring retaining portion 1603 and wiring retaining portion 3011, the multiple wiring EC are gathered so that the outer periphery of harness WH1 and harness WH2 approaches a circular shape, and the band portions of the special cable ties extend in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of harness WH1 and harness WH2. This allows harnesses WH1 and WH2 to be bundled compactly at the locations of the special cable ties, making it easier to check the components located behind harness WH1 and harness WH2.

Furthermore, in the areas of the specific cable ties located away from the wiring retaining portion 1603 and the wiring retaining portion 3011, the band portion of the specific cable ties extends in a direction perpendicular to (the longitudinal direction of) the harness WH1 and the harness WH2. Meanwhile, in the wiring retaining portion 1603 and the wiring retaining portion 3011, the band portion CTa of the cable ties CT is made to contact the harness WH1 and the harness WH2 at an angle, allowing the band portion CTa and the band portion to extend in different directions relative to the harness WH1 and the harness WH2 at the wiring retaining portion 1603 and the wiring retaining portion 3011 and the bundling portion. This makes it easy to confirm whether the work is being performed according to the work manual by checking the position and number of the band portion CTa and the direction in which the band portions extend when bundling the harness WH1 and the harness WH2. In this case, the binding bands CT of the wiring fastening portion 1603 and the wiring fastening portion 3011 may be different colors from the specific binding bands, making it easier to check the binding work.

Furthermore, because the wiring retaining portion 1603 and the wiring retaining portion 3011 extend in a flat or strip-like shape, the contact area between the wiring retaining portion 1603 and the wiring retaining portion 3011 and the harness WH1 and the harness WH2 can be made larger than when the wiring retaining portion 1603 and the wiring retaining portion 3011 are rod-shaped, thereby increasing the frictional resistance. This makes it easier to exert the effect of the cable tie CT as a movement restriction means, and reliably restricts the movement of the harness WH1 and the harness WH2, thereby further preventing malfunctions.

Furthermore, because the wiring locking portion 1603 and the wiring locking portion 3011 extend in a flat or strip-like shape, the multiple wiring EC that make up the harness WH1 and harness WH2 tend to spread out along the surface of the wiring locking portion 1603 and wiring locking portion 3011, facilitating heat dissipation from the wiring EC. At this time, the harness WH1 and harness WH2 can be seen through the wiring locking portion 1603 and wiring locking portion 3011, making it easy to check each of the multiple wiring EC that make up the harness WH1 and harness WH2 through the wiring locking portion 1603 and wiring locking portion 3011.

Furthermore, the wiring retaining portion 1603 and the wiring retaining portion 3011 are configured to extend from the effect display device 1600 and the rear box 3010 in the opposite direction to the movement of the harness WH1, which is in a direction intersecting the longitudinal direction of the harness WH1 when tension is applied to the harness WH1. Even if the harness WH1 is pulled or tugged during assembly or maintenance of the pachinko machine 1, the wiring retaining portion 1603 and the wiring retaining portion 3011 cause the harness WH1 to move in the opposite direction to the tip, so the harness WH1 will not come loose from the wiring retaining portion 1603 and the wiring retaining portion 3011, making it possible to provide a pachinko machine 1 that can reliably achieve the above-mentioned effects.

In addition, the tips of wiring locking portion 1603 and wiring locking portion 3011, including hook portion 1603a and hook portion 3011a, are angled so that they move away from the performance display device 1600 and rear box 3010 as they approach the tips. This makes it easier to insert harness WH1 from the tips of wiring locking portion 1603 and wiring locking portion 3011 between wiring locking portion 1603 and wiring locking portion 3011 and performance display device 1600 and rear box 3010, improving workability.

Furthermore, according to the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, in the rear unit 3000 of the gaming board 5, the mounting supporter 3060 can be attached to the rear box 3010 by inserting the protruding pin 3063 of the mounting supporter 3060 into the through-holes of the multiple functional holes 3013 provided in the rear box 3010 at a position straddled by the main body 3061, and then inserting mounting screws into the through-holes of the functional holes 3013 corresponding to the multiple first mounting holes 3062 among the multiple functional holes 3013 provided in the position straddled by the main body 3061 from the opposite side of the mounting supporter 3060 in the rear box 3010, and screwing them into the first mounting holes 3062 to tighten them. In this state, the mounting supporter 3060 is attached to the rear box 3010 so that it cannot rotate, because the protruding pin 3063 is inserted into the through-hole of the functional hole 3013. The rear right performance unit 3400 can be attached to the rear box 3010 via the mounting supporter 3060 by using the multiple second mounting holes 3064 provided on the main body 3061 of the mounting supporter 3060, which is attached to the rear box 3010. It is also possible to attach the mounting supporter 3060 to the rear right performance unit 3400 first, and then attach the mounting supporter 3060 to the rear box 3010. In this case, as described above, the protruding pin 3063 of the mounting supporter 3060 is inserted into the through hole, which improves the positioning accuracy of the rear right performance unit 3400 attached to the rear box 3010 via the mounting supporter 3060. This allows the rear right performance unit 3400 to be reliably attached to the desired position, making it easier to achieve the desired effects of the rear right performance unit 3400.

Furthermore, because the rear box 3010 has multiple functional hole portions 3013, the rear right performance unit 3400 can be installed in the desired position by attaching the mounting supporter 3060 to the multiple functional hole portions 3013 located in the desired position where the rear right performance unit 3400 is to be installed. Therefore, when it is necessary to change the position of the rear right performance unit 3400 due to design changes, model changes, etc., the rear box 3010 does not have to be remade; simply attaching the mounting supporter 3060 to the multiple functional hole portions 3013 located in the desired position makes it easy to change the position of the rear right performance unit 3400. This increases the degree of freedom in the placement of the rear right performance unit 3400 and makes it easier to respond to design changes, model changes, etc., thereby suppressing increases in the costs associated with the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, as described above, by attaching the mounting supporters 3060 to the desired positions of the multiple functional holes 3013 in the rear box 3010, the rear right performance unit 3400 can be attached to the desired position, thereby increasing the freedom of placement of the rear right performance unit 3400, allowing the rear right performance unit 3400 to be placed in a more effective position. By attaching the rear right performance unit 3400 to a position not previously seen in pachinko machines 1, it is possible to strongly attract the player's attention, and a pachinko machine 1 with high appeal to players can be provided.

Furthermore, because the mounting supporter 3060 (main body 3061) is sized to span multiple functional hole portions 3013 in the rear box 3010, it is possible to mount multiple performance units, such as the rear right performance unit 3400, on a single mounting supporter 3060. Therefore, by mounting multiple performance units on a single mounting supporter 3060, the mounting supporter 3060 can be used to group multiple performance units together into a unit. Therefore, by mounting multiple performance units on the mounting supporter 3060 and then mounting the mounting supporter 3060 to the rear box 3010, multiple performance units can be mounted on the rear box 3010 at once, simplifying the effort required to assemble the pachinko machine 1 and suppressing increases in costs.

Furthermore, because the mounting supporter 3060 is attached to the rear box 3010 across multiple functional hole portions 3013, the mounting supporter 3060 can reinforce the rear box 3010, increasing the durability of the rear box 3010 and making it less susceptible to breakage. Furthermore, because the mounting supporter 3060 can reinforce the rear box 3010, the rear box 3010 is less likely to deform even when subjected to loads from the rear right performance unit 3400 or vibrations and inertial forces caused by movable performances, and the rear right performance unit 3400 can be fixed in place. Therefore, unnecessary shaking and movement of the rear right performance unit 3400 can be prevented, ensuring the decorative and performance effects of the rear right performance unit 3400 can be reliably achieved, making it possible to provide a pachinko machine 1 that entertains players and prevents a decline in interest.

Furthermore, because the rear right performance unit 3400 is attached to the rear box 3010 via the mounting supporter 3060, a gap of the same thickness as the main body 3061 of the mounting supporter 3060 can be formed between the rear right performance unit 3400 and the rear box 3010, making it easier to release heat from the rear right performance unit 3400, rear box 3010, etc. through this gap. Furthermore, each of the multiple functional hole portions 3013 provided on the rear box 3010 has a through-hole, and as described above, the mounting position of the mounting supporter 3060 can be selected appropriately. Therefore, since there are functional hole portions 3013 to which the mounting supporter 3060 is not attached, heat from the rear right performance unit 3400 side can be ventilated and released through the through-holes of the functional hole portions 3013 to which the mounting supporter 3060 is not attached. For this reason, the configuration of the rear box 3010's multiple functional holes 3013 and mounting supporter 3060 can reduce the effects of heat on the rear right performance unit 3400, rear box 3010, etc., ensuring that the decorative and performance effects of the rear right performance unit 3400, etc. can be fully realized.

Furthermore, because the rear right performance unit 3400 is attached to the rear box 3010 via the attachment supporter 3060, the attachment supporter 3060 can reduce the transmission of vibrations between the rear box 3010 and the rear right performance unit 3400. This prevents the rear box 3010 and the rear right performance unit 3400 from shaking or moving unnecessarily, ensuring that the decorative and performance effects of the rear box 3010 and the rear right performance unit 3400 are fully realized, providing a pachinko machine 1 that entertains players and prevents a decline in interest.

Furthermore, as described above, by appropriately selecting the multiple functional holes 3013 to which the mounting supporter 3060 is attached from the multiple functional holes 3013 provided in the rear box 3010, the position of the rear right performance unit 3400 can be easily changed without having to remake the rear box 3010. This means that the same rear box 3010 can be reused regardless of the model, thereby reducing the cost of the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, because the rear right performance unit 3400 is attached to the rear box 3010 via the mounting supporter 3060, by preparing multiple mounting supports 3060 with different sizes and shapes of main body 3061 in advance, it is possible to easily change the position not only in a direction along the surface on which the rear box 3010's multiple functional hole portions 3013 are provided, but also in a direction perpendicular to that surface, thereby further increasing the freedom of placement of the rear right performance unit 3400.

Furthermore, because the rear right performance unit 3400 is attached to the rear box 3010 via the attachment supporter 3060, there is no need to provide attachment bosses for attaching the performance unit to the rear box 3010 as in conventional technology. Furthermore, because through-holes are provided in the multiple functional hole portions 3013 for attaching the attachment supporter 3060, the rear box 3010 can be made lighter than conventional ones, making it easier to handle (transport) and handle the rear box 3010 when assembling the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, as described above, by inserting the protruding pin 3063 of the mounting supporter 3060 into the through hole of the functional hole portion 3013, the mounting supporter 3060 can be positioned, making it difficult for the rear right performance unit 3400 to move via the mounting supporter 3060. This prevents the rear right performance unit 3400 from moving or shaking unnecessarily during the moving performance, ensuring that the player can see the moving performance moving as desired, ensuring the desired performance effect is achieved, entertaining the player, and preventing a decline in interest in the game.

Furthermore, the main body 3061 of the mounting supporter 3060 is composed of multiple block-shaped head portions 3061a each having a first mounting hole 3062 and a second mounting hole 3064, and plate-shaped back connecting pieces 3061b and side connecting pieces 3061c that connect the multiple head portions 3061a together. Compared to when the main body 3061 of the mounting supporter 3060 is formed with a constant thickness along its entire length, less material is required for the back connecting pieces 3061b and side connecting pieces 3061c. This reduces the cost and weight of the mounting supporter 3060 and helps prevent increases in the cost of the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, according to the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, in the rear unit 3000 of the gaming board 5, the mounting supporter 3050 can be attached to the rear box 3010 by inserting the protruding pin 3053 of the mounting supporter 3050 into one of the two through holes of the functional hole portion 3013 in the box-frame-shaped rear box 3010, aligning the first mounting hole 3052 with the remaining through hole in the functional hole portion 3013, and then threading a mounting screw into the first mounting hole 3052 through the through hole from the rear of the rear box 3010 on the side opposite the mounting supporter 3050 and tightening it. In this state, the mounting supporter 3050 is attached to the rear box 3010 so that it cannot rotate, because the protruding pin 3053 is inserted into one of the two through holes. Then, by attaching the rear performance unit 3500 to the mounting supporter 3050 using the second mounting hole 3055 at the tip of the boss portion 3054 protruding from the main body portion 3051 of the mounting supporter 3050 attached to the rear box 3010, the rear performance unit 3500 can be fixed (attached) to the rear box 3010 via the mounting supporter 3050. Note that the mounting supporter 3050 may be attached to the rear performance unit 3500 first, and then the mounting supporter 3050 may be attached to the rear box 3010. At this time, as described above, the protruding pin 3053 of the mounting supporter 3050 is inserted into one of the two through holes in the functional hole portion 3013, which improves the positioning accuracy of the rear performance unit 3500 attached to the rear box 3010 via the mounting supporter 3050. This allows the rear performance unit 3500 to be reliably attached in the desired position, making it easier to achieve the desired effects of the rear performance unit 3500.

The rear box 3010 is provided with multiple functional hole portions 3013, so the rear performance unit 3500 can be attached to the desired location by attaching the attachment supporter 3050 to the functional hole portion 3013 located at the desired location where the rear performance unit 3500 is to be attached. Furthermore, the attachment supporter 3050 has a boss portion 3054 with a second attachment hole 3055 at its tip that extends (protrudes) in a predetermined direction (forward) from the main body portion 3051. Therefore, by preparing multiple attachment supporters 3050 with protruding boss portions 3054 of different lengths in advance, the rear performance unit 3500 can be attached to a surface of the rear box 3010 where the functional hole portions 3013 are located, at a desired distance from that surface, by using an attachment supporter 3050 with a boss portion 3054 of the desired length. For this reason, when it is desired to change the position of the rear performance unit 3500 due to design changes, model changes, etc., it is possible to easily change the position of the rear performance unit 3500 in a direction along the surface on which the functional hole 3013 is provided or in a direction perpendicular to said surface without having to remake the rear box 3010, simply by attaching the mounting supporter 3050 to the functional hole portion 3013 located in the desired position, or by attaching a mounting supporter 3050 with a boss portion 3054 of the desired length. This gives greater freedom in the placement of the rear performance unit 3500, and makes it easier to accommodate design changes, model changes, etc., thereby suppressing increases in the costs associated with the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, as described above, the rear performance unit 3500 can be attached to the desired position by attaching the attachment supporter 3050 to the desired functional hole 3013 among the multiple functional hole portions 3013 on the rear box 3010, or by attaching an attachment supporter 3050 with a boss portion 3054 of the desired length. This increases the freedom of placement of the rear performance unit 3500, allowing the rear performance unit 3500 to be placed in a more effective position. By attaching the rear performance unit 3500 to a position not previously seen in pachinko machines, it is possible to strongly attract the player's attention, and a pachinko machine 1 with high appeal to players can be provided.

Furthermore, as described above, by appropriately selecting functional hole portions 3013 for attaching the mounting supporters 3050 to the multiple functional hole portions 3013 provided in the rear box 3010, or by selecting mounting supporters 3050 with boss portions 3054 of different lengths, the position of the rear performance unit 3500 can be easily changed without having to remake the rear box 3010. This means that the same rear box 3010 can be reused regardless of the model, thereby reducing the cost of the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, a boss portion 3054 with a second mounting hole 3055 at the tip of the mounting supporter 3050 is located between the first mounting hole 3052 and the protruding pin 3053. This allows the load from the rear performance unit 3500 attached to the second mounting hole 3055 to be evenly applied to the rear box 3010 via the first mounting hole 3052 (mounting screw) and the protruding pin 3053, making the mounting supporter 3050 less likely to be damaged and allowing the rear performance unit 3500 to remain attached in good condition, thereby providing a pachinko machine 1 that can reliably achieve the above-mentioned effects.

Furthermore, a flat piece 3051a is provided on the surface of the main body 3051 of the mounting supporter 3050 opposite the surface from which the protruding pin 3053 protrudes. Therefore, when pressing the main body 3051 toward the rear box 3010 to insert the protruding pin 3053 of the mounting supporter 3050 into the through-hole in the functional hole portion 3013 of the rear box 3010, pressing the piece 3051a makes it easier to press the main body 3051 toward the rear box 3010, ensuring that the protruding pin 3053 can be securely inserted into the through-hole. Furthermore, because the piece 3051a is flat, it can be easily pressed with a finger or the like, simplifying the installation of the mounting supporter 3050 and reducing the effort required to assemble the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, as described above, the mounting supporter 3050 can be positioned by inserting the protruding pin 3053 of the mounting supporter 3050 into one of the two fixing holes in the functional hole portion 3013, thereby making it difficult for the rear performance unit 3500 to move via the mounting supporter 3050. Therefore, even if the rear performance unit 3500 is used as a performance device (movable decorative body) capable of performing movable performances, it is possible to prevent the rear performance unit 3500 from moving or shaking unnecessarily during the movable performance, so that the player can reliably see the movable performance moving as desired, the desired performance effect can be reliably achieved, the player can be entertained, and a decline in interest in the game can be prevented.

Furthermore, because the rear performance unit 3500 is attached to the rear box 3010 via the mounting supporter 3050, a gap of the same thickness as the main body 3051 of the mounting supporter 3050 can be formed between the rear performance unit 3500 and the rear box 3010, making it easier to release heat from the rear performance unit 3500, rear box 3010, etc. through this gap. Furthermore, each of the multiple functional hole portions 3013 provided on the rear box 3010 has a through-hole, and as described above, the mounting position of the mounting supporter 3050 can be selected appropriately. Therefore, since there are functional hole portions 3013 to which the mounting supporter 3050 is not attached, heat from the rear performance unit 3500 side can be ventilated and released through the through-holes of the functional hole portions 3013 to which the mounting supporter 3050 is not attached. For this reason, the configuration of the rear box 3010's multiple functional holes 3013 and mounting supporter 3050 can reduce the effects of heat on the rear performance unit 3500, rear box 3010, etc., ensuring that the decorative and performance effects of the rear performance unit 3500, etc. can be fully realized.

Furthermore, because the rear display unit 3500 is attached to the rear box 3010 via the attachment supporter 3050, the attachment supporter 3050 can reduce the transmission of vibrations between the rear box 3010 and the rear display unit 3500. This prevents the rear box 3010 and the rear display unit 3500 from shaking or moving unnecessarily, ensuring that the decorative and display effects of the rear box 3010 and the rear display unit 3500 are fully realized, providing a pachinko machine 1 that entertains players and prevents a decline in interest.

Furthermore, because the rear performance unit 3500 is attached to the rear box 3010 via the attachment supporter 3050, there is no need to provide attachment bosses for attaching the rear performance unit 3500 to the rear box 3010 as in conventional technology. Furthermore, because through holes are provided in the multiple functional hole portions 3013 for attaching the attachment supporter 3050, the rear box 3010 can be made lighter than conventional methods, making it easier to handle (transport) and handle the rear box 3010 when assembling the pachinko machine 1.

In addition, because the colors of the mounting supporters 3050 and 3060 are different from the color of the back box 3010, the mounting supporters 3050 and 3060 can be easily identified when attached to the back box 3010. This makes it easy to see the positions of the mounting supporters 3050 and 3060 when assembling or disassembling the pachinko machine 1, allowing the work to proceed smoothly. By simplifying the effort required for assembly, etc., it is possible to suppress increases in the costs associated with the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, according to the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, in the attacca unit 2600 of the center gimmick 2500, the case (unit case 2635 and unit case 2705) of the door unit (second starting port opening/closing unit 2630 and opening/closing unit 2700) is provided with multiple wiring support parts (band holding part 2635c, wiring locking part 2635d, and band holding part 2706) for supporting the wiring EC extending from the drive means (starting port solenoid 2632 and solenoid 2702) and the wiring EC extending from the sensor (second starting port sensor 2601 and ball sensor 2711).Therefore, by supporting these wiring EC on the wiring support parts, the multiple wiring EC can be bundled together, and the wiring EC can be prevented from extending in different directions from the door unit. In this case, the wiring EC is fastened and supported to the wiring support portion with the cable ties CT, which prevents the wiring EC from becoming loose or coming loose from the wiring support portion, compared to when the wiring EC is inserted and supported between the case and a wiring support portion that extends in a rod-like or strip-like shape with a free end. Therefore, when assembling the pachinko machine 1, the wiring EC extending from the door unit case is prevented from interfering with the assembly or getting caught on other components, improving workability, reducing the complexity of the assembly work, and suppressing increases in costs. Furthermore, by bundling multiple wiring EC together using the wiring support portion, the wiring EC extending from the case is less likely to get caught on other components, preventing the wiring EC from being damaged or coming loose from the drive means or sensor during assembly, making it easier to avoid problems caused by the wiring EC.

In addition, the wiring EC connected to the drive means (starting port solenoid 2632 and solenoid 2702) held in the case (unit case 2635 and unit case 2705) and the wiring EC connected to the sensors (second starting port sensor 2601 and ball sensor 2711) provided near the door unit (second starting port door body 2631 and door body 2701 of opening/closing unit 2700) that detect game ball B whose circulation has been changed by the door unit are connected together to the wiring support part (band holding part 2635 Because the door units are supported by the wiring EC and wiring support portion (c, wiring locking portion 2635d, and band holding portion 2706), when assembling the pachinko machine 1, the type of sensor corresponding to the area where the door unit will be used (for example, second starting opening 2005, first large winning opening 2006, second large winning opening 2007, V winning opening 2008, etc.) can be set in advance via the wiring EC and wiring support portion, ensuring that the type of sensor corresponding to the door unit is installed and preventing the installation of an incorrect type of sensor. Furthermore, when the door units or sensors are removed for maintenance or the like and then reassembled, loss of the sensors and the installation of an incorrect type of sensor can be prevented.

Furthermore, the cases (unit case 2635 and unit case 2705) of the door units (second starting opening/closing unit 2630 and opening/closing unit 2700) are provided with wiring support sections (band holding section 2635c, wiring locking section 2635d, and band holding section 2706) that support the wiring EC. By supporting the wiring EC extending from the drive means (starting opening solenoid 2632 and solenoid 2702) and sensors (second starting opening sensor 2601 and ball sensor 2711) on the wiring support sections, the wiring EC can be aligned along the case, making it less visible to the player and improving the appearance.

In addition, the cases (unit case 2635 and unit case 2705) of the door units (second starting port opening/closing unit 2630 and opening/closing unit 2700) can restrict the movement of the sensors (second starting port sensor 2601 and ball sensor 2711) located outside the door units. Therefore, when assembling the pachinko machine 1, if the door units are attached to a specified component such as a base plate (attacca base plate 2610 and base plate 2710), the door units can restrict the movement of the sensors, allowing the sensors to be attached using the door units, simplifying the assembly process and reducing the cost of the pachinko machine 1.

In addition, the movement of the sensors (second starting port sensor 2601 and ball sensor 2711) is restricted by the door unit (second starting port opening/closing unit 2630 and opening/closing unit 2700). This means that during maintenance, the sensors can be removed simply by removing the door unit, simplifying the effort required for removal and reducing the burden on the gaming hall where the pachinko machine 1 is installed.

In addition, the wiring EC from the sensors (second starting gate sensor 2601 and ball sensor 2711) located outside the door unit (second starting gate opening/closing unit 2630 and opening/closing unit 2700) is supported by the wiring support portion (band holding portion 2635c, wiring locking portion 2635d, and band holding portion 2706) with sufficient length, allowing the sensor to be spaced relatively apart from the door unit within this length allowance. Therefore, when assembling the pachinko machine 1, the wiring EC connected to the sensor is supported by the wiring support portion of the door unit in advance, and the sensor can be installed after the door unit is installed, or the door unit can be installed after the sensor is installed, without the wiring EC from the sensor being pulled unnecessarily, allowing for smooth installation (assembly) work.

Furthermore, the wiring EC connected to the sensors (second starting gate sensor 2601 and ball sensor 2711) is supported at a length longer than the shortest length from the sensor to the wiring support part (band holding part 2635c and wiring locking part 2635d, and band holding part 2706). Therefore, when the door unit (second starting gate opening/closing unit 2630 and opening/closing unit 2700) is removed from the specified components (attacca base plate 2610 and base plate 2710) for maintenance, etc., there is sufficient length of wiring EC from the sensor, making it possible to move the door unit some distance away from the specified components, allowing for smooth maintenance, etc., and minimizing the burden on the gaming hall where the pachinko machine 1 is installed.

In addition, because the door unit (second starting port opening/closing unit 2630 and opening/closing unit 2700) is provided with multiple wiring support parts (band holding part 2635c, wiring locking part 2635d, and band holding part 2706), when the routing direction of the wiring EC is changed due to a design change, model change, etc., the wiring EC can be supported by selecting the wiring support part located in the optimal position for the wiring EC to pass through. Therefore, design changes, model changes, etc. can be accommodated without having to remake the case (unit case 2635 and unit case 2705), and increases in costs associated with the pachinko machine 1 can be suppressed.

Furthermore, the door unit (second starting port opening/closing unit 2630 and opening/closing unit 2700) is provided with multiple wiring support parts (band holding part 2635c, wiring locking part 2635d, and band holding part 2706). Therefore, after assembling the door unit, wiring EC from other components can be supported and bundled on empty wiring support parts that are not supporting the wiring EC from the drive means (starting port solenoid 2632 and solenoid 2702) and sensors (second starting port sensor 2601 and ball sensor 2711), thereby improving the handling of wiring EC within the pachinko machine 1.

In addition, the wiring EC is fastened and supported by cable ties CT, and any attempt to commit fraud against the door unit (second starting port opening/closing unit 2630 and opening/closing unit 2700) or the sensors (second starting port sensor 2601 and ball sensor 2711) requires cutting the cable ties CT, which is likely to leave traces of fraudulent activity. This makes users hesitate to commit fraud, and provides a pachinko machine 1 that is highly deterrent to fraudulent activity.

Furthermore, according to the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, in the attacca unit 2600 of the center role 2500, solenoids (starting port solenoid 2632, second attacca solenoid 2652, V distribution solenoid 2662, and solenoid 2702) as driving means move the gate bodies (second starting port gate body 2631, second large winning port gate body 2651, V winning port gate body 2661, and gate body 2701) forward and backward as the game progresses, and game ball B passes through sensors (second starting port sensor 2601, second large winning port sensor 2602, V winning port sensor Since the sensor 2603, loss sensor 2604, and ball sensor 2711 are provided outside the cases (unit case 2635, unit case 2655, unit case 2665, and unit case 2705) of the door units (second start opening/closing unit 2630, second large prize opening/closing unit 2650, V-distribution unit 2660, and opening/closing unit 2700), and no sensors are provided inside the cases, the unit having the door body (door unit) can be made relatively smaller compared to conventional technology, and the door unit can be made more compact. Therefore, since the door unit can be made more compact, the degree of freedom in door unit placement can be increased. By providing the door unit in a different position from conventional pachinko machines 1, a pachinko machine 1 with a never-before-seen appearance can be achieved, making it possible to provide a pachinko machine 1 that is highly appealing to players.

In addition, at least some of the sensors (second start opening sensor 2601, second large prize opening sensor 2602, V prize opening sensor 2603, loss opening sensor 2604, and ball sensor 2711) are located forward of the cases (unit case 2635, unit case 2655, unit case 2665, and unit case 2705) of the door units (second start opening/closing unit 2630, second large prize opening/closing unit 2650, V distribution unit 2660, opening/closing unit 2700).This means that the front-to-back dimensions required to detect game ball B can be reduced compared to when sensors are located inside the case, as in conventional technology, making it easier to secure space at the rear. Therefore, as mentioned above, the door unit can be made smaller and it is easier to secure space behind it, so by making the rear props and decorations larger or placing new props and decorations behind it, the pachinko machine 1 can be made to stand out more, strongly attracting the player's attention and providing more entertainment for the player with the props and decorations behind it, preventing a decline in the player's interest in the game.

In addition, the sensors that detect game ball B (second start opening sensor 2601, second large winning opening sensor 2602, V winning opening sensor 2603, losing opening sensor 2604, and ball sensor 2711) are located outside the cases (unit case 2635, unit case 2655, unit case 2665, and unit case 2705) of the door units (second start opening/closing unit 2630, second large winning opening opening/closing unit 2650, V distribution unit 2660, and opening/closing unit 2700). This allows the same door units to be used regardless of the model used, and by manufacturing only the same door units, sufficient mass production benefits can be achieved. Furthermore, using the same door units prevents defects due to assembly errors, simplifies the assembly process, and reduces the cost of the pachinko machine 1.

More specifically, for example, in a conventional unit with a built-in sensor in a case, in order to increase the flexibility of unit placement, it is possible to remove the sensor from the case and use a unit without a built-in sensor depending on the model being used. However, in this case, if an attempt is made to achieve mass production benefits by reusing the unit across multiple models, it would be necessary to manufacture both units with and without the sensor, which would increase the time and effort required to manufacture the units and make it difficult to achieve sufficient mass production benefits. Furthermore, if the same unit contains units with the sensor removed, there is a risk that a unit without a sensor will be mistakenly installed during the assembly of the pachinko machine, which could cause a malfunction and also require the units to be checked during assembly, which is time-consuming and increases costs.

In contrast, in this embodiment, as described above, the door units (second start opening/closing unit 2630, second large prize opening/closing unit 2650, V distribution unit 2660, and opening/closing unit 2700) are not provided with (do not have built-in) sensors (second start opening sensor 2601, second large prize opening sensor 2602, V prize opening sensor 2603, loss opening sensor 2604, and ball sensor 2711). Therefore, even if the sensor positions differ between multiple models, the same door unit can be used regardless of the model used. Therefore, it is only necessary to manufacture the same door unit, achieving sufficient mass production efficiency. Furthermore, because there are no identical door units with different functions, there is no need to check the door unit when assembling the pachinko machine 1. This prevents malfunctions due to assembly errors and simplifies the assembly process, thereby reducing the cost of the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, at least a portion of the sensors (second start opening sensor 2601, second large winning opening sensor 2602, V winning opening sensor 2603, losing opening sensor 2604, and ball sensor 2711) are located forward of the cases (unit case 2635, unit case 2655, unit case 2665, unit case 2705) of the door units (second start opening/closing unit 2630, second large winning opening opening/closing unit 2650, V distribution unit 2660, and opening/closing unit 2700). Therefore, by locating the part of the sensor (detection hole) through which game ball B passes and is detected forward of the case, the sensor's detection hole is positioned forward, making the sensor's detection of game ball B more visible to the player. By allowing the player to visually see the detection of game ball B, the player's anticipation for the game can be heightened and the game can be more enjoyable.

In addition, the door bodies (second starting opening door body 2631, second large winning opening door body 2651, V winning opening door body 2661, and door body 2701) are designed to move forward and backward by penetrating the flat attacca base plate 2610 and base plate 2710, so that receiving openings (second starting opening 2005, second large winning opening 2007, V winning opening 2008, losing opening 2009, etc.) for receiving game balls B and passages for game balls B are provided in the attacca base plate 2610 and attacca front plate 2620. Therefore, when changing the model or design, the receiving entrance and passageway configuration can be easily changed simply by changing the attacca base plate 2610, making it easier to provide a highly appealing pachinko machine 1 that can strongly attract the attention of players, and since the door units (second start opening/closing unit 2630, second large winning opening opening/closing unit 2650, V-distribution unit 2660, and opening/closing unit 2700) can be reused without modification, increases in the costs of the pachinko machine 1 can be suppressed.

In addition, the cases (unit case 2635, unit case 2655, unit case 2665, and unit case 2705) of the door units (second start opening/closing unit 2630, second large prize opening/closing unit 2650, V-distribution unit 2660, and opening/closing unit 2700) are attached behind the attacca base plate 2610. This makes it possible for the attacca base plate 2610 to make the cases less visible to the player, minimizing the deterioration of the appearance caused by the cases (drive means (start opening solenoid 2632, second attacca solenoid 2652, V-distribution solenoid 2662, and solenoid 2702)), making it possible to provide a pachinko machine 1 with a good appearance.

Furthermore, the cases (unit case 2635, unit case 2655, unit case 2665, and unit case 2705) that hold the drive means (starting port solenoid 2632, second attacca solenoid 2652, V distribution solenoid 2662, and solenoid 2702) and the gate bodies (second starting port gate body 2631, second large prize gate gate body 2651, V prize gate gate body 2661, and gate body 2701) are separated into a first case part and a second case part (first case part 2633 and second case part Because the door unit (second starting opening/closing unit 2630, second large winning opening opening/closing unit 2650, V-distribution unit 2660, and opening/closing unit 2700) is made up of two parts, namely, first case part 2653 and second case part 2654, first case part 2663 and second case part 2664, and first case part 2703 and second case part 2704, it is possible to prevent an increase in the number of parts in the door unit (second starting opening/closing unit 2630, second large winning opening opening/closing unit 2650, V-distribution unit 2660, and opening/closing unit 2700), and it is possible to prevent an increase in the cost of the pachinko machine 1.

In addition, because the case is composed of two parts, a first case part and a second case part (first case part 2633 and second case part 2634, first case part 2653 and second case part 2654, first case part 2663 and second case part 2664, and first case part 2703 and second case part 2704), the drive means (starting port solenoid 2632, second attacca solenoid 2652, V distribution solenoid 2662, and solenoid 2702) and the door body (second starting port door body 2631, second large prize port door body 2651, V prize port door body 2661, and door body 2701) can be sandwiched and held between the first and second cases, simplifying the effort required for assembly.

Furthermore, the attacca front plate 2620, which is located further forward than the case (attacca base plate 2610, base plate 2710), is arranged to contact the sensors (second start opening sensor 2601, second large winning opening sensor 2602, V winning opening sensor 2603, losing opening sensor 2604, and ball sensor 2711), at least a portion of which are located further forward than the case (unit case 2635, unit case 2655, unit case 2665, unit case 2705). Therefore, the attacca front plate 2620 can restrict movement of the sensors in a specified direction, making it possible to position the sensors in a specified location.

In addition, because the outer surfaces of the cases (unit case 2635, unit case 2665, and unit case 2705) are in contact with the sensors (second start opening sensor 2601, V winning opening sensor 2603, losing opening sensor 2604, and ball sensor 2711), the cases can restrict movement of the sensors in a predetermined direction, making it possible to position the sensors in a predetermined position. Furthermore, when assembling the pachinko machine 1, the sensors can be guided by the contacting cases, making assembly easier.

[11. Various control processes on the main control board]
Next, various control processes performed by the main control board 1310 shown in Fig. 203 in accordance with the progress of play on the pachinko machine 1 will be described with reference to Fig. 214 to Fig. 216. Fig. 214 is a flowchart showing an example of the main control side power-on process, Fig. 215 is a flowchart showing a continuation of the main control side power-on process in Fig. 214, and Fig. 216 is a flowchart showing an example of the main control side timer interrupt process. First, various random numbers used in game control will be described, followed by the operation of the initial value update type counter, the main control side power-on process, and the main control side timer interrupt process.

[11-1. Various random numbers]
Various random numbers used for game control include special random numbers used to determine whether or not a jackpot game state or a small jackpot game state will occur, initial value determination random numbers for hit determination used to determine the initial value of these special random numbers, reach determination random numbers used to determine whether or not a reach (missed reach) will occur when a jackpot game state is not generated, random numbers for variable display patterns used to determine the variable display patterns of special patterns that are variably displayed on the first special pattern display device and second special pattern display device of the function display unit 1400, pattern random numbers used to determine the jackpot pattern or small jackpot pattern (determine the type of win) that is derived and displayed on the first special pattern display device and second special pattern display device of the function display unit 1400 when a jackpot game state is generated, and pattern initial value determination random numbers used to determine the initial value of these pattern random numbers. In addition to these random numbers, there are also prepared random numbers for determining whether or not to open or close the movable piece that allows the second starting port 2005 to accept game balls, random numbers for determining the initial value of the random number for determining whether or not to win a normal pattern, and random numbers for determining the normal pattern variable display pattern that are used to determine the variable display pattern of the normal pattern that is displayed on the normal pattern display of the function display unit 1400.

Of the various random numbers used in this type of game control, special random numbers are updated by hardware, while other random numbers are updated by software.

For example, the special random number is updated directly by hardware using a main control built-in hardware random number circuit built into the main control MPU. When the main control MPU is reset, this main control built-in hardware random number circuit first sets a value within a predetermined numerical range as its initial value, and rapidly extracts other values within the predetermined numerical range based on the clock signal input to the main control MPU. Once all values within the predetermined numerical range have been extracted, it again extracts a value within the predetermined numerical range, and rapidly extracts other values within the predetermined numerical range based on the clock signal input to the main control MPU. The main control built-in hardware random number circuit repeatedly performs this rapid lottery, and the main control MPU sets the value extracted by the main control built-in hardware random number circuit at the time it obtains a value from the main control built-in hardware random number circuit as the special random number.

In contrast, the counter that updates the random number for determining whether a normal symbol has won is updated within a predetermined fixed numerical range spanning from a minimum value to a maximum value, and counts up this range by adding one value each time the main control timer interrupt process described below is performed. This counter counts up from the initial value determination random number for determining whether a normal symbol has won toward the maximum value, and then counts up from the minimum value toward the initial value determination random number for determining whether a normal symbol has won. Once the counter has finished counting up the range spanning from the minimum value to the maximum value of the random number for determining whether a normal symbol has won, the initial value determination random number for determining whether a normal symbol has won is updated. This type of counter update method is called an "initial value update type counter." The initial value determination random number for determining whether a normal symbol has won can be obtained by executing an initial value lottery process that draws a value from the fixed numerical range of the counter that updates the random number for determining whether a normal symbol has won.

In this embodiment, when the RAM clear switch on the main control board 1310 is operated when the power is turned on, or when the checksum value (sum value) obtained by treating the various information stored in the main control MPU's main control built-in RAM as numerical values and calculating their sum during the main control side power-on processing described below does not match the checksum value (sum value) stored during the main control side power-off processing (when power is turned off), the initial value determination random number for determining a normal symbol win is set by the main control MPU extracting an ID code from its built-in non-volatile RAM and executing an initial value derivation process that always derives the same fixed value from the fixed numerical range of the counter that updates the normal symbol win determination random number based on this extracted ID code. In other words, the initial value determination random number for determining a normal symbol win is always overwritten and updated with the same fixed value derived based on the ID code by executing the initial value derivation process. In this way, the value set in the initial value determination random number for determining normal symbol wins is derived using the ID code, and analysis is prevented by taking two security measures: the first is that the ID code cannot be rewritten even using an external device when it is stored in non-volatile RAM built into the main control MPU by the manufacturer that manufactured it; and the second is that when the entire area of the main control's built-in RAM is cleared, an initial value derivation process is executed to derive the same fixed value based on the ID code.

Here, we explain the advantages of extracting an ID code from the nonvolatile RAM built into the main control MPU and using this extracted ID code as the random number for determining the initial value for determining whether a normal symbol is a winning symbol. For example, even if someone attempting to illegally acquire a prize ball were to somehow obtain and disassemble a gaming board 5, illegally obtain an ID code pre-stored in the nonvolatile RAM built into the main control MPU, and determine the timing at which the counter value updating the random number for determining whether a normal symbol is a winning symbol matches the normal symbol winning symbol determination value, this ID code would be uniquely coded for individual identification and would be completely different from the ID codes pre-stored in the nonvolatile RAM built into the main control MPU' of another gaming board 5'. In other words, the timing at which the counter value updating the random number for determining whether a normal symbol is a winning symbol matches the normal symbol winning symbol determination value on another gaming board 5' would also be completely different from that on the obtained gaming board 5. In other words, the ID code obtained by disassembling and analyzing the acquired game board 5 is completely useless on other game boards 5', i.e., other pachinko machines 1', and therefore even if momentary power outages are caused at the predetermined intervals obtained by disassembly and analysis, and game balls are allowed to pass through the normal winning opening 2003 at those predetermined intervals, it is not possible to open and close the movable piece and create a game state in which game balls can be received by the second starting opening 2005.

[11-2. Processing when power is turned on on the main control side]
First, the main control MPU is configured so that a stack pointer is set to a predetermined address as a default when power is applied to the pachinko machine 1. This stack pointer indicates, for example, an address stored in the stack to temporarily store the contents of a memory element (register) in use, or an address stored in the stack to temporarily store the return address of this routine when a subroutine is terminated and the routine is returned to, and the stack pointer advances each time the stack is filled.

Under the control of the main control MPU, the main control side power-on processing is performed as shown in Figures 214 and 215. When this main control side power-on processing begins, the main control MPU sets RAM access permissions (step S10). This RAM access permission setting allows updates to be made to the main control's built-in RAM.

Following step S10, the main control MPU sets the initial value and startup settings for the main control's built-in WDT (step S12). Here, a timer setting value is set in the watchdog timer control register (hereinafter referred to as the "WDT control register") built into the main control MPU to set an initial value for the main control's built-in WDT, which monitors whether the main control MPU's operation (system) is normal. The main control MPU is then started, and the main control MPU begins timing until it is reset. When the main control's built-in WDT is started, the main control's built-in WDT begins timing. If the timer clear setting value is not set in the watchdog timer clear register (hereinafter referred to as the "WDT clear register") built into the main control MPU before the time reaches the timer setting value, the main control MPU is forcibly reset by the main control's built-in WDT. In contrast, when the main control's built-in WDT is activated and begins timing, if the timer clear setting value is set in the WDT clear register before the time reached by the timer setting value, the timekeeping by the main control's built-in WDT is cleared and timing begins again. In this way, by repeatedly clearing the timekeeping by the main control's built-in WDT before the time reached by the timer setting value and then starting timing again, it is possible to monitor whether the main control MPU (system) is operating normally.

Following step S12, the main control MPU performs a power outage clearing process (step S14). This power outage clearing process involves a wait timer process to determine whether a power outage warning signal has been input from the power outage monitoring circuit. Between power-on and reaching the predetermined voltage, the voltage does not rise immediately. On the other hand, during a power outage or momentary power outage (a phenomenon in which the power supply is temporarily stopped), the voltage drops, and if it falls below the power outage warning voltage, a power outage warning signal is input from the power outage monitoring circuit as a power outage warning. Similarly, between power-on and reaching the predetermined voltage, if the voltage falls below the power outage warning voltage, a power outage warning signal is input from the power outage monitoring circuit. Therefore, the wait timer process waits until the voltage exceeds the power outage warning voltage and stabilizes after power-on. In this embodiment, the wait time (wait timer) is set to 200 milliseconds (ms).

Following step S14, the main control MPU determines whether the RAM clear switch has been operated (step S16). In this determination, if the logic of the operation signal (RAM clear signal) from the RAM clear switch is HI, the main control MPU determines that RAM clear should be performed and determines that the RAM clear switch has not been operated. However, if the logic of the operation signal (RAM clear signal) from the RAM clear switch is LOW, the main control MPU determines that RAM clear should be performed and determines that the RAM clear switch has been operated.

If the main control MPU determines in step S16 that the RAM clear switch has been operated, it sets the RAM clear notification flag RCL-FLG to a value of 1 (step S18). On the other hand, if the main control MPU determines in step S16 that the RAM clear switch has not been operated, it sets the RAM clear notification flag RCL-FLG to a value of 0 (step S20). In other words, the main control MPU is enabled to execute a RAM clear process, which initializes the RAM built into the main control MPU (i.e., the main control built-in RAM), for a predetermined period of time after power-on. The RAM clear notification flag RCL-FLG, described above, is a flag that indicates whether various information stored in the main control built-in RAM of the main control MPU should be erased, including game information related to the game, such as unpaid prize balls, and other information (e.g., information indicating the value of the counter used to determine the output of main prize ball information). It is set to a value of 1 if various information is to be erased, and to a value of 0 if various information is not to be erased. The value of the RAM clear notification flag RCL-FLG set in steps S18 and S20 is stored in the general-purpose memory element (general-purpose register) of the main control MPU.

Following step S18 or step S20, the main control MPU performs a wait time standby process (step S22). This wait time standby process waits until the system that controls the drawing of the peripheral control board 1510 starts up (boots). In this embodiment, the wait time until booting (boot timer) is set to 2.5 seconds (s).

Following step S22, the main control MPU determines whether a power outage warning signal has been input (step S24). As described above, when the power supply to the pachinko machine 1 is shut off or a power outage or momentary power outage occurs, if the voltage drops below the power outage warning voltage, a power outage warning signal is input from the power outage monitoring circuit as a power outage warning. The determination in step S24 is made based on this power outage warning signal. If the main control MPU determines in step S24 that a power outage warning signal has been input, it returns to the determination in step S24 and repeats the determination in step S24 as long as the power outage warning signal continues to be input. As a result, the timer clear setting value is set in the WDT clear register built into the main control MPU for the main control built-in WDT activated in step S12, clearing the timekeeping by the main control built-in WDT and preventing it from restarting timekeeping, forcing the main control MPU to be reset by the main control built-in WDT. The main control MPU then performs this main control side power-on processing again. The fact that the determination in step S24 is made following the wait time standby process in step S22 will be explained in detail later.

If, in step S24, the main control MPU determines that no power outage warning signal has been input, it determines whether the RAM clear notification flag RCL-FLG is set to 0 (step S26). As described above, the RAM clear notification flag RCL-FLG is set to 1 when various information is to be erased, and to 0 when various information is not to be erased. In step S26, if the RAM clear notification flag RCL-FLG is set to 0, that is, if it has determined that various information is not to be erased, the main control MPU calculates a checksum (step S28). This checksum is calculated by treating the various information stored in the main control's built-in RAM as numerical values.

Following step S28, the main control MPU determines whether the calculated checksum value (sum value) matches the checksum value (sum value) stored during the main control side power-off processing (power-off processing) described below (step S30). If the main control MPU determines that the calculated checksum value matches, it then determines whether the backup flag BK-FLG is set to 1 (step S32). This backup flag BK-FLG indicates whether game backup information, such as various information, the checksum value (sum value), and the value of the backup flag BK-FLG, was stored in the main control's internal RAM during the main control side power-off processing described below. It is set to 1 when the main control side power-off processing is completed successfully, and to 0 when the main control side power-off processing is not completed successfully. The calculation of the checksum in step S28 and the determination in step S30, which occur when the main control board 1310 is first powered on after production for inspection during the inspection process on the main control board 1310 production line, will be described in detail below.

In step S32, if the backup flag BK-FLG is set to 1, i.e., if the main control MPU determines that the main control side power outage processing has completed normally, it sets the working area of the main control's internal RAM as the time of power restoration (step S34). This setting is performed by reading the power restoration information from the ROM built into the main control MPU (i.e., the main control's internal ROM) and setting this power restoration information in the working area of the main control's internal RAM. This reads various information from the game backup information and stores various commands corresponding to this information in a specified memory area of the main control's internal RAM. Note that "power restoration" includes not only the state in which the power is restored after being turned off, but also the state in which power is restored after a power outage or momentary power outage, and the state in which the main control MPU itself is reset after being irradiated with high-frequency waves from fraudulent means (for example, a high-frequency output device hidden in the hem of a cheater's arm) and then returns to normal.

Following step S34, the main control MPU sets the backup flag BK-FLG to a value of 0 (step S36). This causes various information, checksum values (sum values), etc. to change as various processes are performed. Therefore, unless the main control power-off process described below is successfully completed and the backup flag BK-FLG is set to a value of 1, the entire main control internal RAM will be cleared, as described below.

On the other hand, if the main control MPU determines in step S26 that the RAM clear notification flag RCL-FLG is not 0 (is 1), i.e., that various information should be erased, or if the main control MPU determines in step S30 that the checksum values (sum values) do not match, or if the main control MPU determines in step S32 that the backup flag BK-FLG is not 1 (is 0), i.e., that the main control side power-off processing has not been completed successfully, it clears the entire area of the main control's built-in RAM (step S38). Here, the main control MPU does this by writing the value 0 to the main control's built-in RAM. The main control MPU may also read and set a predetermined value from the main control's built-in ROM as the initial value. Additionally, when the logic of the operation signal (RAM clear signal) from the RAM clear switch indicates RAM clear and various information is erased, when the sum values do not match, or when the main control side power-off processing has not been completed normally, the main control MPU retrieves a unique ID code pre-stored in the non-volatile RAM of the main control MPU, and performs an initial value derivation process that always derives the same fixed value from the fixed numerical range of the counter that updates the random number for determining a normal symbol win based on this retrieved ID code, and sets this fixed value as the initial value determination random number for determining a normal symbol win, which is used to determine the initial value of the random number for determining a normal symbol win described above.

Following step S38, the main control MPU sets the work area of the main control's built-in RAM as the initial setting (step S40). This setting is performed by reading the initial information from the main control's built-in ROM and setting this initial information in the work area of the main control's built-in RAM. This initializes the game backup information, and for example, the value of the counter used to determine the output of main prize ball count information is set to the initial value of 0.

Following step S36 or step S40, the main control MPU performs interrupt initialization (step S42). This setting sets the interrupt period when the main control timer interrupt process described below is performed. In this embodiment, this is set to 4 milliseconds (ms).

Following step S42, the main control MPU performs serial communication initialization (step S44). Here, the transmission serial port prescaler corresponding to the various serial input/output ports built into the main control MPU (for example, the serial input/output ports (receive channels and transmit channels) for the dispensing control board 633 and the serial input/output ports (receive channels and transmit channels) for the peripheral control board 1510) is set to the communication speed and whether or not parity is enabled, and the transmission serial port control register is set to initialize the transmission circuit and enable transmission.

Following step S44, the main control MPU initializes the test signal output port (step S46). Here, the gaming machine testing laboratory initializes the test signal output port (not shown) for outputting various inspection information when the power is turned on (setting it to output OFF data).

Following step S46, the main control MPU performs startup settings for the main control's built-in hardware random number circuit (step S48). Here, settings are made to latch and acquire special random numbers used to determine whether or not to generate a jackpot game state, among various random numbers related to the game, in a hardware random number control register built into the main control MPU in order to update them by hardware, and startup settings for the main control's built-in hardware random number circuit are set in the hardware random number setting register. When these settings are performed, the main control's built-in hardware random number circuit is started, and based on the clock signal input to the main control MPU, it rapidly extracts other values within a predetermined numerical range without overlapping, one after another. Once all values within the predetermined numerical range have been extracted, it again extracts a value within the predetermined numerical range, and based on the clock signal input to the main control MPU, it rapidly extracts other values within the predetermined numerical range without overlapping, one after another. When the main control MPU obtains a random number (random value) from the main control's built-in hardware random number circuit, it outputs a latch signal to the main control's built-in hardware random number circuit, and obtains the random number (random value) extracted by the main control's built-in hardware random number circuit when this latch signal is input from the hard random number latch register built into the main control MPU. The main control MPU sets this obtained random number as a special random number.

Following step S48, the main control MPU reserves the commands to be sent when the power is turned on (step S50). Here, based on the power recovery information set in the main control's internal RAM's work area during the setting of the main control's internal RAM's work area in step S34, a power-on status command, a power-on main control return destination command, and a power-on main prize ball count information output determination counter notification command, all of which are classified as power-on, are created to notify the user that power has been turned on (restored). These commands are then stored in the main control's internal RAM's transmission information storage area as transmission information. The main control's internal RAM's transmission information storage area may also contain various commands corresponding to various information read from the game backup information during the setting of the main control's internal RAM's work area during step S34. In such cases, after the various commands corresponding to the game information are first sent, the power-on status command, the power-on main control return destination command, and the power-on main prize ball information output determination counter notification command are sent. These commands are sent during the main control's timer interrupt process, which will be described later. A detailed explanation of how step S50 schedules the commands to be sent when the power is turned on will be provided later.

Following step S50, the main control MPU performs interrupt permission setting (step S52). This setting causes the main control side timer interrupt processing, described below, to be repeated at the interrupt period set in step S42, i.e., every 4 ms.

Following step S52, the main control MPU determines whether a power outage warning signal has been input (step S54). When the power supply to the pachinko machine 1 is cut off, or a power outage or momentary power outage occurs, as described above, if the voltage falls below the power outage warning voltage, a power outage warning signal is input from the power outage monitoring circuit to the main control MPU as a power outage warning. The determination in step S54 is made based on this power outage warning signal.

If, in step S54, the main control MPU determines that no power outage warning signal has been input, it performs a non-win/lose random number update process (step S56). This non-win/lose random number update process updates the random numbers for reach determination, variable display pattern, initial value determination random numbers for symbols, and initial value determination random numbers for small win symbols, etc., as described above. In this way, in the non-win/lose random number update process, random numbers that are not related to win/lose determination (win determination) are updated by software. Note that the random numbers for normal symbol win determination, initial value determination random numbers for normal symbol win determination, and normal symbol variable display pattern random numbers, etc., as described above, are also updated by this non-win/lose random number update process.

Following step S56, the process returns to step S54, where the main control MPU determines whether a power outage warning signal has been input. If no power outage warning signal has been input, the process performs a non-win/lose random number update process in step S56, and then repeats steps S54 to S56. The process of steps S54 to S56 is referred to as the "main process on the main control side."

On the other hand, if the main control MPU determines in step S54 that a power outage warning signal has been input, it sets interrupt prohibition (step S58). This setting prevents the main control timer interrupt process, described below, from being performed, prevents writing to the main control's built-in RAM, and protects against overwriting of various information, including the game information and other information mentioned above.

Following step S58, the main control MPU begins outputting a power outage clear signal (step S60). Here, the same processing is performed as when the power outage clear signal was started to be output in the power outage clear processing of step S14.

Following step S60, the main control MPU stops the drive signals being output to, for example, the various indicators of the function display unit 1400, the starting port solenoid 2632, the first attacca solenoid 2642, the second attacca solenoid 2652, etc. (step S62).

Following step S62, the main control MPU calculates a checksum and stores the calculated value (step S64). This checksum is calculated by treating the game information in the working area of the main control's built-in RAM, excluding the storage area for the checksum value (sum value) and the backup flag BK-FLG value, as numerical values.

Following step S64, the main control MPU sets the backup flag BK-FLG to a value of 1 (step S66). This completes the storage of game backup information.

Following step S66, the main control MPU sets RAM access prohibition (step S68). This RAM access prohibition setting makes it impossible to access the main control's internal RAM, thereby preventing updates to the contents of the main control's internal RAM.

Following step S68, an infinite loop is entered. In this infinite loop, a timer clear setting value is set in the WDT clear register built into the main control MPU for the main control's built-in WDT that was started in step S12, clearing the timekeeping by the main control's built-in WDT and preventing it from restarting, forcing the main control MPU to be reset by the main control's built-in WDT. The main control MPU then performs this main control side power-on processing again. The processing from step S58 to step S68 and the infinite loop are referred to as the "main control side power-off processing."

As described above, if the main control MPU is affected by electrical noise, it is forcibly reset by the built-in reset circuit. In this case, the main control MPU cannot make the determination in step S54 and is unable to perform the main control side power-off processing. Therefore, when the main control MPU is forcibly reset by the built-in reset circuit, it is reset without performing the main control side power-off processing, and the main control side power-on processing is performed again. In other words, because the main control side power-off processing is not performed, the checksum value (sum value) from the main control side power-off processing based on the time immediately before the forcible reset by the built-in reset circuit is not stored. Therefore, the checksum value (sum value) stored when the main control side power-off processing was performed the previous time power was cut off and the checksum value (sum value) calculated in step S28 when the main control MPU is restarted after the forcible reset by the built-in reset circuit cannot possibly match. This inevitably results in a checksum (sum value) error in the main control's built-in RAM, and the contents of the main control's built-in RAM are completely erased (cleared) in step S38.

The pachinko machine 1 (main control MPU) is reset in the event of a power outage or momentary power outage, and then performs the main control side power-on processing when power is restored.

In step S30, the game backup information stored in the main control's built-in RAM is checked to see if it is correct, and then in step S32, it is checked to see if the main control's power-off processing was completed normally. In this way, by double-checking the game backup information stored in the main control's built-in RAM, it is checked to see if the game backup information was stored as a result of fraudulent activity.

Here, we will explain the fact that the determination of the presence or absence of a power outage warning signal in step S24 is performed following the wait time standby process in step S22. First, we will explain the problem that occurs when the presence or absence of a power outage warning signal is not determined in step S24, that is, when the value of the RAM clear flag is determined in step S26 following the wait time standby process in step S22 and subsequent processing is carried out.

As mentioned above, if a power outage or momentary interruption occurs and power is cut off from the island equipment in the amusement hall, the charge stored in electrolytic capacitor MC2 is applied as +5V DC to the VDD terminal, which is the power supply terminal of the main control MPU, for a period of approximately 7 milliseconds (ms) after the power outage or momentary interruption. In other words, even if power from the island equipment in the amusement hall is cut off due to a momentary or sudden power outage, the charge stored in the hardware electrolytic capacitor MC2 is applied as +5V DC, allowing the main control side power-off processing to be completed within approximately 7 ms after power from the island equipment in the amusement hall is cut off. This ensures that the main control side power-off processing can be completed reliably even if a power outage or momentary interruption occurs and power from the island equipment in the amusement hall is cut off while a player is playing, that is, while the main control side main processing or the main control side timer interrupt processing described below is being performed.

However, in extremely rare cases, when power is restored, the wait time standby process in step S22 begins timing the wait time (boot timer: set to 2.5 seconds in this embodiment) until the system that controls the drawing of the peripheral control board 1510 starts (boots). If a momentary or power outage occurs just before this wait time is reached, the charge stored in the hardware electrolytic capacitor MC2 is applied as +5V DC to the VDD terminal, which is the power terminal of the main control MPU. However, within a period of approximately 7 ms, the interrupt initialization is performed in step S42, and then the interrupt permission setting is performed in step S52. This causes the main control timer interrupt process described below to be performed, and even if the contents of the main control's internal RAM are updated, the main control's power-on process during the main control's power-off process may not be able to be completed. As a result, the checksum calculated based on the contents of the main control's internal RAM is not stored, and the main control's power-on process will begin again when power is restored.

When power is restored, the main control side power-on process begins, and the wait time standby process in step S22 is completed without any momentary or power outage. Then, in step S30, the checksum calculated based on the contents of the main control's built-in RAM in step S28 is compared with the value stored in the main control's built-in RAM immediately before the momentary or power outage. The checksum values will not match, and the entire main control's built-in RAM will be cleared in step S38. In other words, when power is restored, the RAM clear switch is operated by an amusement hall staff member or other attendant, and the above-mentioned gaming backup information stored in the main control's built-in RAM will be forcibly erased (cleared) even if the amusement hall staff member or other attendant does not express an intention to clear the RAM.

In this embodiment, therefore, immediately after the wait time standby process of step S22, a process is provided in step S24 to determine whether a power outage warning signal has been input. If a power outage warning signal has been input, the process returns to the determination of step S24, and the determination of step S24 is repeated as long as the power outage warning signal continues to be input. As a result, a timer clear setting value is set in the WDT clear register built into the main control MPU for the main control built-in WDT that was started in step S12, clearing the timekeeping by the main control built-in WDT and preventing it from starting timekeeping again, thereby forcing the main control MPU to be reset by the main control built-in WDT. Before performing the wait time standby process in step S22, a value is set to the RAM clear notification flag RCL-FLG in step S18 or step S20. However, as described above, the value of the RAM clear notification flag RCL-FLG is stored in the general-purpose memory element (general-purpose register) of the main control MPU. Therefore, even if RAM access permission is set in step S10, the contents of the main control's built-in RAM (game information) are not changed at all.

In this way, immediately after the wait time standby process of step S22, a process is provided as step S24 to determine whether or not a power outage warning signal has been input. When a power outage warning signal has been input (that is, when it is determined in step S24 that power to the pachinko machine 1 has been cut off after waiting in the wait time standby process of step S22), the process returns to the determination of step S24, and by repeatedly making the determination of step S24 as long as the power outage warning signal continues to be input, the main control MPU of the main control board 1310 can be forcibly reset and the main control board 1310 can be restarted. As a result, it is not possible to proceed with the game, and various information including game information and other information (for example, information indicating the value of the counter for determining the main prize ball number information output) can be prevented from being updated, preventing fluctuations in the checksum calculation results. As a result, when the main control MPU of the main control board 1310 restarts, it will determine that the checksum calculation result in step S28 matches the checksum value calculated and stored in step S64, and will not initialize the game information stored in the main control's built-in RAM immediately before the momentary or power outage occurred. Therefore, when power is restored, it is possible to prevent the game information immediately before the momentary or power outage from being initialized.

In addition, immediately after the wait time standby process of step S22, a process is provided in step S24 to determine whether a power outage warning signal has been input. When a power outage warning signal has not been input (i.e., when it is determined in step S24 that power to the pachinko machine 1 has not been cut off after waiting in the wait time standby process of step S22), even if power to the pachinko machine 1 is cut off while the main control MPU of the main control board 1310 is progressing a game, power is supplied to the VDD terminal, which is the power terminal of the main control MPU, by electrolytic capacitor MC2, and game information and other information (for example, main prize ball number information output) relating to the progress of the game are output. Because the main control MPU of the main control board 1310 is able to complete the main control side power outage processing, which consists of steps S58 to S68, a backup process for storing various information including information indicating the value of the force determination counter, and an infinite loop, when restarted, the main control MPU determines that the checksum calculation result of step S28 matches the checksum calculation result of the backup process (i.e., the calculated and stored value of the checksum in step S64), and therefore does not initialize the game information stored in the main control's internal RAM immediately before the momentary power outage or power outage occurred. In other words, the game information immediately before the momentary power outage or power outage occurred can be restored, allowing the main control board 1310 to start up.

Furthermore, if it is determined in step S24 that a power outage warning signal has been input immediately after the wait time standby process in step S22, the main control's built-in WDT will force the main control MPU to reset, allowing the main control side power outage processing to be started again without any updating of the contents of the main control's built-in RAM.On the other hand, if it is determined in step S24 that a power outage warning signal has not been input immediately after the wait time standby process in step S22, the main control side power outage processing can be reliably completed within the ``power supply assurance period during momentary power outage or power outage'' of approximately 7 ms, as before, determined by the hardware. In other words, in this embodiment, if a momentary or power outage occurs during the main control side power-on process when power is restored and the power supply from the island equipment of the game hall is cut off, and the charge stored in the electrolytic capacitor MC2 is applied to the VDD terminal, which is the power supply terminal of the main control MPU, as DC +5V for a period of approximately 7 milliseconds (ms) after the power outage or momentary power outage occurs, if the main control side power-off process cannot be completed within the "momentary or power supply securing period" of approximately 7 ms due to the hardware of the electrolytic capacitor MC2, then immediately after the wait time standby process of step S22 In step S24, a determination is made as to whether a power outage warning signal has been input. If a power outage warning signal has been input, the process returns to the determination in step S24. As long as the power outage warning signal continues to be input, the determination in step S24 is repeated. This sets a timer clear setting value in the WDT clear register built into the main control MPU for the main control built-in WDT that was started in step S12, clearing the timekeeping by the main control built-in WDT and preventing it from starting timekeeping again, allowing the main control built-in WDT to forcibly reset the main control MPU.

This software-based WDT built into the main control forcibly resets the main control MPU, preventing it from proceeding to steps after step S24 (specifically, the control flow in which interrupt initialization is performed in step S42, and then interrupt permission is set in step S52 to start the main control timer interrupt processing described below), thereby preventing the contents of the main control built-in RAM (various information including game information and other information (for example, information indicating the value of the counter for determining the main prize ball number information output)) from being updated. In this way, when a power outage or momentary power outage occurs and the power is cut off from the island equipment in the gaming hall, the system is divided into two parts: one part is handled by software to prevent any changes to the contents of the main control built-in RAM (game information and various information including other information (for example, information indicating the value of the counter used to determine the output of main prize ball information)) and the other part is handled by hardware to ensure that the main control side power outage processing is completed and any changes to the contents of the main control built-in RAM (game information and various information including other information (for example, information indicating the value of the counter used to determine the output of main prize ball information)) are prevented reliably.

Next, we will explain how the reservation setting for the command to be sent when power is turned on is performed in step S50. As described above, in step S50, based on the power recovery information set in the work area of the main control built-in RAM in setting the work area of the main control built-in RAM in step S34, a power-on status command classified as power-on, a power-on main control return destination command, and a power-on main prize ball count information output determination counter notification command are created to notify that power has been turned on (restored), and these are stored as transmission information in the transmission information storage area of the main control built-in RAM. This power-on main control return destination command is primarily composed of information indicating the drive state of the start port solenoid 2632 and information indicating the drive state of the first attack solenoid 2642 and the second attack solenoid 2652. Here, we will first explain the problem that occurs when the power-on main control return destination command does not include information indicating the drive state of the starting port solenoid 2632 and information indicating the drive state of the first attacker solenoid 2642 and second attacker solenoid 2652; in other words, the problem that occurs when the power-on main control return destination command in step S50 does not schedule the command to be sent when power is turned on.

For example, when the peripheral control board 1510 is controlling the display of a jackpot game status screen (e.g., a jackpot game display screen) in the display area of the display device 1600, and the main control board 1310 is driving the first attacca solenoid 2642 and the second attacca solenoid 2652 to open the first large prize opening 2006 and the second large prize opening 2007 by the opening/closing members, if a momentary or power outage occurs and power is subsequently restored, the main control board 1310 will be restored to the game status immediately before the momentary or power outage occurred based on the power restoration information set in the working area of the main control built-in RAM in the setting of the working area of the main control built-in RAM in step S34, and will begin driving the first attacca solenoid 2642 and the second attacca solenoid 2652, causing the first large prize opening 2006 and the second large prize opening 2007 to transition from a state in which they are closed by the opening/closing members to a state in which they are open.

However, when a momentary or power outage occurs, the peripheral control board 1510 receives various commands from the main control board 1310 and recovers when power is restored. Therefore, when a momentary or power outage occurs and power is subsequently restored, the peripheral control board 1510 can recover based on the game state (whether or not it is in a time-saving state, etc.) indicated by the power-on state command received from the main control board 1310 when power is restored. However, if a momentary or power outage occurs while the main control board 1310 is generating a jackpot game state as the game state and power is subsequently restored, the peripheral control board 1510 may be able to recover by displaying the screen for the jackpot game state in the display area of the effect display device 1600 based on the game state indicated by the power-on state command received from the main control board 1310 when power is restored, but it will be unable to indicate at all which round of the jackpot game state it is. In other words, for example, even if a gaming ball enters first main winning slot 2006 or second main winning slot 2007 and is detected by first main winning slot sensor 3002 or second main winning slot sensor 2602, and main control board 1310 sends a large winning slot 1 count display command to peripheral control board 1510 indicating the number of gaming balls that have entered first main winning slot 2006 or second main winning slot 2007, and peripheral control board 1510 receives it, peripheral control board 1510 can display the number of gaming balls that have entered first main winning slot 2006 or second main winning slot 2007 on the display area of effect display device 1600 according to the gaming status, but it cannot display at all which round in the jackpot gaming status (i.e. which round) it is.

In such a situation, for example, when the fourth round (fourth round) of the jackpot game state is completed, the main control board 1310 stops driving the first attacca solenoid 2642 and the second attacca solenoid 2652, and sends a large prize opening 1 closure display command to the peripheral control board 1310, which instructs the first large prize opening 2006 and the second large prize opening 2007 to transition from an open state to a closed state by the opening/closing member (i.e., the start of closing the first large prize opening 2006 and the second large prize opening 2007 of the attacca unit 2100 between rounds). When the main control board 1310 starts the fifth round (fifth round) of the jackpot game state, the main control board 1310 starts driving the first attacca solenoid 2642 and the second attacca solenoid 2652, and sends a fifth large prize opening display command to the peripheral control board 1510 to instruct the first large prize opening 2006 and the second large prize opening 2007 to transition from a state in which they are closed by the opening/closing members to a state in which they are open (in other words, the fifth round of opening of the first large prize opening 2006 and the second large prize opening 2007 begins). As a result, the peripheral control board 1510 finally switches from the screen corresponding to the game state described above to a screen indicating the start of the fifth round of the jackpot game state in the display area of the effect display device 1600.

For example, when the peripheral control board 1510 is controlling the display of a screen on the display area of the effect display device 1600 that informs the player that the game is now in a favorable game state, where a game ball can be received into the second starting port 2005 (for example, a screen informing the player that the movable piece is open), and the main control board 1310 is driving the starting port solenoid 2632 to open the movable piece and open the second starting port 2005, if a momentary power outage or power failure occurs and power is then restored, the main control board 1310 will be restored to the game state it was in immediately before the momentary power outage or power failure based on the power recovery information set in the working area of the main control built-in RAM in the setting of the working area of the main control built-in RAM in step S34, and will begin driving the starting port solenoid 2632 to close the movable piece and transition to a state in which it closes the second starting port 2005.

However, when a momentary power outage or power outage occurs, the peripheral control board 1510 is designed to receive various commands from the main control board 1310 and recover when power is restored.Therefore, when a momentary power outage or power outage occurs and power is then restored, the peripheral control board 1510 can recover based on the power-on state command received from the main control board 1310 when power is restored. However, when the main control board 1310 is in a gaming state where a gaming ball can be received into the second starting port 2005, creating a gaming state that is advantageous to the player, if a momentary power outage or power failure occurs and then power is restored, the peripheral control board 1510 will be able to return to normal by displaying a screen showing the jackpot gaming state in the display area of the performance display device 1600 based on the gaming state indicated by the power-on state command received from the main control board 1310 when power is restored, but will not be able to display at all in the display area of the performance display device 1600 a screen informing the player that the gaming state has become advantageous to the player, where a gaming ball can be received into the second starting port 2005. For this reason, a player seated at the front of the pachinko machine may be surprised by the occurrence of a momentary or power outage and forget that when power is restored, the game state immediately before the momentary or power outage occurred was one in which game balls could be received into the second starting port 2005. In such cases, even though the game state at the time of power restoration is restored to one in which game balls can be received into the second starting port 2005, the screen instructing the game (i.e., the screen instructing the game to insert a game ball into the second starting port 2005) is not displayed in the display area of the effect display device 1600 when power is restored, which causes the player to become confused about what game to play.

As such, in the two examples mentioned above, there was a problem in that the gaming state immediately before the momentary or blackout could not be quickly restored after power was restored. In other words, when a momentary or blackout occurs and power is subsequently restored, a player seated in front of the pachinko machine may mistakenly believe that the pachinko machine's system has frozen, or in other words, that it has malfunctioned.

In this embodiment, in order for the main control board 1310 to transmit a power-on status command and a power-on main control return destination command to the peripheral control board 1510 when the power is turned on (including not only when the power is turned on, but also when a power outage or momentary power outage occurs and power is restored), in step S50, the power-on status command, the power-on main control return destination command, and the power-on main prize ball count information output determination counter notification command, which are classified as power-on, are created and stored as transmission information in the transmission information storage area of the main control's built-in RAM. These commands are then transmitted during the main control's timer interrupt process, which will be described later.

As a result, based on the power-on state command and power-on main control return destination command received from the main control board 1310, for example, in the above example, if a momentary or power outage occurs during the fourth round of the jackpot game state and then power is restored, the peripheral control board 1510 will start driving the first attacca solenoid 2642 and the second attacca solenoid 2652 as the return destination of the main control board 1310, and the first large prize opening 2006 and the second large prize opening 2007 will transition from a closed state to an open state by the opening/closing member. Since the peripheral control board 1510 can notify the peripheral control board 1510 of this, the peripheral control board 1510 cannot display a screen specifying that it is the fourth round of the jackpot game state (i.e., a screen indicating which round it is), in the display area of the effect display device 1600. However, it can display a screen (for example, "It's a jackpot game. The large prize openings are open") indicating that it is a jackpot game state and that the first attacca solenoid 2642 and the second attacca solenoid 2652 have started to be driven and the first large prize opening 2006 and the second large prize opening 2007 are open by the opening/closing members. A screen conveying the message to the player, "Play your game so that the game balls will enter the large prize openings." can be displayed in the display area of the effect display device 1600 to instruct the player seated in front of the pachinko machine to play in such a way that the game balls will enter the first large prize opening 2006 or the second large prize opening 2007 after power is restored. Also, for example, in the above example, in a state where the game state is favorable for the player, where the game balls can be received by the second start opening 2005, if a momentary power outage or a blackout occurs and then power is restored, the main control As the return destination of the control board 1310, the peripheral control board 1510 displays a screen in the display area of the effect display device 1600 informing the player that the start port solenoid 2632 has started to be driven, causing the movable piece to open and the second start port 2005 to be opened (for example, a screen that tells the player the message "The movable piece is open. Please play so that the game ball enters the second start port."), and the player seated in front of the pachinko machine can be instructed to play a game in which the game ball will enter the second start port 2005 after power is restored.

This allows the main control board 1310 to give detailed instructions on where the peripheral control board 1510 should return to when power is restored after a momentary or power outage. Therefore, once power is restored, the game can be quickly restored to the state it was in immediately before the momentary or power outage. In other words, when a momentary or power outage occurs and power is restored, a player seated in front of the pachinko machine will see that the pachinko machine's system has frozen, preventing them from mistaking it for a malfunction.

Next, we will explain the calculation of the checksum in step S28 and the judgment in step S30 when the main control board 1310 is powered on for the first time since being manufactured for inspection during the main control board inspection process, which is an inspection process on the main control board 1310 manufacturing line. When the main control board 1310 is powered on for the first time since being manufactured for inspection during the main control board inspection process, the main control MPU of the main control board 1310 has never executed the backup processing of steps S58 to S68 and the main control side power-off processing consisting of an infinite loop. Therefore, even if a checksum is calculated based on the contents of the main control internal RAM in step S28, the checksum values will never match when compared in step S30, and the entire area of the main control internal RAM will necessarily be cleared in step S38.

As a result, when the reservation setting for the commands to be sent when the power is turned on is made in step S50, the power-on status command, the power-on main control return destination command, and the power-on main prize ball count information output determination counter notification command, which are classified as power-on, are created and stored as transmission information in the transmission information storage area of the main control's built-in RAM. This results in only three commands being stored as transmission information in the transmission information storage area of the main control's built-in RAM: the power-on status command, the power-on main control return destination command, and the power-on main prize ball count information output determination counter notification command. These commands are then transmitted first in the main control timer interrupt processing described below: the power-on status command, followed by the power-on main control return destination command, followed by the power-on main prize ball count information output determination counter notification command. Using this, during the main control board inspection process, when the main control board 1310 is powered on for the first time since being manufactured for inspection, the power-on status command is transmitted as the first command from the main control board 1310 to the inspection device in the main control board inspection process.

The power-on state command consists of information that instructs the RAM to be cleared when the RAM clear switch is operated upon power-on (including not only power-on but also power recovery after a power outage or momentary power interruption), information that instructs which game state to return to, either the time-saving state or the non-time-saving state, upon power-on (including not only power-on but also power recovery after a power outage or momentary power interruption), and information indicating the model code of the pachinko machine. Here, we will explain the problems that arise when the power-on state command does not include information indicating the model code of the pachinko machine.

The model code of a pachinko machine can be used to identify which copyright of a work it refers to and what game specifications it has when creating the so-called max type, mid type, or sweet type of pachinko machine 1 (or more accurately, the main control board 1310) (for example, a game specification in which when a probability change occurs, that state continues until the next jackpot game state occurs, or a game specification in which the number of times the special pattern changes is limited (for example, 30 or 70 times) and a probability change occurs (a so-called ST machine)).

On the production line of a manufacturer that produces pachinko machines 1, main control boards 1310 for multiple copyrights may be mixed when they are produced. This can lead to workers on the production line not knowing which of the multiple copyrights (for example, the copyrights for Movie A, Movie B, Drama C, Movie D, Manga E, and Manga F) the main control board 1310 is being sent down the line to manufacture for which of the multiple copyrights. Furthermore, even if the main control board 1310 is being sent down the line to manufacture a main control board 1310 for one of the multiple copyrights (for example, the copyright for Movie D), they may mistakenly believe that the main control board 1310 is being sent down the line to manufacture a main control board 1310 for another copyright (for example, the copyright for Manga F).

For this reason, when main control boards 1310 for multiple different work copyrights are manufactured on the production line of a manufacturer that produces pachinko machines 1, if main control boards 1310 for multiple work copyrights are mixed together, workers on the production line will not be able to confirm which work copyright the main control board 1310 manufactured on the production line belongs to, and even for the same work copyright, they will not be able to confirm which model type (max type, mid type, sweet type) or what game specifications it has (a game specification in which when a probability fluctuation occurs, that state continues until the next jackpot game state occurs, or an ST machine).

As a result, if main control boards 1310 for multiple different work copyrights are mixed when manufacturing main control boards 1310 on the production line of a manufacturer that produces pachinko machines 1, the main control boards 1310 for multiple different work copyrights will be sent to the game board assembly line for attaching the main control boards 1310 to the game boards 5. As a result, workers on the game board assembly line may attach a main control board 1310 to the game board 5 that does not correspond to the game board 5 for the work copyright. This results in a problem of reduced production efficiency of the game boards 5.

In this embodiment, when the main control board 1310 is powered on (this includes not only power-on but also power recovery after a power outage or momentary power outage), it sends a power-on status command containing information indicating the pachinko machine model code to the peripheral control board 1510. In order to do this, in step S50, a power-on status command classified as power-on, a power-on main control return destination command, and a power-on main prize ball count information output determination counter notification command are created and stored as transmission information in the transmission information storage area of the main control's built-in RAM. These commands are then sent during the main control's timer interrupt process, which will be described later.

As a result, during the main control board inspection process, which is an inspection process on the production line, a worker on the production line of the manufacturer that produces pachinko machine 1 turns on the main control board 1310, and based on the information indicating the model code of the pachinko machine contained in the power-on status command received by the inspection device from the main control board 1310, the inspection device derives the following information that constitutes the model code of the pachinko machine: a series code that identifies the model type (max type, middle type, or sweet type) as described above; a copyright code that identifies the copyright of the work; and game specifications (for example, when a probability fluctuation occurs, that state will continue until the next jackpot game state occurs). By visually inspecting the detailed model information displayed on the inspection monitor based on a game specification code that identifies the game specification whereby a probability fluctuation occurs with a limited number of special symbol changes (such as an ST machine) in addition to the game specification whereby a probability fluctuation occurs with a limited number of special symbol changes, it is possible to determine which copyright of the work the main control board 1310 corresponds to, and even for the same copyright of the work, it is possible to determine which model type (max type, mid type, or sweet type) and what game specification (such as an ST machine or a game specification where when a probability fluctuation occurs, that state continues until the next jackpot game state occurs).

As a result, even if main control boards 1310 for multiple different game copyrights are mixed together when manufacturing main control boards 1310 on the production line of a manufacturer that produces pachinko machines 1, workers in the main control board inspection process on the production line can visually check the inspection monitor to accurately determine the model type, game copyright, and game specifications of the main control board 1310, allowing them to be separated into game copyright-specific main control boards 1310 and sent to the subsequent game board assembly line. Workers on the game board assembly line can then reliably attach main control boards 1310 that correspond to game boards 5 for the game copyrights to the game boards 5, preventing a decline in game board 5 production efficiency caused by attaching main control boards 1310 that do not correspond to game boards 5 for the game copyrights to game boards 5. This can therefore contribute to improving game board 5 production efficiency.

[11-3. Main control side timer interrupt processing]
Next, the main control side timer interrupt process will be described. This main control side timer interrupt process is repeatedly performed at the interrupt period (4 ms in this embodiment) set in the main control side power-on process shown in Figures 214 and 215.

When the main control side timer interrupt processing begins, the main control MPU switches the register bank as shown in FIG. 216 (step S100). The main control MPU's general-purpose memory element (general-purpose register) has two register banks: a first register bank and a second register bank. The first register bank is used in the main control main processing during the main control side power-on processing described above, while the second register bank is used in this routine, the main control side timer interrupt processing. In step S100, since the second register bank is used in this routine, the main control side timer interrupt processing, the register bank is switched from the first register bank used in the main control main processing during the main control side power-on processing to the second register bank. Note that in this embodiment, when this routine, the main control side timer interrupt processing, begins, there is no need to save each register to a stack.

Following step S100, the main control MPU performs timer subtraction processing (step S102). This timer subtraction processing, for example, manages the time for which the first special symbol display device and second special symbol display device of the function display unit 1400 are lit according to the variable display pattern determined by the special symbol and special electric device control processing described below, the time for which the normal symbol display device of the function display unit 1400 is lit according to the normal symbol variable display pattern determined by the normal symbol and normal electric device control processing described below, as well as the ACK signal input determination time, which is set as a determination condition when determining whether a payer ACK signal has been input, which indicates that the payout control board 633 has successfully received various commands sent by the main control board 1310 (main control MPU). Specifically, when the change time of the variable display pattern or normal symbol change display pattern is 5 seconds, the timer interrupt period is set to 4 ms, so each time this timer subtraction process is performed, the change time is subtracted by 4 ms, and when the subtraction result becomes a value of 0, the change time of the variable display pattern or normal symbol change display pattern is accurately measured.

In this embodiment, the ACK signal input determination time is set to 100 ms. Each time this timer subtraction process is performed, the ACK signal input determination time is subtracted by 4 ms, and the ACK signal input determination time is accurately measured when the subtraction result becomes 0. These various times and the ACK signal input determination time are stored as time management information in the time management information storage area of the main control's built-in RAM.

Following step S102, the main control MPU performs switch input processing (step S104). In this switch input processing, various signals input to the input terminals of the various input ports of the main control MPU are read and stored as input information in the input information storage area of the main control's built-in RAM. Specifically, the main control MPU reads, for example, the detection signal from the gate sensor 2501, the detection signal from the general prize opening sensor 3001, the detection signal from the first lower start opening sensor 2101 and the first upper start opening sensor 2524, the detection signal from the second start opening sensor 2601, the detection signal from the first large prize opening sensor 3002 and the second large prize opening sensor 2602, the detection signal from the V prize opening sensor 2603, the detection signal from the losing opening sensor 2604, the detection signal from the out sensor 664, the detection signal from the magnetic sensor 1030, the operation signal (RAM clear signal) from the RAM clear switch, and the payer ACK signal from the payout control board 633 which indicates that the payout control board 633 has successfully received the prize ball command sent in the prize ball control process described below, and stores this as input information in the input information storage area of the main control's built-in RAM. Additionally, when the detection signals from the first lower start gate sensor 2101, the first upper start gate sensor 2524, and the second start gate sensor 2601 are read, the corresponding start gate winning command classified as "other" is stored as transmission information in the transmission information storage area of the main control's built-in RAM. In other words, when a detection signal is received from the first lower start gate sensor 2101 or the first upper start gate sensor 2524, the corresponding start gate winning command is stored as transmission information in the transmission information storage area of the main control's built-in RAM, and when a detection signal is received from the second start gate sensor 2601, the corresponding start gate winning command is stored as transmission information in the transmission information storage area of the main control's built-in RAM.

In this embodiment, when this switch input process begins, the input states of all input terminals of the various input ports of the main control MPU (including those for which vacant terminal processing has been performed) are first read a first time, and then, after a predetermined time (e.g., 10 μs) has elapsed, they are read again a second time. The result of this second read is then compared with the result of the first read. A determination is made as to whether any of these comparison results are the same. If the results are not the same, then they are read a third time, and the result of this third read is compared with the result of the second read. A determination is again made as to whether any of these comparison results are the same. If the results are not the same, then they are read a fourth time, and the result of this fourth read is compared with the result of the third read. A determination is again made as to whether any of these comparison results are the same. If the results are not the same, then it is treated as if no game balls have entered the game.

In this way, in the switch input processing, the input status of all input terminals of the various input ports of the main control MPU (including those that have been subjected to vacant terminal processing) is compared twice in two steps: once for the first to third reading and once for the second to fourth reading. This makes it possible to avoid false detections due to the influence of chattering, noise, etc., and therefore, the detection signals from the gate sensor 2501, the general winning entrance sensor 3001, the first lower start entrance sensor 2101, and the first upper start entrance sensor 2102 are compared twice in two steps. This can improve the reliability of the detection signal from sensor 2524, the detection signal from second start opening sensor 2601, the detection signal from first large prize opening sensor 3002 and second large prize opening sensor 2602, the detection signal from V prize opening sensor 2603, the detection signal from loss opening sensor 2604, the detection signal from out sensor 664, the detection signal from magnetic sensor 1030, the operation signal from the RAM clear switch (RAM clear signal), and the payer ACK signal from payout control board 633, which indicates that the prize ball command sent by the prize ball control process described below has been successfully received by the payout control board 633.

Following step S104, the main control MPU performs input terminal malfunction monitoring (step S105). This input terminal malfunction monitoring process checks the status of any input terminals of the main control MPU's various input ports that have been treated as vacant terminals based on the information acquired in the switch input process in step S104. Specifically, for example, input terminal PA7 of input port PA of the main control MPU is grounded (GND) as a vacant terminal, so its logic state is always LOW. Therefore, the input terminal malfunction monitoring process checks whether the logic state of any input terminals of the various input ports that have been treated as vacant terminals is LOW based on the information acquired in the switch input process in step S104. If the main control MPU determines that the logic state of an input terminal that has been treated as vacant terminal is not LOW, it stores a malfunction command classified as a notification display, indicating that a malfunction has occurred in the main control MPU's peripheral circuitry, as transmission information in the transmission information storage area of the main control's internal RAM.

Following step S105, the main control MPU performs a win/loss random number update process (step S106). This win/loss random number update process updates the symbol random numbers described above. In addition to these random numbers, the MPU also updates the symbol initial value determination random numbers and the small win symbol initial value determination random numbers, which are updated in the non-win/loss random number update process of step S56 in the main control side power-on process (main control side main process) shown in FIG. 215. These symbol initial value determination random numbers and small win symbol initial value determination random numbers are updated in the main control side main process and this main control side timer interrupt process, respectively, to further enhance randomness. In contrast, since the symbol random numbers are random numbers related to win/loss determination (win determination), the respective counters are incremented only each time this win/loss random number update process is performed. Note that the normal symbol win determination random numbers and normal symbol win determination initial value determination random numbers described above are also updated in this win/loss random number update process.

For example, as described above, the counter that updates the random number for determining whether a normal symbol is a winning symbol is an initial value update type counter that is updated within a predetermined fixed numerical range ranging from a minimum value to a maximum value, and counts up this range by adding one value each time the main control side timer interrupt process is performed. It counts up from the initial value determination random number for determining whether a normal symbol is a winning symbol toward the maximum value, and then counts up from the minimum value toward the initial value determination random number for determining whether a normal symbol is a winning symbol. Once the counter has finished counting up the range of the random number for determining whether a normal symbol is a winning symbol from its minimum value to its maximum value, the initial value determination random number for determining whether a win is a winning symbol is updated by this win/loss random number update process. The initial value determination random number for determining whether a normal symbol is a winning symbol can be obtained by executing an initial value lottery process that draws a value from the fixed numerical range of the counter that updates the random number for determining whether a normal symbol is a winning symbol.

In this embodiment, the random numbers for determining initial values for symbols and the random numbers for determining initial values for small win symbols are updated by the non-win/lose random number update process of step S56 in the main control side power-on processing (main control side main processing) shown in Figure 215, and the win/lose random number update process of step S106 in the main control side timer interrupt processing, which is this routine. However, if the processing time of this routine fluctuates each time the interrupt timer occurs and the main control side main processing is repeatedly executed within the remaining time until the next interrupt timer occurs, causing the number of times the non-win/lose random number update process of step S56 is executed to become random, the random numbers for determining initial values for symbols and the random numbers for determining initial values for small win symbols can be updated only in the non-win/lose random number update process of step S56.

Following step S106, the main control MPU performs prize ball control processing (step S108). In this prize ball control processing, input information is read from the input information storage area described above and a prize ball command for paying out game balls is created based on this input information, and a self-check command is created to check the connection status between the main control board 1310 and the payout control board 633. The created prize ball command and self-check command are then sent to the payout control board 633 as main payout serial data. For example, when one game ball enters the first main prize slot 2006 or the second main prize slot 2007, a prize ball command is created to pay out 15 prize balls; and since the number of game balls scheduled to be paid out as prize balls has reached 10, the output of the main prize ball number information output signal is set to notify this, stored as output information in the output information storage area, and the prize ball command is sent to the payout control board 633; and if a payer ACK signal indicating that the payout control board 633 has successfully received this prize ball command is not input within a specified time, a self-check command is created to check the connection status between the main control board 1310 and the payout control board 633 and sent to the payout control board 633.

In addition, in the prize ball control process of step S108, input information is read from the input information storage area described above, and based on this input information, if the number of game balls scheduled to be paid out as prize balls reaches 10, a main prize ball number information output command classified as "other" is created to communicate this fact, and stored in the transmission information storage area as transmission information. The main prize ball number information output command is created based on the value of the main prize ball number information output determination counter. The value of this counter for determining the output of main prize ball number information is calculated by reading input information from the input information storage area described above, and counting the number of game balls that are scheduled to be paid out as prize balls based on this input information, that is, based on the game balls that have entered the various prize openings (hereinafter referred to as "various prize openings provided on the game board 5") such as the general prize opening 2001, the first lower start opening 2003, the first upper start opening 2004, the second start opening 2005, and the first large prize opening 2006 and the second large prize opening 2007 provided on the game board 5, and is stored and updated in the prize ball planned information storage area of the main control built-in RAM in the prize ball control process of step S108. In the prize ball control process of step S108, the value of the main prize ball number information output determination counter stored in the prize ball schedule information storage area of the main control's built-in RAM is read, and input information is read from the above-mentioned input information storage area and added to this read value of the main prize ball number information output determination counter by the number of game balls scheduled to be paid out as prize balls based on this input information. If the value indicating this added number of balls exceeds 10 (in other words, if the number of game balls scheduled to be paid out as prize balls reaches 10), a main prize ball number information output command is created to notify this fact and stored in the output information storage area as transmission information. The value indicating the exceeded number of balls is then stored and updated as the value of the main prize ball number information output determination counter in the prize ball schedule information storage area of the main control's built-in RAM.

Following step S108, the main control MPU performs a frame command reception process (step S110). The dispensing control board 633 transmits various 1-byte (8-bit) commands classified as status indications (e.g., frame status 1 command, error clearance navigation command, and frame status 2 command). During the frame command reception process, when various commands are successfully received as payer serial data, information informing the payer control board 633 of this fact is stored as output information in the output information storage area of the main control's built-in RAM. The main control MPU also formats the command successfully received as payer serial data into a 2-byte (16-bit) command (various commands classified as status indications (frame status 1 command, error clearance navigation command, and frame status 2 command)) and stores it as transmission information in the transmission information storage area described above.

Following step S110, the main control MPU performs a fraud detection process (step S112). During this fraud detection process, it checks for any abnormalities related to the winning balls. If it determines that fraud involving radio wave irradiation (hereinafter referred to as "radio wave irradiation cheating") is occurring, it increments the value of the radio wave irradiation cheating counter by one. The value of this radio wave cheating counter is incremented each time the fraud detection process determines that a radio wave irradiation cheating has occurred. When the RAM is cleared, the value of the radio wave cheating counter is set to 0 (zero) as its initial value. When the value of the radio wave cheating counter reaches its upper limit (in this embodiment, the upper limit is set to 250 based on the 4 ms interrupt period during which the fraud detection process performs the main control timer interrupt process), it creates a radio wave irradiation cheating notification command classified as a notification display indicating that a radio wave irradiation cheating has occurred, and stores this command as transmission information in the transmission information storage area described above.

In addition, in the fraud detection process of step S112, for example, input information is read from the input information storage area described above, and when a detection signal is input from the first large prize opening sensor 3002 or the second large prize opening sensor 2602 when the game is not in a jackpot game state (for example, when a game ball enters the first large prize opening 2006 or the second large prize opening 2007), an abnormal prize display command classified as an alert display is created as an abnormal condition, and stored as transmission information in the transmission information storage area described above.

Following step S112, the main control MPU performs special symbol and special electric device control processing (step S114). In this special symbol and special electric device control processing, a latch signal is output to the main control's built-in hardware random number circuit. The random number (random number value) extracted by the main control's built-in hardware random number circuit when the latch signal is input is obtained from the main control's built-in hardware random number latch register, and this obtained random number value is set as the special random number. It then determines whether the special random number (i.e., the random number value obtained from the main control's built-in hardware random number latch register) matches a jackpot determination value pre-stored in the main control's built-in ROM (determines whether a jackpot game state should be generated (referred to as a "special lottery")), or it retrieves the value of the counter that updates the symbol random number and determines whether it matches one of the win type determination values pre-stored in the main control's built-in ROM according to the jackpot type or small win type (determines the win type).

If these judgment results (lottery results) are determined by the first lower start gate sensor 2101 or the first upper start gate sensor 2524, various commands related to the special pattern 1 synchronization performance are created, while if the judgment result (lottery results) is determined by the second start gate sensor 2601, various commands related to the special pattern 2 synchronization performance are created and stored as transmission information in the transmission information memory area. In addition, the special pattern variable display pattern is determined based on the random number for the variable display pattern described above, and the output of a lighting signal to the first special pattern display device or second special pattern display device of the function display unit 1400 is set to light up the first special pattern display device or second special pattern display device of the function display unit 1400 in accordance with the determined special pattern variable display pattern, and this is stored as output information in the output information memory area described above. In addition, depending on the gaming state to be generated, for example, when a jackpot gaming state is reached, various commands classified as jackpot-related (jackpot opening command, large prize opening 1 Nth opening display command, large prize opening 1 closing display command, large prize opening 1 count display command, jackpot ending command, and jackpot pattern display command) are created and stored in the transmission information storage area as transmission information, and for example, the output of a drive signal to the first attacca solenoid 2642 and the second attacca solenoid 2652 is set to open and close the opening and closing member, and stored in the output information storage area as output information, and the first large prize opening 2006 and the second large prize opening 2007 are changed from a closed state to an open state. When the number of times (rounds) is two, a lighting signal is output to the 2-round indicator lamp of the round indicator of the function display unit 1400 to light up, and this is stored in the output information storage area; when the number of rounds is fifteen, a lighting signal is output to the 15-round indicator lamp of the round indicator of the function display unit 1400 to light up, and this is stored in the output information storage area; and a lighting signal is output to the status indicator of the function display unit 1400 to light up in a specified color to indicate whether or not a time reduction has occurred, and this is stored in the output information storage area.

Following step S114, the main control MPU performs normal symbol and normal electric device control processing (step S116). In this normal symbol and normal electric device control processing, input information is read from the input information storage area described above, and normal prize slot winning processing is performed based on this input information. In this normal prize slot winning processing, it is determined from the input information whether a detection signal from gate sensor 2501 has been input to the input terminal of the input port. Based on the result of this determination, if a detection signal has been input to the input terminal of the input port, the value of the counter that updates the random number used to determine whether the normal symbol has been won described above is extracted and stored as normal prize slot winning information in the normal prize slot winning information storage area of the main control's built-in RAM.

This regular prize slot winning information storage area has four sections, Section 0 through Section 3, with regular prize slot winning information stored in Section 0, Section 1, Section 2, and Section 3, in that order. For example, if regular prize slot winning information is stored in Sections 0 through 2 of the regular prize slot winning information storage area, and a detection signal from gate sensor 2501 is input to the input terminal of the input port, the regular prize slot winning information is stored in Section 3 of the regular prize slot winning information storage area.

Regular prize slot winning information stored in Section 0 of the regular prize slot winning information memory is set in the working area of the main control's built-in RAM. When this regular prize slot winning information is set, the regular prize slot winning information in Section 1 of the regular prize slot winning information memory is shifted to Section 0 of the regular prize slot winning information memory, the regular prize slot winning information in Section 2 of the regular prize slot winning information memory is shifted to Section 1 of the regular prize slot winning information memory, and the regular prize slot winning information in Section 3 of the regular prize slot winning information memory is shifted to Section 2 of the regular prize slot winning information memory, and Section 3 of the regular prize slot winning information memory becomes empty. For example, if regular prize winning information is stored in the first and second sections of the regular prize winning information storage, the regular prize winning information in the first section of the regular prize winning information storage is shifted to the zeroth section of the regular prize winning information storage, and the regular prize winning information in the second section of the regular prize winning information storage is shifted to the first section of the regular prize winning information storage, leaving the second section of the regular prize winning information storage and the third section of the regular prize winning information storage empty. If regular prize winning information is stored in the first, second, and third sections of the regular prize winning information storage, the output of the lighting signal for the regular reserve indicator of the functional display unit 1400 is set based on the regular prize winning information described above, so that the total number of stored regular prize winning information is treated as reserved balls and the regular reserve indicator of the functional display unit 1400 is illuminated, and the output information is stored in the output information storage area described above.

Following the normal prize slot winning process, the normal prize slot winning information set in the working area of the main control's built-in RAM is read, and the value of the random number for determining whether a normal symbol has been won is extracted from this read normal prize slot winning information and a determination is made as to whether it matches the normal symbol winning determination value pre-stored in the main control's built-in ROM (referred to as the "normal lottery"). The result of this determination (the result of the normal lottery) determines whether or not to open or close the movable piece. If this decision is made to open or close the movable piece, the movable piece will be in an open state, creating a game state in which game balls can be received into the second starting port 2005, providing an advantageous game state for the player. The normal symbol variable display pattern corresponding to this determination is determined based on the normal symbol variable display pattern random number described above, and various commands related to normal symbol synchronization performance are created and stored as transmission information in the transmission information storage area described above. In addition, a lighting signal is output to the normal symbol display of the function display unit 1400 so that the normal symbol display of the function display unit 1400 lights up according to the determined normal symbol variable display pattern, and this is stored as output information in the output information storage area described above.

Furthermore, for example, when the value of the extracted random number for determining whether a normal symbol has been hit matches the normal symbol hit determination value pre-stored in the main control built-in ROM, various commands related to the normal electric role presentation are created and stored as transmission information in the transmission information storage area, and a drive signal is set to be output to the start port solenoid 2632 to open and close the movable piece, and this is stored as output information in the output information storage area described above. On the other hand, when the value of the extracted random number for determining whether a normal symbol has been hit does not match the normal symbol hit determination value pre-stored in the main control built-in ROM, a normal symbol fluctuation display pattern is determined based on the random number for the normal symbol fluctuation display pattern described above, and various commands classified as related to the normal symbol synchronization presentation are created and stored as transmission information in the transmission information storage area described above. In addition, a lighting signal is set to be output to the normal symbol display of the function display unit 1400 to light up the normal symbol display of the function display unit 1400 according to the determined normal symbol fluctuation display pattern, and this is stored as output information in the output information storage area described above.

Following step S116, the main control MPU performs port output processing (step S118). In this port output processing, output information is read from the output information storage area described above through the output terminals of the various output ports of the main control MPU, and various signals are output based on this output information. For example, this main control MPU outputs a main payout ACK signal to the payout control board 633 from the output terminal of a predetermined output port of the main control MPU based on output information when it has successfully received various commands from the payout control board 633; when in a jackpot game state, it outputs a drive signal to the first attacca solenoid 2642 and the second attacca solenoid 2652 which perform the opening and closing operation of the opening and closing members of the first large prize opening 2006 and the second large prize opening 2007; it outputs a drive signal to the start port solenoid 2632 which performs the opening and closing operation of the movable piece; and it also outputs various information (game information) signals related to the game to the payout control board 633, such as a 15-round jackpot information output signal, a 2-round jackpot information output signal, a small prize information output signal, a special symbol display information output signal, a normal symbol display information output signal, a time-saving information output signal, and a start port winning information output signal.

Following step S118, the main control MPU performs peripheral control board command transmission processing (step S120). In this peripheral control board command transmission processing, transmission information is read from the transmission information storage area described above and transmitted to the peripheral control board 1510 as main circuit serial data. This transmission information includes various commands created in this routine, the main control side timer interrupt processing, that are classified as related to special chart 1 synchronization effects, various commands classified as related to special chart 2 synchronization effects, various commands classified as related to jackpots (for example, a large prize slot 1 count display command equivalent to a large prize slot count command based on the detection signal from the first large prize slot sensor 3002 or the second large prize slot sensor 2602 when a game ball entering the first large prize slot 2006 or the second large prize slot 2007 is detected), various commands classified as power-on, various commands classified as related to normal chart synchronization effects, and various commands classified as related to normal prize slots. The main serial data is stored in the main control board 1310 and includes various commands related to electric effects, various commands related to notification displays, various commands related to status displays, various commands related to tests, and various other commands (e.g., a main prize ball number information output command that instructs the main control board 1310 to transmit a main prize ball number information output signal to the hall computer via the external terminal board 558 as main prize ball number information each time the number of game balls scheduled to be paid out as prize balls based on the game balls that have entered the various winning slots on the game board 5 reaches 10). Each packet of main serial data is composed of three bytes. Specifically, the main serial data consists of a status indicating the type of command with one byte (8 bits) of memory capacity, a mode indicating the variation of the effect with one byte (8 bits) of memory capacity, and a sum value calculated by treating the status and mode as numerical values; this sum value is generated at the time of transmission.

In this peripheral control board command transmission process, various commands are transmitted as main serial data to the peripheral control board 1510 in the following order: status, mode, and sum value. As mentioned above, in the event of a power outage or momentary power outage, the charge stored in electrolytic capacitor MC2 is applied as +5V DC to the VDD terminal, which is the power supply terminal of the main control MPU. Therefore, the main serial transmission port built into the main control MPU is capable of at least transferring the command set in its transmission buffer register to the transmission shift register via the serial management unit and completing transmission from the transmission shift register as main serial data. When power is turned on to the pachinko machine 1, or when power is restored after a power outage or momentary interruption occurs after power is turned on, in the reservation setting of the command to be sent when power is turned on in step S50 of the main control side power-on processing shown in Figure 215, in order to inform that power has been restored, a power-on status command classified as power-on, a power-on main control return destination command, and a power-on main prize ball number information output determination counter notification command are created and stored as transmission information in the transmission information memory area of the main control built-in RAM, and as main serial data, the power-on status command is transmitted to the peripheral control board 1510 in the order of status, mode, and sum value, which then constitute the power-on main control return destination command, which then constitute the power-on main prize ball number information output determination command, which then constitute the status, mode, and sum value, which then constitute the power-on counter notification command, which then constitute the power-on main prize ball number information output determination counter notification command, which then constitute the power-on main control board 1510 in the order of status, mode, and sum value. In addition, when setting the working area of the main control's built-in RAM in step S34 of the main control's power-on processing, various information may be read from the game backup information and various commands corresponding to this information may be stored in the transmission information storage area of the main control's built-in RAM. In such cases, after various commands corresponding to the game information among the various information have been sent, a power-on status command, a power-on main control return destination command, and a power-on main prize ball count information output determination counter notification command are sent.

Following step S120, the main control MPU clears the main control's built-in WDT (step S122) and ends this routine. The main control's built-in WDT in step S122 is cleared by setting a timer clear setting value in the WDT clear register built into the main control MPU. This clears the timekeeping by the main control's built-in WDT. Then, by restarting the timekeeping by the main control's built-in WDT, the main control MPU is not forcibly reset by the main control's built-in WDT.

As described above, the main control board 1310 can execute and complete the above-mentioned backup process for storing game information as the game progresses while the game is in progress, before power to the pachinko machine 1 is cut off, and when power is restored, based on the game information for which the backup process was executed, the main control board 1310 can output a power-on main control return destination command to the peripheral control board 1510 that instructs the drive state of the starting port solenoid 2632, first attacca solenoid 2642, and second attacca solenoid 2652, which are the electrical drive sources, via the port output process of step S118 in this routine, when power to the pachinko machine 1 is cut off, as the destination to which the game progress will be returned by the main control board 1310. In other words, in the reservation setting of the command to be sent when the power is turned on in step S50 of the main control side power-on processing shown in FIG. 215, the main control board 1310 creates a power-on status command classified as power-on, a power-on main control return destination command, and a power-on main prize ball number information output determination counter notification command based on the power-on information set in the work area of the main control built-in RAM in the setting of the work area of the main control built-in RAM in step S34 of the same processing shown in FIG. 214, and stores these as transmission information in the main control built-in RAM. This is stored in the transmission information storage area, and in the peripheral control board command transmission process of step S120 in this routine, the main serial data is transmitted to the peripheral control board 1510 in the order of status, mode, and sum value, which constitute the power-on status command, followed by the status, mode, and sum value, which constitute the power-on main control return destination command, which are transmitted to the peripheral control board 1510 in that order, and then the status, mode, and sum value, which constitute the power-on main prize ball number information output determination counter notification command, are transmitted to the peripheral control board 1510 in that order.

For this reason, based on the main control return destination command from the main control board 1310 at power-on, the peripheral control board 1510 can display in the display area of the effect display device 1600 the destination to which the main control board 1310 will return game progress when power is restored. As a result, when a momentary or power outage occurs while a player is playing and power is subsequently restored, the game can be quickly restored to the game state immediately before the momentary or power outage, and the destination to which the main control board 1310 will return game progress can be notified by displaying in the display area of the effect display device 1600, thereby preventing the pachinko machine 1 system from appearing frozen to the player and being mistaken for a malfunction. Therefore, by quickly restoring the game to the game state immediately before the momentary or power outage after power is restored, it is possible to prevent the player from being mistaken for a malfunction.

Furthermore, in the main control board inspection process, which is the inspection process on the manufacturing line for the main control board 1310, when the main control board 1310 is powered on for the first time since being manufactured for inspection, as described above, the entire area of the main control's built-in RAM is always cleared in step S38 of the main control's power-on processing shown in Fig. 214. As a result, when the reservation setting for the commands to be sent at power-on is made in step S50 of the same processing shown in Fig. 215, the power-on status command, the power-on main control return destination command, and the power-on main prize ball number information output determination counter notification command, which are classified as power-on, are created and stored as transmission information in the transmission information storage area of the main control's built-in RAM. By doing so, only the power-on status command, the power-on main control return destination command, and the power-on main prize ball number information output determination counter notification command, are sent as transmission information to the main control's built-in RAM. The data is stored in the transmission information memory area of M, and in the peripheral control board command transmission process of step S120 in this routine, the main serial data is transmitted to the inspection device of the main control board inspection process in the order of status, mode, and sum value, which constitute the power-on status command, followed by the inspection device of the main control board inspection process in the order of status, mode, and sum value, which constitute the power-on main control return destination command, followed by the inspection device of the main control board inspection process in the order of status, mode, and sum value, which constitute the power-on main prize ball number information output determination counter notification command. The inspection device in the main control board inspection process is configured to display detailed model information on the inspection monitor in the main control board inspection process based on the information indicating the pachinko machine's model code contained in the power-on status command received from the main control board 1310. This information includes the series code that identifies the model type (max type, mid type, or sweet type) described above, the copyright code that identifies the copyright of the work, and the game specification code that identifies the game specifications (for example, a game specification in which, when a probability fluctuation occurs, the state continues until the next jackpot game state occurs, and in which the probability fluctuation occurs with a limited number of times for special symbols to fluctuate (ST machine)).

[12. Various control processes of the dispensing control board]
Next, various control processes performed by the dispensing control board 633 shown in Fig. 203 will be described with reference to Figs. 217 to 220. Fig. 217 is a flowchart showing an example of the dispensing control unit power-on process, Fig. 218 is a flowchart showing a continuation of the dispensing control unit power-on process in Fig. 217, Fig. 219 is a flowchart showing a continuation of the dispensing control unit power-on process following Fig. 218, and Fig. 220 is a flowchart showing an example of the dispensing control unit timer interrupt process. First, the dispensing control unit power-on process will be described, followed by the dispensing control unit timer interrupt process.

[12-1. Processing when power is turned on for the dispensing control unit]
First, when the power is turned on to the pachinko machine 1, the payout control unit power-on processing is performed under the control of the payout control MPU of the payout control unit 633a on the payout control board 633, as shown in Figures 217 to 219. When this payout control unit power-on processing starts, the payout control MPU sets the interrupt mode (step S500). This interrupt mode sets the priority of the payout control MPU's interrupts. In this embodiment, the payout control unit timer interrupt processing, which will be described later, is set to the highest priority, and when an interrupt of this payout control unit timer interrupt processing occurs, it is processed with priority.

Following step S500, the dispensing control MPU performs input/output settings (I/O input/output settings) (step S502). This I/O input/output setting involves setting various input ports and output ports of the dispensing control MPU.

Following step S502, the dispensing control MPU performs wait timer process 1 (step S506) and determines whether a power outage warning signal has been input (step S508). The voltage does not rise immediately between power-on and reaching the predetermined voltage. On the other hand, during a power outage or momentary power outage (a phenomenon in which the power supply is temporarily stopped), the voltage drops. If the voltage falls below the power outage warning voltage, a power outage warning signal is input from the power outage monitoring circuit of the main control board 1310 as a power outage warning. Similarly, if the voltage falls below the power outage warning voltage between power-on and reaching the predetermined voltage, a power outage warning signal is input from the power outage monitoring circuit of the main control board 1310. Therefore, wait timer process 1 in step S506 is a process that waits until the voltage exceeds the power outage warning voltage and stabilizes after power-on. In this embodiment, the wait time (wait timer) is set to 200 milliseconds (ms). The determination in step S508 is based on the power outage warning signal from the power outage monitoring circuit of the main control board 1310.

Following step S508, the dispensing control MPU determines whether the RAM clear switch on the main control board 1310 has been operated (step S512). This determination is based on the logic of the operation signal from the RAM clear switch. If the logic of the operation signal (RAM clear signal) from the RAM clear switch is HI, it is determined that this does not instruct to perform a RAM clear, and the RAM clear switch is determined to have not been operated. However, if the logic of the operation signal (RAM clear signal) from the RAM clear switch is LOW, it is determined that this instructs to perform a RAM clear, and the RAM clear switch is determined to have been operated.

If the dispensing control MPU determines in step S512 that the RAM clear switch has been operated, it sets the dispensing RAM clear notification flag HRCL-FLG to a value of 1 (step S514). In other words, the dispensing control MPU is in a state where it can execute a RAM clear process that initializes the RAM built into the dispensing control MPU (i.e., the dispensing control built-in RAM) for a predetermined period of time after power is turned on.

On the other hand, if the payout control MPU determines in step S512 that the RAM clear switch has not been operated, it sets the payout RAM clear notification flag HRCL-FLG to a value of 0 (step S516). This payout RAM clear notification flag HRCL-FLG is a flag that indicates whether or not to erase payout information related to payouts stored in the payout control built-in RAM of the payout control MPU, such as various flags and various information stored in various information storage areas (for example, the prize ball stock count PBS, actual ball count PB, drive command count DRV, inconsistency counter INCC, etc. stored in the prize ball information storage area, and the PRDY signal output setting information, which sets the logic state of the PRDY signal, stored in the CR communication information storage area). It is set to a value of 1 when the payout information is erased, and to a value of 0 when the payout information is not erased. The payout RAM clear notification flag HRCL-FLG set in steps S514 and S516 is stored in the payout control MPU's general-purpose memory element (general-purpose register).

Following step S514 or step S516, the payout control MPU performs a setting to allow access to the payout control built-in RAM (step S518). This setting allows access to the payout control built-in RAM, allowing, for example, writing (storing) or reading payout information.

Following step S518, the payout control MPU sets the stack pointer (step S520). The stack pointer, for example, indicates the address pushed onto the stack to temporarily store the contents of a memory element (register) currently in use, or the address pushed onto the stack to temporarily store the return address of this routine when terminating a subroutine and returning to this routine. The stack pointer advances each time a stack is pushed onto the stack. In step S520, the stack pointer is set to the initial address, and the register contents, return address, etc. are pushed onto the stack from this initial address. The stack pointer then returns to the initial address by reading the stack items in order from the last to the first pushed.

Following step S520, the payout control MPU determines whether the payout RAM clear notification flag HRCL-FLG is set to a value of 0 (step S522). As described above, the payout RAM clear notification flag HRCL-FLG is set to a value of 1 when the payout information is to be erased, and to a value of 0 when the payout information is not to be erased.

In step S522, if the payout RAM clear notification flag HRCL-FLG is set to 0, meaning that the payout information is not to be erased, the payout control MPU calculates a checksum (step S524). This checksum calculates the sum of the payout information stored in the payout control built-in RAM, treating it as a numerical value.

Following step S524, the payout control MPU determines whether the calculated checksum value matches the checksum value stored during the payout control unit power-off processing (when power is turned off), described below (step S526). In step S526, if the payout control MPU determines that the values match, it determines whether the payout backup flag HBK-FLG is set to 1 (step S528). This payout backup flag HBK-FLG is a flag that indicates whether payout backup information such as payout information and checksum values was stored and retained in the payout control internal RAM during the payout control unit power-off processing, described below, and is set to 1 when the payout control unit power-off processing has been completed successfully, and to 0 when the payout control unit power-off processing has not been completed successfully.

In the judgment of step S528, when the dispensing backup flag HBK-FLG is set to a value of 1, i.e., when the dispensing control unit power outage processing is determined to have been completed normally, the dispensing control MPU sets the working area of the dispensing control built-in RAM as the time of power recovery (step S530). In this setting, in addition to setting the dispensing backup flag HBK-FLG to a value of 0, power recovery information is read from the ROM built into the dispensing control MPU (i.e., the dispensing control built-in ROM), and this power recovery information is set in the working area of the dispensing control built-in RAM. This sets information to be used for various processes based on payout information related to payouts, such as the above-mentioned payout backup information stored in the payout control built-in RAM, various flags, and various information stored in the various information storage areas (for example, the prize ball stock count PBS, actual ball count PB, drive command count DRV, and mismatch counter INCC stored in the prize ball information storage area, the PRDY signal output setting information that sets the logic state of the PRDY signal stored in the CR communication information storage area, and the mismatch counter reset determination time stored in the time management information storage area). Note that "power restoration" includes not only the state when power is turned on after being cut off, but also the state when power is restored after a power outage or momentary power outage.

On the other hand, if the dispensing control MPU determines in step S522 that the dispensing RAM clear notification flag HRCL-FLG is not 0 (is 1), i.e., that the dispensing information should be erased, or if the dispensing control MPU determines in step S526 that the checksum values do not match, or if the dispensing control MPU determines in step S528 that the dispensing backup flag HBK-FLG is not 1 (is 0), i.e., that the dispensing control unit power-off processing has not been completed successfully, it clears the entire area of the dispensing control internal RAM (step S532). This clears the dispensing backup information stored in the dispensing control internal RAM.

Following step S532, the payout control MPU sets the working area of the payout control built-in RAM as the initial setting (step S534). This setting is done by reading the initial information from the payout control built-in ROM and setting this initial information in the working area of the payout control built-in RAM.

Following step S530 or step S534, the dispensing control MPU performs interrupt initialization (step S536). This setting sets the interrupt period when the dispensing control unit timer interrupt process described below is performed. In this embodiment, this is set to 2 ms.

Following step S536, the dispensing control MPU performs interrupt permission setting (step S538). This setting causes the dispensing control unit timer interrupt process to be repeated at the interrupt period set in step S536, i.e., every 2 ms.

Following step S538, the dispensing control MPU sets the value A in the watchdog timer clear register HWCL (step S539). The watchdog timer is cleared by sequentially setting values A, B, and C in this watchdog timer clear register HWCL.

Following step S539, the payout control MPU determines whether a power outage warning signal has been input (step S540). When the power supply to the pachinko machine 1 is cut off, or there is a power outage or momentary power outage, as described above, if the voltage falls below the power outage warning voltage, a power outage warning signal is input from the power outage monitoring circuit of the main control board 1310 as a power outage warning. The determination in step S540 is made based on this power outage warning signal.

In step S540, if the dispensing control MPU determines that no power outage warning signal has been input, it determines whether the 2 ms elapsed flag HT-FLG is set to a value of 1 (step S542). This 2 ms elapsed flag HT-FLG is a flag that counts 2 ms in the dispensing control unit timer interrupt process, which is processed every 2 ms, as described below, and is set to a value of 1 when 2 ms have elapsed and a value of 0 when 2 ms have not yet elapsed.

In step S542, if the dispensing control MPU determines that the 2 ms elapsed flag HT-FLG is equal to 0, i.e., that 2 ms have not elapsed, it returns to step S540, where the dispensing control MPU determines whether a power outage warning signal has been input.

On the other hand, if the dispensing control MPU determines in step S542 that the 2 ms elapsed flag HT-FLG is equal to 1, i.e., that 2 ms have elapsed, it sets the 2 ms elapsed flag HT-FLG to 0 (step S544).

Following step S544, the dispensing control MPU sets the value B in the watchdog timer clear register HWCL (step S546). At this time, the value B is set in the watchdog timer clear register HWCL following the value A set in step S539.

Following step S546, the dispensing control MPU performs port output processing (step S548). In this port output processing, various information is read from the output information storage area of the dispensing control built-in RAM, and various signals based on this information are output from the output terminals of the various output ports of the dispensing control MPU. The output information storage area stores various information such as payout master ACK information indicating that various payout-related commands (prize ball commands and self-check commands) from the main control board 1310 have been successfully received, drive information for controlling the drive of the payout motor 584, prize ball number information indicating the number of game balls actually paid out by the payout motor 584, and LED display information to be displayed on the error LED indicator. Based on this output information, when various payout-related commands from the main control board 1310 have been successfully received, the payout control MPU outputs a payout master ACK signal to the main control board 1310 from the output terminal of a specified output port, outputs a drive signal to the payout motor 584, or outputs the number of game balls actually paid out by the payout motor 584 to the external terminal board 558 as a prize ball number information output signal (in this embodiment, the payout motor 584 outputs a prize ball number information output signal to the external terminal board 558 every time it actually pays out 10 game balls).

Specifically, a prize ball number information output determination counter is provided to determine whether or not to output prize ball number information. This prize ball number information output determination counter counts the number of game balls actually paid out by the payout motor 584 based on a detection signal from the payout detection sensor 591 in the port input processing of step S550, which will be described later. This number is then stored and updated in the prize ball information storage area of the payout control built-in RAM by a process (program) not shown in the figures for monitoring the number of game balls actually paid out by the payout motor 584.

In a process (program) not shown for monitoring the number of game balls actually paid out by this payout motor 584, the value of the counter for determining the output of prize ball number information stored in the prize ball information storage area of the payout control built-in RAM is updated by adding the number of game balls actually paid out by the payout motor 584 based on the detection signal from the payout detection sensor 591 in the port input process of step S550 described below.

In the port output process of step S548, the value of the counter for determining the output of prize ball number information is read from this prize ball information storage area, and if the value of this read counter for determining the output of prize ball number information exceeds the value of 10 (in other words, when the number of game balls actually paid out by the payout motor 584 reaches 10), a prize ball number information output signal is output to the external terminal board 558 (at this time, the value indicating the exceeded number of balls is stored and updated as the value of the counter for determining the output of prize ball number information in the prize ball information storage area of the payout control built-in RAM mentioned above), and an indication signal is output to the error LED indicator.

Following step S548, the dispensing control MPU performs port input processing (step S550). In this port input processing, various signals input to the input terminals of the various input ports of the dispensing control MPU are read and stored as input information in the input information storage area of the dispensing control's built-in RAM. For example, the operation signal of the RAM clear switch (RAM clear signal), the detection signal from the blade rotation detection sensor 590, the detection signal from the dispensing detection sensor 591, the detection signal from the full tank detection sensor 154, the BRQ signal, BRDY signal, and CR connection signal from the CR unit, and the main dispensing ACK signal from the main control board 1310 indicating that the main control board 1310 has successfully received the various commands sent in the command sending processing described below are each read and stored as input information in the input information storage area.

Following step S550, the payout control MPU performs a timer update process (step S552). In this timer update process, the following conditions are set: ball jamming determination time, which is set as a determination condition when determining whether a ball jam state has occurred by the payout blades 589 to which the rotation of the rotary shaft of the payout motor 584 is transmitted; skip determination time, which is set when the fixed position determination of the payout blades 589 is not performed; full determination time, which is set as a determination condition when determining whether the lower tray 202 is full of stored game balls; and ball jamming time, which is set as a determination condition when determining whether the game balls taken into the guide passage 570a of the ball guide unit 570 by the detection signal from the ball out detection sensor 574. In addition to managing time such as the ball run-out determination time, which is set as a determination condition when determining whether the number of game balls received and dispensed in the ball container 589b of the dispenser blade 589 exceeds a predetermined number, the inconsistency counter reset determination time, which is set as a determination condition when determining whether to reset the inconsistency counter INCC, which monitors whether inconsistent balls are being repeatedly dispensed due to a discrepancy between the number of game balls received and dispensed in the ball container 589b of the dispenser blade 589 and the number of balls actually detected by the dispenser detection sensor 591, is also managed. For example, when the ball jamming determination time is set to 5005 ms and the timer interrupt period is set to 2 ms, the ball jamming determination time is subtracted by 2 ms each time the timer is updated. The ball jamming determination time is accurately measured when the subtraction result becomes 0. These various determination times are stored as time management information in the time management information storage area of the payout control built-in RAM.

Following step S552, the payout control MPU performs CR communication processing (step S554). In this CR communication processing, input information is read from the input information storage area described above, and based on this input information, it determines whether various signals (BRQ signal, BRDY signal, and CR connection signal) have been input from the CR unit. Based on the various signals from the CR unit, the payout control MPU exchanges various signals with the CR unit. In the process of setting the working area of the payout control internal RAM in step S530, as described above, information used for various processing is set based on payout information related to payout, such as various flags, which are payout backup information stored in the payout control internal RAM, and various information stored in the various information storage area (e.g., the prize ball stock number PBS, actual ball count PB, drive command number DRV, mismatch counter INCC, etc. stored in the prize ball information storage area, and the PRDY signal output setting information, which sets the logic state of the PRDY signal, etc. stored in the CR communication information storage area).

With this processing, even if there is a momentary or power outage, for example, the values of the prize ball stock number PBS, actual ball count PB, drive command number DRV, inconsistency counter INCC, etc. at the time of power restoration can be restored to the values of the prize ball stock number PBS, actual ball count PB, drive command number DRV, inconsistency counter INCC, etc. stored as payout backup information immediately before the momentary or power outage. As a result, even if there is a momentary or power outage while the payout device 580 is performing a payout operation of game balls and the payout operation cannot be continued, the payout operation can be continued when power is restored, so that game balls can be paid out to the upper tray 201 and the lower tray 202 without any surplus or shortage. In other words, during the CR communication process, while the payout control MPU is exchanging various signals with the CR unit and paying out game balls to the upper tray 201 or the lower tray 202, if there is an instantaneous or power outage that interrupts the exchange of various signals with the CR unit and makes it impossible to continue paying out game balls, the values of the prize ball stock number PBS, actual ball count PB, drive command number DRV, inconsistency counter INCC, etc. at the time of power restoration are restored to the values of the prize ball stock number PBS, actual ball count PB, drive command number DRV, inconsistency counter INCC, etc. stored as payout backup information immediately before the instantaneous or power outage, so that the exchange of various signals between the pachinko machine 1 (payout control MPU) and the CR unit immediately before the instantaneous or power outage can be continued after power is restored, and payout of game balls can continue.

In this way, even if the exchange of various signals between the pachinko machine 1 (payout control MPU) and the CR unit is interrupted or stopped, when power is restored it is restored to the state it was in immediately before the interruption or stoppage, and the effects of the interruption or stoppage do not affect the various signals exchanged between the pachinko machine 1 (payout control MPU) and the CR unit. This increases the reliability of the exchange of various signals between the pachinko machine 1 (payout control MPU) and the CR unit.

In addition, the various information stored in the CR communication information storage area is included in the payout backup information. In the CR communication processing, when power is restored, the PRDY signal output setting information is read from the CR communication information storage area stored in the payout control built-in RAM, which was set in the process of setting the working area of the payout control built-in RAM in step S530, and if this read PRDY signal output setting information is set to the logic state of a PRDY signal that indicates, for example, that a payout operation to pay out loaned balls is impossible, the PRDY signal is output to the CR unit from the output terminal of a specified output port of the payout control MPU. Then, for example, in the retry operation monitoring process, which is performed as part of the main operation setting process, a determination is made as to whether the value of the inconsistency counter INCC in the prize ball information storage area stored in the payout control built-in RAM, which is included in the payout backup information, is less than the inconsistency threshold value INCTH. If the value of the inconsistency counter INCC is not less than the inconsistency threshold value INCTH, it is determined that the retry operation is operating abnormally, that is, that the payout operation of the payout device 580 is in an abnormal state, and the retry error flag RTERR-FLG is set to a value of 1. In the payout ball operation determination setting process, the error status output to the CR unit is set, for example, by setting the logic state (LOW) of the PRDY signal, which indicates that the payout operation to pay out loaned balls is impossible when there is no communication with the CR unit, as PRDY signal output setting information and storing this in the CR communication information storage area.

As a result, in the CR communication process, at the next timer interrupt after power is restored, the logic state of this PRDY signal is read from the CR communication information storage area and the PRDY signal is output to the CR unit from the output terminal of a specified output port of the payout control MPU. In this way, for example, if the payout operation of the payout device 580 to dispense game balls was in an abnormal state immediately before a momentary power outage, that state is restored when power is restored, so that a PRDY signal indicating that the payout operation to dispense loan balls is impossible can be output to the CR unit from the output terminal of a specified output port of the payout control MPU very quickly after power is restored, and the CR unit can be informed that the payout operation of the payout device 580 to dispense game balls is in an abnormal state. This makes it possible to prevent the CR unit from outputting an unnecessary loan ball request signal, BRDY, very quickly after power is restored.

In addition, in the CR communication processing, in the port input processing of step S550, the CR connection signal is read from the input information storage area of the payout control built-in RAM, and based on this CR connection signal, when its logic is HI, that is, when the pachinko machine 1 is powered on and the payout control board 633 and the CR unit are electrically connected, the logic state of the PRDY signal is output as HI from the output terminal of a specified output port of the payout control MPU to the CR unit to indicate that the payout operation to pay out loaned balls is possible, while when its logic is LOW, that is, when the pachinko machine 1 is powered on and the payout control board 633 and the CR unit are not electrically connected, the logic state of the PRDY signal is output as LOW from the output terminal of a specified output port of the payout control MPU to the CR unit to indicate that the payout operation to pay out loaned balls is not possible. The logic state of the EXS signal, which indicates that a single dispensing operation has started or ended, is stored in the CR communication information storage area of the dispensing control built-in RAM as EXS signal output setting information, and the CR connection signal, which indicates whether the dispensing control board 633 and the CR unit are electrically connected, is stored in the status information storage area as CR connection information.

Following step S554, the payout control MPU performs a full tank and ball exhaustion check process (step S556). In this full tank and ball exhaustion check process, input information is read from the input information storage area described above, and based on this input information, it determines whether the lower tray 202 described above is full of stored game balls based on the detection signal from the full tank detection sensor 154, and determines whether the number of game balls taken into the guidance passage 570a of the ball guidance unit 570 described above is equal to or greater than a predetermined number based on the detection signal from the ball exhaustion detection sensor 574. For example, to determine whether the lower tray 202 is full of stored game balls, a timer interrupt period of 2 ms is used. When the detection signal from the full tank detection sensor 154 is ON in the current full tank/out-of-ball check process and the detection signal from the full tank detection sensor 154 is OFF in the previous full tank/out-of-ball check process (2 ms ago), that is, when the detection signal from the full tank detection sensor 154 transitions from OFF to ON, the timer update process of step S552 starts timing the above-mentioned full tank determination time. Then, when the full tank determination time becomes 0 in the timer update process, that is, when the full tank determination time has arrived, it is determined whether the detection signal from the full tank detection sensor 154 is ON in this full tank/out-of-ball check process. In this determination, if the detection signal from the full tank detection sensor 154 is ON, it is determined that the lower tray 202 is full of stored game balls, and full tank information indicating this is stored in the above-mentioned status information storage area. On the other hand, when the detection signal from the full tank detection sensor 154 is OFF, it is determined that the lower tray 202 is not full of stored game balls, and full tank information indicating this is stored in the status information storage area.

The 2 ms timer interrupt period is also used to determine whether the number of game balls taken into the guidance passage 570a of the ball guidance unit 570 is equal to or greater than the predetermined number. When the detection signal from the bulb out switch is ON during the current full tank and bulb out check process and the detection signal from the bulb out switch is OFF during the previous full tank and bulb out check process (2 ms ago), that is, when the detection signal from the bulb out detection sensor 574 transitions from OFF to ON, the timer update process in step S552 begins timing the above-mentioned bulb out determination time. Then, when the bulb out determination time becomes 0 during the timer update process, that is, when the bulb out determination time has arrived, the full tank and bulb out check process determines whether the detection signal from the bulb out detection sensor 574 is ON. In this determination, when the detection signal from the ball out detection sensor 574 is ON, the number of game balls taken into the guide passage 570a of the ball guidance unit 570 is equal to or greater than a predetermined number, and ball out information indicating this is stored in the status information storage area. On the other hand, when the detection signal from the ball out detection sensor 574 is OFF, the number of game balls taken into the guide passage 570a of the ball guidance unit 570 is less than the predetermined number, and ball out information indicating this is stored in the status information storage area.

Following step S556, the payout control MPU performs a command reception process (step S558). In this command reception process, various commands related to payouts (prize ball commands and self-check commands) are received from the main control board 1310. When these various commands are received successfully, payer ACK information informing this fact is stored in the output information storage area described above. On the other hand, when the various commands are not received successfully, connection abnormality information informing that an abnormality has occurred in the connection between the main control board 1310 and the payout control board 633 (an abnormality has occurred in the various command signals) is stored in the status information storage area described above.

Following step S558, the dispensing control MPU performs command analysis processing (step S560). In this command analysis processing, the command received in step S558 is analyzed, and the analyzed command is stored as received command information in the received command information storage area of the dispensing control's built-in RAM.

Following step S560, the payout control MPU performs a main operation setting process (step S562). This main operation setting process sets up operations such as prize balls, loan balls, ball removal, and ball jamming, determines whether to perform a retry, and monitors the number of unpaid balls (number of prize balls in stock).

Following step S562, the payout control MPU performs an LED display data creation process (step S564). In this LED display data creation process, various information is read from the status information storage area described above, and display data to be displayed on the error LED indicator of the payout control board 633 is created and stored in the output information storage area described above as LED display information. For example, the above-mentioned out-of-ball information is read from the status information storage area, and based on this out-of-ball information, when the number of game balls taken into the guidance passage 570a of the ball guidance unit 570 is less than a predetermined number, corresponding display data (in this embodiment, display value 1 (the number "1")) is created and the LED display information is stored in the output information storage area.

Following step S564, the payout control MPU performs a command transmission process (step S566). In this command transmission process, various information is read from the status information storage area described above, and based on this information, various commands classified as status displays (frame status 1 command, error cancellation navigation command, and frame status 2 command) are created and sent to the main control board 1310. For example, when out-of-ball information is read from the status information storage area, if the number of game balls taken into the guidance passage 570a of the ball guidance unit 570 is less than a predetermined number, a frame status 1 command is created and sent to the main control board 1310 based on this out-of-ball information.

Following step S566, the dispensing control MPU sets the value C in the watchdog timer clear register HWCL (step S568). By setting the value C in the watchdog timer clear register HWCL in step S568, the value C is set in the watchdog timer clear register HWCL following the value B set in step S546. As a result, the watchdog timer clear register HWCL is set to the values A, B, and C in that order, clearing the watchdog timer.

Following step S568, the process returns to step S539, where the dispensing control MPU sets the value A in the watchdog timer clear register HWCL, and determines in step S540 whether a power outage warning signal has been input. If this power outage warning signal has not been input, it determines in step S542 whether the 2 ms elapsed flag HT-FLG has a value of 1. If the 2 ms elapsed flag HT-FLG has a value of 1, that is, if 2 ms have elapsed, it sets the 2 ms elapsed flag HT-FLG to a value of 0 in step S544, sets the value B in the watchdog timer clear register HWCL in step S546, and then returns to step S548. Port output processing is performed in step S550, port input processing is performed in step S552, timer update processing is performed in step S554, CR communication processing is performed in step S556, full tank and bulb out check processing is performed in step S558, command reception processing is performed in step S560, command analysis processing is performed in step S562, main operation setting processing is performed in step S564, LED display data creation processing is performed in step S566, command transmission processing is performed in step S568, value C is set in the watchdog timer clear register HWCL in step S568, and steps S539 to S568 are repeated. The processing of steps S539 to S568 is referred to as the "dispensing control unit main processing."

The processing content of the payout control unit main processing changes depending on the progress of the game by the main control board 1310. As a result, the time required for processing by the payout control MPU will vary. Therefore, in the port output processing of step S548, the payout control MPU prioritizes outputting a payout master ACK signal to the main control board 1310, indicating that various payout-related commands from the main control board 1310 have been successfully received. This ensures that the payout control MPU has enough processing time to perform other processing that may vary.

On the other hand, if the dispensing control MPU determines in step S540 that a power outage warning signal has been input, it sets the interrupt prohibition setting (step S570). This setting prevents the dispensing control unit timer interrupt processing described below from being performed, prevents writing to the dispensing control internal RAM, and protects the dispensing information described above from being overwritten.

Following step S570, the payout control MPU stops outputting the drive signal to the payout motor 584 (step S574). This stops the payout of game balls.

Following step S574, the dispensing control MPU clears the watchdog timer (step S576). As described above, this clearing is performed by sequentially setting values A, B, and C in the watchdog timer clear register HWCL.

Following step S576, the payout control MPU calculates a checksum and stores the calculated value (step S578). This checksum is calculated by treating the payout information in the working area of the payout control internal RAM as a numerical value, excluding the storage area for the checksum value calculated in step S524 and the value of the payout backup flag HBK-FLG, and calculating its sum.

Following step S578, the dispensing control MPU sets the dispensing backup flag HBK-FLG to a value of 1 (step S580). This completes the storage of dispensing backup information.

Following step S580, the payout control MPU prohibits access to the payout control internal RAM (step S582). This prohibits access to the payout control internal RAM, making writing and reading impossible, and protecting the payout backup information stored in the payout control internal RAM.

Following step S582, the dispensing control MPU enters an infinite loop. In this infinite loop, the watchdog timer is not cleared because the watchdog timer clear register HWCL is not sequentially set to values A, B, and C. This resets the dispensing control MPU, and then the dispensing control unit power-on processing is performed again. The processing from step S570 to step S582 and the infinite loop are referred to as the "dispensing control unit power-off processing."

The pachinko machine 1 (payout control MPU) is reset in the event of a power outage or momentary power outage, and when power is subsequently restored, the payout control unit performs power-on processing.

In step S526, it is checked whether the payout backup information stored in the payout control built-in RAM is correct, and then in step S528 it is checked whether the payout control unit power-off processing has been completed normally. In this way, by double-checking the payout backup information stored in the payout control built-in RAM, it is checked whether the payout backup information has been stored due to fraudulent activity.

[12-2. Dispense control unit timer interrupt processing]
Next, the payout control unit timer interrupt process will be described. This payout control unit timer interrupt process is repeatedly performed at the interrupt period (2 ms in this embodiment) set in the payout control unit power-on process shown in Figures 217 to 219.

When the payout control unit timer interrupt processing begins, the payout control MPU disables timer interrupts and switches (saves) the register (step S590), as shown in Figure 220. Here, the general-purpose memory element (general-purpose register) used in the payout control unit main processing described above is switched to an auxiliary register. By using this auxiliary register in the payout control unit timer interrupt processing, the values in the general-purpose register are no longer overwritten. This prevents the contents of the general-purpose register used in the payout control unit main processing from being destroyed.

Following step S590, the dispensing control MPU sets the 2 ms elapsed flag HT-FLG to a value of 1 (step S592). This 2 ms elapsed flag HT-FLG is a flag that counts 2 ms each time the dispensing control unit timer interrupt process is performed, i.e., every 2 ms. It is set to a value of 1 when 2 ms have elapsed and to a value of 0 when 2 ms have not yet elapsed.

Following step S592, the payout control MPU switches (restores) the register (step S594). This restoration switches from the auxiliary register used in the payout control unit timer interrupt processing to a general-purpose memory element (general-purpose register). By using this general-purpose register in the payout control unit main processing, the values in the auxiliary register are no longer overwritten. This prevents the contents of the auxiliary register used in the payout control unit timer interrupt processing from being destroyed.

Following step S594, the dispensing control MPU sets interrupt permission (step S596) and terminates this routine.

[13. Various control processes of peripheral control board]
Next, various processes of the peripheral control board 1510 shown in FIG. 203, which receives various commands from the main control board 1310 (main control MPU), will be described with reference to FIGS. 221 to 225. FIG. 221 is a flowchart showing an example of peripheral control board power-on processing, FIG. 222 is a flowchart showing an example of peripheral control board V blank interrupt processing, FIG. 223 is a flowchart showing an example of peripheral control board 1 ms timer interrupt processing, FIG. 224 is a flowchart showing an example of peripheral control board command reception interrupt processing, and FIG. 225 is a flowchart showing an example of peripheral control board power failure warning signal interrupt processing. First, the peripheral control board power-on processing will be described, followed by the peripheral control board V blank interrupt processing, peripheral control board 1 ms timer interrupt processing, peripheral control board command reception interrupt processing, and peripheral control board power failure warning signal interrupt processing. Note that in this embodiment, the priority of interrupt processing is set highest for the peripheral control board power failure warning signal interrupt processing, followed by the peripheral control board 1 ms timer interrupt processing, peripheral control board command reception interrupt processing, and peripheral control board V blank interrupt processing.

As mentioned above, the peripheral control IC on the peripheral control board 1510 integrates a CPU, RAM, VDP, VRAM, sound source, SATA controller, and various I/O interfaces onto a single semiconductor chip.

[13-1. Processing when peripheral control unit power is turned on]
First, the peripheral control unit power-on process will be described with reference to FIG. 221 . When power is applied to the pachinko machine 1, the peripheral control unit power-on process is performed under the control of the CPU of the peripheral control IC on the peripheral control board 1510, as shown in FIG. 221 . When this peripheral control unit power-on process begins, the CPU of the peripheral control IC performs an initialization process (step S1000). This initialization process includes initializing the peripheral control IC itself, determining whether it is a hot start or a cold start, setting a wait timer after reset, and transferring various control information (peripheral data). The CPU of the peripheral control IC first initializes the peripheral control IC itself, but the time required for this process is on the order of microseconds (μs), making it possible to initialize the peripheral control IC in an extremely short time. As a result, the CPU of the peripheral control IC is enabled for interrupts, enabling it to receive various commands, such as commands related to game presentation control and commands related to the status of the pachinko machine 1, output from the main control board 1310 during the peripheral control unit command reception interrupt process described below.

Following step S1000, the CPU of the peripheral control IC performs a current time information acquisition process (step S1002). In this current time information acquisition process, calendar information specifying the year, month, and day and time information specifying the hour, minute, and second are acquired from the built-in RAM of the real-time clock IC (not shown), and the current calendar information and current time information are set in the RAM of the peripheral control IC.

In this embodiment, the CPU of the peripheral control IC acquires calendar information and time information from the built-in RAM of the real-time clock IC only once, when the power is turned on. After performing this current time information acquisition process, the CPU of the peripheral control IC outputs a clear signal to the external WDT (not shown) to prevent the CPU of the peripheral control IC from being reset.

Following step S1002, the CPU of the peripheral control IC sets the V blank signal detection flag VB-FLG to a value of 0 (step S1004). This V blank signal detection flag VB-FLG is a flag used to determine whether or not to execute the peripheral control unit routine processing described below. It is set to a value of 1 when the peripheral control unit routine processing is executed and to a value of 0 when the peripheral control unit routine processing is not executed. The V blank signal detection flag VB-FLG is set to a value of 1 during the peripheral control unit V blank signal interrupt processing described below, which is executed when a V blank signal is input from the VDP of the peripheral control IC, indicating that the peripheral control IC's CPU is ready to accept screen data (information defining the screen configuration). In step S1004, the V blank signal detection flag VB-FLG is initialized by setting it to a value of 0. In addition, after the CPU of the peripheral control IC sets the V blank signal detection flag VB-FLG to a value of 0, it outputs a clear signal to the external WDT to prevent the CPU of the peripheral control IC from being reset.

Following step S1004, the CPU of the peripheral control IC determines whether the V blank signal detection flag VB-FLG is equal to 1 (step S1006). If the CPU of the peripheral control IC determines that the V blank signal detection flag VB-FLG is not equal to 1 (it is equal to 0), it returns to step S1006 and repeatedly determines whether the V blank signal detection flag VB-FLG is equal to 1. By repeating this determination, the CPU enters a standby state until the peripheral control unit's regular processing is executed. After determining whether the V blank signal detection flag VB-FLG is equal to 1, the CPU of the peripheral control IC outputs a clear signal to the external WDT to prevent the CPU of the peripheral control IC from being reset.

In step S1006, if the V blank signal detection flag VB-FLG is set to 1, i.e., if the CPU of the peripheral control IC determines that peripheral control unit steady-state processing is to be executed, it first sets the steady-state processing in progress flag SP-FLG to 1 (step S1008). This steady-state processing in progress flag SP-FLG is set to 1 when peripheral control unit steady-state processing is being executed, and to 0 when peripheral control unit steady-state processing has been completed.

Following step S1008, the CPU of the peripheral control IC performs 1 ms interrupt timer start processing (step S1010). This 1 ms interrupt timer start processing starts the 1 ms interrupt timer for executing the peripheral control unit 1 ms timer interrupt processing described below, and also initializes the 1 ms timer interrupt execution count STN by setting the value 1 to count the number of times the 1 ms interrupt timer has started and executed the peripheral control unit 1 ms timer interrupt processing. This 1 ms timer interrupt execution count STN is updated by the peripheral control unit 1 ms timer interrupt processing.

Following step S1010, the CPU of the peripheral control IC performs performance operation unit monitoring processing (step S1014). In this presentation operation unit monitoring process, in the presentation operation unit information acquisition process in the peripheral control unit 1 ms timer interrupt process described later, various information (for example, rotation (direction of rotation) history information of rotation operation unit 302 and operation history information of press operation unit 303 created based on detection signals from various detection sensors such as first rotation detection sensor 347, second rotation detection sensor 348, press detection sensor 381, and lift detection sensor 382 (hereinafter referred to as "various sensors provided in presentation operation unit 300") provided in presentation operation unit 300 is set based on detection signals from various sensors provided in presentation operation unit 300. The rotation direction of rotation operation unit 302 and whether or not press operation unit 303 has been operated are monitored based on the RAM of the peripheral control IC, and it is appropriately determined whether or not to reflect the rotation direction of rotation operation unit 302 and the operation state of press operation unit 303 in the game presentation. Specifically, if the volume is adjusted in the performance operation unit information acquisition process, the sound generation schedule data is rewritten according to the adjusted volume, and if the brightness is adjusted, the light emission mode generation schedule data is rewritten according to the adjusted brightness. This allows volume and brightness adjustments to be reflected in real time, and the performance will proceed with the adjusted volume and brightness.

The CPU of the peripheral control IC also performs lamp palette setting processing as part of the performance operation unit monitoring processing. In the lamp palette setting processing, the brightness of the LEDs used as direct light and the brightness of the LEDs used as indirect light are set based on a lamp palette setting table consisting of brightness specification values, normal palette values, and special palette values. During the performance, if the lamp palette setting processing is executed and a player (or an attendant such as a game hall staff member) operates the performance operation unit 301 (rotation operation unit 302, pressing operation unit 303) to set a brightness specification value ranging from the first brightness specification value to the 31st brightness specification value, which is the maximum brightness, the above-mentioned gradation information set in the RAM of the peripheral control IC can be updated to match the set brightness specification value.

Here, we will briefly explain the brightness designation values, normal palette values, and special palette values that make up the lamp palette setting table. The brightness designation values are values that can be set to one of 32 levels ranging from the 0th (zero) brightness designation value, which is the minimum brightness (off), to the 31st brightness designation value, which is the maximum brightness. The normal palette values and special palette values, described below, are pre-set corresponding to the 0th (zero) brightness designation value through the 31st brightness designation value. A player (or an attendant such as a game hall staff member) can operate the operable effect operation unit 301 (rotation operation unit 302, pressing operation unit 303) to set one of the brightness designation values ranging from the 1st brightness designation value to the 31st brightness designation value, which is the maximum brightness.

For example, when a player (or an attendant such as a game parlor staff member) rotates the rotary operation unit 302 clockwise and the current brightness is set to the first brightness specified value, which is the next highest brightness level after the 0th (zero) brightness specified value, which is the minimum brightness (off), the brightness of the LEDs used as indirect light and the brightness of the LEDs used as direct light will increase in accordance with a predetermined mathematical formula (e.g., a linear tone curve or a spline-like tone curve) from the first brightness specified value to the 31st brightness specified value, which is the maximum brightness. On the other hand, when the player rotates the rotary operation unit 302 counterclockwise and the current brightness is set to the maximum brightness, the brightness of the LEDs used as indirect light and the brightness of the LEDs used as direct light will decrease in accordance with a predetermined mathematical formula (e.g., a linear tone curve or a spline-like tone curve) from the 31st brightness specified value, which is the maximum brightness, to the first brightness specified value. When a player (or a game hall staff member, etc.) rotates the rotary operation unit 302 to select the desired brightness and then presses the pressing operation unit 303, the selected desired brightness is confirmed. In this embodiment, a case is provided in which the player (or a game hall staff member, etc.) can set the brightness while a performance is in progress. In this case, the player (or a game hall staff member, etc.) can set the desired brightness by operating the rotary operation unit 302 and the pressing operation unit 303. When a player (or a game hall staff member, etc.) operates the rotary operation unit 302 while a performance is in progress, a bar-shaped indicator indicating the positions of the first brightness designation value through the thirty-first brightness designation value is displayed at a predetermined position in the display area of the performance display device 1600, thereby visually indicating the player's (or a game hall staff member, etc.) desired brightness level. In this embodiment, the fourteenth brightness designation value is set as the initial (default) value.

Normal palette values are set as the above-mentioned gradation information, representing the brightness of the various LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards on the game board side and the various decorative boards on the door frame side that are illuminated as direct light. Normal palette values are selected from 17 levels in 5% increments from the minimum palette value (20%), which is the smallest value, to the maximum palette value (100%), which is the largest value. Within the 32-level range of brightness designations from the 0th (zero) brightness designation value to the 31st brightness designation value, which are the brightness designations mentioned above, the palette value corresponding to each brightness designation is set according to a predetermined mathematical formula (for example, a linear tone curve or a spline-like tone curve).

The minimum palette value (20%) is 20% of the maximum palette value (100%) corresponding to one brightness specification within the 32-step range of brightness specification values from 0 (zero) to 31 (the above-mentioned brightness specification values). Similarly, for other palette values, the values (%) written in parentheses are the values relative to the maximum palette value (100%) corresponding to one brightness specification within the 32-step range of brightness specification values from 0 (zero) to 31 (the above-mentioned brightness specification values).

In this embodiment, the normal palette value is the maximum palette value (100%), which is pre-selected and set as the above-mentioned gradation information for the various decorative boards provided on the gaming board side and the various decorative boards provided on the door frame side that are illuminated as direct light, and the palette value (50%) is pre-selected and set as the above-mentioned gradation information for a specific decorative board (not shown) (LEDs that are dazzling to players) among the various decorative boards provided on the gaming board side that are illuminated as direct light.

Special palette values are used to set the brightness of various LEDs mounted on various decorative substrates used in light guide plates that emit indirect light as the gradation information described above. Unlike normal palette values, special palette values have only one level, and within the 32-level range of brightness designation values, from the 0th (zero) brightness designation value to the 31st brightness designation value described above, the palette value corresponding to one brightness designation is set as the gradation information described above according to a predetermined mathematical formula (for example, a linear tone curve or a spline-like tone curve).

As mentioned above, if the brightness of the LEDs used for indirect light were the same as the brightness of the LEDs used for direct light, the indirect light from the light guide plate would be dimmer than the direct light. Therefore, in this embodiment, the brightness of the LEDs used for indirect light is set using special palette values rather than the normal palette values set for the brightness of the LEDs used for direct light. The first brightness designation value, which is the next highest level of brightness after the 0th (zero) brightness designation value, which represents the minimum brightness (off), is set as the lowest brightness at which the light guide plate can be visually recognized as emitting light from indirect light, and is set to a value approximately equal to the 18th brightness designation value when the normal palette value is set to the maximum palette value (100%). Within the range from the first brightness designation value to the 31st brightness designation value, the palette value corresponding to each designated brightness value is set according to a predetermined mathematical formula (for example, a linear tone curve or a spline-like tone curve).

In this way, in the lamp palette setting process, when setting the brightness of the LEDs used as direct light and the brightness of the LEDs used as indirect light based on a lamp palette setting table consisting of a brightness specification value, a normal palette value, and a special palette value, the brightness of the LEDs used as direct light is set by the player (or an attendant such as a game hall clerk) according to the normal palette value corresponding to the brightness specification value operated by the rotation operation unit 302 and the pressing operation unit 303, while the brightness of the LEDs used as indirect light is set by the player (or an attendant such as a game hall clerk) according to the special palette value corresponding to the brightness specification value operated by the rotation operation unit 302 and the pressing operation unit 303. As a result, if the player finds the brightness of the LEDs used as direct light too dazzling and operates the rotary operation unit 302 and pressing operation unit 303 to reduce the brightness, even if the brightness of the LEDs used as direct light is set to the lowest brightness (i.e., the first brightness specified value, which is the next highest brightness level after the 0th (zero) brightness specified value, which is the minimum brightness (off)), and the brightness of the LEDs used as indirect light is also set to the lowest brightness (i.e., the first brightness specified value, which is the next highest brightness level after the 0th (zero) brightness specified value, which is the minimum brightness (off)), the brightness of the LEDs used as indirect light is set to a value approximately equal to the 18th brightness specified value when the normal palette value is set to the maximum palette value (100%), so the lowest brightness at which the light guide plate can be seen emitting indirect light is set.

In addition, programmers who design the light-emitting patterns do not have to individually set the brightness of the various LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards mounted on the game board and the door frame for the LEDs used as direct light.They can simply set the light-emitting patterns in accordance with the flow of the presentation, watch the flow of the presentation based on the light-emitting patterns of the various LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards mounted on the game board and the door frame, and then set the normal palette value to a small palette value (for example, 50%) for specific decorative boards that are too dazzling (or that a slightly darker brightness would produce a better presentation effect), and set the normal palette value to the maximum palette value (100%) for other decorative boards, thereby extremely easily changing the balance of the overall light-emitting patterns. In other words, even if a player (or an attendant such as a game hall staff member) operates the operable effect operation unit 301 (rotation operation unit 302, pressing operation unit 303) to set a single brightness specification value ranging from the first brightness specification value to the 31st brightness specification value, which is the maximum brightness, a small palette value (for example, 50%) corresponding to the single brightness specification value will be set for a specific decorative board, while the maximum palette value (100%) corresponding to the single brightness specification value will be set for other decorative boards, making it possible to adjust brightness extremely easily without disrupting the relationship between the set light emission modes (bright or dark).

Furthermore, although it is more difficult to adjust the brightness of indirect light from a light guide plate than direct light, it is possible to set the brightness of the LEDs used as indirect light using special palette values that are different from the normal palette values (i.e., independent of the normal palette values). As a result, the brightness of the LEDs used as indirect light is managed by the special palette values, while the brightness of the LEDs used as direct light is managed by the normal palette values, making it easy to adjust the brightness of the LEDs used as indirect light and the brightness of the LEDs used as direct light.

Following step S1014, the CPU of the peripheral control IC performs display data output processing (step S1016). In this display data output processing, in the display data creation processing described below, the VDP of the peripheral control IC reads image data from the SDRAM based on instructions from the CPU of the peripheral control IC, and outputs one screen's worth (one frame's worth) of drawing data generated on the VRAM of the peripheral control IC to the liquid crystal output board 1530. This allows various screens (images) to be drawn (displayed) on the performance display device 1600. Note that in the display data output processing, if drawing is performed that exceeds the drawing capacity of the VDP of the peripheral control IC, the output of the generated one screen's worth (one frame's worth) of drawing data is canceled. This prevents delays in processing time, but may result in dropped frames. However, it is a system that allows priority to be given to performances using music, sound effects, and other sound effects that are tailored to various performances from various speakers (hereinafter referred to as "various speakers"), such as the vibration speaker 354, top center speaker 462, top side speaker 464, and main frame speaker 622, through the sound data output process described below.

Following step S1016, the CPU of the peripheral control IC performs sound data output processing (step S1018). In this sound data output processing, the sound source of the peripheral control IC reads sound data from the SDRAM based on instructions from the CPU of the peripheral control IC in the sound data creation processing described below, and outputs the data to various speakers from the set output channels. As a result, music, sound effects, and other sounds that match various performances are played from the various speakers.

Following step S1018, the CPU of the peripheral control IC performs a scheduler update process (step S1020). This scheduler update process updates various schedule data set in the RAM of the peripheral control IC. For example, the scheduler update process updates a pointer to indicate which screen data, from the first screen data, among the screen data arranged in chronological order that make up the schedule data for screen generation, is to be output to the VDP of the peripheral control IC.

In addition, the scheduler update process updates a pointer to indicate which light emission data, from the first light emission data, is to be output among the light emission data arranged in chronological order that make up the schedule data for generating light emission modes.

In addition, the scheduler update process updates a pointer to indicate which sound command data, starting from the first sound command data, should be output to the sound source of the peripheral control IC among the sound command data that indicates sound data for musical effects, sound effects, and other dramatic sounds, as well as sound data for alarms and announcements, arranged in chronological order to make up the sound generation schedule data.

The scheduler update process also updates a pointer to indicate which drive data, starting from the first drive data, of the drive data for electric drive sources such as motors and solenoids arranged in chronological order that constitute the electric drive source schedule data is to be output. The drive data for electric drive sources such as motors and solenoids arranged in chronological order that constitute the electric drive source schedule data is updated by the motor and solenoid drive process in the peripheral control unit 1 ms timer interrupt process, which is executed repeatedly every time a 1 ms timer interrupt occurs, as described below. This motor and solenoid drive process, which is executed repeatedly every time a 1 ms timer interrupt occurs, drives the electric drive sources such as motors and solenoids according to the drive data indicated by the pointer, updates the pointer to the next drive data specified in chronological order, and updates the pointer each time its own process is executed. In other words, the drive data indicated by the pointer updated in the motor and solenoid drive process is forcibly updated in the scheduler update process. Therefore, even if for some reason the pointer in the motor and solenoid drive process changes from the drive data it was originally supposed to point to to other drive data, the scheduler update process will forcibly update it to point to the drive data it was originally supposed to point to.

Following step S1020, the CPU of the peripheral control IC performs received command analysis processing (step S1022). In this received command analysis processing, various commands sent from the main control board 1310 are received in the peripheral control unit command reception interrupt processing described below, and the received commands are analyzed, while also updating the random numbers used for various performance settings (for example, random numbers used for performances related to hold pre-reading). Various commands from the main control board 1310 are received in the peripheral control unit command reception interrupt processing and stored in the RAM of the peripheral control IC. In this received command analysis processing, the CPU of the peripheral control IC reads (extracts) the screen generation schedule data, light emission mode generation schedule data, sound generation schedule data, and electrical drive source schedule data from the peripheral control ROM based on the analyzed commands, and sets them in the RAM of the peripheral control IC.

The CPU of the peripheral control IC also performs lamp palette setting processing as part of the received command analysis processing. In the lamp palette setting processing, the brightness of the LEDs used as direct light and the brightness of the LEDs used as indirect light are set based on a lamp palette setting table consisting of the brightness specification values, normal palette values, and special palette values described above. The peripheral control IC analyzes various commands from the main control board 1310, and based on the analyzed commands, reads (extracts) schedule data for generating light emission patterns from the peripheral control ROM and executes the lamp palette setting processing. When a player (or a game hall staff member or other attendant) operates the effect operation unit 301 (rotation operation unit 302, pressing operation unit 303) to set a brightness specification value ranging from the first brightness specification value to the thirty-first brightness specification value, which is the maximum brightness, the gradation information described above can be updated and set in the RAM of the peripheral control IC to match the set brightness specification value.

The CPU of the peripheral control IC also analyzes whether the command received from the main control board 1310 during this peripheral control unit command interrupt process is, for example, a start port winning command to instruct the start of a start port winning effect, a normal pattern memory command to identify the number of reserved normal patterns (0 to 4), a variable pattern command to instruct the start of a variable effect such as the variable display of decorative patterns on the effect display device 1600 in synchronization with the variable display of special patterns, a pattern memory command output when the start port pending number changes, or a large prize port 1 count display command output each time a game ball is received by the first large prize port 2006 or the second large prize port 2007, and recognizes the current game state.

Various commands from the main control board 1310 are received by the peripheral control unit command reception interrupt process and stored in the RAM of the peripheral control IC. The received command analysis process analyzes the various commands stored in the RAM of the peripheral control IC. These commands include commands related to special 1 synchronization effects, special 2 synchronization effects, jackpot-related commands, power-on commands, regular synchronization effects, regular electric effects, notification displays, status displays, test-related commands, and other commands. Based on the received commands, the peripheral control board 1510 executes lottery processing related to announcements, etc., and, based on the results of the lottery, reads (extracts) screen generation schedule data, light-emitting mode generation schedule data, sound generation schedule data, and electrical drive source schedule data from the peripheral control ROM and sets them in the RAM of the peripheral control IC. This will allow the peripheral control board 1510 to execute a performance based on the lottery results.

The peripheral control ROM pre-stores various control programs, data, control data, and schedule data for controlling the peripheral control unit 1511, performance display control unit 1511, etc. The various schedule data include screen generation schedule data for generating screens to be displayed on the performance display device 1600, light emission mode generation schedule data for generating the light emission modes of various LEDs, sound generation schedule data for generating performance sounds such as music and sound effects, and electrical drive source schedule data for generating the drive modes of electrical drive sources such as motors and solenoids. The screen generation schedule data is composed of screen data that specifies the screen configuration arranged in chronological order, and specifies the order in which the screens are displayed on the performance display device 1600. The light emission mode generation schedule data is composed of light emission mode data that specifies the light emission modes of various LEDs arranged in chronological order. The sound generation schedule data is composed of sound command data arranged in chronological order, and specifies the order in which the music and sound effects are played. This sound command data specifies an output channel number that indicates which of the multiple output channels in the peripheral control IC's built-in sound source to use, and a track number that indicates which of the multiple tracks in the peripheral control IC's built-in sound source to incorporate sound data such as music and sound effects into.The electric drive source schedule data is composed of drive data for electric drive sources such as motors and solenoids arranged in chronological order, and specifies the operation of electric drive sources such as motors and solenoids.

Following step S1022, the CPU of the peripheral control IC performs warning processing (step S1024). During this warning processing, if the commands analyzed in the received command analysis processing of step S1022 include various commands classified as notification displays, the screen generation schedule data, light emission mode generation schedule data, sound generation schedule data, and electrical drive source schedule data, which are set as abnormality display modes for executing various abnormality notifications, are read (extracted) from the peripheral control ROM and set in the RAM of the peripheral control IC. Note that during the warning processing, if multiple abnormalities occur simultaneously, abnormality notifications are first issued in order of highest pre-registered priority, and once that abnormality is resolved, the system automatically transitions to the remaining abnormality notifications. This allows multiple abnormalities to be monitored simultaneously without losing information that another abnormality occurred after one abnormality occurred but before the first abnormality was resolved.

Following step S1024, the CPU of the peripheral control IC performs an RTC acquisition information update process (step S1026). This RTC acquisition information update process updates the calendar information and time information acquired in the current time information acquisition process of step S1002 and stored in the RAM of the peripheral control IC. This RTC acquisition information update process updates the hour, minute, and second information stored in the RAM of the peripheral control IC, and updates the year, month, and date calendar information stored in the RAM of the peripheral control IC based on this updated time information.

Following step S1026, the CPU of the peripheral control IC performs display data creation processing (step S1030). In this display data creation processing, the pointer is updated in the scheduler update processing of step S1020, and the screen data indicated by the pointer from the chronologically arranged screen data that constitutes the schedule data for screen generation is read (extracted) from the peripheral control ROM and output to the VDP of the peripheral control IC.

When screen data is input from the CPU of the peripheral control IC, the VDP of the peripheral control IC reads image data from the SDRAM based on this input screen data and generates one screen's worth (one frame's worth) of drawing data in the built-in VRAM to be drawn (displayed) on the performance display device 1600.

Following step S1030, the CPU of the peripheral control IC performs sound data creation processing (step S1032). In this sound data creation processing, the pointer is updated in the scheduler update processing of step S1020, and the sound command data indicated by the pointer, among the sound command data arranged in chronological order that constitutes the sound generation schedule data, is read (extracted) from the peripheral control ROM and set in the RAM of the peripheral control IC. When sound command data is input from the CPU of the peripheral control IC, the sound source of the peripheral control IC reads the sound data from the SDRAM and incorporates sound data such as music and sound effects according to the track number specified in the sound command data, and sets the output channel to be used according to the output channel number.

Note that during the sound data creation process, the rotation position of the volume adjustment switch is identified based on the volume adjustment operation signal from the volume adjustment switch each time this sound data creation process is performed (i.e., each time the peripheral control unit performs steady-state processing). The CPU of the peripheral control IC controls the sound source of the peripheral control IC to achieve a volume that corresponds to the rotation position of the volume adjustment switch, and during the sound data output process of step S1018, the sound data is output to the various speakers from the output channel set during this sound data creation process. This allows sounds such as music and sound effects that match the various performances to be played from the various speakers.

Specifically, the resistance value varies when the volume adjustment switch is rotated, and the voltage divided by the resistance value at the rotation position of the volume switch is converted from an analog value to a digital value, which is then converted into 1024 levels ranging from 0 to 1023. In this embodiment, the 1024 levels are divided into seven levels and managed as board volumes 0 to 6. Board volume 0 is set to mute, and board volume 6 is set to maximum volume, with the volume increasing from board volume 0 to board volume 6. The sound source of the peripheral control IC is controlled to achieve the volume set for board volumes 0 to 6, and music and sound effects are played from the top center speaker 462 and top side speaker 464 on the door frame 3 and the bass main frame speaker 622 on the main frame 4. In this way, volume adjustment based on the rotation of the volume adjustment switch allows music and sound effects to be played from the top center speaker 462 and top side speaker 464 on the door frame 3 and the bass main frame speaker 622 on the main frame 4.

The sound command data also includes a sub-volume value for adjusting the volume of the track that incorporates the sound data. In addition to sound data for music, sound effects, and other sound effects and sub-volume values for adjusting their volume, the multiple tracks in the built-in sound source of the peripheral control IC also incorporate sound data for alarm sounds that alert parlor staff and others of malfunctions in the pachinko machine 1 or fraudulent activity against the pachinko machine 1 and sub-volume values for adjusting their volume.

Specifically, for the sound effects, the board volume adjusted by rotating the volume control switch as described above is set as the sub-volume value, while for the notification sounds, the maximum volume is set as the sub-volume value, completely independent of volume adjustment based on the volume control switch. The sub-volume value for the sound effects can be adjusted by operating the rotation operation unit 302 or the pressure operation unit 303 of the sound effects operation unit 300, except for a predetermined period after power-on (specifically, the period until the peripheral control unit completes the initial setting process (step S1000) and the current time setting process (step S1002)) and a certain period when the special symbol display (first special symbol display unit, second special symbol display unit) starts or stops displaying the changing special symbol (first special symbol, second special symbol) (in this example, from the time the peripheral control unit receives the changing pattern command until 0.5 seconds have elapsed since the start of the changing decorative symbol display, and from the time the peripheral control unit receives the stop display command until 0.5 seconds have elapsed since the final display of the decorative symbol).

In this way, in the pachinko machine 1 of this example, except for a predetermined period after power is turned on (specifically, the period until the peripheral control unit completes the initial setting process (step S1000) and the current time setting process (step S1002)), and a certain period when the special symbol display (first special symbol display unit, second special symbol display unit) starts or stops the variable display of the special symbol (first special symbol, second special symbol) (in this example, from the time the peripheral control unit receives the variable pattern command until 0.5 seconds have passed since the start of the variable display of the decorative symbol, or from the time the peripheral control unit receives the stop display command until 0.5 seconds have passed since the final display of the decorative symbol), By operating the rotary operation unit 302 and pressing operation unit 303 of the performance operation unit 300, the voltage divided by the resistance value at the rotational position of the volume adjustment switch during the sound data creation process is converted into one of seven board volume values, 0 to 6.Furthermore, by adding or subtracting a predetermined value to the voltage divided by the resistance value at the rotational position of the volume adjustment switch depending on the operation of the rotary operation unit 302 and pressing operation unit 303 of the performance operation unit 300, the board volume value can be increased or decreased to set the board volume, thereby adjusting the sub-volume value of the performance sound.

The sound specification data also includes a master volume value for adjusting the volume of the output channel, and the multiple output channels in the built-in sound source of the peripheral control IC combine the sound data of the effect sound incorporated into the track to be used out of the multiple tracks in the built-in sound source of the peripheral control IC with a sub-volume value that adjusts the volume of the effect sound incorporated into the track to be used. The volume of this combined effect sound is amplified to the master volume value that actually becomes the volume played from the top center speaker 462 and top side speaker 464 on the door frame 3 side and the main frame speaker 622 for low frequencies on the main frame 4, and this amplified effect sound is serialized and output as audio data.

In this embodiment, the master volume value is set to a constant value, and when the volume of the synthesized sound effect is at its maximum, it is amplified up to the master volume value so that the volume played from the top center speaker 462 and top side speaker 464 on the door frame 3 side and the bass main frame speaker 622 on the main frame 4 is set to the maximum allowable volume. Specifically, for the sound effect, the sound data for the sound effect incorporated into the track to be used out of multiple tracks in the built-in sound source of the peripheral control IC is synthesized with the board volume adjusted by rotating a volume adjustment switch set as a sub-volume value that adjusts the volume of the sound effect incorporated into the track to be used, and the volume of this synthesized sound effect is amplified up to the master volume value that actually corresponds to the volume played from the top center speaker 462 and top side speaker 464 on the door frame 3 side and the bass main frame speaker 622 on the main frame 4, and this amplified sound effect is serialized and played. For the alarm sound, the sound data for the alarm sound incorporated into the track being used is combined with the maximum volume that is not dependent on volume adjustment based on the rotation of the volume adjustment switch, which is set as a sub-volume value that adjusts the volume of the alarm sound incorporated into the track being used, and the volume of this combined alarm sound is amplified to a master volume value that will actually be the volume played from the top center speaker 462 and top side speaker 464 on the door frame 3 side, and the main frame speaker 622 for low frequencies on the main frame 4, and this amplified alarm sound is serialized and output as audio data.

Here, briefly explaining the control of playing an alarm sound to alert parlor staff and the like of a malfunction in the pachinko machine 1 or fraudulent activity against the pachinko machine 1 when the sound effect is being played from the top center speaker 462 and top side speaker 464 on the door frame 3 side and the low-pitched main frame speaker 622 on the main frame 4, first, the sub-volume value of the track into which the sound effect is incorporated is forcibly set to mute, and then the sound data of the track into which the sound effect is incorporated, the sub-volume value set to mute, the sound data of the track into which the alarm sound is incorporated, and the sub-volume value for which the volume of the alarm sound is set to maximum volume are combined, and the volume of this combined sound effect and alarm sound are amplified to the master volume value that will actually be the volume played from the top center speaker 462 and top side speaker 464 on the door frame 3 side and the low-pitched main frame speaker 622 on the main frame 4, and these amplified sound effect and alarm sounds are serialized and output as audio data. In other words, the only sound that actually comes out of the top center speaker 462 and top side speaker 464 on the door frame 3 and the low-pitched main frame speaker 622 on the main frame 4 is the maximum volume notification sound. At this time, the sound effects are muted, so no sound comes out of the top center speaker 462 and top side speaker 464 on the door frame 3 and the low-pitched main frame speaker 622 on the main frame 4, but the sound effects are still proceeding according to the sound generation schedule data described above.

In this embodiment, the alarm sound is played for a predetermined period (e.g., 90 seconds) from the top center speaker 462 and top side speaker 464 on the door frame 3 side, and the low-pitched main frame speaker 622 on the main frame 4. After this predetermined period has elapsed, the volume of the sound effect, which has been progressing according to the sound generation schedule data that was previously forcibly muted, is reset to the board volume adjusted by rotating the volume adjustment switch as a sub-volume value (if the volume of the sound effect has been adjusted by operating the rotation operation unit 302 or pressing operation unit 303 of the sound effect operation unit 300, the volume is set to the adjusted sub-volume value), and the sound is played from the top center speaker 462 and top side speaker 464 on the door frame 3 side, and the low-pitched main frame speaker 622 on the main frame 4.

In this way, when sound effects are being played from the top center speaker 462 and top side speaker 464 on the door frame 3 side and the low-pitched main frame speaker 622 on the main frame 4, and an alarm sound is played to alert parlor staff or others to a malfunction in the pachinko machine 1 or fraudulent activity against the pachinko machine 1, the volume of the sound effects is muted and the alarm sound is played from the top center speaker 462 and top side speaker 464 on the door frame 3 side and the low-pitched main frame speaker 622 on the main frame 4. However, since this muted sound effects progress according to the sound generation schedule data, when the alarm sound stops being played from the top center speaker 462 and top side speaker 464 on the door frame 3 side and the low-pitched main frame speaker 622 on the main frame 4 after a predetermined period of time has elapsed, the sound effects do not resume from the point at which the alarm sound began, but rather from the point at which the alarm sound began playing and progressed according to the sound generation schedule data up until the predetermined period of time had elapsed.

Alert sounds and notification sounds are played completely independently of volume adjustments based on the rotation of the volume adjustment switch. The CPU of the peripheral control IC controls the sound source of the peripheral control IC through a program to adjust the volume from mute to maximum volume. The volume adjusted by this program is designed to smoothly change from mute to maximum volume. For example, even if an amusement hall staff member or other attendant turns the volume adjustment switch to set the volume low, the music, sound effects, and other sound effects played from the various speakers will be reduced in volume. However, if a malfunction occurs in the pachinko machine 1 or a player is engaging in fraudulent activity, the alert sounds set to a high volume (maximum volume in this embodiment) can be played. Therefore, even if the volume of the sound effects is reduced, it is possible to prevent the alert sounds from making it difficult for the amusement hall staff member or other attendant to notice a malfunction or a player's fraudulent activity.

Following step S1032, the CPU of the peripheral control IC performs backup processing (step S1034). In this backup processing, the contents stored in the RAM of the peripheral control IC are copied to a backup area for regular processing provided in the RAM of the peripheral control IC for backup, and the contents stored in the SDRAM are copied to a backup area for regular processing provided in the SDRAM for backup.

Following step S1034, the CPU of the peripheral control IC performs a WDT clear process (step S1036). In this WDT clear process, a clear signal is output to the external WDT to prevent the CPU of the peripheral control IC from being reset.

Following step S1036, the CPU of the peripheral control IC sets the steady-state processing in progress flag SP-FLG to 0 (step S1038), indicating that the peripheral control unit steady-state processing has been completed. Then, the CPU returns to step S1004, initializes the V blank signal detection flag VB-FLG by setting it to 0, and repeats the determination of step S1006 until the V blank signal detection flag VB-FLG is set to 1 in the peripheral control unit V blank signal interrupt processing described below. In other words, step S1006 waits until the V blank signal detection flag VB-FLG is set to 1. If step S1006 determines that the V blank signal detection flag VB-FLG is 1, steps S1008 to S1038 are performed, and the process returns to step S1004. In this way, if step S1006 determines that the V blank signal detection flag VB-FLG is 1, steps S1008 to S1038 are performed. The processing of steps S1008 to S1038 is referred to as "peripheral control unit steady-state processing."

This peripheral control unit routine processing begins in step S1008 by setting the routine processing in progress flag SP-FLG to 1, indicating that the peripheral control unit routine processing is currently being executed. Then, in step S1010, a 1 ms interrupt timer is started. Then, in step S1014, ..., step S1036 are executed, and finally, in step S1038, the routine is completed by setting the routine processing in progress flag SP-FLG to 0, indicating that the peripheral control unit routine processing has been completed. The peripheral control unit routine processing is executed when the V blank signal detection flag VB-FLG is set to 1 in step S1006. As mentioned above, this V blank signal detection flag VB-FLG is set to 1 during the peripheral control unit V blank signal interrupt processing described below, which is executed when a V blank signal, indicating that the peripheral control IC's CPU is ready to accept screen data, is input from the peripheral control IC's VDP to the peripheral control IC's CPU. In this embodiment, the frame frequency (number of screen updates per second) of the performance display device 1600 is set to approximately 30 fps, as described above, so the interval at which the V blank signal is input is approximately 33.3 ms (= 1000 ms ÷ 30 fps). In other words, the peripheral control unit's regular processing is repeatedly executed approximately every 33.3 ms.

[13-2. Peripheral control unit V blank signal interrupt processing]
Next, we will explain the peripheral control unit V blank signal interrupt process, which is executed when a V blank signal is input from the VDP of the peripheral control IC, indicating that the peripheral control IC's CPU is ready to accept screen data. When this peripheral control unit V blank signal interrupt process is started, the CPU of the peripheral control IC determines whether the steady-state processing flag SP-FLG is set to 0 (step S1045), as shown in Fig. 222. As mentioned above, this steady-state processing flag SP-FLG is set to 1 when the peripheral control unit steady-state processing of steps S1008 to S1038 in the peripheral control unit power-on processing of Fig. 221 is being executed, and to 0 when the peripheral control unit steady-state processing has been executed.

In step S1045, if the CPU of the peripheral control IC determines that the steady-state processing flag SP-FLG is not 0 (is 1), i.e., that the peripheral control unit steady-state processing is being executed, it simply ends this routine. On the other hand, in step S1045, if the CPU of the peripheral control IC determines that the steady-state processing flag SP-FLG is 0, i.e., that the peripheral control unit steady-state processing has been executed, it sets the V blank signal detection flag VB-FLG to 1 (step S1050) and ends this routine. As described above, this V blank signal detection flag VB-FLG is a flag used to determine whether or not to execute peripheral control unit steady-state processing, and is set to 1 when peripheral control unit steady-state processing is being executed and to 0 when peripheral control unit steady-state processing is not being executed.

In this embodiment, step S1045 determines whether the steady-state processing in progress flag SP-FLG is set to a value of 0, i.e., whether the peripheral control unit steady-state processing has been completed. When the peripheral control unit steady-state processing has been completed, step S1050 sets the V blank signal detection flag VB-FLG to a value of 1. This is because, when a V blank signal is input and the V blank signal detection flag VB-FLG is set to a value of 1 while the peripheral control unit steady-state processing is being executed, step S1006 in the peripheral control unit power-on processing in FIG. 221 determines that the peripheral control unit steady-state processing will be executed, and the currently executing peripheral control unit steady-state processing will be forcibly canceled midway and the peripheral control unit steady-state processing will be started from the beginning. In order to prevent this, the peripheral control unit power-on processing in FIG. 221 is set to a value of 1. In step S1008 of the power-on processing (peripheral control unit steady-state processing), the steady-state processing in progress flag SP-FLG is set to 1, thereby informing this routine, the peripheral control unit V blanking signal interrupt processing, that peripheral control unit steady-state processing is currently being executed. In addition, in step S1038 of the peripheral control unit power-on processing (peripheral control unit steady-state processing) in FIG. 221, the steady-state processing in progress flag SP-FLG is set to 0, thereby informing this routine, the peripheral control unit V blanking signal interrupt processing, that peripheral control unit steady-state processing has been completed. Step S1045 of this routine, the peripheral control unit V blanking signal interrupt processing, determines whether the steady-state processing in progress flag SP-FLG is 0, i.e., whether peripheral control unit steady-state processing has been completed. In other words, this is the procedure to be taken when peripheral control unit steady-state processing cannot be completed between the input of a V blanking signal and the input of the next V blanking signal, resulting in a so-called processing delay.

As a result, if the current peripheral control unit steady-state processing fails to complete within approximately 33.3 ms and stalls, step S1006 of the peripheral control unit power-on processing in Figure 221 will determine that the processing will wait until the next V blank signal is input. In other words, the time required to execute the current peripheral control unit steady-state processing that stalled will be approximately 66.6 ms. Normally, the peripheral control unit 1 ms timer interrupt processing described below, which is executed repeatedly each time the 1 ms interrupt timer is generated by starting the 1 ms interrupt timer in step S1010 of the peripheral control unit power-on processing (peripheral control unit steady-state processing) in Figure 221, is executed 32 times for each peripheral control unit steady-state processing. However, if the current peripheral control unit steady-state processing stalled as described above exists, the peripheral control unit 1 ms timer interrupt processing is executed only 32 times, not 64 times. In other words, even if the peripheral control unit steady-state processing stalls, consistency between the performance progress achieved by the peripheral control unit steady-state processing and the performance progress achieved by the peripheral control unit 1 ms timer interrupt processing, which is timer interrupt control, is maintained. Therefore, even if the peripheral control unit's steady-state processing slows down, the progress of the presentation can be reliably maintained.

[13-3. Peripheral control unit 1 ms timer interrupt processing]
Next, we will explain the peripheral control unit 1 ms timer interrupt processing, which is repeatedly executed each time a 1 ms interrupt timer is generated by starting the 1 ms interrupt timer in step S1010 of the peripheral control unit regular processing of the peripheral control unit power-on processing in Fig. 221. When this peripheral control unit 1 ms timer interrupt processing is started, the CPU of the peripheral control IC determines whether the 1 ms timer interrupt execution count STN is less than 33, as shown in Fig. 223 (step S1100). As mentioned above, this 1 ms timer interrupt execution count STN is a counter that counts the number of times the 1 ms interrupt timer is started in the 1 ms interrupt timer start processing in step S1010 of the peripheral control unit regular processing of the peripheral control unit power-on processing in Fig. 221 and the peripheral control unit 1 ms timer interrupt processing, which is this routine. In this embodiment, the frame frequency (number of screen updates per second) of the performance display device 1600 is set to approximately 30 fps as described above, so the interval at which the V blank signal is input is approximately 33.3 ms (= 1000 ms ÷ 30 fps). In other words, since the peripheral control unit regular processing is repeatedly executed approximately every 33.3 ms, after the 1 ms interrupt timer is started in step S1010 of the peripheral control unit regular processing, the peripheral control unit 1 ms timer interrupt processing is executed 32 times before the next peripheral control unit regular processing is executed. Specifically, when the 1 ms interrupt timer is started in step S1010 of the peripheral control unit regular processing, the first 1 ms timer interrupt occurs, followed by the second, ..., and 32nd 1 ms timer interrupts.

In step S1100, if the CPU of the peripheral control IC determines that the 1 ms timer interrupt execution count STN is not less than 33, i.e., that the 33rd 1 ms timer interrupt has occurred and the peripheral control unit 1 ms timer interrupt processing has begun, it simply terminates this routine. In this embodiment, if the 33rd 1 ms timer interrupt occurs before the next V blank signal, the peripheral control unit 1 ms timer interrupt processing is forcibly canceled in order to execute the peripheral control unit V blank interrupt processing, even though the peripheral control unit 1 ms timer interrupt processing has a higher interrupt processing priority than the peripheral control unit V blank interrupt processing. In other words, in this embodiment, because the V blank signal is a signal that controls the entire system of the peripheral control board 1510, if the 33rd 1 ms timer interrupt occurs before the next V blank signal, the peripheral control unit 1 ms timer interrupt processing is forcibly canceled in order to execute the peripheral control unit V blank interrupt processing. Then, after the V blank signal is generated, the 1 ms interrupt timer is started again in step S1010 of the peripheral control unit regular processing, and the peripheral control unit 1 ms timer interrupt processing is started again when a new 1 ms timer interrupt is generated for the first time.

On the other hand, if the CPU of the peripheral control IC determines in step S1100 that the number of 1 ms timer interrupt executions STN is less than 33, it adds 1 to the number of 1 ms timer interrupt executions STN (increments it, step S1102). By adding 1 to the number of 1 ms timer interrupt executions STN, the 1 ms interrupt timer is started in the 1 ms interrupt timer start processing in step S1010 of the peripheral control unit steady-state processing of the peripheral control unit power-on processing in FIG. 221, and the number of times this routine, the peripheral control unit 1 ms timer interrupt processing, has been executed increases by 1.

Following step S1102, motor and solenoid drive processing is performed (step S1104). In this motor and solenoid drive processing, the motors, solenoids, and other electric drive sources are driven in accordance with the drive data indicated by the pointer among the drive data for the motors, solenoids, and other electric drive sources arranged in chronological order that constitute the electric drive source schedule data set in the RAM of the peripheral control IC. The pointer is also updated to the next drive data specified in chronological order, and the pointer is updated each time this motor and solenoid drive processing is executed. As a result, electric drive sources such as motors, solenoids, and other electric drive sources managed by the CPU of the peripheral control IC (for example, electric drive sources provided in the door frame 3 and electric drive sources provided in various performance units provided on the game board 5) are driven in accordance with the electric drive source schedule data.

Following step S1104, the CPU of the peripheral control IC performs movable body information acquisition processing (step S1106). In this movable body information acquisition processing, history information of the detection signals from the various sensors (e.g., original position history information, movable position history information, etc.) is created by determining whether detection signals have been input from the various sensors provided in the various presentation units provided on the gaming board 5, and this information is set in the RAM of the peripheral control IC. Based on the history information of the detection signals from the various sensors set in the RAM of the peripheral control IC, the CPU of the peripheral control IC determines the movable positions by setting the original positions (standby positions) of the various movable bodies provided in the various presentation units provided on the gaming board 5 and acquiring their movable positions.

Following step S1106, the CPU of the peripheral control IC performs a presentation operation unit information acquisition process (step S1108). This presentation operation unit information acquisition process determines whether or not detection signals are being input from the various sensors provided in the presentation operation unit 300, and creates historical information on the detection signals from the various sensors (e.g., rotation (direction) history information of the rotation operation unit 302 and operation history information of the pressing operation unit 303, etc.) and sets this information in the RAM of the peripheral control IC. The rotation direction of the rotation operation unit 302 and whether or not the pressing operation unit 303 has been operated can be obtained from the historical information on the detection signals from the various sensors set in the RAM of the peripheral control IC. In the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, by operating the presentation operation unit 301, it is possible to adjust the volume of the presentation sounds output from the vibration speaker 354, the top center speaker 462, the top side speaker 464, and the main frame speaker 622 of the main frame 4, and to adjust the brightness of the various LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards provided on the door frame 3 and the game board 5.

Following step S1108, the CPU of the peripheral control IC performs backup processing (step S1110) and terminates this routine. In this backup processing, the contents stored in the RAM of the peripheral control IC are copied and backed up to a backup area for 1 ms timer interrupt processing provided in the RAM of the peripheral control IC, and the contents stored in the SDRAM are copied and backed up to a backup area for 1 ms timer interrupt processing provided in the SDRAM. Note that in this embodiment, the backup area for 1 ms timer interrupt processing provided in the RAM of the peripheral control IC and the backup area for regular processing provided in the RAM of the peripheral control IC are set to different areas, and the backup area for 1 ms timer interrupt processing provided in the SDRAM and the backup area for regular processing provided in the SDRAM are set to different areas.

In this way, in the peripheral control unit 1 ms timer interrupt processing, various processes related to the performance in steps S1104 to S1108 are executed within a period of 1 ms to progress the performance. In contrast, in the peripheral control unit steady-state processing in the peripheral control unit power-on processing in Figure 221, various processes related to the performance in steps S1014 to S1032 are executed within a period of approximately 33.3 ms to progress the performance. In the peripheral control unit 1 ms timer interrupt processing, if the 1 ms timer interrupt execution count STN is not less than 33 in step S1100, i.e., if the 33rd 1 ms timer interrupt occurs and the peripheral control unit 1 ms timer interrupt processing is initiated, the routine is terminated. Therefore, even if the 33rd 1 ms timer interrupt occurs by chance before the next V blank signal, the start of the peripheral control unit 1 ms timer interrupt processing due to the 33rd 1 ms timer interrupt is forcibly canceled, and the 1 ms interrupt timer is restarted in step S1010 of the peripheral control unit regular processing due to the V blank signal, and then the peripheral control unit 1 ms timer interrupt processing is initiated due to the first new 1 ms timer interrupt. In other words, consistency is maintained between the performance progress due to the peripheral control unit regular processing and the performance progress due to the peripheral control unit 1 ms timer interrupt processing, which is timer interrupt control. This ensures reliable consistency of performance progress.

As mentioned above, the interval at which the V blank signal is output varies slightly depending on the LCD size of the performance display device 1600, and the interval at which the V blank signal is output may also vary slightly depending on the production lot of the peripheral control board 1510 on which the peripheral control IC is mounted. In this embodiment, since the V blank signal is a signal that controls the entire system of the peripheral control board 1510, if the occurrence of the 33rd 1 ms timer interrupt happens to precede the occurrence of the next V blank signal, the start of the peripheral control unit 1 ms timer interrupt processing due to the 33rd 1 ms timer interrupt is forcibly canceled in order to execute the peripheral control unit V blank interrupt processing. In other words, in this embodiment, even if the interval at which the V blank signal is output varies slightly, the time lag caused by the slight change in the interval at which the V blank signal is output can be absorbed by forcibly canceling the start of the peripheral control unit 1 ms timer interrupt processing due to the 33rd 1 ms timer interrupt.

[13-4. Peripheral control unit command reception interrupt processing]
Next, we will explain the peripheral control unit command reception interrupt process that receives various commands from the main control board 1310. When the CPU of the peripheral control IC starts transmitting various commands as serial data from the main control board 1310, it uses this as a trigger to import one byte (8 bits) of main serial data into a receive buffer at the serial I/O port of the peripheral control IC, and when this import is complete, an interrupt occurs and peripheral control unit command reception interrupt process is performed. One packet of main serial data is composed of three bytes, with the first byte assigned to the status, the second byte assigned to the mode, and the third byte assigned to a sum value calculated by treating the status and mode as numerical values.

When the peripheral control unit command reception interrupt process begins, the CPU of the peripheral control IC determines whether the 1-byte reception period timer has timed out (step S1200), as shown in Figure 224. This 1-byte reception period timer sets the period during which 1 byte (8 bits) of information can be received from the main serial data transmitted from the main control board 1310.

In step S1200, if the CPU of the peripheral control IC determines that the 1-byte reception period timer has not timed out, that is, that it is within the period in which it can receive 1 byte (8 bits) of main serial data transmitted from the main control board 1310, it retrieves the received 1 byte of information from the receive buffer of the serial I/O port of the peripheral control IC (step S1202) and increments the receive counter SRXC by 1 (step S1204). This receive counter SRXC indicates the number of times data has been retrieved from the receive buffer. The value is 1 when the status, the first byte of the main serial data, is retrieved from the receive buffer; 2 when the mode, the second byte of the main serial data, is retrieved from the receive buffer; and 3 when the sum, the third byte of the main serial data, is retrieved from the receive buffer. The receive counter SRXC is initially set to 0 when the power is turned on, etc.

Following step S1204, it is determined whether the receive counter SRXC is at a value of 3, i.e., whether the sum value, which is the third byte of the main serial data, has been retrieved from the receive buffer (step S1206). This determines whether the status, which is the first byte of the main serial data, the mode, which is the second byte of the main serial data, and the sum value, which is the third byte of the main serial data, have been retrieved from the receive buffer in that order.

If, in step S1206, the CPU of the peripheral control IC determines that the receive counter SRXC is not equal to 3, that is, that the status (the first byte of the main serial data), the mode (the second byte of the main serial data), and the sum value (the third byte of the main serial data) have not yet been retrieved from the receive buffer in that order, it sets a 1-byte receive period timer (step S1208) and ends this routine. Setting the 1-byte receive period timer in step S1208 sets the period during which the mode (the second byte of the main serial data) or the sum value (the third byte of the main serial data) can be received.

On the other hand, if the CPU of the peripheral control IC determines in step S1206 that the receive counter SRXC is equal to 3, that is, that it has retrieved from the receive buffer the status (the first byte of the main serial data), the mode (the second byte of the main serial data), and the sum value (the third byte of the main serial data) in that order, it sets the receive counter SRXC to an initial value of 0 (step S1210) and calculates the sum value (step S1212). This calculation regards the status (the first byte of the main serial data) and the mode (the second byte of the main serial data) already retrieved from the receive buffer in step S1202 as numerical values, and calculates their sum (sum value).

Following step S1212, it is determined whether the sum value of the third byte of the main serial data already retrieved from the receive buffer in step S1202 matches the sum value calculated in step S1212 (step S1214). The sum value of the third byte of the main serial data already retrieved from the receive buffer in step S1202 is the sum value assigned as the third byte of the main serial data from the main control board 1310, and therefore should match the sum value calculated in step S1212. However, pachinko machine 1 receives game balls from the island equipment in the gaming hall, and when the game balls rub against each other and become charged, electrostatic discharge occurs, generating noise, so pachinko machine 1 is in an environment where it is subject to noise.

In this embodiment, the peripheral control board 1510 treats the status assigned as the first byte of the received main serial data and the mode assigned as the second byte of the main serial data as numerical values, calculates their sum (sum value), and determines whether this calculated sum value matches the sum value assigned as the third byte of the main serial data from the main control board 1310. This allows the CPU of the peripheral control IC to determine whether the main serial data between the main control board 1310 and the peripheral control board 1510 has been affected by noise and changed to incorrect main serial data.

If, in step S1214, the CPU of the peripheral control IC determines that the sum value of the third byte of the main serial data already retrieved from the receive buffer in step S1202 matches the sum value calculated in step S1212, it stores the status assigned to the first byte of the received main serial data and the mode assigned to the second byte of the main serial data in the RAM of the peripheral control IC (step S1216), and terminates this routine.

On the other hand, if the CPU of the peripheral control IC determines in step S1200 that the 1-byte reception period timer has not timed out, that is, that the period in which 1 byte (8 bits) of main serial data transmitted from the main control board 1310 can be received has been exceeded, or if the CPU of the peripheral control IC determines in step S1214 that the sum value of the third byte of the main serial data already retrieved from the receive buffer in step S1202 does not match the sum value calculated in step S1212, it immediately terminates this routine.

[13-5. Peripheral control unit power outage warning signal interrupt processing]
Next, we will explain the peripheral control unit power outage warning signal interrupt process that is executed when a power outage warning signal from the power outage monitoring circuit of the main control board 1310 is input from the main control board 1310. When this peripheral control unit power outage warning signal interrupt process is started, the CPU of the peripheral control IC first starts a 2 microsecond timer (step S1300), as shown in Figure 225, and determines whether a power outage warning signal has been input (step S1302). If the CPU of the peripheral control IC determines in step S1302 that a power outage warning signal has not been input, it simply ends this routine.

On the other hand, if the CPU of the peripheral control IC determines in step S1302 that a power outage warning signal has been input, it determines whether 2 microseconds have passed (step S1304). In this determination, the timer started in step S1300 determines whether 2 microseconds have passed. In step S1304, if the CPU of the peripheral control IC determines that 2 microseconds have not passed, it returns to step S1302 and determines whether a power outage warning signal has been input. If it determines that a power outage warning signal has not been input, it simply ends this routine. However, if it determines that a power outage warning signal has been input, it again determines in step S1304 whether 2 microseconds have passed. In other words, in step S1304, it determines whether a power outage warning signal has been continuously input for 2 microseconds since the peripheral control unit power outage warning signal interrupt process, which is this routine, was started.

In step S1304, if the CPU of the peripheral control IC determines that the power outage warning signal has been input continuously for 2 microseconds since the peripheral control unit power outage warning signal interrupt process, which is this routine, began, it performs power-saving processing (step S1306). This power-saving processing reduces power consumption throughout the pachinko machine 1 system by sequentially turning off the backlight of the effect display device 1600, turning off excitation to the motors and solenoids provided on the game board 5, and turning off various LEDs, thereby ensuring stable operation for the 20 millisecond period during which the CPU of the peripheral control IC can operate even if the power to the pachinko machine 1 is cut off.

Following step S1306, the CPU of the peripheral control IC performs a command reception standby process (step S1308). This command reception standby process assumes that the main control board 1310 is currently sending various commands, and waits for at least 17 milliseconds so that the peripheral control IC can receive the command being sent. When a command is received, the peripheral control unit command reception interrupt process described above is initiated, and the received command is stored in the RAM of the peripheral control IC.

Following step S1308, the CPU of the peripheral control IC performs command backup processing (step S1310). In this command backup processing, the command stored in the RAM of the peripheral control IC is copied and backed up to a backup area for regular processing provided in the RAM of the peripheral control IC.

Following step S1310, the CPU of the peripheral control IC determines whether a power outage warning signal has been input (step S1312). If the CPU of the peripheral control IC determines in step S1312 that a power outage warning signal has been input, it performs a WDT clear process (step S1314). In this WDT clear process, a clear signal is output to the external WDT to prevent the CPU of the peripheral control IC from being reset.

On the other hand, if the CPU of the peripheral control IC determines in step S1312 that a power outage warning signal has not been input, or following step S1314, it returns to step S1312 and determines whether a power outage warning signal has been input. In other words, it continues to determine indefinitely whether a power outage warning signal has been input. By continuing to determine indefinitely in this way, if the CPU of the peripheral control IC determines in step S1312 that a power outage warning signal has not been input, it is no longer able to output a clear signal to the external WDT, and the CPU of the peripheral control IC is reset. On the other hand, if the CPU of the peripheral control IC determines in step S1312 that a power outage warning signal has been input, it performs WDT clear processing in step S1314, and the CPU of the peripheral control IC is not reset. Note that when the CPU of the peripheral control IC is reset, the peripheral control unit power-on processing shown in FIG. 221 is restarted.

In this way, if step S1312 determines that the power outage warning signal continues to be input in the infinite loop, step S1314 executes the WDT clear process, preventing the CPU of the peripheral control IC from being reset immediately before a power outage occurs. In contrast, if step S1312 determines that the power outage warning signal is not continuing to be input in the infinite loop but is released, the WDT clear process is not executed, and the output of the clear signal to the external WDT is interrupted. As a result, even if the peripheral control unit power outage warning signal interrupt process, which is this routine, is erroneously initiated due to noise or other reasons, and the noise occurs for more than 2 microseconds, causing the determination in step S1302 to be passed, if step S1312 determines that the power outage warning signal is not continuing to be input in the infinite loop but is released, the WDT clear process in step S1314 is not executed, causing the CPU of the peripheral control IC to be reset. Therefore, such noise can be dealt with by automatically returning to reset.

[Control processing on the main control board]
Next, an example of the control process executed by the main control board 1310 (particularly the main control MPU 1310a) will be described. Fig. 226 is a flowchart showing the procedure for the special symbol and special electric role control process (step S114).

Now, assuming that the random numbers used in the various lottery processes have been updated (step S106), as shown in FIG. 226, the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 first executes a first start gate passage process (step S232), such as obtaining a first special random number for the first special symbol from the random number counter and storing it in a first special symbol reserve memory area of RAM, on the condition that the detection signal from the first lower start gate sensor 2101 or the first upper start gate sensor 2524 is in the ON state (a ball has entered the first lower start gate 2003 or the first upper start gate 2004) (step S231). Also, on the condition that the detection signal from the second start gate sensor 2601 is in the ON state (a ball has entered the second start gate 2005) (step S233), the main control MPU 1310a executes a second start gate passage process (step S234), such as obtaining a second special random number for the second special symbol from the random number counter and storing it in a second special symbol reserve memory area of RAM.

Next, it is determined whether a jackpot in progress flag, indicating that control is being exercised in the jackpot gaming state, is set (step S235). If the jackpot in progress flag is set, a jackpot control process (step S235A) is executed to control the jackpot gaming state. In the jackpot control process, when the result of the lottery process for the display mode when the variable display of the special symbols (first special symbol, second special symbol) stops indicates a mode suggesting a "15R jackpot," a process is executed to control the opening and closing of the first major prize opening 2006 in accordance with the 15R jackpot gaming state. Furthermore, when the mode indicates a "5R jackpot," a process is executed to control the opening and closing of the first major prize opening 2006 in accordance with the 5R jackpot gaming state, and when the mode indicates a "2R jackpot," a process is executed to control the opening and closing of the first major prize opening 2006 in accordance with the 2R jackpot gaming state.

Furthermore, in the jackpot control process (step S235A), after controlling the opening of the first large prize slot 2006, the time-saving flag and the time-saving count counter are set. The time-saving flag is a flag indicating the time-saving state, and is set when the 2R jackpot gaming state ends because the result of the lottery process when the first special symbol stops varying during the time-saving state indicates a "2R jackpot," when the 5R jackpot gaming state ends because the result indicates a "5R jackpot," or when the 15R jackpot gaming state ends during the time-saving state or non-time-saving state. The time-saving flag is then reset when the next jackpot occurs or when the counter value of the time-saving count counter reaches "0" by the first special symbol stop process shown in FIG. 237 (described below) or the second special symbol stop process (not shown).

The time-saving counter indicates the remaining number of times the variable display of the special symbols (first special symbol and second special symbol) will continue in the time-saving state. If the time-saving state is entered after the end of a jackpot gaming state, the number of times the time-saving state will continue is set when the jackpot gaming state ends. The time-saving counter counts down each time the variable display of the special symbols is executed until the counter value reaches "0." However, if the next jackpot occurs before the counter value reaches "0," it is reset (the counter value is returned to "0") by the first special symbol stop process shown in FIG. 237 (described later) or the second special symbol stop process (not shown).

If the jackpot in progress flag is not set, the system determines whether the small jackpot in progress flag, indicating that control is being exercised to the small jackpot gaming state, is set (step S236). If the small jackpot in progress flag is set, the system executes a small jackpot control process (step S236A) to control the small jackpot gaming state. In the small jackpot control process, when the result of the lottery process for the display mode when the variable display of the special symbols (first special symbol, second special symbol) stops indicates a mode suggesting a "small jackpot," the system executes a process to control the opening and closing of the second large prize opening 2007 in accordance with the small jackpot gaming state. If a gaming ball received in the second large prize opening 2007 is distributed to the V prize opening 2008 and detected by the V prize opening sensor 2603, the system controls a transition to the 15R jackpot gaming state.

Furthermore, if neither the big win in progress flag nor the small win in progress flag is set, then, on the condition that the value of the second special reserve number counter, which indicates the number of second special random numbers stored in the second special pattern reserve memory area, is "0" (step S237), a first special pattern process is executed (step S238), including a lottery process for determining the display mode when the variable display of the first special pattern stops, and, on the condition that the value of the second special reserve number counter, which indicates the number of second special random numbers stored in the second special pattern reserve memory area, is not "0" (step S237), a second special pattern process is executed (step S239), including a lottery process for determining the display mode when the variable display of the second special pattern stops. In this way, in this example, the system is configured so that when the value of the second special reserve number counter is not "0," the variable display of the second special pattern is executed with priority.

Figure 227 is a flowchart showing the procedure for the first starting port passage process (step S232).

Now, assuming that in the processing of step S231, the first lower start gate sensor 2101 and the first upper start gate sensor 2524 are in the ON state and it is determined that a gaming ball has entered the first lower start gate 2003 or the first upper start gate 2004, as shown in FIG. 227, the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 first obtains the first special random number, the reach random number, the first pattern random number, and the variable random number from the random number counter as processing of step S241.

The main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 then obtains from the main control's built-in RAM the counter value of the first special reserved number counter, which indicates the number of first special random numbers stored in the first special symbol reserved memory area, and determines whether the first reserved memory number is its maximum value (upper limit value) of "4" based on this counter value (step S242). If it is determined in step S242 that the first reserved memory number is not its maximum value, the following steps S243 to S245 are performed to newly place the variable display control of the first special symbol in a reserved state. That is, first, in step S243, the first special reserved number counter is counted up (added by 1). Next, in step S244, each random number obtained in step S241 is stored in the first special symbol reserved memory area of the main control's built-in RAM that corresponds to the counter value of the first special reserved number counter.

In addition, the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 performs a performance pre-determination process to determine, based on the first special random number, reach random number, first pattern random number, and variable random number obtained in step S241, whether the display result of the first special pattern variable display will be a jackpot, and if it is a jackpot, the type of jackpot, and if it is not a jackpot, whether to execute a reach effect as a game effect executed by the effect display device 1600, and the type of mode (type of variable pattern) of the game effect to be executed, before starting the variable display corresponding to the start winning (step S245), and then terminates processing.

However, if it is determined in step S242 that the first reserved memory count is at its maximum value, the variable display control of the first special symbol is not newly reserved. In other words, by ending the process without executing steps S243 to S245, the variable display control of the first special symbol is not newly reserved.

In addition, when the first reserved memory number changes based on a game ball entering the first lower starting gate 2003 or the first upper starting gate 2004, the lighting status of the two LEDs of the first special reserved memory number display in the function display unit 1400 is updated to correspond to the first reserved memory number, and a command indicating the first reserved memory number (first reserved number designation command 0-4 (special symbol 1 storage command 0-4)) is set and sent to the peripheral control board 1510 in the peripheral control board command sending process (step S120). The peripheral control IC of the peripheral control board 1510 displays the first reserved memory number on the performance display device 1600 based on receiving the first reserved number designation command 0-4 (special symbol 1 storage command 0-4).

Figure 228 is a flowchart showing the steps for the above-mentioned effect pre-determination process (step S245). When the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 starts the effect pre-determination process, it compares the random numbers obtained in the above-mentioned step S241 or the random numbers obtained in step S251 described below, specifically the special random numbers (first special random number, second special random number), pattern random numbers (first pattern random number, second special random number), reach random number, and variable random number, with a pre-determination table (not shown) to determine whether a jackpot will occur, and if so, the type of jackpot. If not, it determines whether a reach effect will be executed as a game effect to be executed by the effect display device 1600, and the type of game effect to be executed (step S261).

Then, a pre-determination command is set according to the identified pre-determination information (whether a jackpot will occur, the type of jackpot if a jackpot will occur, whether a reach effect will be executed as a game effect executed by the effect display device 1600 if a jackpot will occur, the type of game effect to be executed if a jackpot will not occur, etc.), the type of special random number obtained (first special random number), and the number of reserved memories stored corresponding to the obtained special random number (value of the reserved number counter). For example, in the effect pre-determination process for the first special symbol executed in step S245 of the first starting gate passing process, a first special symbol pre-determination command is set according to the identified pre-determination information, the fact that the first special random number has been obtained, and the first reserved memory number (value of the first special reserved number counter). In the effect pre-determination process for the second special symbol executed in step S255 of the second starting gate passing process described below, a second special symbol pre-determination command is set according to the identified pre-determination information, the fact that the second special random number has been obtained, and the second reserved memory number (value of the second special reserved number counter) (step S262).

Then, in the peripheral control board command transmission process (step S120), a pre-determination command is sent from the main control board 1310 to the peripheral control board 1510, and the peripheral control IC mounted on the peripheral control board 1510 is able to grasp, before the variable display corresponding to the start winning is started, the pre-determination information such as the number of reserved memories stored corresponding to the first lower start opening 2003, first upper start opening 2004, or second start opening 2005 where the start winning has occurred, whether the display result of the variable display of the special pattern based on the start winning that has occurred will be a jackpot, the type of jackpot if it is a jackpot, whether a reach effect will be executed as a game effect executed by the effect display device 1600 if it is not a jackpot, and the type of game effect to be executed.

When the peripheral control IC mounted on the peripheral control board 1510 receives a pre-determination command from the main control board 1310, it stores the pre-determination information indicated by the received pre-determination command. Specifically, the RAM of the peripheral control IC is provided with a reserved memory area for storing pre-determination information regarding the variable display of special symbols (first special symbol, second special symbol).

The reserved memory area (first reserved memory area, second reserved memory area) has memory areas 1 to 4 corresponding to the number of reserved memories, and the peripheral control IC stores the pre-determination information indicated by the received pre-determination command in order, starting with the first (earliest) memory area. When a pre-determination command is received while pre-determination information is stored in the nth (n = 1 to 3) memory area, the notified pre-determination information is stored in the n+1th (n = 1 to 3) memory area. When a variation pattern command (first variation pattern command, second variation pattern command) notifying the start of the variable display of the special symbol (first special symbol, second special symbol) is received, the pre-determination information stored in the first memory area of the reserved memory area (first reserved memory area, second reserved memory area) is discarded in accordance with the received variation pattern command (first variation pattern command, second variation pattern command), and the pre-determination information stored in the Nth (N = 2 to 4) memory area is moved to the N-1th (N = 2 to 4) memory area (shifting the pre-determination information stored in the reserved memory area). As a result, the advance judgment information for the first special symbol is stored in a manner that allows identification of the order in which the suspension of the start of the variable display occurred, and the advance judgment information is discarded in order starting with the earliest.

In this way, when variable display control is placed on hold, even though the variable display control remains in an unexecuted state (on hold), the expected jackpot probability (pseudo-winning probability) of that variable display control can be notified in advance at a predetermined timing, such as when the reserved display is newly output or when the reserved display is shifted in response to the consumption of the reserved display.

Figure 229 is a flowchart showing the procedure for the second starting port passage process (step S234).

Now, assuming that in the processing of step S233, the second start hole sensor 2601 is in the ON state and it is determined that a gaming ball has entered the second start hole 2005, as shown in FIG. 229, the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 first obtains the second special random number, the reach random number, the second pattern random number, and the variable random number from the random number counter as processing of step S251.

The main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 then obtains the counter value of the second special reserved number counter from the main control's built-in RAM and, based on this counter value, determines whether the second reserved memory number is its maximum value (upper limit value) of "4" (step S252). If it is determined in step S252 that the second reserved memory number is not its maximum value, the following steps S253 to S254 are performed to place the variable display control of the second special symbol in a new reserved state. That is, first, in step S253, the second special reserved number counter is counted up (added by 1). Next, in step S254, the random numbers obtained in step S251 are stored in the second special symbol reserved memory area of the main control's built-in RAM that corresponds to the counter value of the second special reserved number counter.

In addition, the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 performs a pre-effect determination process to determine, based on the second special random number, reach random number, second pattern random number, and variable random number obtained in step S251, whether the display result of the variable display of the second special pattern is a jackpot, and if it is a jackpot, the type of jackpot, and if it is not a jackpot, whether to execute a reach effect as a game effect to be executed on the display device 851, and the type of mode (type of variable pattern) of the game effect to be executed, before starting the variable display corresponding to the start winning (step S255), and then terminates processing.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S252 that the second reserved memory count is at its maximum value, the variable display control of the second special symbol is not newly reserved. In other words, by ending the process without executing steps S253 to S254, the variable display control of the second special symbol is not newly reserved.

In addition, when the second reserved memory number changes based on a game ball entering the second starting hole 2005, the lighting status of the two LEDs of the second special reserved memory number display in the function display unit 1400 is updated to correspond to the second reserved memory number, and a command indicating the second reserved memory number (second reserved number designation command 0-4 (special symbol 2 storage command 0-4)) is set and sent to the peripheral control board 1510 in the peripheral control board command sending process (step S120). Furthermore, the peripheral control IC of the peripheral control board 1510 displays the second reserved memory number on the performance display device 1600 based on receiving the second reserved number designation command 0-4 (special symbol 2 storage command 0-4).

In this way, in the pachinko machine 1 of this example, the upper limit of the first reserved memory number based on game balls entering the first lower start port 2003 or the first upper start port 2004 is set to "4," while the upper limit of the second reserved memory number based on game balls entering the second start port 2005 is also set to "4." Note that the second start port 2005 allows a large number of game balls to enter during the time-saving mode, and the time it takes for the second special symbol to change is shorter than in the normal mode. This prevents situations that would be disadvantageous to the player, such as a long period of time when the second special symbol is not displayed even if the upper limit of the second reserved memory number is set to "4," or a long period of time when the second reserved memory number is at its upper limit, resulting in a player not getting a chance to win a jackpot even if a game ball enters the second start port 2005.

Figure 230 is a flowchart showing the steps for the first special symbol process (step S238). Note that the first special symbol process executed in step S238 of the special symbol process and the second special symbol process executed in step S239 of the special symbol process are similar program modules, and only differ in the random numbers and tables used for judgment. Therefore, only the first special symbol process executed in step S238 of the special symbol process will be described here. In the first special symbol process, one of the following five processes will be selectively executed depending on the first special symbol process flag described above.

1. First special symbol normal processing (step S280) in which the first special random number stored in the RAM of the main control MPU 1310a is read, and a lottery process for determining the display mode when the variable control of the first special symbol is stopped is performed based on the read first special random number.
2. First special symbol stop symbol setting process (step S281) in which a process for determining the display mode when the first special symbol variable control is stopped is performed based on the result of a lottery process regarding the display mode when the first special symbol variable control is stopped.
3. A first variation pattern setting process (step S282) in which a lottery process is performed on the variation mode of the first special symbol displayed on the first special symbol display device of the function display unit 1400 based on the variation random number, and the variation mode of the effect display executed in response to the special symbol on the effect display device 1600.
4. First special symbol variation process (step S283) in which the first special symbol display of the function display unit 1400 waits until the variation display of the first special symbol is stopped.
5. A first special symbol stop process (step S284) for stopping the variable display of the first special symbol so that the display mode at the time of stopping the variable control of the first special symbol, determined based on the result of the lottery process for stopping the variable control of the first special symbol, is displayed on the first special symbol display device of the function display unit 1400.

In addition, when the power is turned on, the first special symbol process flag is set to indicate that the first special symbol normal processing (step S280) should be performed.

Figure 231 is a flowchart showing the procedure for the first special symbol normal processing (step S280).

When the first special symbol process flag indicates that normal processing of the first special symbol should be performed, as shown in FIG. 231, the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 first determines, in step S301, based on the counter value of the first special reserved number counter, whether or not there is variable display control of the reserved first special symbol. If it is determined that there is variable display control of the reserved first special symbol, then, in step S302, the random number stored in the earliest memory area of the random numbers related to the display mode of the first special symbol (e.g., first special random number, first symbol random number, reach random number, variable random number) stored in the first special symbol reserved memory area of the RAM of the main control MPU 1310a is read from the RAM. Next, in steps S303 and S304, the first special reserved number counter is counted down, and the random numbers (first special random number, first pattern random number, reach random number, variable random number) related to the display mode when the variable display of the first special pattern stops, which are stored in each memory area of the first special pattern reserved memory area in the RAM of the main control MPU 1310a, are shifted in a first-in, first-out manner.

Specifically, the first special symbol reserve memory area has four memory areas, 1 through 4, and stores random numbers extracted in response to the occurrence of a starting winning combination in order, starting with the first (earliest) area. When a starting winning combination occurs while a random number is stored in the nth (n = 1 through 3) memory area, the extracted random number is stored in the n+1th (n = 1 through 3) memory area. When the conditions for starting a variable display based on the random number stored in the first memory area are met, the various random numbers stored in the first memory area are read out, and the various random numbers stored in the Nth (N = 2 through 4) memory area are moved to the N-1th (N = 2 through 4) memory area. This allows the order in which the reserves for the variable display control of the first special symbol occurred to be stored in a specific order, and the reserves for the variable display control are released in order, starting with the earliest reserve (the reserve that occurred earliest).

Then, in step S305, a win determination process is performed, which is a lottery process for determining whether or not the jackpot will be won, based on the first special random number of the first special symbol that was read out. This process then ends when the first special symbol process flag is updated (step S306) to transition to the first special symbol stop symbol setting process (step S281).

Figure 232 is a flowchart showing the procedure for the hit determination process (step S305).

The main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 compares the winning determination table shown in Figure 233 (A) with the special random number (the first special random number read in step S302 if the first special symbol normal processing is being performed, or the second special random number read in the second special symbol normal processing if the second special symbol normal processing is being performed) (step S311).

The hit determination table shown in Figure 233 (A) includes, for each type of special random number (first special random number, second special random number), a low-probability jackpot determination table used when the game state is low probability (normal state (low-probability non-time-saving state) and time-saving state (low-probability time-saving state)), and a high-probability jackpot determination table used when the game state is high probability (high-probability time-saving state). In the low probability hit determination table that is referenced for comparison with the first special random number, the first special random numbers are associated with each other so that they match the hit determination value indicating that the first special random number has won a big hit with a hit probability of 1/319 when the setting value is 1, 1/309 when the setting value is 2, 1/299 when the setting value is 3, 1/289 when the setting value is 4, 1/279 when the setting value is 5, and 1/269 when the setting value is 6, they match the hit determination value indicating that the first special random number has won a small hit with a small hit probability of 3/319, and other first special random numbers match the miss determination value indicating that the first special random number is a miss. In addition, in this example, within the second special pattern process processing, the low probability hit determination table that is referenced for comparison with the second special random number is associated with the second special random number so that it matches the big hit determination value indicating that the second special random number has won a big hit with a hit probability of 1/319 when the setting value is 1, 1/309 when the setting value is 2, 1/299 when the setting value is 3, 1/289 when the setting value is 4, 1/279 when the setting value is 5, and 1/269 when the setting value is 6, matches the small hit determination value indicating that the second special random number has won a small hit with a small hit probability of 144/319, and matches the miss determination value indicating that any other second special random number is a miss. In other words, the hit determination table referenced for comparison with the second special random number is configured to have a higher probability of determining a small hit than the hit determination table referenced for comparison with the first special random number, so that the player is placed in a more advantageous position when the variable display of the second special symbol based on a start win in the second start gate 2005 is executed than when the variable display of the first special symbol is executed based on a start win in the first lower start gate 2003 or the first upper start gate 2004. Furthermore, the high-probability hit determination table is configured to increase the probability of a jackpot for each setting value by 10 times compared to the low-probability hit determination table. Note that for setting values 1 through 6, which have different jackpot probabilities, the hall manager can change the setting value by using the setting key to perform a specified setting change operation when the power is turned on.

If the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 determines that a jackpot has occurred as a result of comparing the hit determination table with the special random number (the first special random number read in step S302 of the first special symbol normal processing, or the second special random number read in the second special symbol normal processing) (step S312), it sets a jackpot flag indicating that the variation has resulted in a jackpot (step S313) and ends the hit determination process.

Furthermore, if the result of comparing the selected win determination table with the special random number (the first special random number read in step S302 of the first special symbol normal processing, or the second special random number read in the second special symbol normal processing) is that a small win has occurred (step S314), a small win flag is set indicating that the variation has resulted in a small win (step S315), and the win determination process is terminated.

On the other hand, if neither a big win nor a small win has been won, i.e., if it is determined to be a miss, the reach determination table is compared with the reach random number read in step S302 (step S316).

The reach determination table (not shown) is stored in the main control built-in ROM and includes a time-saving reach determination table for use when the game state is in a time-saving state, and a non-time-saving reach determination table for use when the game state is not in a time-saving state. In the time-saving reach determination table, the reach random numbers are associated with one type of reach random number so that it matches a reach determination value indicating a reach has occurred, and 71 types of reach random numbers so that it matches a reach determination value indicating a non-reach has occurred.

Furthermore, in the reach determination table for the non-time-shortened state, five types of reach random numbers, including the same reach random numbers as those set in the reach determination table for the time-shortened state, are associated with the reach determination values indicating a reach will occur, and 67 types of reach random numbers are associated with reach determination values indicating a non-reach will occur. Thus, in this embodiment, the reach determination values indicating a reach will occur are higher in the non-time-shortened state than in the time-shortened state.

If the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 compares the selected reach determination table with the reach random number read in step S302 (step S316) and determines that the reach has been missed (step S317), it sets a reach flag indicating that the change is a reach and terminates processing (step S318).

Figure 234 is a flowchart showing the steps for the first special symbol stop symbol setting process (step S281).

When the first special symbol process flag indicates that the first special symbol stop symbol setting process should be performed, as shown in FIG. 234, the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 first determines the result of the lottery process for the display mode when the variable display of the first special symbol stops, i.e., the result of the win determination process (step S305). The result of the lottery process is determined by determining whether the big win flag is set (step S321) or whether the small win flag is set (step S324).

If the jackpot flag is set in step S321, the main control MPU 1310a determines the type of jackpot by comparing the first pattern random number read in step S302 of the normal processing of the first special pattern with the jackpot pattern determination table shown in Figure 233 (B), and determines the mode of the first special pattern when the variable control of the first special pattern is stopped (the stopping pattern of the first special pattern) corresponding to the determined type of jackpot (step S322).

in particular,
1. A 15R guaranteed jackpot in which an opening and closing pattern is repeated 15 times (15 rounds) to close the first major winning port 2006 after it has been open for a long period of time (for example, 29 seconds) or when the first major winning port sensor 3002 detects that 10 game balls have entered the first major winning port 2006, thereby controlling the state to a 15R jackpot gaming state in which it is possible (easy) for a game ball to enter the first major winning port 2006, and after the jackpot gaming state ends, the execution period of the variable display of special symbols (first special symbol, second special symbol) is shortened more than usual until the variable display of the special symbols has been executed 77 times, and the state is controlled to a high probability time-shortened state in which a special lottery result is drawn with a higher probability than usual. 2. a 5R time-saving jackpot in which the period during which the game balls can (easily) enter the first major winning port 2006 is shortened from the normal period after the first major winning port 2006 has been left open for a long period of time (for example, 29 seconds) or when the first major winning port sensor 3002 detects that 10 game balls have entered the first major winning port 2006, by repeating this opening and closing pattern five times (five rounds); and
3. A 2R jackpot in which an opening and closing pattern is repeated twice (two rounds) to close the first major winning port 2006 after the first major winning port 2006 has been left open for a long period of time (for example, 29 seconds) or when the first major winning port sensor 3002 detects that 10 game balls have entered the first major winning port 2006, and the game state is controlled to a 2R jackpot game state in which it is possible (easy) for a game ball to enter the first major winning port 2006; if the game state is controlled to a time-shortening state before the start of the 2R jackpot game state, the game state is controlled to a time-shortening state which is ended if a jackpot does not occur within 77 executions of the variable display of special symbols (first special symbol, second special symbol) after the jackpot game state ends; and if the game state is controlled to a non-time-shortening state before the start of the 2R jackpot game state, the game state is controlled to a normal state after the jackpot game state ends.
The jackpot will be determined from one of the three types of jackpots.

In addition, if the jackpot flag is set in the second special symbol stopping symbol setting process, the type of jackpot is determined by comparing the second symbol random number read in the second special symbol normal process with the jackpot symbol determination table shown in Figure 233 (B), and the mode of the second special symbol when the variable control stops (the stopping symbol of the second special symbol) corresponding to the determined type of jackpot is determined.

in particular,
1. A 15R guaranteed jackpot in which an opening and closing pattern is repeated 15 times (15 rounds) to close the first major winning port 2006 after it has been open for a long period of time (for example, 29 seconds) or when the first major winning port sensor 3002 detects that 10 game balls have entered the first major winning port 2006, thereby controlling the state to a 15R jackpot gaming state in which it is possible (easy) for a game ball to enter the first major winning port 2006, and after the jackpot gaming state ends, the execution period of the variable display of special symbols (first special symbol, second special symbol) is shortened more than usual until the variable display of the special symbols has been executed 77 times, and the state is controlled to a high probability time-shortened state in which a special lottery result is drawn with a higher probability than usual. 2. a 5R time-saving jackpot in which the period during which the game balls can (easily) enter the first major winning port 2006 is shortened from the normal period after the first major winning port 2006 has been left open for a long period of time (for example, 29 seconds) or when the first major winning port sensor 3002 detects that 10 game balls have entered the first major winning port 2006, by repeating this opening and closing pattern five times (five rounds); and
3. A 2R jackpot in which an opening and closing pattern is repeated twice (two rounds) to close the first major winning port 2006 after the first major winning port 2006 has been left open for a long period of time (for example, 29 seconds) or when the first major winning port sensor 3002 detects that 10 game balls have entered the first major winning port 2006, and the game state is controlled to a 2R jackpot game state in which it is possible (easy) for a game ball to enter the first major winning port 2006; if the game state is controlled to a time-shortening state before the start of the 2R jackpot game state, the game state is controlled to a time-shortening state which is ended if a jackpot does not occur within 77 executions of the variable display of special symbols (first special symbol, second special symbol) after the jackpot game state ends; and if the game state is controlled to a non-time-shortening state before the start of the 2R jackpot game state, the game state is controlled to a normal state after the jackpot game state ends.
The jackpot will be determined from one of the three types of jackpots.

The jackpot symbol determination table compared with the first symbol random number allocates 8 judgment values for a 15R probability jackpot, 100 judgment values for a 5R time-limited jackpot, and 92 judgment values for a 2R jackpot. In other words, if a jackpot result is obtained by a lottery based on the first special random number, there is a 4% chance of a 15R jackpot, a 50% chance of a 5R jackpot, and a 46% chance of a 2R jackpot. Similarly, the jackpot symbol determination table compared with the second symbol random number allocates 92 judgment values for a 15R probability jackpot, a 100 judgment value for a 5R time-limited jackpot, and 8 judgment values for a 2R jackpot. In other words, if a lottery result based on the second special random number indicates a jackpot, there is a 46% chance of a 15R jackpot, a 50% chance of a 5R jackpot, and a 4% chance of a 2R jackpot. In this way, the pachinko machine 1 of this example is configured so that the jackpot symbol determination table compared with the second symbol random number has a higher probability of determining a 15R jackpot than the jackpot symbol determination table compared with the first symbol random number, and the player is more favored when the second special symbol variable display based on a start win in the second start slot 2005 is executed than when the first special symbol variable display based on a start win in the first lower start slot 2003 or the first upper start slot 2004 is executed.

In addition, once the type of jackpot is determined, the stopping pattern corresponding to the type of jackpot is determined as the manner in which the first special pattern will stop. Specifically, if a 2R jackpot is determined, the 2R jackpot pattern is determined as the jackpot pattern; if a 5R jackpot is determined, the 5R jackpot pattern is determined as the jackpot pattern; and if a 15R jackpot is determined, the 15R jackpot pattern is determined as the jackpot pattern.

In addition, if the big win flag is not set in step S131 but the small win flag is set (step S324), the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 determines the type of small win by comparing the first pattern random number read in step S302 of the normal processing of the first special pattern with the small win pattern determination table shown in Figure 233 (C), and determines the mode at the time of stopping the variable control of the first special pattern corresponding to the determined type of big win (the stopping pattern of the first special pattern) (step S325).

in particular,
1. An opening and closing pattern in which the second large winning opening 2007 is opened for a short time (for example, 80 ms) and then closed is executed twice to control the state to a small win game state in which a game ball can (easily) enter the second large winning opening 2007, and when the game ball received in the second large winning opening 2007 is distributed to the V winning opening 2008 and detected by the V winning opening sensor 2603, after the first large winning opening 2006 is opened for a long time (for example, 29 seconds) or when 10 game balls have entered the first large winning opening 2006, By repeating the opening and closing pattern 14 times when detected by the first large prize opening sensor 3002, the game ball is controlled to a 15R big win game state in which it is possible (easy) for the ball to enter the first large prize opening 2006, and after the big win game state ends, the execution period of the variable display of the special patterns (first special pattern, second special pattern) is shortened more than usual until the variable display is executed 77 times, and the game is controlled to a high probability time-shortened state in which the special lottery result is drawn with a higher probability than usual. 2. First small win An opening/closing pattern is executed twice to close the second large prize opening 2007 after opening it for a short time (e.g., 80 ms), thereby controlling the state to a small win game state in which a game ball can (easily) enter the second large prize opening 2007, and when a game ball received in the second large prize opening 2007 is distributed to the V prize opening 2008 and detected by the V prize opening sensor 2603, an opening/closing pattern is executed to close the first large prize opening 2006 after opening it for a long time (e.g., 29 seconds) or when the first large prize opening sensor 3002 detects that 10 game balls have entered the first large prize opening 2006. By repeating this 14 times, the game state is controlled to a 15R jackpot game state in which the game ball can (easily) enter the first large winning slot 2006, and if the game state is controlled to a time-shortening state before the start of the 15R jackpot game state, the game state is controlled to a time-shortening state which is ended if a jackpot is not achieved within 77 executions of the variable display of special patterns (first special pattern, second special pattern) after the jackpot game state ends, and if the game state is controlled to a non-time-shortening state before the start of the 15R jackpot game state, the game state is controlled to a normal state after the jackpot game state ends, and one of two types of small jackpots is determined.

The small win symbol determination table, which is compared with the first symbol random number, allocates 200 judgment values in the event of a first small win. In other words, if a lottery result based on the first special random number indicates a small win, there is a 100% chance of a first small win, and no second small win. On the other hand, the small win symbol determination table, which is compared with the second symbol random number, allocates 20 judgment values in the event of a first small win, and 180 judgment values in the event of a second small win. In other words, if a lottery result based on the second special random number indicates a small win, there is a 10% chance of a first small win, and a 90% chance of a second small win.

In addition, once the type of small win is determined, the stopping pattern corresponding to the type of small win is determined as the pattern when the first special pattern stops. Specifically, if the first small win is determined, the first small win pattern is determined as the small win pattern, and if the second small win is determined, the second small win pattern is determined as the small win pattern.

If neither the big win flag nor the small win flag is set, the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 determines the symbol to be a lose symbol (step S327). After this determination process for the stopped symbol has been completed, the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 sets a determination result notification command corresponding to each lottery result so that the lottery result (indicating the type of big win, small win, reach miss, or miss (which may also indicate the type of stopped symbol of the first special symbol)) is sent to the peripheral control board 1510 (step S328). Then, in step S329, the first special symbol process flag is updated to transition to the first variation pattern setting process (step S282), at which point this process ends.

The peripheral control unit 1511 controls the display of the performance display device 1600 based on the received judgment result notification command and variation pattern command (variably displaying the left, center, and right decorative patterns and displaying them in a static manner in the order of left decorative pattern → right decorative pattern → center decorative pattern (note that the left, center, and right decorative patterns may also be displayed in a synchronized dynamic manner as the same pattern and displayed in a static manner at the same time)). Specifically, the peripheral control unit 1511 determines the mode (stop pattern) of the decorative pattern displayed on the performance display device 1600 when it stops changing to be a small win pattern ("final battle") if it identifies a small win or a 2R jackpot from the received judgment result notification command, a 5R time-limited jackpot pattern (a combination in which the left, center, and right decorative patterns are the same even number pattern from "0" to "9") if it identifies a 5R time-limited jackpot, and a 15R time-limited jackpot pattern (a combination in which the left, center, and right decorative patterns are the same odd number pattern from "0" to "9") if it identifies a 15R special jackpot. Furthermore, if a reach miss is identified, a miss pattern accompanied by a reach (a combination of the same left and right decorative patterns between "0" and "9" but with a different center decorative pattern; a reach miss pattern) is determined, and if a miss is identified, a miss pattern not accompanied by a reach (a combination of the left, center, and right decorative patterns in which at least the left and right decorative patterns are different) is determined, and when the fluctuation time specified from the fluctuation pattern command has elapsed (when the game presentation ends), the determined stopped pattern is controlled and displayed on the presentation display device 1600.

In this example, the pachinko machine 1 can be controlled to the time-shortened state after a jackpot gaming state until the variable display of the special symbols (first special symbol, second special symbol) is executed a maximum of 77 times, but the time-shortened state may also be terminated based on the occurrence of a predetermined number of jackpots after being controlled to transition to the time-shortened state. Specifically, if the time-shortened state is controlled after a jackpot gaming state and a predetermined number of jackpots (for example, two) occur thereafter, the machine may be controlled to the normal state without being controlled to the time-shortened state after the end of the predetermined number of jackpot gaming states. Furthermore, even if the number of jackpots that occur is less than the predetermined number, the machine may be controlled to the non-time-shortened state during the jackpot gaming state, and then controlled to the time-shortened state again after the jackpot gaming state.

Figure 235 is a flowchart showing the steps for the first variation pattern setting process (step S282).

When the first special symbol process flag indicates that the first variation pattern setting process should be performed, as shown in FIG. 235, if the jackpot flag is set (step S341), the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 selects a variation pattern table (not shown) at the time of a jackpot corresponding to the type of jackpot determined in step S323 of the first special symbol stop symbol setting process (step S342); if the small jackpot flag is set (step S343), it selects a variation pattern table (not shown) at the time of a small jackpot corresponding to the type of small jackpot determined in step S325 of the first special symbol stop symbol setting process (step S344); if the reach flag is set (step S345), it selects a variation pattern table at the time of reach (not shown) (step S346); and if neither the jackpot flag nor the reach flag is set, that is, if it is a normal miss (a miss where the reach performance is not executed), it selects a variation pattern table at the time of a miss (not shown) (step S347).

Then, the selected variation pattern table is compared with the variation random number read in step S302 of the first special symbol normal processing to determine the variation pattern to be executed (step S348), and a variation pattern command is set to notify the peripheral control board 1510 that the determined variation pattern will be started, thereby starting the variation display of the first special symbol displayed on the first special symbol display device of the function display unit 1400 (step S349). Furthermore, the main control MPU 1310a sets the variation time set corresponding to the determined variation pattern in the variation timer (step S350). As a result, performance control is performed on the first special symbol display device of the function display unit 1400 and the performance display device 1600 for the variation time thus determined.

In this example, multiple types of variation pattern tables are provided for each determination result based on the special random number (first special random number, second special random number) and the pattern random number (first pattern random number, second pattern random number). Furthermore, the variation patterns set in each variation pattern table are stored in a manner associated with each of the variation random numbers, with multiple pieces of variation time information indicating the predetermined time (variation time) required to control the variable display of the special pattern (first special pattern, second special pattern). The main control MPU 1310a compares the selected variation pattern table from multiple types of variation pattern tables corresponding to the determination results based on the special random number and the pattern random number with the variation random number read in step S302 of the first special pattern normal processing, and obtains the variation time information associated with the read variation random number from this table to determine the variation pattern of the special pattern (first special pattern, second special pattern). This allows a lottery process to be performed for the variation pattern of the special pattern (first special pattern, second special pattern). The fluctuation pattern table is stored in the ROM of the main control MPU 1310a.

In addition, the variable pattern table for reach in this example is set up to determine the type of reach effect to be executed by comparing a judgment value indicating which reach effect to execute with a variable random number. For example, among reach effects, the super reach effect has a higher chance of winning a jackpot than the normal reach effect, and when a super reach effect is executed, the player's chances of winning a jackpot game state increase.

Furthermore, once control of the variable display of the first special symbol has begun, the next step in step S351 is to determine whether the counter value of the time-saving count counter, which sets the number of times the time-saving state continues, is "0." If this counter value is not "0," the time-saving count counter is counted down (step S352), and then it is further determined whether the counter value of the simultaneous time-saving count counter is "0" (step S353). If the counter value is "0," a time-saving end flag is set (step S354), indicating that control of the time-saving state (time-saving control) is to end.

If the processing in step S351 determines that the counter value of the time-saving count counter is "0," or if the processing in step S353 determines that the time-saving count counter is not "0," the processing proceeds to step S355. Then, this processing ends when the first special pattern process flag is updated so that the process proceeds to the first special pattern change processing (step S283).

In this example, in the fluctuation pattern table for when a loss occurs, the fluctuation time information for the special symbols, which is set to about 1 second when in the time-saving state, is associated with the special symbol random numbers (first special symbol, second special symbol), while the fluctuation time information for the special symbols, which is set to about 12 seconds when in the non-time-saving state, is associated with the special symbol random numbers (first special symbol, second special symbol). In other words, the fluctuation time information for the special symbols is set so that the time required to control the fluctuation display of the special symbols is extremely short for the fluctuation pattern selected for when a loss occurs when the time-saving state is selected, compared to the fluctuation pattern selected for when a loss occurs when the time-saving state is not selected.

Figure 236 is a flowchart showing the procedure for the first special symbol variation process (step S283).

When the first special symbol process flag indicates that the first special symbol fluctuation process should be performed, as shown in FIG. 236, the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 first, in step S371, subtracts 1 from the fluctuation timer, which is set with the fluctuation time corresponding to the fluctuation pattern determined in the lottery process for the fluctuation pattern (step S282). Then, when it is determined that the fluctuation time timer is 0, i.e., the lottery-determined fluctuation time has elapsed (step S372), the process proceeds to step S373. That is, in step S373, the process ends when the first special symbol process flag is updated to transition to the first special symbol stop process (step S284).

Figure 237 is a flowchart showing the steps for the first special symbol stop processing (step S284).

When the first special symbol process flag indicates that the first special symbol stop processing should be performed, as shown in FIG. 237, the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 first performs display control in step S381 to display the stop symbol determined in the first special symbol stop symbol setting processing on the first special symbol display device of the function display unit 1400, and sets a stop display command to the peripheral control board 1510 instructing the performance display device 1600 to display the derived display result of the decorative symbol corresponding to the stop symbol of the first special symbol (step S382).

Next, if the time-saving end flag is set (step S383), the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 resets the time-saving end flag (step S384) and also resets the time-saving flag (step S385). As a result, when the special symbols (first special symbol, second special symbol) have been displayed in varying states a predetermined number of times (77 times in this example), the time-saving control (control in the time-saving state) is terminated and non-time-saving control (control in the normal state) is initiated.

Furthermore, when the jackpot flag is set (step S386), the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 sets a jackpot start command indicating the start of jackpot play (step S387) and sets the waiting time until the start of jackpot play (the time during which a message indicating the start of jackpot play is displayed, etc.) in the interval timer (step S388). Although not shown, step S388 also executes a process to set the number of rounds corresponding to the type of jackpot in a jackpot counter, which indicates the remaining number of rounds. The jackpot counter is decremented by one each time a round is played in the jackpot control process described below. When the jackpot counter reaches "0," the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 determines that the specified number of rounds has been played and controls the jackpot play to end. Specifically, in the jackpot control process described below, the pre-opening process for the large prize opening (step S401) and the process during the opening of the large prize opening (step S402) are repeatedly executed until the jackpot counter reaches "0", and when the round ends in the process during the opening of the large prize opening (step S402), the jackpot counter is decremented by 1 and, based on the fact that it reaches "0", the process proceeds to the post-opening process for the large prize opening (step S403) and the jackpot game is ended.

Then, a jackpot execution flag is set to indicate that a jackpot game is in progress (step S389). The jackpot start command is a command sent to the peripheral control board 1510, and is prepared individually for each type of jackpot. In step S387, a jackpot start command (15R certain jackpot start command, 5R time-limited jackpot start command, 2R jackpot start command) corresponding to the type of jackpot (15R certain jackpot, 5R time-limited jackpot, 2R jackpot) is set. As a result, the jackpot game effects corresponding to the type of jackpot indicated by the jackpot start command are executed by the effect display device 1600, lamps/LEDs, speaker, etc. Similarly, the second special symbol stop processing of the second special symbol process processing also sets a jackpot start command (15R special jackpot start command, 5R time-limited jackpot start command, 2R jackpot start command) according to the type of jackpot (15R special jackpot, 5R time-limited jackpot, 2R jackpot).

In addition, the jackpot in progress flag, which indicates that a jackpot game is in progress, is reset when the jackpot game ends, specifically when the post-opening large prize opening process (step S403) of the jackpot control process (step S235A) has completed the opening and closing control of the first large prize opening 2006 according to the type of jackpot (for example, opening and closing control that repeats an opening and closing pattern two, five, or fifteen times to close the first large prize opening 2006 after it has been opened for a long period of time (for example, 29 seconds) or when the first large prize opening sensor 3002 detects that 10 game balls have entered the first large prize opening 2006) according to the type of jackpot (all rounds that can be executed in the jackpot game). By resetting the jackpot execution flag, the jackpot control process (step S235A) is not executed in step S235 of the special pattern and special electric device control process (step S114), but the function display unit 1400 is able to display the first special pattern change on the first special pattern display and the second special pattern change on the second special pattern display of the function display unit 1400.

Also, if the big win flag is not set (step S386), but the small win flag is set (step S390), the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 sets a small win start command indicating the start of small win gameplay (step S391) and sets the interval timer for the waiting time until the start of small win gameplay (the time during which a message indicating the start of small win gameplay is displayed, etc.) (step S392). Then, a small win execution flag indicating that small win gameplay is in progress is set (step S393). The small win start command is a command sent to the peripheral control board 1510 and is prepared individually for each type of small win. In step S391, a small win start command (first small win start command, second small win start command) corresponding to the type of small win (first small win, second small win) is set. As a result, the small win game presentation corresponding to the type of small win indicated by the small win start command is executed by the presentation display device 1600, lamps, LEDs, speakers, etc. Similarly, the second special symbol stop processing of the second special symbol process processing also sets a small win start command (first small win start command, second small win start command) corresponding to the type of small win (first small win, second small win).

The small win in progress flag, which indicates that a small win game is in progress, is reset when the small win game ends, specifically when the small win in progress process (step S411) of the small win control process (step S236A) described below has completed the opening and closing control of the second large winning opening 2007 according to the type of small win (for example, opening the second large winning opening 2007 for a short time (for example, 80 ms) and then closing it twice). Resetting the small win in progress flag prevents the small win control process (step S236A) from being executed in step S236 of the special symbol and special electric device control process (step S114), while enabling the display of a changing first special symbol on the first special symbol display of the function display unit 1400 and the display of a changing second special symbol on the second special symbol display of the function display unit 1400.

Also, if the small win flag is not set, i.e., if a miss occurs, the interval timer is set to the waiting time until the next variable display of the special symbol begins (the time during which the static special symbol is displayed) (step S394), and the process proceeds to step S395.

After executing the processing of steps S386 to S394, the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 updates the first special symbol process flag so that the process transitions to the initial value of first special symbol normal processing (step S395), and then terminates this processing.

Figure 238 is a flowchart showing the procedure for the jackpot control process (step S235A). During the jackpot control process, one of the following three processes is selectively executed depending on the jackpot process flag.

1. A pre-opening process for a big prize opening (step S401) in which the peripheral control board 1510 notifies the player that the game will transition to the big prize game state based on the fact that the state of the special symbols (first special symbol, second special symbol) when the variable display stops becomes a big prize symbol, or the next round starts.
2. A process during which the first major prize opening 2006 is controlled to an open state based on the fact that the mode of the special symbol when the variable display stops becomes a jackpot symbol, or the first major prize opening 2006 is controlled to an open state based on the fact that the next round is about to start, and the first major prize opening 2006 is closed after being opened for a long period of time (for example, 29 seconds) or when the first major prize opening sensor 3002 detects that 10 game balls have entered the first major prize opening 2006 (step S402).
3. A post-opening process of the big prize opening (step S403) that waits until the peripheral control board 1510 notifies the player that the big prize game state has ended when all rounds have ended.

The jackpot process flag is set in step S42 to indicate that the pre-opening process for the large prize opening (step S401) should be performed. Furthermore, in the open-opening process for the large prize opening (step S402), a jackpot round start command corresponding to the number of rounds is set at the start of the round in which the first large prize opening 2006 is controlled to be open, and a jackpot round end command corresponding to the number of rounds is set at the end of the round in which the first large prize opening 2006 is controlled to be closed. The jackpot round start command and jackpot round end command are sent to the peripheral control board 1510, and the jackpot game effects corresponding to the number of rounds specified by the jackpot round start command and jackpot round end command are executed by the effect display device 1600, lamps, LEDs, speaker, etc.

[Changes in preview effects depending on button press timing]
In this embodiment, the operation valid period during which operations can be received on the effect operation unit 301 is divided into a first half effective period corresponding to the first half, which is a period before a specific timing, and a second half effective period corresponding to the second half, which is a period after the specific timing, and a preview effect is set for each valid period, which is executed when the player operates the effect operation unit 301. Then, depending on whether the player operates the effect operation unit 301 during the first half effective period or the second half effective period within the operation valid period, a different preview effect is executed as a button effect (operation effect).

In this example, the above-mentioned button effect (operation effect) can be executed when the display of the changing patterns begins. Furthermore, while the button effect is being executed, the effect display device 1600 displays an image indicating the valid operation period and the specific timing. This makes it possible to recognize whether, while the button effect is being executed, the first half valid period, which corresponds to the first half of the period before the specific timing, is being executed, or the second half valid period, which corresponds to the second half of the period after the specific timing, is being executed. The valid operation period is set to 3 seconds, and the first half valid period and the second half valid period are each set to 1.5 seconds, so that the valid operation period is divided evenly.

In this example, before the button effect begins, it is determined which of the preview effects belonging to the first preview effect group will be executed as the preview effect corresponding to the first half valid period. If the player operates the effect operation unit 301 during the execution of the first half valid period, the preview effect that has already been determined will be executed. Also, during the execution of the button effect, the effect display device 1600 may display, as the preview effect corresponding to the first half valid period, an image suggesting the preview effect that will be executed when the effect operation unit 301 is operated, or may not display an image suggesting the preview effect that will be executed when the effect operation unit 301 is operated, but instead displays an image indicating that the preview effect that will be executed when the effect operation unit 301 is operated is unknown. In other words, if an image suggesting the preview performance that will be performed when the performance operation unit 301 is operated is displayed, it is possible to grasp the preview performance that will be performed when the performance operation unit 301 is operated, regardless of whether or not the performance operation unit 301 is operated during the first half valid period. However, if an image suggesting the preview performance that will be performed when the performance operation unit 301 is operated is not displayed, it is not possible to grasp the preview performance that will be performed when the performance operation unit 301 is operated unless the performance operation unit 301 is operated during the first half valid period.

On the other hand, before the button effect begins, it is determined which of the preview effects belonging to the second preview effect group, which is a different group from the first preview effect group, will be executed as the preview effect corresponding to the second half valid period. If the player operates the effect operation unit 301 during the execution of the second half valid period, the preview effect that has already been determined will be executed. Also, during the execution of the button effect, the effect display device 1600 may display, as the preview effect corresponding to the second half valid period, an image suggesting the preview effect that will be executed when the effect operation unit 301 is operated, or may not display an image suggesting the preview effect that will be executed when the effect operation unit 301 is operated, but instead displays an image indicating that the preview effect that will be executed when the effect operation unit 301 is operated is unknown. In other words, if an image suggesting the preview performance that will be performed when the performance operation unit 301 is operated is displayed, it is possible to grasp the preview performance that will be performed when the performance operation unit 301 is operated, regardless of whether or not the performance operation unit 301 is operated during the second half effective period. However, if an image suggesting the preview performance that will be performed when the performance operation unit 301 is operated is not displayed, it is not possible to grasp the preview performance that will be performed when the performance operation unit 301 is operated unless the performance operation unit 301 is operated during the second half effective period.

In the above, different preview effects are set for the preview effect belonging to the first preview effect group, which is the preview effect corresponding to the first half valid period, and the preview effect belonging to the second preview effect group, which is the preview effect corresponding to the second half valid period. In other words, the preview effect that is executed differs depending on whether the player operates the effect operation unit 301 during the first half valid period or the second half valid period of the operation valid period. As a result, during the execution of a button effect, the player simply operates the effect operation unit 301 at the operation timing that will execute the preview effect they desire, between the preview effect belonging to the first preview effect group, which is the preview effect corresponding to the first half valid period, and the preview effect belonging to the second preview effect group, which is the preview effect corresponding to the second half valid period. By being able to select the preview effect that will be executed after the button effect, a decline in interest in the game can be suppressed.

Furthermore, as described above, while a button effect is being executed, the effect display device 1600 may not display an image suggesting the preview effect that will be executed when the effect operation unit 301 is operated during the execution of the first half valid period, but may instead display an image indicating that the preview effect is unknown. Similarly, while a button effect is being executed, the effect display device 1600 may not display an image suggesting the preview effect that will be executed when the effect operation unit 301 is operated during the execution of the second half valid period, but may instead display an image indicating that the preview effect is unknown. In this way, when an image indicating that the preview effect that will be executed when the effect operation unit 301 is operated is displayed, it is unclear what preview effect will be executed when the effect operation unit 301 is operated, and there is a possibility that the preview effect that the player wants will be executed, allowing the player to participate in a button effect that requires operation of the effect operation unit 301 with anticipation. In particular, if one of the preview effects corresponding to the first half valid period and the second half valid period is clear and the other preview effect is unknown, the player can be given the choice of selecting and executing the clear preview effect, or selecting and executing the unknown preview effect that may still be the preview effect the player desires, thereby preventing a decline in interest in the game.

Figure 239 is a flowchart showing an example of a button effect execution process. First, the CPU of the peripheral control IC determines whether it is time to start the variable display of the pattern (decorative pattern) (step S2101). Then, if it determines that it is time to start the variable display of the pattern (decorative pattern), it makes an execution decision as to whether to execute a button effect (step S2102). Furthermore, if a button effect is to be executed, it also determines the type of button in the instruction image that instructs the operation of the effect operation unit 301.

Figure 240 (A) is a table showing an example of a button effect determination pattern. Button effect determination patterns 0 to 2 are set in the button effect determination pattern table. In step S2102 described above, a random number for button effect determination is used based on whether the result of the variable display of the pattern is a win or a miss, and one of the button effect determination patterns 0 to 2 set in the button effect determination pattern table is determined.

Button effect determination pattern 0 is a pattern in which no button effect is executed. Button effect determination pattern 1 is a pattern in which a button effect is executed, and the button state in the instruction image that instructs the operation of the effect operation unit 301 is displayed in its normal state. Button effect determination pattern 2 is a pattern in which a button effect is executed, and the button state in the instruction image that instructs the operation of the effect operation unit 301 is displayed in a red state that is different from the normal state.

In this example, when determining the button effect determination pattern, button effect determination patterns 1 and 2 are determined to have a higher expectation of a win than button effect determination pattern 0. In other words, when a button effect is executed, the expectation of a win is higher than when a button effect is not executed, allowing players to participate in the button effect with high expectations. Furthermore, of button effect determination patterns 1 and 2, button effect determination pattern 2 is determined to have a higher expectation of a win than button effect determination pattern 1. In other words, when a button effect is executed, if the button appears in a red state, the expectation of a win is higher than when the button appears in a normal state, allowing players to participate in the button effect with particularly high expectations.

Next, in the button effect execution process, the CPU of the peripheral control IC determines whether a decision to execute a button effect has been made in the execution decision as to whether or not to execute the button effect (step S2103). If it determines that a decision to execute a button effect has been made, the content of the button effect is determined (step S2104). The content of the button effect includes determining whether or not to divide the effective operation period during which operations on the effect operation unit 301 can be accepted into a first half effective period and a second half effective period, and if the effective operation period is divided into a first half effective period and a second half effective period, determining whether to display preview effects corresponding to each effective period (preview effects executed when the effect operation unit 301 is operated) and images suggesting these preview effects.

Figure 240 (B) is a table showing an example of a button effect execution pattern. Button effect determination patterns 1 to 10 are set in the button effect execution pattern table. In step S2104 described above, when the button is displayed in the normal mode, a random number for button effect execution is used based on whether the result of the symbol change display is a win or a miss, and one of the button effect execution patterns 1 to 10 set in the button effect execution pattern table is determined. Also, when the button is displayed in red mode, a random number for button effect execution is used based on whether the result of the symbol change display is a win or a miss, and one of the button effect execution patterns 2 to 10 set in the button effect execution pattern table is determined.

Button effect execution pattern 1 is a pattern in which the effective operation period during which operations can be received on the effect operation unit 301 is not divided into a first half effective period and a second half effective period, but is a single effective period. Furthermore, in button effect execution pattern 1, preview effect A is set as the preview effect corresponding to the effective operation period (preview effect executed when the effect operation unit 301 is operated), and the effect display device 1600 displays "preview A" as an image suggesting that the preview effect corresponding to the effective operation period is preview effect A.

Button effect execution patterns 2 to 10 are patterns that divide the operation valid period during which operations can be made to the effect operation unit 301 into a first half valid period and a second half valid period. Furthermore, for button effect execution patterns 2 to 10, preview effect A, which is a preview effect belonging to the first preview effect group, is set as the preview effect corresponding to the first half valid period (the preview effect executed when the effect operation unit 301 is operated during the first half valid period). Of these, button effect execution patterns 2 to 6 are patterns in which the effect display device 1600 displays "Preview???" as an image indicating that the preview effect corresponding to the first half valid period is unknown (an image that does not suggest preview effect A). On the other hand, button effect execution patterns 7 to 10 are patterns in which the effect display device 1600 displays "Preview A" as an image suggesting that the preview effect corresponding to the first half valid period is preview effect A.

In addition, for button effect execution patterns 2 to 4, preview effects B, C, and D, which are preview effects belonging to the second preview effect group, are set as preview effects corresponding to the second half valid period (preview effects executed when the effect operation unit 301 is operated during the execution of the second half valid period). For button effect execution patterns 2 to 4, the effect display device 1600 displays "Preview???" as an image indicating that the preview effect corresponding to the second half valid period is unknown (an image that does not suggest preview effect B, C, or D). In other words, for button effect execution patterns 2 to 4, the preview effect corresponding to the first half valid period and the preview effect corresponding to the second half valid period are both displayed so that they are unknown.

In addition, for button effect execution patterns 5 and 6, preview effects C and D, which are preview effects belonging to the second preview effect group, are set as preview effects corresponding to the second half valid period (preview effects executed when the effect operation unit 301 is operated during the execution of the second half valid period). For button effect execution patterns 5 and 6, "preview C" or "preview D" is displayed on the effect display device 1600 as an image suggesting that the preview effect corresponding to the first half valid period is preview effect C or preview effect D. In other words, for button effect execution patterns 5 and 6, of the preview effect corresponding to the first half valid period and the preview effect corresponding to the second half valid period, the preview effect corresponding to the first half valid period is unclear, but the preview effect corresponding to the second half valid period is displayed so that it is clear.

In addition, for button effect execution patterns 7 and 8, preview effects C and D, which are preview effects belonging to the second preview effect group, are set as preview effects corresponding to the second half valid period (preview effects executed when the effect operation unit 301 is operated during the execution of the second half valid period). For button effect execution patterns 7 and 8, the preview effect corresponding to the second half valid period is set to "Preview???" on the effect display device 1600 as an image indicating that the preview effect corresponding to the second half valid period is unknown (an image that does not suggest preview effects C or D). In other words, for button effect execution patterns 7 and 8, of the preview effect corresponding to the first half valid period and the preview effect corresponding to the second half valid period, the preview effect corresponding to the first half valid period is made clear, but the preview effect corresponding to the second half valid period is displayed as unknown.

In addition, for button effect execution patterns 9 and 10, preview effects C and D, which are preview effects belonging to the second preview effect group, are set as preview effects corresponding to the second half valid period (preview effects executed when the effect operation unit 301 is operated during the execution of the second half valid period). Button effect execution patterns 9 and 10 are patterns in which "preview C" or "preview D" is displayed on the effect display device 1600 as an image suggesting that the preview effect corresponding to the first half valid period is preview effect C or preview effect D. In other words, for button effect execution patterns 9 and 10, the preview effect corresponding to the first half valid period and the preview effect corresponding to the second half valid period are displayed so that both the preview effect corresponding to the first half valid period and the preview effect corresponding to the second half valid period are clearly displayed.

In this example, when determining the button effect execution pattern, if the button is displayed in its normal state, one of button effect execution patterns 1 to 10 is determined, whereas if the button is displayed in its red state, button effect execution pattern 1 is not determined, and one of button effect execution patterns 2 to 10 is determined. As described above in detail, when executing a button effect, if the button appears in its red state, the expectation of a win is higher than when the button appears in its normal state. For this reason, when executing a button effect, if the valid operation period is divided into a first half valid period and a second half valid period (button effect execution patterns 2 to 10), the expectation of a win is higher than when the valid operation period is not divided into a first half valid period and a second half valid period (button effect execution pattern 1), allowing the player to participate in the button effect with high expectations.

In addition, in this example, when determining the button effect execution patterns, the expectation of a win increases in the following order: button effect execution patterns 2-4, button effect execution patterns 5-8, and button effect execution patterns 9 and 10. In other words, because button effect execution patterns 5 and 6 are determined to have a higher expectation of a win than button effect execution patterns 2-4, when the effect display device 1600 displays an image suggesting a preview effect corresponding to the first half valid period, the expectation of a win is higher than when an image suggesting a preview effect corresponding to the first half valid period is not displayed (when an image indicating that the preview effect corresponding to the first half valid period is displayed). Similarly, because button effect execution patterns 7 and 8 are determined to have a higher expectation of a win than button effect execution patterns 2-4, when the effect display device 1600 displays an image suggesting a preview effect corresponding to the second half valid period, the expectation of a win is higher than when an image suggesting a preview effect corresponding to the second half valid period is not displayed (when an image indicating that the preview effect corresponding to the second half valid period is displayed). Therefore, when executing the button effects, the more obvious the preview effects are between the preview effects corresponding to the first half valid period and the preview effects corresponding to the second half valid period, the higher the expectation of a win will be, allowing players to participate in the button effects with anticipation.

Next, in the button effect execution process, the CPU of the peripheral control IC executes a button effect based on the button effect content determined in steps S2102 and S2104 (step S2105). Then, after the button effect starts, if the effect operation unit 301 is operated during the valid operation period (step S2106), a preview effect corresponding to the valid operation period at the time the effect operation unit 301 is operated (if the valid operation period is divided, either the first half valid period or the second half valid period) is executed (step S2107).

In this example, when the operation valid period is divided into a first half valid period and a second half valid period (button effect execution patterns 2 to 10), if the effect operation unit 301 is operated during the first half valid period, the preview effect corresponding to the first half valid period is executed, and if the effect operation unit 301 is operated during the second half valid period, the preview effect corresponding to the second half valid period is executed. Furthermore, if the effect operation unit 301 is not operated during either the first half valid period or the second half valid period, neither the preview effect corresponding to the first half valid period nor the preview effect corresponding to the second half valid period is executed.

In addition, in button effect execution pattern 2, preview effect B is set as the preview effect corresponding to the second half valid period (a preview effect that is executed when the effect operation unit 301 is operated during the second half valid period), but a specific effect is executed after preview effect B is executed. In other words, preview effect B is executed as an effect that suggests that a specific effect will be executed. Furthermore, the specific effect is an effect that is set in the variation pattern, and button effect execution pattern 2, in which preview effect B is set, can be determined only when a variation pattern in which a specific effect is set is executed. Furthermore, because the specific effect is an effect that is set in the variation pattern, when a button effect based on button effect execution pattern 2 is executed, if the effect operation unit 301 is operated during the second half valid period, preview effect B is executed and the specific effect is executed, whereas if the effect operation unit 301 is not operated during the second half valid period, preview effect B is not executed but the specific effect is executed.

Figure 241 shows a specific example of a button effect being executed. Here, we will explain how to execute a button effect based on button effect execution pattern 5.

As shown in Figure 241 (A), when the effect display device 1600 starts displaying the varying decorative patterns, it immediately starts the button effect (Figure 241 (B)). While the button effect is being executed, an instruction image instructing the operation of the effect operation unit 301 is displayed near the center of the effect display device 1600, and a valid period bar, which is an image indicating the valid operation period during which operations can be accepted on the effect operation unit 301, is displayed slightly below the center of the effect display device 1600. In addition, a dividing line is displayed within the valid period bar to indicate the specific timing for dividing the valid operation period into a first half valid period and a second half valid period, with the left side of the dividing line within the valid period bar indicating the first half valid period and the right side of the dividing line within the valid period bar indicating the second half valid period.

In addition, the area within the validity period bar indicating the first half of the validity period and the area within the validity period bar indicating the second half of the validity period each display an image indicating the preview effect that will be executed when the effect operation unit 301 is operated, in front of the filled-in area indicating the remaining period of the valid operation period. Specifically, the area within the validity period bar indicating the first half of the validity period displays "Preview???" as an image indicating that the preview effect corresponding to the first half of the validity period (the preview effect that will be executed when the effect operation unit 301 is operated during the execution of the first half of the validity period) is unknown (an image that does not suggest preview effect A), and the area within the validity period bar indicating the second half of the validity period displays "Preview C" as an image indicating that the preview effect corresponding to the second half of the validity period (the preview effect that will be executed when the effect operation unit 301 is operated during the execution of the second half of the validity period) is preview effect C. As time passes after the start of the button effect, the filled-in area within the validity period bar indicating the remaining period of the valid operation period decreases from left to right.

As shown in Figure 241 (C), if the performance operation unit 301 is operated during the execution of the first half valid period, preview performance A is selected as the preview performance corresponding to the first half valid period, and by executing preview performance A, it becomes clear that the previously unknown preview performance is preview performance A (Figure 241 (D)). Also, as shown in Figure 241 (E), if the performance operation unit 301 is operated during the execution of the second half valid period, preview performance C is selected as the preview performance corresponding to the second half valid period, and preview performance C is executed (Figure 241 (F)). Also, as shown in Figure 241 (G), if the performance operation unit 301 is not operated during either the first half valid period or the second half valid period until the valid operation period has elapsed, neither preview performance A as the preview performance corresponding to the first half valid period nor preview performance C as the preview performance corresponding to the second half valid period will be executed.

In this example, if the performance operation unit 301 is operated during the first half valid period or during the second half valid period, the button performance currently being performed is terminated, and immediately thereafter, a preview performance corresponding to the operation valid period (either the first half valid period or the second half valid period) at the time the performance operation unit 301 was operated is executed. However, if the performance operation unit 301 is operated during the first half valid period or during the second half valid period, the preview performance corresponding to the operation valid period (either the first half valid period or the second half valid period) at the time the performance operation unit 301 was operated may be configured to wait for the operation valid period of the button performance to elapse before executing a preview performance corresponding to the operation valid period (either the first half valid period or the second half valid period) at the time the performance operation unit 301 was operated. Furthermore, while the variable display of the symbol for which the button effect has been executed is in progress, it is sufficient that a preview effect corresponding to the operation valid period (either the first half valid period or the second half valid period) at the time when the effect operation unit 301 is operated is executed. For example, after a predetermined period has elapsed since the effect operation unit 301 was operated during the first half valid period or the second half valid period, a preview effect corresponding to the operation valid period (either the first half valid period or the second half valid period) at the time when the effect operation unit 301 was operated may be executed.

In addition, in this example, the valid operation period is set to 3 seconds, and the first and second effective periods are each set to 1.5 seconds, so that the valid operation period is divided evenly. However, this is not limited to this; the ratio between the first and second effective periods within the valid operation period may be unequal, and the first and second effective periods may be divided differently. For example, the first effective period may be shorter than the second effective period within the valid operation period, and a preview effect corresponding to that first effective period (a preview effect executed when the effect operation unit 301 is operated during the first effective period) may be set to one that has a high expectation of winning. In such a case, even if it is difficult to operate the effect operation unit 301 during the first effective period, it is possible to create an incentive to operate the effect operation unit 301 during the first effective period.

In this example, the image displayed on the effect display device 1600 indicating the preview effect to be executed when the effect operation unit 301 is operated is displayed within the validity period bar and in front of the filled-in area indicating the remaining valid operation period, so that it is always visible regardless of whether the filled-in area indicating the remaining valid operation period decreases. In contrast, the image indicating the preview effect to be executed when the effect operation unit 301 is operated may be displayed within the validity period bar and behind the filled-in area indicating the remaining valid operation period, so that it is hidden and cannot be seen when the filled-in area indicating the remaining valid operation period has not decreased, but gradually becomes visible as the filled-in area indicating the remaining valid operation period decreases. With this configuration, as time passes after the start of the button effect, the filled-in area within the validity period bar indicating the remaining valid operation period decreases, and the image indicating the preview effect to be executed when the effect operation unit 301 is operated gradually becomes clear, attracting the user's attention with anticipation as to what kind of preview effect will be revealed. Furthermore, the player can be given the choice of operating the effect operation unit 301 before the image showing the preview effect that will be executed when the effect operation unit 301 is operated becomes clear, or operating the effect operation unit 301 after the image showing the preview effect that will be executed when the effect operation unit 301 is operated becomes clear, thereby preventing a decline in interest in the game.

[Execution of crazy effects and mute effects triggered by reserved winning]
In this embodiment, when a game ball B enters the first lower starting port 2003, the first upper starting port 2004, or the second starting port 2005, the above-mentioned pre-effect judgment process determines, based on the obtained special random number, reach random number, pattern random number, and variable random number, whether the display result of the special pattern variable display will be a jackpot, and if it is a jackpot, the type of jackpot, and if it is not a jackpot, whether to execute a reach effect as a game effect executed by the effect display device 1600, and the type of mode (type of variable pattern) of the game effect to be executed, before starting the variable display corresponding to the start winning, and a command related to the pre-judgment information is sent from the main control board 1310 to the peripheral control board 1510, so that the peripheral control board 1510 can also grasp the pre-judgment information.

In this example, when the type of game presentation mode (type of variation pattern) specified by the pre-determination information is a specific reach presentation, it is possible to execute a madness presentation as a presentation to surprise the player when a ball hits the ball corresponding to that pre-determination information. In the madness presentation, a cut-in image of a character going mad is displayed, and the sound of the character screaming "Kyaaa" is output while the sound of the background music and other presentation sounds that are output as the presentation progresses is muted. In other words, in the madness presentation, all presentation sounds other than the sound of the character scream are muted. In this way, when a ball hits the ball that will trigger a specific reach presentation, the madness presentation is suddenly executed separately from the presentation that is currently being performed, surprising the player and making players who are closely watching the presentation that is currently being performed aware that such a ball has hit the ball.

In addition, in this example, after the crazy effect is executed, the images displayed as the effect progresses remain normal, but a muting effect is executed in which all sound effects, including sound effects such as background music that are output as the effect progresses, are muted. In this way, by first executing the crazy effect to surprise the player when a ball is scored that will trigger a specific reach effect, the muting effect that is executed afterwards becomes more prominent, creating a sense of tension and anticipation in the player. Furthermore, even if the player does not realize that a ball has scored that will trigger a specific reach effect when the crazy effect is executed, the muting effect that is executed afterwards can make them aware of the fact that such a ball has scored.

In addition, in this example, the silence effect after the execution of the crazy effect can be continued until the start of the variable display of symbols corresponding to the ball that will trigger a specific reach effect. In other words, if there is already a reserve (memory of a special random number) at the time a ball that will trigger a specific reach effect is scored, the variable display of symbols corresponding to that reserve is executed, and then the variable display of symbols corresponding to the ball that will trigger a specific reach effect begins. Therefore, the silence effect after the execution of the crazy effect can be continued across multiple variable display of symbols. In this way, by allowing the silence effect to continue across multiple variable display of symbols, it is possible to maintain the tension and anticipation felt by the player as the variable display of symbols corresponding to the ball that will trigger a specific reach effect begins.

Conventionally, pre-determination effects based on pre-determination information (so-called pre-reading effects) have involved using a hold display displayed on the effect display device 1600 in response to a start winning while a symbol variable display is being executed, and then executing a hold change effect that suggests the likelihood of a win by changing the state of the hold display during the time period between the execution of the symbol variable display corresponding to the start winning and the erasure of the hold display. By executing multiple such pre-determination effects in combination, the player's sense of anticipation is heightened. In this regard, in this example, as a pre-determination effect based on pre-determination information (so-called pre-determination effects), even without executing a lively combination of effects like conventional pre-determination effects, a sense of tension and anticipation can be created in the player by executing a frenzy effect and a silence effect after the frenzy effect is executed, thereby preventing a decline in interest in the game.

Figure 242 is a flowchart showing an example of the ball entry madness effect execution process. First, when game ball B enters the first lower starting gate 2003, the first upper starting gate 2004, or the second starting gate 2005, the main control board 1310 sends a command related to advance judgment information to the peripheral control board 1510. When the CPU of the peripheral control IC receives the command related to advance judgment information (step S2201), it determines whether the type of game effect (type of variation pattern) specified by the advance judgment information is a specific reach effect (step S2202). Then, if it determines that the type of game effect (type of variation pattern) specified by the advance judgment information is a specific reach effect, it determines whether the currently executing symbol variation display is a normal variation (a symbol variation display that does not result in reach) and whether a pre-judgment effect (so-called a look-ahead effect) based on advance judgment information earlier than the advance judgment information is currently being executed (step S2203). Note that a specific reach effect corresponds to a reach effect with a high expectation of a win (for example, a super reach effect) among multiple types of reach effects with different expectation of a win.

In step S2203, if it is determined that the currently executing symbol change display is a normal change (a symbol change display that does not result in a reach) when a ball is struck, which will trigger a specific reach effect, and that a pre-determination effect based on pre-determination information prior to the relevant pre-determination information (a so-called "pre-read effect") is not currently being executed, then a "madness" effect and a "silence" effect are executed after the "madness" effect (step S2204). In other words, only when the currently executing symbol change display is a normal change (a symbol change display that does not result in a reach effect) and a pre-determination effect based on pre-determination information (a so-called "pre-read effect") is not currently being executed, and a ball is struck, which will trigger a specific reach effect, will a "madness" effect and a "silence" effect be executed after the "madness" effect. Here, the "madness" effect involves displaying a cut-in image of a character going mad for a predetermined period (in this example, 2 seconds), and outputting the sound of a character screaming "Kyaaa" while muting background music and other sound effects that are output as the effect progresses. In other words, during the madness effect, all sound effects are muted except for the character's screams. Furthermore, during the muted sound effects that occur after the madness effect is executed, the images displayed as the effect progresses remain normal, but all sound effects, including background music and other sound effects that are output as the effect progresses, are muted.

In this example, the condition for executing the crazy effect and the silence effect after the crazy effect is that when a ball is scored that will trigger a specific reach effect, the display of the currently executing symbol is in normal movement (a display of a symbol that does not result in a reach effect). For example, if the display of the currently executing symbol is a reach movement (a display of a symbol that will result in a reach effect) and a reach effect is being executed, and a ball is scored that will trigger a specific reach effect, and the crazy effect or silence effect is executed, a situation will arise in which attention to the reach effect will be hindered. In this regard, by setting the display of the currently executing symbol to be in normal movement (a display of a symbol that will not result in a reach effect), it is possible to prevent such a situation from occurring.

In addition, in this example, the condition for executing the madness effect and the silence effect after the madness effect is that a pre-determination effect (so-called pre-reading effect) based on pre-determination information prior to the pre-determination information is not being executed at the time of the ball entry that will result in the execution of a specific reach effect. In addition to the madness effect and silence effect, the pre-determination effect (so-called pre-reading effect) uses a hold display displayed on the effect display device 1600 in response to a start winning during the execution of the pattern change display, and executes a hold change effect that suggests the likelihood of a win by changing the state of the hold display during the period from the execution of the pattern change display corresponding to the start winning until the hold display is erased. For example, when a hold change effect is being executed as a pre-determination effect (so-called pre-reading effect), if a ball entry that will result in the execution of a specific reach effect is executed, and the madness effect or silence effect is executed, a situation may arise in which attention to the hold change effect is hindered. In this regard, by setting a condition that a pre-determination effect (so-called look-ahead effect) based on pre-determination information prior to the pre-determination information in question is not currently being executed, it is possible to prevent such a situation from occurring.

In addition, in this example, a cut-in image of a character going crazy is displayed as a madness effect, and background music and other sound effects that are output as the effect progresses are muted, with the character screaming "Kyaaa!", but the scream that corresponds to the character appearing in the cut-in image is output. Multiple types of characters are available as characters that can appear in cut-in images, and the cut-in image displays a character that corresponds to the currently active stage. Stages are provided that correspond to each of the multiple types of characters, and the stage changes every time several to several dozen changes are performed, and for example, the background image in which the character is involved is changed. In this way, a consistent feel can be achieved by displaying cut-in images and outputting screams using characters that correspond to the currently active stage in the madness effect.

Next, in the ball-scoring frenzy effect execution process, after the execution of the mute effect, if the timing is either the start of the variable display of symbols corresponding to the ball scoring (reserved) that will result in the execution of a specific reach effect, or the elapse of a predetermined mute period after the ball scoring (reserved) that will result in the execution of a specific reach effect, whichever occurs first (step S2105), the mute effect currently being executed is terminated, and sound effects such as background music that are output as the effect progresses are output as normal (step S2106). This point will be described in more detail below.

Figure 243 is a time chart showing an example of when the crazy effect and the mute effect are executed. Here, we will explain the case where there are already three pending balls (memory of special random numbers) at the time when a ball is scored that will trigger a specific reach effect.

As shown in FIG. 243(A), when the currently executing symbol change display is a normal change (a symbol change display that does not result in a reach), and a pre-determination effect based on pre-determination information (a so-called pre-read effect) is not being executed, and a ball is struck that will result in a specific reach effect, a madness effect is executed for a predetermined period (in this example, two seconds), and a cut-in image of the character going mad is displayed. Additionally, sound effects such as background music that are output as the effect progresses are muted, and a scream of "Kyaaa" from the character is output. In other words, all sound effects other than the character's scream are muted during the madness effect. Furthermore, the cut-in image is displayed using almost the entire display area of the effect display device 1600, in front of the currently executing decorative symbol change display and behind the currently displayed hold display. In this way, by displaying the cut-in image using almost the entire display area of the effect display device 1600 and in front of the currently executing decorative symbol change display, it is easy to notice that a madness effect is being executed.

Furthermore, after the crazy effect is executed, a mute effect is executed, and while the images displayed as the effect progresses remain normal, all sound effects, including background music and other sound effects output as the effect progresses, are muted. Then, after the mute effect begins, if the time comes for the variable display of symbols corresponding to the ball (reserved) that will trigger a specific reach effect to begin before the predetermined mute period has elapsed since the ball (reserved) that will trigger a specific reach effect, the mute effect currently being executed ends, and sound effects such as background music that are output as the effect progresses are output as normal.

In this example, when a ball is received that will trigger a specific reach effect, there are already three reserved symbols (special random number memories). Therefore, after the symbol display corresponding to those three reserved symbols is executed, the symbol display corresponding to the ball (reserved) that will trigger the specific reach effect begins. In other words, the mute effect after the execution of the crazy effect can be continued across three symbol display cycles, the number of reserved symbols. By allowing the mute effect to continue across three symbol display cycles, the player's sense of tension and anticipation can be maintained as they approach the start of the symbol display corresponding to the ball (reserved) that will trigger the specific reach effect. Furthermore, when the symbol display corresponding to the ball (reserved) that will trigger the specific reach effect begins, the mute effect ends, and background music and other sound effects that are output as the effect progresses are output as usual, thereby relieving the player of the tension they may have felt. Furthermore, the specific reach effect is a reach effect with a high expectation of a win (for example, a super reach effect) out of multiple types of reach effects with different expectations of a win, and because the specific reach effect has a high probability of resulting in a win, it is possible to particularly heighten the sense of expectation imparted to the player during the execution of the crazy effect or the silence effect.

In addition, as pre-determination effects (so-called look-ahead effects), in addition to the frenzy effects and mute effects, it is possible to execute the hold change effects mentioned above, but while the mute effect is being executed, the execution of other pre-determination effects (so-called look-ahead effects) such as the hold change effect is restricted. As a result, the player is kept in a state of tension while the mute effect is being executed, but by not executing other pre-determination effects (so-called look-ahead effects) such as the hold change effect, it is possible to prevent this tension from being interrupted.

Figure 244 is an explanatory diagram showing the light-emitting state of the door frame when the crazy and mute effects are being performed. The door frame 3 comprises a left-side door frame unit 420 attached to the front left of the door frame base unit 100, a right-side door frame unit 430 attached to the front right of the door frame base unit 100, and a top door frame unit 450 attached to the top of the front of the door frame base unit 100 above the left-side door frame unit 420 and the right-side door frame unit 430, each of which is capable of emitting light in a predetermined color. As shown in FIG. 244(A), during the crazy effect, the light-emitting portions of the left and right side frame units 420, 430 move from below toward above, and further toward the top unit 450, causing the light to be emitted as if it were focused on the top unit 450. During the silent effect that follows the crazy effect, the top unit 450 remains lit until the silent effect ends (FIG. 244(B)). This maintains the player's sense of tension and anticipation as they approach the start of the changing display of symbols corresponding to winning balls (reserved balls), which will trigger a specific reach effect.

As described above, the door frame top unit 450 remains lit while the mute effect is being executed, but while such a mute effect is being executed, the execution of other light-emitting effects using at least the door frame left side unit 420, door frame right side unit 430, and door frame top unit 450 as effects unrelated to the mute effect (such as effects related to the changing display of symbols) is restricted. As a result, the player is kept on edge while the mute effect is being executed, but by not executing other light-emitting effects unrelated to the mute effect, this tension can be prevented from being interrupted.

As shown in Figure 243 (B), if a predetermined silence period has elapsed since the ball (on hold) that will result in the execution of a specific reach effect after the start of the mute effect, but before the display of the changing patterns corresponding to the ball (on hold) that will result in the execution of a specific reach effect begins, the mute effect currently being executed will end, and sound effects such as background music that are output as the effect progresses will be output as usual. In other words, if a predetermined silence period has elapsed since the ball (on hold) that will result in the execution of a specific reach effect after the start of the mute effect, sound effects such as background music that are output as the effect progresses will be output as usual until the display of the changing patterns corresponding to the ball (on hold) that will result in the execution of a specific reach effect begins.

The above-mentioned silence period is set on the assumption that, after the start of the silence effect, up to three symbol changes will be displayed in the normal manner (symbol changes that do not result in a reach) before the symbol changes corresponding to the ball being scored (held), which will result in the execution of a specific reach effect. In other words, the normal change time is set to approximately 10 seconds, and the silence period is set to approximately 30 seconds. As a result, if, after the start of the silence effect, the symbol changes are not displayed in the normal manner (symbol changes that do not result in a reach) before the symbol changes corresponding to the ball being scored (held), which will result in the execution of a specific reach effect, but rather a reach effect (symbol changes that result in a reach effect) (e.g., 30 to 360 seconds), the silence period will end the currently running silence effect, and the background music and other sound effects that are output as the effect progresses will be output as normal, allowing the player to enjoy the excitement of the sound effects of the reach effect as normal. Additionally, if you do not set whether the mute period has elapsed, the mute effect may run for a long period of time, which could lead to concerns that the speaker has been damaged. However, by ending the mute effect once the mute period has elapsed, this situation can be prevented from occurring.

In this example, after the start of the mute effect, if a predetermined mute period has elapsed since the ball (hold) that will result in the execution of a specific reach effect begins, but before the display of the changing symbols corresponding to the ball (hold) that will result in the execution of a specific reach effect begins, the mute effect currently being executed is terminated, and the background music and other sound effects that are output as the effect progresses are output as normal. In contrast, while the mute effect is being executed, the door frame top unit 450 remains lit, but even after the mute period has elapsed, the door frame top unit 450 does not cease to remain lit, and instead remains lit until the display of the changing symbols corresponding to the ball (hold) that will result in the execution of a specific reach effect begins. In this way, the door frame top unit 450 remains lit regardless of whether the mute period has elapsed. Therefore, even if the mute period has elapsed and the mute effect has ended, it is possible to know that the display of the changing symbols corresponding to the ball (hold) that will result in the execution of a specific reach effect has not yet been executed.

In this example, the reel unit 200 is provided with a volume adjustment button 227 that can be operated by the player. The volume of the sounds output from the various speakers (such as the main frame speaker 622) can be adjusted in stages by using the volume adjustment button 227. For example, the volume output from the various speakers can be adjusted from 1 (lowest volume) → 2 → 3 → 4 → 5 (highest volume). Operating the volume adjustment button 227 upward increases the volume output from the various speakers, while operating the volume adjustment button 227 downward decreases the volume output from the various speakers. In this example, the lowest volume level (1) is zero, meaning all sound effects are inaudible. Furthermore, the volume of the sounds output from the various speakers can be adjusted both while the symbols are changing and while they are not. With this configuration, while a muted effect is being performed, operating the volume adjustment button 227 allows for internal volume adjustment, but all sound effects, including background music and other sound effects that are output as the effect progresses, remain muted.

In contrast, the system may be configured to restrict internal volume adjustments when the volume adjustment button 227 is operated while the mute effect is being performed. With this configuration, even if the volume adjustment button 227 is operated, the volume will not be adjusted internally, allowing the user to be aware that the mute effect is being performed.

In this example, while the mute effect is being executed, all effect sounds, including background music and other effect sounds that are output as the effect progresses, are muted. However, this is not limited to this, and only some effect sounds may be muted. For example, while the mute effect is being executed, the effect sounds, such as background music that are output as the effect progresses, may be muted, while the ball-entering sound that is output when a ball enters the first lower starting gate 2003, the first upper starting gate 2004, the second starting gate 2005, etc., may be output without being muted. With this configuration, even while the mute effect is being executed, the ball-entering sound can be used to confirm that a ball has entered the first lower starting gate 2003, the first upper starting gate 2004, the second starting gate 2005, etc. In addition, the operation sounds that are output when an operation unit, such as the volume adjustment button 227, is operated may also be output without being muted. With this configuration, while the mute effect is being performed, no sound effects such as background music that are output as the effect progresses are output, and even if the volume adjustment button 227 is operated, the sound of the effect does not change, but the fact that the volume adjustment button 227 has been operated can be confirmed by the operation sound.

[Implementation of a scoring suggestion using luminous components]
In this embodiment, depending on the type of win, it is possible to control the game to a time-saving state (advantageous game state) in which the execution period of the variable display of the special symbols (first special symbol, second special symbol) is shorter than usual until the variable display is executed 77 times after the end of the jackpot game state. In this time-saving state, the normal lottery drawn when game ball B passes through gate 2002 is more likely to result in a "normal win" than in the normal state (non-time-saving state), and a "normal win" in the normal lottery makes it more likely that a large number of game balls B will enter second start opening 2005. As a result, in the time-saving state, game ball B is more likely to be accepted by second start opening 2005 than by first lower start opening 2003 or first upper start opening 2004. Therefore, in order to accept game ball B into second start opening 2005, a shot operation of game ball B aimed at the right side of center device 2500 (so-called "right shot") is performed.

In this example, a second starting hole decorative board 2671 is provided around the second starting hole 2005 of the attacca unit 2600, with multiple LEDs mounted on its upper surface to illuminate and decorate the second starting hole 2005. In other words, the multiple LEDs mounted on the upper surface of the second starting hole decorative board 2671 light up, thereby lighting up and decorating the area around the second starting hole 2005. In the normal state (non-time-saving state), the multiple LEDs provided around this second starting hole 2005 work in conjunction with the LEDs on other decorative boards provided in the play area 5a, enabling integrated illumination and decoration throughout the entire play area 5a.

In addition, in this example, when game ball B enters the first lower starting gate 2003, the first upper starting gate 2004, or the second starting gate 2005, the above-mentioned pre-effect determination process determines, based on the obtained special random number, reach random number, pattern random number, and variable random number, whether the display result of the special pattern variable display will be a jackpot, and if it is a jackpot, the type of jackpot, and if it is not a jackpot, whether to execute a reach effect as a game effect executed by the effect display device 1600, and the type of mode (type of variable pattern) of the game effect to be executed, before starting the variable display corresponding to the start winning. A command related to the pre-determination information is sent from the main control board 1310 to the peripheral control board 1510, so that the peripheral control board 1510 can also grasp the pre-determination information.

In addition, in this example, when game ball B enters second starting hole 2005 during control of the time-saving state, the illumination patterns of multiple LEDs located around second starting hole 2005 are used to implement a suggestive effect that suggests the likelihood of a win being included in the changing pattern display that will show the outcome after the ball enters second starting hole 2005. Such "changing pattern display that will show the outcome after the ball enters second starting hole 2005" includes the changing pattern display that is being executed at the time of the ball entering second starting hole 2005, the changing pattern display of an unexecuted pattern that is already stored as pending at the time of the ball entering second starting hole 2005, and the changing pattern display of an unexecuted pattern that will be stored as pending at the time of the ball entering second starting hole 2005. Whether or not the variable display of the symbols being executed at the time of the ball entering the second starting hole 2005 will be a winning combination can be determined from the winning/losing information based on the winning/losing command or the variable pattern command transmitted at the start of the variable display of the symbols, and whether or not the variable display of the unexecuted symbols that has already been stored as reserved at the time of the ball entering the second starting hole 2005 or the variable display of the unexecuted symbols that will be stored as reserved at the time of the ball entering the second starting hole 2005 will be a winning combination can be determined from the advance judgment information based on the command relating to the advance judgment information transmitted at the time of the ball entering the second starting hole 2005. In this way, when the game ball B enters the second starting hole 2005 during control of the time-shortening state, by executing a suggestive effect using a plurality of LEDs provided around the second starting hole 2005, it is possible to determine early on whether the result of the variable display of the symbols shown after the ball enters the second starting hole 2005 will be a winning combination. In particular, if there is a variable display of an unexecuted symbol that has already been stored as reserved, when game ball B subsequently enters second starting hole 2005, a suggestion effect is executed using multiple LEDs provided around second starting hole 2005, making it possible to grasp early on whether any of the variable displays of the unexecuted symbol will be a winning symbol, without waiting for the variable display of the unexecuted symbol that has already been stored as reserved to be executed.

Regarding the above, if the maximum number of reserved balls has not been reached, when game ball B enters second start hole 2005, it is stored as reserved, and a suggestive effect can be executed using multiple LEDs located around second start hole 2005, which indicates the expected probability of a winning ball being included in the changing pattern display that will show the result after ball B enters second start hole 2005. In other words, if the maximum number of reserved balls has not been reached, the suggestive effect can be executed by the player continuing to operate handle 195 so that game ball B enters second start hole 2005, allowing the player to quickly determine the possibility that one of the changing pattern displays that have already been stored as reserved balls will be a winning ball. Here, in the time-saving mode, balls are more likely to enter second start hole 2005, making it easier for the maximum number of reserved balls to be reached. When the number of reserved balls is close to the maximum number, the player often stops shooting game ball B into second start hole 2005 to prevent the maximum number of reserved balls from being exceeded. In this regard, in this example, even if the number of reserved balls is close to the upper limit, the player can continue to operate the handle 195 to enable the execution of suggestive effects, allowing the player to continue shooting game ball B into the second starting hole 2005, thereby preventing a decline in interest in the game.

In addition, if the maximum number of reserved balls has been reached, when game ball B enters second starting hole 2005, it is not stored as reserved, but a suggestive effect can be executed using multiple LEDs located around second starting hole 2005, and the expectation of whether or not a winning ball will be included in the changing pattern display that will show the result after the ball enters second starting hole 2005 is indicated. In other words, if the maximum number of reserved balls has been reached, the suggestive effect can be executed by the player continuing to operate handle 195 so that game ball B enters second starting hole 2005, and it is possible to grasp early on whether any of the changing pattern displays that have not yet been executed and are already stored as reserved will be a winning ball. In the time-saving mode, balls are more likely to land in the second starting hole 2005 and the maximum number of reserved balls is more likely to be reached. When the maximum number of reserved balls has been reached, even if more game balls B land in the second starting hole 2005, the display of the patterns resulting from those balls is not executed, and therefore the balls are often stopped from being thrown into the second starting hole 2005. In this example, even if the maximum number of reserved balls has been reached, the player's continued operation of the handle 195 allows the execution of suggestive effects, allowing the player to continue throwing game balls B into the second starting hole 2005 and preventing a decline in interest in the game.

In this example, when game ball B enters the second starting hole 2005 during control of the time-saving state, a suggestion effect is executed, suggesting the likelihood of whether a winning combination will be included in the changing pattern display that will show the result after the ball enters the second starting hole 2005, by using the illumination patterns of multiple LEDs located around the second starting hole 2005. However, this is not limited to this, and the suggestion effect may be configured to only suggest the likelihood of whether a winning combination will be included in the changing pattern display of an unexecuted symbol that is already stored as pending at the time the ball enters the second starting hole 2005. This also makes it possible to execute a suggestion effect by continuing the player's operation of the handle 195 so that game ball B enters the second starting hole 2005 afterwards, if there is a changing pattern display of an unexecuted symbol that is already stored as pending. This allows the player to grasp early on the likelihood that one of the changing pattern displays of the unexecuted symbol will be a winning combination, without waiting for the changing pattern display of the unexecuted symbol that is already stored as pending to be executed.

In addition, in this example, when game ball B enters second starting hole 2005 during control of the time-saving state, a suggestion effect is executed, suggesting the likelihood of a winning combination among the changing symbol displays that will show the results after the ball enters second starting hole 2005, based on the illumination patterns of multiple LEDs located around second starting hole 2005. However, this is not limited to this, and the suggestion effect may be executed when it is determined that the player is continuing to operate handle 195 (detected by handle touch sensor 192 or handle rotation detection sensor 189). In this way, if there is a changing symbol display that has already been stored as pending and it is determined that the player is continuing to operate handle 195, it is possible to execute a suggestion effect because there is an intention to have the ball enter second starting hole 2005, and it is possible to grasp early on whether any of the changing symbol displays that have already been stored as pending will be a winning combination, without waiting for the changing symbol displays that have already been stored as pending to be executed.

In addition, in this example, when game ball B enters the second starting hole 2005 during control of the time-saving state, the light emission patterns of multiple LEDs located around the second starting hole 2005 are used to implement a suggestive effect that suggests the expected degree of whether or not a winning result will be included in the changing display of the patterns that will show the result after the ball enters the second starting hole 2005. However, this is not limited to this, and the system may be configured to implement a suggestive effect that suggests the expected degree of whether or not a winning result will be included in the changing display of the patterns that will show the result after the ball enters the first lower starting hole 2003 or the first upper starting hole 2004 during control of the normal state (non-time-saving state), using the light emission patterns of specified light-emitting elements. This also makes it possible to execute a suggestive effect when a game ball B subsequently lands in the first lower starting hole 2003 or the first upper starting hole 2004 if there is an unexecuted variable display of a symbol that has already been stored as reserved. This allows the player to quickly determine whether one of the unexecuted variable display symbols will be a winning symbol, without waiting for the variable display of the unexecuted symbol that has already been stored as reserved to be executed. Furthermore, in the normal state (non-time-saving state), it is more difficult for the ball to land in the first lower starting hole 2003 or the first upper starting hole 2004 than for the ball to land in the second starting hole 2005 in the time-saving state. However, by enabling the suggestive effect to be executed by having the ball land in the first lower starting hole 2003 or the first upper starting hole 2004, it is possible to motivate the player to try to get the ball to land in the first lower starting hole 2003 or the first upper starting hole 2004, thereby preventing a decline in interest in the game.

In addition, in this example, in both cases where the upper limit of reserved balls has not been reached and game ball B enters second start port 2005 and is stored as reserved, and where the upper limit of reserved balls has been reached and game ball B enters second start port 2005 and is not stored as reserved, a suggestive effect is executed, using the illumination patterns of multiple LEDs located around second start port 2005 to indicate the likelihood of a winning combination among the varying symbol displays that will show the results after ball B enters second start port 2005. However, this is not limited to this, and the suggestive effect may be executed only when the upper limit of reserved balls has not been reached and game ball B enters second start port 2005 and is stored as reserved. In this way, the suggestive effect can be executed by the player continuing to operate handle 195 so that game ball B enters second start port 2005 only when the upper limit of reserved balls has not been reached, allowing the player to determine early on whether any of the varying symbol displays that have not yet been executed and are stored as reserved will be a winning combination. Furthermore, in this example, a predetermined time (for example, 3 seconds) is set as the period for executing the suggestive effect, but with the above configuration, it may also be configured so that a new suggestive effect can be executed each time game ball B enters second start port 2005 and is stored as a new reserved ball.

In addition, in this example, when game ball B enters the second starting hole 2005, the illumination patterns of multiple LEDs located around the second starting hole 2005 are used to implement a suggestive effect that suggests the likelihood of whether a winning result will be included in the changing display of symbols that will show the outcome after the ball enters the second starting hole 2005. However, it is not necessary to implement a suggestive effect; when game ball B enters the second starting hole 2005, there may be cases where a suggestive effect is implemented, and there may be cases where a suggestive effect is not implemented. In this configuration, when a suggestive effect is implemented, the likelihood of whether a winning result will be included in the changing display of symbols that will show the outcome after the ball enters the second starting hole 2005 is higher than when a suggestive effect is not implemented.

In addition, in this example, when game ball B enters second starting hole 2005 during control of the time-saving state, a suggestion effect is executed, which suggests the likelihood of whether a winning ball will be included in the changing display of the patterns that will show the result after ball B enters second starting hole 2005, by using the illumination patterns of multiple LEDs located around second starting hole 2005. However, this is not limited to this, and the suggestion effect may be configured to suggest the likelihood of whether a specific hold among the changing display of unexecuted patterns that are already stored as holds at the time of ball B entering second starting hole 2005 will be a winning ball. In such a configuration, for example, hold displays corresponding to each hold are displayed on the effect display device 1600, and the hold display corresponding to the specific hold is preferably displayed in a different manner from the other hold displays so that it is possible to determine which hold is the specific hold, i.e., which hold the suggestion effect is being executed for. As a result, when game ball B enters second starting port 2005, if a suggestion effect is executed for a specific reserved ball that is already stored as reserved at the time the ball enters second starting port 2005, it is possible to grasp early on the possibility that the specific reserved ball will be a winning ball, without waiting for the display of a changing pattern corresponding to the specific reserved ball that is already stored as reserved to be executed, and the player can wait in anticipation until the display of a changing pattern corresponding to the specific reserved ball is executed.

In addition, in the above description, when a specific hold exists and game ball B enters the second start port 2005, it is possible to execute a suggestive effect that suggests the likelihood of whether the specific hold will be a hit. However, the following variations are also possible. Specifically, after a specific hold is stored, each time game ball B enters the second start port 2005 and is stored as a new hold, it is possible to execute a suggestive effect for the specific hold, and the likelihood of whether the specific hold will be a hit may be suggested based on the number of consecutive suggestive effects that can be executed each time a new hold is stored. For example, the more consecutive suggestive effects that can be executed each time a new hold is stored, the higher the likelihood of whether the specific hold will be a hit. Furthermore, the expectation of whether the specific hold will be a hit may be increased when the number of consecutive suggestive effects that can be executed each time a new hold is stored reaches a predetermined number (e.g., three times). According to this, after a specific hold has been stored, it is possible to execute a suggestive effect for the specific hold by having the ball enter the second start port 2005, and since it is possible to determine whether or not there is a high expectation that the specific hold will be a hit, it is possible to motivate the player to have the ball enter the second start port 2005 and prevent a decline in interest in the game. Also, after a specific hold has been stored, each time game ball B enters the second start port 2005 and is stored as a new hold, it is possible to draw the player's attention to whether or not the execution of the suggestive effect for the specific hold will continue (the execution of the suggestive effect will be repeated), and the player can focus their attention with anticipation on the execution of the suggestive effect until the variable display of the pattern corresponding to the specific hold is executed.

Figure 245 is a flowchart showing an example of a ball-entry suggestion display execution process. First, when the game state is in the time-saving state (step S2301), the CPU of the peripheral control IC determines whether game ball B has entered the second starting hole 2005 (step S2302). Then, if it determines that game ball B has entered the second starting hole 2005 while the time-saving state is being controlled, it determines the illumination mode of multiple LEDs located around the second starting hole 2005 based on whether a winning result is included in the changing display of the patterns that will show the result after the ball has entered the second starting hole 2005 (step S2303). As described above, the "variable display of a pattern whose result will be shown after the ball enters the second starting port 2005" includes the variable display of a pattern that is currently being executed at the time the ball enters the second starting port 2005, the variable display of an unexecuted pattern that is already stored as pending at the time the ball enters the second starting port 2005, and the variable display of an unexecuted pattern that will be stored as pending at the time the ball enters the second starting port 2005. Whether the variable display of a pattern that is currently being executed at the time the ball enters the second starting port 2005 is a winning combination can be determined from the winning/losing information based on the winning/losing command or the variable pattern command sent when the variable display of the pattern begins. Whether the variable display of an unexecuted pattern that is already stored as pending at the time the ball enters the second starting port 2005 or the variable display of an unexecuted pattern that will be stored as pending at the time the ball enters the second starting port 2005 is a winning combination can be determined from the pre-determination information based on the pre-determination information command sent when the ball enters the second starting port 2005.

In this example, the lighting modes of the multiple LEDs provided around the second starting hole 2005 are set to blue, green, red, and rainbow. When determining the lighting modes of the multiple LEDs provided around the second starting hole 2005, the colors are determined in the order of blue, green, red, and rainbow so that the likelihood of a winning combination being included in the changing pattern display that will reveal the result after the ball has entered the second starting hole 2005 increases. The rainbow color is a lighting mode that can be determined only if a winning combination is included in the changing pattern display that will reveal the result after the ball has entered the second starting hole 2005. Therefore, when a suggestive effect is performed, the more the multiple LEDs light up in a lighting mode that suggests a higher likelihood of a winning combination being included in the changing pattern display that will reveal the result after the ball has entered the second starting hole 2005, the more likely the result of the changing pattern display that will be shown after the ball has entered the second starting hole 2005 will be a winning combination, and the more the player can anticipate and focus on the result of the changing pattern display.

Next, in the ball-entry suggestion effect execution process, the CPU of the peripheral control IC executes a suggestion effect by rapidly flashing multiple LEDs located around the second starting hole 2005 in the light-emitting mode determined in step S2303, and continues the rapid flashing in that light-emitting mode until a predetermined period of time has elapsed (step S2304). In this example, when the suggestion effect is executed, the multiple LEDs located around the second starting hole 2005 are flashed rapidly, making it easier to notice that a suggestion effect is being executed. Furthermore, while a suggestion effect is being executed, no new suggestion effect is executed, even if game ball B enters the second starting hole 2005. In other words, it is only possible to execute a new suggestion effect when game ball B enters the second starting hole 2005 if no suggestion effect is being executed.

In this example, a predetermined time (e.g., 3 seconds) is set as the period for executing the suggestive effect. It is preferable to set the period for executing such suggestive effects to be shorter than the time it takes for the symbols to change during control of the time-saving state. In this way, since more suggestive effects can be executed during control of the time-saving state than the results of the symbol change display are shown, the lighting patterns of the multiple LEDs located around the second starting hole 2005 increase the chance that the results of the symbol change display shown after the ball enters the second starting hole 2005 are likely to be a win, and this can draw the player's attention to the execution of the suggestive effect with anticipation.

In addition, in this example, during control of the normal state (non-time-saving state), a hold display is displayed on the effect display device 1600 so that the number of reserved balls can be seen from the time when a start win occurs during the execution of the pattern changing display until the execution of the pattern changing display corresponding to that start win, whereas during control of the time-saving state, the hold display is not displayed on the effect display device 1600 from the time when a start win occurs during the execution of the pattern changing display until the execution of the pattern changing display corresponding to that start win. In other words, during control of the time-saving state, when game ball B enters the second start opening 2005, the hold display is not displayed and the number of reserved balls is not known, so it is not possible to know whether the number of reserved balls has reached its upper limit. For this reason, during control of the time-saving state, game balls B can continue to be shot so that as many game balls B as possible enter the second start opening 2005, regardless of whether the number of reserved balls has reached its upper limit.

In addition, in this example, during control in the normal state (non-time-saving state), a pre-determination effect (so-called pre-reading effect) is performed using a hold display displayed on the effect display device 1600 in response to a start winning entry while the variable pattern display is being executed, and a hold change effect is executed in which the state of the hold display changes to suggest the likelihood of a win, during the period from when the variable pattern display corresponding to the start winning entry is executed until the hold display is erased. In addition, in the hold change effect, the state of the hold display is set to blue, green, red, and rainbow, and the final state of the hold display is executed in the order of blue, green, red, and rainbow, so that the likelihood of a win increases. In addition, in the hold change effect, the state of the hold display can change to a state that suggests a high likelihood of a win, during the period from when the variable pattern display is executed after a start winning entry is executed until the variable pattern display corresponding to the start winning is executed. In other words, when a pending display is displayed on the effect display device 1600 due to a start winning while the pattern changing display is being executed, the state of the pending display may change thereafter, and when the pattern changing display corresponding to the start winning is executed, it is necessary to wait to see if a state indicating a high expectation of a win appears until the state of the pending display is finally determined.

In contrast, during control of the time-saving mode, the effect display device 1600 does not display a hold display during the period from when a start win occurs during the execution of the pattern change display until the execution of the pattern change display corresponding to that start win, and therefore the hold change display described above is not executed. This allows the user to focus attention on the multiple LEDs located around the second start opening 2005, which are the target of the suggestive display during control of the time-saving mode. Furthermore, during the suggestive display, the light-emitting mode of the multiple LEDs located around the second start opening 2005 simply flashes rapidly in blue, green, red, or rainbow for a predetermined period of time, and the light-emitting mode of the multiple LEDs does not change during the predetermined period of time. Therefore, after the suggestive display begins, there is no need to continue to pay attention to the light-emitting mode of the multiple LEDs located around the second start opening 2005. This allows the user to quickly determine whether the result of the pattern change display shown after the ball enters the second start opening 2005 will be a win, without waiting for the pattern change display corresponding to the ball entering the second start opening 2005 to be executed.

Figure 246 is an explanatory diagram showing the light-emitting locations on the game area when a suggestive effect is being executed. As shown in Figure 246, when game ball B enters the second starting hole 2005 during control of the time-saving state, a suggestive effect is executed by causing multiple LEDs located around the second starting hole 2005 to flash rapidly for a predetermined period of time. The light-emitting mode of the multiple LEDs located around the second starting hole 2005 is set to flash rapidly in blue, green, red, or rainbow colors. In this way, during control of the time-saving state, a suggestive effect is executed using multiple LEDs located around the second starting hole 2005, where game ball B should enter, so that even a player who is paying attention to whether or not the ball will enter the second starting hole 2005 will naturally notice that a suggestive effect is being executed.

Furthermore, when game ball B enters the first lower starting hole 2003 or the first upper starting hole 2004 during control in the normal state (non-time-saving state), a hold display is displayed in the lower left area of the effect display device 1600, and a pattern change display corresponding to the start winning is performed, making it possible to execute the hold change effect described above until the hold display is erased. Furthermore, the hold display displayed on the effect display device 1600 is displayed in blue, green, red, or rainbow color.

Furthermore, when a suggestive effect is executed when game ball B enters the second starting hole 2005 during control of the time-saving state, not only do multiple LEDs located around the second starting hole 2005 flash rapidly during the execution of the suggestive effect, but a specified light-emitting element 2590 located in the upper left of the game area 5a also lights up or flashes. This makes it easier for players who are not paying attention to the multiple LEDs located around the second starting hole 2005 when a ball enters the second starting hole 2005 during control of the time-saving state to notice that a suggestive effect is being executed. Similarly, when game ball B enters the first lower starting hole 2003 or the like during control of the normal state (non-time-saving state), when a hold change effect is executed, not only does the mode of the hold display displayed on the effect display device 1600 change during the execution of the hold change effect, but the common light-emitting element 2590 also lights up or flashes. This makes it easier for a player who is not paying attention to the effect display device 1600 to notice that a hold change effect is being executed when a ball enters the first lower starting gate 2003 or the like during control in the normal state (non-time-shortening state).The common light-emitting unit 2590 is positioned so that the distance from the second starting gate 2005, where the ball should enter during control in the time-shortening state, is approximately the same as the distance from the first lower starting gate 2003, where the ball should enter during control in the normal state (non-time-shortening state). As a result, although the position of the starting hole (first lower starting hole 2003, second starting hole 2005) where the ball should be inserted differs depending on whether the machine is controlled to the time-saving state or the normal state (non-time-saving state), whether or not an effect suggesting the likelihood of a win (indicative effect, hold change effect) is being executed can be determined by simply visually checking the common light-emitting unit 2590 located at approximately the same distance from each starting hole, making it difficult to miss that such an effect is being executed even if the starting hole (first lower starting hole 2003, second starting hole 2005) where the ball should be inserted changes.

As described above, when the suggestion effect is being performed, not only do the multiple LEDs located around the second starting port 2005 flash rapidly, but the common light-emitting element 2590 also lights up or flashes, but the light-emitting pattern of the common light-emitting element 2590 is set to light up or flash in a color different from the light-emitting colors used in the suggestion effect (in this example, blue, green, red, and rainbow colors). For example, the light-emitting pattern of the common light-emitting element 2590 is set to light up or flash in yellow, purple, orange, etc. This makes it less likely that the light-emitting pattern of the common light-emitting element 2590 will light up or flash when the suggestion effect is being performed, and it is therefore clear to the player that they should check their expectation of a win based on the light-emitting pattern of the multiple LEDs located around the second starting port 2005 after confirming that the common light-emitting element 2590 is lit up or flashing.

In this example, the light color used in the suggestive effect when a ball enters the second starting port 2005 is blue, green, red, or rainbow, while the light color used in the hold change effect when a ball enters the first lower starting port 2003 is blue, green, red, or rainbow. While the same light color is set, a different light color may also be set. Furthermore, the light-emitting mode of the common light-emitting unit 2590 may be configured to light up or flash in a different light color from the light color used in the suggestive effect, or may be configured to light up or flash in a different light color from the light color used in the hold change effect. This makes it less likely that even if the common light-emitting unit 2590 lights up or flashes when a hold change effect is being executed, the light-emitting mode itself will be mistaken for indicating the likelihood of a win. Therefore, after confirming that the common light-emitting unit 2590 is lit or flashing, the player can clearly recognize that they should check the likelihood of a win based on the mode of the hold display displayed on the effect display device 1600.

In addition, in this example, when game ball B enters second starting hole 2005 during control of the time-saving state, a suggestive effect is executed using multiple LEDs located around second starting hole 2005. However, it may also be possible to similarly execute suggestive effects using multiple LEDs located around first lower starting hole 2003 when game ball B enters first lower starting hole 2003 during control of the normal state (non-time-saving state). In such a case, when suggestive effects are executed during control of the normal state (non-time-saving state), not only do the multiple LEDs located around first lower starting hole 2003 flash rapidly, but the common light-emitting element 2590 also lights up or flashes. In other words, the common light-emitting element 2590 is positioned so that the distance from the multiple LEDs located around second starting hole 2005 used during suggestive effects during control of the time-saving state is approximately the same as the distance from the multiple LEDs located around first lower starting hole 2003 used during suggestive effects during control of the normal state (non-time-saving state). As a result, although the location where the suggestive effects are executed differs depending on whether the machine is controlled to the time-saving state or the normal state (non-time-saving state), whether or not an effect suggesting the likelihood of a win (suggestive effect) is being executed can be determined by simply viewing the common light-emitting unit 2590 located at approximately the same distance from the location where each suggestive effect is executed, making it difficult to miss that such an effect is being executed even if the location where the suggestive effect is executed changes.

In addition, in this example, the common light-emitting unit 2590 is positioned so that the distance from the second starting port 2005, where the ball should be placed during control of the time-saving state, is approximately the same as the distance from the first lower starting port 2003, where the ball should be placed during control of the normal state (non-time-saving state).However, this is not limited to this, and the common light-emitting unit 2590 may be configured to be positioned so that the distance from the multiple LEDs placed around the second starting port 2005 used when executing the suggestion effect is approximately the same as the distance from the hold display displayed in the lower left area of the effect display device 1600 used when executing the hold change effect. As a result, although the areas where effects (suggestive effects, hold change effects) are executed differ depending on whether the machine is controlled to the time-saving state or the normal state (non-time-saving state), whether or not an effect suggesting the likelihood of a win (suggestive effects, hold change effects) is being executed can be determined by simply viewing the common light-emitting unit 2590 located at approximately the same distance from the area where each effect is executed, making it difficult to miss that such an effect is being executed even if the area where the effect (suggestive effects, hold change effects) is executed changes.

The present invention has been described above using preferred embodiments, but the present invention is not limited to these embodiments, and as described below, various improvements and design modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

In other words, while the above embodiment shows applications to pachinko machines 1 and slot machines as gaming machines, the present invention is not limited to these and may also be applied to pachislot machines or gaming machines that combine pachinko and pachislot machines, and in these cases, the same effects as those described above can be achieved. It can also be applied to so-called enclosed gaming machines, in which the player does not come into contact with the gaming ball B, and gaming machines known as controlled gaming machines.

In addition, in the above embodiment, the main body 2551 of the binding base 2550 and the main body 2561 of the binding base 2560 are shown to be flat or block-shaped, but this is not limited to this. The main body of the binding base may also be a unit case for an opening/closing unit having a retractable door that opens and closes the winning opening and distributes game balls B, or a unit base for a performance unit.

1 Pachinko machine 2 Outer frame 3 Door frame 4 Main body frame 5 Game board 5a Game area 1000 Front component 1100 Game panel 2000 Front unit 3000 Back unit 3010 Back box 3600 Back rear performance unit 3601 Unit base (fixed base)
3602 Guide shaft 3604 Rotation slit 3700 Back rear lower decorative body (movable decorative body)
3710 First rotating decorative body 3713 First rotating decorative body decorative substrate (electronic component)
3720 Second rotating decorative body 3723 Second rotating decorative body decorative substrate (electronic component)
3730 Third rotating decorative body 3733 Third rotating decorative body decorative substrate (electronic component)
3740 Fourth rotating decorative body 3743 Fourth rotating decorative body decorative substrate (electronic component)
3750 Rear decorative body 3753 Rear decorative body decorative board (electronic parts)
3760 Left unit 3780 Right unit 3781 Right slide base (movable base)
3787 Gear cover (movable base)
3787a Wiring locking portion 3787b Wiring locking portion (harness support portion)
3787c Wiring locking portion 3788 Unit arm (arm)
EC Wiring CT Cable tie CTa Band part CTb Lock part WH3 Harness

Claims (1)

In a gaming machine equipped with a gaming board attached to a main body frame,
The game board is
A ball flow-down area is formed in which the game balls can flow down, and the flow-down area portion has permeability;
A rear decorative portion provided behind the downflow area portion and having a decorative surface visible through the downflow area portion;
A specific support member that supports the back decorative part behind the flow-down area;
Equipped with
The specific support member has a predetermined main body portion and a mounting hole portion , and is supported behind the downflow area portion by inserting a mounting screw into the mounting hole portion ,
The back decorative portion is not attached to the rear of the downflow area, but is arranged between the front of the main body portion of the specific support member and the rear of the downflow area,
Furthermore, the rear decorative portion is formed smaller than the flow-down area portion,
Furthermore, the specific support member is formed to have transparency,
Furthermore, a light-emitting portion capable of emitting light is provided behind the back decorative portion,
The light emitting portion is arranged so as to be difficult to see by the back decorative portion,
The specific support member is configured such that a front surface of the mounting hole portion is located further forward of the gaming machine than a front surface of the main body portion,
The front surface of the main body is not in contact with the rear surface of the downflow area,
A gap larger than the thickness of the back decorative part is formed between the front of the main body part and the rear of the downflow area part of the specific support member, and the back decorative part is disposed in the gap.
A gaming machine characterized by: